YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

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THE

SELECT WORKS

REV. JOHN FLAVEL,
(formerly of university college, oxford.)
with an interesting
ACCOUNT OF HIS LIFE,
INCLUDING HIS
HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED, FOUNTAIN OF LIFE,
NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED, METHOD OF GRACE,
TREATISE ON THE SOUL OF MAN, MYSTERY OF
PROVIDENCE, AND TOKEN FOR MOURNERS.

IN ONE VOLUME.

LONDON:
FREDERICK J. MASON, 444, WEST STRAND.
1834.

\S34-

LONDON :
EAYLIS AND LEIOHTON, JOHNSON's-COURT, FLEET-STREET.

EDITOR'S PREFACE.

It is a well known remark, that there are no sys
tems of Divinity more comprehensive and complete
than those of the olden times, and that the Noncon
formists were men who dug deep into the mines of
Evangelical truth. But their prolixity has been con
sidered tiresome, and tlieir ponderous folios have be
come too formidable for the taste of the present day,
and seem to impose a tax on the reader, to which he
feels reluctant to subnijt. T^he idea of abridgment
seems, therefore, naturaUy to suggest itself, especi
ally where numerous repetitions are found in con
nexion with too much prolixity. And the design of
forcing an interesting family volume, by selections
from the excellent works of the Rev. John Flavel,
still retaining all the leading ideas and most striking
amplifications of his popular pieces, has appeared
to the Editor as desirable as practicable. And as the
Publisher has liberally given more than 100 pages of
letter-press beyond what had been specified in the
prospectus, any complaint of brevity must at once be
obviated. Those who have but little time for reading, and
those who study the most rigid economy, will here
find themselves equally gratified and equally accom
modated, while the marrow of such Divinity is pre
sented to them, without the dry detail of ancient times.

IV PREFACE.
The writings of Flavel are uniformly interesting,
sometimes pathetic, and very solemn ; his illustrations
always judicious, and his inferences almost, if not alto
gether, inimitable ; whilst the frequent references which
are made to anecdotes from ancient Authors, both
Pagan and Christian, have a tendency to keep the
attention awake, and beautifully to illustrate the sub.
ject of discussion. In short, if the reader should de
rive as much gratification from the perusal of this vo
lume as the Editor has in preparing it for the press,
he will never regret the small demand which is made
upon his resources in the purchase. May the pure and
fervent spirit of genuine Christianity, which breathes
in these writings, be richly imbibed and devoutly mani
fested by those who read them, and to the Author of
all good be ascribed all the glory, henceforth and for
ever:
G. B.
Foleshill.

LIFE OF THE
REV. JOHN FLAVEL.

The long line of ancestry which is alluded to in the various
biographical sketches of this eminent divine, as reaching back to
the third great officer who came over with William the Con
queror, would have filled the minds of some with sentiments of
pride and self-complacency ; but John Flavel knew that it was
not a noble earthly parentage that formed the basis of true glory,
and his glory was to know Christ, to be found in Him, and to
have his name written in the Lamb's book of life. Our new
birth, he observes, makes us more honourable than our natural
birth, let our birth-right dignities be what they will.
Whether any in the line of the Flavels, before the Rev.
Richard Flavel, the father of John, were distinguished by those
virtues and excellent gifts which so eminently characterised these
two servants of Christ, is not known. It is, however, sufficient
to remark, that Richard Flavel, both in his private character as
a parent and as a christian, and in his public capacity as a minis
ter, stood high in the esteem of his friends and acquaintance ;
and by his labours in the pulpit, and his many personal excel
lences out of it, obtained to himself " a good report." He was
minister 'first of Bromsgrove, in Worcestershire; afterwards he
settled at Hasler, and from thence removed to Willersly, in
Gloucestershire. He remained in this place, diligently and
patiently discharging the duties of hia sacred office, until 1660,
when he was compelled to resign his living in consequence of an
act for confirming and restoring ministers who had been ejected
during the commonwealth, passed immediately after the restora
tion of Charles the Second.
From this period to his death he appears to have been occupied
only by occasional labours, in different parts of the country and
in London. He did not so much regret the loss of his income as
the opportunity of exercising the pastoral functions. But Richard
Flavel had imbibed much of the spirit of his divine Master : he
was a man of extraordinary piety, and was able to bear with
meekness and patience the many trials arising from poverty and
the state of the times, and uniformly exemplified the greatest
circumspection in his walk and conversation. It was said by
those who were familiarly acquainted with him, " that they never
heard one vain word drop from his mouth." Such a testimony
gives us a high idea of his prudence and piety.
On one occasion, previous to the passing of the Act of Uni
formity, being near Totness, in Devonshire, he preached from
B

2 LIFE OF THE
Hosea vii. 6, — " The days of visitation are come, the days of
recompence are come, Israel shall know it." His application of
the passage to the times was so close that it gave considerable
offence to some of his hearers, and he was carried before some
justices to answer for his conduct. His expressions, however,
were so guarded that it was impossible to sustain any charge
against him which the law would reach, and he was accordingly
discharged. He afterwards quitted that country and his son's
house, which was his retiring place, and came to London, where
he continued, in a faithful and acceptable discharge of his office,
till the time ofthe dreadful plague in 1665. During the ravages
of that destructive malady, the non-conformists were very active,
both in visiting the sick and dying, and in the performance of
public worship. Mr. Flavel being at Mr. Blake's house in
Covent-garden, where some people had met privately for wor
ship ; whilst he was at prayer, a party of soldiers brake in upon
them, with their swords drawn, and demanded their preacher,
threatening some and flattering others to discover him, but in
vain. Some of the company threw a coloured cloak over him,
and in this disguise he was, together with his hearers, carried to
Whitehall. The women were dismissed, but the men were
detained and enforced to lie all that night on the bare floor ; and,
because they would not pay five pounds each, were sent to
Newgate, where the pestilence raged most violently, as in other
places of the city. Here Mr. Flavel and his wife were shut up,
and seized with the sickness ; they were bailed out, but died of
the contagion. Mr. Richard Flavel left two sons behind him,
John and Phinehas, both ministers of the gospel.
John Flavel, the subject of this brief memoir, was born at
Bromsgrove, in Worcestershire. Of his earliest years nothing
is known, except that he was religiously educated by his father,
and obtained the rudiments of literature at the grammar-schools
in the neighbourhood where he resided. How far he was in
debted to the religious counsels of his parents for the first
impressions of the importance of religion, we can only infer
from some allusions in his ' Mystery of Providence.' In this
most interesting treatise, after enforcing our obligations to a
gracious and over-ruling Providence, in casting our lot in a land
distinguished by many advantages, local, civil, and religious,
he proceeds to notice that operation of divine Providence, which
consists in the designation of the stock and family out of which
we should spring and rise. This he viewed of special considera
tion, both as to our temporal and eternal good. As it relates to
our temporal good, he rejoiced in the fulfilment of that promise,
— " He blesseth the habitation of the just," Prov. iii. 33. But,
in reference to spiritual advantages, his remarks are more
extended, and they all appear to spring from a heart full of gra
titude for what he had experienced.

REV. JOHN FLAVEL. 3
Oh, it is no common mercy to descend, he observes, from
pious parents ! Some of us do not only owe our natural
life to them as the instruments of our beings, but our spiritual
and eternal life also. It was no small mercy to Timothy to be
descended from such progenitors, 2 Tim. i. 5 ; nor to Augustine,
that he had such a mother as Monica, who planted in his mind
the precepts of life with her words, watered them with her tears,
and nourished them with her example.
And was it not a special favour to us, to have parents that
went before us as a pattern of holiness, and beat the path to
heaven for us by their example ? Who could say as the apostle
Paul, Phil. iv. 9. " What things ye have heard and seen in me,
do ;" and as 1 Cor. xi. 1 , "Be ye followers of us, a. we are of
Christ. The parent's life is the child's copy, and it is no com
mon mercy, to have a fair copy set before us, especially in the
moulding age ! We saw what they did, as well as heard what
they said.
The conduct of the son, also, expressive as it is of a heart so
sensibly and deeply alive to all those obligations to God and to
his parents, arising from his great and early advantages, is
worthy of particular notice, as a striking and delightful exhibition
of filial attachment and respect, and of devout and heartfelt gra
titude. Domestic religion is too much overlooked, and the
advantages of domestic discipline, under the regulating and
sanctifying power of christian principles, are not sufficiently
appreciated. In fact, it is the influence of religion, which alone
can render effectual, to valuable purposes, the relations in which
we stand to each other: for, in the words of Flavel, a family
where God is forgotten, and his ordinances despised, is a nur
sery for hell ; but where the contrary is the case, it presents a
type of heaven, and furnishes the means of preparing us for its
glories. Mr. Flavel, after receiving that elementary instruction neces
sary to his entrance into the university, proceeded to Oxford
about the year 1646, and was settled a commoner of University
College in that City. During the early part of his residence at
this seat of learning, his studies must have . suffered serious in
terruptions, and his mmd have been exposed to severe trials,
from the disputes, which then ran high, between that university
and the parliament.
During the confinement of king Charles I. in the Isle of
Wight, the parliament determined to inquire into the state of the
university, and to prescribe and apply such remedies as they
deemed suitable. Visitors were accordingly appointed, and
ordered to repair to Oxford, with authority to make such in
quiries and examine persons on oath, in order to a complete
investigation of the evils which the civil war had brought upon
that city. To this there would perhaps have been but little
b 2

4 LIFE OF THE
objection on the part of the vice-chancel lor and others, had not
the visitors been also authorized to enfore the taking of the
solemn league and covenant, the nagative oath, and submission
to certain ordinances concerning discipline and worship. These
many most absolutely opposed, and a paper, chiefly the compo
sition of Dr. Sanderson, was adopted as expressive of the
opinions of the university on the terms proposed by parliament.
The dispute ended in the expulsion of the vice-chancellor, Dr.
Fell, and several others highly distinguished by their learning,
and equally so by their antipathy to the parliament. The
vacancies, however, which were produced by these decisive mea
sures, were filled up with men of great piety and learning ; and
the world can judge for itself how far the new professors were
adequate to the situations they were called to fill, when it is
known that Tillotson, Stillingfleet, Patrick, South, Whitby,
Boyle, Newton, and Locke, were educated by them. It must
be allowed, and has been admitted by many writers of distinction,
that although the ejected loyalists were men of great learning
and excellence, yet their successors were no less eminent in
their several professions, and of equal probity and virtue. The
account which the Rev. P. Henry gives of the state of the uni
versity soon after the disputes with the parliament had ceased, is
well worthy of the attention of the reader. That devout man
" often acknowledged, with thankfulness to God, what great
helps and advantages he had then in the university, not only for
learning, but for religion and piety." There can be no doubt
that Flavel, during is residence there, like his contemporary,
P. Henry, was under considerable obligations, arising not only
from the philosophical and literary, but also the moral and reli
gious .advantages which he possessed. He deplored with great
poignancy afterwards that his attention had not been more
directed to the cultivation of personal piety, and his improvement
in that species of knowledge most important to man, — the know
ledge of divine things.
In the preface to his ' Treatise on the Soul of Man,' he writes,
" as for me, it hath been my sin, and is now the matter of my
sorrow, that whilst myriads of souls, of no higher original than
mine, are some of them beholding the highest Majesty in heaven,
and others giving all diligence to make sure their salvation on
earth, I was carried away so many years in the course of this
world, (like a drop with the current of the tide,) wholly forget
ting my best self, my invaluable soul; whilst I prodigally
wasted the stores of my time and thoughts upon vanities, that
long since passed away as the waters which are remembered no
more. It shall be no shame to me to confess this folly, since
the matter of my confession shall go to the glory of my God.
I studied to know many other things but I knew not myself. It
was with me as with a servant to whom the master committed

REV. JOHN FLAVEL. 0
two things ; the child, and the child's clothes ; the servant is very
careful of the clothes, brushes and washes, starches and irons
them, and keeps them safe and clean, but the child is forgotten
and lost. My body, which is but the garment of my soul, I
kept and nourished with excessive care ; but my soul was long
forgotten, and had been lost for ever, as others daily are, had
not God roused it, by the convictions of his Spirit, out of that
deep oblivion and deadly slumber."
Although Mr. Flavel makes these humiliating acknowledge
ments of his inattention to the most important subjects, yet his
ministry, according to the testimony of those who knew him, and
his writings, in the estimation of all, exhibited many and unequi
vocal proofs of his diligence in study, and the care which he
bestowed on the cultivation of his own heart. His knowledge of
divinity was not only profound and systematic, but was devo
tional and practical. He was as eminent a christian as he was a
theologian. Soon after he took his degree of bachelor of arts he was
invited to become assistant-minister to Mr. Walplate, of Dipt-
ford, in the county of Devon. The years and increasing infirmi
ties of this good man unfitting him for the discharge of his public
duties, he applied to Oxford for an assistant. Mr. Flavel was
then but young, and his residence in the university had not been
long, yet he was deemed fully qualified for the situation, and
was accordingly recommended to the notice of Mr. W. Being
settled at Diptford by the standing committee for the county of
Devon, he applied himself diligently to the work of his sacred
calling. He felt the weight of his charge and his own incom
petency ; and by assiduity in reading, meditation, and prayer,
he sought an increase in all those qualifications essential to
ministerial respectability and usefulness. His advancement in
knowledge was very perceptible ; " his profiting appeared unto
all," and he attained a high degree of eminence and reputation
by his labours. His biographer says, about six months after
his settling at Diptford, he heard of an ordination to be at Salis
bury, and therefore went thither with his testimonials, and
offered himself to be examined and ordained by the presbytery
there: they appointed him a text, upon which he preached to
their general satisfaction ; and having afterwards examined him
as to his learning, they set him apart to the work of the ministry,
with prayer and imposition of hands, on the 17th day of October,
1650. It may be proper here to introduce his views of that sacred
office to which he had been designated ; as their appropriateness
to the event to which we have just adverted, renders the reference
both just and suitable. Speaking of faithfulness in the servants
of Christ, the followiug are some of his remarks : " A servant
is altogether another's ; he must design and aim at not his own

6 LIFE OF THE
but his master's honour and interest. Fidelity will not endure
self-ends, disguised with a pretence of zeal for Christ. Pure
ends in our service, will give abundant comfort at the end of our
service. A faithful minister is a sincere-hearted minister. It is
easier to declaim, like an orator, against a thousand sins of
others, than it is to mortify one sin like christians, in ourselves ;
to be more industrious in our pulpits than in our closets ; to
preach twenty sermons to our people, than one to our own
hearts. Believe it, all our reading, studying, and preaching, is
but trifling hypocrisy, till the things read, studied, and preached,
be felt in some degree upon our own hearts. I may say to him
that snatches at the ministry, as Henry IV. did to his son, that
hastily snatched at tlie crown, ' He little knows what a heap of
cares and toils he snateheth at.'"
The engagements of Flavel were quite in accordance with his
desire for usefulness ; and whatever the difficulties he had to
encounter, he viewed no employment so congenial as preaching
Christ : this is very evident from a paragraph in his ' Mystery of
Providence.' He felt it to be his honour to be called to* an
employment so distinguished as that of the christian ministry,
and felt himself under great obligations to divine Providence
for providing him such a station as neither himself nor his
parents had ventured to anticipate. His words are, " There are
among us those who are signally obliged to divine Providence on
this account: God hath put them into such a way as neither they
nor their parents ever projected. For, look, as the flower-de-
luce in the compass turns now this way, then that way, and
never ceases moving till it settles to the north point, just so it
is in our settlements in this world. A child is now designed for
this, then for that, but at last settles in that way of employment
which Providence designed him to." Such views of an over
ruling Providence, in selecting his employments and his station,
would, no doubt, have a considerable influence in producing that
firmness and decision which he displayed in times so distracting
as those in which he lived ; and, holding his ministry as a charge
from God, arid, not as a mere means of subsistence, he would
feel it to be his duty, in evil report and good report, and amidst
all the fluctuations of opinions and events, to hold it fast unto
the end.
Soon after Mr. Flavel was settled at Diptford, Mr. Walplate
died, and he succeeded to tbe rectory. On his appointment to
the vacant benefice, his first act strikingly indicated the nature
of those motives by which he was actuated. Being anxious to
avoid all incumbrances from tbe world, and avocations from his
studies and ministerial work, he chose a person of worth and
reputation in the parish, of whom he had a good assurance that
he would be faithful to himself and kind to his parishioners, and
let him the whole tithes much below the real value, which was

REV. JOHN FLAVEL. 7
very pleasing to his people. By this means, says his biographer,
he was the better able to deal with them in private, since the
hire of his labours was no way a hindrance to the success of
them. Such a step was a great proof of his disinterestedness,
prudence, and zeal for the good of his charge.
Whilst at Diptford he, married a pious gentlewoman of good
family, named Randal, but who died in travel of her first child.
So slender are the ties by which the nearest and dearest rela
tions in life are sustained, and so brief and uncertain is the
continuance of those enjoyments which they are the means of
producing ! After he had spent upwards of a year in a widowed
state, he again married, and, by a gracious Providence, selected
one to be his partner, who was a great comfort to him for many
years. His second wife was named Elizabeth Morries. Mr.
Flavel's views of the duties and obligations of this relation are
very just, and display the temper as well as thes principles of this
good man. " Give your utmost diligence," he says, " to pro
mote religion, and the . power of godliness, in your respective
families. O, shine as lights there; lay out your talents as
many ways as they may possibly be improveable for the good of
all about you. By this the power of godliness must be disco
vered in you, and begotten and kept alive in them. The Jews
have a tradition, that the fire of the altar was miraculously
preserved under ground, during the Babylonish captivity. I am
sure this is the way to preserve religion alive, now the public
ordinary means have ceased. Precepts are not wanting to en
force this duty upon you, nor yet worthy examples to encourage
it. How fresh and glorious a remembrance in the scriptures
have those worthy saints unto this day, and so shall have,
wherever the gospel is preached, unto the end of the world, who
have burned with a holy zeal, not only to offer up themselves,
but their families also, unto God. It does not a little affect me
to read what a learned man observes of the Jews ; ' Although
religion be miserably deformed among them, yet it seems there
are some prints of their ancient family discipline to this day
remaining among them; for, saith he, they are so careful to
teach their children^ in their tender years, the law, the books of
Mos^s, and after that their talmudical traditions, that their skill
in Judaism, at the age of seventeen, exceeds the knowledge of
many of us in Christianity at seventy.' O, let this provoke
Christians ! we see how light breaks out more and more in every
age ; as Luther said, ' I see more than blessed Austin saw ;
and they that come after me will see more than I see.' O then
let us labour to prepare and make them ready for the Lord ; and
that not only by instructing them in the principles of religion,
but by endeavouring to the utmost, by counsels, persuasions,
prayers for, and with them, to have the power of godliness
wrought in their hearts, to travail with them again in pain, till
Christ be formed in them."

LIFE OF THE

By how many motives doth this dear and tender relation urge
us to seek the salvation of their souls. It is the soul of the child
that is the child ; and if that perish for want of knowledge, where
is the mercy of having children ? Surely an untimely birth is
better than they. Oh ! when you shall see your own children
the enemies to God, in rebellion against him, will it not make
you take up Job's wish, Job iii. 1,5, and apply it to them, ' Let
the day perish wherein they were born ; let the darkness and
shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the
blackness of the day terrify it ?' Oh, if you have the hearts of
parents in you, think how sad a consideration this will be to you,
that those who are so dear to you should be the objects of God's
wrath ; those you have been so tender over, and have so often
put into your bosoms, must lie under eternal torments, and their
bed be made in hell ? If you have any good thing yourselves, you
cannot withhold it from them ; if yon be feasted abroad and they
pining at home, the greatest dainties do you no good. Why
now, unless they be taught the knowledge of Christ, and a
saving change pass upon them, when you shall sit down with
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of God, abundantly
satisfied with the fatness of his house, and drinking of the river
of his pleasure, they shall be shut out. Nature teacheth you to
feel the pains of their bodies, and cannot grace teach yon to
sympathise with the misery of their wretched souls? 'Well, the
day is coming, if they die Christless, that they will wish they
had been the generation of tigers, or offspring of dragons, rather
than your children : and when you can have them no more, you
know who must and will."
Such were Flavel 's views of the obligations of parents ; and
his opinions on the subject of domestic worship, are not less
worthy of attention. In the epistle to the reader, which precedes
the ' Fountain of Life,' he says " My request is, that you will
all be persuaded, whether converted or unconverted, to set up
all the duties of religion in your families, and govern your chil
dren and servants as men that must give an account to God for
them in the great day. O that there were not a prayerless
family in this town ! How little will your tables differ from tbe
manger where beasts feed together, if God be not owned and
acknowledged there, in your eating and drinking? And how
can you expect blessings should dwell in your tabernacles, if
God be not called on there ? Say not you want time, or that
your necessities will not allow it ; for, had you been more care
ful of these duties, it is likely you had not been exposed to these
necessities : besides, you can find time to be idle, you can waste
a part of every day vainly ; why could not that time be redeemed
for God ? Moreover, you will not deny but the success of all
your affairs, at home and abroad, 'depends upon the blessing of
God ; and if so, think you it is not the right way, even to tem-

REV. JOHN FLAVEL. 9
poral prosperity, to engage his presence and blessing with you,
in whose hands your all is ?
Some time after his second marriage, Mr. Flavel received an
application from the people at Dartmouth, to succeed their late
pastor, the Rev. Anthony Hartford, deceased. This invitation
being unanimous, and the situation highly important, Mr. Flavel
thought it to be his duty to accede to it. He had first recom
mended himself to the notice of the people at Dartmouth, and to
their former pastor whilst living, by the devout and creditable
manner in which he had conducted himself as moderator at a
provincial synod, which had been held in that county. Though
but young at that time, he opened the sittings with a prayer so
appropriate and devotional — he examined the candidates, who
proposed themselves for the sanction of tlie synod, with so much
learning, acuteness, and judgment, and his whole conduct was
so grave, pious, and serious, that all present expressed their
high sense of his christian excellence and literary attainments.
On this occasion an intimacy began between Mr. Flavel and Mr.
Hartford, which continued until the death of the latter, and was
the means of frequently introducing him to the notice of the
magistrates, and other persons of consequence, in the town, of
Dartmouth. It is not surprising, tbat under such circumstances,
the authorities of that town should look to Mr. Flavel as a
successor, when bereft of their respected pastor. He was accord
ingly invited to preach several times, in connexion with others
who were candidates for the vacant pulpit ; and when the people
gave in their suffrages, it appeared tp be the wish of all, that he
should be invited to take the charge. The reasons by which
the invitation was pressed on his attention were the following:
" Because there were exceptions made against all the other
candidates, but none against him. Because being acceptable to
the whole town, he was the more likely to be an instrument of
healing the breaches amongst the good people there ; and be
cause Dartmouth, being a considerable and populous town,
required an able and eminent minister, which was not so neces
sary for a country parish, that might be more easily supplied
with another pastor. An invitation, supported by reasons so
just and cogent, did not fail to obtain the respect and serious
consideration it deserved. Mr. Flavel submitted the case to
the consideration of his most judicious and pious friends, but
especially to his heavenly Father ; and from a conscientious con
viction of duty, he accepted the call. His disinterestedness in
this act is worthy of record, as he exchanged a larger benefice
for one considerably smaller ; whilst he resigned a situation
requiring comparatively little labour, for one which required
great industry and personal applieation.
Mr. Flavel having accepted this invitation, was publicly recog
nised as minister of Townstall, alias St. Clement's, by the

10 LIFE OF THE
commissioners for approbation of public preachers, appointed at
Whitehall, on the 10th of December, 1656. He was associated
with the Rev. A. Geere, who was minister of St. Saviour's, a
very worthy, but sickly man, and with whom he divided the
occasional duties of the parish. In this situation God crowned
his labours with great and signal success. One of his judicious
hearers once expressed himself thus concerning him : " I could
say much, though not enough, of the excellency of his preaching,
of his seasonable, suitable, and spiritual manner ; of his plain
expositions of scripture, his taking method, his genuine and
natural deductions, his convincing arguments, his clear and
powerful demonstrations, his heart-searching applications, and
his comfortable supports to those that were afflicted in consci
ence. In short, that person must have a very soft head, or a
very hard heart, or both, that could sit under his ministry un
affected." Such was the testimony of one of his hearers ; a
testimony deserving of attention, not only on account of the
character of the individual who gave, it, but also on account of
its perfect agreement with the most prominent characteristics of
his written compositions. But his great and distinguished ex
cellencies need not excite our surprise, when we take into
consideration the vigilant watchfulness which he kept over his
own heart, his diligent and unwearied application to study, and
the sincerity and ardour with which he devoted himself to the
duties of his situation.
To his diligent and unwearied attention to the state of religion
in his own soul, must be ascribed the devout fervour which cha
racterised his prayers in public, the readiness and appropriateness
of expression with which he could allude to existing circum
stances, and the contrition, the profound humility and affecting
fervour of all his supplications. His tongue and spirit were
touched with a live coal from the altar of private and closet
devotion, and there he imbibed that spirit of grace and supplica
tion, which gave, both to the worship of the family and the
sanctuary, a pathos and an earnestness which not only gained the
admiration of his fellow-worshippers, but was also the means of
enkindling the same spirit of devotion in their hearts. Those
who were most familiar with him said, " that though always full
and copious in prayer, yet he seemed constantly to exceed him
self, and even rarely made use twice of the same expressions.
Flavel, however, did not imagine that literature and systematic
theology were of no value. He knew, and he could justly
appreciate, the relative importance of these studies, and, by
diligent application, had acquired a very considerable stock both
of divine and human learning. One important means by which
he acquired a very considerable and available stock of know
ledge, was the practice of writing "down, in what he termed his
Adversaria, any remarkable observation which he had heard in

REV. JOHN FLAVEL. 11
the company of his friends, or which he might meet with in the
books that he read. These memoranda formed a valuable stock,
on which he drew largely, both in his public ministrations and
also in his writings. He was remarkably happy in the use which
he made of these extracts, both from sacred and profane history,
in illustrating the great truths of the gospel, and the feelings
with which its announcements should be received.
Such, however, was the state of the times, that Mr. Flavel
was not permitted long to continue his useful and devoted labours
without interruption. On the 24th of August, 1662, the act of
uniformity passed. It is not necessary here to detail its provi
sions, nor to make any remarks on the spirit and principles in
which it originated ; suffice it to say, that Mr. Flavel and his
colleague, Mr. Geere, were amongst the two thousand who
could not, in conscience, subscribe, and who accordingly were
expelled from their benefices. But this act, although it deprived
Mr. Flavel of his usual means of support, did not, as it could
not, dissolve the relation in which he stood to his people. This
charge he had received from the great Head of the church, and
the souls of his people were so precious in his sight that he
seized with eagerness every opportunity of ministering the word
and sacraments to them in private assemblies. He also joined
with other ministers in observing days of fasting and humiliation.
About four months after his expulsion, Mr. Flavel lost his
friend and colleague, Mr. Geere, by death, and the whole care
of the flock devolved upon him. This, though a heavy and
serious charge, he undertook with cheerfulness. He loved his
people ; was supremely anxious to see them growing in grace,
and could not bear the thought of losing any who had been com
mitted to his care.
Mr. Flavel delighted to proclaim the truths ofthe gospel, and
grieved that his efforts were impeded. But great as was the
trial of exclusion from his pulpit, a still greater awaited this good
man and faithful minister. In consequence of the discovery, or
the pretended discovery, of certain plots, it was determined to
contract still farther the privileges of the non-conformists; and,
in July 1664, it was enacted, that every person who was present
at any assembly, consisting of more than five individuals, under
pretence of religion, should be punished by fine or imprisonment.
This was termed the " conventicle act." The former act was
directed against ministers, but this subjected the people to punish
ment ; and thus it was sought to proscribe all religious services,
except those performed according to law.
The following year, 1 665, the plague broke out in London, in
consequence of which the parliament sat at Oxford, when another
act was passed, which still further abridged the liberties of those
who did not conform. By 'this statute, which was termed the
Oxford act, an oath was enforced that they would " not at any

12 LIFE OF THE
time endeavour any alteration of the government in church or
state ;" and it was enacted, that unless they would take this oath
they must not come, unless upon the road, within five miles of
any city or corporation, any place that sent members to parlia
ment, any place where they had been ministers, or had preached
after the act of oblivion. 'This was the most severe of all the
disgraceful statutes which were enacted by the government at
this period.
The Oxford act came into operation on Mafch 25th, 1665, a
day that was long remembered by many ministers and congrega
tions. Dartmouth being a corporation town, Mr. Flavel was
compelled to retire from the scene of his labours, and took up his
residence at a village called Slapton, situated about five miles
from Dartmouth and all other boroughs possessing the privileges
specified in the act. His separation from his beloved charge
produced on both sides those deep emotions of sorrow which
invariably must result from the dissolution of ties which arise
from all the virtues that render friendship dear, and from those
christian graces that render it sacred. His people followed him
out of the town to the church-yard at Townstall ; there they took
a mournful farewell of each other, and such was their sorrow,
tbat the place might with propriety, says one of his biographers,
be called Bochim. Although the enactments of the government
were severe against conventicles, yet there were means of evad
ing them. Mr. Flavel continued to preach twice on the Lord's-
day, to those who had sufficient courage to go to him, and he was
attended by many of his own people from Dartmouth. Occa
sionally he even ventured into the town, and by his private minis
trations and social intercourse edified his people, refreshed his
own soul and theirs, and was thus instrumental in preserving
them from those evils which are likely to befal the flock when
deprived of its shepherd.
During these trying times, when the want of the faithful
ministry of the -gospei was most sensibly felt, those who hun
gered and thirsted after righteousness, and those in whose hearts
the love of Christ and immortal souls was shed abroad, were not
intimidated by discouragements and difficulties from the discharge
of what they felt to be a duty, and from seeking the enjoyment of
what they viewed as their highest privilege. All means which
honest ingenuity could invent were adopted, in order to escape
the vigilant and malevolent eye of their enemies and persecutors,
and any inconveniencies were submitted to for the occasional
privilege of hearing the gospel, and of partaking in the adminis
tration of its ordinances. Mr. Flavel being at Exeter, was
invited by some of the inhabitants of that city to preach to them
in a wood about three miles distant from the city, and which
place had been selected in consequence of its privacy. The
preacher, however, had but just commenced his discourse, when

REV. JOHN FLAVEL. 13
the service was interrupted, and the assembly broken up, by
the appearance of some constables and others, who had been
sent for the purpose of arresting the offenders. Mr. Flavel, how
ever, by the care of the people, made his escape through the
midst of his enraged enemies, and escaped the penalties to which
he had exposed himself; but several of his hearers were appre
hended and taken before justice Tuckfield, and fined. They
.were not, however, discouraged by these circumstances, but
assembled again soon after in another wood, where Mr. Flavel
again met them, and preached without any molestation. After
the conclusion of the service he rode to a gentleman's house in
the immediate vicinity of the place, where, though a perfect
stranger, he was entertained with the greatest hospitality, re
mained all night, and returned to Exeter next morning in safety.
This was but one instance out of many that occurred, which
displayed the courage, the faith, and the constancy of these
persecuted men. They took joyfully the spoiling of their goods,
knowing that in heaven they had a better and a more enduring
substance. One individual, a tanner, residing in Exeter, who
had a numerous family and but little property, was fined forty
pounds for being present at the assembly when Mr. F. preached
in the wood; but so far from allowing the circumstance to dis
courage and trouble him, he told a friend, who asked him how
he bore up under it, that he took it joyfully for the sake of his
Lord Jesus, for whom his life and all that he had was too small
an offering.
Although Mr. Flavel now lived in comparative privacy, and
his opportunities of public labour were but few, his time was
fully occupied in preparing for the press, and publishing, several
of his most eminent works. All these furnish a lasting memo
rial of the piety, the fidelity, and the zeal of the author. It is
impossible to read any of them without perceiving how much the
mind of the writer was set upon the spiritual good of the reader.
These are some of the fruits which the wrath of man was made
to yield, and although that generation suffered by the persecu
tions of the government, all succeeding generations have been
enriched by them, through a gracious and overruling Providence.
Notwithstanding the severity of those measures, by which it
was sought to suppress non-conformity, the indecision of the
king, his well-known desire to grant toleration, the patience, the
virtue, and the piety of the persecuted ministers, the moderation
of their political sentiments, and their integrity and peaceable
disposition as citizens, gained them many friends ; their numbers
increased, and they had occasional opportunities of meeting to
gether for the celebration of christian ordinances : they ran great
hazards, but often escaped with impunity. The^ difficulties of
the nation from foreign wars, and clamours of the people in con
sequence of the growing power of France, induced many persons

14 LIFE OF THE
of distinction and of moderate views to endeavour to effect a
comprehension by making some abatements, which might enable
some to return into the bosom of the church, and preserve others,
more scrupulous, from those violent feelings which persecution
and hardship are so apt to produce. But all their efforts failed,
until the king, throwing himself and his government into the
arms of what was termed, the Cabal, issued a declaration of indul
gence, in 1671, on the authority of what is termed the dispensing
power ofthe crown, by which all the penal laws against all kinds
of non-conformists were suspended. This exercise of the prero
gative, though illegal, was in this instance the means of relieving
many from oppressions and sufferings the most painful and unjust.
The ministers who had been exiled from their charges returned
to their several situations, and again publicly resumed the func
tions which they had been compelled to exercise in privacy, and
at considerable risk. Mr. Flavel, whose heart was with his
people, embraced the opportunity with thankfulness, and returned
from his retirement at Slapton to his people at Dartmouth.
Considerable caution, however, was still requisite, as very angry
debates arose concerning this exercise of the power of the crown.
The indulgence did not continue long. In 1673 the question
was debated in the house of commons as to the right of the king
to exercise a prerogative which could enable him to suspend the
operation of the laws ; and even the friends of the non-conformists,
then in the house, perceiving the dangerous tendency and uncon
stitutional nature of this power, were willing rather to part with
a liberty, in many respects dangerous to the protestant interest,
than enjoy it at the expense of other rights. An address there
fore was presented to his majesty to give up this declaration, and
afterwards repeated, with an expression of an intention not to
proceed( with financial affairs until the point was conceded ; in
consequence of which the king was induced to withdraw the
declaration, and thus an end was put to the first indulgence
granted during these times of persecution and distress. The
revocation ofthe indulgence, however, did not induce Mr. Flavel
to discontinue his' labours, as he preached in season and out of
season, to all who ventured to come to him. During these occa
sional labours, one instance of usefulness occurred, which we
shall insert here from his own narrative in the ' Mystery of
Providence.' " In the year 1673, there came into this port a
ship of Poole, in her return from Virginia ; in which ship was one
of that place, a lusty young man of twenty-three years of age,
who was surgeon in the ship. This person, in the voyage, fell
into a deep melancholy, which the devil greatly improved to
serve his own design for the ruin of this poor man : however, it
pleased the Lord to restrain him from any attempts on his own
life, until he arrived here. But shortly after his arrival, upon
the Lord's-day, early in the morning, being in bed with' his bro-

REV. JOHN FLAVEL. 15
ther, he took a knife, prepared for that purpose, and cut his
own throat, and withal leaped out of bed. Though the wound
was deep and large, yet thinking it might not soon enough dis
patch his wretched life, he desperately thrust the knife into his
stomach, and so lay wallowing in his own blood, till his brother,
awaking, made a cry for help. Hereupon a physician and a
surgeon coming in, found the wound in his throat mortal ; and
all they could do at present was only to stitch and apply a
plaister, with a design rather to enable him to speak for a little
while, than with any expectation of cure ; for before that he
breathed through the wound, and his voice was inarticulate.
" In this condition I found him that morning, and apprehend
ing him to be within a few minutes of eternity, I laboured to work
upon his heart the sense of his condition, telling him that I had
but little time to do any thing for him, and therefore desired him
to let me know what his own apprehensions of his present con
dition were. He told me, he hoped in God for eternal life. I
replied, that I feared his hopes were ungrounded, for the scrip
ture tells us, " No murderer hath eternal life abiding in him ;"
but this was self-murder, the grossest of all murders : and
insisting upon the aggravation and heinousness of the fact, I
perceived his vain confidence began to fall, and some meltings
of heart appeared in him. He then began to lament, with many
tears, his sin and misery, and asked-me, if there might yet be
hope for one that had destroyed himself, and shed his own blood.
I replied the sin is indeed great, but not unpardonable ; and if
the Lord gave him repentance unto jlife, and faith to apply to
Jesus Christ, it should certainly be pardoned to him. And
finding him unacquainted with these things, I opened to him the
nature and necessity of faith and repentance ; to which he attended
with the deepest interest, and with great vehemency cried to God
that he would work them upou his soul, and intreated me also to
pray with him and for him, that it might be so. I prayed with
him, and the Lord thawed his heart exceedingly in that duty ;
loth he was to part with me, but the duties of the day necessi
tating me to leave him, I briefly summed up what was most
necessary in my parting counsel to him, and took my leave, never
expecting to see him more in this world. But beyond my own,
and all men's expectations, he continued all that day, and panted
most ardently after Jesus Christ ; no discourses pleased him but
Christ and faith, and in this frame I found him in the evening.
He rejoiced greatly to see me again, and intreated me to con
tinue my discourse upon these subjects ; and after all he told me,
Sir, the Lord hath given me repentance for this sin, yea, and
for every other sin. I see the evil of sin now, so as I never saw
it before. Oh ! I loathe myself; I am a vile creature in my own
eyes ! I do also believe, Lord help my unbelief ! I am heartily
walling to take Christ upon his own terms. One thing only

16 LIFE OF THE
troubles me, I doubt this bloody sin will not be pardoned. Will
Jesus Christ, said he, apply his blood to me, that have shed my
own blood ? I told him, Christ shed his blood even for them
that with wicked hands had shed the blood of Christ ; and that
was a sin of deeper guilt than his. Well, saith be, 1 will cast
myself on Christ; let him do by me what he will. And so I
parted with him that night.
" Next morning the wounds were to be opened, and then the
opinion of the surgeons was, that he would immediately expire.
Accordingly, at his desire, I came that morning, and found him
in a most serious frame. I prayed with bim, and then the wound
in his stomach was opened ; but by this time the ventricle itself
was swollen out of the orifice of the wound and lay livid and dis
coloured upon the body, and was also cut through, so that all
concluded it was impossible for him to live. However, they
stitched the wound in the stomach, enlarged the orifice and
fomented it, and wrought it again into his body, and so stitching
up the skin, left him to the disposal of Providence.
" But so it was, that both the deep wound in the throat, and
this in his stomach, healed ; and the more dangerous wound sin
had made upon his soul,, was, I trust, effectually healed also.
I spent many hours with him in that sickness ; and after his
return home received this account from Mr. Samuel Hardy, a
minister in that town, which I shall transcribe:"
' Dear Sir — I was much troubled at the sad providence in your
town ; but did much rejoice, that he fell into such hands, for his
body and soul. You have taken much pains with him, and I
hope to good purpose. I think, if ever a great and thorough
work were done such a way, it is now ; and if never the like, I
am persuaded, now it is. Never grow weary of such works.
One such instance, methinks, is enough to make you abound in
the work of the Lord all your days.'
This remarkable instance is a striking display of the sove
reignty and power of divine grace, and it furnishes us with one
illustration of the fidelity, activity, and zeal, of this eminent
servant of Christ.
An instance ofthe usefulness oCMr. Flavel's writings came to
his knowledge during a visit which he paid to his friends in Lon
don this year. Mr Boulter, his bookseller, was applied to by
a gay and fashionable young man for some books of plays. Mr.
B. replied, that he had none; but showed him the treatise on
" Keeping the Heart," and earnestly requested him to read it,
assuring him that it would do him more good than " play books."
The gentleman read the title, and glancing over several pages
here and there, broke out into language expressive of his con
tempt. " What a damnable fanatic was he, who made this
book !" Mr. Boulter, however, begged of him to buy and read
it, and told him he had no cause to censure it so bitterly ; by

REV. JOHN FLAVEL. 17
these recommendations the book was purchased, but with the
assurance that it would never be read. What will you do with
it then, said Mr. B. ? I will tear and burn it, and send it to the
devil, was the reply. Mr. Boulter then said, In that case you
shall not have it. Upon this, the gentleman promised to read it,
and Mr. Boulter replied, that if, after reading it, he did not like
it, tlie money should be returned. About a month after, the
gentleman came to the shop again in a very modest habit, and
with a serious countenance addressed Mr. Boulter thus : " Sir, I
most heartily thank you for putting this book into my hands ;
I bless God that moved you to do it ; it hath saved my soul ;
blessed be God that ever I came into your shop." He then pur
chased a hundred copies of that work to give to the poor, and left
the shop, expressing his gratitude for the goodness of God
towards him.
About this time he was visited with another painful bereave
ment, in the loss of his second wife. She had very greatly
endeared herself to him by all those kind attentions which, from
his delicate and weakly constitution, he particularly needed, and
also by those christian excellencies which rendered her in every
respect a helpmeet to him. The feelings which this event pro
duced may be inferred from some remarks in a letter which he
wrote to his brother and sister on the loss of an only son, with a
sermon, which he wrote and published, under the title of ' A
Token for Mourners.' They prove that Flavel was endowed with
all those natural sensibilities which render us capable of sympathy
and affection. This letter, which is distinguished by great sim
plicity, and imbued with a large share of the unction of genuine
piety, we shall insert as a striking specimen of his epistolary
style. " The double tie of nature and grace, beside the many en
dearing passages that for so many years have linked and glued
our affections so intimately, cannot but beget a tender sympathy
in me with you, under all your troubles, and make me say of
every affliction which befalls you, half is mine. I find it is with
our affections, as with the strings of musical instruments exactly
set at the same height, if one be touched, the other trembles,
though it be at some distance.
" Our affections are one, and so in a great measure have been
our afflictions also. You cannot forget, that in the years lately
past, the Almighty visited my tabernacle with the rod, and in
one year cut off the root, and the branch, the tender mother and
the only son. What the effects of those strokes, or rather of my
own unmortified passions were, I have felt, and you and others
have heard. Surely I was as a bullock unaccustomed to the
yoke. " I dare not say that ever I felt my heart discontentedly rising
and swelling against God ; no, I could still justify him, when I
c ,

18 LIFE OF THE
most sensibly smarted by his hand. If he had plnnged me into
a sea of sorrow, yet I could say, in all that sea of sorrow there
is not a drop of injustice. But it was the overheating and over
acting of my fond and unmortified affections and passions that
made so sad impressions upon my body, and cast me under those
distempers which soon embittered all my remaining comforts
to me.
" But I will not hold you longer here ; I have only a few
things to desire for, and from you, and I have done.
" I desire that you will not be too hasty to get off the yoke
which God hath put upon your neck. Let patience have its per
fect work ; that comfort which comes in God's way and season,
will stick by you, and do you good indeed.
" I desire, that though you and your afflictions had a sad meet
ing, yet you and they may have a comfortable parting. If they
effect that upon your hearts which God sent them for, I doubt
not but you will give them a fair testimony when they go off. If
they obtain God's blessing upon them in their operation, surely
they will have your blessing too at their valediction. What you
entertained with fear, you will dismiss with praise. How sweet
is it to hear the afflicted soul say, when God is loosing his bands,
' Itis good for me that I have been afflicted.'
" I heartily wish that these searching afflictions may make you
see more of the evil of sin, the vanity of the creature, and the
fulness of Christ. That the love you bestowed on your little one
may be placed to greater advantage on Jesus Christ ; and that
the stream of your affection to him may be so much the stronger,
as there are now fewer channels for it to be diverted into. Hence
forth let there be no parting, sharing, or dividing of the affections
betwixt God and the creature ; let all the stream, meet and
centre in him, only."
Mr. Flavel afterwards married Ann, daughter of Mr. Thomas
Downe, minister of Exeter, with whom he lived very happily
eleven years, and by whom he had two sons.
The persecution of the non-conformists continuing, Mr. Flavel
still occupied his time by the labours of his pen, and published
his ' Method of Grace.
In 1674, the persecutions against the non-conformists were
renewed, and a proclamation was issued by the king, command
ing all magistrates to put the penal laws into full execution. The
danger being considerably increased, Mr. Flavel's labours in the
pulpit were more than ever abridged, and he therefore occupied
his leisure hours in preparing for the press, and superintending
the publication, of several of his works. The " Seaman's Com
panion,' « Divine Conduct, or the Mystery of Providence,'
' The Touchstone of Sincerity,' and his ' Treatise on the Soul
of Man.'
In this work he relates, in the third person, the following

REV. JOHN FLAVEL. 19
singular occurrence, which his biographer states to refer to him
self : we give if in his own words, as it is too remarkable to be
omitted. " I have, with good assurance, this account of a minister, who
being alone in a journey, and willing to make the best improve
ment he could ofthat day's solitttte, set himself to a close
examination of the state of his soul, and then ofthe life to come,
and the manner of its being, and living in heaven, in the views
of all those things which are now pure objects of faith and hope.
After a while, he perceived his thoughts begin to fix, and come
closer to these great and astonishing things than was usual ; and
as his mind settled upon them, his affections began to rise with
answerable liveliness and vigouT.
" He therefore (whilst he was yet master of his own thoughts)
lifted up his heart to God in a short ejaculation, that God.
would so order it in his providence, that he might meet with no
interruption from company, or any other accident in that journey ;
which was granted him : for in all that day's journey, he neither
met, overtook, nor was overtaken, by any. Thus going on his
way, his thoughts, began to swell, and rise higher and higher,
like the waters in Ezekiel's vision, till at last they became an
overflowing flood. Such was the intention of his mind, such the
ravishing tastes of heavenly joys, and such the full assurance of
his interest therein, that he utterly lost all sight and sense of this
world, and all the concerns thereof ; and for some hours, knew no
more where he was, than if he had been in a deep sleep upon his
bed. At last he began to perceive himself very faint, and almost
choaked with blood, which running in abundance from his nose,
had coloured his clothes and his horse from the shoulder to the
hoof. He found himself almost spent, and nature to faint under
the pressure of joy unspeakable and insupportable ; and at last,
perceiving a spring of water in his way, he, with some difficulty,
^alighted to cleanse and cool his face and hands, which were
drenched in blood, tears, and sweat.
" By that spring he sat down and washed, earnestly desiring,
if it were the pleasure of God, that it might be his parting place
from this world: he said, death had the most amiable, face in his
eye, that ever he beheld, except the face of Jesus Christ, which
made it so ; and that he could not remember (though he believed
he should die there) that he had one thought of his dear wife, or
children, or any other earthly concernment.
'i But having drank of that spring, his spirits revived, the
blood stanched, and he mounted his horse again ; and on he went
in the same frame of spirit, till he had finished a journey of
nearly thirty miles, and came at night to his inn, where, being
come, he greatly admired how he came thither, that his horse,
Without his direction had brought him thither, and that he fell not
all that day, Which passed not without several trances, of consi
derable continuance.
c 2

20 LIFE OF THE
" Being alighted, the innkeeper came to him, with astonish •
ment, (being acquainted with him formerly,) O sir, said he, what
is the matter with you? You look like a dead man. Friend,
replied he, I was never better in my life. Show me my cham
ber, cause my cloak to be cleansed, warm me a little wine, and
that is all I desire of you for the present. Accordingly it was
done, and a supper sent up, which he could not touch ; but
requested of the people that they would not trouble or disturb
him for that night, All this night passed without one wink of
sleep, though he never had a sweeter .night's rest in all his life.
Still, still the joy ofthe Lord overflowed him, and he seemed to
be an inhabitant of the other world. The next morning being
come, he was early on horseback again, fearing the divertise-
merit in the inn might bereave him of his joy ; for he said it was
now with him, as with a man that carries a rich treasure about
him, who suspects every passenger to be a thief: but within a
few hours he was sensible of the ebbing of the tide, and, before
night, though there was a heavenly serenity and sweet peace
upon his spirit, which continued long with him, yet the trans
ports of joy were over, and the fine edge of his delight blunted.
He many years after called that day one of the days of heaven,
and professed he understood more of the light of heaven by it,
than by all the books he ever read, or discourses he ever had
entertained about it."
In 1683 the aspect of the times became still darker, and Mr.
Flavel finding it unsafe to remain any longer at Dartmouth, de
termined on visiting London, where he hoped he should be less
exposed to the violence of his enemies, and might be able, at
least occasionally, to discharge the duties of his ministry. The
night before he embarked he had an extraordinary dream, which
he regarded as a premonitjon of the trouble and danger which
awaited him. He thought he was on board the ship, and that a
storm arose which exceedingly terrified the passengers ; during
their consternation there sat writing at the table, a person of
admirable sagacity and gravity, who had a child in a cradle
by him that was very froward ; he thought he saw the father
take up a little whip and give the child a lash, saying, Child,
be quiet ; I will discipline, but not hurt thee. Upon this Mr.
Flavel awoke, and musing on his dream, he concluded that
he should meet with some trouble in his passage. His friends
being at dinner with him, assured him of a pleasant passage,
because the wind and weather were very fair ; Mr. Flavel replied,
that he was not of their mind, but expected much trouble.
When on their voyage they had advanced within five leagues
of Portland, they were overtaken by a dreadful tempest, inso
much that betwixt one and two in the morning, the master and
seamen concluded, that unless God changed the wind, there was
no hope of life ; it was impossible for them to weather Portland,

REV. JOHN FLAVEL. 21
so that they must of necessity be wrecked on the rocks or on the
shore. Upon this Mr. Flavel called all the hands that could be
spared into the cabin to prayer ; but the violence of the tempest
was such, that they could not prevent themselves from being
thrown from one side unto the other as the ship was tossed, and
not only so, but the mighty seas broke in upon them, as if they
would have drowned them in the very cabin. Mr. Flavel, in this
danger, took hold of the two pillars of the cabin bed, and calling
upon God, begged mercy for himself and the rest in the ship.
Amongst other arguments in prayer, he made use of this, that
if he and his company perished in that storm, the name of God
would be plasphemed ; the enemies of religion would say, that
though he escaped their hands on shore, yet Divine vengeance
had overtaken him at sea. In the midst of prayer his faith and
hope were raised, insomuch, that he expected a gracious answer ;
so that, committing himself and his company to the mercy of God,:
he concluded the duty. No sooner was prayer ended, but one
came down from the deck, crying, Deliverance ! deliverance !
God is a God hearing prayer ! In a moment the wind is come
fair west ! And so sailing before it, they were brought safely to
London. Such a deliverance would, no doubt, deeply affect his
mind, and prove an additional means of confirming him in that
reliance on the watchful care of divine Providence, which he so
eminently exemplified.
On his arrival in London he found many of his old friends still
alive, and having become known to many others by his works,
his engagements were very numerous, and he had as many
opportunities of preaching as his strength would permit him to
embrace. Privacy, ho wever ,< was still requisite, and both minis
ters and people were expospd to great hazards, in consequence
of the number and diligence of informers, and the unmitigated
severity with which the laws were administered. On one occa
sion, whilst in London, he, Mr. Jenkyn, of Jewin-street and
lecturer at Pinner's-hall, and Mr. Keeling, on September 2nd,
1684, were spending the day, with many others of their friends,
in fasting and prayer, at Mr. Fox's, in Moorfields, where they
thought themselves out of danger, but the soldiers broke in upon
them in the midst of their worship. They all, however, escaped
except Mr. Jenkyn. Mr. Flavel was so near that he heard the
insolence of the officers and soldiers to Mr. Jenkyn when they had
taken him. Mr. Jenkyn's arrest, it is said, was owing to a piece
of vanity fn a lady, whose long train hindered his going down
stairs, and whom out of civility he permitted to pass before him.
He was rudeljr treated by the magistrates, and refusing to take
the Oxford oath, was sent to Newgate. He petitioned for a
release, but the only answer he could obtain was " Jenkyn shall
be a prisoner as long as he lives." He died in Newgate in the
beginning of the following year.

22 LIFE OF THE
Before Mr. Flavel left London he married his fourth wife, a
widow gentlewoman, daughter of Mr. George Jefferies, formerly
minister of Kirtgsbr idge, who survived him several years.
On his return to Dartmouth, he resumed his private engagements
of instructing all who came to him, and administering the ordi
nances of religion to them. Great precaution was, however, requi
site to avoid detection; and his friends stole in over night, that
they might not be observed going to the house on the morning of
the Lord's day. Such was the furious spirit ofthe times, that even
in Dartmouth, where his character was well known, and where
the only offence he could be charged with was his non-conformity,
popular rage occasionally burst forth, and would have sacrificed
him if he had not used the utmost circumspection. On one occa
sion, in 1685, some ofthe populace, accompanied by some magis
trates, who were no doubt the great instigators, made up his
effigy, carried it through the streets in derision, with the covenant
and bill of exclusion pinned to it, and setting it upon a bonfire,
burnt it. Some, however, of the spectators were so much af
fected with the reproach and ignominy done tojhis person and
station, that they wept, though others scoffed and jeered. It
was afterwards discovered, that whilst the people were thus em
ployed, Mr. Flavel, though ignorant of what was passing, was
engaged in earnest prayer to God in behalf of the magistrates
and inhabitants ofthe town. When the intelligence was brought
to him, on the conclusion of his prayer, he lifted up his soul to
God for them in the Saviour's words ; " Father, forgive them,
for they know not what they do."
After Mr. Jenkyn's death in Newgate, his people sent a press
ing invitation to Mr. Flavel to become his successor. About the
same time also he received an invitation from a congregation
assembling in the parish of St. Mary Magdalen, originally col
lected under the ministry of the Rev. Thomas Brooks, and which
afterwards was under the pastoral care of the Rev. John Reeve,
who also it is supposed died in Newgate. Both these communi
cations were submitted by Mr. Flavel to the attention of his
people at Dartmouth, and a day of fasting and prayer was kept
for the purpose of seeking Divine direction. He duly weighed
all the arguments by which these calls were recommended to his
notice and acceptance, but neither the prospect of a more com
petent income, nor the offer of a situation of greater influence
and respectability, nor even the opportunity of an extension of
the field of labour could induce him to accept either of these invi
tations. The attachment and respect of his people at Dartmouth,
and his usefulness there, outweighed every other consideration,
and he remained with them until death.
In 1686, the king finding that he had made no progress in his
plans for subverting protestantism by the violent persecution
of the non-conformists, but that he was rather retrograding, at

REV. JOHN FLAVEL. 23
length determined again to try his former plan of granting an
indulgence, in order to unite the dissenters and the Roman catho
lics against the national church, which had now in its turn become
obnoxious to his displeasure. To give somewhat of the aspect
of law to this dubious exercise of his prerogative, the question
was submitted to the judges, whether he could dispense with the
penal laws ; and all, except one, gave it as their opinion that,
according to acts still unrepealed, he did possess the power of
suspending the operation of these laws in particular cases, and on
particular occasions. Having gained this point, a dispensation
or licence office was opened where any persons who applied
might, on the payment of fifty shillings, have an indulgence to
themselves and families, to attend public meetings and conven
ticles without molestation. This measure put a stop to the
violent persecutions which had involved the non-conformists and
their ministers in innumerable difficulties and hardships. This
measure was followed by another more decisive. The king
called a council ; he submitted to it his determination to issue a
declaration, granting an unqualified indulgence to all tender con
sciences ; and on November 6th, 1687, he even sent an order to
the lord mayor of London to dispense with the tests formerly
required. Mr. Flavel instantly resumed his labours : his affec
tionate people immediately erected a new and commodious place
of worship for his use ; and his talents and personal excellence
now burst forth with resplendent lustre. He had vowed, during
the long period of his seclusion from his pulpit, that if the Lord
would again restore him to the enjoyment of liberty, he would be
more diligent, faithful, and zealous, in the discharge of his
duties ; and he now commenced a series of discourses from Rev.
iii. 20, " Behold I stand at the door and knock."
In addition to his labours on the sabbath day, when he preached
twice, he commenced a series of discourses on the principal part
of the third chapter of St John's gospel, intended to explain the
nature, and to inforce the indispensable necessity of regeneration
and of faith in Christ. On the Thursday evening preceding the
first sabbath in each month, he preached a sermon preparatory to
the administration of the Lord's supper ; after which he examined
and admitted the candidates for communion. The fervour with
which he preached often produced great weakness ; and fre
quently he complained, when his labours were over, of great
soreness at his breast, an aching head, and great pain in his
back ; and yet on Monday he never remitted his application to
study, and his discharge of his pastoral duties. He allowed him
self but little recreation accounting time too precious a jewel to
be wasted. One extract from his diary, and the only relic we
have of this memorial of his private duties, will exhibit sufficient
proof that his public labours derived much of their efficiency,
fervour, and unction, from the intimacy of his communion with

24 LIFE OF THE
God, and the fidelity with which he applied to his own soul the
truths that he urged upon the attention of others.
" To make sure of eternal life is the great business which the
sons of death have to do in this world. Whether a man consi
ders the immortality of his own soul, the ineffable joys and
glory of heaven, the extreme and endless torments of hell, the
inconceivable sweetness of peace of conscience, or the misery
of being subject to the terrors thereof ; all these put a necessity,
a. solemnity, a glory, upon this work. But oh, the difficulties
and dangers attending it ! How many and how great are these ?
What judgment, faithfulness, resolution, and watchfulness, doth
it require ? Such is the deceitfulness, darkness, and inconstancy
of our hearts ; and such is the malice, policy, and diligence of
Satan, to manage and improve it, that he who attempts this
work had need both to watch his seasons for it, and frequently
to look up to God for his guidance and illumination, and to spend
many serious thoughts, before he adventure upon a determination
and conclusion of the state of his soul."
From these particulars it is evident how cautious Mr. Flavel
was, lest he should deceive himself, or be deceived by others,
on the great and all-important question of his personal state in
the sight of God. He tried himself by the scriptural marks of
sincerity and regeneration ; to the law and to the testimony he
appealed as the great arbiter, and by this means he ultimately
acquired a solid and well-grounded assurance of the favour of
God. He hence derived those comforts which were often shed
abroad in his heart, that peace in believing, that joy in the Holy
Ghost, unspeakable and full of glory, that fortitude, patience,
meekness, and charity, which are at once the privilege and the
glory ofthe believer.
The following anecdote will give a specimen of his fidelity, and
is a remarkable instance of his usefulness.
On one occasion he was preaching from these words : " If any
man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema
maranatha:" The discourse was unusually solemn, particularly
the explanation ofthe words anathema maranatha, — " cursed with
a curse ; cursed of God with a bitter and grievous curse." At
the conclusion of the service, when Mr. Flavel arose' to pro
nounce the benediction, he paused, and said, " How shall I
bless this whole assembly, when every person in it, who loveth
not the Lord Jesus Christ, is anathema maranatha?" The
solemnity of this address deeply affected the audience, and one
gentleman, a person of rank, was so overcome by his feelings,
that he fell senseless to the floor.
In the congregation was a lad named Luke Short, then about
fifteen years old, and a native of Dartmouth. Shortly after the
event thus narrated, he entered into the sea-faring line, and sailed
to America, where he passed the rest of his life.

REV. JOHN FLAVEL. 25
Mr. Short's life was a very long life. When a hundred years
old, he had sufficient strength to work on his farm, and his mental
faculties were very little impaired. Hitherto he had lived in
carelessness and sin ; — he was now " a sinner a hundred years
old," and apparently ready " to die accursed." But one day as
he sat in his field, he busied himself in reflecting on his past life.
Recurring to the events of his youth, his memory fixed on Mr.
FlaveFs discourse above alluded to, a considerable part of which
he wa^ able to recollect. The affectionate earnestness of the
preacher's manner, the important truths which he delivered, and
the effects produced on the congregation, were brought fresh to
his mind. The blessing of God accompanied his meditations;
he felt that he had not loved the Lord Jesus Christ ; he feared the
dreadful " anathema ;" conviction was followed by repentance;
and at length this aged sinner obtained peace through the blood
of atonement, and was found in the way of righteousness. He
joined the congregational church in Middleborough, and to the
day of his death, wfiich took place in his 1 16th year, gave pleasing
evidence of piety.
In this case, eighty-five years passed away after the seed was
sown, before it sprang up and brought forth fruit. What an en
couragement to the sorrowing and dejected minster, to hope that,
though his labours appear comparatively useless, the fruit of his
toil, his tears, and his prayers, will ultimately appear- " In the
morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand ;
for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that,
or whether they both shall be alike good.
The revolution of 1688 restored Mr. Flavel and his numerous
suffering companions, to the enjoyment of liberty. Their rights
and privileges being determined and sanctioned by the law, they
could now assemble without molestation or fear. The feelings
and sentiments with which he viewed this great event, are admi
rably depicted in a sermon which he preached on the 14th of Fe
bruary, 1689, and which he dedicated to George earl of Sutherland.
His text was taken Deut. iii. 24, 25. He says, " You are called
this day to rejoice ; I am not only called to rejoice with you in
the public services of this day, but also to direct you to the best
way of improving the mercies you rejoice in, that they may prove
introductive to greater mercies than themselves. Temporal mer
cies have their value; it is no small mercy to have our estates,
liberties, and lives, secured from rapine and violence. It was a
sad time in Israel when they were barred from their fountains,
and forced to creep through by-ways and woods by night, for fear
ofthe enemy ; when the course of justice was stopped, aud there
were no judges in the gates ; therefore the people where then ex
cited by Deborah to praise the Lord for deliverance. But it is a
far greater misery to be cut off from the wells of salvation, barred
from the springs of ordinances, forced to creep through bye and

26 LIFE OF THE
obscure ways to get bread to relieve our souls, to have our teach
ers driven into corners, which hath been the case of God's people
in England for many years. Now to be delivered from such mi
series is a mercy above all value. Liberty to serve the Lord
without fear, liberty without a snare or hook in it, and a well
settled durable liberty, for such is that we may now promise our
selves: what soul can dilate itself wide enough to take in the
adequate sense of such a mercy?"
"Such mercies should call forth our thankful ascriptions of all
the glory and praise to the name of God. Let us look off from
armies and navies, from the prudent conduct and courage of men,
and see the hknd of God in all the great and marvellous things
wrought in the midst of us this day. ThesO mercies ought to
melt our hearts into repentance for sin, and a sense of our great
unworthiness of them; we should abase Ourselves under exalting
providences. It is a lovely sight to see the tears of repentance
overtaking the tears of joy and thankfulness.; sighs and blushes
for sin, mixed with smiles and rejoicings in mercies. These mer
cies also should oblige us to new obedience and more exactness
in walking with God for the time to come. O England ! Eng
land ! thy God this day calls thee to thy knees, though it be thy
day of thanksgiving and rejoicing; he expects to see thy tears
upon thy cheeks this day for thy former iniquities, and that thou
bind thyself to thy God with these bonds of mercy, never to re
turn any more to folly. It is not bells and bonfires, but repent
ance for thy past follies, and new obedience, thy God looks for
at thy hands. And let England now study to do great things for
God, who hath impressed his greatness upon the mercies it enjoys
this day. O England, God hath done great things for thee, saved
thee with a great salvation, and he expects returns from thee suit
able to thy great mercies and obligations."
Such were the sentiments of this man of God on that great and
illustrious event. Free from the extravagance and enthusiasm
which such circumstances generally produce, he viewed the extra
ordinary circumstance with the calmness and profound attention
of a man who recognized the hand of God in what he saw, and
endeavoured so to improve the event, that it might prove a lasting
good to the nation.
The temper and wisdom displayed by Mr. Flavel in the ma
nagement of controversy, were very observable. He was assailed
"with rude insults, uncomely reflections, and passionate expres
sions;" but he would not " throw back the dirt" upon his antago
nist, when he " wiped it off" from himself. I can easily forgive
and forget them too, says this holy man, — the best men have
these passions, James v. \J, even sweet briars and holy thistles
have their offensive prickles. I consider my honest neighbour
under the strength of a temptation.
On the llth of April, 1689, King William III. was crowned,

REV. JOHN FLAVEL. 27
and on this occasion Mr. Flavel, who seized upon all suitable
events for the purpose of giving a right direction to public feeling,
preached a sermon on Cant. iii. II.
But he was now drawing nigh to the termination of his public
labours. And although there were no symptoms of any active
disorder in his frame, yet his incessant labours, the fervent and
animated style of his public addresses, together with a constitution
naturally weak, and enfeebled by repeated attacks of sickness,
rendered his life precarious, and the sudden termination of his
labours was by no means unexpected. The last sermon which
he preached to his people at Dartmouth, was on a public day of
fasting and humiliation, in the close of which he was enlarged in
such an extraordinary manner, when offering up praises to God
for mercies received, that he seemed to be in an ecstacy. This
was about a week before his death, and may justly, says his bio
grapher, be accounted a foretaste of those heavenly raptures that
he now enjoys amongst the blessed spirits above. But although
his labours amongst his own people terminated on this occasion,
he was permitted to preach during the ensuing week, on the 21st
of June, 1691, at Ashburton, from 1 Cor. x. 12, " Wherefore let
him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." lt was a
very pathetical discourse, tending to awaken careless professors,
and to stir them up to be solicitous about their souls.
After having preached this sermon he went to Exeter ; and at
Tppsham, within three miles of that city, he presided as modera
tor in an assembly of the non-conformist ministers of Devonshire,
who unanimously voted him into the chair. The object of this
meeting was to consider the propriety of forming a union between
the presbyterians and the independents, an object which he had
regarded as highly important to the welfare of both, and by his
exertions succeeded so far as to gain the approbation of the minis
ters in the county, to the heads of agreement concluded on by the
London ministers of those denominations. Mr. Flavel concluded
the engagements of the day by prayer and praises, in which his
spirit was again carried out with wonderful enlargement and af
fection. So anxious was Mr. Flavel to accomplish a union between
these two bodies, that it had been the subject of repeated and most
fervent supplications to the great Head of the church ; and when
fie was informed, by a letter from a minster in London, of the re
sult ofthe deliberations which had been held in that city, he melted
into tears of joy, and said, " that God had herein answered the
prayers his people had been putting up to him these many years."
When the heads of agreement, which had been assented to and
subscribed by the London ministers, were sent to him, he told a
friend that was with him, that he could now take up the words of
old Simeon, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace."
His visit to Topsham, and the subsequent deliberations and deci-

28 LIFE OF THE
sion, gave him so much delight, that at the conclusion of the day
he sat down to write an account of the, meeting in a letter to a friend
in London, but which was not dispatched until after he had been
called to the enjoyment of his rest. His work was finished, his
course was run ; he had lived to see an object gained, to which he
had devoted much time, and which he had sought to accomplish
by every scriptural and prudent means, and he now was called to
receive the reward of his numerous and long-continued labours,
with "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the
joy of thy Lord."
Although his friends thought him, during the day, as well as he
had been for several years preceding, yet towards the end of sup
per he complained of a deadness in one of his hands ; that he could
not lift it to his head. This circumstance struck his wife and his
friends about him with astonishment; they used some means to
recover it to its former strength ; but instead of succeeding, they
discovered that the whole of one side of his body was similarly
affected. They put him to bed with all possible speed, and sent
for physicians ; but all to no purpose. The disease continued in its
progress ; at length he became speechless, and shortly after died.
The last words he uttered were whilst they were carrying him up
stairs, when he said, that in his opinion it would be the last time ;
but, he added, " 1 know that it will be well with me." Thus
died this holy man of God, suddenly, without pain, without a
groan, on the 26th day of June, 1691.
His corpse was carried from Exeter to Dartmouth, attended by
several ministers, and a great many other persons of good qua
lity. A considerable concourse of people from Dartmouth, as
well as from Totness, Newton, Ashburton, Bovey, and several
other neigbouring places, accompanied its removal to the pla<;e of
interment; and when it was taken out ofthe hearse, a by-stander,
who narrated the event in a preface io the Coronation Sermon and
the character of an Evangelical Pastor, published in 1691 , says,
" I never saw so many weeping eyes, nor heard so much bitter
lamentation, in all my life. Surely that place might rightly be
called Bochim, a place of weeping ; the tears, the sighs, the cries,
the groans, that were there seen and heard, were enough even to
pierce a heart of flint." His body was interred the same night it
was brought from Exeter, in St. Saviour's church, in Dartmouth,
near the chancel. A sermon was preached the next day on the
occasion, by Mr. George Tosse, of Exeter, from Elisha's lamen
tation upon the translation of Elijah, 2 Kings ii. 12, " My father,
my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof." A
plain stone was placed over his grave, with this simple inscription:
John Flavel,
1691.
It is to be regretted, that in consequence ofthe chancel ofthat
church having been paved afresh, this simple memorial is removed,

REV. JOHN FLAVEL. 29
so that the spot where the remains of this distinguished minister
lie is no longer perceptible.
Not long after his interment, a monument was put up in the
church, but it was afterwards removed by the authority of the ma
gistracy in 1709. It was then placed in the dissenting meeting
house, at the expense of his surviving relatives. The following
is the inscription on the monument :
This Monument was erected in the church of St Saviour's,
but being removed by direction of the magistracy, is
placed here by the friends of the deceased,
Anno Domini, 1709.
Sacred to the Memory of
John Flavel,
Who was happy in his studies, acute in disputations,
Seraphic in the pulpit, and eloquent in his writings ;
In all things truly skilful and illustrious.
Most accomplished in learning and manners.
A zealous promoter o( faith, piety, and friendship ;
A most implacable enemy of error and vice ;
The glory of the church and city ;
Who, after that he had exhausted his strength,
Both by praying and watching, for the benefit of the church,
Slept sweetly in the Lord, June 26, 1691 ;
Aged 61.
His accomplishments are his monument,
While his ashes lie here entombed.
Could grace or learning from the grave set free,
Flavel, thou hadst not seen mortality !
Though here thy dusty part death's victim lies,
Thou by thy works thyselftlost eternize,
Which death, nor rust of time, shall overthrow ;
Whilst thou dost reign above, these live below.

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.

PART I.

On the Industry ofthe Husbandman.
Observation. — The employment of the husbandman is by all
acknowledged to be very laborious. There is a multiplicity of
business incumbent on him. The end of one work is but the be
ginning of another ; so that he has no time to be idle. And as
he has a multiplicity of business, so every part of it is full of toil
and labor.
Application. — Behold here the life of a serious Christian sha
dowed forth. As the life of a husbandman, so the life of a Chris
tian is no idle or easy life. They that take up religion for
ostentation, and not for an occupation, and they that place the
business of it in notions and external observances, may think and
call it so ; but such as devote themselves to it, and make religion
their business, will find it no easy work to exercise themselves
unto godliness. Many there are that affect the reputation of it,
who cannot endure the labor of it. If men might be indulged to
divide their heart betwixt God and the world, or to cull out the
cheap and easy duties, it were an easy thing to be a Christian :
but surely to have respect to all God's commandments, to live the
life, as well as speak the language, of a Christian ; is not so easy.
This will be evident, by comparing the life of a Christian with
the life of a husbandman.
1 . The husbandman has much to do, many things to look after ;
but the Christian more.
You find in the word, much work cut out for a Christian. There
is hearing, praying, reading, meditating, and self-examining-work.
It puts him also upon a constant watch over all the corruptions
of his heart. Of them he may say, as the historian says of Han
nibal, they are never quiet, whether conquering or conquered.
There is a weak faith, a languishing love, dull and faint desires,
to be quickened and invigorated. And when all this is done,
what a multitude of work do his several relations exact from him!
He has much business incumbent on him, as a parent, child, hus
band, wife, master, servant, or friend. Every one of these duties,
like the several spokes in a wheel, come to bear, in the whole
round of a Christian's conversation ; so that he has more work
upon his hands than trie husbandman.

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 31
2. The husbandman's work is confessed to be spending work,
but not like the Christian's. What Augustus said of the young
Roman, is verified in the true Christian, "whatsoever he does, he
does to purpose. Under the law, God rejected the snail and the
ass, Lev. vi. 30; Exod. xiii. 13; and under the gospel, he allows
no sluggish lazy professor, 1 Tim. v. 11. Sleepy duties are
utterly unsuitable to the living God ; he will have the spirit offer
ed up to him in every duty; John iv. 24. He bestows upon his
people the very substance and kernel of mercies, and will not ac
cept from them the shells and shadows of duties.
. 3. The husbandman finds his work as he left it ; but it is not
so with the Christian ; a bad heart and a busy devil disorder and
spoil his work every day; and satan stands at his right hand to
resist him ; when he would do good, evil, the evil of his own
heart, is present with him.
4. The husbandman has some resting-days, when he throws
aside all his work, and takes his recreation ; but the Christian
has no resting-day, till his dying-day ; and then he shall rest from
his labors. Religion requires him to be always abounding in the
work ofthe Lord. The Lord's day is a day of rest to the hus
bandman, but no day in the week so laborious to the Christian.
He is not to sit down satisfied, or say "soul, take thine ease, thou
hast goods laid up for many years ;" but must to plow again,
and count it well if the vintage reach to the seed-time, and that
it may be so, God has appointed ejaculatory prayer, to fill up the
intervals, betwixt stated and more solemn duties. When can the
Christian say, "Now all my work is ended; I have nothing to
do without doors, or within ?"
5. There is a time when the labor of husbandmen is ended ;
old age and weakness take them off from all employment. But
the Christian is never superannuated as to the work of religion ;
yea, the longer he lives, the more his Master expects from him.
When he is full of days, God expects he should bo full of fruits,
Psal. xcii. 14.
Reflections. — I. How hard have I labored for the meat that
pejsisbeth ! prevented the dawning of the day, and labored as in
the very fire ! And yet is the Christian's work harder than mine ?
Surely then I never yet understood the work of Christjaqity.
Alas, my sleepy prayers, and formal duties, never cost me the
pains, that one hour at plow has done. Wo is me, poor wretch !
How is the judgment of Korah spiritually executed upon me ! Tbe
earth opened her month, and swallowed up his body; but it has
opened its mouth and swallowed up my heart, my time, and all
my affections.
2. And how little better is my case, who have indeed profess
ed religion, but never made it my business! Will an empty,
though splendid, profession save me ? How many brave ships
have perished in the storms, notwithstanding their fjno names,

32 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
the Prosperous, the Success, the Happy Return ! A fine name
could not protect them from the rocks ; nor-will it save me from
hell. 3. How unlike a Christian dost thou also, O my soul, go about
thy work ! though upright in the main, yet how little zeal and ac
tivity dost thou express in thy duties. Seest thou not the
toil and pains men take for the world? For a trifle! Should not
every drop of sweat which I see trickle from their brows, fetch,
as it were, a drop of blood from my heart, who am thus convinced,
and reproved of shameful laziness, by their indefatigable diligence.
Is this a time for one to stand idle, who stands at the door of
eternity ? Or knowest thou not, that millions, now in hell, pe
rished for want of serious diligence in religion ? Or dost thou
forget that thy Master's eye is always upon thee, whilst thou art
loitering? Or would the damned live at this rate, if their day of
grace might be recalled? For shame, my soul, for shame ! Rouse
up thyself, and fall to to thy work, with a diligence answerable to
the weight thereof; for it is no vain work, it is thy life.

On the Thriftiness of the Husbandman.
Observation. — Industry is the way to thrive and grow rich in
the world. The earth must be manured, or its increase is in vain
expected. "The diligent soul shall be made fat." Diligence
without God's blessing will not do it ; and that blessing cannot
be expected without diligence.
Application. — As nature opens her treasures to none but the
diligent, so neither does grace. 'God is a bountiful rewarder of
such as diligently seek him'. They must not indeed work for
wages, nor will God suffer their work to go unrewarded; now in
this time a hundredfold, even from suffering, which seems the
most unprofitable part of the work, and in the world to come life
everlasting. If you ask what present advantage Christians have
by their diligence ? I answer, as much and more than the hus
bandman has from all his toils and labors.
1. You get credit and reputation by your diligence; but how
much more honor does God put upon his laborious servants ? It
is the highest honor of a creature to be active and useful for God.
Wherein consists the honor of angels but in this, that they are
ministering spirits, serviceable creatures ? And all the apostles
gloried in the title of servants.
2. You thereby avoid loose and evil company, which would
draw you into mischief, By diligence for God, the Christian also
is secured from temptation, "God is with them while they are
with him," 2 Chron. xv. 2. Communion with God in the way of
duty is a great preservative against temptations.
3. It tends much to the health of your souls. As those that
follow their daily labors in the field, have much more health than

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 33
citizens that live idly, or scholars that live a sedentary life, so the
active Christian enjoys more spiritual health, and is troubled
with fewer complaints, than others.
4. By diligence, you preserve your estates, and are kept from
running behind-hand in the world. And by activity and diligence
for God, souls are kept from backsliding, and running back in
their graces and comforts.
5. Your pains and diligence in the fields, make your bed sweet
to you at night. " Rest is sweet to a laboring man, whether he
eat little or much." But the diligent life of a Christian makes
the clods of the valley, his grave, sweet unto him. ,
6. You get estates by your diligence and labor ; but what are
your gains to the gains of Christians ? They can get in an hour
that which they will not part with for all the gold and silver on
earth. Reflections. — 1 . Blush then, O my soul, at the consideration
of thy laziness and sloth, which is attended with so many spi
ritual wants. If every duty were to be rewarded presently with
gold, should I not have been more assiduous than I have been ?
O what a composition of stupidity and sloth am I ! What pains
do husbandmen take ! What peril do seamen run for a little
gain ! O sluggish heart, wilt thou do nothing for eternal treasures ?
2. If there be such great reward attending diligence in duty,
then why art thou so* apt, O my soul, to cast off duty, because
thou findest not present comfort jn it ? How quickly am I dis
couraged, if I presently find not what I expect in duty ! Where
as the well is deep, and much pains must be taken to draw up
those waters of joy.
3. If this be indeed the rich and thriving trade, why do I busy
myself about the poor low things of the world so much, neglect
ing the rich trade of godliness for it ? O how much of my time
and strength have these things devoured ! O that I could once
consider, what a good Master Christians serve, who will not only
abundantly reward them at night, but brings them their food into
the fields to encourage them in their labor ! What pity is it, that
so good a Master should be so badly served !

On the Cheerfulness ofthe Husbandman.
Observation. — Though the labors of husbandmen are very
great and toilsome, yet with what cheerfulness do they go through
them !
Application. — But how much greater cause have the people of
God to address themselves unto his work with all cheerfulness of
spirit ? And, indeed, so far as the heart is spiritual, it delights in
its duties. " Yea,. they sing in the ways of the Lord, for great is
the glory ofthe Lord." And that you may see there is a suffi
cient ground for this joy, and that it is not like the mad mirth of
D

34 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
sinners, consider, first, the nature ofthe work about which Chris
tians are employed. It is the most excellent and heavenly em
ployment that ever souls were acquainted with. O what a
ravishing and delightful thing it is to walk with God ! To walk
with him whose name is the God of all comfort; "in whose pre
sence is the fulness of joy?" O what an angelic life does a
Christian then live.
Consider, secondly, the suitableness of this work to a regene
rate soul. Is it any pain for a bird to fly, or a fish to swim ? Is
the eye tired with beautiful objects, or the ear with melodious
sounds? As little can a spiritual soul be wearied with spiritual
and heavenly exercises. " 1 delight in the law of God after the
inner man."
Reflections. — How am I cast and condemned by this, may I
say, who never savored this spiritual delight in holy duties!
When I am about my earthly employments, 1 can go on unwea-
riedly from day to day. Here I need the curb rather than the
spur. But O what a slug am I in religious duties ! Surely if my
heart were renewed by grace, I should delight in the law of God.*
Every creature enjoys his proper pleasure ; and is there no delight
to be found in the paths of holiness ? Is godliness only a dry
root that bears no pleasant fruits ?
I cannot say, the hypocrite may tell us, but I have found delight
in religious duties, but they have been only such as rather sprang
from the ostentation of gifts and applauses of men. Like the
nightingale, I can sing sweetly, when I observe others listen to
me. O false, deceitful heart, such delight as this will end in howl
ing ! What wilt thou answer, O my soul ! to that question jn
Job; "Will God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him?
Will he delight himself in the Almighty ? Will he always call
upon God ?"
From all this the upright heart takes advantage to rouse up its
delight in God,— Does the plowman sing amidst his drudging
labors, and whistle away his weariness in the fields ? and shall
I droop amidst such heavenly employment ?
O what is the reason, my God, that my delight in thee should
be so little ? Is it not because my unbelief is so great? Rouse
up my delights, O thou fountain of pleasure ! and let me swim
down the stream of holy joy in duty, into the boundless ocean of
those immense delights that are in thy presence, and at thy right
hand for evermore.

On the due Quality of Arable Land.
Observation. — Husbandmen find by experience, that if the soil
be over-rank, the seed shoots up so much into the stalk, that it
seldom ears well ; and if too thin and poor, it wants its due nutri
ment, and comes not to perfection.

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 35
Application. — And does not spiritual experience teach Chris
tians, that a mediocrity and competency of the things of this life,
best fit them for the fruits of obedience, which are the end and
excellency of their being ? A man may be over-mercied, as well
as over-afflicted. We cannot desire a better condition in this world.
This was it that wise Agur requested of God, " Give me neither
poverty nor riches, hut feed me with food convenient for me.
Against both he prays, not absolutely, but comparatively, and
submissively to the will of God. He had rather, if God see it
fit, avoid both of these extremes ; but what would he have then ?
Food convenient. And this was all that good Jacob, who was
led by the same Spirit, looked at, " And Jacob vowed a vow,
saying, If God will be with me, and keep me in the way that I go,
and give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come
again to my father's house in peace, then shall the Lord be my
God," Gen. xxviii. 20. Poor Jacob, he desires no great things
in the world; food and raiment will satisfy him. Such a state is
best accommodated both to tlie condition and to the desires of a
saint — to his condition, for what is a saint but a stranger and pil
grim upon earth a man in a strange country travelling homeward ?
So David professed himself; and so those worthies, who are now
at home in heaven, professed themselves. A traveller will not
encumber himself with superfluous things, which would rather
clog and tire, than expedite and help, him in his journey. — It suits
best with his desires. He is sensible he has much to do, a race
to run, and is loth to be clogged by the caTes or pleasures of this
life. It is hard, in the midst of so many tempting objects, to keep
the golden bridle of moderation upon the affections. The heart
of a Christian, like the moon, commonly suffers an eclipse when
it is at the full, and that by the interposition ofthe earth.
It was Solomon's fulness that brought him to so low an ebb in
spiritual things, that it remains a question with some, whether he
ever recovered it to his dying day. Who can be poorer than to have
the world and love it ? or richer, than to enjoy but little of it,
and live above it ?
As high and lofty trees are subject to storms and tempests, so
the lower shrubs to be browsed on by every beast ; and therefore
a saint desires a competency as the fittest, because the freest,
state. A gracious person desires no more than a competency, because,
secondly, there is most of God's love and care discovered in giv
ing in our daily bread,, by a daily providence. Most men, who
have a stock of creature-comforts in their hands, look upon all as
coming in an ordinary, natural course, and see very little of God
in their mercies. They sow, and reap, and eat, and look no fur
ther. But when a man sees his mercies come in by the special and
d 2

36 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
assiduous care of God for him, there is a double sweetness in
those mercies. " He hath given bread to them that fear him."
Luther, who made many a meal upon a broiled herring, was wont
to say, "Let us be content with coarse fare here; have we not
the bread that came down from heaven ? Do we not feed with
Angels ?" An instance of the sweetness oi such mercies is given
us by a worthy divine of our own, Isaac Ambrose, " For my own
part" says he, " however the Lord hath seen cause to give me but
a poor pittance of outward things, for which I bless his name,
yet in the income thereof, I have many times observed so much
of his peculiar providence, that thereby they have been very much
sweetened, and my heart hath been raised to admire his grace."
" One morsel of God's provision, especially if it come unexpected,
and upon prayer, when wants are most, will be more sweet to a
spiritual relish, than all former full enjoyments were."
Reflections. — Do the people of God, the designing hypocrite
may say, desire only so much ofthe creature as may fit them for
the service of God ? What a wretch am I, that have desired only
so much of religion as may fit all to gain the creature ! Wretch
that I am, to make religion a slave to my lust, a stirrup to advance
ment, an artifice to carry on my carnal designs ! Verily I have
my reward ; and this is all the good I am ever like to get by it.
And no less should the worldling tremble, to consider how he
has cast off the duties of religion, made them stand aside, and
give place to the world. May not the very heathens make me
blush ? . Could Aristotle deliver this as a true rule to posterity,
to make religion our first and chief care ? Could Aristippus say,
he would rather neglect his means than his mind, his farm than
his soul ? Will the very Mahometans, how urgent soever their
business be, lay it all aside five times in the day to pray ?
And yet I, who profess myself a Christian, thrust out duty for
every trifle ! O how righteous will that sentence of God be, " Go
cry to the gods whom thou hast served !"
And may not many gracious hearts turn in upon themselves
with shame and sorrow, to consider how unsatisfied they have
been in that condition, which others have preferred ? 1 pretend
indeed that I care but for a competency of the world, but sure I
am, my cares about it have been incompetent.
Quest. 1. Wouldst thou not account him a fool that would
victual his ship as much to cross the channel to France, as if she
were bound for the East Indies ? It is sad, that a soul which
stands at the door of eternity, should be perplexing itself about
food and raiment.
Which of all the saints hast thou known to be the better for
much of the world ? It has been some men's utter ruin. Where
there is no want, there is usually much wantonness. What a sad
story is that of Pius Quintus ! " When I was in a low condi-

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 37
tion," said he, " I had some comfortable hopes of my salvation ;
when I came to be a cardinal, I greatly doubted of it ; but
since I came to the popedom, I have no hope at all."
And,even God's own people, who have been very humble, holy,
and heavenly in a low condition, have suffered a sad ebb in a full
condition. Is not this a sad symptom of a declining state of soul, to be so
hot, eager, and anxious, about the superfluous trifles of this life?
Thinkest thou, O my soul, that one who walks in the view of the
glory above, and maintains a conversation in heaven, can be much
taken with these vanities ? Do not the visions of God veil the
tempting splendor of the creature ?
Is it not dishonorable to God, and a justification of the way of
the world, for me, who profess myself a Christian, to be as eager
after riches as other men ? If I had no Father in heaven, nor
promise in the world, it were another matter. Let me hence
forth learn to measure and estimate my condition, rather by its
usefulness to God, than its content and ease to my flesh.

On the Improvement of bad Ground.
Observation. — Where land is spent out by tillage for want of
manuring, the careful husbandman has many ways to recover and
bring it into heart again.
Application. — As man's so God's husbandry, is sometimes out
of case, not by yielding too many crops, but too few. The mys
tical husbandman has some fields which he once blessed, but they
are now decayed and grown barren. Certain it is, one that, like
Paul, has been transported with joy, even to the third heavens, and
cried, " I am more than a conqueror ; who shall separate me from
the love of Christ?" may, at another time lie mourning, as at the
gates of death, crying, " O wretched man that I am, who shall
deliver me from the body of this death?" His calm and clear air
may be overcast and clouded, yea, filled with storms and tempests,
lightnings and thunders. His graces, like under-ground flowers in
the winter, may all disappear, and hide their beautiful heads. To
God he may say, " I am cast out of thy sight. I know thou canst
do much, but wilt thon show wonders to the dead ?" To the pro
mises he may say, "You are sweet things indeed, but what have
I to do with you ? I could once, indeed, rejoice in you, as my
portion ; but now I fear that I grasped a shadow, a fancy, instead
of you." To saints he may say, "Turn away from me; labor
not to comfort me." To Satan he may say, " O mine enemy,
thou hast at last prevailed against me ; thou art stronger than I,
and hast overcome." To duties and ordinances he may say,
" Where is the sweetness T once found in you ?" O sad relapse !
deplorable change !
But will God leave his poor creatures helpless in such a case

38 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
as this? Shall their leaf fall, their branches wither, their joy,
their life, their hearts depart, and will he not regard it?
Is he not thy father, and a father full of compassion ? And can
a father stand by his-dying child, see his faintings, hear his melt
ing groans and pity-begging looks, and not help him, especially
having restoratives by him, that can do it? Surely " as a father
pities his own children, so will thy God pity thee."
Dbes he not know that thy life would be altogether useless to
him, if he should not restore thee ?
Yea, dost thou not think that he sees thine inability to bear
such a condition long ? He knows " thy spirit would fail before
him, and the soul which he hath made."
" He will not stir up all his wrath, for he remembers thou art
but flesh ; and the manifestations of his love, will be to thy soul,
as showers to the parched grass ; a new face shall come upon thy
graces ; they shall bud again, and blossom as a rose. Then
shalt thou return to thy first works, and sing, as in the days of
thy youth.
Reflections. — O this is good news indeed v that God both can
and wiil restore my soul ; but sad that I should fall into such a
state. How unlike am I to what I once was ! Surely, as the old
men wept when they saw how short the second temple came of
the glory of the first, so may I sit down and weep bitterly, to
consider how much my first love and first duties excelled the
present. For,
Is my heart so much in heaven now, as it was wont to be ?
I sigh at the remembrance of former intercourse betwixt me and
heaven there, and say with Job, " O that it were with me as in
months past.
Is my obedience to the commands of Christ as free and cheer
ful as it was wont to be, when thou wast borne down the stream
of love to eVery duty ? If the Spirit did but whisper " Seek my
face," how did my spirit echo to his calls, saying, " Thy face,
Lord, will I seek !"
Tell me, O my soul, dost thou bemoan thyself, or grieve so
tenderly for sin and for grieving the Holy Spirit of God, as thou
wast wont to do? Ah, my soul, thou wouldst have abhorred
thyself, thou couldst never have borne it, had thine heart been as
stupid and as relentless then as now. If ever a poor soul had
reason to dissolve itself into tears for its sad relapses, I have.
But yet mourn not, O my soul, as one without hope. Remem
ber " there is hope in Israel concerning this thing." As low as thy
condition is, it is hot desperate ; it is not a disease that scorns a
remedy. Matay a man who has been stretched out for dead, has
revived again, and lived many a comfortable day in the world j
many a tree that has cast both leaf and fruit, by the skill of a
prudent husbandman, has recovered again, and been made both
flourishing and fruitful. I am a withering tree ; yet as long as

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 39
the root of the matter is in me, there is more hope of such a poor,
decayed withered tree, than of the hypocrite that wants such a
root in all his glory and bravery. His sun shall set, and never
rise again ; but I live in expectation of a sweet morning after this
dark night.
Rouse up, therefore, O my soul. Stir up that little which
remains. Hast thou not seen lively flames proceed from glim
mering and dying sparks ? Get amongst the most lively and
qnickening Christians. But, above all, cry mightily to the Lord
for his quickening grace. And be sure to keep within thy view
the great things of eternity, which are ready to be revealed ; live
in the believing and serious contemplation of them, and be dead
if thou canst. It is true, thou hast reason enough from thy con
dition, to be for ever humbled, but no reason at all from thy God
to be in the least discouraged.

On the incurableness of some bad Ground.
Observation. — Although the industry and skill ofthe husband
man can make some ground that was useless and bad, good for
tillage and pasture, and by his cost and pains make one acre
worth ten ; yet such is the nature of some rocky or miry ground,
that it can never be made fruitful. Nothing thrives there but
worthless flags and rushes.
Application. — Many also there are, under the gospel, who are
given over by God to judicial blindness, hardness of heart, and
perpetual barrenness ; so that how excellent soever the means
are which they enjoy, and how efficacious soever to the conver
sion, edification, and salvation of others, yet they never do their
souls good.
Christ executes, by the gospel, that curse upon many souls
which he denounced against the fig-tree; "Let no fruit grow on
thee henceforth for ever;" and immediately the fig-tree withered
away. To show you the woful and miserable state of such men, let
the following particulars be weighed —
1. It is a stroke at the soul itself, an inward spiritual judgment ;
and by how much the more inward and spiritual any judgment is,
by so much the more dreadful and lamentable is it. As soul
mercies are the best mercies, so soul judgments are the saddest
of all judgments. O it were far better that many bodies perish,
than one soul ; that every member were made the seat and subject
of the most exquisite torture, than such a judgment should fall
upon the soul.
2. It is the severest stroke God can inflict upon the soul in this
life, to give it up to barrenness ; because it cuts off all hopes,
frustrates all means ; nothing can be a blessing to it. 1 f one

40 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
should come from the dead, if angels should descend from heaven
to preach to him, there is no hope of him. This is that which
makes up the Anathema Maranatha, which is the dreadfulest
curse in all the book of God, accursed till the Lord come.
3. It is the most secret stroke to themselves that can be, and
on this account so much the more desperate. Hence there is said
to be poured out upon them the spirit of slumber ; " The Lord
hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed
your eyes." Men are not sensible at all of this judgment ; they
do not in the least suspect it, and that is their misery.
4. It is a stroke that cuts off from the soul all the comforts and
sweetness of religion. A man may pray, hear, and confer, but
all those duties are dry stalks to him, which yield no meat, no
solid substantial nutriment. God has said to such, " My Spirit
shall no longer strive with them ;" and then what sweetness is
there in ordinances ? What is the word separated from the Spi
rit, but a dead letter ? It is the Spirit that quickens. Here is
the wo that lies upon them, God is departed from the means, and
none can help them.
It is such a stroke upon the spirit of a man, as is a fearful sign
of his eternal reprobation. It is true, we cannot positively say
of a man in this life, that he is a reprobate, one that God will never
show mercy to ; but yet there are some probable marks of it upon
some men, and they are awful wherever they appear. This is
one of the saddest : " If our gospel be hid, it is hid to those that
are lost, in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of
them that believe not.
It is such a stroke of God upon the souls of men, as immedi
ately foreruns damnation. That which beareth thorns and briers
is rejected, and is " nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burnt."
Lo, this is the vengeance which the gospel executes upon this
ban-en ground.
Reflections. — 1 . Blessed be God, who has made me feel the
saving power of the gospel ! O, let God be exalted for ever for
this mercy, that how defective soever J am in common gifts,
though I have a dull understanding, a frail memory, a stammer
ing tongue, yet I have felt and do feel the power of the gospel
upon my heart. Some little fruit I bring forth, and this by virtue
of my union with Jesus Christ. This has more in it as to my
comfort, than all the glittering gifts and splendid performances of
the hypocrite. " If I might have my choice," says one, '• I would
chuse and prefer the most despicable and sordid work of a rustic
Christian before all the victories of Alexander and triumphs of
Caasar." 2. O then, let the formal professor say, how little cause have
I to make my boast of ordinances, and glory in my external pri
vileges, who never bear spiritual fruit under them. Shall I boast
with Capernaum that I am " lifted up to heaven," since 1 may

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 41
with her, at last, be cast down to hell ? And if so, Lord, what a
hell will my hell be ! It will be more tolerable for Sodom and
Gomorrah than for me.
And what, says the less fruitful Christian, may I think of my
condition? Lord, I acknowledge that my unprofitableness has
been shameful ; and this has made my condition doubtful. I have
often trembled for fear, lest my root had been blasted by such a
curse : but if so, whence is this trembling ? Whence these fears
and sorrows about it ? Lord, I bless thee for these evidences of
freedom from the curse.
4. What a serious reflection should this occasion in every dis
penser of the gospel! How should he say when he goes to
preach the gospel — I am going to preach that word which is to
be a savor of life or death unto these souls. Upon how many of
my poor hearers may the curse of perpetual barrenness be exe
cuted this day ! 0 how should such a thought melt his heart into
compassion over them, and make him beg hard, and plead earn
estly with God for a better issue ofthe gospel than this upon them.

On the plowing of Corn Land.
Observation, — It requires not only strength, but much skill
and judgment, to manage and guide the plow.
Application — This observation in nature serves excellently to
shadow forth this proposition in divinity, that the work of the
Spirit in convincing and humbling the heart of a sinner, is a work
wherein much of the wisdom, as well as power, of God is disco
vered. The work of repentance, and saving contrition, is set forth
in scripture by this metaphor of plowing, Jer. iv. 3 ; Hos. x. 12.
" Plow up your fallow ground ;" that is, be convinced, humbled,
and broken-hearted for sin.
1 . lt is a hard and difficult work to plow ; it is also a very hard
thing to convince aud humble the heart of a secure and proud sin
ner. It is as easy to rend the rocks, as to work saving contrition
upon such a heart. Yet when the Lord comes in the power of
his Spirit, these rocks do rend and yield to the power of the word.
2. The plow pierces deep into the bosom of the earth. So
does the Spirit upon the hearts of sinners ; he pierces their very
souls by conviction. It comes upon the conscience with such
piercing power, and sends the sword of conviction so deep into
their souls, that there is no stanching the blood, no healing this
wound, till Christ himself come, and undertake the cure.
3. The plow turns up and discovers such things as lay hid
before in the bosom ofthe earth, and were covered under a fair
green surface from the eyes of men. Thus when the Lord plows
up the heart of a sinner by conviction, then the secrets of his heart
are made manifest. Fain would the sinner conceal and hide his

42 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
shame, but the word follows him through all his sinful shifts, and
brings him at last to be his own accuser, witness, and judge.
4. The work of the plow is but a preparative work in order to
fruit. Should the husbandman plow his ground ever so often, yet
if the seed be not cast in and quickened, in vain is the harvest ex
pected. Thus conviction also is but preparative to a farther work
upon the soul of a sinner. If it goes no farther, sin is greatly
aggravated, and eternal misery so much the more increased. 0
with what horror will a poor lost creature reflect in hell — How
near was I once, under such a sermon, to conversion ! My sins
were set in order before me ; my conscience terrified me with the
guilt of them. Many purposes and resolves I made then to turn
to God, which had they been perfected, I had never come to this
place of torment ; but there I stopped, and that was my eternal
•undoing. 5. It is best plowing when the earth~is prepared and mollified
by showers of rain; then the work goes on sweetly and easily,
and never does the heart so kindly melt, as when the gospel-clouds
dissolve, and the free grace and love of Jesus Christ comes
sweetly showering down upon it. So it was with that poor pe
nitent, Luke vii. 38, When the Lord Jesus had discovered to her
the superabounding riches of his grace in the pardon of her mani
fold abominations, her heart melted within her ; she washed the
feet of Christ with tears.
6. The plow kills those rank weeds which grow in the field,
turns them up by the roots, buries and rots them. So does sav
ing conviction kill sin at the root, makes the soul sick of it, begets
indignation in the heart against it.
7- That field is not well plowed, where the plow jumps and
skips over the ground ; it must run up the whole field alike ; and
that heart is not savingly convicted, where any lust is spared and
left untouched. The sparing of one sin, is a sure argument that
thou art not truly humbled for any sin. So far is the convinced
soul from a studious concealment of a beloved sin, that it weeps
over that more than over any other actual sin.
8. New ground is much more easily plowed, than that which
by long lying out of tillage is more fastened together by deep-
rooted thorns and brambles. This old ground is like an old
sinner, who has been long time hardening under the means of
grace. O the difficulty of convincing such a person ! Sin has^got
such root in his heart, he is so habituated to the reproofs and calls
of the word, that few such are wrought upon. How many young
persons are called to one obdurate, inveterate sinner !
Reflections. — 1. O grace, says the true convert, for ever to be
admired, that God should send forth his word and Spirit to plow
up my hard and stony heart, yea, mine, when he has left so many
of more tender, ingenuous, sweet, and melting tempers without
any culture or means of grace ! Blessed be the day wherein my

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 43
sin was discovered and embittered ! O happy sorrows, which pre
pared for such matchless joys ! O blessed hand, which turned my
salt waters into pleasant wine ! After many pangs and sorrows of
soul, thou didst, at length, bring forth deliverance and peace.
2. But O, let the stubborn sinner say, what a rock of adamant
is this heart of mine, that never yet was Wounded, and savingly
pierced for sin. O my soul, my stupified soul, thou hast got an
antidote against repentance, but hast thou any against hell ? Thou
canst keep out the sense of sin now, but art thou able to keep-out
ihe terrors of the Lord hereafter ? If thou Couldst turn a deaf ear
to the sentence of Christ in the day of judgment, as easily as thou
dost to the entreaties of Christ in the day of grace, it were some
what ; but surely there is no defence against that. Ah fool that I
am, to quench ¦ these convictions, unless I knew how to quench
those flames they warn me of !
3. And may not I, says another, challenge the first place among
all the mourners in the world, who have lost all those convictions
which at several times came upon me under the word ? I have
been often awakened by it, and filled with terrors and tremblings
-under it ; but those troubles have soon worn off again, and my
heart, like water removed from the fire returned to its native cold
ness. It is with thee, O my soul, as with a man whose bones
have been broken, and not well set ; who must endure the pain of
breaking and setting them again, if ever he be made a sound man.
O that I might rather chuse to be the object of thy wounding
mercy, than of thy sparing cruelty ! If thou plow not up my
heart again by compunction, I know it must be rent in pieces at
last by desperation. 
On the Seed Corn.
Observation.-^— Husbandmen are very careful and curious about
their seed-corn, that it may not only be clean and pure, but the
best and most excellent of its kind ; " He casteth in the principal
wheat." Application. — The choice and principal seed corn, with which
the fields are sown, after they are prepared for it, admirably sha
dows forth those excellent principles of grace which are infused
into the regenerate soul.
1. The earth at first brought forth corn and every seed yielding
fruit naturally, without human industry ; but since the curse came
upon it, it must be plowed and sown, or no fruit can be expected.
So man, at first, had all the principles of holiness in his nature,
but now they must be infused by regeneration, or else his nature
is as void of holiness as the barren and untilled desert is of corn.
2. The earlier the seed is sown, the better it is rooted, so when
grace is early infused, when nature is sanctified in the bud, grace
is thereby exceedingly advantaged.
3. Frosts and snows conduce very much to the well-rooting of

44 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED
the seed. So do those sanctified afflictions, which the people of
God usually meet with after their calling, and often in their very
seed time. Prov. iii. 15.
4. When the seed is cast into the earth, it must be covered up
by the harrow, for its security from birds that would devour it.
The care of God over the graces of his people, is like the covering
ofthe seed for security.
5. Seed-corn 4s in its own nature of much more value than
other corn. So is the seed of grace, for it is called " the seed of
God," " the divine nature." Grace is far beyond all the glory of
this world ; it is more precious than gold.
6. There is a great deal of spirit and vigor in a Uttle seed ;
though it be small in bulk, yet it is great in virtue and efficacy.?
Gracious habits are also vigorous and efficacious things. Such is
their efficacy that they overcome the world.
7. The stalk and ear are virtually in a small grain of corn. So
are all the fruits of obedience which believers afterwards bring
forth to God, virtually contained in these seeds of grace. The
heroic acts and achievements of the most renowned believers
sprang from small beginnings at first, to eminency and glory.
8. The fruitfulness of the seed depends npon the sun and rain.
And the principles of grace in us have as necessary a dependence
upon the assisting and exciting grace of God.
, 9. The seed is more fruitful in some soils than in others, pros
pers much better, and comes sooner to maturity. So do graces
thrive better and grow faster in some persons than in others.
" Your faith groweth exceedingly."
10. And, lastly, their agreement, as seed, appears in this, the
seed-corn is scattered into all parts ofthe field, as proportionally
and equally as may be. So is grace diffused into all the faculties:
the judgment, will, and the affections, are all sown with these new
principles. I shall here institute a comparison betwixt grace and the most
splendid gifts in the world ; and its transcendent excellency*
above them all, will evidently appear in the seven following
particulars —
1 . The most excellent common gifts come out of the common
treasury of God's bounty, and that in a natural way. But princi*
pies of grace are of a divine and heavenly origin, not induced or
raised from nature, but supernaturally infused by the Spirit from
on high. ,
2. The best natural gifts afford not that sweetness and solid
comfort to the soul that grace does. A man may have an under
standing full of light, and a heart void of comfort at the same time;
but grace is a fountain df pure living streams of peace and comfort.
3. Gifts adorn the person, but do not secure the soul from wrath.
A man may be admired for them among men, and rejected eter
nally by God. Who can considerately read the sixth chapter of

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 45
the Hebrews, and not tremble to think in what a forlorn case a
soul may be, though set off and accomplished with the rarest
endowments of this kind ! These things are so far from securing
the soul from the wrath to come, that they often expose il unto
wrath, and are as oil to increase the eternal burnings. But gra
cious principles are " the things that accompany salvation."
4. Gifts may ruin the person that possesses them ; it may be
better, in respect of a man's own condition, that he had never had
them. " Knowledge," says the apostle, " puffeth up." The
saint's knowledge is better than the scholar's. It does not puff
up the heart, but always humbles it.
5. Gifts may be given to a man for the sake of others, and not
out of love to himself. God indeed makes use of them to do his
children good ; like cooks, they prepare excellent dishes, on which
the saints feed, though they themselves may taste them not. And
O what a sad consideration will this one day beto think, I helped
such a soul to heaven, while I myself must lodge in hell !
6. Sin may dwell with the most excellent natural gifts under
the same roof, I mean, in the same heart. A man may have the
tongue of an angel, and the heart of a devil. Gifts are but as a
fair glove drawn over a foul hand. But grace is incompatible
with sin in dominion ;( it purifies the heart.
7. And, lastly, gifts must leave us at last. Many times they
leave a man before death ; one blow may make a wise man a
fool : but they all certainly leave us at death. Then all natural
excellency departs. Death strips the soul of all its splendid orna
ments ; then the rhetorical tongue is struck dumb, the active wit
and curious fancy shall entertain our ears with no more pleasant
discourses. But grace ascends with the soul into eternity, and
there receives its perfection and accomplishment.
Reflections. —The lines are fallen to me in a pleasant place,
may the gracious 'soul say. How defective soever I am in gifts,
yet blessed be the Lord who has sown the .true seeds of grace in
my heart. Why art thou troubled, O my soul, for the want of
those things which reprobates may have ? Is not an ounce of
pure gold more valuable than many pounds of gilded brass ?
Pause awhile, my soul, upon this point, may another say.
With what seed is my heart sown, and of what kind are those things
wherein 1 excel others ? Are they indeed special seeds of grace,
or common gifts and natural excellencies ? Lord, how have I
been elated by my gifts, and valued myself above what was meet ?
O that I had the sincerity of the poorest saint, though I should
lose the applause of all my talents ! With these I see 1 may go
to hell, but without some better thing there is no hope of heaven.
On Spring-Weather after Seed-Time.
Observation. — The earth, after it is plowed and sown, must
be watered and warmed with the dews and influences of heaven,

46 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED
or no fruit can be expected. This some heathens, by the light
of nature, acknowledged, and therefore when they went to plow
in the morning, they laid one hand upon the plow, to show their
own part to be labor, and held up the other hand to Ceres, the
goddess of corn, to show that their expectation of plenty was from
their supposed deity. I fear many Christians lay both hands to
the plow, and seldom lift up heart or hand to God.
Application. — lt is as impossible, in an ordinary way, for souls
to be made fruitful in grace and holiness, without the dews and
influences of ordinances and the blessing of God upon them, as for
the earth to yield her fruit without the natural influences of heaven.
1. The rain comes from heaven. The doctrines of the gospel
are also of heavenly extraction and descent ; they are heavenly
truths which are brought to you in earthen vessels ; the ministers
are from heaven, their doctrine from heaven, the efficacy and suc
cess of it from heaven.
2. The rain falls by divine direction and appointment. " He
causes itto rain upon one city, and not upon another," Amos iv. 7.
You will often see a cloud dissolve and spread itself upon one
place, when there is not a drop within a few miles of it. Thus is
the gospel sent to shed its rich influences upon one place, and
not upon another ; it comes not by chance, but by commission
and appointment, and it is sent to you by special direction.
3. There is a great deal of difference in the showers of rain that
fall upon the earth. Sometimes you have a hasty shower, which
deluges the roads and streets, but it is gone presently ; and some
times you have a sweet, gentle, soaking rain, that refreshes the
earth abundantly. So it is in these spiritual showers. The effects
of some sermons are very transient ; they touch the heart a little
for the present, by way of conviction or comfort, but the feeling
they produce fleets away immediately. At other times the gospel,
like a settled moderate rain, goes to the root, to the very heart ;
the effects of some sermons and duties, will never go out of it.
4. The rain is most beneficial to the earth, When there comes
warm sunshine with it or after it. This the scripture calls " a
clear shining after rain." So it is with the goSpel showers, when
the Sun of righteousness shines on the soul under the word, dart
ing down the beams of grace and love. O how comfortable is
this ! and how effectual to melt the heart !
5. Showers of rain exceedingly refresh the earth, as a man is
refreshed by a draught of water, when his spirits are spent. But
never were showers of rain so sweetly refreshing to the thirsty
earth, as gospel-showers are to gracious souls ; they comfort their
very hearts.
6. Rain is necessary at seed-time, to make ready the earth to
receive the seed. "Thou visitest the earth and waterest it."
Thus the gospel is necessary as the former rain at seed-time, it
causes the first spring of grace in the heart. So also it has the

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 47
use of the latter rain to ripen the precious fruits of the Spirit in '
the souls of believers.
7. After a great fall of rain, there usually comes a drought.
And truly when a people are glutted with a fulness of gospel-
mercies, it is usual with God to shut up and restrain the gospel
clouds. It is both a sinful and dangerous thing to trifle with
gospel-mercies, and despise the ministers of the gospel. The
time may come when we may be glad ofthe plainest sermon
from the mouth of the meanest Ambassador of Christ.
8. The prayers of saints are the keys that open and shut the
natural clouds, and cause them either to give out or withhold their
influences. " Elias prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it
rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six
months, and he prayed, again and the heavens gave rain."
Prayer is also the golden key which opens the mystical gospel-
clouds, and dissolves them into sweet gracious showers. God
will have the whole work of the ministry carried on by the
prayers of his people. They may tell their people, as a great
general once told his soldiers — that he flew on their wings.
" Pray for me," says the great apostle. Yea, by the saints' pray
ers it is, that ministers obtain the success and fruits of their labors.
O that these truths may come down in sweet showers upon the
hearts both of ministers and people in the following reflections !
' Reflections. — Am I then as a cloud ? the gospel minister may
say. And is my doctrine as rain to water the Lord's inheritance ?
And yet do I think it much to be tossed up and down by the furir
ous winds and storms of persecution ? It is enough, Lord, that a
rest remaineth for thy servant. Let me be so wise as to secure a
rest to come, and not so vain as to expect a rest on earth.
And O that I may study those instructive clouds, from which
God pours down refreshing showers. In this may I resemble
them, and come amongst the people of the Lord. O that my lips
may refresh many !
Lift up thine eyes to the clouds, and behold, to how great an
height the sun has mounted them ; by reason of their sublimity
it is that they are called the clouds of heaven. Lord, let me be a
cloud of heaven too. Let my heart and conversation be both
there. Shine forth thou glorious Sun of righteousness, and my
heart shall quickly be attracted and mounted above these visible
clouds, yea, and above the visible heavens.
] . Is the gospel rain ? the private Christian may say. And
are its ministers clouds ? Wo is me then, that my habitation is
upon the mountains of Gilboa, were there are no dews ! Ah sad
lot, that I should be like Gideon's dry fleece, whilst the ground
round about me is wet with the dew of heaven ! O thou that
commandest the olouds above, remember and refresh this parched
wilderness, wherein I live, with showers of grace.
And when O Lord, thou dost cause the heavens above me to

48 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
be black with clouds, and daily sendest down showers of gospel*
blessings, O that I may be as the parched earth under them — not
for barrenness, but for thirstiness ! Shall these precious soul-en
riching showers fleet away unprofitably from me ? If so, then
what an account have L to make for all those gospel-dews and
showers wherewith I have been watered !

On a Dearth through want of Rain.
Observation. — It is deservedly accounted a sad judgmei-fcf
when God shuts up the heavens over our heads, and makes the
earth as brass under our feet. Then the husbandmen are called
to mourning. ' And that which makes the want of rain so terrible
a judgment, is the famine of bread, which necessarily follows these
extraordinary droughts, and is one of the sorest temporal judg
ments which God inflicts upon the world.
Application. — And they truly have as much cause to weep and
tremble, over whose souls God shuts up the spiritual clouds ofthe
gospel, and thereby sends a spiritual famine upon their souls^
Amos viii. 1 1 . Thus the Christians of Antioch, when Crysostonfi
their minister was banished, judged it better to lose the sun out
of the firmament, than lose their minister. How did the Chris
tians of Antioch also weep and lament, when Paul was taking his
farewell of them ? He had been a cloud of blessings to that place ;
but now they must expect no more showers from him. When
the ark of God, which was the symbol of the divine presence
among the Jews, was taken, " all the city cried out." The loss
of a gospel-ministry is an inestimable loss, not to be repaired but
. by its own return, or by heaven ! By losing the ordinances they
lose their comforts, and soul-refreshments ; they lose their defence
and safety ; they lose their spiritual food and soul-subsistence.
In a word, a spiritual famine necessarily follows, a famine the
most terrible of all famines. Now to show the analogy between
this and a temporal famine, consider.
1. A famine is caused by the failing of bread, or that which has
the use of bread. On this account bread is called a staff. And
what bread is to the natural spirits, that, and more than that, the
word is to gracious spirits, Job xxiii. 12. If once God break
this staff, the inner-man, that hidden man of the heart, will quickly
begin to fail and faulter.
2. lt is not every degree of scarcity of bread that presently
makes a famine. And so it is in a spiritual famine, though there
be preaching, prayer, and other ordinances left, yet the presence
of God is not with them.
3. In a famine, mean and coarse things become sweet and
pleasant. Famine raises the price and value of them. Just so
does the famine of the word raise the price and estimation of vul
gar and despised truths. O what would then be given for one of

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 49
those sermons, one of those sabbaths, we formerly enjoyed! " In
those days the word of the Lord is precious."
4. In time of famine some persons suffer more than others.
The dearth falls heaviest on the poor. Some Christians have
husbanded their time well, and, like Joseph in the seven years'
plenty, laid up for a scarcity. The word of God dwells richly
in them. But others are babes in Christ ; and these poor babes
will soonest feel the loss.
5. In time of famine, there are pitiful cries and heart-breaking
complaints, wherever you go. O the many pale faces you then
see, and the sad language that rings in your ears. One cries,
" Bread, bread ;" another faints and falls down at your door.
Just so it is in a famine of the word. Christians every where
sigh and cry, " O where are our godly ministers ? our sabbaths,
sermons, sacraments ? My fathers ! my fathers ! the chariots of
Israel, and the horsemen thereof!"
Reflections. — Is the famine ofthe word such a fearful judgment?
asks the ungrateful sinner. Then, Lord, pardon my unthankful-
ness for the plentiful and long-continued enjoyment of such a
precious and invaluable mercy. How lightly have I esteemed
the great things ofthe gospel ! O that with eyes and hands lifted
up to heaven, I might bless the Lord that ever I was brought
forth in an age of so much light, in a valley of visions, in a land
flowing with gospel-mercies ! and that such a mercy should no
more affect my soul — let shame cover my face for this, and trem
bling seize my heart !
Is the gospel indeed departed ? its sweet influences restrained ?
and a famine, worse than that of bread, come upon us? " Alas
for the day !" says the deprived Christian ; none is like it ; Wo
is me, that ever I should survive the gospel. May we not read
our sins in our punishment? O what curious and itching ears
had thy people in the days of plenty ! Manner, tones, and ges
tures, were more regarded than the excellent treasures of divine
truths. Ah, my soul, I remember my faults this day. I should
have come from under every sermon, as a sheet comes from the
press, with all the stamps and lively impressions of the truths I
have heard upon my heart ; but, alas ! if it had been demanded of
me, as once it was of Aristotle, after a long and curious oration,
how he liked it ; I might have anawered, as he did, " Truly I did
not hear it, for 1 was all the while minding another matter."
Righteous art thou, O Lord, in all that is come upon us.
I am now, says the silent minister, as a spring shut up, that can
yield no refreshment to thirsty souls, ready to perish. As Ezekiel,
" Son of man, behold, I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of
thy mouth, and thou shalt be dumb." This is a very heavy judg
ment ; but thou must be justified and cleared in it. Little did I
consider the preciousness of souls, or the tremendous account to
be given for them, at the appearing of the great Shepherd. I have

50 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
now time enough to sit down and mourn over lost opportunities.
Lord, restore me once again, to a serviceable capacity. Othat
thou wouldst once again open the doors of thine house, that there
may be bread enough in thine house for all thy children !

On the Corruption ofthe Seed before it springs.
Observation. — After the seed is committed to the earth, it
seems to perish and die, as our Saviour speaks, John xii. 24.
But what a fragrant, green, and beautiful blade do we see spring
up from a corrupted seed! How black and mouldy is that! How
beautiful and verdant is this !
Application. — Even thus shall the bodies ofthe saints arise in
beauty and glory at the resurrection : " They are sown in disk*
nor; they are raised in glory." And the resemblance lies in
these particulars —
1. The seed is committed to the earth from whence it came;
so is the body of a saint ; earth it was, and to earth it is again,
resolved. 2. The seed is cast into the earth in hope. The bodies
of saints are also committed to the grave in hope, 1 Thess. iv. 13.
This blessed hope of a resurrection sweetens not only the troubles
of life, but the pangs of death.
. 3. The seed is cast into the earth in its proper season ; so
are the bodies of the saints, " Thou shall come to thy grave in a
full age, as a shock of corn cometh in, in its season." They
always die in the fittest time, though sometimes they seem to die
immaturely. 4. The seed lies many days and'nights under the clods, before
it rise and appear again : " Even so man lieth down, and riseth
not again until the heavens be no more, " Job xiv. 12.
5. When the time is come for its shooting up, the earth that
covered it can hide it no longer. So in that day when the great.
trump shall sound, the grave shall not be able to hold them a
minute longer.
6. When the seed appears above-ground, it appears much more
fresh, than when it was cast into the earth. God clothes it with
such beauty, that it is not like what it was before. Thus rise the
bodies of the saints. Yea, our vile bodies shall be changed, and
made like unto Christ's glorious body ; which is the highest pitch
and ascent of glory and honor that a human body is capable of.
Those bodies, which in the grave were but dust and rottenness,
shall be shining and excellent pieces, absolutely and everlastingly
freed from all natural infirmities and distempers. Death is their
good physician, which at once frees them from all diseases.
Then the body shall be freed from all natural necessities, to which.
it is now subjected. How is the soul now disquieted and tortured
with cares and troubles to provide for a perishing body ! And .

husbandry spiritualized. 51
our bodies shall be freed from death, to which henceforth they can
be subject no more ; that formidable adversary of nature shall
assault them no more.
Reflections. — If I shall receive my body again so dignified and
improved in the world to come, then Lord, let me never be unwil
ling to use my body now for the interest of thy glory, or my own
salvation. O my God, it grieves me to think how many precious
opportunities of serving and honouring thee I have lost, under
pretence of endangering my health. Foolish soul ! has God given
tliee a body for a living tool or instrument ? and art thou afraid to
use it ? O if some of the saints had enjoyed the blessing of such
a healthy active body as mine, what excellent services would they
have performed to God in it !
If my body shall as surely rise again in glory, vigor, and excellent
endowments, as the seed which I sow does ; why, says another,
should not this comfort me under all the pains, weaknesses, and
dulness, with which my soul is now clogged ? However, it is
reviving to think, that though I am now forced to crawl, like a
worm, in the discharge of my duties, I shall shortly fly like a se
raph, the time is at hand when I shall be made more willing than
now, and the flesh not so weak as now it is.
And is it so indeed ? Then let the dying saint rouse up him
self upon his bed, like Jacob, and encourage himself against the
fears of death by this refreshing consideration. Let him say with
holy dying Musculus, " Why tremblest thou, O my soul, to go
forth out of this tabernacle to the land of rest ? Has thy body
been such a pleasant habitation to thee, that thou shouldest be so
loth to part with it, though but for a time, and with assurance of re
ceiving it again with such a glorious improvement?" The day of
re-espousals will quickly come ; and in the mean time, as thy
body will not be sensible of the tedious length of interposing time,
so neither wilt thou be solicitous about thine absent friend ; for
the fruition of God in thine unbodied state shall fill thee with infi
nite satisfaction and rest. If God lead thee through the long dark
lane of a tedious sickness, yet at the end of it is thy Father's
house. And as for a violent death, it is not so material whether
friends or enemies stand weeping or triumphing over the dead
body. When thy soul shall be in heaven, it will not be sensible
how the body is used on earth.
But O, says the ungodly sinner, what an uncomfortable parting
will mine be ! ahd how much more sad our meeting again ! How
will this soul and body blush, yea, tremble when they meet, who
have been co-partners in so much guilt ! I damned my soul to
please my flesh, and now I have ruined both thereby. Had I de
nied my flesh to serve Christ, I had thereby happily provided for
them both; but I began at the wrong end, and so have ruined
both eternally.
E 2

52 HUSBANDRY spiritualized.
On the Resemblance of Wheat and Tares.
Observation. — It is Jerome's observation, that wheat and tares
are so much alike in their first springing up, that it is exceedingly •
difficult to distinguish the one from the other.
Application  All saving graces in the saints have their coun
terfeits in hypocrites, which a spiritual and very judicious eye
may easily mistake for the saving and genuine effects ofthe sanc
tifying Spirit.
Does the Spirit of God convince the consciences ot his people
of the evil of sin ? Pharaoh said, I have sinned against the Lord
your God, and against you. Thus was Saul also convinced %
1 Sam. xv. 24.
Does true compunction work reformation of life in the people
of God ? Even hypocrites also have been famous for their refor
mations. Many that will never escape the damnation of hell,
have yet escaped the pollutions ofthe world, and that by the know
ledge of the Son of God ; 2 Pet. ii. 21 .
Does the Spirit ofthe Lord produce the glorious and supernatural
work of faith in convinced and humbled souls ? In this also the
hypocrite imitates the believer. " Then Simon himself believed!
also," Acts viii. 13.
Lo ! what strong confidences and high- built persuasions of an
interest in God, have sometimes been found even in the unsanc
tified ! Yea, so strong may this false assurance be, that they dare
boldly venture to go to the judgment-seat of God, and there de
fend it. " Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name ?"
Mat. vii. 22.
And this difference will yet be more subtile and undiscernible,.
if I should tell you ; that as in so many things the hypocrite re
sembles the saint, so there are other tilings which a real Christian
may act too like a hypocrite. When we find a Pharaoh confess
ing, a Herod practising as well as hearing, a Judas preaching
Christ, and an Alexander venturing his life for Paul ; and, on the
other side, shall find a David condemning that in another which he
practised himself, a Hezekiah glorying in his riches, a Peter dis
sembling, and even all the disciples forsaking Christ in an hour
of trouble and danger ; O then how hard is it for the eye of man
to discern betwixt chaff and wheat! How many upright hearts
are now censured, whom God will clear ? How many false hearts-
are now approved, whom God will condemn ! " The Lord know
eth who are his." He will have a day perfectly to sever the tares
from the wheat, to melt off the varnish of the most resplendent and
refined hjrpocrite, and to blow off the ashes of infirmities which
have covered and obscured the very sparks of sincerity in his peo
ple. " And then shall men indeed return, and discern between
the righteous and the wicked ; betwixt him that serveth God,
and him that serveth him not."
Reflections, — And is this so ? Then, Lord, pardon the rashness

husbandry spiritualized. 53
and precipitancy of my censorious spirit ; for I have often boldly
anticipated thy judgment, and assumed thy prerogative/ although
thou hast said, " Why dost thou judge thy brother ? And why dost
thou set at nought thy brother ? We shall all stand before the
judgement-seat of Christ." " He that judgeth me is the Lord.
Let us therefore judge nothing before the time until the Lord
come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness,
and make manifest the counsels of the heart." O my soul, thou art
conscious of so much falseness in thyself, that were there no other
consideration, that alone might restrain thee from all uncharitable
and hasty censures. If others knew but what I know of myself,
would they not judge as severely of me as I do of others ?
Come then, my soul, set the Lord before thee, to whom the
secrets of all hearts are manifest ; and in the awful prospect of
that great day, make true answer to these heart-discovering que
ries. Is my obedience uniform ? Am I the same man at all times,
places, and companies ? Or, rather, am I not exact and curious
in public, remiss and careless in secret, duties .
Does that which I call grace in me, oppose and mortify, or does
it not rather quietly consist with and protect my lusts and corrup
tions ? True grace tolerates no lust ; Gal. v. 17.
Does that which I call my grace, humble, empty, and abase my
, soul ? Or does it puff it up with self-conceitedness ? All saving
grace is humbling grace ; 1 Cor. xv. 10.
But stay, my soul, it is enough, I more than doubt that I shall
not endure the day of his coming " Whose fan is in his hand."
Lord, add power to the form, life to the name to live, practice to
the knowledge, or I perish eternally. O give me the saint's heart
rather than the angel's tongue ! Let me never deceive myself or
others in matters of such deep and everlasting consequence.

On the Dangers incident to Corn from Seed-lime to Harvest.
Observation. — There are three critical and dangerous periods
between seed-time and harvest. The first, when corn is newly
committed to the earth ; all that lies uncovered is quickly picked
up by the birds ; but if it escapes the birds, and gets root in the
earth, yet then it is hazarded by noxious weeds. If by care it be
freed from choaking weeds, yet oftentimes, whilst it is blowing in
the ear, blastings and mildews smite it in the stalk ; whereby it
becomes like those ears of corn in Pharaoh's vision, which were
thin and blasted with the east-wind.
Application. — -True grace also meets with three dangerous pe
riods ; so that it is a much greater wonder that it ever arrives at
perfection. No sooner has the great husbandman disseminated
holy seeds in the regenerate heart, than multitudes of impetuous
corruptions immediately assault and would certainly devour them,

54 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
like the fowls of the air, did not the same arm that sowed them,
also protect them. " The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the
Spirit against the flesh ; and these are contrary the one to the
other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."
By " the flesh" understand the corruption of nature and the
sinful motions thereof. It opposes it constantly ; it is like a con
tinual dropping ; a man can no more fly from this enemy, than
from himself. There is a time when the devil leaves tempting,
but no time when corruption ceases from working. And yet, 0
the woniler of free grace ! it is not swallowed up, but escapes
this hazard.
2. It soon meets with another, though it escapes this danger,
even temptations which strike desperately at the very life of it 5
and did not the faithful God now make a way to escape, instead
of a harvest, we should have a heap. For, alas, what are we,
to wrestle with principalities and powers, and spiritual wicked
nesses in high places ?
3. Sad relapses, like blasts, often greatly endanger it, when
it is even ready for the harvest. Thus it fell out with David,
whose last days were not like his first. And yet these holy fruits
are not utterly destroyed, because true grace is the seed of God,
and so immortal, 1 John v. 4 ; and also because the promises of
perseverance and victory made to it, cannot be frustrated ; as
long as Christ says, " I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee,"
thy graces are secure in the midst of all these enemies.
Reflections. — This soul of mine, says the apostate, was once
plowed up by conviction, and sown, as I thought, with the seed
of God. In those days many purposes and good resolutions
began to bud forth, promising a blessed harvest : but (O with
what consternation and horror should I speak it.) I had con
victions, but they are gone; troubles for sin, conscience of
duties, but all are blasted, and my soul is now as a barren field
which God hath cursed.
Wretched soul ! thy case is sad ; it will be better with the
uncultivated wilderness, than with such a miscarrying soul, unless
the great Husbandman plow thee up the second time, and sow
thy heart with better seed.
And are the corruptions of my heart to grace, asks the care
less soul, what fowls, weeds, and mildews, are to the corn ? 0
what need have I then to watch my heart, and keep it with all dili
gence ; for in the life of that grace is wrapt up the life of my
soul! He that carries a candle in his band, in a blustering
stormy night, had need to cover it close, lest it be blown out
and he be left in darkness. O let me never say, " God has pro
mised it shall persevere, and therefore I need not be so soli
citous to preserve it. Promises do not exclude, but imply, the
use of means ; Acts xxvii. 31 . I know my life is determined to
a day, to an hour, and I shall live out every minute God has

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 55
appointed; but yet I am bound to provide food, raiment, and
physic, to preserve it.
Let all doubting Christians reflect seriously upon this truth,
and draw marrow and fatness out of it to strengthen and esta
blish them against all their fears. Your life, your spiritual life,
has for many years hung in suspense ; and you have often said
with David, " I shall one day fall by the hand of Saul." Des
ponding, trembling soul, lift up thine eyes, and look Upon the
fields ; the corn still lives, and grows up, though birds have
watched to devour it. Snows have covered it, beasts have crop
ped it, weeds have almost choaked it ; yet it is preserved. And
has not God more care of that precious seed of his own Spirit in
thee, than any husbandman has of his corn ? Has he not^aid,
that having begun the good work in thee, he will perfect it to the
day of Christ? Has he not said, "I give nnto thero eternal life,
and they shall never perish ?" Well then, be hot discouraged.
Though thy grace be weak, thy iGod is strong. Though the
stream sometimes seems to fail, yet it is fed by an ever-flowing
fountain.

On the Patience of the Husbandman.
Observation. — The expectation of a good harvest at last,
makes the husbandman, with untired patience, endure all his
labors. He is content to plow, sow, and weed it, till fully ripe,
then he goes forth into his fields, and reaps it down with joy.
Application, — Can a little corn cause rrien to endure so many
difficult labors, and make them wait with invincible patience till
the reaping time come ? Much more should the expectation of
eternal glory steel and fortify my spirit against all hardships and
difficulties.
, : There are three great arguments to persuade Christians to A
long-suffering and patient frame under sufferings.
1. The example of Christ. To think how quietly he suffered
all injuries and difficulties, is sufficient to shame fhe best of
Christians. 2. The desert of sin. " Why doth a living man complain ?"
When sin lies heavy, affliction lies light. When the duke of
Cond6 had voluntarily entered into the inconveniences of reli
gious poverty and retirement, he was one day seen and pitied by
a lord of Italy, who, out of tenderness, wished him to be more
careful of his person. The good Duke answered, " Sir, be not
troubled, and thiflk not that I am ill provided for ; for I send a
harbinger before me, that makes ready my lodgings, and takes
care that I be royally entertained." The lord asked him who
this harbinger ^was. He answered, " The knowledge of myself,
and the consideration of what I deserve for my sins ; and when
with this knowledge I arrive at my lodging, how unprovided
soever I find it, methinks it is better than I deserve."

56 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
3. Present difficulties are sweetened by the hopes of a blessed
harvest and reward in heaven. The hope of such a harvest is
encouragement enough to work hard, and wait long. Yet some
Christians are so impatient of it, that they would fain be reaping
before the time ; but " In due time we shall reap, if we faint
not." To which patient expectation and quiet waiting for the
glory to come, these following considerations may be of use —
1. As the husbandman knows when the seed-time is past, it
will not be long to the harvest, so the Christian knows, " that
now his salvation is nearer than when he first believed." What a
small point of time is our waiting-time compared with eternity.!
Yet a few days more, and then comes the long-expected and
welcome harvest.
2. The husbandman can find other work to do before the reap
ing time comes ; he needs not stand idle, though he cannot yet
reap. And cannot a Christian find work to do for God till he
come to heaven? O Christians, you need not stand idle. Look
round about you upon the multitude of forlorn sinners. Speak
now to them for God ; speak now to God for them ; for shortly
you shall so speak no more ; you shall see them no more till you
see them at Christ's bar. God leaves you here for their sakes y.
up and be doing.
3. Husbandmen know that though they cannot yet gather in
the precious fruits of the earth, yet all this while they are ripen
ing and preparing for the harvest. And is not this also my
preparation-time for glory ? Heaven is ready, bat we are not
fully ready ; the barn is fit to receive the corn, but the corn is
not fit to be gathered into it.
4. The husbandman is glad ofthe first-fruits; they encourage
him, though the greatest part be yet out. And have not you
received the first-fruits of glory? Have you not earnests,
pledges, and first-fruits of it ? 'Tis your own fault, if every day
you feed not upon such blessed comforts of the Spirit.
5. Husbandmen know it is best to reap when it is fit to reap ;
one handful fully ripe is worth many sheaves of green corn. And
you know that heaven will be sweetest to you when you are
fittest for it. The child would pluck the apple whilst it is green*
but he might gather it easier and taste it sweeter, by tarrying
longer for it. Whenever we are gathered into glory, we shall
come as a shock of corn in its season.
Reflections.— I have waited for thy salvation, O God ! Hav
ing received thy first-fruits, my soul longs to fill its bosom with
the full ripe sheaves of glory. The husbandman longs for his
harvest, because it is the reward of all his toil and labour • but
what is his harvest to mine ? What is a little corn to the enjoy
ment of God ? What is the joy of harvest to the joy of heaven?
What are the shoutings of men in the fields, to the acclamations
of glorified spirits in the kingdom of God ? Lord, I have gone
forth, bearing more precious seed than they; when shall I return

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 57
rejoicing, bringing my sheaves with me ? Their harvest comes
when they receive their corn ; mine comes when I leave it. O
much desired day ! O day of gladness of heart! How long, Lord?
How long?
But how does my slothful soul sink down into the flesh, says
another, and settle itself in the love of this animal life ! How
does it wrap up itself in the garment of this mortality, not desir
ing to be removed hence to the more perfect and blessed state !
The husbandman is indeed content to stay till the appointed
weeks of the harvest ; but would he be content to wait always ?
O my sensual heart, is this life of hope as contentful to thee as
the life of vision will be ? Why dost thou not groan within thy
self, that this mortality might be swallowed up of life ? Must
God make all my earthly comforts die, before I shall be willing
to die ? Awake faith, awake love. Rouse the drowsy desires
of my soul, that I may say, " Make haste my beloved, and come
away."

On the Harvest-Season.
Observation. — When the fields are white to harvest, then the
husbandmen walk through them, rub the ears, and finding the
grain full and solid, they presently prepare their scythes and
sickles, send for their harvest-men, who quickly reap and mow
the corn.
Application. — The application of this, I find made to my
hands by Christ himself. " The field is the world ; the harvest
is the end of the world ; the reapers are the angels."
Both the godly and ungodly live and grow together, until they
are both ripe ; and then they shall both be reaped down by death.
I will open this allegory in the following particulars —
1. In a catching harvest, when the husbandman sees the clouds
begin to gather and grow black, he hurries in his corn with all
possible haste, and houses it day and night. So does God, the
great Husbandman. He hurries the saints into their graves
when judgments are coming upon the world. Sometimes the
Lord houses great numbers together, before some sweeping
judgment comes. He sees it better for them to be under-ground,
than above-ground; and therefore, by a merciful providence,
removes them out of harm's way.
2. Neither the corn nor the tares can possibly resist the sharp
and keen sickle, when it is applied to them by the reaper's hand:
neither can the godly or ungodly resist the stroke of death when
God inflicts it. The frail body of man is as unable to withstand
that stroke, as the feeble stalks of the corn are to resist the
keen scythe and sharp sickle.
3. The reapers receive the wheat which they cut down into
their arms and bosom. Hence that expression by way of impre-

58 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
cation upon the wicked, Psal. cxxix. 6. Such withered grass
are the wicked, who are never taken into the reaper's bosom ;
but as soon as saints are cut down by death, they fall into the
hands and bosoms of the angels of God, who bear them in their
arms and bosoms to God their father : when they are cut down
by death, they will rejoice to be their convoy to heaven.
4. When the corn and weeds are reaped and mowed down,
they shall never grow any more in the field ; neither shall we
ever return to live an animal life any more after death : he that
goeth down to the grave, shall come up no more, Job. vii. 9.
5. The reapers are never sent to cut down the harvest until it
be fully ripe; neither will God reap down saints and sinners
until they be come to a maturity of grace or wickedness. Saints
are not reaped down until their grace is ripe. Whenever a
godly man dies, it is harvest-time with him, though in a natural
capacity he be cut down while he is green, yet in his epi*
ritual capacity he never dies before he be ripe. God ripens
him speedily, when he intends to take him out of the world
speedily. The wicked also have their ripening-time for hell and judg-:
ment. " God does with much long-suffering indure the vessels
of wrath, prepared for destruction." Now, as husbandmen
judge of the ripeness of their harvest, by the color and hardness
of the grain ; so may we judge of the ripeness both of saints and
sinners, for heaven or hell, by these following signs. —
Signs of the maturity of grace. — 1. When the corn is nearly
ripe, it bows the head, and stoops lower than when it was green.
When the people of God are nearly ripe for heaven, they grow
more humble and self-denying. Paul had one foot in heaven,
when he called himself the chief of sinners, and least of saints.
2. When the harvest is nigh, the grain is more solid and
pithy than ever it was before ; green corn is soft and spungy,
but ripe corn is substantial and weighty. So it is with Christians.
The affections of a young Christian are perhaps more sprightly;
but those of a grown Christian are more judicious and solid. The
fingers of an old musician are not so nimble ; but he has a more
judicious ear in music than in his youth.
3. When the corn is dead ripe, it is apt to fall of its own
accord to the ground, and there shed, whereby it does, as it
were, anticipate the harvest-man, and calls upon him to put in
the sickle. Not unlike to which are the lookings and longings of
Christians for their expected glory ; their desires sally forth to
meet the Lord ; they willingly take death by the hand. As the
corn bends to the earth, so do these souls to heaven.
Signs of the maturity of sin. — 1. When conscience is grown
past feeling, having no remorse for sin ; when it ceases to check,
reprove, and smite, for sin ; the day of that sinner is at hand,
his harvest is even come. When a member is so mortified, that

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 59
if you lance and cut it ever so much, no blood appears, nor
does the man feel any pain, then it is time to cut it off.
2. When men give themselves over to the indulgence of
their lusts, to commit sin with greediness, then are they grown
to a maturity of sin. Thus Sodom and Gomorrah, gave them
selves over to wickedness, and then justice quickly gave them
up for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
3. That man is ripe for hell, who is become a contriver of sin,
a designer, a student, in wickedness; plotting wickedness as
men do when they are most intent on the study of any knotty
problem, Prov. vi. 13. These have so much of hell in them,
that they are more than half in hell already.
4. He that from a forward professor is turned a bitter per
secutor, is also within a few steps of hell. Reader, if thou art
gone thus far, thou art gone almost beyond hope of recovery.
Towards other sinners God usually exercises more patience, but
with such as thee he makes short work. When Judas turns
traitor to his Lord, he is quickly sent to his own place.
6. He that can endure no reproof or control in the way of sin,
but derides all counsel, and, like a strong current, rages at and
sweeps away all obstacles, will quickly fall into the dead lake.
This is a death-spot, a hell-spot, wherever it appears, 2 Chron.
xxv. 16. He that will not be timely counselled, shall be quickly
destroyed. 6. When a man comes to glory in his sin, and boast of his
wickedness, then it is time to cut him down ; " whose end is
destruction, whose glory is their shame." This is a braving, a
daring, of God to his face ; and with whomsoever he bears long,
these are none of them.
Reflections.— Cheer thyself, O my soul, with the heart-strength
ening bread of this Divine meditation. Let faith turn every drop
of this truth into a soul-reviving cordial. God has sown the
precious seed of grace upon my soul ; and though my heart has
been an unkindly soil, which has much hindered its growth, yet
it still grows on, though by slow degrees ; and from the spring .
ing of the seed, and the shooting forth of these gracious habits,
I may conclude there is a harvest approaching. O mercy to be
admired, that I who lately had one foot in hell, stand now with
one foot in heaven !
But the case is far different with me, says the declining
Christian. Whilst others are ripening apace for heaven, I am
withering. Many a soul plowed np by conviction and sown by
sanctification long after me, has quite outgrown me. The sun
and rain of ordinances and providences improve not my graces :
how sad therefore is the state of my soul !
Thy case, O declining saint, is sad, but not like mine, says
the hardening sinner. Time was when I had some tender sense
of sin, when I could mourn and grieve for it; some conscientious
care of duty, and my heart would smite me for the neglect of it;

60 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
but now I have none at all. Wretched soul, What wilt thou do?
Thou art gone far indeed, a few steps further will put thee be
yond hope. Hitherto I stand in the field ; the long-suffering
God yet spares me ; while he has cut down many of my com
panions. What does this admirable patience, this long-suffering,
drawn out to a wonder, speak concerning me? Does it not tell
me, that the Lord is not willing I should perish, but rather come
to repentance ? O that I may not frustrate at last the end of a
long-suffering God, lest he proportion the degree of his wrath,,
to the length of his patience !

On the Care of Husbandmen to provide for Winter.
Observation. — Good husbandmen are careful in summer to
provide for winter. Then they gather in their winter store;
food and fuel for themselves, and fodder for their cattle. They
know that the summer will not hold all the year ; neither will
they trust to the hopes of a mild and favorable winter, but pro
vide for the worst in season.
Application. — What excellent Christians should we be, were
we but as provident and thoughtful for our souls !
1. Husbandmen know that there is a change and vicissitudeof
seasons and weather. Though it be pleasant summer weather
now, yet winter will tread upon the heel of summer : frosts,
snows, and great falls of rain must be expected.
And Christians know there are changes in the right-hand of
the Most High, in reference to their spiritual seasons. In hea
ven there is a day of everlasting serenity ; in hell a night of
perfect endless horror and darkness ; on earth, light and dark
ness take their turns, prosperity and adversity, even to souls as
well as bodies, succeed each other.
2. Common prudence and experience enable the husbandman,
in the midst of summer, to foresee a winter, and to provide for
it before he feels it ; yea, natural instinct teaches this to the very
birds of the air, and beasts of the field.
But, O the stupifying nature of sin ! man, whom God has
made wiser than the fowls of the air, acts in this quite below
them. 3. The end of God's ordaining a summer season, and sending
warm and pleasant weather, is to ripen the fruits of the earth,
and give the husbandman fit opportunity to gather them in.
And God's design of giving men a day of grace, is to furnish
them with an opportunity for the everlasting happiness and sal
vation of their souls. Rom. ii. 4.
4. The husbandman does not find all harvest-seasons alike
favorable. Sometimes they have much fair weatlier, at other
times but now and then a fair day ; and then they must be active,
or all is lost.

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 61
There is also a great difference in soul-seasons. Some have
had a long and fair season of grace ; a hundred and twenty years
did God wait upon the old world. Others have a short season ;
all lies upon a day ; Acts xvii. 30.
5. A proper season neglected and lost is sometimes irreco
verable. Many things in husbandry must be done in their
season, or cannot be done at all for that year.
It is even so as to spiritual seasons. Christ neglected and
grace despised, in the season when God offers them, are often
irrecoverably lost ; Prov. i. 28. O there is a great deal of time,
in a short opportunity ! Our glass runs in heaven, and we can
not see how much or little of the sand of God's patience is yet to
run down ; but this is certain — when that glass is run, there is
nothing to be done for our souls.
6. Those husbandmen who are careful and laborious in the
summer, have the comfort and benefit of it in winter. And he
who provides for eternity, shall eat when others are hungry, and
sing when others howl; Isa. Ixv. 13. A day of death will
come, and that will be a day of straits to all negligent souls ;
but then the diligent Christian shall enjoy peace and comfort.
A day of judgment will come, and then the foolish virgins, who
neglected the season for getting oil in their lamps, will be put
to their shifts ; when the season of buying is over.
7. No wise husbandman will neglect a fit opportunity of
gathering in his hay and corn, upon a presumption of much fair
weather to come.
And no wise Christian will lose a present season for his soul,
upon the hopes of much more time yet to come. It is sad to
hear how skilful some men are to dispute themselves out of
heaven, as if the devil had hired them to plead against their own
souls sometimes urging the example of those that were called at
the eleventh hour, and sometimes that of the penitent thief : but
they that were called at the eleventh hour were never called
before ; and as for the thief, his case is a singular and extra
ordinary example. God was then working many miracles ; then
he rent the rocks, opened the graves, raised the dead, and con
verted this thief; but God is not working miracles now.
Reflections. — 1 . I have indeed been a good husbandman for
the world, says the careless sinner. With what care have I
looked out for myself and family to provide food to nourish them,
and clothes to defend them against the asperities of winter !
Meanwhile I have neglected to make provision for eternity. O
my destitute soul, I have taken more care for a horse or an ox,
than for thee. What shall I answer when the Lord shall say,
Thou couldest foresee a winter, and take much care of thy
beasts, and why tookest thou no care for thy soul ? Was that
only not worth the caring for ?
2. Is it so dangerous to neglect a present season of grace ?

62 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
What then, says the presumptuous soul, have I done, who
have suffered many such seasons to die away, on a groundless
hope of future opportunities ? Ah deluded wretch, what it that
supposition fail? Where am I then? I am not the ord of
time, neither am I sure, that he who is its Lord, will ever
vouchsafe an hour of grace in old age, to him who has neglected
many such hours in youth. Neither indeed is it usual for God
so to do. And what ground have I to think, that God will
work wonders for me, who have neglected his ordinary means
of salvation ?
And what says the industrious Christian? Bless the Lord,
O my soul, who gave thee a season of grace, yea, bless the
Lord for giving thee a heart to understand and improve that
season. 1 confess I have not improved it as I ought ; yet this I
can, through mercy, say, that though I have no treasures or
stores laid up on earth, yet I have a blessed hope laid up in
heaven. Whilst worldlings rejoice in their stores and heaps, I
rejoice in these eternal treasures.
On Reaping the same that we Sow.
Observation. — God gives to every seed its own body. At
first he created every tree and herb ofthe field having its seed in
itself, for the conservation of their species, and they all inviolably
observe the law of their creation. All fruits naturally rise out
of the seeds and roots proper to them. " Men do not gather
grapes of thorns, nor figs of thistles."
Application. — Transfer this to spiritual things, and the propo
sition shadowed forth by it, is fully expressed in Gal. vi. 7;
" What a man soweth, that shall he reap. They that sow to
the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; and they that sow
to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." That is,
our present actions have the same relation to future rewards and'
punishments, as the seed we sow in out fields has to the harvest
we reap from it. Every gracious action is the seed of joy; and
every sinful action the seed of anguish and sorrow to the soul
that sows it. The seed sown is presently covered under the
clods, and for some time after we see no more of it, and yet at
last it appears again, so our present actions, though perhaps for
gotten, after a time shall appear again in order to a retribution.
Whatever we think, speak, or do, Once spoken, thought, ot
done, is eternal, and abides for ever.
What more transient than a vain word? And yet _ot such'
words men shall give an account in the day of judgment. In
eternity the' world shall see distributive justice shining out in its
glory. There the Lord will give "tribulation, anguish, and
wrath to every soul of man that doth evil ; but glory, honor, and
peace tb every man that worketh good."

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 63
Reflections. — -This meditation may be to me, let the profane
sinner say, what the hand-writing upon the wall was to Belshaz
zar ; for if all the actions of this life be seed sown for the next,
what a dreadful harvest, am I likely to have ! How many oaths
and curses, lies and vain words, have I sown ! How have I
rushed into profaneness, drunkenness, undeanness, and sabbath-
breaking, " as the horse rusheth into the battle !" And what
shall 1 reap from such seed as this* but vengeance and fury?
These sins Seemed pleasant in the- commission, but, O how
bitter will they be on their account ! O let me rather taste the
bitterness of sin, by repentance now, than enjoy its present
pleasures which betray the soul to endless wrath !
2. How have I also been deceived in this matter, says the
merely moral man ! I verily thought that glory and immortality
would bave been the fruit of my moral honesty and righteousness;
but now I see such fruit can spring from no other root but special
grace. Alas ! all my planting and sowing was to little purpose,
because I sowed not the right kind of seed. The best fruit I can
expect from this is but a less degree of damnation. Either I
must sow better seed, or expect to reap bitter fruit.
3. Meanwhile, says the Christian, bless the Lord, O my soul,
who enabled thee to sow better seed ; who kept thee watching
and praying, whilst others have been swearing and blaspheming.
This will yield the fruit of joy in the world to come ; O then, let
me be ever abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that my
labor shall not be in vain in the Lord.

On the Joy of Harvest.
Observation. — Among earthly joys, the joy of harvest is no
small joy. It is usual with men, when they have reaped down
their harvest, to demonstrate their joy by shouting and loud
acclamations. Application. — Thus, and unspeakably more than thus, do
saints rejoice and shout for joy, when they reap the favor and
love of God, for which they labored in many a weary duty. I
will show you the transcendency of spiritual joys in these parti
culars following —
1. You are glad, because now you have food for yourselves
and families to live upon all the year : but the Christian rejoices
because he has bread to eat that the world knows not of.
2. You rejoice because corn is virtually many other things be
sides food. You can turn it into clothes to keep you warm, and
many other necessaries may be purchased by it. But yet it is
not like Christ. Turn it into what you will, it has but a limited
and respective usefulness. But Jesus Christ is all in all to
believers, and out of: him their faith can> fetch all supplies.
3. You j-ejoice because now you can pay those debts which you

64 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
have contracted. But still the joy of harvest falls short of the
joy of the saints ; for they rejoice that they are out of God's
debt; that his book is cancelled, and their sins pardoned ; the
law can demand nothing from them. O what matter of joy is
this! 4. You rejoice, because now your corn is out of danger. But
Christians rejoice, not because their corn is safe, but because
their souls are so. And what comparison is there betwixt the
safety of a little corn, and the security of an immortal soul?
5. Your joy is but a gift of common providence. Turks and
Heathens can rejoice with your joy ; but the joy of a Christian,
is a peculiar favor and gift of God.
6. Your joy will have an end. But when your joy is ended,
then is the joy of saints perfected. They reap their harvest,
when you leave your harvest. Their consolation is everlasting.
7. God can separate your joy from these enjoyments, even
while you have them. But the joy of Christians is a thing inse^
parable from their enjoyment of Christ. The sense of their
interest may indeed be lost, but they always have it in the seed,
if not in the fruit.
8. The joy of harvest-men is, for the most part, in their har
vest only. Take that away, and their joy ceases. But the
people of God can joy in him, and take comfort in their earthly
enjoyments too ; and his love in giving them, puts a sweetness
into them, that you are unacquainted with.
Reflections. — And here let him who has a full barn, but no
Christ, say, How have I rejoiced in a thing of nought. My
barns are full of corn, but my soul is empty of grace ; and must
this be the whole of my portion from the Lord ? What if the
language of his providences should be, Lo ! here I have given
thee the fatness of the earth. Thou shalt not say that thou hast
not tasted of thy Creator's bounty ; but make the most of it, for
this is all that ever thou shalt have from me ? Is not this enough
to damp all my carnal mirth?
And here too is a reflection for one that has Christ, but no full
barn. Blessed be the Lord, who has not given me my portion
in this life, that by keeping me from the enjoyment, he may also
preserve me from the snares, of a prosperous state.
And here too is a reflection for one that has a full barn and
Christ too. Lord, how am I "obliged, above thousands, to love
and praise thee, who hast not only plentifully provided for my
soul, but for my body too ! who hast given me both the upper
and the" nether springs, heaven and earth, tilings present and
things to come ! God has done great things for me, O my soul ;
what wilt thou do for God ? Lord, make me wise to answer
the double end of this gracious dispensation. Let me bestow
more of my time upon God* and stand ready to minister to the
necessities of his people.

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 65
And here also is a reflection for one who has neither a barn nor
Christ. O what an unhappy wretch am I, who have nothing
either in hand, or in hope ! Lord, look upon such a truly
miserable object with compassion. Give me a portion with thy
people in the world to come, if thou never better my outward
condition here ! O sanctify this poverty. Make it the way to
glory, and I shall bless thee to eternity that I was poor in this
world.

On the Threshing of Corn.
Observation. — Husbandmen, having different sorts of grain,
do not beat all alike on the threshing-floor ; but they bestow on
some grain more, on others fewer, strokes, according to the
different qualities of the grain to be threshed ; Isaiah xxviii. 27.
Application. — God, having to do with different sorts of offen
ders, does not use the same severity with them all, but propor
tions his corrections to their abilities and strength. " I will not
make a full end of thee, but I will correct thee in measure.
Afflicted thou must be ; but yet I will do it moderately. Neither
my power nor thy desert shall be the rule of my proceedings ;
but I will afflict thee with moderation and mercy, as thou ar
able to bear.
The similitude betwixt the husbandman's threshing his corn
and the Lord's afflicting his people, stands in these particulars —
1 . The husbandman's end in threshing the corn is, to separate
it from the husks and chaff; and God's end in afflicting his people
is, to separate them from their sins. " This is all the fruit, to
take away his sin." He aims not at the destruction of their
persons, but of their lust.
2. If the husbandman have cockle, darnel, or pernicious tares
before him on the floor, he little regards whether it be bruised or
battered to pieces, and he spares it not. Such tares are the
enemies of God ; and he strikes them without mercy, for these
he prepares a new threshing instrument, which shall beat them
to dust, Isa. xii. 15.
3. When the husks and chaff are perfectly separated, from the
grain, then the husbandman beats it no more. When God has
perfectly separated the sins of his people, then afflictions shall
come to a perpetual end. There is no noise of the threshing
instrument in heaven.
4. Though the husbandman beats his corn as if he were angry
with it, yet he loves and highly prizes it; and though God strikes
and afflicts his people, yet he sets a great value upon them.
" Whom the Lord loveth he correcteth."
5. Though the husbandman thresh and beat the corn, yet he
will not bruise or hurt it, if he can help it ; though some require
more and harder strokes than others, yet none shall have more
F

66 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
than it can endure. And though the Lord afflict his servants,
yet he will do them no hurt. Some need more rods than others,
but none shall have more than they can bear. " He makes a
way to escape." Or if not so, he intermixes supporting com
fort with their troubles ; as you sometimes see the sun shine out
while the rain falls. And he takes off the affliction.when they
can bear it no longer.
Reflections. — A reflection for persecutors. How unlike am I
to God, in the afflicting of his people . The Lord is pitiful when
he smites them, but I have been cruel. O what have I done ?
If he shall have judgment without mercy, that showed no mercy,
how can I expect mercy from the Lord ?
A reflection for such as meet with no affliction. Is the Lord's
wheat thus threshed on the floor of afflictions ? what then shall I
think of my condition, who prosper and am let alone in the way
of sin ? Surely the Lord looks on me as a weed ; and not as his -
corn ; and it is too probable, that I am rather reserved for burn
ing, than for threshing. For what is the interpretation but this,
I will come to a reckoning with them altogether in hell ? Lord,
how much better is thy afflicting mercy, than thy sparing
severity !
A reflection for an afflicted saint. Well then, despond not, 0
my soul. If affliction be the way to heaven, blessed be God for
affliction ! I have not had a stroke more than I needed ; and by
this means he will purge my sins: blessed be God for that!
The damned have infinitely more and harder strokes than I, and
yet their sin shall never be separated by their sufferings. But
the time is coming when I shall be rid of sin and suffering toge
ther: meanwhile I am under my own Father's hand. Smite me
he may, but hate me he cannot.

On the Winnowing of Corn.
Observation. — When the corn is threshed out on the floor, the
husbandman exposes it to the wind ; and the chaff, being light
and empty, is separated from the good grain.
Application. — Men have their winnowing-days, and God has
his ; a day to separate the chaff from the wheat, the godly from
the ungodly. " His fan is in his hand ; and he shall thoroughly
purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner ; but he
will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." By bringing sore
and grievous trials and sufferings upon the churches, those who
are but chaff, empty and vain professors, are separated from his
people. And God has appointed another day for the winnowing
of the world, even the day of judgment ; in reference to which it
is said in Psalm i. " The ungodly are like the chaff which
the wind driveth away." I will not strain the similitude, but
display it in these particulars —

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 67
1. The chaff and wheat grow together in the safhe field, and
upon the same root and stalk. In this wicked men are like chaff,
they spring up sometimes from the same root. " Was not Esau
Jacob's brother?" Yet the one was wheat, the other chaff.
2. The husbandman would not suffer the husks, chaff, and
dry stalks, to remain in the field, if it were not for the good corn's
sake. And be assured, God would never suffer the wicked to
abide long in this world, were it not for his own elect he would
quickly set fire to the four quarters of it, and make it like Sodom.
3. Though chaff in itself be nothing worth, yet it is of some
use to the corn while it is standing in the field. Thus God
makes wicked men of use to his people in outward society ; they
help to support and prbtect them. The church often helps the
world ; and sometimes God causes the world to help his church.
4. If there be any chaff among the corn, it will appear when
it is sifted in a windy day ; it cannot possibly escape if it be well
winnowed. Much more impossible is it for any wicked man to
escape the search of God in that day ; 1 Cor. iv. 5.
5. After corn £,nd chaff are separated by the winnowing wind,
they shall never lie together in one heap any more. The wicked
shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets
in the kingdom of God, but they themselves thrust out. There
is no chaff in heaven.
Reflections. — Am I an empty vain professor, who wants the
pith and substance of real godliness? Then am I but chaff in
God's account, though I grow among his corn. The eye of man
cannot discern my hypocrisy ; but when he comes, whose fan is
in his hand, then how plainly will it be detected ! Angels and
men shall discern it, arid say, " Lo, this is the man that made
not God his hope." My own conscience also shall join with my
Judge, and shall then acknowledge, that there is not one drop
of injustice in all that sea of wrath ; that though I am damned,
yet I am not wronged.
Is there such a fanning-time coming ? Why do not I then sift
my heart every day by serious self-examination ? O my soul,
thou hadst been better employed in searching thine own estate,
than in prying sinfully into the hearts and censuring the condi
tions of other men. Judge thyself, and thou shalt not be con
demned with the world. Were I within a few days to stand at
man's bar, there to be tried for my life, how busy should I be
every hour of the day in studying every advantage for myself!
And yet what a vast difference is there betwixt man's bar and
God's ! betwixt a trial for my life, and for my. soul !
Fear not, O my soul ; let the Christian say. Though there
is a blast coming which shall drive all the chaff into hell, yet it
shall blow thee no harm. I have too much chaff about me, but
yet I am not altogether chaff; there is a solid wOrk of grace
upon my soul that will abide the trial. He that is appointed to
f 2

68 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
judge the world is mine ; and his righteousness will make me
full weight in the balance. Bless the Lord, O my soul, for sin
cerity; this will abide, when common gifts and empty names
will flee as the chaff before the wind.

PART H.
On the Grafting of Fruit-Trees.
Observation. — A WILD tree springing up naturally in the
wood or hedge, and never grafted or removed from its native
soil, may bear some fruit, and that fair to the eye ; but it will be
always sour, and unpleasant to the taste. If however such, a
stock be removed and grafted, it may yield store of pleasant
fruit. Application. — Unregenerate men, who never were acquainted
with the mystery of spiritual union with Jesus Christ, but still
grow on their natural root, may, by the power of natural prin
ciples, bring forth some fruit, pleasant to the eyes of men, but
God takes no pleasure at all in it ; it is distasteful to him, be
cause it springs not from the Spirit of Christ ; I will set before
you a parallel betwixt the best fruits- of natural men, and those of
a wild ungrafted tree. —
1. The root which bears this wild fruit is a degenerate root,
and that is tlie cause of all this sourness and harshness in the
fruit it bears. So all the fruits of unregenerate men flow from
the first Adam, a corrupt root, which corrupts all the fruit.
2. Although these wild hedge-fruits be unwholesome and
unpleasant to the taste, yet they are fair and beautiful to the
eye. Even so the natural gifts of unregenerate persons, seem
fair to the eye. What excellent qualities have they ! winning
affability, humble condescension, meekness, righteousness, and
sweetness of nature ! what solid judgments, tenacious memories,
rare elocution ! But that which is highly esteemed of men, is
abomination with God.
3. If such a stock were removed into a better soil and grafted,
it might bring forth fruit pleasant and grateful to the husband
man ; and if such persons were but regenerated, what excellent
and useful persons would they be in the church of God !
4. When the husbandman cuts down his woods or hedges, he
cuts down these crab stocks with the rest, because he values
them not ; and as little will God regard or spare these natural
branches, how much soever they are laden with such fruit. The
threatening is universal ; " Without holiness no man shall see
God." Embellished nature, is nature still.

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 69
Reflections. — To what purpose then do I glory in my natural
accomplishments? Though I may have a better nature than
some others have, yet, if I be carnal, it is a cursed nature still.
I am but a rotten post gilded over, and all my duties but hedge-
fruit, which God makes no account of. O cutting thought, that
the unlearned should rise and take heaven, when I with all my
excellent gifts shall descend into hell ! Heaven was not made
for scholars as such, but for believers. I shall stand upon a
level with the most illiterate in the day of judgment. Say not,
O my soul, within thyself, Will God cast such a one into hell ?
Shall a man of such parts be damned ? Alas ! Many thousand
branches of nature, as fair and fruitful as thyself, are now perish
ing in hell-, because not transplanted by regeneration into
Christ : and if he spared not them, neither will he spare thee.
I am a poor despised shrub, says another, and yet such a one
has the Lord chosen to transplant into Christ. O grace, for ever
to be admired ! O what cause have I to be thankful to free grace,
and to walk humbly. I have the advantage of a better root and
soil than carnal men ; yet, Lord, I see some of them meek and
patient, whilst I am rough and morose; generous and noble,
whilst I am base and penurious. Truly such a branch as I am, is
no honor to the root that bears it.

On the Union of the Graft with the Stock.
Observation. — When the husbandman has prepared his grafts,
he carries them to the tree or stock he intends to ingraft, and
having cut off the top of the limb, he cleaves it with his knife,
then carefully sets it into the cleft, binds both together, and
clays them up, to defend them from injuries. These tender
cyons quickly take hold of the stock, drink in its sap, and bear
more and better fruits than ever they would have done upon their
natural root.
Application. — This bears a most sweet and lively resem
blance to the soul's union with Christ by faith ; and indeed there
is nothing in nature that shadows forth this great gospel-mystery
like it.
1. No cyon is ingrated without cutting, no soul united to
Christ, without a cutting sense of sin and misery, without deep
conviction and compunction.
2. When the tender shoot is cut off from the tree, there are,
ordinarily, many more left behind upon the same tree. Even so
it is in the removing or transplanting of a soul by conversion. It
leaves many behind it in the state of nature, as likely and pro
mising as itself. But it pleases God to take this soul, and leave
others. 3. When the grafts are cut off, it is a critical season with
them. So when souls are under a work of conviction, it is a

70 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
critical time with them. Many a one have I known to miscarry
then. They have indeed for a time stood like dead grafts in the
stock, by an external profession, but never came to any thing,
4. The husbandman, when he cuts off grafts, makes all the
speed he can to close them with the stock. And truly it con
cerns the servants of the Lord, to make all the haste they can to
bring the converted sinner to close with Christ. As soon as the
trembling jailor cried, " What shall I do to be saved?" Paul
and Silas immediately direct him to Christ.
5. The graft is united so closely with the stock, that they be
come one tree. There is also a most close and intimate union
betwixt Christ and the soul which believes in him. It is empha
tically expressed by the apostle ; •" He that is joined to the Lord
is one spirit." 1 John iv. 16.
6. Grafts are bound to the stock by bands, else the wind
would loose it out of the stock. The believing soul also ig
fastened to Christ by bands, which will secure it from all danger-
of being loosed off from him any more. There are two
bands of this union— the Spirit on God's part ; and faith on our
part. These hold strongly.
7. Though the stock be one and the same, yet all grafts do
not thrive and florish alike in it. All do not florish alike in
Christ; the faith of some grows exceedingly; the things that are
in others are ready to die.
Reflections. — 1. Is it so indeed betwixt Christ and my soul?
What honor and glory then has Christ conferred upon me, a
poor unworthy creature ! What ! to be made one with the Lord !
O what a preferment is this ! It is but a little while since I was
a wild and cursed plant, growing amongst them that shall
shortly be fagoted up for hell. O my soul, the dignities and
honors of kings and nobles are nothing to mine. Yea a greater
honor is put on me, than is put upon the angels of heaven.
2. Am I joined to the Lord as a mystical branch ? How dear
art thou then, O my soul, to the God and Father of my Lord
Jesus Christ ! What ! a branch of his dear Son ! What caB
God withhold from one so ingrafted ? " All is yours, for ye are
Christ's, and Christ is God's."
3. Draw matter of instruction, as well as comfort, from this
sweet observation. Seeing God has put all this honor upon thee,
be thou tender over his glory. O disgrace not the root that
bears thee ! Let it never be «aid, that any evil fruit is found
upon a branch that lives and is fed by such a root.

On the Gathering in of Fruits in Autumn.
Observation. — It is a pleasant sight in autumn to see the fruit
ful branches hanging full of clusters, which weigh the boughs to
the ground. But these laden branches are soon eased of their

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 71
burden. As soon as they are ripe, the husbandman ascehds the
tree, and gathers them. You may possibly see here and there
one, but nothing in comparison with the whole.
Application. — These small remains of fruity left upon the
tree, do well resemble that small number of God's elect in
the world, which free grace hath reserved out of the general ruin
of mankind. Four things are shadowed forth to us by this
similitude— 1. In a fruitful autumn, you see the trees oppressed with the
weight of their own fruits before they are eased of their burden.
Thus the whole creation groans under the weight of sin.
2. You may observe in your orchards what an abundance of
fruits daily fall, either by storms or of their own accord. There
is not a year, a day, or an hour, in which some drop not, as it
were, of their own accord, by natural death ; and sometimes
wars and epidemical diseases blow down thousands together into
their graves ; and when the autumn ofthe world comes, then all
its inhabitants shall be shaken down together.
Reflections. — What then will be my lot, when that great shak
ing time shall come, if 1 have followed the multitude and gone
with the tide of the world . Will it be any mitigation of my
misery, that I shall have thousands of miserable companions
with me in hell ? Or will it be admitted for a good plea, Lord,
I did as the generality of my neighbours did ? Ah foolish sin
ner ! is it not better to go to heaven alone, than to hell with
company ? The worst courses have always the most imitators ;
and the road to destruction is thronged with passengers.
And how little better is my condition, who have often traced
the wickedness of my own heart to the divine mercy ! Thus has
my heart pleaded— God is merciful, and will not be so severe
with the world as to condemn so many thousands. Deluded
soul ! if God had damned the whole race of Adam, he had done
them no wrong ; yea, there is more mercy in saving but one
man, than there is of severity and rigor in damning all. God is
indeed a God of infinite mercy ; but he will never exercise his
mercy to the prejudice of his truth.
O what rich grace is here, exclaims the Christian, that in a
general shipwreck mercy should cast forth a plank to save me !
that when millions perish, I should escape that perdition ! If
but one of a thousand had been lost, yet my salvation would
have been an act of infinite grace ; but when so few out of a thou
sand are saved, what shall I call that grace which cast my lot
among them?

On the Cutting down of Dead Trees.
Observation. — After many years patience in the attempt to
recover a fruit-tree, if the husbandman see it quite dead, he

72 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
brings his axe and hews it down ; and from the orchard it is car
ried to the fire.
Application. — Thus deals the Lord with useless and barren
professors who 'do but cumber his ground, Matth. iii. 10; and
the resemblance clearly holds in these particulars — - .*
1. The tree that is to be hewn down for the fire, has enjoyed
the benefit of a good soil, and much culture ; but, being barren,
these privileges secure it not from the fire, lt is not our stand
ing in the visible church, among real saints with whom we have
been associated and enjoyed the ordinances, that can secure us
from the wrath of God, Matth. iii. 8. It will be a poor plea for
Judas, when he shall stand before Christ in judgment, to say,
Lord, I was one of thy family ; I preached for thee ; 1 did eat
and drink in thy presence.
2. The husbandman does not presently cut down the tree, but
he waits as long as there is any hope, and then cuts it down.
Thus does God wait on barren persons from sabbath to sabbath,
and from year to year. He waits long, but he keeps an exact
account. " These three years I came seeking fruit."
3. When the time is come to cut it down, the dead tree can
not possibly resist the stroke of the axe. No more can the
stoutest sinner resist the fatal stroke by which the Lord hews
him down. " Oh !" said Henry Beaufort, the rich and wretched
bishop of Winchester, and chancellor of England, when he per
ceived he must go, " wherefore must I die? If the whole
realm would save my life, I am able either by policy to get it, or
by riches to buy it. And will not death be hired ? Will riches
do nothing ?" No ; neither riches nor policy can then avail.
4. When the dead tree is carried out of the orchard, it shall
never be among the living trees of the orchard any more. And
when the barren professor is carried out of the world by death,
he shall never be associated with the saints any more. He may
then say, Farewell, all ye saints, with whom I have so often
heard and prayed. I shall never see your face more.
5. When the dead tree is carried out of the orchard, the hus
bandman cuts off its branches, and rives it asunder with his
wedges. This is also the lot of barren professors. " The Lord
of that servant will cut him asunder." O direful, day, when
he that made them, will not have mercy on them.
6. The fruitless tree is cast into the fire. This also is the end
and sad issue of formality, John xv. 6.
Reflections. — How often have I passed by such barren trees,
with a more barren heart, as little thinking such a tree to be the
emblem of myself, as Nebuchadnezzar did, when he saw in a
dream the tree which shadowed forth to him his ensuing misery.
But, O my conscience, my drowsy sleepy conscience, wert thou
but faithful to me, thus wouldst thou bemoan thy condition-
Poor wretch! here I grow, for a little time, among the trees of

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 73
righteousness, but I am none of them. And what will thine end
be but burning ? Behold, the axe lieth by thy root ; but mercy
pleads, Lord, spare it but one year longer. Alas! he needs
strike no great blow to ruin me ; his very breath blows to
destruction ; Job iv. 9. A frown of his face can blast and ruin
me.

PART III.

On the Husbandman's Care for his Cattle.
Observation. — Many husbandmen are exceedingly careful
about their cattle, rising early to attend and feed them. And if
at any time their beasts are ill, what care is taken to recover and
heal them !
Application. — What one said of bloody Herod, who slew so
many children at Bethlehem, that it were better to be his swine
than his son, may truly enough be applied to some parents and
masters, who take less care for saving the souls of their children
and servants, than they do for the bodies of those beasts which
daily feed at their stalls and cribs. Let us compare our care and
diligence in both respects.
1. Your care for your horses is expressed early, whilst they
are but colts, and not come to do you any service. This is
more than many do for their children. They can see them wild
and profane, but yet never were at any labor or expense to
check them.
2. You keep your constant set times, morning and evening,
to feed and water your cattle ; but how many times have you
neglected morning and evening duties in your families ! As
soon as you are up in a morning, you are with your beasts before
you have been with your God. How little do you differ from
beasts ! And happy were it, if you were no more accountable
to God than beasts are.
The end of your care, cost, and pains, about your cattle is,
that they may be strong and the more serviceable to you. But
how rare a thing is it to find men as careful to fit their posterity
to be useful and serviceable to God ! If you can make them
rich and provide good matches for them, you reckon that you
have fully discharged your duty. If they will learn to hold the
plow, you are willing to teach them ; but, when did you spend
an hour to teach them the way of salvation !
Let such careless parents solemnly consider these questions —
1. Whether this is a sufficient discharge of that great duty
which Gbd has laid upon you ; Deut. vi. 6. A great trust is
reposed in you ; look to your duty ; for, without dispute, you
will answer for it.

74 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
2. Whether it is likely, if the time of youth be neglected, they
will be wrought upon to any good purpose afterwards ? You
see it in your very orchards ; you may bring a tender tvvig to
grow in what form you please ; but when it is grown to a sturdy
limb, there is no bending it. " Train up a child in the way he
should go."
3. Whether, if you neglect to instruct them in the way of the
Lord, Satan and their own natural corruptions will not instruct
them in the way to hell ? If you will not teach your children,
the devil will. If you grudge time and pains about their souls,;
he does not. O it is a sad consideration, that so many children
should be put to school to the devil.
4. What comfort are you likely to have from them when they
are old, if you bring them not up in the nurture and admonition
of the Lord ? By the law of Lycurgus, no parent was to be
relieved by his children in age, if he gave them not a good
education in their youth ; and it is a law among the Switzers,
that if any child be condemned to die for a capital offence, the
parents of that child are to be his executioners. Believe this as
an undoubted truth, that the child which becomes, through thy
default, an instrument to dishonor God, shall prove, sooner or
later, a son or daughter of sorrow to thee.
Reflections. — God hath found out my sin this day, let the care
less parent say. This has been my practice. I have spent more
time and pains about the bodies of my beasts, than the souls of
my children. Beast that 1 am for so doing ! Surely my children
will one day curse the time that ever they were born to such a
cruel parent. Should I bring home the plague, and see all my
poor children lie dead by the walls, such a sight would melt my
heart: and yet the death of their souls is far more wretched and
fearful. A reflection for the disobedient child of a Christian parent.
Unhappy wretch that I am ! God cast a better lot for me ; I am
the offspring of religious and tender parents. Many prayers and
tears have they poured out to God for me, in my hearing, as
well as in secret ; many holy and wholesome counsels have they
given me, and used all means to reclaim me ; but I have slighted
all their counsel, grieved their hearts, and imbittered their lives
to them, by my sinful courses. Ah, my soul, thou art a dege
nerate plant ! Better will it be with the offspring of infidels than
with thee, if repentance prevent not. Now I live in one family
with them, but shortly I shall be separated from them, as far as
hell is from heaven. And better would it be, should it come to
this, that I had been brought forth by a beast, than sprung from
such parents as mine.

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 75
On the hard Labor and cruel Usage of Beasts.
Observation.— Though some men are excessively careful of
their beasts, yet others are cruel and merciless towards them,
not regarding how they burden or weary them.
Application. — Such sights as these should make men thankful
for the mercy of their creation, and bless their bountiful Creator,
that they themselves were not made such creatures. And this
will appear a mercy of no slight consideration, if we draw a
comparison betwixt ourselves and these irrational creatures, in
these three particulars —
1 . Though they and we were made of the same clay, yet how
much better has God dealt with us, even as to the outward man!
The noble structure and symmetry of our bodies invite our souls
not only to thankfulness, but admiration. David, speaking of
the curious frame of the body, says, " I am wonderfully made."
If all the angels in heaven had studied to this day, they could not
have cast the body of man into a more curious mould.
2. How little ease or rest have they ! They live not many
years, and those they do live are in bondage and misery. But
God has provided better for us, even as to our outward condition
in the world.
3. What a narrow capacity has God given to beasts ! what a
large capacity to man ! Alas ! they are only capable of a little
sensitive pleasure : but how comprehensive are our souls in their
capacities ! We are made in the image of God ; we can look
beyond present things and are capable of the highest happiness,
and that to all eternity.
Reflections. — How great a sin is ingratitude to God for this
common, but great mercy ! There is no creature made worse
by kindness, but man ; " the ox knoweth his owner, and the
ass his master's crib." O that I may consider seriously what
the higher and more excellent end of my creation is, and may
more endeavour to answer and live up to it! Or else, O my soul,
it will be worse with thee than the beasts. Death will end all
their pains, and ease them of all their heavy loads ; but I shall
groan to all eternity, under a heavier burden than ever they felt.
2. O my soul, may the Christian say, how oughtest thou to
praise thy God, when thou considerest the mercies that God has
bestowed upon thee ; not only in that he made thee not a horse
or a dog without reason ; but that thou art not an infidel without
light, or an unregenerate person without grace ! These are the
overflowings of his love to thee who wast moulded oat of the
same lump with the beasts that groan on earth, yea, with the
damned that groan in hell. Well may I say that God has been
good to me. On the Seeking of lost Cattle.
Observation.^- When cattle stray away from your fields, you

76 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
use all care and diligence to. recover them again; sending your
servants abroad, and enquiring of all who you think can give you
any news of them.
Application. — The pains you take to recover your lost cattle,
carries a sweet and lively representation of tbe love of Jesus
Christ, in the recovery of lost sinners. Jesus Christ came from
heaven on a like errand, to seek and to save that which was lost.
There are several particulars to be considered —
1. We sometimes find that cattle will break out of those very
fields where they have .been bred and fed. And thus lost man
departed from his God, out of that enclosure where he was abun
dantly provided for, both as to soul and body.
2. Strayers are evermore sufferers ; and what did man get by
departing from his God, but ruin and misery to soul and body.
3. When your cattle stray, though it be but one, you leave all
the rest, and go after that which is lost. So did Jesus Christ.
He left heaven itself, and all the blessed angels there, to come
into this world to seek lost man. How did his bowels yearn J
towards us in our low state ! How did he pity us in our miserytl* |
4. You are glad when you have found your strayed sheep;
much more is Christ when he has found a lost soul. What
demonstrations of joy and gladness did the father of the prodigal
give, when he had found his son that was lost!
There are some particulars also in which Christ's seeking lost
souls, and your seeking lost cattle, differ.
. 1. Your cattle sometimes find the way home themselves, and
return to you of their own accord ; but lost man never did, nor
can do so. Man's recovery begins in God, not in himself.
2. Your servants can find and bring back your lost cattle* as
well as you ; but Christ's servants cannot do this. Ministers
may discover, but cannot recover.
3. When you have recovered and brought home your lost cat
tle, you may lose them the second time, and never recover them
again ; but Christ cannot lose his people.
4. Though you prize your cattle, yet you will not venture your
life for tbe recovery of them ; but Jesus Christ actually laid
down his life to recover and save lost man. O the surpassing
love of Christ to lost souls !
Reflections. — A reflection for a lost soul. Lord, I am a lost
creature, an undone soul ; and herein lies my misery, that I
have no heart to return. O what a miserable state am Iin!
Every step I go is a step towards hell. But 1 am not yet irre
coverably lost. O let me delay no longer, lest I be lost for
ever !
A reflection for one that was lost, but is now found. — O my
soul, for ever bless and admire the love of Jesus Christ. Thy
love, O my Saviour, was a wonderful love. Thou lovedst me
much more than 1 loved myself. Thou soughtest for me
a lost sinner, and not for lost angels. And now, since I am

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 77
thus marvellously recovered shall 1 ever wander again from
thee ? O no ; do thou preserve me.

On the Feeding of fat Cattle.
Observation. — Oxen that are designed for use, are daily yoked
and kept short ; whilst those that are designed for the shambles,
are let loose in green pastures to feed at pleasure.
Application. — Thus deals the Lord oftimes with his own
children whom he designs for glory, and with the wicked who
are preparing for the day of wrath. Let me illustrate the simi
litude in a few particulars.
1. The beasts of slaughter have the fattest pastures ; so have
the ungodly in the world ; " they have more than heart could
wish." Some who know not which way to turn themselves in
hell, once knew not where to bestow their goods on earth.
2. Beasts often grow wanton in their full pastures. The same
effect has the prosperity of the wicked ; " they spend their days
in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave."
3. These fat pastures hasten the death of these cattle : and
the prosperity of the wicked serves to the same end. Many
wicked men had not been so soon ripe for hell, had they not
grown in the sunshine of prosperity.
4. Fattened beasts do not in the least understand the intention
of the husbandman, and as little do wicked men understand the
scope and end of God's providences. Like beasts, they mind
only what is before them, but do not at all understand the ten
dency and end of these their sensual delights.
5. Though the husbandman keeps his store-cattle short, yet
he intends to preserve them : these shall remain with him, when
the others are driven to the slaughter. Such a design of prer
servation is carried on in all those outward straits, wants, and
hardships, to which the Lord exposes his people.
Reflections. — Doth my prosperity, let the worldling say, pre
pare me for the day of slaughter ? Little cause have I then to
glory in it. What are all my pleasures for but to quiet my soul,
whilst its damnation steals insensibly upon it? O my soul, it
were much better for thee to have a sanctified poverty, than an
ensnaring prosperity to ruin thee for ever.
The wisdom of my God has alloted me but a small portion
here, says the poor Christian ; but I am contented with my
present state. My present troubles will serve to sweeten my
future joys ; and the sorrows of this life will give a lustre to the
glory of the next. My songs will then be louder than my
groans are now.
On the Husbandman's Care for Posterity.
Observation. — Provident and careful husbandmen do labor

78 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
not only to supply their own necessities while living, but to lay
up something for their posterity when they are gone.
Application. — What careful husbandmen do, with respect to
the provisions they make for their children, that all prudent
Christians are bound to do, with respect to the truths committed
to them, and by them to be transmitted to succeeding saints.
For the same reasons that you refuse to part with your estates,
Christians also refuse to part with the truth of God.
1. You will not waste or alienate your inheritance, because it
is of great value in youf eyes; but much more precious are God's
truths to his people. Luther professed, he would not take the
whole world for one leaf of his Bible.
2. You will not waste or part with your inheritance, because
you know your posterity will be much wronged by it. The
people of God also consider, how much the generations to come
are concerned in the preservation of the truths of God for them.
3. You are loth to part with your estates, because you knowit
is hard to recover an estate once lost. Christians also know how
difficult it will be for the people of God to recover the light ofthe
gospel, if once it be extinguished.
4. Rather than part with your estates, you will suffer many
wants and hardships all your lives : but the people of God have
put themselves upon far greater hardships than these to preserve
truth ? They have chosen to suffer reproaches, poverty, prisons,
death, and the most cruel torments, rather than the loss of God's
truth. Reflections. — A reflection for the cowardly and faint-hearted.
Base unbelieving heart ! How have I flinched and shrunk from
truth, when it has been in danger ! I would not own and pre
serve the truth, and the God of truth will not own me ; " If we
deny him, he will deny us." ,
A reflection for such as suffer for truth. Lord, unto me hast
thou committed the precious treasure of truth ; and as I received
it, so do I desire to deliver it, to the generations to come. My
friends may go, my liberty may go, my blood may go ; but as
for thee, precious truth, thou shalt never go.
A reflection for such as are in quiet possession of truth. How
dear has this inheritance of truth cost some Christians ! How
little has it cost us ! Lord, help us thankfully and digilently to
improve thy truths, while we are in quiet possession of them. -;

On the Husbandman's Care to prove and preserve his Deeds.
Observation. — We generally find that men are not more care
ful in trying gold or keeping it, than they are in examining their
deeds and preserving them. If they suspect a flaw in their lease
or deed, they repair to the ablest counsellor, submit it to his

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED, 79
judgment, make the worst of their cause. If the case is suspi
cious and hazardous, how much are they perplexed and troubled!
Application. — These cares and fears with which you are per
plexed in such cases, may give you a glimpse of those troubles
of soul, with which the people of God are perplexed ; but these
cares are much, very much, beyond yours. Let us compare the
cases, and see how they answer'to each other.
1. You have evidences for your estate, and by them you hold
what you have in the world. They also have evidences for their
estate in Christ, and glory to come ; they hold all by virtue of
their union with Jesus Christ. They can lay claim to no promise
upon any other ground ; this is their title to all that they own as
theirs. 2. It often falls out, that after the sealing and executing of
your deeds, an adversary finds some dubious clause in them, and
thereupon commences a suit at law with you. Thus it frequently
falls out with the people of God. Nothing is more common, than
for the devil and their own unbelief to raise objections against
their interest in Christ and the covenant of promisev
3. All the while a suit is depending about your title, you have
but little comfort from your estate, for fear you should lose it at
last. And thus stands the case with doubting Christians ; they
have little comfort from the most comfortable promises, little
benefit from duties and ordinances. O how little does the doubt
ing Christian make of his large and rich inheritance?
4. You dare not trust your own judgments in such cases, but
state your case to such as are learned in the laws. So poor
doubting Christians carry their cases from minister to minister ;
and if they all agree that the case is good, yet they cannot be
satisfied till God says so too, and confirms the word of his ser
vants. 5. When your title is cleared, your hearts are eased ; and the
hearts of Christians overflow with joy when the Lord speaks peace
to their souls. O welcome the sweet morning light after a
tedious night of darkness !
Reflections. — The careless soul's reflection. O how has my
spirit been tossed and hurried, when I have met with troubles
about my estate! But as for my spiritual troubles, I understand
but little of them. I never called my everlasting state in ques
tion, nor lost an hour's sleep on any such account.
The doubting soul's reflection. I have heard how some have
been perplexed by litigious adversaries ; but I believe none have
been so tost with fears and distracted with doubts, as I have
been, Lord, what shall I do ? I have often carried my doubts
and scruples to thine ordinances, and to those I have judged
skilful and faithful, begging their help, but nothing will succeed.
Still my fears are daily renewed. O my God, do thou decide
my case. Tell me how the state stands betwixt thee and me.

80 Husbandry spiritualized.
The assured Christian's reflection. But thou, my soul, en
joy est a double mercy from thy bountiful God, who has not only
given thee a sound title, but also the clear evidence and know
ledge thereof. Lord, thou hast set my soul upon her high-
places ; but let me not exalt myself, because thou hast exalted
me.

ON BIRDS.
1 On the Singing of a Nightingale.
Who that hears such various and exquisite melody, would
imagine the bird that makes it, to be of so small a body and
mean a feather ?
This bird seems to me the lively emblem of a formal hypo
crite, in that she is more in sound than substance, a loud and
excellent voice, but a little despicable body. It recalled to my
thoughts the story of Plutarch, who, when the nightingale was
brought him, said, " Truly thou art a mere voice, and nothing
else." So is the hypocrite in public duties an excellent man ;
but follow him home, and then you will judge Plutarch's remark
to be as applicable to him as the nightingale.
This bird is observed to charm most sweetly, when she per
ceives she has engaged attention. So does the hypocrite, who
feeds on the applause of his admirers.
On many small Birds chirping about a dead Hawk.
This brings to my thoughts the base and ignoble end of the
greatest tyrants, of whom whilst living men were more afraid,
than birds are of a hawk, but when dead became objects of con
tempt and scorn. "When the wicked perish, there is shouting."
For my own part, I hope that I may so order my conversation
in the world, that I may live, when I am dead ; that 1 may op
press none, do good to all, and say when I die, as good Ambrose
did, " I am neither ashamed to live, nor afraid to die."
On the Sight of a Blackbird taking Sanctuary in a Bush from
a pursuing Hawk.
When I saw how hardly the poor bird was put to it to save
herself from her enemy, who hovered just over the bush in which
she was fluttering, I could not but hasten to relieve her, pity
and succour being a due debt to the distressed ; which when I
had done, the bird would not depart from the bush, though her
enemy was gone. It called to my mind that pretty story of the
philosopher. While walking in the fields, a bird, pursued by a
hawk, flew into his bosom ; he took her out, and said, " Poor
bird, I will neither wrong thee, nor expose thee to thine enemy,
since thou camest to me for refuge." So tender, and more than
so tender, is the Lord Jesus to distressed souls.

husbandry spiritualized. 81
Would not this scared bird be driven out of the bush that
secured her, though I had chased away her enemy ? And wilt
thou, O my soul ever be enticed from Christ, thy refuge ? O let
this for ever engage thee to keep close to him.
On the Sight of divers Goldfinches intermingling with a Flock
of Sparrows.
Methinks these birds resemble the gaudy courtiers and the
plain peasants. Fine feathers, says the proverb, make proud
birds ; and yet the feathers of the sparrow are as useful both for
warmth and flight, though not so gay and ornamental, as the
others ; and if both were stripped of their feathers, the sparrow
would prove the better bird of the two. By this I see, that the
greatest worth doth not always lie under the finest clothes ; trea
sures of grace, wisdom, and humility, sometimes lie under russet
coats. Whilst, on the other side, " the heart of the wicked is little
worth," how much soever his clothes be worth.
On the Sight of a Robin picking up a Worm from a Mole-hill.
Observing a mole working industriously beneath, and a bird
watching intently above, I made a stand to observe the issue ;
when in a little time the bird descends, and seizes on a worm,
which I perceived was crawling from the enemy below that hunted
her, but fell to the share of another which from above waited for
her. Methought this worm seemed to be the emblem of my
poor soul, which is more endangered by its own lusts, than this
worm was by the mole and bird : my pride, like the aspiring
bird, watches for it above ; my covetousness,, like the subter
ranean mole, digging for it beneath. Distressed soul, whither
wilt thou go ? Ascend thou mayest, not by vain elation, but by
heavenly conversation ; " the way of life is above to the wise."
Again ; I could not but observe the accidental benefit this
poor harmless bird obtained by the labor of the mole. Even
thus the Lord ofttimes makes good his word to his people ; "tThe
wealth of the wicked is laid up for the just."
On the Shooting of two Finches fighting in the Air.
How soon has death ended the quarrel betwixt these two little
combatants ! Had they agreed better, they might have lived
longer. Foolish birds, was it not enough that birds of prey watched to
devour them, but they must peck one another ? Thus have I
seen the saints, the birds of paradise, tearing and wounding each
other, like so many birds of prey. If ever Christians agree, it
will be either in a prison or in heaven. But O what a pity is it
that those who shall agree so perfectly in heaven, should bite
and devour each other upon earth !
G

82 husbandry spiritualized.
On the Comparing of two Birds' Nests.
It is pretty to observe the structure and commodiousness of
the habitations of these little architects ; they act not by reason
and counsel, but only by natural instinct, yet reason itself could
hardly have contrived a neater building of such simple materials.
This trifling object suggests to my thoughts a more excellent
and serious contemplation, even the wonderful and unparalled
abasement of Jesus Christ, who for my sake voluntarily sub
mitted himself to a more destitute and neglected state, than these
birds of the air. " The foxes have holes, and the birds of the
• air have nests ; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his
head." O melting consideration, that " the Lord of glory".
should manifest himself in the likeness of sinful flesh ; and not
only so, but choose such a state of outward meanness and
poverty. " O Jesus, by how much the viler thou madest tby-<
self for me, by so much the dearer shalt thou be to me."
On the early Singing of Birds.
How am I reproved for sluggishness by these watchful bird.,
which cheerfully entertain the very dawning of the morning with
their cheerful and delightful warblings !
lt is a pity that Christians of all men should suffer sleep to
take so much out of so small a portion as their time on earth is.
But alas ! it is not so much early rising, as a wise improving
those fresh and free hours with God, that will enrich the soul ;
for that is experimentally true, which one in this case has per
tinently observed, that if the world get the start of religion in
the morning, it will bejiard for religion to overtake it all the day
after. On the Haltering of Birds wilh a Hair.
Observing on a snowy season, how the poor hungry birds
were haltered by a grain of hair cunningly cast over their heads,;
whilst they were busily feeding and suspecting no danger ; thusi
surprisingly, thought I, does death steal upon the children of
men, whilst they are wholly intent upon the cares and pleasures
of this life, not at all suspecting its near approach. These birds
saw not the hand that ensnared them, nor do they see the hand
of death plucking them one after another into the grave.
And even as the surviving birds for a little time seemed to'
stand affrighted, peeping after their companions, and then went
as busily as ever to their meat again ; just so it fares with the.
careless, inconsiderate world, who see others daily dropping
into eternity, and for the present are a little startled, and look
into the grave after their neighbours, but then fall as busily to
their earthly employments and pleasures again as ever, till their
own turn comes.

husbandry spiritualized. 83
I know, my God, that I must die, but O let me see death
before 1 feel it, and conquer it before it kill me ; let it not come
as an enemy upon my back, but rather let me meet it as a
friend, half way.

MEDITATIONS ON BEASTS.
On the Clogging of a straying Beast.
HAD this bullock remained quietly Within his own bounds, his
Owner had never put such a heavy clog upon him. Had my soul
kept close with God in prosperity, he would never have thus
clogged me with adversity; and happy were it for me, if I
might stray from God no more. O my soul, it is better for thee
to have thy pride clogged with poverty, thy ambition with re
proach, thy carnal expectancies with constant disappointments,
than to be at liberty to run from God and duty. It is true, I am
sometimes as weary of these troubles, as this poor beast is of
the clog he draws after him, and often wish myself rid of them ;
but yet, if God should take them off, for aught I know, I might
have cause to wish them on again, to prevent a greater mischief.
Lord, if my corruptions may be prevented by my afflictions, I
refuse not to be clogged with them ; but my soul rather desires
thou wouldest hasten the time when I shall be for ever freed
from them both. On the Love of a Dog to his Master.
How many a weary step, through mire and dirt, has this poor
dog followed my horse's heels to-day, and all this for a very
poor reward! All he gets by it at night,*is but bones and blows.
O my soul, what conviction and shame may this leave upOri
thee, who art oftentimes weary of following thy master, Christ,
whose rewards and encouragements of obedience are so, incom
parably sweet and sure ! O let me make a whole heart-choice
of Christ for my portion and happiness, and then I shall never
leave him, nor tum back from following him, though the present
difficulties were much more, and the present encouragements
much less. On the Fighting of two Rams.
Taking notice how furiously these sheep, which by nature are
mild and gentle, did yet, like bulls, push each other ; methought
I saw in this a plain emblem of the unchristian contests and
animosities which fall out amongst them that call themselves the
people of God.
The fighting of these sheep comports with the sinful ptadiCes
of contending Christians, in this respect, that in this fight they
engage with their heads one against another. O ! what clash-
ings have these heady opinions caused in the churches ! First
G 2

84 HUSBANDRY spiritualized
heads, and then hearts have clashed. Christians have dipt their
tongues and pens in vinegar and gall, shamefully aspersing and
reproaching one another, because their understandings were not
cast into one mould.
On the Catching of a Horse in a fat Pasture.
¦ When this horse was kept where he had much scope, but
little grass, how gentle and tractable was he then ! but since I
turned him into this fat pasture, he comes no more to me, nor
will he suffer me to come near him, but throws up his heels
wantonly against me, and flies from me as if I were his enemy.
In this I behold the conduct of my own heart towards God, who
the more he has done for me, the seldomer does he hear from
me. In a low and afflicted state, how tractable is my heart to
duty ! then it comes to the foot of God voluntarily. But in an
exalted condition, how wildly does my heart run from God and
dnt£ ! On the Hunting of a Deer.
The full-mouthed cry of these dogs, which from the morning!
have hunted this poor tired deer, now no longer able to stand
before them, brings to my thoughts the state of Jesus Christ in
the days of his flesh, who was thus hunted from place to place by
blood-thirsty enemies. Thus was he chased till that was ful
filled which was prophetically written of him in the twenty-second
Psalm ; " Dogs have compassed me about ; the assembly of the
wicked have inclosed me ; they pierced my hands and my feet."
And canst thou expect, O my soul, to fare better than he did?
Surely, if the Spirit of Christ dwell in thee, these men will dis
cover it, and chase thee. They would hunt to destruction every
one, in whom there is any thing of Christ, if the gracious provi
dence ofthe Lord did not sometimes take them off.

MEDITATIONS UPON TREES.
On the Fall of Blossoms, nipt by a frosty Morning.
Beholding, in an early spring, fruit-trees embossed with beau
tiful blossoms of various colors, which breathed forth their
delicious odors into the air, and observing how these perfumed
blossoms dropt off, being bitten with the frost ; I said within my
self, These sweet and early blossoms are not unlike my early
affections to the Lord in the days of my first acquaintance with
him. O happy time, thrice pleasant spring! My soul has it
still in remembrance, and is humbled within me ; for these blos
soms also are now nipt and faded. My heart is like the winter's
earth.

husbandry spiritualized. 85
On the Setting of Fruit.
When the blossoms of a tree set, though the beauty thereof
be gone, yet then the fruit is much better secured from the dan
ger of frosts and winds, than whilst it remained in the flower ;
for now it has past one of those critical periods, in which so many
trees miscarry and lose their fruit. So good motions and holy
purposes in the soul, are never secured and past their most dan-
derous crisis, till they are turned into fixed resolutions and
corresponding actions, which is as the knitting and setting of
them. Happy had it been for thee, my soul, had all the blessed
motions of the Spirit been thus knit and fixed in thee. But a
chill blast from the cares, troubles, and delights of the world
without, and the vanity and deadness of the heart within, have
blasted all. On the Sight of a fair spreading Oak.
What a lofty flourishing tree is here ? and yet great as it is, it
was once but a little slip, yea, this vast body was contained in a
small acorn. Well then, I will never despise the day of small
things, nor despair Nof arriving to an eminency of grace. The
heroic acts of the most renowned behevers were such as they
themselves could not once perform. Great things, both in
nature and grace, come from small and contemptible beginnings.
On the Sight of many Sticks lodged in the Branches of a
choice Fruit-Tree.
How is this tree battered with stones and loaded with sticks,
whilst those that grow about it, being barren or bearing harsher
fruit, escape untouched! Surely if its fruit had not been so
good, its usage had not been so bad. And yet it is affirmed,
that some trees, as the walnut, bear the better for being thus
bruised and battered.
Even thus it fares with the best of men. The more holy, the
more are they envied and persecuted ; every one that passes by
will have a fling at them. But God turns all the stones of re
proach into precious stones to his people. They bear the better
for being thus battered.
On the Gathering of choice Fruit from an unpromising Tree.
Would any man think to find such rare delicious fruit on so
unworthy a tree as this appears ? but I see that I must judge the
worth neither of trees nor of men by their external appearance.
Under fair and promising outsides I have found nothing of worth;
and in many deformed despicable bodies I have found precious
and richly furnished souls. The value and true honor of every
man, rises rather from his fruitfulness and usefulness, than from
his shape and form.

86 HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED.
MEDITATIONS UPON A GARDEN.
On the New-Modelling of a Garden.
A Gentlewoman, who lately saw a neat and curious garden,
returns to her own with a greater dislike of it than ever ; she
resolves to new-model the whole plat, and whatever ornament
she observed in her neighbour's, she is now restless till she sees
it in her own.
Happy were it, thought I, if in a holy emulation every one
would thus endeavour to rectify the disorders of his own conduct,
by the excellent graces he beholds in the more heavenly and
regular lives of others. But it is more natural to corrupt man to
envy, than to imitate, the spiritual excellencies of others.
On the Pulling up of a Leek.
A white head and a green tail ! How well does this resemble
an old sinner, whose youthful lusts are not extinguished, though
his white head declares that nature is almost so ! lt is sad when
the sins of the soul, like the diseases of the body, grow stronger,
as nature grows weaker. It is sad that those who have one foot
in the grave, should live as if the other were in hell. 1 think the
lowest esteem is almost too much for an old servant of the devil ;
and the highest honor little enough for an ancient and faithful'
servant of Christ. On a heedless step in a curious Garden.
Passing through the small divisions of a curious knot, I was
very careful to shun the flowers, and inadvertently trod upon and
spoiled an excellent herb. By this involuntary trespass I thought
I did but step in the footsteps of those who are very careful to
keep their due distance from splendid, though worthless men,
meanwhile trampling upon and crushing under foot the obscure*
but most precious servants of God in the world.
On a withered Posy.
Finding in my walk, a posy of once sweet and fragrant, but
now dry and withered flowers, which I supposed to be thrown
away by one who had formerly worn it, Thus, said I, does, the
unfaithful world use its friends, when providence has blasted and
withered them. Whilst they are rich and honorable, they will
put them into their bosoms, as the owner of this posy did whilst
it was fresh and fragrant, and as easily throw them away when
they come to be withered. Then, Lord, let me never seek its
friendship. O let me esteem the smiles and honors of men less,
and thy love and favor more !
On the sudden Withering of a Rose.
Being with my friend in a garden, we gathered each of us a
rose. He handled his tenderly, smelled to it but seldom and

HUSBANDRY SPIRITUALIZED. 87
sparingly. I always kept mine to my nose, or squeezed it in
my hand, whereby in a very short time it lost both its color and
sweetness, but his still remained sweet and fragrant. These
roses, said I, are the true emblems of the best and sweetest
creature-enjoyments in the world. It is a point of excellent wis
dom to keep the golden bridle of moderation upon all the affec
tions we exercise on earthly things.
On the sudden Withering of beautiful Flowers.
How fresh and orient did these flowers lately appear, but now
they are withered and shrivelled up, and have neither beauty nor
savor in them.
So vain a thing is the admired beauty of creatures, which so
captivates the hearts ; yet it is as suddenly blasted as the beauty
of a flower. There is a beauty which never fades, even the
beauty of holiness. This will abide fresh as ever, and sparkle
gloriously, when thy face, the seat of natural beauty, is become
an abhorrent and loathsome spectacle.
On the Tenderness of some Flowers.
How much care is necessary to preserve the life of valuable
flowers ! whilst others common and worthless grow without any
help. Thus stands the case with our hearts, in reference to the
motions of grace and sin. Holy thoughts of God must be assi
duously watered by prayer, earthed up by meditation, and
defended by watchfulness ; and yet all this is sometimes too
little to preserve them alive in our souls. But vain thoughts and
unholy suggestions spread themselves and take a deep root in
the heart ; they agree naturally with the soil ; so that it is almost
impossible to be rid of them.
On the strange Means of preserving the Life of Vegetables.
I observe that plants and herbs are sometimes killed by frosts,
and yet without frosts they would neither live nor thrive ; they
are sometimes drowned with water, and yet without water they
cannot subsist ; they are refreshed and cheered by the sun, and
yet that sun sometimes kills and scorches them up. Thus lives
my soul. Troubles and afflictions seem to kill all its comforts ;
and yet, without these, its comforts could not live; the sun-
blasts of prosperity sometimes refresh me, and yet those sun-
blasts are the likeliest means to wither me. By what seeming
contradictions is the life of my spirit preserved ! What a mys
tery, what a paradox is the life of a Christian !

NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED.

The Launching of a Ship.
Observation. — No sooner is a ship built and launched, than
she is presently sent into the boisterous ocean, where she is con
tinually fluctuating, tossing, and laboring, until she is either
overwhelmed and wrecked, or, through age, grows unservice
able, and so is knocked to pieces.
Application. — No sooner come we into the world as men or as
Christians, by a natural or supernatural birth, than we are thus.
tossed upon a sea of troubles. " Man is born to trouble, as the
sparks fly upwards." There is radically all the misery, anguish,
and trouble in the world in our corrupt natures. As the sparlsj
lies close hid in the coals, so does misery in sin ; every sin
draws a rod after it. And these sorrows and troubles fall not
only on the body, but they fall also on our employments and
callings ; Gen. iii. 17. These are full of pain, trouble, and dis
appointment. All relations too have their burdens, as well as
their comforts, lt were endless to enumerate the sorrows of
this kind.
Neither does our new birth free us from troubles, though then
they are sanctified, sweetened, and turned into blessings. We
put not off the human, when we put on the divine, nature ; nor
are we thus freed frOm the sense, though we are delivered from the
sting and curse, of them. Paul and Barnabas acquainted their;
new converts, that " through much tribulation they must enter
into the kingdom of God." We find the state of the church, in
this world, set out by the similitude of a distressed ship at sea ;
" O thou afflicted, tossed with tempests, and not comforted ;"
tossed, as Jonah's ship was, for the same word is used in both
places ; tossed, as a vessel at sea, violently driven without rud
der, mast, sail, or tackling. Nor are we to expect freedom
from these troubles, until harboured in heaven.
Reflections. — Hence should the graceless heart thus reflect upon
itself — O my soul, into what a sea of troubles art thou launched
forth ! and what a sad case art thou in ! full of trouble, and full
of sin ; and these mutually producing each other ! And that
which is the most dreadful consideration of all, is, that I cannot
see the end of them. As for the saints, they suffer in the world
as well as I ; but it is but for a while, and then they suffer no
more, " all tears shall be wiped away from their eyes ;" but my
troubles are but the beginnings of sorrows.

NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED. 89
Hence also should the gracious soul reflect after this manner
— And is the world so full of trouble ? O my soul, what cause
hast thou to stand admiring at the indulgence and goodness of
God to thee! Thou hast hitherto had a smooth passage, com
pared with what others have had. Or have I felt trouble in my
flesh and spirit at once ? Why then do I not long to be gone,
and sigh more heartily for deliverance? And why am I no
more careful to maintain peace within, since there is so much
trouble without?

The Vastness ofthe Ocean.
Observation. — The ocean is of vast extent and depth. It com
passes the whole earth ; and as for its depth, who can discover
it ? If the largest mountain were cast into it, it would appear
no more than the head of a pin in a tun of water.
Application. — This, in a lively manner, shadows forth the
infinite and incomprehensible mercy of our God. He is said to
be ," plenteous, abundant, rich in mercy." His mercies are
" unsearchable ;" " high as the heavens above the earth ;" yea,
they are not only compared to the heavens, but to " the depths
of the sea," which can swallow up mountains as well as mole
hills ; and in this sea God has drowned sins of a dreadful height
and aggravation.
In the vastness ofthe ocean, we have also a lively emblem of
eternity. Who can comprehend or measure the ocean, but God?
And who can comprehend eternity, but he that is said to inhabit
it? Though shallow rivers may be drained and dried up, yet
the ocean cannot. And though these transitory days, months,
and years, will at last expire, yet eternity will not. It will be to
all of us, either a perpetual day or night which cannot be mea
sured by hours or minutes. And as it cannot be measured, so
neither can it ever be diminished. When thousands of years are
gone, there is not a minute less to come. Suppose a bird were
to come once in a thousand years to some vast mountain of sand,
and carry away in her bill one grain in a thousand years, O what
a vast time would it be ere that immortal bird, after that rate,
would carry off the mountain ! and yet in time this might be
done, for there would still be some diminution ; but in eternity
there can be none.
Reflections. — And is the mercy of God like the great deep, an
ocean that none can fathom ? What unspeakable comfort is this
to me! may the pardoned soul say. Did Israel sing a song,
when the Lord had overwhelmed their enemies in the seas? And
shall not I break forth into his praise, who has drowned all my
sins in the depth of mercy ? What mercy, but the mercy of a
God, could cover such abomination as mine ?
But O what terrible reflections will conscience make from

90 NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED.
hence, unto all despisers of mercy, when the sinner's eyes come
to be opened too late for mercy to do them good ! I have heard
indeed, that the king of heaven was a merciful king, but would
make no address to him, whilst that sceptre was stretched out.
O unparalled folly ! O soul-destroying madness !
In the world I might have had life, and would not. Ahd now
how fain would I have death, but cannot ! How quick were my
sins in execution ! and how long is their punishment in duration !
O how shall I dwell with everlasting burnings ? O that God
would but vouchsafe one offer more to me ! But alas, all ten
ders and treaties are now at an end !

The Inhabitants of the Ocean.
Observation. — " O Lord," says David, " how manifold are
thy works ! In wisdom hast thou made them all ; the earth is full
of thy riches. So is this great and wide sea also, wherein are
things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts."
Application. — Thus does the heart of man naturally swafm
and abound with strange and monstrous lusts and abominations;
" Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness,
covetousness, maliciousness ; full of envy, murder, debate, de
ceit, malignity, &c." Rom. i. 29. O what a swarm is here!
And yet there are multitudes more in the depths ofthe heart.
Reflection; — And are there such strange abominations in the
heart of man? then how is he degenerated from his primitMi-
perfection and glory! His streams were once as clear as crystal,'
and the fountain of them pure ; there was no unclean creatttre
moving in them. But now, " The cormorant and bittern pos
sess it ; the owl and the raven dwell in it." " The wild beasts
of the desert lie there : it is full of doleful creatures." O sad
change !
Again ; think, O my soul, what a miserable condition the un
regenerate abide in ! thus under the dominion and vassalage of
divers lusts ! What a tumultuous sea is such a soul ! How do
these lusts rage within it! how do they contest and scuffle for the
throne ! Hence poor sinners are hurried on to different kinds of
servitude, according to the nature ofthat imperious lust that is in
the throne. Well might the prophet say, " The wicked are like
a troubled sea, that cannot rest."
Once more ; and is the heart such a sea, abounding with such
monstrous abominations ? Then stand astonished, O my soul, at
that free grace which has delivered thee from so sad a condition.
O fall down and kiss the feet of mercy, that moved so freely and
seasonably to thy rescue. Who made thee to differ? or how
came I to be thus wonderfully separated ? O that ever the holy
God should set his eyes on such a one ! or cast a look of love
towards me, in whom were legions of unclean lusts and abomi
nations.

NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED. 91
The purifying Nature of the Tides.
Observation. — Seas are in continual motion and agitation;
they have their flux and reflux, by which they are kept from
putrefaction : whereas lakes and ponds, whose waters are stand
ing, become corrupt.
Application. — Thus do regenerate souls purify themselves, and
work out the corruption that defiles them ; they cannot suffer it
to settle within them. " He purifieth himself, even as he is
pure." But it is quite contrary with the wicked ; there is no
principle of holiness in them to oppose or expel corruption. It
lies in their hearts as mud in a lake, which settles and corrupts
more and more. All the means and endeavours used to cleanse
them are in vain ; all the grace of God they receive in vain ;
" they hold fast deceit, they refuse to let it go." No threats nor
promises can divorce them from it.
Reflection. — Lord, this is the very frame of my heart, may the
graceless soul say. My corruptions quietly settle in me, my
heart labors not against them. I am a stranger to that conflict
which is daily maintained in all the faculties of the regenerate
soul. Glorified souls have no such conflict, because grace in
them stands alone, and is perfectly triumphant over all opposites ;
and graceless souls can have no such conflict, because in them
corruption stands alone, and has no other principle to make
opposition to it. And this is my case, O Lord. But O what
will the end of this be ? I have cause to tremble at that last and
most dreadful curse in the book of God, " Let him that is filthy
be filthy still." The Caution of Sailors.
Observa;tion.T—U.om watchful and quick-sighted are seamen to
prevent dangers ! If the wind die away and then freshen, or if
they see the sky hazy, they provide for a storm-. If by the glass
they see an enemy at a distance, they prepare for fight, and bear
up, if able to cope with him ; if not, they keep close by the
wind, make all the sail they can^ and bear away.
Application. — Thus watchful and suspicious ought, we to be in
spMfaal concerns. We should study and be a_q_i»inted with
Satan's wiles and policy. The devil is a cunning pirate ; he puts
out false colors;, and ordinarily comes up to the Christian in the
disguise of a friend. He lies in ambush behind our lawful cohl-
forts and employments; yet, for the generality of men, how
supine and careless are they, suspecting no danger! Owhat
an easy prize and conquest does the devil make of them ! And
we have a traitor within, as well as a tempter without.
Reflection. — Lord, how does the care, wisdom, and vigilance,
of men in temporal and external things, condemni my careless
ness in the deep and dear concernments of my soul ! Self-pre-

92 NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED.
servation is one of the deepest principles in nature. There is
not a poor fly, or worm, but will shun danger, if it can : yet I
am so far from shunning those dangers to which my soul lies con
tinually exposed, that 1 often run it upon temptations, and
voluntarily expose it to its enemies. O how I am convinced
and condemned, not only by others' care and vigilance, but my
own too, in lesser and lower matters !

The Rudder of a Ship.
Observation. — It is just cause of admiration, to see so great
a body as a ship is, and when under sail too, before a strong
wind, by which it is carried with marvellous force and speed,
yet commanded with ease by so small a thing as the helm is. ¦-»
Application. — To the same use and office has God designef|
conscience in man, which being rectified and regulated by the
word and spirit of God, is to steer and order his whole conver
sation. Conscience is as the oracle of God, the judge aiiif
determiner of our actions, and it lays the strongest obligation
upon the creature to obey its dictates. Conscience sometim^
reasons it out with men ; as, for mstance, it convinceth their
very reason that things of eternal duration are infinitely to be
preferred to all momentary and perishing things, from this ac
knowledged truth, that all the delight and pleasures of this
world are but a miserable portion, and that it is the highest folly
to adventure an immortal soul for them. " There is a season to
every purpose," a happy juncture, when if a man strikes, he
does his work effectually, and with much facility r such seasons
conscience convinces the soul of, and often whispers thus in its
ear ; Now close with this motion of the Spirit, and be happy for
ever ; thou mayest never have such a gale for heaven any more.
These are allowed to be maxims of reason, and conscience
enforces them strongly on the soul, yet cannot it prevail ; the
proud stubborn will rebels, and will not be guided by it.
Reflection. — Ah ! Lord, such a heart have I had before thee ;
thus obstinate, thus rebellious, thus uncontrolable. Many a
time has conscience stood in my way, as the angel did in Ba
laam's, or the bherubims that kept the way of the tree of life
with flaming swords turning everyway. Thus has it stood to
oppose me in the way of my lusts. How often has it calmly
debated the case with me alone ! and how sweetly has it expos
tulated with me! How clearly has it convinced me of sin,
danger, duty ! O how dreadful a way of sinning is this, to sin
with open eyes ! And as my sin is thus out of measure sinful,
so my punishment will be out of measure dreadful, if I persist in
this rebellion. Yea, Lord, and if ever my conscience should be
in judgment awakened in this life, O what a hell shall I have

NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED. 93
within me! how will it thunder and roar within me, and surround
me with terror.
O conscience, thou art the sweetest friend, or the most dread
ful enemy, in the world. Thy consolations are incomparably
sweet, and thy terrors insupportable. O let me stand out no
longer against conscience.

The Fears and Dangers of Seamen.
Observation. — We have an elegant and lively description of
their fears and dangers in Psal. cvii. 25. O what strange and
miraculous deliverances have many seamen had ! How often
have they yielded themselves up for dead men, and verily
thought the next sea would have swallowed them up ! How
earnestly then do they cry for mercy! Like the Cymbrians,
they can pray in a storm, though they regard it not at other
times;, Jonah i. 5,6.
Application. — These dreadful storms discover to us the mighty
power of God in raising them. Hence he is said in scripture to
" bring them forth out of his treasury." There they are locked
up, and reserved ; not a gust can break forth till he commands
and calls for it to go and execute his pleasure. Yea, he is said
to " hold them in his fist." What is more incapable of being
held than the wind ? yet God holds it.
The heathens ascribe this power to their God iEolus, but we
know this is the royalty and sole prerogative of the true God
who made heaven and earth. It is he that " makes the storm
calm." And as we should adore his power in the winds, so ought we
to admire his goodness in preserving men in the height of all
their fury and violence. O how dreadful is the wind sometimes
to you ! and how does it make your hearts shake within you !
If out a plank spring, or a bolt give away, you are all lost.
Sometimes the Lord, for the magnifying of the riches of his good
ness, drives you upon the rocks, so that no art can save you ;
and then sends you a piece of a wreck, or some other means, to
land you in safety ; and all this to give you an experiment of his
goodness and pity, that you may learn to fear that God in whose
hand your soul and breath are.
Reflection.-— How often has this glorious power and goodness
of God passed before me in dreadful storms and tempests at sea !
Ah ! how often have I been upon the very brink of eternity !
Had not God shifted or allayed the wind in a moment, I should
have gone down into hell. What workings of conscience were
then upon me ! and what terrible apprehensions had I then of
my eternal condition ! What vows did I make in that distress !
and how earnestly did I then beg for mercy ! But, Lord,' though
thy vows are upon me, yet have I been the same ; yea, added to

94 NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED.
and filled up the measure of my sins. Surely, O my soul, if
this be the fruit of all thy preservations, they are rather reserva
tions to some farther and sorer judgments. How dreadfully will
justice at last avenge the quarrel of abused mercy. O let me pay
the vows that my lips have uttered in my distress, lest the Lord
recover his glory from me in a way of judgment.
The Skill of Sailors.
Observation. — The mariner wants no skill and wisdom to im
prove several winds, and make them serviceable to his end. A
bare side wind, by his skill in shifting and managing the sails,
will serve his turn. Their skill and wisdom herein is; admi
rable. Application. — Thus prudent and skilful are men in secular and
lower matters ; and yet how ignorant and unskilful in the great;
and everlasting affairs of their souls ! All their invention, judgei
ment, wit, and memory, seem to be pressed for the service ofth-,1
flesh. They can learn an art quickly, and arrive to a great deal*'
of exactness in it ; but in soul-matters they have no knowledge*
at all. Some have piercing apprehensions, solid judgments, stop*
pendons memories, rare invention^ and excellent elocution ; but
put them upon any spiritual matter, and the weakest Christian'
shall excel them therein, and give a far better account of regen©"
ration, the work of grace, the life of faith, than these can.
Reflection. — How inexcusable then art thou, O my soul ; and
how mute and confounded must thou needs stand before the bar
of God in that great day ! Thou hadst a talent of natural parts
committed to thee, but which way have they been improved ? 0,
how will these rise in judgment against me, and stop my mouth !^
What account shall 1 give of them in that day !
Again ; are men, otherwise prudent and skilful, such fools in'.
spiritual things? Then let the poor weak Christian, whose
natural parts are blunt and dull, admire theriches of God's free
grace to him. O what an astonishing consideration is this, that
God should pass by men of the profoundest natural parts, and
choose me, whose natural faculties and endowments, compared
with theirs, are but as lead to gold! Is not this one principal
thing he aims at, in calling such as I am, that boasting maybe-
excluded, and himself alone exalted ?

The Vigilance of Sailors in taking Advantage of Wind
and Tide.
Observation. — Seamen are very watchful to take their oppew . ..
tunity of wind and tide, and it much concerns them so to be; the
neglect of a few hours, sometimes loses them their passage, and
proves a, great detriment to them.

NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED. 95
Application. — There are also seasons and gales of grace for
our souls, golden opportunities of salvation afforded to men, the
neglect of which proves the loss and ruin of souls. How pathe
tically does Christ bewail over Jerusalem upon this account !
" O that thou hadst known, at least in this thy day, the things
of thy peace ! but now they are hid from thine eyes-" If a com
pany of seamen are set ashore upon some remote uninhabited
island, with this advice, to be aboard again exactly at such an
hour, else they must be left behind ; how does it concern
them to be punctual to their time ! The lives of those men de
pend upon a quarter of an hour. Many a soul has perished
eternally, the gospel leaving them behind in their sins, because
they knew not the time of their visitation.
Reflection. — What golden seasons for salvation hast thou en
joyed, O my soul! What halcyon days of gospel-light and
grace hast thou had! How have the precious gales of grace
blown to no purpose upon thee! and the Spirit waited and striven
with thee in vain ! I have gone as far as conviction for sin and
misery ; yea, I have been carried by the power ofthe gospel, to
resolve and purpose to turn to God, but sin has been too subtle
and deceitful for me. O Lord, wilt thou leave me so ? and shall
thy Spirit strive no more with me ? Then it had been good for
me that I had never been born. O thou, that art the Lord of
life and time, command one gracious season more for me, and
make it effectual to me, before I go hence and be seen no more.

Commerce.
Observation. — The most wise God has so dispensed his
bounty to the several nations of the world, that one standing in
need of another's commodities, there might be a sociable com
merce and traffic maintained amongst them all, and all combining
in a common league, may, by the help of navigation, exhibit
mutual succours to each other.
Application. — Thus has God distributed the more rich and
precious gifts and graces of his Spirit among his people ; some
excelling in one grace, some in another, though every grace,
in some degree, is in them all. As in nature, though there are
all the faculties in all, yet some faculties are in some more lively
and vigorous than in others ; some have a more vigorous eye,
others a more ready ear, others a more voluble tongue ; so it is
in spirituals. Abraham excelled in faith, Job in patience, John
in love. These were their peculiar excellencies.
What precious treasures in these earthen vessels, for which we
should trade by mutual communion. The preciousness> of the
treasure should draw out our desires and endeavours after it ;
and the consideration of the brittleness of those vessels in which
itis kept, should cause us to be more expeditious in our trading

96 NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED.
with them, and make the quicker returns. For when those ves
sels,. I mean the bodies of the saints, are broken by death,
there is no more to be gotten out of. them. Now therefore it
behoves us to be enriching ourselves by communication of what
God has dropt into us, and improvement of it.
Reflection. — Lord, how short do I come of my duty in com
municating , to others, or receiving good by them ! My soul is
either empty and barren, or, if there be any treasure in it, yet it
is but as a treasure locked up in some chest, the key of which is
lost, when it should be opened for the use of others. Ah Lord,
1 have sinned greatly, not only. by vain words, but sinful silence.
I have been of little use in the world
How little also have I got by communion with others ! 0
what improvement should I have made this way, had I been
diligent! Lord, pardon my neglect of those sweet and blessed
advantages. O let all my delight be in thy saints, who are the
excellent of the earth. Let me never go out of their company,
without a heart more warmed, quickened, and enlarged, than
when I came amongst them.

The Stability of Rocks.
Observation. — The rocks, though situate in the boisterous
and tempestuous ocean, yet abide firm and immovable from age
to age.
Application. — This is a lively emblem of the condition of the
church, amidst all the dangers and oppositions, werewith it is
encountered and assaulted in the world. These metaphorical
waves roar and beat with violence against it, but with as little
success as the sea against the rocks. " Upon this rock will I
build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against
it." And the reason why it is thus firm and impregnable, is not
from itself; for, alas ! so considered, it is weak and liable to
be ruined; but from the Almighty power of God, which guards %
and preserves it day and night. " God is in the midst of her$
she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right ^
early." Reflection. — And is the security of the church so great, and its
preservation so admirable amidst all storms and tempests ? Then
why art thou so subject to despond, O my soul, in the day of
Sion's trouble ? Sensible thou wast of it, and oughtest to be ;
but there is no reason to hang down the head through discou
ragement, much less to forsake Zion in her distress, for fear of
being ruined with her ; the Rock of ages is her defence. Fear
not therefore, O my soul, though the hills be removed out of
their place, and cast into the midst of the sea. O let my faith
triumph, and my heart rejoice upon this ground of comfort. I

NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED. 97
see the same rocks now, and in the same place and condition
they were in many years ago. Though they have endured many
storms, yet there they abide ; and so shall Zion, when the proud
waves have spent their fury and rage against it.

The Industry of Seamen.
Observation. — How exceedingly solicitous and adventurous
are seamen for a small portion of the world ! How prodigal of
strength and life fbr it ! They will run to the ends of the earth,
engage in a thousand dangers, in the hope and on the probability
of getting a small estate.
Application. — How hot and eager are men's affections after the
world ! and how remiss and cold towards things eternal ! They
are careful, and troubled about many things ; but seldom do they
mind the great and necessary matter.
Reflection. — Lord, this has been my manner, may the carnal-
minded man say ; I have been laboring for the meat that perisheth ;
disquieting myself in vain ; full of designs and projects for the
world, and unwearied in my endeavours to obtain an earthly
treasure ; yet therein I have either been checked and disappointed
by Providence, or if I have obtained it, yet I am no sooner come
to enjoy that content and comfort I promised myself in it, but I
am ready to leave it all, to be stript out of it by death, and in
that day all my thoughts perish. But, in the mean time, what
have I done for my soul? When did I ever break a night's
sleep or deny myself for it ? Ah fool that I am ! to nourish and
pamper a vile body, which must shortly lie under the clods, and
become a loathsome carcase ; and, in the mean time, neglect
and undo my poor soul, which partakes of the nature of angels,
and must live for ever.

The Food provided for the Inhabitants ofthe Sea.
Observation. — There are multitudes of living creatures in the
sea. Yet all those multitudes of fish and fowl, both in sea and
land, are provided for ; " Thou givest them their meat in due
season : thou openest thy hand, and satisfiest the desire of every
living thing."
Application. — If God takes care for the fishes of the sea and
the fowls of the air, much more will he care and provide for those
that fear him, Isa. xii. 17. " Take no thought for your life,"
saith the Lord, " what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink ; or
for the body what ye shall put on :" and he supports this with
an argument from God's providence over his creatures, and
enforces it with a " much rather;" Matt. vi. 25, 31.
This God who feeds all the creatures, is your Father, and a
Father that never dies. I have read of a good woman, who in
H

98 NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED.
all wants and distresses was wont to encourage herself with this
saying " The Lord liveth." But once, being in deep distress
and forgetting that consolation, one of her little children came to
her, and said, " Mother, why weep you so? What, is God
dead now?" Which words, from a child, shamed her out of her
unbelieving fears, and quickly brought her spirits to rest. 0
saint, whilst God lives, thou canst not want what is good for
thee ; Rom. viii. 32. > .
How sweet a life might Christians live, could they but bring
their hearts to a full subjection to the disposing will of God.
Reflection.— I remember my fault this day, may many a gra
cious soul say. O how faithless and distrustful have I been,
notwithstanding the great security God has given to my faith,
both in his word and works ! O my soul, thou hast greatly sin
ned therein, and dishonored thy Father. I have been worse to
my Father, than my children are to me. They trouble not their
thoughts with what they shall eat, or drink, or put on ; but trust
to my care and provision for that ; yet I cannot trust my Father,
though I have ten thousand times more reason so to do, than
they have to trust me. How contradictory also have my heart
and my prayers been! I pray for blessings conditionally, and
with submission to thy will ; I dare not say to thee, " I must
have them ;" yet this has been the language of my heart and life.
O convince me of this folly !
The Saltness of Sea- Water.
Observation. — The waters of the sea, in themselves, are
brackish and unpleasant, yet being exhaled by the sun and con
densed into clouds, they fall down in pleasant showers ; or if
drained through the earth, their property is thereby altered, and
that which was so salt in the sea, becomes exceeding sweet and
pleasant in the springs.
Application. — Afflictions in themselves are evil, very bitter
and unpleasant. But though thus brackish and unpleasant in
themselves, yet, passing though Christ and the covenant, they
lose that ungrateful property, and become pleasant in the fruits
and effects thereof unto believers. Yea, such are the blessed
fruits thereof, that they are to " account it all joy when they fall
into divers afflictions."
Sometimes the Lord sanctifies afflictions to discover the cor
ruption that ia in the heart. When the water is stirred, then the
mud and filthy sediment, that lay at the bottom, rise. Little,
says the afflicted soul, did I think there had been in me that
pride, self-love, distrust of God, carnal fear, and unbelief, that I
now find.
Sanctified afflictions discover also the emptiness and vanity of
the creature. Now the Lord has stained its pride, and veiled its

NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED. 99
tempting splendor, by this or that affliction ; and the soul sees
what an empty, shallow, deceitful thing it is. They also drive
us nearer to God, make us see the necessity ofthe life of faith,
with multitudes of other benefits.
But yet these fruits of affliction do not naturally, and of their
own accord, spring from it ; no, we may as well look for grapes
from thorns, or figs from thistles, as for such fruits from afflic
tion, till Christ's sanctifying hand and art have passed upon
them. Behold, then, a sanctified affliction is a cup, whereinto
Jesus has wrung and pressed the juice and virtue of all his medi
atorial offices.
Reflection. — Hence may the unsanctified soul draw matter of
fear and trouble, even from his unsanctified troubles. O my
soul, what good hast thou gotten by all or any of thy afflictions?
My troubles have left me the same, or worse, than they found me.
When I have been in storms at sea or troubles at home, my soul
within me has been as a raging sea, casting up mire and dirt. I
have proved but dross in the furnace, and I fear the Lord will
put me away as dross ; Psal. cxix. 119.
Hence also should gracious souls draw much encouragement
and comfort amidst all their troubles. O these are the fruits of
God's fatherly love to me ! O blessed be that skilful and gra
cious hand, which makes the rod, the dry rod, to blossom, and
bear such precious fruit !
Lord, what a mystery of love lies in this dispensation, that
sin, which first brought affliction into the worid, is now itself
carried out of the world by affliction. O what can frustrate my
salvation, when those very things that seem most to oppose it,
are made subservient to it, and, contrary to their own nature,
do promote and further, it ?

The Bounds of the Ocean.
Observation. — It is a wonderful work of God to limit and
bound such a vast and furious creature as the sea, which, ac
cording to the judgment of many learned men, is higher than the
earth ; and that it has a propensity to overflow it, is evident both
from its nature and motion ; were it not that the great God has
laid his law upon it, and said, " Hitherto shalt thou come, but no
further ; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed."
Application.— And no less is the glorious power and mercy
of God discovered in bridling the Tage and fury of Satan and his
instruments, that they break not in upon the inheritance of the
Lord, and destroy it; Psal. Ixxvi. 10. There is a world of rage
and malice in the hearts of wicked men, which fain would, but
cannot, vent itself, because the Lord restrains. Satan is the
envious one, and his rage is great against the people of God ; but
God holds him and all his instruments in a chain of providence.
H2

100 NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED.
Sometimes he ties them up so short, that they cannot touch his
people ; saying, " Touch not mine anointed, and do my pro
phets no harm." And sometimes he permits them to touch and
trouble his people, but then sets bounds and limits to them, be
yond which they must not pass.
Reflection. — O my soul, what comfort and consolation mayest
thou derive from this truth in the darkest day of trouble ! Thou
seest how the flowing sea drives to overwhelm the earth. Who
has stopt its violence ? Who has confined it to its place ? Cer
tainly none other than the Lord. Thou seest also how full of
wrath and fury wicked men are, how they rage like the troubled
sea, and threaten to overwhelm thee, and all the Lord's inhe
ritance ; yet they are restrained by an invisible, gracious hand,
that they cannot execute their purpose, nor perform their enter
prize. How full of devils and devilized men is this lower world!
Yet, in the midst of them all, hast thou hitherto been preserved.
O then let me cheerfully address myself to the faithful discharge
of my duty, and stand no longer in a slavish fear of creatures!
who can have no power against me but what is given them from
above.

The Compass,
Observation. — Of how great use and necessity is the compass
to seamen ! Though they can coast a little way by the shore,
yet they dare not venture far into the ocean without it. It is
wonderful to consider, how, by the help of this guide, they can
run in a direct line many hundred leagues, and at last fall in with
the smallest island, which is, in the ocean, but as the head of a
small pin upon a table.
Application. — What the compass is to the navigator, that and
much more is the word of God to us in our course to heaven. He
that orders his conversation by it shall safely arrive in heaven at
last. But what blame can you lay upon this compass, the word of
God, if you steer not by it ? How many are there, that neglect- '
ing this rule, will coast it to heaven by their own reason ! No
wonder such fall short, and perish in the way. Luther professed
that he prized it so highly, that he would not take the whole
world in exchange for one leaf of it. Those that have slighted
it, and followed the by-paths into which their corrupt hearts have
led them, took not hold of the paths of life, and are now in the
depths, of hell. All other lights to which men pretend, in the
neglect of this, are but false fires that will lead them into the pits
and bogs of destruction.
Reflection.— An$ is thy word a compass, to direct my course
to glory? O where am I then like to arrive at last, who in all
my course have neglected it, and steered according to the coun-

NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED. 101
sel of my own heart ? Whither, Lord, can I come at last, but
to hell ? I have a poor soul embarked for eternity ; it is now
floating on a dangerous ocean ; rocks and sands are on every
side; I go a-drift before every wind of temptation, and know not
where 1 am. O thou that hast been so gracious to give a perfect
rule, give me also a perfect heart to walk by that rule to glory.

The Tides.
Observation. — The sea has its alternate course and motion, its
ebbings and Sowings. And as its tide, so also its waves are
the emblem of inconstancy, still rolling and tumbling, this way
and that, never fixed and quiet.
Application.— Thus mutable and inconstant are all outward
things. There is no depending on them : there is nothing of any
substance, or any solid consistence in them. " The fashion of
this world passeth away." It is a high point of folly to depend
upon such vanities. "Why wilt ,thou set thine eyes upon
that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings,
and fly away, as an eagle towards heaven." Many a man out
lives his estate and honor, and stands in the world as a bare dry
stalk in the field, whose flower and beauty are gone ; one puff of
wind blows it away, one easterly blast shrivels it up.
None have more frequent experience of this than merchants
and seamen, whose estates are floating ; and yet such as have
had the highest security in the eye of reason, have notwithstand
ing experienced the vanity of these things. Henry IV. a potent
prince, was reduced to such a low ebb, that he petitioned for a
prebend's place in the church of Spire. Gallimer, king of the
Vandals, was brought so low, that he sent to his friends for a
spunge, a loaf of bread, and a harp : a spunge to dry up his tears, .
a loaf of bread to maintain his life, and a harp to solace him in his
misery. Belisarius was a famous general of an army, yet having
his eyes put out and stripped of all earthly comforts, he was led
about crying, " Give one penny to poor Belisarius." Instances
in history of this kind are infinite. Men of the greatest estates
and honors have become the very scorn of fortune.
Yea, and not only wicked men but sometimes godly men, have
had their estates thus scattered by Providence also. Who ever
had an estate better gotten, better secured, or better managed
than Job ? Yet all was overthrown and swept away in a mo
ment ; though in mercy to him, as the issue demonstrated.
Reflection. — Are all earthly things thus transitory and vain ?
Then what a reproach and shame is it to me, that the men of
this world should be more industrious and eager in the prosecu
tion of such vanities, than I am to enrich my soul with solid and
everlasting treasure ! O that a sensual lust should be more

102 NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED.
operative in them, than the love of God in me ! O my soul,
thou dost not lay out thy strength and earnestness for heaven as
they do theirs for the world. O that like the angel, who came
down from heaven, and set one foot upbn the sea, and another
upon the earth, having a crown upon his head, so might I set
one foot upon all the cares, fears, and terrors of the world, and
another upon all the tempting splendor and glory of the world,
treading both underfoot in the dust, and crowning myself with
nothing but spiritual excellencies and glory!

Tempests.
Observation. — The waves of the sea are sometimes raised by
God's commission, to be executioners of his threatenings upon
sinners. When Jonah fled from the presence of the Lord to
Tarshish, " the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and
there was a mighty tempest, so that the ship was like to be
broken. These were God's bailiffs to arrest the runaway
prophet. Application. — If these are the executioners of God's threat
enings, how sad then is their condition who put forth to sea
nnder the guilt of all their sins ! Or, if God should commission'
the winds to go after and arrest them for all thy owe him, where,
are they then ? How dare they put forth under the power of a
divine threat, before all is cleared betwixt God and them? Sins
in scripture are called debts ; they are debts to God, because
they render the sinner obnoxious to God's judgments. If thou
be an impenitent, persisting sinner, thy debt remains upon thine
own score ; " and be sure thy sin will find thee out."
Reflection. — O my soul, what a sad case art thou in, if this be
so ? Are not all thy sins yet upon thine own score? Or if God
should arrest me by the next storm, and call me to an account
for all that I owe him, I must then lie in the prison of hell to all
eternity ; for I can never pay the debt ; nay, all the angels in
heaven cannot satisfy for it. Being without Christ, I am under
all the curses in the book of God ; Lord pity and spare me a
little longer. O require not the debt at my hand, for then thou
wilt never be satisfied, nor I acquitted. What profit, Lord, is
there in my blood ? O my soul make haste to Christ, thy refuge
city, for thou knowest not how soon the avenger of blood may
overtake thee."

The Casting overboard of Merchandise in a Storm.
Observation. — In storms at sea the richest commodities are
sometimes cast overboard ; they hesitate not about it, when life
and all is in jeopardy and hazard ; Jonah i. 5. How highly

NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED. 103
soever men prize such commodities, yet reason tells them, it
were better these should perish, than life.
Application. — And surely it is every way as reasonable, that
men should mortify, cast out, and cut off, their dearest lusts,
rather than that their immortal souls should sink and perish in the
storm of God's wrath. Life indeed is a precious treasure, and
highly valued by men. Now if life be worth so much, what then
is the soul worth ?
Life is worth more than all the world ; but my soul is worth
more than ten thousand lives. Nature teaches you to value the
first so high, and grace should teach you to value the second
much higher. Now this is the case — either you must part with
your sins or with your souls ; if these be not cast out, both must
sink together. " If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die." Guilt
will raise a storm of wrath, as Jonah did, if not cast out.
Reflection. — And must sin or the soul perish ? Must my life,
yea, my eternal life, suffer for it, if 1 spare it ? O then let me
not be cruel to mine own soul in sparing my sin ! O my soul,
this foolish pity and cruel indulgence will be thy ruin. Is it as
easy, O my soul, to burn for thy sins in hell, as to mortify them
on earth ? Matt. v. 24. I see the merchant willing to part with
rich wares if embarked with them in a storm, to preserve life ;
and shall I be willing to endure no difficulties for my soul ?
Christ reckoned souls worth his blood ; and is not my soul
worth my self-denial ? Lord let me not warm a snake in my
bosom, that will at last sting me to the heart.

The Power of God in calming the Sea.
Observation. — When the sea works and is tempestuous, it is
not in the power of any creature to appease it. When the Egyp
tians would by their hieroglyphics express an impossibility, they
did it by the picture of a man treading upon the waves, But
Jesus Christ has command of the waves. He quiets them with
a word, " Peace, be still ;" as one would hush a child to rest.
Application. — Conscience, when awakened by the terrors of
the Lord, is like a raging, tempestuous sea. It works, and it
is not in the power of any creature to quiet it. Spiritual terrors,
as well as spiritual consolations, are not known till felt. Con
science is the seat of guilt. It is like a burning glass; it con
tracts the beams of the threatenings, twists them together, and
reflects them on the soul, until it is on fire. In this case no
creature can relieve : all are physicians of no value. Yet Jesus
Christ can quickly calm these spiritual waves also, and hush
them with a word ; yea, he is the physician, and no other.
Reflection. — Can none appease a troubled conscience but
Christ ? Then learn, O my soul, to understand, and daily more
and more to savor that glorious name, even Jesus, who delivers

104 NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED.
from the wrath to come. O if the foretaste of hell be so intole
rable, if a few drops, let fall on the conscience in this life, be so
insufferable, what is it to have all the vials poured out to eternity,
when there shall be nothing to divert, mitigate, or allay it ?
Here men have somewhat to abate their terrors, some hopes
of mercy, at least a possibility: but there is none there. 0
Lord, " who knoweth the power of thy wrath ?" O let me not carry
this guilt out ofthe world with me, to maintain those everlasting
flames. Let me give no sleep to mine eyes, nor slumber to mine
eye-lids, till I feel the comfort ofthat blood of sprinkling, which
alone speaketh peace. The Plenty and Variety of Fish.
Observation. — The Providence of God in furnishing us with
so great a plenty and variety of fish, is not slightly to be passed
over. We have not only enough to supply our own nation, but
large quantities are also carried to other countries ; by which
trade many thousand families subsist.
Application. — But now what returns do we make to the gpod
hand of Providence, which thus supplies and feeds us with the
blessings of the sea ? I fear there are but few who are careful
to return, according to the benefit received. And even those
who have the most immediate dependence upon Providence, as
merchants and seamen, are yet very prone to undertake designsj
in the confidence of their own wisdom and iudustry ; not looking
higher for the blessing, but attribute what is due to God unto the
creature. And how do you think the blessed God will bear to see him
self thus debased, and the creature thus exalted into his place ? to
see you carry yourselves to the creature as to a God, and to the
blessed God as to a creature ? Surely this is a great and com
mon evil and such as will blast all, if not timely discovered and
lamented. Reflection, — Why should I disquiet myself in vain; and rob
myself of peace, by unbelieving cares and distractions. O this
has been my sin ! I have acted as if my condition had been at
my own disposal. 1 have eyed creatures and means too much,
and God too little. O it is a wonder that this has not closed the
hand of Providence against me, and pulled down a curse upon
all!

The Skill of fishermen.
Observation. — They who go to sea on a fishing voyage, go
provided with their craft, as they very fitly call it, without which
they can do nothing. They have their lines, hooks, and bait.
Application. — But how much more skilful and industrious is
Satan to ensnare and destroy souls ! He has his baits for you,

NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED. ' 105
as' you have for the fish ; he has his devices and wiles to catch
souls; 2Cor.ii. 11.
First ; he can find out the constitutional evils of men ; he
knows to what sin their natures are more especially prone.
Secondly ; he can propound suitable objects to hit every man's
humor; as Agrippa mixed her poison in that meat which her
husband loved best.
Thirdly ; he can inject motions into the mind, as it is said of
Judas, " the devil put it into his heart."
Fourthly; he can solicit and provoke, the heart, and by con
tinual solicitations weary it ; and hereby draw men to commit
such tilings as startled them at first. All this he can do, if he
meets with difficulties, hiding always the hook, and concealing
the issue from his victims. He promises them gain and profit,
pleasure and delight, with assurance of secresy. By these he
fastens the fatal hook in their jaws, and thus " they are led cap
tive by him at his will."
Reflection. — And is Satan so subtle and industrious to entice
souls to sin ? Does he thus cast out his golden baits, and allure
souls with pleasure to their ruin ? Then how does it hebove
thee, O my soul, to be jealous and wary! The day in which
Sodom was destroyed, began with a pleasant sunshine, but
ended in fire and brimstone. I may promise myself much con
tent in the satisfaction of my lusts ; but O how certainly will it
end in my ruin! The delight is quickly gone, but the guilt
thereof remains to amaze and terrify the soul with ghastly forms,
and dreadful representations ofthe wrath of God. No sooner is
the conscience awakened, but all those delights vanish as a
night-vision, or as a dream when one awakes ; and then I shall
ciy, Here is the hook, but where is the bait? Here is the guilt
and horror, but where is the delight that I was promised ?

The Failure of Trade.
Observation. — There are many sad complaints that trade
fails ; and though all countries are open and free fortraffic, yet
there seems to be a dearth of trade, a secret curse upon it. Men
run from country to country, and come losers home.
Application. — That prosperity and success in trade are from
the blessing of God, I suppose few are so atheistical, as openly
to deny or question. That maxim came from hell, " Every man
is the maker of his own condition." " Promotion cometh not
from the east nor the west," Psal. Ixxvi. 6.
This being acknowledged, it is evident that in all disappoint
ments and want of success, we ought to look to the hand of
God : for whose it is to give the blessing, his also it is to with
hold it ; it is he that curseth our blessings, Mai. ii. 3 ; and these
are the sins, among many others, that provoke the Lord to blast
your employments.

106 NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED.
1. Our undertaking designs without prayer. Alas ! how few
of us begin with God ; O that we had more prayers and fewer
AQ+Jlg 1
2. Injustice and fraud in our dealings— a sin to which mer
chants are especially prone, as appears by that expression in
Hos. xii. 7.
3. An over-earnest endeavour after the world. Men make
this their business ; they will be rich: and hence it is. that they
are not only unmerciful to themselves, but to such also as they
employ. This over-doing hath not been the least cause of our
undoing. 4. Our abuse of prosperity when God gave it, making trod &
mercies the food and fuel of our lusts, Deut. iv. 14.
Reflections.— Axe these the sins that blast our blessings, and
wither our mercies? O then let me cease to wonder it i§
no better, and rather admire that it is no worse with me ; that
my neglect of prayer, injustice in dealings, earthly-mindedness,
and abuse of former mercies, have not provoked God to strip me
naked of all my enjoyments. My God, let my soul prosper, and
then a small portion of these things will afford me more comfort^
than ever I had in their greatest abundance. .

The Preying of Fishes on one another.
Observation. — There are fishes of prey in the sea, as well as
birds and beasts of prey on the land. Our seamen tell us, how
the devouring whales, sharks, dolphins, and other fishes,, follow
the smaller fish, and devour multitudes of them.
Application. — Thus merciless and oppressive are wicked men,
whose " tender mercies are cruel." We see the like cruelty in
our extortioners and over-reaching sharks ashore, who grind
the faces of the poor, and regard not the cries of the fatherless
and widows, but fill their houses with the gain of oppression.
These are, by the Holy Ghost, compared to the fishes of th#
sea, Hab. i. 13. You may overpower the poor in this world,
and, it may be, they cannot contend with you at man's bar ; there
fore God will bring you before his bar.
Reflection. — Turn in upon thyself, O my soul, and consider
whether thou hast not been guilty of this crying sin. Have I not
overreached and defrauded others ? Or have not the balances of
deceit been in my hand ? I have perhaps kept many in my em
ployment ; have not I used their labors without reward ? or at
least delayed payment, out of a covetous disposition to gain by
it; whilst their necessities in the mean time cried aloud for it?
or have I not persecuted such as God bath smitten ? Hath not
the Lord said, that " they shall have judgment without mercy,
that have showed no mercy ?" And is it not a fearful thing to
fall into the hands of the living God ? of him who has said, he
will take vengeance for these things ?

NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED. 107
The Taking down of Sails in a Storm.
Observation.— -In storms at sea, wise navigators will not
spread much sail. They then furl up the sails. It is no time
then to show their bravery.
Application. — When the judgments of God are abroad in the
earth, it is no time then to make mirth. It is a provoking evil,
and commonly God severely punishes it. Of all persons, such
fare worst in the common calamity. " Wo to them that are at
ease in Zion." Whatever our constitution, condition, or per
sonal immunities be, yet when God calls to mourning, we must
hear and obey that call. At such a time we may " say of
laughter, Thou art mad ; and of mirth, What doth it !"
Reflection. — Blush, then, O my soul, for thy levity and insen
sibility under God's angry dispensations. How many of the
precious sons and daughters of Zion lie in tears abroad, while I
have been " nourishing my heart as in a day of slaughter !" Ah,
Lord ! if I mourn not with Zion, neither shall I rejoice with her.
Shall I laugh, when thou art angry, and thy children weeping
and trembling ? Then 1 may justly fear, lest when they shall
sing for joy of heart, I shall howl for vexation of spirit." Surely,
O my soul, such laughter will be turned into mourning either
here or hereafter.

Leaks.

Observation. — The smallest leak, if not timely discovered
and stopt, is enough to sink a ship of the greatest burden. Tbe
carpenters must search for it and stop it ; and till it be found,
they cannot be quiet.
Application. — What such a leak is to a ship, that is the
smallest sin neglected to the soul ; it is enough to ruin it eter
nally. For as the greatest sin discovered, lamented, and
mourned over, by a believer, cannot ruin him ; so the least sin
indulged, covered, and connived at, will certainly prove the
destruction of the sinner.
God's people know, that little as well as great sins, are dan
gerous, deadly, and destructive in their own nature. A little
poison will destroy a man. Adrian was choaked with a gnat;
Caesar stabbed with bodkins. Indeed no Sin can be little, be
cause the object against whom it is committed, is so great ;
whence it receives a kind of infiniteness in itself ; and because
the price paid to redeem us from it is so invaluable.
Reflection. — And is the smallest sin ruinous in ifs own nature?
and will it certainly prove the ruin of the soul that hides and
covers it? O then let my spirit accomplish a diligent search.
Look to it, O my soul, that no sin be indulged by thee. Set
these considerations as so many flaming swords in the way of
thy carnal delights and lusts. Let me never say of any sin as

108 NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED.
Lot did of Zoar, " It is a little one, spare it." Shall I spare
that which cost the blood of Jesus Christ? Lord, let me shed
the blood of the dearest lust for his sake, who shed his dearest
blood for me.

The Trade Winds.
Observation. — Though in most parts of the world the winds
are variable, and blow from every part of the compass, yet
about the equinoctial, seamen meet with a trade-wind blowing,
for the most part, one way; and there they scarcely need to
lower a top-sail for some hundreds of leagues.
Application. — Although the people ,of God meet with many
seeming hindrances in their way to heaven, which are like con
trary winds to a ship, yet they are from the day of their con
version to the day of their complete salvation, never out of a
trade-wind's way to heaven. " We know that all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them that are called
according to his purpose."
Things which seem really opposite to their good, yet even
tually contribute to it. Afflictions and desertions seem to
work against us, but being once put into the rank and order of
causes, they work together with such blessed instruments as
the word and prayer, to a happy issue. And though the faces df
these things look contrary ways, yet there are secret chains and
connexions of Providence betwixt them, to unite them in their
issue. Joseph's brethren, the Midianites, and Potiphar, knew
not one another's mind, nor aimed at one end, much less the
end that God brought about by them ; yet all met together at
last in the issue which God had designed to bring about by them,
even Joseph's advancement. So it is here, Christian, there are
more instruments at work for thine eternal good than thou art
aware of.
Reflection. — Cheer up then, O my soul, here is a promise for
me, that like the philosopher's stone, turns all into gold that it
touches. This promise is my security. However things go in
the world, my God will do me good by every dispensation. 0
that I had but a heart to make all things work for his glory, who
thus causes every thing to work for my good.
Blessed Lord, what a happy condition are all thy people in,
who are within the line of this promise ! All things friendly and
benefical to them ; friends helpful ; enemies helpful ; every thing
conspiring and conducing to their happiness ! With others it is
not so ; and as their evils are not turned into good, so all their
good is turned into evil. O my soul, bless the Lord, who has
,cast thy lot into so pleasant a place, and given thee so glorious
a heritage, as this promise is.

NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED. 109
The Necessity for a skilful Pilot in a Storm.
Observation. — In fair weather, when there is sea-room enough,
then every common person can guide the ship; but in great
storms and stress of weather, or when near a dangerous shore,
then the most skilful pilot is put to it ; then he shows the utmost
of his skill, and yet sometimes all is too little.
Application. — In the storms and tempests of affliction and
trouble, there are the most evident and full discoveries of the
wisdom and power of our God. When they come into the strait
of affliction and deadly dangers, which threaten like rocks on
every side ; now the wisdom of their God rides triumphantly and
visibly upon the waves of that stormy sea : and this infinite wis
dom is discovered in these particulars —
1 . In leaving them still somewhat in the room of those com
forts of which they are deprived. Christ's bodily presence is
removed, but the Spirit was Sent in the room of it, which was
better ; John xiv. 1 .
2. In doubling their strength, as he doubles their burdens.
It is observed, that the saints have many times very strong and
sweet consolation a little before their greatest trials. So Paul
had first his revelations, then his buffetings.
3. In coming in so opportunely in the time of tlieir great distress,
with relief and comfort. " Then the Spirit of glory and of God
resteth on them ;" as a martyr cried out to his friend Austin, at
the very stake, " He is come, he is come."
4. In appointing to every one that very affliction which is
most suitable to his condition. Peter's sin was self-confidence,
God permits him to fall by denying Christ ; Hezekiah's sin was
vain-glory, therefore spoilers are sent to take away his treasures.
5. In the duration of their troubles ; they shall not lie always
upon them. Our God is a God of judgment ; knows the due time
of removing it, and is therein punctual to a day ; Rev. ii. 10.
Reflection. — If the wisdom of God do thus triumph and glorify
itself in the distresses ofthe saints, why should I fear in the day of
evil . If my God cast me into the furnace, yet shall I not be
consumed there ; for he will sit by the furnace himself, observing
when it has done its work, and then will presently withdraw the
fire. O my soul, bless and adore this God of wisdom, who him
self will see the ordering of thine affliction, and not trust it in the
hands of men or angels.

The Depths ofthe Sea.
Observation. — The ocean is so deep, that no eye can discover
what lies in the bottom thereof, but the eye of God.
Application. — Thus are the judgments of God and the ways of
his providence profound and unsearchable. " Thy righteousness
is like the great mountains, thy judgments are a great deep ;"

110 NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED.
that is, his providences are secret, obscure, and unfathomable.
No man can say what will he the particular issue and event of
some of his dispensations. " His way is in the sea, his paths
in the great waters, and his footsteps are not known." Who
can trace footsteps in the bottom of the sea ? When we come to
heaven, then all these mysteries, as well in the works as in the
word of God, will lie open to our view. s„
Reflections. — O then why is my heart disquieted, because, if
cannot sometimes discern the way of the Lord, and see the con
nexion and dependence of his providential dispensations ? Why
art thou so perplexed, O my soul, at the confusions and dis
orders that are in the world ? I know that goodness and wisdom
sit at the stern ; and though the vessel of the church be tossed
and distressed in times of trouble, yet it shall not perish. 0
what a favor is this, that in the midst of the greatest confusions
in the world, God has given sucji abundant security to his peo
ple, that it shall be well with them ; Eccles. viii. 12.

The Multitudes that the Sea has swallowed up. ¦..(&
Observation. — What multitudes of men has the sea devou#||l
What numbers of men have been ingulphed together in sea-fights,
or storms, or inundations ! Certainly the dead which are the_e,
are innumerable.
Application. — But though the sea has received so many thou
sand bodies of men, yet it is but intrusted with them, till the
Lord require an account of them ; and then it must deliver up all
it hath received, even to a man. " And the sea gave up the
dead which were in it," Rev. xx. 12.
The doctrine ofthe resurrection of the body is a doctrine full of
singular consolations to behevers, and most clearly asserted in
scripture. And it is well for us that this point is so plainly re
vealed. The Epicureans and Stoics laughed Paul to scorn when
he preached it to them. But yet this is not to be objected to.
Consider the almighty power of God, that gave them their first
being. Difficulties an<J impossibilities are for men, but not for
him. " Why should it be thought a thing incredible with yo.
that God should raise the dead ?"
Reflections. — And must I rise again ? Then, Lord, how am
I concerned to get union with Christ whilst I live! It is only by
virtue thereof that my resurrection can be made comfortable and
blessed to me. Let my body lie where it will, in earth or sea;
let my bones be scattered, and flesh devoured by worms or fish;
I know thou canst, and wilt reunite my scattered parts ; the
sound of thy last and dreadful trumpet, shall awaken me ; and
thy mighty power, to which all things are possible, shall bring
me before thy bar.
O Lord, I know that I shall stand in that great assembly at

NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED. Ill
the last day, when multitudes, multitudes, even all the sons and
daughters of Adam, shall appear together. O if I die ungodly,
it were good for me that there were no resurrection, for this
flesh which I have so pampered and provided for, will be con
demned to everlasting flames. O my God, let me make sure
work for such a day, arid get real union with thy son, so shall I
awake with singing out of the dust.

Rocks near the Shore.
Observation. — Though seamen meet with violent storms, yet
if they have sea-room enough, they are not much dismayed ; but
if they find themselves near the shore, they look upon their con
dition as very dangerous. For one ship swallowed up in the
ocean, many perish upon the coast.
Application. — The greatest straits and difficulties that many
saints meet with, are when they come nearest to heaven, and
have almost finished their course. Many of those who are sin
cere in their profession, and do arrive at last, yet come to
heaven, as I may say, by the gates of hell ; and put in, as a
poor weather-beaten vessel comes into the harbor, more like a
wreck than a ship. But then there are some who go in with full
sail before the wind, and have an abundant entrance ; they go
triumphing out ofthe world.
Reflection. — If this be so, how inevitable is my perdition !
may the careless soul say. If they who strive so much and go
so far, yet perish at last, and if the righteous themselves are
scarcely saved, then where shall such an ungodly creature as I
appear ? O let me not stick my death-bed full of thorns, against
I come to lie down upon it.

The Joy of Sailors on drawing near to Land.
Observation. — What joy is there among seamen, when at
last, after a tedious and dangerous voyage, they descry land,
and see the desired haven before them ! Now they can reflect
with comfort upon the many dangers they have passed ; it is
sweet to recount them.
Application. — But O what a trancendent joy, yea, ravishing,
will overrun the hearts of saints when, after so many conflicts,
temptations, and afflictions, they arrive in glory, and are har
bored in heaven, where they shall rest for ever ! As soon as
ever they set foot upon that glorious shore, Christ himself
meets and receives them with a " Come ye blessed of my Father."
O joyful voice ! O much desired word ! What tribulation would
not a man undergo for this.
Besides, then they are perfectly freed from all evils, whether of
sin or suffering, and perfectly filled with all desired good. Now

112 NAVIGATION SPIRITUALIZED.
they shall join with that great assembly, in the high praises of I
God. O what a day will this be ! No wonder then, the morn
ing stars sing together, and the sons of God shout for joy, when
the general assembly meet in heaven. O how will the arches of
heaven ring and echo, when the high praises of God shall be in
the mouth of such a congregation !
Reflection. — And is there such a day approaching for the sons
of God? and have I authority to call myself one of the number?
O then let me not droop at present difficulties. Now we are
tossed on an ocean of troubles, fears, and temptations ; but '
these tossings will make heaven the sweeter.
Cheer up then, O my soul ; yet a few days more, and then
comes that blessed day thou hast so long waited and panted for.
Oppose the glory of that day, 'to thy present sufferings, as blessed
Paul did. Oppose the inheritance thou shalt receive in that day, to
thy losses for Christ now. Oppose the honor that will be put
upon thee in that day, to thy present reproaches, and see how
easy it will make them.
Come, then, my soul, let us enter upon our inheritance, by
degrees, and begin the life of heaven upon earth.

the
FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.

THE EXCELLENCY OF THE SUBJECT.
1 Cor. ii. 2. — For I determined not to know any thmg among
you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
The apostle's preaching was not with excellency of speech, or
of wisdom ; he studied not to gratify their curiosity with rheto
rical strains, or philosophical niceties. In this text he gives the
reason, not that he contemned all other studies and knowledge ;
but so far only as they stood in competition with, or opposition to
the study and knowledge of Jesus Christ. After I have well
weighed the case, turned it round, viewed it exactly on every
side, balanced all advantages and disadvantages ; this is the
result and final determination, that all other knowledge, how profit
able, how pleasant soever, is not worthy to be named in the same
day with the knowledge of Jesus Christ. This is the scope of
the words, in which three things fall under consideration ;
First, The subject of his doctrine, Jesus Christ. Christ shall
be the centre to which all the lines of my ministry shall be drawn.
Of all the subjects in the world, this is the sweetest ; if there be
anything on this side heaven, worthy our time and studies, this is
it. Thus he magnifies his doctrine, from the excellency of its
subject, accounting all other doctrines but airy things, compared
with this.
Secondly, We have here that special respect or consideration
of Christ, which he singled out from all the rest of the excellent
truths of Christ, to spend the main strength of his ministry upon ;
and that is, Christ as crucified.
Thirdly, The manner in which he discoursed of this transcen
dent subject to them, is also remarkable ; to let them know that
his spirit was intent upon this subject, as if he neither knew, nor
cared to speak of any other. Hence observe,
Doct. That there is no doctrine more excellent in itself, or
more necessary to be preached and studied, than the doc
trine of Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
Eudoxus was so affected with the glory of the sun, that he
thought he was born only to behold it ; much more should a
Christian judge himself born only to behold and delight in the
glory of the Lord Jesus.
1st. The knowledge of Jesus Christ is the veiy marrow and
kernel of all the scriptures ; the scope and centre of all divine
revelations : both Testaments meet in Christ. The ceremonial

114 THE fountain of life.
law is full of Christ, and all the gospel is full of Christ: the
blessed lines of both Testaments meet in him.
2dly, The knowledge of Jesus Christ is a fundamental know
ledge; and foundations are most useful, though least seen.
(I.) It is fundamental to all graces ; they all begin in know-
ledge ; Col. iii. 10. " The new man is renewed in knowledge."
As the old, so the new creation begins in light.
(2.) The knowledge of Christ is fundamental to all duties.
Must a Christian believe? That he can never do without a
knowledge of Christ. Would a man exercise hope in God ? that
he can never do without the knowledge of Christ. And as you;
cannot believe or hope, so neither can you pray acceptably with
out a competent degree of this knowledge. O then, how indispen-
sible is the knowledge of Christ, to all that do address themselves
to God in any duty !
(3.) It is fundamental to all comforts : all the comforts of be
lievers are streams from this fountain. " Our rejoicing is in
Christ Jesus." Let Christ but manifest himself, and dart the
beams of his light into their souls, it will make them kiss the
stake, sing in flames, and shout in the pangs of death, as men
that divide the spoil.
Lastly, This knowledge is fundamental to the eternal happi
ness of souls. " This is life eternal, to know thee the only true
God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." And, if it be life
eternal to know Christ, then it is eternal damnation to be igno
rant of Christ.
3dly. The knowledge of Christ is profound and large ; all other
sciences are but shadows ; this is a boundless, bottomless,
ocean; no creature hath a line long enough to fathom the depth
of it; something of Christ is unfolded in one age, and something
in another, yet eternity itself cannot fully unfold him.
Athly, The study of Jesus Christ is the most noble subject that
ever a soul spent itself upon ; those that rack and torture their
brains upon other studies, like children, weaiy themselves at a
low game ; the eagle plays at the sun itself. The angels study
this doctrine, and stoop down to look into this deep abyss.
Christ in the gospel, stamps a heavenly glory upon the contem
plating soul, 1 Cor. iii. 18.
5lhly, It is the most sweet and comfortable knowledge ; to be
studying Jesus Christ, what is it but to be digging among all the
veins and springs of comfort ? and the deeper you dig, the more
do these springs flow upon you.
Secondly, Let us compare this knowledge with all other
knowledge — ,'
1. All other knowledge is natural, but this is wholly super
natural, Mat. xi. 27. The most eagle-eyed philosophers were
but children in knowledge, compared wifh the most illiterate
Christians.

the fountain of iife. 115
2. Other knowledge is unattainable by many. All the helps and
means in the world would never enable some Christians to attain
the learned arts and languages ; but men of most contemptible parts
attain, through the teaching of the Spirit, to this knowledge, in
which the more acute and ingenious are utterly blind, Mat, xi. 25 ;
1 Cor. i. 26, 27.
3. Other knowledge, though you should attain the highest de
gree of it, would never bring you to heaven. But this know
ledge hath potent influences, changing souls into its own image,
2 Cor. iii. 18. and so proves a saving knowledge unto men.
inference
1. Learn the sufficiency ofthe doctrine of Christ, to make men
wise unto salvation. Paul desired to know nothing else. Poor
Christian, be not dejected, if thou knowest Jesus Christ, thou
knowest enough to comfort and save thy soul. Many learned
philosophers are now in hell, and many illiterate Christians in
heaven. 2. If there be such excellency in the knowledge of Christ, let it
humble all that we have no more of this clear and effectual know
ledge. Sinners, concerning you I may sigh and say with the
apostle, 1 Cor. xv. 34. " Some have not the knowledge of Christ,
I speak this to your shame." O how much time is spent in
other studies, in vain discourses, frivolous pamphlets, worldly
employments ? how little in the search and study of Jesus Christ.
3. How sad is their condition that have a knowledge of Christ,
and yet, " It had been better for them not to have known," for it
exposes them thereby toa greater damnation.
4. This may inform us by what rule to judge both ministers and
doctrine. That is the best sermon, that is most full of Christ, not
of art and oratory. I know that a holy dialect well becometh
Christ's ministers, they should not be rude and careless in language
or method ; but surely the excellency of a sermon lies not in
that, but in the plainest discoveries and liveliest applications of
Jesus Christ.
5. Let all that mind the honour of religion, or the peace and com
fort of their own souls, wholly sequester and apply themselves
to the study of Jesus Christ, and him crucified. In Christ souls
have all necessaries for food and physic. All varieties of fruits,
at all times, he bears fruit every month ; there is precious fruit in
Jesus Christ, even in the black month ; winter fruits as well as
summer fruits. O then study Christ, study to know him more
extensively. Christian, I dare appeal to thy experience, whether
the experimental taste of Jesus Christ, in ordinances and duties,
has not a higher and sweeter relish than any created enjoyment
thou hast ever tasted in this world ?
Lastly, Let me close the whole with a double caution.
First, To ministers. If this doctrine be the most excellent, let
I 2

116 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
us then take heed lest, while we study to be exact in other things,
we be found ignorant in this. Shall we spend our precious time
in frivolous controversies, philosophical niceties, dry and barren
scholastic notions? O no, let the knowledge of Christ dwell
richly in us.
Secondly, Let us see that our knowledge of Christ be not a
powerless, Darren, unpractical knowledge : remember, brethren,
a holy calling never saved any man, without a holy heart ; if our
tongues only be sanctified, our whole man must be damned.
" We and our people must be judged by the same gospely>and
stand at the same bar, and be sentenced to the same terms, and
dealt with as severely as any other men :" we have a heaven to
win or lo«e, as well as others.
Thirdly, Let us take heed that we withhold not our knowledge
of Christ in unrighteousness from the people. O that our lips
may disperse knowledge and feed many. Did Christ not think
it too much to sweat blood, yea, to die for them ? and shall we
think it much to watch, study, preach, pray, and do what we can
for their salvation ? O let the same mind be in you which was
also in Christ !
Secondly, To the people that sit under the doctrine of Christ.
Take heed ye do not reject and despise this light. Surely, if ybu
thus reject knowledge, God will reject you, Hos. iv. 6. O it is
sad when your lusts master your light, and offer violence to your
own convictions. And what sad work will this make in your
souls ? How soon will it lay your consciences waste ?
Secondly, Take heed that you rest not satisfied with that know
ledge of Christ you have attained. To your work, Christians, to
your work ; let not your candle go out : count all but dross in
comparison ofthat excellency which is in the knowledge of Jesus
Christ.

CHRIST IN HIS ESSENTIAL AND PRIMEVAL GLORY.
Prov. viii. 30. — Then was I by him, as one brought up with him:
and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him.
These words are a part of that excellent commendation of
wisdom, by which in this book Solomon intends two things;
first, Grace or holiness, Prov. iv. *]. Secondly, Jesus Christ, the
fountain of that grace. My present business lies in the mutual
delights of the Father and Son, one with and in another ; the ac
count whereof we have in the text ; wherein consider,
I. The glorious condition of the non-incarnated Son of God,
described by the person with whom his fellowship was, " Then
was 1 by him," or with him as never was any, in his very bo
som, John i. 18.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. f_7
2. This fellowship is illustrated by a metaphor, wherein the
Lord will stoop to our capacities, (as " One brought up with him,")
so that, as parents delight to see their children sporting before
them, so did. the Father delight in beholding this darling of his
bosom. 3. This delight is farther amplified by the perpetuity, and un-
interruptedness thereof; " I was day by day his delights, rejoicing
always before him." Hence we observe,
Doct. That the condition and state of Jesus Christ before his
incarnation, was a state of the highest and most unspeaka
ble delight and pleasure, in the enjoyment of his Father.
John tells us he was in the bosom of his Father : to lie in the
bosom is the posture of dearest love, John xiii. 23. Now to
sketch out the unspeakable felicity of that state of Christ, whilst
he lay in that blessed bosom, I shall consider it three ways.
1. Let us consider that state negatively, by removing from it
all those degrees of abasement and sorrow which his incarnation
brought him under : as,
First, He was not then abased to tbe condition of a creature.
For God to be made man, is such an abasement as none can ex
press : but then not only to appear in true flesh, but also in the
likeness of sinful flesh, as, Rom. viii. 3. O what is this !
Secondly, Christ was not under the law in this estate. What
an unconceivable abasement to the absolute independent Being
to come under law : yea, not only under the obedience, but also
under the malediction and curse of the law, Gal. iv. 4.
Thirdly, In this state he was not liable to any of those sorrow
ful consequents ofthat frail and feeble state of humanity, which
he" afterwards assumed, with the nature. He was unacquainted
with griefs ; there was no sorrowing or sighing. He was never
pinched with poverty and wants, while he continued in that bosom,
as he was afterwards. He never underwent reproach and shame
in that bosom, there was nothing but glory and honour reflected
upon him by his Father, though afterwards he was despised, and
rejected of men, Isa. liii. 3. His holy heart was never offended
with an impure suggestion or temptation of the Devil ; all the
while he lay in that bosom. It was for our sakes that he sub
mitted to those exercises of spirit, " to be in all points tempted
like as we are, that he might be unto us a merciful and faithful
High-priest," Heb. iv. 15. There were no hidings or with-
drawings of his Father from him ; there was not a cloud from
eternity upon the face of God, till Jesus Christ had left that,
bosom. It was a new thing to Christ to see frowns in the face
of his Father ; a new thing for him to cry, " My God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me ?" Lastly, There was no death, to
which he was subject, in that bosom. ¦ All these things were new

118 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
things to Christ; he was above them all, till for our sake* he
voluntarily subjected himself unto them.
2. Let us consider it positively, to be wrapt up in the soul and
bosom of all delights, as Christ was, must needs be a state trans-;
cending apprehension ; to have the fountain of love and delight
letting out itself so immediately, and fully, and everlastingly,
upon this only darling of his soul ; judge what a state of transcen
dent felicity this must be.
Or if we consider the intimacy, dearness, yea, oneness of those
great persons one with another : the nearer the union, the sweeter
the communion. Now Jesus Christ was not only near and dear
to God, but one with him. O what matchless delights must
necessarily flow from such a blessed union !
Consider again the purity of that delight ; the best creature-
delights are debased, and allayed ; if there be something ravish
ing and engaging, there is also something cloying and distasting.
The purer any delight is, the more excellent.
Consider the constancy of this delight ; it was from ever
lasting, it never suffered one moment's interruption. The
overflowing fountain of God's delight and love never stopped its
course, but as he speaks in the text, " I was daily his delight,
rejoicing always before him."
3. Once more, let us consider comparatively, these immense
delights, betwixt the Father and his Son. Though the delights
that creatures take in each other, be sometimes great ; such was
Jacob's delight in Benjamin, whose life is said to be bound up in
the lad's life, that of Jonathan in David, " whom he loved
as his own soul," yet all this can in no particular equal the
delights betwixt tbe Father and the Son ; for this is but a finite
delight, but that is infiinite, suitable to the infinite perfection of
the divine Being Or if you compare it with the delight that God
takes in the creatures. " The Lord takes pleasure in his saints,
"he rejoices over them with singing!" Yet there is a great
difference betwixt his delight in creatures, and his delights in
Christ ; for all his delight in the saints is secondary, and for
Christ's sake ; but his delights in Christ axe primary, and for his
own sake. So then, the condition and state of Jesus Christ before
his incarnation, was a state of high and matchless delight, in the
enjoyment of his Father. The uses follow.
INFERENCE
1 . What an astonishing act of love was this then, for the Father
to give the delight, the darling, of his soul, out of his very bosom,
for poor sinners ! All tongues must needs pause and falter, that
attempt the expressions of his grace, here you must excuse the
tongues of angels ; which of us would deliver a child, an only
child, to death for the greatest inheritance in the world? What
an outcry did David make, even for an Absalom ! wishing he had

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 119
died for him. Yet surely, never did any child lie so close to a
parent's heart, as Christ did to his Father's ; and yet he willingly
parts with him, and that to death, a cursed death, for sinners, for
the worst of sinners. O the admirable love of God to men !
matchless love ! a love past finding out.
2. From one wonder let our souls turn to another, for we are now
in the midst of wonders : adore, and be for ever astonished at
the love of Jesus Christ to poor sinners ; that ever he should
consent to leave such a bosom, and the ineffable delights that
were there, for such poor worms as we are. O the heights,
depths, lengths, and breadths of unmeasurable love ! Rom. v. 6,
7, 8. read, and wonder. What manner of love is this ! Who ever
loved as Christ loves ? Who ever denied himself for Christ, as
Christ denied himself for us ?
3. Hence we are informed, that interest in Jesus Christ is the
true way to all spiritual preferment in heaven. Do you covet to
be in the heart, in the favour and delight of God ? Get interest in
Jesus Christ, and you shall presently be there. You see among
men, all things are carried by interest : So it is in heaven, persons
are preferred according to their interest in the beloved, Eph. i. 9.
4. How worthy is Jesus Christ of all our love and delights ? You
see how infinitely the Father delighteth in him, how he ravishes
the heart of God ; and shall he not ravish our hearts ? I present
you a Christ this day : when you spend your precious affections
upon other objects, what is it but to dig for dross with golden
mattocks ? The Lord direct our hearts into the love of Christ.
5. If Christ be the beloved darling of the Father's soul, think
what a grievous and insufferable thing it is to the heart of God, to see
his dear Son despised, slighted, and rejected by sinners : verily,
there is no such cut to the heart of God in the whole world. Un
believers trample upon God's darling, tread under foot him that
eternally lay in his bosom. O sinners ! you shall one day know
the price of this sin. O that you would slight him no more ! O
that this day your hearts might fall in love with him !
2. Use of Exhortation
I. To saints : If Christ lay eternally in this bosom of love, and
yet was content to forsake and leave it for your sakes ; then, (1 .)
Be you ready to forsake and leave all the comforts you have on
earth for Christ : Peter, and the other Apostles left all : surely
Christ is the highest pattern of self-denial in the world. (2.) Let
this confirm your faith in prayer : If he, that has such an interest
in the heart of God, intercede with the Father for you, then never
doubt of audience and acceptance with him. (3.) Let this en
courage thy heart, O saint, in' a dying hour; comfort ye one
another with these words, I am leaving the bosom of a creature,
I am going to the bosom of God.
2. To sinners, exhorting them to embrace the bosom-son of

120 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
God: Poor wretches ! Whatever you are, or have been; embrace
Christ, who is freely offered to you> and you shall be dear to God,
continue to despise and neglect such a Saviour, and sorer wrath
is treasured up for you than other sinners. O that these disco
veries and overtures of Christ may never come to such a fatal
issue with any of your souls, in whose eyes his glory hath been
this day opened !
THE COVENANT OF REDEMPTION BETWIXT THE
FATHER AND THE REDEEMER.
Isa. liii. 12. — Therefore will I divide him a portion with Ike
great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he
hath poured out his soul unto death : and he was numbered
with the transgressors, and he bare the sin of many, and made
intercession for the transgressors.
In this chapter, the gospel seems to be epitomized ; the subject-
matter of it is the death of Christ, and the glorious issue thereof:
by reading of it, the Eunuch of old, and many Jews since, have
been converted to Christ.
In this verse we have, 1. His work. 2. His reward. 3. The
respect or relation of each to the other. (1.) His work, which
was indeed a hard work, to pour oid his soul unto death. (2.)
The reward or fruit which is promised, " therefore will I divide
him a portion with the great, and he will divide the spoil with
the strong ;" wherein is a plain allusion to conquerors in war,
for whom are reserved the richest garments, and most honoura
ble captives to follow the conqueror, as an addition to his mag
nificence and triumph ; these were wont to come after them in
chains, Isa. xiv. 14. Judges v. (3.) The respect or relation be
twixt that work and this triumph ; of all which this is the plain
result :
Doct. That the business of tnan's salvation was transacted
upon covenant terms, betwixt the Father and the Son, from
all eternity.
Now, to open this great point, we will here consider.
(1.) The persons transacting and dealing with each other in
this covenant ; and indeed they are great persons, God the Father,
and God the Son ; the former as a Creditor, and the latter as a
Surely. The Father stands upon satisfaction, the Son engages
to give it. The Spirit hath another office assigned him, even to
apply the redemption designed by the Father, and purchased by
the Son for us.
(2.) The business transacted betwixt them ; and that was the
redemption and recovery of all God's elect. How these may
again be restored to happiness without prejudice to the honour,
justice and truth of God ; this, this is the business that lay be
fore them.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 121
• . (3.) For the manner, or quality of the transaction, it was fede-
. ral, or of the nature of a covenant.
And as the Father stood strictly upon the terms ofthe covenant,
so did Christ.also ; John xvii. 45. " I have glorified thee on earth,
I have finished the work thou gavest me to do ; and now, Fa
ther, glorify me with thine own self." As if he had said, Father,
the work is done, now where are the wages I was promised ?
The Father engages to him to seal him a threefold commission.
He promiseth to invest him with an eternal and royal Priest
hood, Psal. ex. 4. " The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent ;
Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec."
He promiseth moreover to make him a Prophet, and that an
extraordinary one, as much superior to all others, as the sun is
to the lesser stars ; so you have it, Isa. xlii. 6, 7.
And not only so, but to make him king also, and that of the
whole empire of the world ; so Psal. ii. 6, 8. Thus he promiseth
to qualify , and furnish him completely for the work, by his
investiture with this threefold office.
, Secondly, And forasmuch as he knew it was a hard and diffi
cult work, a work that would have broken the backs of all the
angels in heaven, and men on earth, had they engaged in it ;
therefore he promiseth to stand by him, and assist and strengthen
him for it: so Isa. xlii. 5, 6, 7. the same promise you have in
the first verse also, " Behold my servant whom I uphold."
Thirdly, He promiseth to crown his work with success, and
bring it to an happy issue, Isa. liii. 10. " He shall see his seed,
he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall
prosper in his hand."
Fourthly, The Father promiseth to accept him in his work,
though millions should certainly perish, Isa. xlix. 4. " Surely
(saith he) I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord." And
in his work, even while he was upon the earth, there came a
voice from the excellent glory, saying, This is my beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased."
Fifthly, He also engaged to reward him highly for his work, by
exalting him to singular and super-eminent glory and honour.
So you read, Psal. ii. 7. " The Lord hath said unto me, Thou
art my Son, this day have I begotten thee." It is spoken of
the day of his resurrection, as if the Father had said, now thou
hast again recovered thy glory, and this day is to thee as a new
birth-day, These are the encouragements and rewards proposed and pro
mised to him by the Father. " This was the joy set before him,"
(as the apostle phraseth it in Heb. xii. 2.) which made him so
patiently to " endure the cross, and despise the shame."
And thus you see the articles to which they both subscribed,
or the terms they agreed on.
(5.) .These articles, and agreements were on both parts, per-

122 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
formed, (1.) The Son having thus consented, took a body and
in it fulfilled all righteousness, so that he could say, " Father,.!
have glorified thee on earth, I have finished the work thou
gavest me to do." (2.) The Father made good his engager
ments to Christ, to reward and exalt him ; and so he hath, " giving
him a name above every name in heaven and earth."
(6.) When was this compact made betwixt the Father and
the Son ? I answer, it bears date from eternity, 2. Tim. i. 9.
What grace was that which was given us in Christ before the world
began, but this grace of redemption, which was from everlastf*
thus contrived and designed for us.
Next let us apply it to ourselves.
Use 1. The first use that offers itself to us from hence, is ,
abundant security that God hath given the elect for their salvation.
Happy were it, if perplexed Christians would turn their eyes
from the defects that are in their obedience, to the fulness and
completeness of Christ's obedience ; and see themselves complete
in him, when most defective in themselves. ;
2. Hence also be informed, that God the Father, and God
the /Sow, do mutually rely and trust to one another in the business
ofour redemption. The Father relies upon the Son for the per
formance of his part ; and upon the credit of his promise to come
into the world, and in the fulness of time to become a sacrifice
for the elect, he saved all the Old-Testament saints, whose faith
also respected a Christ to come. And as the Father trusted
Christ, so doth Christ, in like manner, depend upon, and trust
his Father. " That he shall see his seed," &c. He depends
upon his Father for all the elect that are left behind, yet unrege-
nerated, as well as those already called, that they shall be all
preserved unto the heavenly kingdom. r
Use 3. Moreover, hence we infer the validity and unquestion
able success of Christ's intercession in heaven for believers. For
here you see that the things he now asks of his Father, are the
very same which his Father promised him, and covenanted to
give him, before this world was. So that, besides the interest of
the person, the very equity of the matter speaks its success, and
requires performance. Whatever he asks for us, is due to
him as the wages of an hireling, when the work is ended.
Use 4. Hence, in like manner, you maybe informed of the
consistency of grace with full satisfaction to the justice of God,
" We are saved according to his own purpose and grace, which
" was given us in Jesus Christ before the world began." ue.
According to the gracious terms of this covenant of redemption.
" Being justified freely by his grace ; through the redemption
" that is in Christ."
Use 5. Again, Hence judge ofthe antiquity ofthe love of God
lo believers ! what an ancient friend he hath been to us ; who
loved us, provided for us, and contrived all our happiness, before
we were, yea, before the world was.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 123
• Use 6. Hence judge, How reasonable it is that believers should
embrace the hardest terms of obedience unto Christ, who complied
wilh such hard terms for their salvation : they were hard and
difficult terms indeed, on which Christ received you from the
Father's hand : it was, as you have heard, to pour out his soul
unto death.
Blush then, ungrateful believers, O let shame cover your faces;
judge in yourselves now, hath Christ deserved that you should
stand with him for trifles, that you should shrink at a few petty
difficulties, and complain, this is hard, and that is harsh ? O if
you knew the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in this his wonder
ful condescension for you, you could not do it.
Use 7. Lastly, How greatly are we all concerned lo make it
sure lo ourselves, that we are of this number ; that we were com
prehended in Christ's engagement and compact with the Father?
This we may know, without ascending into heaven, or prying
into unrevealed secrets. If you are believers indeed ; all such
the Father gave to Christ, John xvii. 8. If you savingly know
God in Jesus Christ, such were given him by the Father, John
xvii. 6. If you are not of the world, if you are crucified and
dead to it, and are strangers in it, if you keep Christ's word by
the receiving of its sanctifying effects and influences into your
hearts, and practice it to the end ? happy are ye. Blessed and
happy is that soul upon which these characters appear, which our
Lord Jesus hath laid so close together, within the compass of a
few verses, in this xvii. chapter of John. These are the persons
the Father delivered unto Christ, and he accepted from the Father,
in this blessed covenant.

THE ADMIRABLE LOVE OF GOD IN GIVING HIS
OWN SON FOR US.
John iii. 16. — For God so loved the world, that he gave his only
begotten Son, fyc.
You have heard of the gracious purpose and design of God, to
recover poor sinners to himself by Jesus Christ, and how this
design of love was laid and contrived in the covenant of redemp
tion, whereof we last spake.
In these words are to be considered.
1 . The original spring or fountain of our best mercies, the
love of God.
The love of beneficence, is that which this scripture speaks of;
out of this fountain Christ flowed to us, and both ran into that of
complacency ; for therefore he both purposed and actually be
stowed Christ on ns, that he might everlastingly delight in
beholding the glory and praise of all this reflected on himself, by
his redeemed ones. This then is the fountain of our mercies.
2. The mercy flowing out of this fountain, and that is Christ.
The marrow, kernel, and substance of all other mercies. This

121 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
was the birth of that love, " he so loved the world ;" but how
much, the tongues of angels cannot declare. And moreover, to
enhance the mercy, he is stiled his only begotten Son: to have
given a Son had been wonderful ; but to give his only begotten
Son, that is love inexpressible, unintelligible.
3. The objects of this love, here called the world. The word
is put to signify the elect, because they are scattered through all
parts, and are among all ranks of men in the world ; these are
the objects of this love ; it is not angels, but men, that were so
loved. 4. The manner in which this never-enough celebrated mercy
flows to us, from the fountain of divine love, and that is most free-
ly and spontaneously. He gave, the Father gave him out of
good will to men, and he as willingly bestowed himself on that
service. Hence the note is,
Doct. That the gift of Christ is the highest and fullest mani
festation ofthe love of God to sinners, that ever was made
from eternity.
How is this gift of God to sinners signalized, 1 John iv. 10.
"Herein is love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us,
and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins ?" " Herein
is love," as if there were love in nothing else ! To have- a
being among the rational creatures, therein is love ? To have
our life carried so many years like a taper in the hand of Provi
dence, through so many dangers, therein is love ? To haye food
and raiment, convenient for us, beds to lie on, relations to com
fort us, in all these is love ? Yea, but if you speak comparative!^
in all these there is no love, to the love expressed in sending or
giving Christ for us : These are great mercies in themselves ;
but compared to this mercy, they are all swallowed up, as the
light of candles when brought into the sun-shihe.
1. How was Jesus Christ given by the Father, and whatis
implied therein.
You are not so to understand it, as though God parted with
his interest and property in his Son,, when he is said to give him;
he was as much his own as ever ; but this giving of Christ im
plies, (1.) His designati6n and appointment unto death for us; for
so you read, that it was done "according to the determinate
counsel of God," Acts ii. 23.
(2.) His giving Christ, implies a parting with him, or setting
him at some distance from himself for a time. Oh ! this was it
that so deeply pierced, and wounded his soul, as is evident from
that complaint, Psal. xxii. 1,2." My God, my God, why hast
thou forsaken me."
(3.) God's giving of Christ, implies his delivering him into
the hands of justice to be punished; even as condemned persons

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 125
are, by sentence of law, given or delivered into the hands of exe
cutioners. The Lord, when the time was come, did, as it were,
say, O all yeroaring waves of my incensed justice, now swell
as high as heaven, and go over his soul and body. And ye
assembly of the wicked Jews and Gentiles, that have so long
gaped for his blood, now he is delivered into your hands ; you
are permitted to execute your malice to the full : 1 now loose
your chain, and into your hand and power is he delivered.
(.4.) God's giving of Christ, implies his application of him,
with all the purchase of his blood, and settling all this upon us,
as an inheritance and portion, John vi. 32, 33. " My Father
giveth you the true bread from heaven ; for the bread of God is he
which cometh down from heaven."
. 2. How this gift of Christ was the highest, and fullest manifes
tation ofthe love of God, as will appear.
(1.) If you consider how near and dear Jesus Christ was to
the Father ; he was his Son, " his only Son," saith the text; the
Son of his love, the darling of his Soul. A late writer tells us,
that in the famine in Germany, a poor family being ready to
perish, the husband made a motion to the wife, to sell one ofthe
children for bread, to relieve themselves and the rest : The wife
at last consents ; but then they began to think which of the four
should be sold ; and when the eldest was named, they both refused
to part with that, being their first-born. Well, then they came
to the second, but could not yield, that being the very picture
and lively image of his father. The third was named, but that
also was a child that best resembled the mother. And when the
youngest was thought on, that was the Benjamin, the child of
their old age ; and so were content rather to perish altogether in
the famine, than to part with a child for relief. And yet our
dearest children are but as strangers to us, in comparison of the
unspeakable dearness betwixt the Father and Christ. Such a
manifestation of love, will be admired to all eternity. And then,
(2.) Let it be considered, To what he gave him, to be made
a curse for us ; to be the scorn and contempt of men ; to the most
unparalleled sufferings that ever were inflicted or borne by any.
It breaks our heart, to behold our children striving in tlie pangs
of death : but the Lord beheld his Son struggling under agonies
that never any felt before him.
(3.) It is a special consideration to enhance the love of God
in giving Christ, that in giving him he gave the richest jewel in
his cabinet. Ten thousand thousand worlds, saith one, as many
worlds as angels can number, and then as a new world of angels
can multiply, would not all be the bulk of a balance, to weigh
Christ's excellency, love, and sweetness. Christ is heaven's
wonder, and earth's wonder.
(4.) Once more, let it be considered on whom the Lord be
stowed his Son : upon angels ? No, but upon men. Upon man

126 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
his friend ? No, but upon his enemies. This is love : O love
unspeakable !
(5.) Lastly, Let us consider how freely this gift came from
him : It was not wrested out of his hand by our importunity j for
we as little desired as deserved it : It was surprising, preventing.
eternal love, that delivered him to us : " Not that we loved hiffif
but he first loved us."
Corollary 1. Learn hence, The exceeding preciousness of souls,
and at what a high rate God values them. God would not have
parted with such a Son for small matters : all the world could
not redeem them ; gold and silver could not be their ransom ;
" but the precious blood of Christ." Oh then, learn to put a due
value upon your own souls : do not sell that cheap, which God
hath paid so dear for : " What shall a man give in exchange for
his soul ?"
Corollary 2. If God has given his own Son for the world, then
it follows, that those for whom God gave his Son, vnay warrant
ably expect any other temporal mercies from him, Rom. viii. 32.
" All the Turkish empire," saith Luther, " is but a crumb which
the master of the family throws to the dogs." Think upon any
outward enjoyment, and there is not so much comparison betwixt
it and Christ, in the esteem of God, as is betwixt your dear chil
dren and the lumber of your houses, in your esteem. If then
God has parted so freely from that which was infinitely dearer to
him than these ; how shall he deny these, when they may promote
his glory, and your good. • -%.
Corollary 3. If the greatest love hath been manifested in givirigf J
Christ to the world, then if follows, that the greatest evil and}*
wickedness is manifested in despising, slighting, and rejecting
Christ. Blush, O heavens, and be astonished, O earth ; yea, be, .
ye horribly afraid ! No guilt like this. But, are there any such
in the world? Witness the lamentable stupidity and supineness|fji
witness the contempt of the gospel ; witness the hatred and per
secution of his image, laws and people. What is the language
of all this, but a vile esteem of Jesus Christ ?
And now, let me expostulate with those ungrateful souls. What
is that mercy which you so contemn and undervalue ? is it indeed
worth no more than this in your eyes ? Surely you will not be
long of that opinion ! Will you be of that mind, think you, when
death and judgment shall have thoroughly awakened you ! Oh, no:
Then a thousand worlds for a Christ! as it is storied of Richard,
when he lost the field ; Oh now, (said he) a kingdom for a horse!
Could you but hear in what a dialect the saved of the Lord do
extol their Saviour ; or could you but imagine the self-revenges,
the self-torments, which the damned suffer for their folly, and
what a value they would set upon one tender of Christ, you would
see that such as you are the only despisers of Christ. Beside,
methinks it is astonishing, that you should despise a mercy in

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 127
which your own souls are so deeply, so everlastingly concerned.
What ! will you slight your own souls ? care you not whether
they be saved, or whether they be damned ? is it indeed an indif
ferent thing with you which way they fall at death ? have you
imagined a tolerable hell ? is it easy to perish ? are you not only
turned God's enemies, but your own too ? Oh see what monsters
sin can turn men and women into ! Oh the stupifying, besotting,
intoxicating power of sin. Poor soul ! how dost thou cheat thy
self? but it will not be long.
Go trifle away a few days more, sleep out a few nights more,
and then lie down in the dust, till the trump of God shall awaken
thee, and thine eyes shall behold Jesus coming in the clouds of
heaven, and then thou wilt know the price of this sin. But Oh,
if you have any concernments more than the beasts that perish,
despise not your own offered mercies, slight not the richest gift
that ever was yet opened to the world ; and a sweeter cannot be
opened to all eternity.

OF CHRST'S WONDERFUL PERSON.
John i. 14. — And the Word was made Flesh, and dwelt among
us, $c.
Two natures united, in the wonderful person of our Immanuel,
is the first part of the great mystery of godliness : a subject stu
died and adored by angels ! and the mystery thereof is wrapped
up in this text. Wherein we have,
1 . The Person assuming the Word, i. e. the second Person
or Subsistent in the most glorious Godhead, called the Word,
either because he is the scope or principal matter, both of the
prophetical and promissory word ; or because he expounds and
reveals the mind and will of God to men, as verse 18.
2. The Nature assumed, Flesh, i. e. the entire human nature,
consisting of a true human soul and body.
3. The assumption itself, he was made ; not he was, he took
the true human nature into the unity of his divine person, with all
its integral parts and essential properties ; and so was made, or
became a true and real man, by that assumption.
(2.) This assertion is strongly confirmed. He " dwelt among
us," and we saw his glory. This was no phantasm, but a most
real and indubitable thing.
Doct. Thai Jesus Christ did really assume the true and perfect
nature of man, into a personal union with his divine nature,
and still remains true God, and true man, in one person for
ever.
The proposition contains one of the deepest mysteries of god
liness, 1 Tim. iii. 16. A mystery, by which apprehension is

128 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
dazzled, invention astonished, and all expression swallowed up.
If ever the tongues of angels were desirable to explicate any word
of God, they are so here. Great is the interest ofthe words in this
doctrine. 1 will open,
First, The nature of this union ; and, for the more distinct and
perspicuous management thereof, I shall speak to it both nega
tively and positively.
1. Negatively. Think not when Christ assumed our nature,
that it was united consubstantially, so as three persons in the
Godhead are united among themselves.
2. Nor yet that they are united physically, as soul and body
are united in one person ; for death actually dissolves that ; but
this is indissoluble.
3. Nor yet is it such a mystical union, as is between Christ
and believers. Indeed that is a glorious union ; but though be
lievers are said to be in Christ, and Christ in them, yet they are
not one person with him.
Secondly, Positively. But this assumption of which I speak, is
that whereby the second Person in the Godhead did take the hu
man nature into a personal union with himself, by virtue whereof
the manhood subsists in the second person, yet without confusion,
both making but one person, or Immanuel, God with us.
To explicate this mystery more particularly, let it be con
sidered ;
First, The human nature was united to the second person
miraculously and extraordinarily, being extraordinarily produced,?
was a most pure and holy thing, Luke i. 35. And indeed^p_.
was absolutely necessary, both in order to its union with the di
vine Person, and the design of that union ; which was both to
satisfy for, and to sanctify us.
Secondly, As it was produced miraculously, so it was assumed,
integrally ; Christ took a complete and perfect human soul and
body, with all and every faculty and member pertaining to it_ *
He designed a perfect recovery, by sanctifying us wholly in soul,
body, and spirit ; and therefore assumed the whole in order to it.
Thirdly, He assumed our nature, as with all its integral parts,
so with all its sinless infirmities. And therefore it behoved him
to be made like unto his brethren. Wherein the gracious conde
scension of Christ for us is marvellously signalized, that he would
not assume our innocent nature, as it was in Adam before the
fall, while it stood in all its primitive glory and perfection ; but
after sin had quite defaced, ruined, and spoiled it.
Fourthly, The human nature is so united with the divine, as
that each nature still retains its own essential properties distinct.
And this distinction is not, nor can be lost by that union. So that
the two understandings, wills, powers, fyc. viz. The divine and
human, are not confounded ; but a line of distinction runs betwixt
them still in this wonderful person.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 129
Fifthly, The union ofthe two natures in Christ, is an insepa
rable union ; so that from the first moment thereof, there never
was, nor to eternity shall be, any separation of them.
The natural union betwixt his soul and body was dissolved by
death for a time, but this hypostatical union remained even then
as entire and firm as ever.
Some adumbrations and imperfect similitudes of it may be found
in nature, as that of the Cyon and the tree or stock, which have
two natures, yet make but one tree. The Misletoe and the Oak,
which have different natures ; and the Misletoe subsists in union
with the Oak, still retaining the difference of nature ; and though
making but one tree, yet bears different fruits.
Secondly, For the effects, or immediate results of this mar
vellous union, let these three be well considered.
1 . The two natures being thus united in the person of the Me
diator, the properties of each nature are attributed to, and do truly
agree in the whole person ; so that it is proper to say, the Lord
of glory was crucified. Yet we do not believe that one nature
doth transfuse or impart its properties to the other, or that it is
proper to say the divine nature suffered, bled, or died ; or the
human is omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent. The right under
standing of this would greatly assist, in teaching the true sense
of many dark passages in the scriptures.
2. Another fruit of this hypostatical union, is the singular ad
vancement of the human nature in Christ, far beyond and above
what it is capable of in any other person. Christ is worshipped
as Mediator, and to be worshipped as Mediator, and as God, are
not opposite, but the one is necessarily included in the other.
3. Hence, follow, as another excellent fruit of this union, The
concourse and co-operation of each nature to his mediatory
works; for in them he acts according to both natures : the human
nature suffering, sweating, bleeding, dying ; and his divine nature
stamping all these with infinite value ; and so both sweetly con
cur unto one glorious work and design of mediation.
Thirdly, The last thing to be opened is the grounds and rea
sons of this assumption.
As Priest, had he not been man, he could have shed no blood ;
and if not God, it had been no adequate value for us, Heb. ii. 17.
Acts iii. 28.
As King, had he not been man, he had been an heterogeneous,
and so no fit head for us. And if not God, he could neither rule
nor defend his body the Church.
Use 1 . Let all Christians rightly inform their minds in this
truth, and hold it fast against all subtle adversaries. The learned
Hooker observes, that the dividing of Christ's person, which is
but one, and the confounding of his natures, which are two, hath
been the occasion of those errors, which have so greatly disturbed
the peace of the church. The Arians denied his deity, levelling
K

130 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
him with other mere men. The Apollinarians maimed his huma
nity. The Euty chians confounded both natures in Christ, denying
any distinction of them.
But ye (beloved) have not so learned Christ. Ye know he is
true and very God ; true and very man, and that these two natures
make but one person, being united inseparably.
Use 2. Adore the love of the Father, and the Son, who bid
so high for your souls, and at this rate were contented you
should be recovered.
1. The love of the Father is herein admirably conspicuous,
who so vehemently willed our salvation, that he was content to
degrade the darling of his soul to so vile and contemptible a state.
" God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotton Son."
2. And how astonishing is the love of Christ, that would make
such a stoop as this to exalt us ! Oh, it is ravishing to think, he,
should pass by a more excellent and noble species of creatures,
refusing the angelic nature, Heb. ii. 16. to take flesh, that he
might sensibly taste what relish death hath, and what bitterness
is in those pangs and agonies. Oh that you would get your hearts ,
suitably impressed and affected with these high impressures #_.
the love both ofthe Father and the Son !
Use 3. And here infinite wisdom has also left a famous and
everlasting mark of itself; which invites, yea, even chains the
eyes of angels and men to it. Had there been a general
council of angels, to advise upon a way of recovering poor sinners.
they would all have been at an everlasting demur and loss about
it. It could not have entered their thoughts,, that ever mercy,
pardon, and grace, should find such a way as this to issue forth
from the heart of God to the hearts of sinners.
Use 4. Hence also we infer the incomparable sweetness ofthe
Christian religion that shews poor sinners such a foundation
to rest their trembling consciences upon. While poor distress
ed souls look to themselves, they are perpetually puzzled. But
now we see God coming down in flesh, and so intimately uniting
our flesh to himself, that eternal love, springing forth triumphantly
from it, flourishes into pardon, grace, and peace.
Use 5. Of how great concernment is it, that Christ should
have union with our particular persons, as well as with our
common nature ? For by this union with our nature alone, never
any man was, or can be saved. Yea, this union with our na
tures, is utterly in vain to you, except he have union with your
persons by faith also ; and yet do you refuse him, and shut your
hearts against him?
I doubt not but the devils themselves, who now tempt you to
reject, will, to all eternity, upbraid your folly for rejecting this
great salvation, which in this excellent way is brought down,
even to your own doors/

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 131
Use 6. If Jesus Christ has assumed our nature, then he is
sensibly touched with the infirmities that attend it, and so hath
pity and compassion for us, under all our burdens. O what a
comfort is this to us, that he who is our High-Priest in heaven,
hath our nature on him, to enable him to take compassion on us !
Use 7. Hence we see, to what a height God intends to build
up the happiness of man, in that he hath laid the foundation
thereof so deep, in the incarnation of his own Son.
They that intend to build high, use to lay the foundation low.
The happiness and glory of our bodies, as well as souls, are
founded in Christ's taking our flesh upon him : for, therein, as in
a model or pattern, God intended to shew what in time he re
solves to make of our bodies ; for he will transform our vile
bodies, and make them one day conformable to the glorious body
of Jesus Christ.
Use 8. Liastly, How wonderful a comfort is it, that he who
dwells in our flesh is God? What joy may not a poor believer
make out of this ? Let me beNa sinner, and worse than the chief
of sinners, yea, a guilty devil ; yet when I say my Christ is
God, I have said all things, I can say no more. I would I could
build as much on this, as it would bear : I might lay all the
world upon it.
God will never divorce the believing soul, after he hath marri
ed our nature to his own Son, by the hypostatical, and our per
sons also, by the blessed mystical union.

OF THE AUTHORITY BY WHICH CHRIST, AS ME
DIATOR, ACTED.
John vi. 27. — For him hath God the Father sealed.
This scripture is a part of Christ's excellent reply to a self-
ended generation, who followed him, not for any spiritual excel
lencies that they saw in him, or soul-advantages they expected
by him, but for bread. Instead of making his service their meat
and drink, they only served him, that they might eat and drink.
Self is a thing may(creep into the best hearts and actions ; but it
only predominates in the hypocrite.
In these words are three parts observable.
1. The person sealing or investing Christ with authority and
power; which is said to be God ihe Father. Though all the
persons in the Godhead are equal in nature, dignity and power,
yet in their operation there is an order observed ; the Father
sends the Son, the Son is sent by the Father, the Holy Ghost is
sent by both.
2. The subject in which God the Father lodges this authority,
[Him] that is, the Son of man. Jesus Christ. God the Father
k2

132 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
hath so sealed him, as he never sealed any other before him, or
shall after him. No name is given in heaven, or earth, but this
name by which we are saved. " The government is upon his
shoulders." 3. Here is farther observable, the way and manner of the Fa
ther's delegating and committing this authority to Christ ; and
that is, by sealing him. Like as princes, by sealed credentials,.
confirm the authority of those that are sent by them.
Doct. That Jesus Christ did not of himself undertake the
work of our redemption, hut was solemnly sealed unto that
work by God the Father.
When I say, he did not of himself undertake this work, I mean
not that he was unwilling to go about it, for his heart was as fully
and ardently engaged in it, as the Father's was : so he tells us,
Psal. xl. 7. " Lo, I come to do thy will, O God ; thy law is in
my heart," But the meaning is, he came not without a due call,
and full commission from his Father. And this the apostle plainly
expresseth, and fully clear ; Heb. v. 4, 5. Our present business,
then, is to open Christ's commission, and to view the great'seal
of heaven by which it was ratified.
First, What was that office, or work, to which his Father seal
ed him ? I answer, more generally, he was sealed to the whole
work of mediation for us, thereby to recover and save all the electj
whom the Father had given him.
1. God sealed him a commission to preach the glad tidings of
salvation to sinners. This commission Christ opened and readifH
the audience of the people, Luke iv. 1 7. " The Spirit of the Lord
is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel
to the poor. And he began to say unto them, This day is this
scripture fulfilled in your ears."
2. He also sealed him to the Priesthood, and that the most ex
cellent ; authorizing him to execute both the parts of it, viz. obla
tory and intercessory. He called him to offer up himself a
sacrifice for us. He also called him to intercede for us ; and his
sacrifice is virtually continued, in his living for ever to make
intercession, verse 24.
3. He called him to his regal office ; he was set upon the high
est throne of authority by his Father's commission, Matth. xxviii.
18. " All power in heaven and earth is given to me."
Secondly, What doth the Father's sealing of Christ to this work
and office imply . There are divers things implied in it : As,
1. The validity and efficacy of all his mediatory acts. For, by
virtue of this his sealing whatever he did was fully ratified. And
in this very thing lies much of a believer's comfort and security.
Had Christ come from heaven, and entered upon his mediatory
work without a due call, our faith had been stumbled at the very
threshold ; but this greatly satisfies.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 133
2. It imports the great obligation lying upon Jesus Christ to be
faithful in the work he was sealed to : for, the Father, in this com
mission, devolves a great trust upon him. And he reckons himself
under a necessity of punctual and precise obedience to it ; and, as
a faithful servant, will have his own will swallowed up in his
Father's will.
3. It imports Christ's complete qualification, or instrumental
fitness to serve the Father's design and end of our recovery. Zeal
and love to his Father carried him on through all his work, and
made him delight in the hardest piece of his service. Had he not
been thus faithful, zealous, full of love, prudent, and self-denying,
he had never been employed in this great affair.
4. lt implies Christ's sole authority in the church, to appoint
and enjoin what he pleaseth ; and this is his peculiar prerogative.
For, the commission God sealed him in the text, is a single, not
a joint commission ; he hath sealed him, and none beside him,
Thirdly, Let us enquire how God the Father sealed Jesus
Christ. I. By solemn designation to this work. He singled him out
and set him apart for it: and therefore the prophet Isaiah, chap.
xlii. 1, calls him God's elect. And the apostle Peter, 1 Pet. ii. 4.
Chosen of God.
2. He was sealed, not only by solemn designation, but also
supereminent and unparalleled sanctification. He was anointed,
as well as appointed to it. The Lord filled him with the Spirit,
and that without measure, to qualify him for this service. " The
" Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to
preach," &c.
3. Christ was sealed by the Father's immediate testimony from
heaven. And God gave this extraordinary testimony of him at
two remarkable seasons ; the one was just at his entrance on his
public ministry, Mat. iii. ult. the other but a little before his
sufferings, Matth. xvii. 5. By this God owned, approved, and
as by a seal ratified his work.
4. Christ was sealed by the Father, in all those extraordinary
miraculous works wrought by him, in which the Father gave yet
more full and convincing testimonies to the world, that this was
he whom he had appointed to be our Mediator.
Fourthly, We will enquire why it was necessary Christ should
be sealed by his Father to this work.
1 . Else he had not corresponded with the types which prefigur
ed him. Under the Law, the kings and high priests had their
inaugurations by solemn unctions ; in all which this consecration,
or sealing of Christ, was shadowed out.
2. Moreover, hereby the hearts of believers are the more enga
ged to love the Father, inasmuch as it appears hereby that the
Father's love, was the original and spring of their redemption.
3. And especially Christ would not come without a commis-

134 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
sion, because, else you had no ground for your faith in him? If
he had come without his credentials from heaven, who could have
rested on his testimony ? And that is the true meaning of, John
v. 31. " If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true."
Let us next improve this.
Inf. 1 . Hence we infer the unreasonableness of infidelity, and how
little the rejecters of Christ can have to pretend for their so doing.
You see he hath opened his commission in the gospel, shewn the
world his Father's hand and seal to it, given us ample satisfaction.
But, Oh the brutish obstinacy, and devilish enmity, that is in our
nature to Jesus Christ ! Devilish did I say ? You must give me
that word again, for he compelled the devil's assent ; " We
know thee, who thou art." But in all this, we must adore the
justice of God, permitting it to be so, giving men up to such
unreasonable Obstinacy and hardness. It is a sore plague that
lies upon the world, and a wonder that we all are not ingulphed
in the same infidelity.
Inf. 2. If Christ was sealed to his work by his Father, then"
how great is the sin of those thai reject and despise such as are
sent and sealed by Jesus Christ ; " As thou hast sent me into
the world, even so have I also sent them into the world," John
xvii. 18. And, " As my Father hath sent me, so have I sent
you." You may think it a small matter to despise or reject a
minister of Christ, but hear, and let it be a warning to you for
ever. You that' set yourselves against a minister of Christ, set
yourselves against God the Father, and God the Son ; Luke x. 16.
" He that heareth you, heareth me ; and he that despiseth you,
despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that
sent me." And, by the way, this may instruct ministers, that
the way to maintain that veneration and respect that is due to
them, in the consciences of their hearers, is by keeping close to
their commission.
Inf. 3. Hence also we infer, how great an evil it is to intrude
into the office ofthe ministry without a due call : It is more than
Christ himself would do ; the honours and advantages attending
that office, have invited many, to run before they were sent. But
surely this is an insufferable violation of Christ's order.
Inf. 4. Hence be convinced of the great efficacy that is in all
gospel ordinances duly administered : For Christ having received
full commission from his Father, and by virtue thereof having
instituted and appointed these ordinances in the church, all the
power in heaven is engaged to make them good, to back and se
cond them, to confirm and ratify them. And he hath promised
to be with his officers, to the end ofthe world. O therefore, when
ye come to an ordinance, come not with slight thoughts, but with
great reverence, and great expectations, remembering Christ is
there to make all good.
Inf. 5. Again, here you have another call to admire the grace

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 135
and love, both ofthe Father and Son to your souls. Was it not
wonderful grace in the Father to seal a commission for the death
of his Son, for the humbling him as low as hell, and in that method
to save you, when you might have expected he should have sealed
your Mittimus for hell, rather than a commission for your salva
tion ? And no less is the love of Christ to be wondered at, that
would accept such a commission, as this for us, and knowing that
there could be no reversing of it afterwards.
O then, love the Lord Jesus. I commend to you a sealed
Saviour this day ; O that every one that reads these lines might,
in a pang of love, cry out with the enamoured spouse, Cant. viii. 6.
" Set me as a seal upon thy heart."
Inf. 6. Once more ; Hath God sealed Christ for you ? Then
draw forth the comfort of his seating for you, and be restless Hit
ye also be sealed by him, _-¦
Remember that hereby God stands engaged, even by his own
seal, to allow and confirm whatever Christ hath done in the busi
ness ofour salvation.
Get your interest in Christ sealed to you by the Spirit, else you
cannot have the comfort of Christ's being sealed for you. Now
the Spirit commonly produces in the sealed soul, great care and
caution to avoid sin, Eph. iv. 30. Great love to God, John xiv.
22. Readiness to suffer any thing for Christ, Rom. v. 3, 4,5.
Confidence in addresses to God, 1 John v. 13, 14. and great hu
mility and self-abasement ; as in Abraham, who lay on his face
when God sealed the covenant to him, Gen. xvii. 1, 2, 3. This,
O this, brings home the sweet and good of all, when this seal is
super-added to that.

OF THE SOLEMN CONSECRATION OF THE
MEDIATOR.
John xvii. 19. — And for their sakes I sanctify myself.
Jesus Christ being fitted with a body, and authorized by a
commission, now actually devotes, and sets himself apart to his
work. [ . You have Christ's sanctifying of himself. The word is not
here to be understood for the cleansing, purifying, or making holy
that which was before unclean and unholy ; But Christ's sancti
fying himself, imports, (1.) His separation, or setting apart to be
an oblation or sacrifice. So the Dutch Annotations, I sanctify
myself, (i. e.y I give up myself for a holy sacrifice. And thus
under the Law, when any day, person, or vessel, was consecrated
and dedicated to the Lord,' it was so entirely for his use and ser
vice, that to use it afterward in any common service, was to
profane and pollute it, as you see Dan. v. 3.
2. The end of his so sanctifying himself [for their sakes.]

136 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
Where you also see that the death of Christ wholly respects us ;
he offered not for himself as other priests did, but for us, that we
may be sanctified. Christ is so in love with holiness, that at the
price of his blood he will buy it for us. Hence the observa*
tion is ;
Doct. That Jesus Christ did dedicate, and wholly set himself
apart to the work of a Mediator, for the elect's sake.
This point is a glass, wherein the eye of your faith may see
Jesus Christ preparing himself to be offered up to God for us,
fitting himself to die. Let us consider,
. First, What is implied in this phrase, " I sanctify myself,',^
And there are seven things carried in it.
1. This phrase implies the personal union ofthe two natures
in Christ ; for. what is that which he here calls himself, but the
same that was consecrated to be a sacrifice, even his human
nature ? This was the sacrifice. Greater honour cannot be done,
or greater ground of comfort proposed to us.
2. This sanctifying, or consecrating himself to be a sacrifice
for us, implies, the greatness and dreadfulness ofthat breach
which sin made betwixt God and us. You see no less a sacrifice
than Christ himself must be sanctified to make atonement All
our repentance, could we shed as many tears for sin, as there
have fallen drops of rain since the creation, could not have been
our atonement : " But God was in Christ, reconciling the world
to himself." And had he not sanctified Christ to this end, he
would have sanctified himself upon us, in judgment and fin?wi
for ever. ^
3. This sanctifying himself, implies his free and voluntary
undertaking of the toork. I sanctify myself; he would have
none think that he died out of a necessity of compulsion but out
of choice : therefore he is said to " offer up himself to God I lav
down my life of myself; no man taketh it from me"' Our
Sacrifice dedicated himself; he died out of choice, and was a fre.
will offering.
4. His sanctifying himself implies his pure and perfect holi
ness; that he had no spot or blemish in him. Those beast.
that prefigured him were to be without blemish, and none else
were consecrated to that service. So, and more than !„»!
hoved Christ to be Heb. vii. 26. « S^ch an ^pSSSe^
aV\° l\ h> ha™leSSVUndefiled' ^paratefrom iners »
And what it became him to be, he was supers .
5 His sanctifying himself for our sakes, speaks the strength
of his love to poor sinners. He did not live a moment H
act or speak a word, but it had some tendency t promote the
great design of -r salvation His incarnatiL regecte yo"
Ait... ¦' i u to us ,a chlld ls born» to «s a son is given "
All the miracles he wrought were for you', to confirm yoUfS.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 137
" When he was made a curse for us." When he hanged on that
cursed, tree, he hanged there in our room, and did but fill our
place. " And when he rose again, it was, " for our justification,"
Rom. iv. 25. When he ascended into glory, he went to prepare
places fo<r us. And when he shall return again to judge the
world, he will come for us too. " He comes to be glorified in
his saints, and admired in them that believe."
6. His sanctifying himself for us plainly speaks the vicege-
rency of his death, that it was in our room or stead. When the
priest consecrated the sacrifice, it was set apart for the people.
So it is said of the scape-goat ; Levit. xvi. 21. Thus Isa. liii,
6, 7. He stood in our room, to bear our burden.
7. His sanctifying himself, imports the extraordinariness of
his person : for il speaks him to be both Priest, Sacrifice, and
Altar, all in one. And thus you have the import of this phrase,
I sanctify myself for their sakes.
Secondly, I shall shew you briefly the habitude and respect
that all this bath to us. And,
1. Let it be considered, that he was not offered up to God for
his own sins ; for he was most holy. The priests under the law
offered for themselves, as well as .he people ; but Christ did not
so, Heb. vii. 27. " first for his own sins, and then for the peo
ple's." And indeed had he been a sinner, what value or efficacy
could have been in his sacrifice? He could not have been the
sacrifice, but would have needed one. And he could never have
suffered or died by the Father's hand, had he not been a sinner
by imputation.
2. It is not to be forgotten here, that the scriptures frequently
call the death of Christ a price, 1 Cor. vi. 20. and a ransom,
Mat. xx. 28. or counterprice. To whom then doth it relate, but
to them that were, and are in bondage and captivity ? We were
in cruel bondage and thraldom, under the tyranny of sin and Sa
tan : and it is we only that have the benefit of this ransom.
3. Either the death of Christ must relate to believers, or else
he must die in vain. As for the angels, those that stood in their
integrity needed no sacrifice, and those that fell, are totally ex
cluded from any benefit by it : he is not a Mediator for them. It
was for our sakes, that he sanctified himself. And now we may
say, Lord, the condemnation was thine, that the justification
might be mine ; tbe agony thine, that the victory might be mine ;
the vinegar and gall were^thine, that the honey and sweet might
be mine ; the curse was thine, that the blessing might be mine ;
the crown of thorns was thine, that the crown of glory might be
mine ; the death was thine, the life purchased by it mine ; thou
paidst the price that I might enjoy the inheritance.
We come next to the inferences of truth deducible from this
point, which follow.
Inference 1. If Jesus Christ did wholly set himself apart for

138 THE FOUNTAIN OF- LIFE.
believers, how reasonable is it that believers should consecrate
and set themselves apart wholly for Christ? Is he all for us,
and shall we be nothing for him ? What he was, he was for you?
Whatever he did, was done for you ; and all that he suffered^
was suffered for you. Othen, I beseech you, brethren, as your
good was Christ's end, so let his glory be your end, Rom. xii. 1.
O that you would down with self, and exalt Christ in the room
of it. ' Wo, wo is me, (saith one) that the holy profession of
Christ is made a shewy garment by many to bring home a vain
fame ; and Christ is made to serve men's ends. This is to stop.
an oven with a king's robes.'
He was so wholly given up to your service, that he refused
not the worst and hardest part of it, even bleeding, groaning,
dying-work ; his love to you sweetened all this to him. Can you
say so too; do you "account the reproaches of Christ greater
riches than the treasures of Egypt, as Moses did ?" Heb. xi. 26.
Inf. 2, If Christ hath sanctified or conseerated himself for us;
learn hence, what a horrid evil it is, to use Christ or his blood,
as a common and unsanctified thing. Yet so some do, as the
apostle speaks, Heb. x. 29. The apostate is said to tread upon
the Son of God, as if he were no better than the dirt under his
feet, and to count his blood an unholy (oj common) thing. But
wo to them that do so, they shall be counted worthy of something
worse than dying without mercy, as the apostle there speaks.
And let it, for ever, be a warning to such as have lifted up
their hands to Christ in a holy profession, that they never lift up
their heel against him afterwards by apostasy. The apostate
treads on God's dear Son, and God will .read upon him for it. -
" Thou hast trodden down all that err from thy statutes," Psal.
cxix. 118.
Inf. 3. What a choice pattern of love to saints have we here
before us ! Calling all that are in Christ to an imitation of him,
even to give up ourselves to their service, as Christ did. See to
what a height of duty the apostle improves this example of Christ,
1 John iii. 16.
But alas ! the primitive spirit is almost lost in this degenerate
age: instead of laying down life, how few will lay down twelve-™
pence for them ? I remember, it is the observation of a late
Worthy, upon Mat. v. 44. That he is persuaded there is hardly
that man to be found this day alive, that fully understands and
tally believes that scripture. O did men think what they do for
them, is done for Christ himself, it would produce other effects
than are yet visible.
Inf 4 Lastly, If Christ sanctified himself, that we might be
sanctified by [or in] the truth; then it will follow, by sound
consequence, That true sanctification is a good evidence that
Christ set apart himself to die for us. Holy souls only can claim
the benefit of the great sacrifice. Be ye therefore holy in all

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 139
things and at all times too, if ever you expect the benefit of Christ's
sanctifying himself to die for you.
Be not sometimes hot, and sometimes cold ; at one time care
ful, at another time careless ; one day in a spiritual rapture, and
the next in a fleshly frolic : but be ye holy " in all manner of con
versation." As wicked men infect one another by their examples, and
diffuse their poison and malignity, wherever they come ; so do
ye disseminate godliness, and let those that frequently converse
with you, receive a deeper dye and tincture of heavenliness every
time they come nigh you, as the cloth doth by every new dipping
into the vat.
God delights in nothing but holiness, and holy ones ; he hath
set all his pleasure in the saints. Be ye holy herein, as God
is holy. Then you may confidently lay the hand of faith on the head of
this great sacrifice, and say, " Christ our passover is sacrificed
for us."

OF THE NATURE OF CHRIST'S MEDIATION.
1 Tim. ii. 5. — And one Mediator betwixt God and Man, the
man Christ Jesus.
Great and long preparations bespeak the solemnity and great
ness of the work for which they are designed. A man that had
but seen the heaps of gold, silver and brass, which David amassed
in his time, for the building of the temple, might easily conclude
before one stone of it was laid, that it wquld be a magnificent
structure. But lo, here is a design of God as far transcending
that, as the substance doth the shadow. What this astonishing
glorious work is, this text will inform you, as to the general na
ture of it : it is the work of mediation betwixt God and man,
managed by the sole hand ofthe man Christ Jesus.
In this scripture you have a description of Jesus the Mediator.
He is described by the work, or office he is employed about,
a Mediator, a middle person. So the word imports.
He is described by the singularity of his mediation, one Me
diator, and but one. It is as needless and impious to make more
mediators than one, as to make more Gods than one. There is
one God, and one Mediator betwixt God and men.
He is described by his names ; by his appellative name Christ
the'anointed, and his proper name Jesus. " In the name Jesus,
the whole gospel is contained, it is the light, the food, the medi
cine of the soul," as one speaks. The note from hence is,
Doct. That Jesus Christ is the true and only Mediator be
twixt God and men.

140 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
" Ye are come to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant."
I shall shew,
First, What is the sense and import of this word, a Mediator ?
The true sense and importance of it, is a middle Person, or one
that interposes betwixt two parties at variance, to make peace
betwixt them. And he manageth this his mediation,
1 . As an umpire or arbitrator ; one that layeth his hands
npon both parties, upon God, and saith, Father, be at peace with
them, and thou shaft be fully satisfied for all they have done
against thee. And then upon man, and saith, Poor sinner, be
not discouraged, thou shalt be justified and saved.
2. As a messenger or ambassador, so he came to impart the
mind of God to us, and so he presents our desires to God.
3. In a way of satisfaction, coming under our obligation
to answer the law ; this he did on the cross. But to be more
explicit, I shall,
Secondly, Enquire, what it implies and carries in it, for Christ
to be a Mediator betwixt God and us.
1. At the first sight, it carries in it a most dreadful breach
and jar betwixt God and men ; else no need of a Mediator of
reconciliation. There was indeed a sweet league of amity once
between them, but it was quickly dissolved by sin ; the wrath of
the Lord was kindled against man, pursuing him to destruction,
Psal. v. 5. And man was filled with unnatural enmity against
his God, Rom. i. 30. This put an end to all friendly commerce
and intercourse between them.
God now saw the work of his hands spoiled, a race of rebels
to be propagated, who, in their successive generations would be
fighting against God : he saw it, and his just indignation sparkled
against man.
2. It implies, a necessity of satisfaction and reparation to the
justice of God. For the very design and end of this mediation
was to make peace, by giving full satisfaction to tbe partv that
was wronged. Mercy, indeed, moved in the heart of God to
poor man ; but from his heart it found no way to vent itself for us,
but through the heart-blood of Jesus Christ. And for any now
to ^agine to reconcile themselves to God by any thing but faith
in the blood of this Mediator, is not only destructive to the soul,
but most insolently derogatory to the wisdom and grace of God! ]
And to such I would say, as Tertullian to Marcion, whom he
wi nT T °ltT?th' " sPare ^ on]y h°Pe of the whole
fcSft Aiwi, ". df tr0JVeSt the most necessary glory ofour
S?.L i l * atweh0Pe/OT Is but a P^ntasm without this.
Sn ™Jw n rdia.t0r.of_reconciliationbet^tGodand
TZ . w™, £ g^°d a, PrV°e m his hand> ade1uate to the offence
ff JESSSt!""' elsehewillnot treat about peace; and so
3. Christ being a Mediator of reconciliation and intercession,

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 141
implies the infinite value of his blood and sufferings, as that
which in itself was sufficient to stop the course of God's justice,
and render him not only placable, but abundantly satisfied and
piell pleased, even with those that before were enemies. And so
much is said of it. Col. i. 21, 22.
4. Christ's being a Mediator of reconciliation, implies the ar
dent love and large pity that filled his heart towards poor
sinners. O how compassionately did his heart work towards us,
that when he saw the arm of Justice lifted up to destroy us, would
interpose himself, and receive the stroke, though he knew it
would smite him dead !
5. Christ being a Mediator betwixt God and man, implies as
the fitness of his person, so his authoritative call to undertake it.
Now Christ wa3 invested with this office and power virtually,
soon after the breach was made by Adam's fall ; for we have the
early promise of it, Gen. iii. 15., Ever since, till his. incarnation,
he was a virtual and effectual Mediator ; and, on that account,
he is called, " the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world."
Thirdly, How it appears that Jesus Christ is the true and only
Mediator betwixt God and men.
1. Because he, and no other, is revealed to us by God. And
if God reveal him, and no other, we must receive him, and no
other as such, 1. Cor. viii. 5. " The heathen have many gods,
and many lords," i. e. many great gods, supreme powers and
ultimate objects of their worship ; and lest these great gods should
be defiled by their immediate and unhallowed approaches to them,
they therefore invented heroes, demigods, intermediate powers,
that were as agents, or lord-mediators betwixt the gods and
them, to convey their prayers to the gods, and the blessings of
the gods back again to them. " But unto us (saith he) there is
but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we by
him," i. e. one supreme essence, the first spring and fountain of
blessings, and one Lord, i. e. one Mediator, " by whom are all
things, and we by him."
2. Because he, and no other, is fit for, and capable of this
office. Take a person of the greatest spirit, and put him an hour
in the case Christ was in, when he sweat blood in the garden, or
uttered that heart-rending cry upon the cross, and he would melt
under it as a moth.
3. Because he is alone sufficient to reconcile the world to God
by his blood. The virtue of his blood reached back as far as
Adam, and reaches forward to the end of the world. The sun
makes day before it actually rises, and continues day sometime
after it is set : so doth Christ, who is the same yesterday, to-day,
and for ever.
Fourthly, The last thing to be explained is, in what capacity
he executed his mediatory work.
About which we affirm, according to scripture, that he per-

142 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
forms that work as God-man, in both natures. Papists, in deny
ing Christ to act as Mediator, according to his divine nature,
do at once spoil the whole mediation of Christ of all its efficacy,
dignity and value, which arise from that nature, which they deny
to co-operate, and exert its virtue in his active and passive obe
dience. Inference 1. That it is a dangerous thing to reject Jesia
Christ the only Mediator betwixt God and man. Alas ! there is
no other to interpose and screen thee from the devouring fire, the
everlasting burnings ! O it is a fearful thing' to fall into the
hands of the living God! And into his hands you must needs
fall, without an interest in the only Mediator.
I remember, it was the saying of Luther, " I will have nothing
to do with an absolute God," i. e. with God without a Mediator,
Thus the Devils have to do with God : but will ye, in whose
nature Christ is come, put yourselves into their state and case ?
God forbid !
Inf. 2. Hence also be informed, how great an evil it is lo
join any other Mediators, either of reconciliation, or meritori
ous intercession with Jesus Christ, O this is a horrid sin, and
that which both pours the greatest contempt upon Christ,, and
brings the surest and sorest destruction upon the sinner ! I am
ashamed my pen should English what mine eyes have seen in
the writings of Papists, ascribing as much, yea, more to the
mediation of Mary than to Christ.
Inf. 3. If Jesus Christ be the only Mediator of reconciliation
betwixt God and men ; then reconciled souls should thankfully as
cribe all the peace, favours, and comforts they have from God, to
their Lord Jesus Christ. Whenever you have had free admission,
and sweet entertainment with God in the more public ordinances,
or private duties of his worship, this was the cause.
Immediately upon Adam's sin, the door of communion with
God was locked, yea, chained up, and no more coming nigh the
Lord : not a soul could have any access to him, either in a way
of communion in this world, or of enjoyment in that to come.
It was Jesus the Mediator that opened that door again, and in
him it is that we have boldness, and access with confidence. .,
Inf. 4. If Jesus Christ be the true and only Mediator, both of
reconciliation and meritorious intercession betwixt God and men,
how safe and secure then is the condition and state of believers^
Surely, as his mediation, by sufferings, hath fully reconciled, so
his mediation, by intercession, will everlastingly maintain that
state of peace betwixt them and God, and prevent all future
breaches. And here it is proper to reflect upon the profound and incom
prehensible wisdom of God. Come, see and adore the wisdom
that hath so improved, reduced, and disposed the fall of Adam,
as to make a singular advantage thereby to advance his offspring

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 143
to a better state ! Thus did the Lord turn a poison into an anti
dote, thus did that dreadful fall make way for a more blessed
and fixed state. Blessed be God for Jesus Christ !
Infi 5. Did Jesus Christ interpose betwixt us and the wrath
of God, as a Mediator of reconciliation ? did he rather chuse to
receive the stroke upon himself, than to see us ruined by it ? How
well then doth it become ihe people of God, in a thankful sense of
this grace, to interpose themselves betwixt Jesus Christ and ihe
evils they see tike to fall upon his name and interest in the world?
O that there were but such a heart in the people of God. Oh, it
is the least we can do, to interpose ourselves and all that is dear
to us, betwixt Christ and the wrath of men, when he interposed
himself betwixt us and the eternal wrath of God !

THE FIRST BRANCH OF CHRIST'S PROPHETICAL
OFFICE.
Acts iii. 22. — A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto
. you, of your Brethren, like unto me ; him shall ye hear in all
things, whatsoever he shall say unto you.
These words of Moses, recorded in Deut. xviii. 15. and here,
by Peter, are pertinently applied to Christ, to convince the incre
dulous Jews, that he is the true and only Messiah, and the great
Prophet of the church ; whose doctrine it was highly dangerous
to contemn, though out of the mouths of such (otherwise con
temptible) persons as he and John were. And itis well observed
by Calvin, he singles out this testimony of Moses, rather than
any other, because of the great esteem they had for Moses, and
his writings, beyond any others. Now in the words themselves
are two general parts.
First, You have here a description of Christ.
1 . By his title, Prophet, and that, the prince of the prophets.
It belongs to a prophet to expound the law, declare the will of
God, and foretel things to come : all these meet, and that, in a
singular and eminent manner, in Christ our prophet.
2. He is described by his type ; a prophet like unto Moses,
but Moses himself was but a star to this sun. However, in these
following particulars, Christ was like him. He was a prophet
that went between God and the people, carried God's mind to
them, and returned theirs to God, they not being able to hear
the voice of God immediately, Deut. xviii. 16, 17. Moses con
firmed his doctrine by miracles, which he wrought in the presence,
and to the conviction of gainsayers. Herein, Christ our Prophet
is also like unto Moses, who wrought many, mighty, and uncon
trolled miracles, and by them . confirmed the gospel which he
preached. Lastly, Moses was that prophet which brought God's
Israel out of literal Egypt, and Christ his out of spiritual Egypt,
whereof that bondage was a figure.

144 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
3 He is described by his stock and original, from which, ac
cording to his flesh, he sprang ; " I will raise him up from among
thv brethren," Heb. vii. 14.
Secondly, Here is a strict injunction of obedience to this Pro
phet, Him shall ye hear in all things, $c. By hearing understand
obedience. « Him only shalt thou serve." He is *Ae owty Lord
Jude 4. and therefore to him only our obedience is required
And as it is due to him only, so to him universally ; "Him shall
ye hear in all things :" his commands are to be obeyed, not dis
puted. A judgment of discretion indeed is allowed to Christians,
to judge whether it be the will of Christ or no. But when his
will is understood and known, we have no liberty ot choice, be
the dufy commanded never so difficult, or the sin forbidden never
so tempting: and this is also required severely, under penalty of
being destroyed from among the people, and of God s requiring
it at our hands, or revenging himself in the destruction of the
disobedient. Hence the observation.
Doct. That Jesus Christ is called and appointed by God to be
the great Prophet and teacher of the Church.
He is anointed to preach good tidings to the meek, and sent
to bind up tbe broken hearted, Isa. Ixi. 1. When he came to
preach the gospel among the people, then was this scripture
fulfilled. In this point there are two things doctrinally to be discussed.
First, What is implied in Christ's being a Prophet to the
church. 1 . The natural ignorance and blindness of men in the things
of God. The world is involved in darkness : The people sit as
in the region and shadow of death till Christ arise upon their souls,
Matt. iv. 15, 16, 17. It is true, in the state of innocency man
had a clear apprehension ofthe will of God, without a Mediator:
but now that light is quenched in the corruption of nature, " and
the natural man receiveth not the things of God," 1 Cor. ii. 14.
The mysteries of nature may be discovered by the light of nature;
but when it comes to supernatural mysteries, there, as Cyprian
ispeaks, tbe most subtle, searching, penetrating wit or reason,
is at a loss.
2. It implies the divinity of Christ, and proves him to be true
God ; forasmuch as no other can reveal to the world, in all ages,
the secrets that lay hid in the heart of God, and tbat with such
convincing evidence and authority.
Other prophets had their times assigned them to rise, shine,
and set again by death, Zech. i. 5. " Your fathers, where are
they ? And do the prophets live for ever ?" But Christ is a fixed
and perpetual sun, that gives light in all ages ofthe world.
3. It implies Christ to be the original and fountain of all that

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE- 145
heart" jicn is mmisterially diffused up and down the world by
£-~u. Ministers are but stars, which shine with a borrowed
light from the sun : so speaks the apostle, 2 Cor. iii. 6, 7.
Secondly, We shall next enquire how he executes and dis
charges this his office.
1. Our great Prophet hath revealed unto men the will of God
variously. It was Christ that was with the church in the wilder
ness, instructing and guiding them by tbe ministry of Moses and
Aaron, Acts vii. 37, 58 ; and so he hath taught the church, since
bis ascension. He cannot now be personally with us, having
other business to do for us in heaven ; but, however, he will not
be wanting to teach us by his officers, whom, for that end, he
hath set and appointed in the church, Eph. iv. 11, 12.
2. He hath dispensed his blessed light to the church gradually.
The discoveries of light have been sometimes more obscure
and cloudy ; as to the Old- Testament believers, by visions,
dreams, Urim> Thummim, vocal oracles, types, sacrifices, &c.
but now is light sprung up gloriously in the gospel-dispensation.
It is to us not a twilight, but tbe light of a perfect day ; and still
is advancing in the several ages of the world.
3. Jesus Christ, our great Prophet, hath manifested to us the
will of God plainly and perspicuously. He clothed sublime and
spiritual mysteries in earthly metaphors, bringing them thereby
to the low and dull capacities of men, and he would have us stoop
to the understandings of the meanest, and not give the people a
comment darker than the text ; he would have us rather pierce
their ears, than tickle their fancies ; and break their hearts than
please their ears.
4. Jesus Christ discovered truth powerfully ; speaking " as
one having authority, and not as the Pharisees," Matt. vii. 29.
The blessed apostle imitated Christ ; and being filled with his
Spirit, spake home and freely to the hearts of men. So many
words, so many claps of thunder, which made the hearts of sin
ners shake and tremble. All faithful and able ministers are not
alike gifted in this particular ; but, surely, there is a holy seri
ousness and spiritual grace and majesty in their doctrine,
commanding reverence from their hearers.
5. Jesus Christ taught the people the mind of God in a sweet
and affectionate manner : his words made their hearts burn within
them, Luke xxiv. 3.2. He knew how to speak a word in season
to the weary soul, Isa. lxi. 1. " He gathered the Lambs with
his arms, and gently led those that were with young."
6. He revealed the mind of God purely to men ; his doctrine
had not the least dash of error to debase it ; his most enviously
observant hearers could find nothing to charge him with : he is
" the faithful and true witness."
J. He revealed the will of God perfectly and fully, keeping
back nothing needful to salvation. So he tells his disciples,

146 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
John xv. 15. " All things that I have heard of my Father ch,^ ac-
made known unto you." , . . ., , "^
Inference 1. If Jesus Christ, who is now passed into the hea
vens, be the great Prophet and Teacher ofthe church ; hence we
may justly infer the continual necessity of a standing ministry
in the church : for. by his ministers he now teacheth us and to
that intent hath fixed them in the church hy a firm constitution,
there to remain to the end of the world, Matt, xxviii. 20. Of his
personal presence, 2 Cor. v. 10. " We pray you in Christ s stead
These officers he gave the church at his ascension, t. e. when he
ceased to teach them any longer with his own lips ; and so set
them in the church, that their succession shall never totally tail,
1 Cor. xii. 28. , , _, , _
God hath given ministers to the church for the work of conver
sion and edification, " till we all come into the unity of the faith,
to a perfect man," Eph. iv. 11, 12. So that when all the elect
are converted, and all those converts become perfect men ; when
there is no error in judgment or practice, and no seducer to cause
it, then, and not till then, will a gospel ministry be useless.
Inf. 2. If Christ be the great Prophet ofthe church, and such
a Prophet ; then it follows, That the weakest Christians need not
be discouraged at the dulness and incapacity they find in them
selves : for Christ is not only a patient and condescending teacher,
but he can also, as he hath often done, reveal that to babes, which
is hid from the wise and learned.
Inf. 3. If Christ be the great Prophet and teacher of the church;
it follows, That prayer is a proper mean for the increase of
knowledge : Prayer is the golden key that unlocks that treasure.
When Daniel was to expound tbat secret which was contained
in the king's dream, about which the Chaldean magicians had
racked their brains to no purpose ; he made the thing known to
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah his companions ; that they
would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning his secret.
And then was the secret revealed. If Christ be our teacher,,.|j|
becomes all his saints to be at his feet.
Inf. 4. If Christ be the great Prophet and teacher of the
church, We may hence discern and judge of doctrines, and it
may serve us as a test to try them by. Whatever doctrine you
find to encourage and countenance sin, to exalt self, to be ac
commodated to earthly designs and interests, to bend to the
humours and lusts of men ; you may safely reject it, and conclude
this never came from Jesus Christ. Be sure, Christ never re
vealed any thing to men, that derogates from his own glory, or
prejudices and obstructs the ends of his own death.
Inf. 5. And as it will serve us for a test of doctrines, so it
serves for a test of ministers ; and hence you may judge who are
authorized and sent by Christ the great Prophet, to declare his
will to men. Surely those whom he sends have his Spirit in their

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 147
hearts, as well as his words in their mouths. They take Christ
for their pattern in the whole course of their ministration, and are
such as sincerely endeavour to imitate the great Shepherd, in
these six particulars following :
1. Jesus Christ was a faithful Minister, the " faithful and true
witness," and the apostle Paul said, " I have kept back nothing
that was profitable unto you." "For if we yet please men, we
cannot be the servants of Christ," Gal. i. 10. Truth must be
spoken, though the greatest on earth be offended.
2. Jesus Christ was a tender-hearted Minister, full of com
passion to souls. He was sent to bind up the broken in heart,
Isa. lxi. 1. He mourned over Jerusalem, "and said, O Jeru
salem, Jerusalem ! how oft would I have gathered thy children,
as a hen gathers her brood under her wings !" He that shews a
hard heart, unaffected with the dangers and miseries of souls,
can never shew a commission from Christ to authorize him for
ministerial work.
3. Jesus Christ teas a laborious Minister, he put a necessity
on himself to finish his work in his day ; a work infinitely great,
in a very little time, John ix. 4. "He went about doing good,"
Acts x. 38. He was never idle. In this must his ministers
resemble him ; " striving according to his working, that worketh
in them mightily."
4. Jesus Christ delighted in nothing more than the success of
his ministry; to see the work of the Lord prosper in his hand,
this was meat and drink to him. When the seventy returned,
thus they reported with joy the success of their first embassy,
" Lord, even the devils are subject to us through thy name !"
Gal. iv. 19. But as for those that have the name of shepherds
only, who visit "the flock only once ayear, about shearing time; woe
fui will be their condition at the appearing of this great Shepherd.
5. Jesus Christ was a minister that lived up to his doctrine : his
life and doctrine harmonised in all things. He pressed to holi
ness in his doctrine, and was the great pattern of holiness in his
life, Phil. iv. 9. He preached to their eyes, as well as ears.
They might see holiness acted in his life, as well as sounded by
his lips. He preached the doctrine, and lived the application.
6. Jesus Christ was a minister that minded and maintained
sweet, secret communion with God, for all his constant public
labours. If he had been preaching and healing all the day, yet
he would redeem time from his very sleep to spend in secret
prayer, Matt. xiv. 23. O blessed pattern ! Let the keepers of
the vineyards remember they have a vineyard of their own to
keep, a soul of their own that must be looked after as well as
other men's. Those that, in these things, imitate Christ, are
surely sent to us from him, and are worthy of double honour.

l2

148 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
THE SECOND BRANCH OF CHRIST'S PROPHETICAL
OFFIQE, OR THE ILLUMINATION OF THE UN
DERSTANDING.
Luke xxiv. 45. — Then opened he their understandings, S?c.
Knowledge of spiritual things is well distinguished into in
tellectual and practical : the first hath its seat in the mind, the
latter in the heart.
And indeed, there is but little excellency in all those petty
notions which furnish the lips with discourse, unless by a sweet
and powerful influence they draw the conscience and will to the
obedience of Christ. The farther any man stands from the light
of truth, the farther he must be from the heat of comfort. But
all the light of the gospel spreading and diffusing itself into the
mind, can never savingly open and change the heart, without
another act of Christ upon it ; and what that is, the text informs
you ; Then opened he their understandings, that they might un-
stand the scriptures.
It is one thing to open the scriptures, and give the meaning of
them, and another thing to open the mind or heart, as it is here.
There are, as a learned man truly observes, two doors of the
soul barred against Christ ; the understanding by ignorance ; and
the heart by hardness : both these are opened by Christ. The
former is opened by the preaching of the gospel, the other by the
internal operation of the Spirit.
Where let it be marked, that the teachings of Christ, and his
Spirit, were never designed to take men off from reading, and
studying, and searching the scriptures. God never intended to
abolish his Word, by giving his Spirit ; and they are true fanatics
(as Calvin upon this place calls them) that think, or pretend so.
Doct. That the opening of the mind and heart, effectually to re
ceive the truths of God, is the peculiar prerogative and office
of Jesus Christ.
One of the great miseries under which lapsed nature labours,'
is spiritual blindness. . Jesus Christ brings that ej'e-salve which
only can cure it.
To the spiritual illumination of a soul, it suffices not that the
object be revealed, nor yet that man has a due use of his own
reason ; but it is further necessary that ihe grace and special as
sistance of the holy Spirit be superadded. By opening the gospel, !
he reveals truth to us, and, by opening the heart, in us "I will
put my laws in their mind, and write them in their hearts "
shalT explkation of this Part of Christ's prophetical office, I
First Give you a brief account of what is included in this act
ot Christ ; take it in the following particulars.
1. It implies the transcendent nature of spiritual things, far

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 149
exceeding the highest flight and reach of natural reason. Who
more acute than the heathen sages ? Yet, to them the gospel
seemed foolishness, 1 Cor. i. 20. Austin confesses, that before
his conversion, he often felt his spirit swell with offence and con
tempt of the gospel ; and despising it, said, " he scorned to
become a child again." " The natural man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him ;
neither can he know them, because they are spiritually dis
cerned." 2. Christ's opening the understanding, implies the insufficiency
of all external means, how excellent soever they are in them
selves, to operate savingly upon men, till Christ by his power
opens the soul, and so makes them effectual. What excellent
preachers were Isaiah and Jeremiah to the Jews ? The former
spake of Christ more like an Evangelist of the New than a Pro
phet of the Old Testament ; the latter was a most convictive and
pathetical preacher : yet the one complains, Isa. liii. 1. "Who
hath believed our report ? and to whom is the arm of the Lord
revealed ?" The other laments the successlessness of his minis
try, Jer. vi. 18. The ordinances are like the pool of Bethesda,
John v. 4. At a certain time an angel came down and troubled
the waters, and then they had a healing virtue in them. So the
Spirit comes down at certain times in the word, and opens the
heart ; and then it becomes the power of God to salvation.
3. It implies the utter impotency of man to open his own heart,
and thereby make the word effectual to his own conversion and
salvation. He that at first said, " let there be light," and it was
so, must shine into our hearts, or they will never be savingly
enlightened. A double misery lies upon a great part of mankind,
viz. Impotency and Pride. They have not only lost the liberty
and freedom of their wills, but with it have so far lost their un
derstanding and humility as not to own it.
Lastly, Christ's opening the understanding imports his divine
power, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself.
Who but God knows the heart? Who but God can unlock and
open it at pleasure? No mere creature, no not the angels
themselves, who for their large understandings are called intelli-
gencies, can command or open the heart. We may stand and
knock at men's hearts, till our own ake ; but no opening till
Christ come. *
There are two principal ways, by which Christ opens the un
derstandings and hearts of men, viz. by his Word and Spirit.
1. By his word, or the gospel, Acts xxvi. 18. The Lord can,
if he pleases, accomplish this immediately ; but though he can
do it, he will not do it ordinarily without means, because he will
honour his own institutions.
2. But the ordinances in themselves cannot do it, as I noted
before ; and therefore Jesus Christ hath sent forth the Spirit, who

150 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
comes down upon the soul in the administration of ordinances,
and effectually opens the heart to receive the Lord Jesus, by the
hearing of faith. _¦_.'.
1. A new light is seen in which all things appear tar otherwise
than they did before. The names Christ and sin, the words
heaven and hell have another sound in that man's ears, than for
merly they had.
2. It is a very affecting light ; a light that hath heat and
powerful influences with it, which makes deep impressions on
_"r__* nf^f-Tr
3. And it is a growing light, like the light of the morning
which " shines more and more unto the perfect day." And thus
the Lord Jesus by his Spirit opens the understanding. Now the
use of this follows in five practical deductions.
Inference 1. If this be the work and office of Jesus Christy to
open the understandings of men ; hence we infer the miseries
that lie upon those men, whose understandings, to this day, Jesus
Christ hath not opened. That blindness, whereby we are de
prived ofthe light of this world, is sad; but spiritual blindness
is much more so. See how dolefully their case is represented,
2 Cor. iv. 3, 4.
Consider I. The judgment inflicted, is spiritual blindness. A
sore misery indeed ! They are learned and knowing persons in
other matters, but they know not Jesus Christ ; there is the
grand and sad defect.
2. TAe subject of this judgment, the mind, which is the eye of
the soul. If it were put upon the body, it would not be so con
siderable ; this falls immediately upon the soul, the noblest part
of man. Surely it were better for thee, reader, to have every
member of thy body made the seat and subject of the most ex
quisite racking torments, than for spiritual blindness to befal
thy soul. Moreover,
3. Consider the indiscernableness of this judgment to the soul
on whom it lies : they know it not any more than a man knows
tbat he is asleep.
4. Consider the tendency and effects of it. What doth this
tend to but eternal ruin ? for hereby we are cut off from the only
remedy. The soul that is so blinded, can never see sin, nor a
Saviour ; but like the Egyptians, during the palpable darkness,
sits still, and moves not after its own recovery.
Infer. 2. If Jesus Christ be the great Prophet of the church,
then surely he will take special care both of the church and the
under shepherds appointedby him to feed them : else both the
objects and instruments upon and by which he executes his office,
must fail and consequently this glorious office be in vain.
Infer. 3. Hence you that are yet in darkness, may be directed
to whom to apply yourselves for saving knowledge. It is Christ
that hath the sovereign eye-salve, that can cure your blindness.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 151
O that I might- persuade you to set yourselves in his way, under
the ordinances, and cry to him, " Lord, that my eyes may be
opened." Three things are marvellously encouraging to you
so to do.
1 . God the Father hath put him into this office, for the cure of
such as you, Isa. xlix. 6. " I will give thee for a light to the
Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation to the end of the
earth." This may furnish you with an argument to plead for a
cure. 2. It is encouraging to think, that Jesus Christ hath actually
opened the eyes of them that were as dark and ignorant as you
are. He hath revealed those things to babes, that have been hid
from the wise and prudent.
3. And is it not yet farther encouraging to you that hitherto he
hath mercifully continued you under the means of light ?
Let me therefore advise,
I . That you diligently attend upon an able, faithful, and
searching ministry. Neglect no opportunity God affords you ;
for how know you but that may be the time of mercy to your
soul? 2. Satisfy not yourselves with hearing, but consider what you
hear. Allow time to reflect upon what God hath spoken to you.
3. Labour to see, and ingenuously confess the insufficiency
of all your other knowledge to do you good. What if you had
never so much skill and knowledge in other mysteries ? What
if you had an angelical illumination ? This can never save thy
soul. No, all thy knowledge signifies nothing till the Lord shew
thee by special light the deplorable sight of thy owri heart, and a
saving sight of Jesus Christ, thy only remedy.
Inf. 4. Since then there is a common light, and special saving
light, which none but Christ can give, il is therefore the concern
ment, of every one of you lo try what your tight is. Is it the
light of life springing from Jesus Christ, that bright and morning
star, or only such as the devils and damned have ?
The light that comes in a special way from Christ, is humbling,
abasing, and soul-emptying light.
The light of Christ is practical and operative, still urging the
soul, yet lovingly constraining it to obedience. No sooner did it
shine into Paul's heart, but presently he asks, "Lord, what wilt
thou have me to do ?"
All saving light endears Jesus Christ to the soul ; and as it
could not value him before it saw him, so when once he appears
to the soul in his own light, he is appreciated and endeared un
speakably : then none but Christ : none in heaven but him, nor
in earth desirable in comparison of him.
Inf. 5, How are they obliged to love, serve, and honour Jesus
Christ, whom he hath enlightened with the saving knowledge of
himself? O that with hands and hearts lifted up to heaven, ye

152 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE,
would adore the free grace of Jesus Christ to your souls? How
many round about you have their eyes closed, and their hearts
shut up ! How many are in darkness, and there are like to re
main, till they come to the blackness of darkness, which is
reserved for them ? O what a pleasant thing is it for your eyes
to see the light of this world ! Bless God, and boast not : rejoice
in your light, and beware ye sin not against the best and highest
light in this world. Jesus Christ intended when he opened.your
eyes, that your eyes should direct your feet. Light is a special
help to obedience, and obedience is a singular help to increase
your light.
THE NATURE AND NECESSITY OF THE PRIEST
HOOD OF CHRIST.
Her. ix. 23. — It was therefore necessary that the patterns of
things in the Heavens should be purified with these ; but the
heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Salvation (as to the actual dispensation of it) is revealeoThv
Christ as a Prophet, procured by him as a Priest, applied by
him as a King. In vain it is revealed, if not purchased ; in vain
revealed and purchased, if not applied.
The words read, contain an argument to prove the necessity of
the offering up of Christ, the great sacrifice, drawn from the pro
portion betwixt the types, and the things typified. The blood
consecrating these, should as much excel the blood that consecrated
those, as the heavenly things themselves do, in their own nature,
excel those earthly shadows of them.
Doct. That the sacrifice of Christ, our High-priest, is ?nost
excellent in itself, and most necessary for us.
1 . At first sight, it supposes man's revolt andfallfrom God; and
a dreadful breach made thereby betwixt God and him. In all
the sacrifices, from Adam to Christ, this was still preached to
the world, that there was a fearful breach betwixt God and man ;
and even so, that justice required our blood should be shed.
And the fire flaming on the altar, which wholly burnt up the
sacrifice, was a lively emblem ofthat fiery indignation that should
devour the adversaries.
2. His priesthood supposes the unalterable purpose of God to take
vengeance for sin ; he will not let it pass. I will not determine
what God could do in this case, by his absolute power ; but I
think it is generally yielded, that, by his ordinate power, he could
do no less than punish it in the person of the sinner, or of his
surety. 3. The priesthood of Christ pre-supposeth the utter impotency of
man to appease God, and recover his favour by any thinghe could do
or suffer. Surely God would not come down to assume a body

THE FOUNTAIN OF IIFE. 153
to die, and be offered up for us, if at any cheaper rate it could
have been accomplished ; there was no other way to recover man
and satisfy God.
4. Christ's priesthood implies the necessity of his being God-
man, lt was necessary he should be a man, in order to his
passion, compassion, and derivation of his righteousness and
holiness to men. Had he not been a man, he had had no sacri
fice to offer, no soul or body to suffer in. And as necessary it
was our High-priest should be God, since the value and efficacy
of our sacrifice results from thence.
5. The priesthood of Christ implies the extremity of his suffer
ings. In sacrifices, you know, there was a destruction, a kind
of annihilation of the creature to the glory of God. The sheddirig
ofthe creature's blood, and burning its flesh with fire, was but
an umbrage, or faint resemblance of what Christ endured, when
he made his soul an offering for sin.
And lastly, It implies the gracious design of God to reconcile
us at a dear rate to himself, in that he called and confirmed Christ
in his priesthood by an oath, and thereby laid out a sacrifice, of
infinite value, for the world. Sins, for which no sacrifice is allow
ed, are desperate sins ; and the case of sinners is helpless : But
if God allow, yea, and provide a sacrifice himself, how plainly
doth it speak his intentions of peace and mercy ?
Secondly, The necessity of Christ's priesthood comes next to
be opened. Touching which, I affirm, according to the scriptures,
it was necessary, in order to our salvation, that such a Priest
should, by such a sacrifice, appear before God for us.
(1.) From the nature of sin, which deserves that the sinner
should suffer for it. Penal evil, in a course of justice, follows
moral evil. " The wages of sin is death."
(2.) The veracity of God requires it. The word is gone out
of his mouth ; Gen. ii. 17. " in the day that thou eatest thereof,
thou shalt surely die." From that time he was instantly and cer
tainly obnoxious and liable to the death of soul and body. God
will be true in his threatenings, though thousands and millions
perish. (3.) The wisdom of God, by which he governs the rational
world, admits not of a dispensation or relaxation of the threaten
ings without satisfaction : for, as good no king, as no laws for
government ; as good no law, as no penalty ; and as good no
penalty, as no execution.
Let none here object, that reconciliation upon this only score
of satisfaction, is derogatory to the riches of grace ; or that we
allow not God what we do men, viz. to forgive an injury freely,
without satisfaction ; for there is no comparison between the na
ture of the offences.
Man only can freely forgive man ; in a private capacity, so far
as wrong concerns himself ; but ought not to do so in a public

154 THE FOCNTAIN OF LIFE.
capacity, as he is judge, and bound to execute justice impartially,.
God is our Law-giver and Judge : he will not dispense with
violations of the law, but strictly stands upon complete satisfac
tion. Man can render to God no satisfaction of his own, for the
wrong done by his sin. He finds no way to compensate and
make God amends, either by doing, or by suffering his will.
By the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in
his sight ; and no sufferings can satisfy God, but such as are
proportionable to the offence. And if so, an infinite suffering
must be borne : I say infinite, for sin is an infinite evil, objectively
considered, as it wrongs an infinite God. *'
Corollary 1. This shews, in the first place, the incomparable
excellency ofthe reformed Christian religion above all other reli
gions, known to, or professed in the world. What other religions
seek, the Christian religion only finds, even a solid foundation
for true peace of conscience ; and if you had ever felt that shame,
fear, horror, and despair, which are the dismal effects of an
accusing and condemning conscience, you would account it an
unspeakable mercy to hear of a way for the discharge of a poor
sinner from that guilt: you would kiss the feet ofthat messenger
that could bring you tidings of peace ; you would call him blessed,
that should direct you to an effectual remedy ; or to the blood
of sprinkling.
O bless God, that ever the news of this blood came to thine
ears. What had thy case been, if thy mother had brought thee
forth in the deserts of Arabia ! Or if thou hadst been nursed up
by a popish father, who could have told thee of no other remedy
when in distress for sin, but to go on a pilgrimage, or to whip and
lash thyself, to satisfy an angry God !
Corollary 2. Hence also be informed of the necessity of faith,
in order to a state and sense of peace with God: for to what pur
pose is the blood of Christ our sacrifice shed, unless it be actually
and personally applied, and appropriated by faith ? You know
when the sacrifices under the law were brought to be slain, he
that brought it was to put his hand upon the head of the sacrifice,
and so it was accepted for him, to make an atonement. You
must also lay the hand of faith upon Christ your sacrifice, not to
imprecate, but apply and appropriate him to your own souls, he
having been made a curse for you.
To this the whole gospel tends, even to persuade sinners to
apply Christ, and his blood to their own souls. Those that
looked not to the brazen serpent, died infallibly ; so must all
that look not to Jesus, our sacrifice, by faith.
But, wo is me ! how do I see sinners, either not at all touched
with the sense of sin, and so being whole, need not the physi
cian ; or if any be stung and wounded with guilt, how do they
lick themselves whole with their own duties and reformations !

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 155
0 if men can but have health, pleasure, riches, and honours,
Christ may go where he will for them.
But, reader, if ever thou know the worth of a Christ; then
wilt thou have a value for the blood of sprinkling. As it is stori
ed of King Richard, when he was put to the rout in a field-battle,
and flying on foot from his pursuing enemies ; he cried out, O
now a kingdom for a horse : So wilt thou cry, A kingdom for a
Christ ; ten thousand worlds now, if I had them, for the blood
of sprinkling.
Corollary 3. Is Christ your High-priest, and is his priesthood so
indispensably necessary to our salvation ? Then freely acknowledge
your utter impotency to reconcile yourselves to God by any thing
you can do, or suffer ; and let Christ have the whole glory of
your recovery ascribed to him. It is highly reasonable that he
that laid down the whole price, should have the whole praise.
Corollary 4. In the last place, I rather chuse to persuade you
to see your necessity of this priest, and his most excellent sacri
fice ; and accordingly to make use of it. Hear me, ye that
never .spent a tear for the sin of nature ; if the blood of Christ be
not sprinkled upon your natures, it had been better for you, that
you had been the generation of beasts, the offspring of dragons
or toads. They have a contemptible, but not a vitiated sinful
nature, as you have.
Thy duties, even the best of them, need this sacrifice. It is
in the virtue thereof that they are accepted of God. And were it
not that God had respect to Christ's offering, thou couldst no
more come near to God, than thou couldst approach a devouring
fire, or dwell with everlasting burnings.
See the goodness of God in providing such a sacrifice for thee.
Meat, drink, and air, are not more necessary to maintain thy
natural life, than the death of Christ is to give and maintain thy
spiritual life.
O then, let thy soul grow big whilst meditating of the useful
ness and excellency of Christ ; and with a deep sense upon thy
heart, let thy lips say, Blessed be God for Jesus Christ.

OF THE EXCELLENCY OF OUR HIGH-PRIEST'S
OBLATION.
Heb. x. 14. — For by one offering, he hath perfected for ever
them that are sanctified.
My present business is to open and apply the oblation of Christ ;
the efficacy and excellency whereof is excellently illustrated, . by
a comparison with all other oblations, in the context, and with
a singular encomium commended to us in these words, from the
singularity of it. It is but one offering, never more to be re
peated ; Rom. vi. 9 ; from the efficacy of it, by it he hath procured

156 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
all that we need to make us perfectly happy/ Moreover iti*
here commended from the extemiveness of it, extending to all
and every saint, from the beginning to the end of the world,
Lastly, He commends it from its perpetuity ; it perfects for ever ;
that is, it is of everlasting efficacy : it shall abide as fresh, vigor
ous and powerful to the end ofthe world, as it was the first
moment it was offered up. All runs into this sweet truth :
Doct That the oblation made unto God by Jesus Christ, is
of unspeakable value, and everlasting efficacy, to perfect
all them that are, or shall be sanctified, to the end of the
world.
Out of this fountain flow all the excellent blessings that be
lievers either have, or hope for. Had it not been for this, there
had been no such things as justification, adoption, salvation, &c»
peace with God and hopes of glory, pardon of sin, and divine
acceptation: these and all other our best mercies, had been but
so many mere conceits. A man, as one saith, might have hap
pily imagined such things as these, as he may golden mountains,
and rivers of liquid gold, and rocks of diamonds : but these things
could never have had any real existence, had not Christ offered
up himself a sacrifice to God for us.
His appearing before God as our priest, with such an offering
for us, is that which removes our guilt and fear together : " He
appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." Consider,
First, The Priest that appears before God with an oblation
for us, is Jesus Christ, God-man : the dignity of whose person
dignified, and derived an inestimable worth to the oflering he
made. He could stand before God, even in the eye of his justice,
as a lamb without spot. Though he made his soul an offering
for sin, " yet he had done no iniquity, nor was any guile found
in his mouth," Isa. liii. 9. and indeed his offering had done us no
good, if the least taint of sin had been found on him.
Secondly, The oblation or offering he made, was not the blood
of beasts, but his own blood, Heb. ix. 12. Now the excellency
of this oblation will appear in the following propertied of it. It was,
1 . Invaluably precious, So the apostle styles it, 1 Pet. i. 19.
" Ye were redeemed with the precious blood of the Son of God :"
and such it behoved him to offer. For it being offered as an
expiatory sacrifice, it ought to be equivalent, in its own intrinsic
value to all the souls and bodies that were to be redeemed by it.
And so it was, and more also : for as one rich diamond is more
worth than a thousand pebbles : one piece of gold, than many
counters ; so the soul and body of one Christ, are much more
excellent than all the souls and bodies in the world.
And yet I dare not affirm, that one drop of his blood had been
sufficient to redeem the whole world : for if one drop had been
enough, why was all the rest, even to the last drop, shed ? Was

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 157
God cruel, to exact more from him than was needful and suffici
ent ? Now it was not a drop of blood, but death which was
contained in the curse ; this therefore was necessary to be in
flicted. 2. A complete and all-sufficient oblation, fully to expiate the
sins of all for whom it was offered. The virtue of this sacrifice
reacheth backward as far as Adam, and forward to the last person
of the elect springing from him.
And, look, as the sun at mid day extends his light and influence,
not only forward towards the West, but also backward towards
the East, where he arose ; so did this most efficacious sacrifice
reach all the elect in the virtue of it, who died before Christ came
in the flesh: Christ had engaged to the Father to satisfy for them,
and upon that security they were delivered.
And the virtue of this oblation not only reaches those believers,
that lived and died before Christ's day, but it extends itself for
ward to the end of the world.
No tract of time can wear out the virtue of this eternal sacrifice.
It is as fresh, vigorous, and potent now, as the first hour it was
offered. And though he actually offer it no more, yet he virtually
continues it by his intercession now in heaven ; for there he is
still a Priest.
3. And lastly, being so precious in itself, and so efficacious to
expiate sin, it must needs be a most grateful oblation to the Lord,
highly pleasing and delightful in his eyes, Eph. v. 2. Not that
God took any delight or content in the bitter sufferings of Christ,
simply and in themselves considered ; but with relation to the
end for which he was offered, even our redemption and salvation.
This oblation he brings before God, and to him he offers it up.
As Christ sustained the capacity of a surety, so God of a creditor,
who exacted satisfaction from him ; that is, he required from him,
as our surety, the penalty due to us for sin. To this incensed
Majesty, Christ our High-priest approached, as to a devouring
fire, with the sacrifice.
The persons for whom, and in whose stead he offered himself
to God, were the whole number of God's elect. He laid down
his life for the sheep . It is confessed, there is sufficiency of vir
tue in this sacrifice to redeem the whole world, and on that
account some divines affirm he is called the " Saviour of the
world :" but the efficacy and saving virtue of this all-sufficient
sacrifice, is co-extended with God's election, and no others can
reap the special benefits of it, Eph. v. 23. 1 Tim, iv. 10, &c.
The design and end of this oblation was to atone, pacify, and
reconcile God, by giving him a full and adequate compen
sation or satisfaction for the sins of these his elect. " God was
in Christ, reconciling the world to himself." Reconciliation is
the making up of that breach caused by sin, between us and God,
and restoring us again to his favour and friendship. For this end
Christ offered up himself to God.

158 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
Inference I. Hence it follows, That actual believers are fully
freed from the guilt of their sins, and shall never more come under
condemnation. The obligation of sin is perfectly abolished by the virtue ofthis
sacrifice. When Christ became our sacrifice, he both bare, and
bare away our sins. What shall we call this grace? surely, we
should do somewhat more than admire such a mercy. " Blessed
is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered,"
Psal. xxxii. or, O the blessedness or felicities of him that is par
doned! Reader, let me beg thee, if thou be pardoned, to look
over the cancelled bonds, and see what vast sums are remitted
to thee. It is not long since thy iniquities were upon thee,
and thou pinedst away in them . Their guilt could by no creature-
power be separated from thy soul. Now they are removed from
thee, as far as the East from the West, Psal. ciii. 11. So that,
when the East and West, which are the two opposite points of
heaven, meet, then thy soul and its guilt may meet again
together. Inf. 2. From this oblation Christ made of himself to God
for our sins, we infer the inflexible severity of divine Jus
tice, which could be no other way diverted from us, and appeased j'l
but by the blood of Christ, If one might have expected
sparing mercy and abatement from any, surely Christ might most
of all expect it from his own Father ; yet you hear, God spared not
his own Son. Sparing mercy is the lowest degree of mercy, yet
he abated him not a minute of the time appointed for his suffer
ing, nor one degree of wrath he was to bear ; " it is a fearful thing
to fall into the hands ofthe living God." Wo and alas for ever
more to that man who meets a just and righteous God without a
Mediator ! Whoever thou art that readest these lines, I beseech
thee, by the mercies of God, by all the regard and love thou
hast to thy own soul, neglect not time, but make quick and sure
work of it. Get an interest in this sacrifice quickly, what else
will be thy state when vast eternity opens to swallow thee up ?
what wilt thou do, man, when thine eye-strings and heart-strings
are breaking ? O what a fearful shriek will thy conscience give,
when thou art presented before the dreadful God, and no Christ
to screen thee from his indignation !
Inf. 3. Hath Christ offered up himself a sacrifice to God
for us ? Then let us improve, in every condition, this sacri
fice, and labour to get our hearts duly affected with such a sighl
as faith can give us of it. " They shall look upon me whonr
they have pierced, and shall mourn." Art thou too little touched
and unaffected with the evil of sin ? Behold this sacrifice by faith,
and try what efficacy there is in it to make sin for ever bitter as
death to thy soul. Suppose thine own Father had been stabbe<f
to the heart with a knife, and his blood were upon it, wouldst
thou delight to see, or endure to use that knife any more ? Sin

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 159
y
is the knife that stabbed Christ to the heart ; this shed his blood.
Surely, you can never make light ofthat which lay so heavy upon
the soul and body of Jesus Christ.
Is your heart prest down even to despondency, under the guilt
of sin, so that you cry, my sin is greater than can be forgiven ?
" Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world."
Are you at any time filled with unbelieving suspicions of the
promises ? Look hither, and you shall see them all ratified and
established in the blood of the Cross, so that hills and mountains
shall sooner start from their own basis and centres, than one
tittle ofthe promise fail : Heb. ix. 17.
Do you find your hearts fretting, disquieted, and impatient
under every petty cross and trial ? See how quietly Christ your
sacrifice came to the altar, how meekly and patiently. he stood
under all the wrath of God and men together. This will silence,
convince, and shame you.
In a word, here you will see so much of the grace of God, and
love of Christ, in providing and becoming a sacrifice for you :
that whatever burdens you bear, this will afford support ; and
whatever grace is defective, this will revive.
Blessed be God for Jesus Christ.

OF THE INTERCESSION OF CHRIST.
Heb. vii. 25. — Wherefore he is able also to save them to the utter
most, that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make
intercession for them.
Having dispatched the first part of Christ's priesthood, con
sisting in his Oblation ; we come to the other branch of it, consisting
in his Intercession, which is nothing else but the virtual continu
ation of his offering once made on earth.
This second part, or branch of his priesthood, was typified by
the High-priest's entering with the blood of the sacrifice and sweet
incense into the holy place: Lev. xvi. 12, 13, 14.
The words contain an encouragement to believers, to come to
God in the way of faith, drawn from the intercession of Christ in
heaven for them. In which you may notice.
1. The quality of the persons here encouraged, who are de
scribed by a direct act of faith, as poor recumbents that are going
out of themselves to God by faith ; but conscious of great unwor
thiness in themselves, and thence apt to be discouraged.
2. The encouragement propounded to such believers, drawn
from the ability of Jesus Christ, in whose name they go to the
Father, to save them to the uttermost.
3. The ground or reason of this his saving ability : " Seeing
he ever liveth to make intercession ;"

]60 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
Doct. That Jesus our High-priest lives for ever, in the capacity
of a potent Intercessor, in heaven for believers.
Here we will enquire,
First, What it is for Christ to be an intercessor for us. To
intercede in general, is to go betwixt two parties, to intreat,
argue, and plead with one for the other. Christ is our attorney,
or advocate, that pleads for us,' and continues peace and friend
ship between us and God, 1 John ii. 2. " If any man sin, we hav?
an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."
And thus to make intercession, is the peculiar and incommuni
cable prerogative of Jesus Christ, none but he can go in his own
name to God,
But all that found the intercession of saints upon their own
merits, thereby rob Christ of his peculiar glory ; all that so ap
proach God, approach a devouring fire ; Christ only, in the virtue
of his blood, thus comes before him, to make intercession for us.
Secondly, We will enquire wherein the intercession of Christ
in heaven consists, or by what acts he performs his glorious office
there. And the scriptures place it in three things :
1. In his presenting himself before the Lord in our names, and
upon our account. Heb. ix. 28. Now the very sight of Christ,
our High-priest in heaven, prevails exceedingly with God, and
turns away his displeasure from us. As when God looks upoH
the rainbow, which is the sign of the covenant, he remembew
the earth in mercy : so when he looks on Christ, his heart must
needs be towards us, upon his account.
2. Christ performs his intercession-work in heaven, not by a
naked appearing in the presence of God only, but also by present
ing his blood, and all his sufferings to God, as a moving plea on
oar account. Whether he makes any proper oral intercession
there, as he did on earth, is not so dear. But a rare illustration
of this efficacious intercession of Christ in heaven, we have, in
that famous story of Amintas, who appeared as an advocate for
his brother JEchylus, who was strongly accused, and very likely
to be condemned to die. Now Amintas having performed great
services, and merited highly ofthe common-wealth, in whose ser
vice one of his hands was cut off in the field ; he comes into the
court in his brother's behalf, and said nothing, but only lifted up
his arm, and shewed them an arm without a hand, which so
moved them, that, without a word speaking, they freed his bw*-
ther immediately.
3. And lastly, He presents the prayers of his saints to GojL
with Ms merits ; and desires that they may for his sake be graatm
He caused a cloud of incense to ascend before God with the J
Rev. vii. 3. All these were excellently typified by the going in
ofthe High-priest before the Lord, with the names of the children
of Israel on his breast, with the bloood of the sacrifice, and his

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 161
hands full of incense, as the apostle explains them in Heb. vii.
and Heb. ix.
Thirdly, And this intercession of Christ is most potent, suc
cessful, and prevalent with God.
1 . For our intercessor in the heavens is every way able and fit
for the work he is engaged in there. Whatever is desirable in
an advocate, is in him eminently. It is necessary that he who
undertakes to plead the cause of another, especially if it be weighty
and intricate, should be wise, faithful, tender-hearted, and one
that concerns himself in the success of his business. Our Advo
cate wants no wisdom to manage his work ; he is called " a
faithful High-priest, in things pertaining to God," Heb. ii. 17.
He assures us we may safely trust our concerns with him, John
xiv. 2. He suffered himself to be in all points tempted like as we
are, sin only excepted.
2. Consider the great interest he hath in the Father, with whom
he intercedes. Christ is his dear Son, and so he always hears
him, John xi. 42.
Here you must remember also, that the Father is under a co
venant tie and bond to do what he asks ; for Christ having fully
performed the work on his part, the mercies he intercedes for,
are as due as the hire of the labourer is, when the work is faith
fully done.
4. Consider who they are for whom he makes intercession :
The friends of God, the children of God ; those that the Father
himself loves, and his heart is prepense and ready enough to grant
the best and greatest of mercies to : which is the meaning of John
xv. 26, 27. "The Father himself loveth you."
Fourthly, In what sense he is to live for ever to make inter
cession. Shall he then be always at his work? employed in
begging new favours for us to eternity ? How then shall the
people of God be perfect in heaven, if there be need of Christ's
intercession to eternity for them ?
I answer, by distinguishing the essence and substance of Christ's
offices, from the way and manner of administration. In the first
sense it is eternal : for his mediatory kingdom, as to the essence
of it, is to abide for ever ; Christ shall never cease to be a Me
diator ; the church shall never want a head ; for " of his kingdom,
there shall be no end," Luke i. 33. however, Christ, as a Medi
ator, being employed in a kind of subordinate way, 1 Cor. iii. 23.
when he shall have accomplished that design for which he became
a Mediator, " Then shall he deliver up the kingdom (in the sense
we spake before) to the Father, and so God shall be all in all,"
in the unity of the Divine Essence, and common acts, in all, and
over all, infinitely and immutably for ever.
Use 1. Doth Christ live for ever in heaven to present his blood
to God in the way of intercession for believers ? How sad then is
their case, that have no interest in Christ's blood; but instead

162 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
6f pleading for them, it criesto God against them, as the despisers
and abusers of it ! Every unbeliever despises it : Tbe apostate
treads it under foot. Ah ! what do men and women do, in re
jecting the gracious offer of Christ ! What, tread upon a Saviour !
and cast contempt, by unbelief and hardness of heart, upon their.
only remedy ! I remember I have read of a harlot that killed her
.child, arid said that it smiled upon her when she went to stab it.
Sinner, doth not Christ smile upon thee in the gospel ? And wilt
thou, as it v. ere, stab him to the heart by thine infidelity ? Wo,
and alas for that man, against whom this blood cries in heaven 'i
Use '2. Doth Christ live for ever to make intercession? Hence
let believers fetch relief, and draw encouragement against all tk
causes and grounds of their fears and troubles; for sorely this
answers them all.
1 . Hence let them be encouraged against all their sinful in
firmities, and lamented weaknesses. It is confessed these are sad
things ; they grieve the Spirit of God, sadden your own hearts,
cloud your evidences ; but having such a High-priest in heaven,
can never be your ruin. Remember, you that are cast down,
under the sense of sin, that Jesus, your friend, in the court above,
" is able to save to the uttermost." Which is, as one calls
it, a reaching word, and extends itself so far, that thou canst not
look beyond it.
2. Hence draw encouragement against all deadness of Spirit
in prayer. Thou complainest thy heart is dead, wandering, arid
contracted in duty : O, but remember Christ's blood speaks, when
thou canst not ; it can plead for thee, and that powerfully, when
thou art not able to speak a word for thyself.
3. Christ's intercession is a singular relief against all sinful
damps and slavish fears from the justice of God. Nothing more
promotes the fear of reverence ; nothing more suppresseth .; unbe
lieving despondencies, and destroys the spirit of bondage. So
you find it, Heb. x. 19, 20, 21 . Let us come unto God, as a ship
comes With full sail into the harbour. O what a direct and full
gale of encouragement doth this intercession of Christ give to the
poor soul that lay wind-bound before?
4. The intercession of Christ gives admirable satisfaction and
encouragement to all that come to God, against the fears of de
serting him again by apostasy. This, my friends, this is your
principalsecurity against these matters of fear. With this he ie-a
lieved Peter, Luke xxii. 31, 32. Upon this, the apostle builds
his triumph against all that threatens to bring him, or any ofthe
saints, again into a state of condemnation. And see how he drives
on that triumph, from the resurrection, and session of Christ at
the Father's right hand ; and especially from the work of inter
cession, which he lives there to perform : Rom. viii. 34.
5. It gives sweet relief against the defects ofour sanctification.
We want a great deal of faith, love, heavenly-mindedness,

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 163
knowledge. We are short and wanting in all. But he is ever
begging new and fresh mercies for you in heaven ; and will never
cease till all your wants be supplied.
Use 3. 1 )oth Christ live for ever to make intercession ? Then
let those who reap on earth the fruits of that work in heaven, draw
instruction thence about thefollowing duties.
1 . Do not forget Christ in an exalted state. You see though
he be in all the glory above, at God's right hand, and enthroned
king, he doth not forget you : he, like Joseph, remembers his
brethren in all his glory. But, alas, how oft doth advancement
make us forget him ? As the Lord complains in Hosea xiii. 5, 6.
Good had it been for some saints, if they had never known
prosperity. 2. Let the intercession of Clirist in heaven for you, encourage
you to constancy in the good ways of God. To this duty it sw eetly
encourages also, Heb. iv. 14. Here is encouragement to perse
verance on a double account. One is, that Jesus, our head, is
already in heaven ; and if the head be above water, the body
cannot drown. The other is from the business he is there em
ployed about, which is as our great High-priest, to intercede, and
therefore we cannot miscarry.
3. Let it encourage you to constancy in prayer. O do not
neglect that excellent duty, seeing Christ is there to present
all your petitions to God ; yea, to perfume as well as present
them. So the apostle, Heb. iv. 16. infers from Christ's inter
cession. 4. Hence be encouraged to plead for Christ on earth, who
continually pleads for you in heaven. If any accuse you, he
is there to plead for you : and if any dishonour him on earth,
see that you plead his interest, and defend his honour. Thus
you have heard what his intercession is, and what benefits we
receive by it. Blessed be God for Jesus Christ.

A VINDICATION OF THE SATISFACTION OF
CHRIST.
Gal. iii. 13. — Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law,
being made a curse for us.
You have seen the general nature, necessity and parts of
Christ's (priesthood, viz. oblation and intercession.
In these words you have the believer's discharge from the curse
ofthe law, and the way and manner thereof opened.
1. The believer's discharge; Christ hath redeemed us from
the curse of the law. This curse of the law is the most dreadful
thing imaginable ; it strikes at the life of a sinner, yea, his best
life, the eternal life ofthe soul : and when it hath condemned, it
m2

164 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
is inexorable, no cries nor tears, no reformation nor repentance
can loose the guilty sinner ; for it requires for its reparation that
which no mere creature can give, even an infinite satisfaction
Now from this curse Christ frees the believer, so that the curse
ofthe law hath nothing to do with him for ever.
, 2. We have here the way and manner in and by which this is
done ; and that is by a full price paid down, in the room of the
sinner, making a complete and full satisfaction. He pays a full
price, every way adequate and proportionable to the wrong. «^
And as the price or ransom paid was full, perfect, and sufficfell
in itself; so it was paid in our room, and upon, our account: s#
saith the text, " By his being made a curse for us," the meaning
is not, that Christ was made the very curse itself, but took the
curse upon himself ; therefore it is said, " He was made sin for
us who knew no sin." Now the price being full, and paid in lieu
of our sins, and thereupon we fully redeemed or delivered from
the curse, it follows, as a fair and just deduction, that,
Doct. The death of Clirist hath made a full satisfaction to God
for all the sins of his elect.
Now forasmuch as this doctrine of Christ's satisfaction is so
necessary, weighty, and comfortable in itself, and yet so much
opposed and intricated by several enemies to it ; the method I
shall take for the clearing, establishing, and preparing it for use,
shall be,
First, To open the nature of Christ's satisfaction, and shew
what it is.
1. It is the act of God-man ; no other was capable of giving
satisfaction for an infinite wrong done to God. But by reason of
the union ofthe two natures in his wonderful person, he could do
it, and hath done it for us. If the angels in heaven had laid dowi
their lives, or if the blood of all the men in the world had beefi
poured out by justice, this could never have satisfied. " It was
God that redeemed tbe church with his own blood," Acts xx. 18.
2. If he satisfy God for us, he must present himself before
God, as our surety, in our stead, as well as for our good, Heb.
vii. 22. Indeed his obedience and sufferings could be exacted
from him upon no other account. It was not for any thing he
had done that he became a curse. It was prophesied of him, Daifef
ix. 26. " The Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself." ¦>'*
And indeed, this very consideration is that which supports the
doctrine of imputation, the imputation ofour sins to Christ, and
tiie imputation of Christ's righteousness unto us, Rom. v. 19.
For how could our sins be laid on him, but as he stood in our
stead ? or his righteousness be imputed to us, but as he was our
surety, performing it in our place; so that to deny Christ's
sufferings in our stead, is to lose the corner-stone of our justifica
tion, and overthrow the very pillar which supports our faith,
comfort and salvation.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 165
3. The internal moving cause of Christ's satisfaction for us,
was his obedience to God, and love to us. That it was an act
of obedience, is plain from Phil. ii. 8. "He became obedient
unto death, even the death of the cross.'' And that he was
moved to it out of pity and love to us, Paul assures us : Gal.
v. 2. " Christ loved us, and gave himself for us an offering and
a sacrifice to God," Gal. ii. 20.
4. The matter of Christ's satisfaction, was his active and passive
obedience to all the law of God required. This twofold obedi
ence of Christ, stands opposed to a twofold obligation that fallen
man is under ; the one to do what God requires, the other to
suffer what he hath threatened for disobedience. We owe him
active obedience as his creatures, and passive obedience as his
prisoners. Suitably to tbis double obligation, Christ comes
"inder the commandment of the law, to fulfil it actively, Matth.
iii. 15. and under the malediction of the law, to satisfy it pas
sively., And whereas it is objected by some, if he fulfilled the
whole law for us by his active, what need then of his passive
obedience ? We reply, great need ; because both these make
up that one, entire, and complete obedience, by which God is
satisfied, and we justified.
5. The effect and fruit of this his satisfaction, is our freedom,
ransom, or deliverance from the wrath and curse due to us for
our sins. Such was the dignity, value, and completeness of
Christ's satisfaction, that in strict justice it merited our redemp
tion and full deliverance ; not only a possibility that we might be
redeemed and pardoned, but a right to be so, as the learned Dr.
Twiss judiciously argues. If he be made a curse for us, we must
then be redeemed from the curse, according to justice ; so the
apostle argues, Rom. iii. 25, 56. Mark the design and end of
God in exacting satisfaction from Christ, it was to declare his
righteousness in the remission of sin to believers ; and lest we
should lose the emphatical word, he doubles it, to declare, I say,
his righteousness. Every one can see how his mercy is declared
in remission : but he would have us take notice, that his justifica
tion of believers is an act of justice. O how comfortable a text
is tbis ! God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation. Must
justice be manifested, satisfied and glorified? So it is in the
death of Christ, ten thousand times more than ever it could in
thy damnation.
••« Secondly, We shall gather up all that hath been said to establish
the truth of Christ's satisfaction ; proving the reality of it, that it
is real, proper, and full, and as such accepted by God. For his
blood is the blood of a Surety, Heb. vii. 22. who came under
the same obligations of the law with us, Gal. iv. 4. and though
he had no sin of his own, yet standing before God as our Surety,
the iniquities of U3 all were laid upon him, Isa. liii. 6. and from
him did the Lord, with great severity, exact satisfaction for our

166 , THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
sins. All this is plain in scripture ; and our faith in the satisfac
tion of Christ, is not built on the wisdom of man, but the everlast
ing sealed truth of God : yet such is the perverse nature of man,
and the pride of his heart, that whilst he should be humbly adoring
the grace of God, in providing such a Surety for us, he is found
accusing the justice, and diminishing the mercy of God, and
raising all the objections which Satan and his own heart can
invent, to overturn that blessed foundation upon which God hath
built up his own honour, and his people's salvation.
Thirdly, In the next place, therefore, we shall reject those
doctrines, and remove the principal of those objections that are
found militating against the satisfaction of Christ.
And, in the first place, we reject with deep abhorrence that
doctrine, which ascribes to man any power, in whole, or in part,
to satisfy God for his own, or other men's sins. This, no mere
creature can do by active obedience, were it complete ; for this
would be no more than his duty, Luke xvii. 10. and so can be
no satisfaction for what he hath done against God. Nor yet by
suffering ; for we have offended an infinite God, and can never
satisfy him by our finite sufferings.
Object. The doctrine of Christ's satisfaction is absurd^ for Christ
is God; if so then, God satisfies himself?
Sol. I answer, God cannot properly be said to satisfy himself.
The blood of the man Christ Jesus is the matter ofthe satisfactifl© ;
the Divine Nature dignifies it, and makes it of infinite value. __
certain family having committed treason against the king, are all
under the condemnation of the law for it ; the king's son moved
with pify and love, resolves to satisfy the law, and yet save the
family; in order whereunto he marries a daughter ofthe family,
whereby her blood becomes royal blood, and worth the blood ©f
the whole family whence she sprang ; this princess is by her hus
band executed in the room of the rest. In this case the king
satisfies not himself for the wrong, but is satisfied by the death
of another, equivalent in worth to the blood of them all. This
similitude answers not to all the particulars, as indeed nothings
nature can ; but it only shews what it was that satisfied God, and
how it became so satisfactory.
. Object. If Christ satisfied by paying our debt, then he should
have endured eternal torments.
Sol. We must distinguish betwixt what is essential, and what
is accidental in punishment. The primary intent of the law is
reparation and satisfaction ; he that can make it at one intire
payment (as Christ did) ought to be discharged. He that cannot
(as no mere creature can) ought to lie for ever, as the damned
do, under sufferings.
Object. If God will be satisfied for our sins before lie pardon
them, how then is pardon an act of grace,
Sol. Pardon could not be an act of pure grace, if God received

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE- 167
satisfaction from us ; but it was grace to admit a Surety to satisfy,
more grace to provide him, and most of all to apply his satisfac
tion to us, by uniting us to Christ, as he hath done.
Object. But God loved us before Cftrist died for us ; for it
was the love of God to the world that moved him to give Ms
only-begotten Son. Could God love us, and yet not be reconciled
ana satisfied 1
Sol. God's complacent love is indeed inconsistent with an un
reconciled state. But his benenevolent love, consisting in his
purpose of good, may be before actual reconciliation and sa
tisfaction. Object. Temporal death, as well as eternal, is a part of the
curse, if Christ have fully satisfied by bearing the curse for
us, how is it, that those for whom he bare it, die as well as
others 1
Sol. As temporal death is a penal evil, and part of the curse,
so God inflicts it not upon believers ; but they must die for other
ends, viz. to be made perfectly happy in a more full and imme
diate enjoyment of God, than they can have in the body : and
so, death is theirs by way of privilege, 1 . Cor. iii. 22. Thus
much may suffice to establish this great truth.
Inference 1 . If the death of Christ was that which satisfied
God for all the sins of the elect, then certainly there is an infinite
evil in sin, since it cannot be expiated but by an infinite satisfaction,.
Fools make a mock at sin, and there are but few souls in the
world that are duly sensible of, and affected with its evil ; but
certainly, if God should damn thee to all eternity, thy eternal
sufferings could not satisfy for the evil that is in one vain thought.
It may be you think this harsh and severe, that God should hold
his creatures under everlasting sufferings for sin, and never be
satisfied with them any more. But if ever you will see how great
and horrid an evil sin is, measure it in your thoughts, either by
the infinite holiness arid excellency of God, who is wronged by ft ;
or by the infinite sufferings of Christ, who died to satisfy for it ;
and then you will have deeper apprehensions of the evil of sin.
Inf. 2. If the death of Christ satisfied God, and thereby re
deemed the elect from the curse : then the redemption of souls is
costly; souls are of great value with God, 1 Pet. i. 18, 19.
Souls are very dear ; he that paid for them found them so : ye£
how cheaply do sinners sell their souls, as if they were but low
priced commodities ! but you that sell your souls cheap, will buy
repentance dear.
Inf. 3. If Christ's death satisfied God for our sins, how un
paralleled is the love of Christ tq poor sinners ! If is much to pay
a pecuniary debt to free another, but who will pay his own blood
for another ? We have a noted instance of Zaleucus, that famous
Locrensian lawgiver, who decreed, that whoever was convicted
of adultery, should have both his eyes put out. It so fell out

168 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
that his own Son was brought before him for that crime : whereupon
the people interposing, made suit for his pardon. At length the
father, partly overcome by their importunities, first put out one
of his own eyes, and then one of his son's ; and so shewed him
self both a merciful father, and a just lawgiver ; so tempering
mercy with justice, that both the law was satisfied, and his son
.spared. But Christ did not divide, and share in the penaltyj} j «
with' us, but bare it all. Zaleucus did it for his son, who waff;'
dear to him ; Christ did it for enemies, that were fighting and
rebelling against him : Rom. v. 8. ,
Inf. 4. If Christ by dying, hath made full satisfaction, then
God is no loser in pardoning the greatest of sinners, that believe
in Jesus ; and consequently his justice can be no bar to their
justification and salvation. He is just to forgive us our sins,
1 John i. 9. What an argument is here for a poor believer to
plead with God! Lord, if thou save me by Jesus Christ, thy
justice will be fully satisfied at one full payment ; but if thou
damn me, and require satisfaction at my hands, thou canst never
receive it : I shall make but a dribbling payment, though I lie
in hell to eternity, and shall still be infinitely behind with thee.
Is it not more for thy glory to receive it from Christ's hand, than
to require it at mine ?
Inf. 5. Lastly, If Christ hath made such a full satisfaction's
you have heard, How much is it the concernment of every soul, to
abandon all thoughts of satisfying God for his own sins, and betake
himself to the blood of Christ, the ransomer ? It would grieve
one's heart to see how many poor creatures are drudging and
tugging at a task of repentance, and revenge upon themselves,
and reformation, and obedience, to satisfy God for what they
bave done against him : but it cannot be, they do but lose
their labour ; could they swelter their very hearts out, weep till
their throats be parched, alas, they can never recompence God
for one vain thought ; for such is the severity of the law, that
when it is once offended, it will never be made amends again by
all that we can do : itwill not discharge the sinner, for all the
sorrow in the world. Reader, be convinced, that one act of
faith in the Lord Jesus pleases God more than all the obedience,
repentance, and strivings to obey the law, through thy whole
life, can do. And thus you have the first* special fruits of Christ's
priesthood, in the full satisfaction of God, for all the sins of
believers.

OF THE BLESSED INHERITANCE PURCHASED BY
THE OBLATION OF CHRIST.
Gal. iv. 4, 5.— But when the fulness of time was come, God
sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 169
to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive
the adoption of sons.
This scripture gives us an account of a double fruit of Christ's
death, viz. the payment of our debt, and the purchase of our
inheritance. 1. The payment of our debt, expressed by our redemption.
2. The purchase of an inheritance for those redeemed ones,
expressed here by their receiving the adoption of sons.
" Divine adoption is that special benefit whereby God, for
Christ's sake, accepteth us as sons, and makes us heirs of eter
nal life with him."
We lost our inheritance by the fall of Adum ; we receive it, as
the text speaks, by the death of Christ, which restores it again
to us by a new and better title. /The doctrine hence, is this,
Doct. That the death of Jesus Christ hath not only satisfied
for our debts, but over, and above purchased a rick inheri
tance for the children of God, Heb. ix. 15.
We will here, First, See what Christ paid. Secondly, What
he purchased. Thirdly, For whom.
First, What Christ paid. Our divines comprise the virtue and
fruits of the priesthood of Christ in these two things, payment
and purchase. And it hath also in it the relation of a merit over
and beyond the law.
This overplus of satisfaction (which was the price of that inhe
ritance I am now to open) is not obscurely hinted, but plainly
expressed twice in Rom. v. 15. " But not as the offence, so also
is the free gift: for if through the offence of one many be dead,
much more the grace of God, and the gift of grace, which is by
one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded or flowed abundantly
unto many." So ver. 17- " For if by one man's offence, death
reigned by one, much more they which receive the overflowings,
or abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, shall
reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." In both which places Christ
and Adam are compared as the two roots or common heads of
mankind, both agreeing in this property of communicating their
conditions to those that are theirs ; yet there is a great deal of
difference betwixt them ! for in Christ the power is all divine,
and therefore infinitely more active and effectual : He communi
cates abundantly more to his, than they lost in Adam ; so that
his blood is not only sufficient to redeem all those that are actually
redeemed by it, but even the whole world also. And were there
so many worlds of men as there are men in the world, it would
be sufficient for them also ; and yet still there would be an over
plus of value : for all those worlds of men would rise but to a
finite bulk; but this blood is infinite in its worth and dignity.
So that we are not only redeemed from wrath, by the adequate
compensation made for our sins by Christ's blood and sufferings,

170 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
substantially considered ; but entitled to a most glorious inheri
tance, purchased by his blood, as the blood of God, and therefore
as most excellent and efficacious, above what the law demanded.
By this you see, how rich a treasure lies in Christ, to bestow in
a purchase for us, above what he paid to redeem us ; even as,
much as his soul and body were of more worth than ours, for whom
he was sacrificed ; which is. so great a sum, that all the angels in
heaven, and men on earth, can never compute and sum up, so,
as to shew us the total of it. And this was that inexhaustible
treasure that Christ expended, to procure and purchase the fairest
inheritance for believers. Let us next enquire into the inheritance
purchased by it.
-Secondly, This inheritance is so large, that it cannot be sur
veyed by creatures ; nor can the boundaries and limits therepf
be" described, for it comprehends all things ; 1 Co?, iii. 22.
Rev. xxi. 7.
I shall distribute the saints inheritance, purchased by Christ,1
into three heads.
\. All temporal good things. 1 Tim. vi. 7. " He hath given us
all things richly to enjoy." Not that they have the possession,
but the comfort and benefit of all things : others have the sting,
gall, wormwood, baits and snares of the creature ; saints only-
have the blessing and comfort of it. So that this little that a
righteous man hath, is (in this among other respects) better than
the treasures of many wicked : which is the true key to open that
dark saying ofthe apostle, 2 Cor. vi. 10.. "As having nothing,
and yet possessing all things."
2. All spiritual good things are purchased by the blood of Christ
for them ; as justification, which comprises remission of sins and
acceptance of our persons by God : Rom. iii. 24. Sanctification .
yea, both initial and progressive sanctification : for of " God; he
is made unto us sanctification," 1 Cor. i. 30. These two, viz.
our justification and sanctification, are two of the most rich and
shining robes in the wardrobe of free grace. How glorious- and
lovely do they render the soul that wears them. Adoption also
into the family of God is purchased for us by his blood ; " For
ye are all the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ." This
most precious grace is the dear purchase of our Lord Jesus Christ ;
yea, all that peace, joy, and spiritual comfort, which are sweet
fruits of faith, are with it purchased for us by this blood.
Moreover the Spirit himself, who is the author, fountain, and
spring of all graces and comforts, is procured for us by his death
and resurrection: Gal. iii. 14. that we might receive the promise
of the Spirit through faith. That Spirit that first sanctified, and
since hath so often sealed, comforted, directed, guided* and
quickened your souls, had not come to peu-orm any of these
blessed offices .upon your hearts, if Christ had not died.
3. All eternal good things are the purchase of his blood. Hea-

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 1/1
ven, and all the glory thereof, is purchased for you that are
believers, with this price. Hence that glory, whatever it be, is
called " an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth
not away, reserved in heaven for you,"
To complete our happiness, and fill up the uttermost capacity
of our souls, all the good of eternity is put into the account and
inventory of the saints' inheritance. This happiness is ineffable ;
it is usually distinguished into what is essential, and what is
accessory to it. The essentials of it, as far as we in our embo
died state can conceive, is either the objective, subjective, ox formal
happiness to be enjoyed in heaven.
The objective happiness is God himself. " Whom have I in
heaven but thee ?" If it could be supposed (saith one) that God
should withdraw from the saints in heaven, and say, Take
heaven, and divide it among you ; but as for me, I will withdraw
from you ; the saints would fall a weeping in heaven, and say,
Lord, take heaven, and give it to whom thou wilt ; it is no heaven
to us, except thou be there. In this, our glory in heaven consists,
to be ever with the Lord.
The subjective glory and happiness is the attemperatioo and
suiting of the soul and body to God. This is begun in sanctifica
tion, and perfected in glorification. It consists in removing from
both all that is inconsistent with a state of such complete glory,
and happiness, and in superinducting and clothing it wifh al.
heavenly qualities.
The immunities of the body are its freedom from all natural
infirmities ; which as they come in, so they go out with sin.
The soul also is discharged and freed from all darkness and ig
norance. The saints in glory shall be free from all that now
troubles them ; they shall never sin more, nor be once tempted
so to do, for no serpent hisses in that paradise ; they shall never
grieve nor groan more, for God shall wipe away all tears from
their eyes.
The formal happiness is the fulness of satisfaction resulting
from the blessed sight and enjoyment of God, by a soul so at
tempered to him, Psal. xvii, 15. " We shall fee like him, for
we shall see him as he is," As iron put into the fire, becomes
all fiery ; so the soul, by conversing with Isirpd, is changed into
his very similitude. It will be an appnopriative vision ; " Whom
I shall see for myself," Job xjx. J26, 27- It will a raviskinjg
vision ? How was Paul transported, when he was in a -visional
way wrapt up into the third heaven, and heard the unutterable
things, though he was not admitted into the blessed society, but
was with them, as the angels are in our assemblies, a stander -by,
a looker-on. Ifa spark do so inflame, what is it to lie down like
a Phoenix in her bed of spices ! This employment will be oter-
nal, and have no diversions from it for ever. No evening is
mentioned to the seventh day's sabbath ; no night in the new Je
rusalem. And therefore,

172 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
Lastly, It will be a fully satisfying vision: God will then be
all in all. The blessed soul will feel itself blessed. Ab, what
a happiness is here ! how wonderfully distinguished by special
grace from them that are howling in flames, this will enhance the
glory. And so also will the accessories of this blessedness be ; The
place where God is enjoyed, whither Christ ascended, where the
great assembly are met. The company also adds to the glory,
A blissful society indeed ! store of good neighbours in that city.
There we shall have familiar converse with angels, whose appear
ances now are insupportable by poor mortals. This is a blessed
glimpse of your inheritance.
Thirdly, All this is purchased for believers : hence it is called,
" the inheritance of the saints in light," Col. i. 12. " All is yours,
for ye are Christ's," that is the tenure, 1 Cor. iii. 23.
Inf. 1 . Hath Christ not only redeemed you from wrath, but
purchased such an eternal inheritance also ? O how well content
should believers then be with their lot of providence in this life, be
it what it will ! Content did I say? I speak too low ; overcome,
ravished, filled with praises and thanksgivings; how low, how
poor, how afflicted soever for the present they are.
Inf. 2. With what weaned affections should the people of God
walk up and down this world, content to live, and willing to diet
For things present are theirs if they live, and things to come are
theirs if they die. Paul expresses himself in a frame of holy in-
differency, Phil. i. 23. " Which to chuse I know not." Many
of them that are now in fruition of their inheritance above, had
death in desire, while they tabernacled with us. " O (cried one)
 1 cannot tell you what sweet pain and delightful torments
are in his love ! O if he would fold the heavens together like an
old cloak, and shovel time and days out of the way, and make
ready in haste the Lamb's wife for her husband !
Who can be blamed for desiring to see that fair inheritance
which is purchased for him ! But, truly, should God hold up the
soul by the power of faith, from day to day. to such sights as
these, who would be content to live a day more on earth ! How
should we be ready to pull down the prison walls, and not have
patience to wait till God open the door !
Inf. 3. Hence we infer the impossibility of their salvation that
know not Christ, nor have interest in his blood. Neither Heathens,
nor merely nominal Christians, can inherit heaven. I know some
are very indulgent to the Heathen, and many formal Christians
are too much so to themselves : buc union by faith with Jesus
Christ, is the only way to heaven revealed in scripture. There
is but one way to glory for all the world, John xjv. 6. « No man
cometh to the Father but by me."
Inf. 4. How greatly are we all concerned to clear up our title to
the heavenly inheritance ! It is horrible to see how industrious

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 173
many are for an inheritance on earth, and how careless for heaven.
By which we may plainly see how vilely the noble soul is depres
sed by sin, and sunk down into flesh. Hear me, ye that labour
for the world, as if heaven were in it ; what will ye do when at
death you shall look back over your shoulder, and see what you
have spent your time and strength for, shrinking and vanishing
away from you ? When you shall look forward, and see vast
eternity opening its mouth to swallow you up ; O then what would
you give for a well-grounded assurance of an eternal inheritance !
Remember, now God offers you his helping hand ; now the
Spirit waits upon you in the means, but of the continuance thereof
you have no assurance ; for it is of his own good pleasure, and
not at yours. To your work, souls, to your work. Ah, strive
as men that know what an inheritance in heaven is worth.
And, as for you that have solid evidence that it is yours ; O,
that with hands and eyes lifted up to heaven, you would adore
that free grace, that hath entitled a child of wrath to a heavenly
inheritance ! Walk as it becomes heirs of God, and joint heirs
with Christ. Be often looking heaven-ward when wants pinch
here. O look to that fair estate you have reserved in heaven for
you, and say, 1 am hastening home ; and when I come thither,
all my wants shall be supplied. Consider what it cost Christ to
purchase it for thee ; and with a deep sense of what he hath laid
out for thee, let thy soul say,
Blessed be God for Jesus Christ.

OF THE KINGLY OFFICE OF CHRIST, EXECUTED
SPIRITUALLY UPON THE SOULS OF THE RE
DEEMED.
2 Con. x. 5. — Casting down imaginations, and every high thing
. that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing
into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
We now come to the Regal office, by which our glorious Me
diator executes and dischargeth the undertaken design of our
redemption. Christ hath a twofold kingdom, the one spiritual
and internal, by which he subdues and rules tbe hearts of his peo
ple ; the other providential and external, whereby he guides,
rules, and orders all things in the world, in a blessed subordina
tion to their eternal salvation. I am to speak from this text of
his spiritual and internal kingdom.
These words are considered two ways, either relatively or abso
lutely. Considered relatively, they are a vindication ofthe apostle
from the unjust censures ofthe Corinthians.
Absolutely considered, they hold forth the efficacy of the gos
pel, for the subduing of rebellious sinners to Christ: and in them
we have these three things to consider,

174 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
1 The oppositions made by sinners against the gospel, viz.
imaginations, or reasonings, as the word may be fitly rendered.
He means the subtleties, slights, excuses, subterfuges, and ar-
guings of fleshly-minded men ; in which they fortify and entrench
themselves against the convictions ofthe word.
2. We have here the conquest which the gospel obtains over
sinners, thus fortified against it; it casts down and overthrows,
and takes in these strong holds. Thus Christ spoils Satan of his
armour in. which he trusted.
3. You have here the improvement ofthe victory-. Christ doth
not only lead away these enemies spoiled, but brings them into
obedience to himself, i. e. makes them, after conversion, subjfects
of his own kingdom, obedient, useful, and serviceable to him
self; and so is more than a conqueror. Hence the doctrinal,
note i_,
Doct. That Jesus Christ exercises a Kingly power over the souk
of all whom ihe gospel subdues to his obedience.
No sooner were the Colossians delivered out of the power of
darkness, but they were immediately translated into the kingdoii
of Christ.
In the prosecution of this point, I will speak doctrinally to
three heads.
First, We will open the way in which Christ obtains a throne
in the hearts of men, and that it is fey conquest. Christ must
fight his way into the soul, though he have a right to enter, as
into his dearly purchased possession. And so he doth ; for when
the time of recovering them is come, he sends forth bis armies to
subdue them 5 as it is Psal. ex. 3. " Thy people shall be willing
in the day of thy power, or the day of thine armies." The Lord Je
sus sent forth his armies of prophets, apostles, evangelists, pastors*
teachers. But that is not all : he causes armies of convictions,
and spiritual troubles,, to begird and straiten them on every side,
so that they know not what to do. Christ's arrows are sharp in
thehearts of his enemies, whereby the people fall under him, Psal.
xiv. 5, 6. By these convictions he batters down all their loose
vain hopes, and levels them with the earth.
This day is a day of distress within : yea, such a day of trouble,
that noneis like it. But though it be so, yet Satan hath sodeeply
entrenched himself in the mind and will, that the soul yields not
at the fir_t summons, till its provisions within are spent, and afl
its towers of pride, and walls of vain confidence, be nn_ermined
by the gospel, and shaken down about its ears : and then the soul
desires a parley with Christ. O now it is ^lad of terms, any
terms, if it may but save its life: let all go as a prey to the con
queror. It is, at last, resolved to open to Christ ; and saith, " Stand
open ye everlasting gates, and be ye opened ye everlasting dooTS,

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 175
and the King of glory shall come in." Now, the will spontane
ously opens to 'Christ : that royal fort submits and yields ; all the
affections open to him. The will brings Christ the keys of all the
rooms in the soul. And thus the soul is won to Christ ; he writes
down his terms, and the soul willingly subscribes them. Thus
it comes into Christ by free and hearty submission, desiring
nothing more than fo come under the government of Christ, for
the .future.
¦Secondly, Let us see how Christ rules in the souls of such as
submit to him.
1. He imposes a new law upon them, and enjoins them to be
severe and punctual in their obedience to it: The soul was a
Belialite before, and could endure no restraint ; its lusts gave it
laws, Tit. iii. 3, Whatever the flesh craved, and the sensual
appetite whined after, itmusthave, cost what ft would ; ifdamtaa-
nation were the price of it, it wtiuld have it, provided it should
not be present pay. Now, it must not be any longer without
law to God ; but under law to Christ. Those are the articles of
¦.peace. " Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me." But
Christ's yokels lined with love, so that it never galls the necks
of his people, 1 John v. 3.
2. He rebukes and chastises souls for the violations and trans
gressions of his law. That is another act of Christ's regal autho
rity : " whom he loves he rebukes and chastens." And it is not
the least privilege of Christ's subjects to have a seasonable and
sanctified rod to reduce them from the ways of sin. Others are
suffered to go on stubborrily in the way of their own hearts ; Christ
will not spend a rod upon them for their good, will not call them,
to account for any of their transgressions, but will reckon With
them for all together in hell.
3. Another regal act of Christ, is the restraining his servants
from iniquity, and withholding them from those courses which
their own hearts would lead them to; for, even in them, there is
a spirit bent to backsliding, but then doth the Lord 'prevent sin,
by removing the occasion providentially, or by helping them to
resist the temptation, graciously assisting their spirits in the'trial,
so that no temptation shall befal them, but a way of escape shall
be opened, that they may be able to bear it.
4. He-protects them in his ways, and suffers them not to relapse
from 'him into a state of sin, and bondage to Satan any more.
'Indeed Satan is restless in his endeavours to reduce them again
to his obedience. None more solicited, yet none more safe than
the.people of God: They are " preserved in Christ Jesus," Jude
i. It is not their own grace that secures them, butvOhrist's care,
and continual watchfulness. ,
5. As a king he rewards their obedience, and encourages their
sincere service. Though all they do for ^Christ be ddty, yet be
hath united their comfort with their duty ; " this I had, because 1

176 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
kept thy precepts." They are engaged to take this encourage.
ment with them to every duty, that he whom they seek " is a
bountiful rewarder of such as diligently seek him."
6. He pacifies all inward troubles, and commands peace when
their spirits are tumultuous. This " peace of God rules in their
hearts," in appeasing strife within. When the tumultuous affec
tions are up, and in a hurry ; when anger, hatred, and revenge
begin to rise in the soul, this hushes and stills all. He that saith
to the raging sea, be still, and it obeys him ; he can only pacify
the disquieted spirit. These are Christ's regal acts. And he
puts them forth upon the souls of his people, powerfully, sweetly,
suitably. (1.) Powerfully: whether he restrains from sin, or impels to
duty, he doth it with a soul determining efficacy, 1 Cor. iv. 20.
(2.) He rules not by compulsion, but most sweetly. His law
is a law of love, written upon their hearts. For he delighteth iin
free, not in forced, obedience. He rules Children, not staves;
and so bis kingly power is mixed with fatherly love.
(3.) He rules them suitably to their natures in a rational way;
I drew them with the cords of a man. And thus his eternal
kingdom is administered by his Spirit, who is his prorex, or vice
gerent in our hearts.
Thirdly, and lastly, we will open the privileges pertaining to
all the subjects of this spiritual kingdom.
1 . These souls, over whom Christ reigns, are certainly] and
fully set free from the curse ofthe law, Johu viii. 36. I say not,
they are free from the law as a rule of life ; such a freedom were
no privilege to them at all : but free from the rigorous exactions,
and terrible maledictions of it.
2. Another privilege of Christ's subjects, is, freedom from
the dominion of sin. Rom. vi. 14. One heaven cannot bear two
suns ; nor one soul two kings : when Christ takes the throne, sin
quits it. It is true, the being of sin is there still; but its domi
nion is abolished.
3 Another privilege of Christ's subjects, is, protection in all
the troubles and dangers to which their souls or bodies are ex-

» «*¦• *J -* — " -•www. .uiu. \st ISULl&td Uf C CJ."
posed. Mic v. 5 Kings owe protection to their subject
none so able, so faithful in that work as Christ
/J. Arth-r P1ivi!ege f Christ's s«bJects, is, a merciful and
lender bearing of their burdens and infirmities. They hav* a
TnnV"? Pat'ei. * ki_gY. He is one that can have compassion
upon the ignorant, and them that are out of the way
«f /JLt8?™*- Sw/et{Peac.e> °nd tranquility of soul, is the privilege
£t I JaC- °f- tA« h^m : for this kinSd°m " consisteth in
peace, and .,oy in the Holy Ghost." « Being justified by faith,
we have peace with God." J ' '
»iS_»Ar» ^f17'- everla?tinS salvation is the privilege of all over
whom Christ reigns. Indeed, the kingdom of grL^doth but

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 177
breed up children for the kingdom of glory. The subjects of this
are shortly to be translated to that kingdom. We next apply it.
Inference 1. How great is their sin and misery who continue
in bondage, to Satan, and refuse ihe government of Christ!
Satan writes his laws in the blood of his subjects, grinds them
with cruel oppression, wears them out with bondage to divers
lusts, and rewards their service with everlasting misery. And
yet how few are weary of it, and willing to come over to Christ.
Inf. 2. How much doth" it concern us to enquire and know
whose government we are under, whether Christ or Satan sways
the sceptre over our souls ?
Reader, the work I would now engage thy soul in, is the
same that Jesus Christ will thoroughly and effectually' do in the
great day. Then will he gather out of his kingdom every thing
that offends, 'separate the tares and wheat, divide the whole world
into two ranks or grand divisions, how many divisions and sub
divisions soever there be in it now. It nearly concerns thee
therefore to know who is Lord and King in thy soul.
" To whom do you yield your obedience ? His subjects and
servants ye are to whom ye obey," Rom. vi. 16. It is but a
mockery to give Christ the empty titles of Lord and King, whilst
ye give your real service to sin and Satan.
Have you the power of godliness, or a form of it only 1 There
be matiy that do but trifle in Teligion, and play about the skirts
and borders of it ; but as to the power of religion, and the life of
godliness, they concern not themselves about these things. O I
am afraid when the great host of professors shall be tried, they
will shrink up into a little handful, as Gideon's host did.
Have ye the special saving knowledge of Christ ? The devil is
called the ruler of tlie darkness of this wqrld; his subjects are
all blind, else he could never rule them. As soon as their eyes
be opened, they run out of his kingdom, and there is no retaining
them in subjection to him any longer
With whom do you delightfully associate yourselves ? Who are
your chosen companions ? What do the subjects of Christ among
the slaves of Satan ? If the subjects of one kingdom be in another
king's dominion, they love to be together with their own coun
trymen, rather than the natives of the place ; so do the servants
of Christ.
Do you live holy and righteous lives ? If not, you may claim
interest in Christ as your King, but he -.will never allow your
claim. What is Christ the King of cheats ? No, no, pull off
your vizards, and fall into your own places ; you belong to
another prince, and not to Christ.
Infi 3. Doth Christ exercise such a kingly power over the souls
of all them that are subdued by the gospel to him ? O then let all
that are under Christ's government walk as the subjects of such a
King. Imitate your King ; the examples of kings are very in-
N

IJ.Q THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
fluential upon their subjects. Your King was a self-denying
King ; he could deny bis outward comforts, ease, honour, life,
to serve his Father's design, and accomplish your salvation.
Shall his servants be self-ended, and self-seeking persons, that
will expose his honour, and hazard their own souls for the trifles
of time ? God forbid. Your king was laborious, and diligent in
fulfilling his work. Let not his servants be lazy^ and slothful.
O imitate your King, follow the pattern of your King: this will
give yon comfort now, and boldness in fhe day of judgment.

OF THE KINGLY OFFICE OF CHRIST, AS ITIS
PROVIDENTIALLY EXECUTED IN THE WORLD,
FOR THE REDEEMED.
EPH. i. 22. — And hath put all things under his feet, and gave
him to be the head over all things jo the church.
In this scripture let these four things be seriously regarded,/.!,
1. The dignity and authority committed to Christ ; " He hath
put all things under his feet ;" which implies, full, ample and
absolute dominion in him, and subjection in them over whom he
reigns. 2. The subject recipient of this authority, which is Christ,, and
Christ primarily, and only : he is the first receptacle of all au
thority and power.
3. The object of this authority, the whole creation ; all things
are put under his feet : he rules even to the utmost bounds of God's
creation, 4. And especially, take notice of the finis cui, the end for
which he governs and rules the universal empire ; it is for the
church, i. e. for the advantage, comfort, and salvation of that
chosen remnant he died for. Hence the point is,
Doct. That all the affairs of the kingdom of providence are
ordered and determined by Jesus Chiist, for the special ad
vantage, and everlasting good of his redeemed people.
The first chapter of Ezekiel contains an admirable scheme or
draught of providence. There you see how all the wheels, i. e.
the motions and revolutions here on earth, are guided by the spirit
that is in them. And, ver. 26. it is all run up into the supreme
cause ; there you find one like the Son of man, which is Jesus
Christ, sitting upon the throne, and giving forthy orders from
thence for the government of all: and if it were not so, how is it
that there are such strong combinations, and predispositions of
persons and things to such ends and issues, without any commu
nications of councils with one another. Certainly, if ten men,
from several places, should all meet at one place, and about one
business, without any fore-appointment among themselves, it
would argue their motions were secrecy over-ruled by some

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 179
invisible agent. In a word, if Christ hath no mea providential
influx, how are his people in all ages preserved in the midst of so
many millions, of potent and malicious enemies, amongst whom
they live as sheep in1 the midst of wolves.
But my business, in this discourse, is not to prove that there
is a Providence, which none but Atheists deny. I shall druse
rather to shew by what acts Jesus Christ administers this king
dom, and in what manner.
1; He supports the vvorH, and all creatures in it, by bis
power. "In him (that is, in Christ) all things consist," Col. i.
1 7. The parts of the world are not coupled and fastened together
as the parts of a bouse, whose beams are pinned and nailed to
each other; but rather as several rings of iron, which bang
together by the virtue of a loadstone. This goodly fabrie was razed
to the foundation when sin entered, and had tumbled into ever
lasting confusion, had not Christ stept in to shore up the reeling
wo_ld. And when he hath gathered all his elect out of it into
the kingdom above, then will he set fire to the four quarters of
it, and it shall lie in ashes.
2. He permits and suffers the worst, of creatures in his do
minion, to be and act as they do. " The deceived, and the
deceiver, are his." Say not, that it is unbecoming the most
Holy to permit such evils, which he could prevent if he pleased.
For he permits no more than he will over-rule to his praise.
And this holy permission is but the withholding of those restraints
from their lusts, and denying those common assistanqes which
he is no way bound to give them, Acts xiv. 16.
3. He powerfully restrains creatures by the bridle of providence,
from the commission of those things, to which their hearts are
prone, Psal. Ixxvi. 10. " The remainder of wrath thou wilt re
strain." Julian had two great designs before him, one was to
conquer the Persians, the other to root out the Galileans, as he,
by way of contempt, called the Christians : but he will begin with
the Persians, and then make a sacrifice of all the Christians to
his idols. He doth so, and perisheth in the first attempt-. O the
wisdom bf Providence !
4. Jesus Christ limits tbe creatures in their acting, assigning
them their boundaries, to which they may, but beyond* which
they cannot, go. Rev. ii. 10. Four hundred and thirty years
were determined upon the people of God in Egypt ; and then,
even in that very night, God brought them forth ; for then, "the
time of tbe promise was come," Acts vii. 17.
5. The Iiord Jesus providentially protects his people amidst a
world of enemies and dangers". It was Christ that appeared unto
Moses in the flaming bUsh, and preserved it from being consumed.
The bush signified the people of God in Egypt; the fire flaming
on it, the exquisite sufferings they there endured : tbe , safety Of
the bush, amidst the flames, the Lord's admirable care arid pro-
N.2

ISO THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
tectionofhispoor suffering ones. None so tenderly careful as
Christ. 6. Ue punishes the evil doers, and repays, by providence into
their own lap, the mischiefs they do, unto them that fear him.
Pharaoh, Sennacherib, both the Julians, and innumerable more,
are the lasting monuments of his righteous retribution. Christ
rules, and that with a rod of iron, in the midst of his enemies,
Psal. ex. 2.
7. And lastly, He rewards by Providence the services done
to him and his people, Matth. xix. 29. What huge volumes of
experiences might the people of God write upon this subject? and
what a pleasant history would it be, to read the strange, constant,
wonderful, and unexpected actings of Providence, for them that
have left themselves to its care ?
Secondly, We shall next enquire how Jesus Christ administers
this providential kingdom.
And here I must take notice of the means by which, and the
manner in which he doth it. The means, or instruments, he
uses, are either angels or men ; " the angels are ministering
creatures, sent forth by him for the good of them that shall be
heirs of salvation," Heb. i. 14. And as angels, so men are the
servants of Providence ; yea, bad men as well as good. Cyrus,
on that account, is called God's servant. Yea, there is not a
creature in heaven, earth, or hell, but Jesus Christ can providen
tially use it and serve his ends, and promote' his designs by it.
But whatever the instrument be, his providential working is,
1. Holy. Though he permits, orders and over-rules many
unholy persons and actions, yet he still works like himself, most
holily and purely throughout. Psal. cxlv. 17. It is easier to
separate light from a sun- beam, than holiness from the works of
God. 2. Christ's providential working is also most wise and judici
ous. Ezek. i. 20. " The wheels are full of eyes :" They are
not moved by a blind impetus, but in deep counsel and wisdom.
In the felicity of the other world : the blessed shall see that the
crossing of their desires was the saving of their souls ; and that
otherwise they had perished. The mOst wise Providence looks
beyond us. It eyes the end, and suits all things thereto, and
not to our fond desires.
3. The providence of Christ is most supreme and sovereign.
" He is Lord of lords, and King of kings," Rev. xix. 16. The ,
greatest monarchs on earth are but as worms of the earth to him:
rthey all depend on him.
4. Providence is profound and inscrutable. The judgments of
Christ are " a great deep, and his' footsteps are not known."
There are hard texts in the works as well as in the words of
Christ. The wisest heads have been at a loss in interpreting
some Providences.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.

181

5. Providence is irresistible in its designs and rootions ; for all
providences are but the fulfillings and accomplishments of God's
immutable decrees. Eph. i. 11. " He works all things according
to the counsel of his own will." " J will work, and who shall
let it?" Isa. xliii. 13.
6. The providences of . Christ are harmonious. There are
secret chains, and invisible connections betwixt the works of
Christ. He doth not do, and undo ; destroy by one providence,
what he built by another. But, look, as all seasons ofthe year,
the nipping frosts, as well as the halcyon days of summer, do all
conspire and conduce to the harvest ; so it is in providence.
7- And last.y, The providences of Christ work in a special and
peculiar way for the good, of the saints. Things are so laid and
ordered, as that their eternal good shall be promoted and secured
by all that Christ doth.
Inference 1. If so, See then, in the first place, io whom you
are, beholden for your lives, liberties, comforts, and all that you
enjoy in this world. Is it not Christ that orders all for you ?
And you should carefully observe how the promises and provi
dences bave kept equal pace with one another, and both gone by
step with you until now.
Inf. 2. Hath God left the government of the whole world in
the hands of Christ? Then do you also leave all your, particular
concerns in the hands of Christ. I remember when Melanchton
was under some despondencies of spirit about the estate of God's
people in Germany, Luther chides him thus for it, " Let Philip
cease to rule the world." It is none of our work to steer the
course of providence, or direct its motions, but to submit quietly
to him that doth. There are but few Abrahams, among believers,
who " against hope, believed in hope, giving glory to God,"
Inf. 3. If Christ be Lord and king over the providential king
dom, and tbat, for the good of his people,- let none that are Christ's
henceforth, stand in a slavish fear of creatures. Hath he not
given you abundant security in many express promises, that all
shall issue well for you that fear him ? Rom. viii. 28. And Eccl.
viii. 12. verily "it shall be well with them that fear God." And
suppose he had not, yet tha very understanding of our relation to
such a king, should, in itself, be sufficient security : for, he is
the universal supreme, absolute, meek, merciful, victorious, and
immortal king.
His love to his people is unspeakably tender and fervent, he
that touches them, " touches the apple of his eye."
Inf. 4. If the government of the world he in the hands of
Christ, Then our engaging and entitling of Christ to ati our
affairs, is the true and ready way to their success and prosperity.
It is no lost time that is spent in prayer, wherein we ask his
leave, and beg his presence with us. How easily can Jesus
Christ dash all your designs, when they are at the very article of

182 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
execution, and break off, in a moment, all the purposes of your
hearts? But I.reckon that business as good as done, to whidt
we have got Christ's leave, and engaged his presence to
accompany us.
Inf. 5. Lastly, Eye Christ in all the events of providence ; see
his hand in all that befals you, whether it be evil or good:.
1. In all the evits of trouble and affliction that befalffou, eye
Jesus Christ : and set your hearts to the study of these four things
in affliction. Study Ms sovereignty and dominion ; for he creates and forms
them : they rise not out of the dust, nor do they befal you casual
ly. The Centurion wisely considered this, when he told him,
" I have soldiers under me, and I say to one, Go, and he
goeth ; to another, Come, and he cometh :" meaning, that as his
soldiers were at his beck and command, so diseases were at
Christ's beck, to come and go as he ordered them.
Study the ivisdom of Christ in the contrivance of your troubles.
And his wisdom shines in chusing such kinds of trouble for you :
this, and not that, in the degrees of your troubles^ suffering" them
to work to such a height, but no higher, lest they 'overwhelm
you. Study the tenderness and compassions of Christ over Ms
afflicted. O think if the devil had but the mixing of my cup, how
much more bitter would he make it! There would not be one
drop of mercy. . Am I afflicted ? "Itis ofthe Lord's mercy 1
am not consumed." It might have been hell as well as this ;
there is mercy in his supports under it, and in deliverance out
of it ; this might have been everlasting darkness.
Study the lame of Christ to thy soul, in affliction. Rev. iii. 19.
This is the device of love, to recover thee to thy God, and pre
vent thy ruin.
2. Eye and study Christ in all Ihe good you receive from the
hand of providence.
Eye them in their suitableness. Thou hast a narrow heart,
and a small estate suitable to it : Hadst thou more of the world,
it would be like a large sail to a Httle boat, which would quickly
pull thee under water.
Eye the seasonableness of thy mercies, how they are timed to
an hour. Providence brings forth all its fruits in due season.
Eye the peculiar n ature of thy mercies. Others have common,
thou special ones.
Observe, the order in which providence sends your merriei.
, See how one is linked strangely to another, and is a door to let
in many.
And lastly, Observe the constancy of them, " they are new
every morning." How assiduously doth God visit thy soul and
body ! Think with thyself, if there be but^a suspension of the
care of Christ for one hour, that hour would'be thy ruin.

the fountain of life. -83
Could we thus study the providence of Christ, then should we
answer all Christ's ends in every state he brings us into. Do
tbis, and say, Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ.

OF THE NECESSITY OF CHRIST'S HUMILIATION,
AND PARTICULARLY HIS INCARNATION.
Phil. ii. 8. — And being found in fashion as a man, he- humbled.
himself, and became obedient to death, even the death of the
cross. He that intends to build high, lays the foundation deep arid
low. Christ must have a distinct glory in heaven, transcending
that of angels and men, (for the saints will know him from all
others by his glory; as the sun is known from the lesser stars.)
Arid, as he must be exalted infinitely above them, so he must
first, in order thereunto, be humbled and abased as much below
them. This humiliation of Christ we have here expressed in the na
ture, degrees, and duration or continuance of it.
• 1. The nature of it, he humbled himself. 1. The word im
ports both a real and voluntary abasement. Real; he did not
personate a humbled man, nor act the part of one, but was really,
and indeed humbled. It is not said he was humbled, but he
humbled himself: he was willing to stoop to this low and abject
state for us. And, indeed, the voluntariness of his humiliation
made it most acceptable to God, and singularly commends fhe
love of Christ to us, that he would chuse to stoop to all this ig
nominy, suffering, and abasement for us.
2. The degrees of his humiliation ; it was not Only so low as
to become a man, a man under law ; but he humbled himself to
become " obedient to death, even the death ofthe Cross."
3. The duration, or continuance of this his humiliation : it con
tinued from the first moment of his incarnation, to the very
moment of his vivification and quickening in the grave ; that is,
from his incarnation, unto his death on the Cross, which also
comprehends the time of his abode in the grave ; so long his hu
miliation lasted. Hence the observation is,
Doct. That the slate of Christ, from his conception to his
resurrection, was a state of deep abasement and humiliation.
My present work is to open Christ's humiliation, ib his inca^
nation, imported in these wordfc, He was found in fashion as
a man. Observe,
1. The incarnation of Christ was a most wonderful humilia-
tionj inasmuch as thereby he is brought into the rank and order
of creatures, who is over all, " God blessed for ever." This is

184 the fountain of life.
the astonishing mystery, 1 Tim. iii. 16. It was a wonder to
Solomon, that God would dwell in that stately and magnificent
temple at Jerusalem. But it would have 'seemed a rude blasphemy,
had not the scriptures plainly revealed it, to have thought of the
world's Creator as a creature ; the Ancient of Days, an infant
of days.
For the sun to fall from its sphere, and be degraded into a
wandering atom ; for an angel to be turned out of heaven, and be
converted into a silly fly or worm, had, beeri no such great abase-
mentTfor they were: but creatures before, and so they would
abide still, though in an inferior order or species of creatures.
The distance betwixt the highest and lowest species of creatures,
is but a finite distance. The angel and the worm dwell not so
far asunder. But for the infinite glorious Creator of all things,
to become a creature, is a mystery exceeding all human un
derstanding. 2. It was a marvellous humiliation to the Son of God, not only
to become a creature, but an inferior creature, a man, and not
an angel. Had he taken the angelical nature, though it had been
a wonderful abasement to him, yet he had staid (if I may so
speak) nearer his own home, and been somewhat Hker to a God,
than now he appeared, when he dwelt with us : for angej§ are the
highest, and most excellent of all created beings, yet Christ
ch useth this inferior order and species of creatures, and passeth
by fhe angelical nature ; Heb. ii. 16. " He took not on him the
nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham."
3, Moreover, Jesus Christ did hot only neglect the angelical,
and assume tbe human nature ; but he also assumed the human
nature, after sin bad blotted the original glory of it, and wither
ed up the beauty and excellency thereof.
By reason whereof, though be was not a sinner, yet he looked
like one : and they that saw and conversed with him. took him
for a sinner; seeing all the effects of sin upon him. In these
things he came as near to sin as his holiness could admit. In
nocent flesh of Adam, had been much ; but to be made in the
likeness of sinful flesh, the flesh of sinners, rebels; flesh though
not defiled, yet miserably defaced by sin ! O what is this ! and
who can declare it ! And indeed, if he will be a Mediator of
reconciliation, our sinless infirmities were necessary, to be
assumed with the nature, forasmuch as his bearing them was a
part of his humiliation.
But O the admirable condescensions of a Saviour, to take such
a nature! to put on such a garment when so very mean and
ragged ! Did this become the Son of God to wear ? O grace
unsearchable ! °
4. And yet more; by this his incarnation he was greatly hum
bled inasmuch as this so vailed, and disguised him, that he
looked not like himself, as God ; but as a poor, sorry, contempti-

the fountain of life. 185
ble sinner, in the eyes of the world. To see a poor man travel
ling up and down the country, in hunger, thirst, weariness,
attended with a company of poor men ; one of his company
bearing the bag, arid that which was put therein. Who that had
seen him, would ever have thought this had been the Creator of
the world, the Prince of the kings of the earth ? Christ looked
so unlike a God in this habit, that he was scarce allowed the
name of a man ; a worm rather than a man.
If a prince walk up and down in a disguise, he must expect
no more honour than a mean subject. This was the case with
our Lord Jesus Christ, this disguise made him contemptible, and
an object of scorn.
5. Again, Christ was greatly humbled by his incarnation, inas
much as thereby he was put at a distance from his Father, and
that ineffable joy and pleasure he eternally had with him. To
be reduced to such a low ebb of spiritual comforts, as to be forced
to cry out so bitterly.- " My God, my God, why hast thou
forsaken me ?" This was a thing Christ was very unacquainted
with, till he was found in habit as a man. '
6. And lastly, lt was a great stoop and condescension of Christ
to take his nature from such obscure parents, and chuse such a
low and contemptible state in this world as he did. He will be
born, but not of tbe blood of nobles, but of a poor woman in Is
rael, espoused to a carpenter : yea, and that too, under all the
disadvantages imaginable ; not in his mother's-house, but an inn ;
yea, in the stable too. He suited all to that abased state he was
designed for ; and came among us under all the humbling circum
stances imaginable : " That though he was rich, yet for our sakes
he became poor."
Inference 1. Hence we gather ihe fulness and completeness of
Christ's satisfaction, as the sweet first-fruits of his incarnation.
Did man offend and violate the law of God? Behold, God him
self is become man to repair that breach, and satisfy for the
wrong done. Such a person as the man Christ Jesus is, to stand
before its bar, and make reparation to it. This is more than if
it had poured out all our blood, and built up its honour upon the
ruins ofthe whole.
It is not so much to see all the stars in heaven overcast, as to
see one sun eclipsed. The greater Christ was, the greater was
his humiliation ; and the greater his hmiliation, the more full and
complete his satisfaction.
Inf. 2. Did Christ for our sakes stoop from the majesty, glory
ahd dignity he was possessed of in heaven, to Ihe mean and con
temptible state of a man? What a pattern of self-denial is here.
Did Christ stoop so much, and cannot you stoop at the least ?
Was he content to become any thing, a worm, a reproach, a
curse ; and cannot you digest any abasement ? lt is intolerable
impudence for a worm to swell with pride, after it hath seen ma-

Ig6 the fountain of life.
testy emptying itself ; to see one so infinitely above Us, to stoop
so far beneath us. O how convincing and shaming should it be.
Inf. 3. Did Christ stoop so low as lo become a man to save
us i Then those that perish under the gospel, must needsperisk
without apology. What would you bave Christ do more to
save you ? Lo, he hath laid aside the robesx>f majesty and glojy,
put on your own garments of flesh, come down from his throne,
and brought salvation home to your own doors. So that, as
one well observes, the vilest sinners among the Gentiles, nay,
the devils themselves, will have more to say for themselves
than you.
1 must be plain with you ; I beseech you consider, how Jews,
Pagans, and Devils will rise up in judgment against you.
O poor sinners ! Your damnation is just, if you refuse grace
brought home by Jesus Chris himself to your very doors. The
Lord grant this may not be thy case who readest these lines.
' Inf. 4. Moreover ; hence it follows, that none doth, or can
love like Christ: His love to man is matchless. The freeness,
strength, antiquity, and immutability of it, puts a lustre on it
beyond all example. Surely it was a strong love indeed, that
made him lay aside his glory, to be found in fashion as a man,
to become any thing, though never so much below himself,- for
our salvation.. His love, like himself, is wonderful.
Inf. 5. Did the Lord Jesus so deeply abase and humble him
self for us ? What an engagement hath he thereby put oh us, to
exalt and honour him, who for our sakes was so abused? And
O that all, would study to exalt and honour him.
1. By frequent and delightful speaking of him, and for him.
When Paul had once mentioned his name, he knows not how to
part with it, but repeats it no less than ten times in the compass
of ten verses, in 1 Cor. i. It was Lambert's motto, " None
but Christ, none but Christ." Plutarch tells us, that when Titus
Flaminius had freed the poor Grecians from bondage, and the
herald was to proclaim the articles of peace, they so pressed upon
him, that he was in great danger to have lost his life in the press;
and when they came to understand distinctly how their case stood,
they shouted for joy, crying, " a Saviour, a Saviour," so that
they made the very heavens ring again with their acclamations,
and the very birds fell down astonished. And all that night the
poor Grecians, with instruments of music, and songs of praise,
danced and sung about his tent, extolling him as a god that had
delivered them. But surely you have more reason to be exalt
ing the Author of your salvation, who, at a dearer rate, hath
freed you from a more dreadful bondage.
2. By acting your faith on him, for whatsoever ties in the pro
mises yet unaccomplished. Can God do this ? or will God do
that ? Is questioning either his power or his will ; but after this,
let us cease for ever to cavil against either.

the fountain of life. 187
3. By drawing 'nigh to God with deUght, " through the veil of
Christ's flesh," Heb. x. 19. God hath made this flesh of Christ
a veil betwixt the brightness of his glory and us; it serves to
rebate the insupportable glory, and also to give admission to it,
as the veil did in the temple.
4. By applying yourselves to him, under all temptations,
wants and iroubies, as to one that is most wilting and ready to
relieve you. Christ, by being in our nature, knows experimen
tally what our wants, fears, temptations, and distresses are, arid
so is able to have compassion. O let your hearts work upon
this admirable condescension of Christ, till they be filled with it,
and your lips say, Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ.

,OF CHRIST'S HUMILIATION IN HIS LIFE.
Phil. ii. 8. — And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled
himself, and became obedient lo death, even the death of
the cross.
This scripture bath been once abeady under consideration,
and, indeed, can never be enough considered : It holds forth the
humbled state of the Lord Jesus, during the time of his abode
on earth. \
Now to observe and improve those more observable particulars
in his life, wherein he was humbled ; consider,
First, The Lord Jesus was humbled in his very infancy, by his
circumcision according to the law. For being of the stock of
Israel, he was to undergo the ceremonies, and submit to the ordi
nances belonging to that people, and thereby to put an end to
them ; for so it became him to fulfil all righteousness. Hereby
the Son of God was greatly humbled, especially in these two
respects. I. In that hereby he obliged himself to keep the whole law,
though he was the Law-maker .; GaLv, 3. And it was no small
measure for Christ to bind himself to the law, as a subject made
under it : For he was the Law-giver, above all law : and herein
that sovereignty of a God (one of the choice flowers in the crown
of heaven) was obscured and veiled by his subjection.
2. Hereby he was represented to the world not only as a sub
ject, but also as a sirmer : fm though he was pure and holy, yet
this ordinance passing upon him, seemed to imply as if corrup
tion had indeed been in him, which must be cut off by Tnortifica-
tion. Secondly, Christ was humbled by persecution, and .hat in the
very morning of his life: he was banished almost as soon as born.
" Flee into Egypt (saith the angel to Joseph) for Herod will seek
the young child to destroy him." Ungrateful Herod ! was this

]gg the fountain of life.
entertainment for a Saviour? What, raise a country against him,,
as if a destroyer, rather than a Saviour, had. landed upon the
coast? What, deny bim the protection of those laws, under which
he was born, and that before he had broken the least punctilio of
them ? The child of a beggar may claim tbe benefit and protec
tion of law, as his birth-right ; and must the Son ot God be
denied it ! How great a humiliation is this to tbe Son of God,
not only to become an infant, but in his infancy, to be hurried up
and down, and driven out of bis own land as a vagabond I
Thirdly, Our Lord Jesus Christ was yet more humbled m his
life, by that poverty and outward meanness which all along at
tended his condition : he lived poor and low all his days, so
speaks the apostle, 2 Cor. viii. 9.
His great and heavenly soul neglected and despised those
things, that too many of bis own too much admire and prose
cute. He spent not a careful thought about those things that
eat up thousands and ten thousands ofour thoughts. Indeed he .
came to be humbled, and to teach men by his example the vani
ty of this world.
Fourthly, Our dear Jesus was yet further humbled in his life,
by the horrid temptations wherewith Satan assaulted him, than
which nothing could be more grievous to bis holy heart.
A man would account it no small unhappiness to be shut up five
or six weeks together with the Devil, though appearing in a
human shape, and to hear no language but that of hell spoken
all that time; and the more holy the man is, the more would
he be afflicted to hear such blasphemies malignantly spat upon
the holy and reverend name of God. How great a humiliation
then must it be to the great God, to be humbled to this ! to see
a slave of his house, setting upon himself, the Lord ! His jailor
coming to take him prisoner, if he can !
Fifthly, Our blessed Lord Jesus was yet more humbled in his
life than all this, and that by his own Sympathy with others. It is
said of him, John xi. 33. "That when he saw Mary weeping,
and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in
the Spirit, and was troubled." And verse 35. Jesus wept: yea,
his heart flowed with pity for them that had not one drop of pity
for themselves. Witness his tears spent upon Jerusalem. He
foresaw the misery that was coming, though they never foresaw,
nor feared it. O how it pierced hhn to think of the calamities
hanging over tbat great city ! Yea, he mourned for them that
could not mourn for their own sins. This was one of those things
that made him " a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.".
Lastly, That which yet helped to humble him lower, was the
ungrateful, arid most base and unworthy entertainment the world
gave him. One would think that he who came from heaven, "to
give his life a ransom for many ;" He that came " to knock off
the chains, open the prison-doors, proclaim liberty to the cap-

the fountain of life. 189
fives," I say, when such a Saviour arrived, O with what accla
mations of joy, and demonstration of thankfulness, should he have
been received? But instead of this, he was hated, he 'was
despised by them. So reproached, that he became " the reproach
ofmeft." One of his own followers sold him, another forsware
him, and all forsook him in his greatest troubles. All this was
a great abasement to the Son of God, who was not thus treated
for a day, or in one place, but all his days, and in all places.
From these particulars some useful inferences will be noted.
Inference 1. From the degree of Christ's humiliation, it follow-
eth, that justice itself may set both hand and seal to the acquit
tances and discharges of believers. Had not his obedience been
an intire, complete, and perfect thing, our justification could not
have been so. He that hath a precious treasure, will be loth to*
adventure it in a leaky vessel: wo to the holiest man on earth, if
the safety of his precious soul were to be adventured on the bottom
of the best duty that ever he performed. But Christ's obedience
and righteousness is firm and sound ; a bottom that we may safely
adventure*all in.
Inf. 2. From. the early flight of Christ into Egypt, we infer,
That the greatest innocency and piety cannot exempt from perse
cution and injury. Who more innocent than Christ ? And who
more persecuted ? The world is the world still. " Cain's club
is still carried up and down crimsoned with the blood of Abel,"
said Bucholtzer ; but thus it must be, to. con form us unto Christ :
and O that your spirits, as well as your conditions, may better
harmonize with Christ. Let it not be said of you, as it is ofthe
hypocrite, whose lusts are only hid, but not mortified by his
duties, that he is like a flint, which seems cold; but if you strike
him, he is all fiery. To do well, and suffer ill, is Christ-like.
Inf. 3. From the third particular of Christ's humiliation, I infer,
that such as are full of grace and holiness, may be destitute and
empty of creature-comforts. Let us be content (saith Luther)
with our hard fare ; for do we not feast with angels upon that
bread of life? Remember, when wants pinch hard, that these
fix no marks of God's hatred upon you. He hath dealt no worse
with you than he did with his own Son. Nay, which of you is not
better accommodated than Christ was ?
Inf. 4. From the fourth particular of Christ's humiliation in
his life, by Satan's temptations, we infer, That those in whom
Satan hath no interest, may have most trouble from him in this
world. Where he knows he cannot be a conqueror, he will not
cease to be a troubler. Sometimes he shoots the fiery darts of
blasphemous injections. These fall as flashes of lightning on the
d_y thatch, which instantly sets all in a combustion. And just
so it is attended with an after thunder-clap of inward horrorj- — _
that shivers the very heart, and strikes all into confusion within.
Attend then to that rule.

190 the fountain of life.
Eph. vi. 16v " Above aH, taking the shield of faith„ wherewith
ye shall be able to quench all the fiesy darts ofthe wicked." Act
your faith, my friends, upon your tempted Saviour,, who passed
through temptations before you: and particalariy exercise faith
on three things in Christ's temptations.
1-. Consider, how great variety of temptations were tried upon
Christ. 2. Consider, that Christ came off a perfect conqueror in the
day of his trial, beat Satan out ofthe field.
3. Lastly, believe that the benefits of those his victories and
conquests are for you ; and that for ( your sakes he permitted the
tempter to come so near him, Heb. ii. 18.
Inf. 5. Was Christ yet more humbled, by his own sympathy
with others in their distresses ? Hence we learn, that a com
passionate spirit, towards such as labour urider burdens of sin,'
or affliction, is Christ-like, and truly excellent : this was the
Spirit of Christ : O be like him ! Put on as the elect of God,
bowels of mercy, Col. iii. 12. " Weep with them that weep,
and rejoice with them that rejoice." <
Inf. 6. Did the world help on the humiliation of Christ by their
base and vile usage of him ? Learn hence, that the judgment
the world gives of persons, and their worth, is Utile to be regard
ed. Surely it dispenses its smiles and honours very preposter
ously. It was the complaint of Salvian, above eleven hundred
years ago ? " if any of the nobility do but begin to turn to God,
presently he loseth the honour of nobility ! So that (as he adds)
many are compelled to be evil, lest they should be esteemed
vitei" And indeed, if the world gives us any help to discover
the true worth and excellency of men by, it is by the rule of con
traries, for the most part Where it fixes its marks of hatred,
we may usually find that which invites our respect and love.
Inf. 7., From the whole oi Christ's humiliation in his life, learn
you to pass through all the troubles of your life with a contented,
composed spirit, as Christ your fore-runner did. See how he
tbat passed through those things before you, managed himself
in like circumstances ; yea, not only beat the way by his example,
but hath in every one of those conditions left a blessing behind
him, for them that follow his steps.
Thanks fie to God for Jesus Christ.

OF CHRIST'S HUMILIATION UNTO DEATH.
John xvii. 11. — And now lam no more in the world, but these
are in the world ; and I come lo thee: Holy Father, keep
fe through thine own name, those wh,om thou hast given me i that
they may be one,, as we are.
We now come to the last and lowest stepof Christ's hmnilia-

the fountain of life. 191
tion, which was in his submitting tb death, even the death of
the cross. Out of this death of Christ the life of our soul sprmgs
up ;. and m tbis blood of the cross, all our mercies swim to us.
This scripture contains the first preparative of Christ for death,
whereby he sets his bouse in order, prays for his people, and
blesses then* before he dies. The last words of a dying man
are remarkable, how much more those of a dying Saviour ?
1. We have here Christ's petition., or request in behalf of all
that then did, or afterwards should believe on him. And the
sum ;s, that his Father would keep them through his name.
The means of their preservation is the name, i. e. the power
of God. This name of the Lord is that "strong tower to which
the righteous fly, and are safe."
2. The arguments with which he urgeth and presseth on this
request, " I am no more in the world ;" I must leave them in the
midst of danger; " Keep those that thou hast given me."
Doct. That the fatherly care, and tender love ofour Lord Je
sus Christ, was eminently discovered in that pleading prayer
he poured out for his people at his parting with them.
It pertained to the priest and father of the family to bless the
rest, especially when he was to be separated from them by death.
This was a rite in Israel, Gen. xlviii. 15, 16.
Now when Jesus Christ comes to die, he will bless his children
also, and therein will discover how much dear and tender love he
bad for them.
To prepare this point for use :
First, We will enquire what those special favours were, which
Christ begged for his people.
1 . The mercy of preservation, both from sin and danger : so
in the text ; " Keep, through thine own name, those whom thou
hast given me." We, and the saints tbat are gone, have reaped
the fruit of this prayer. How is it else, that our persons are not
rained and destroyed amidst such multitudes of potent and ma
licious enemies, that are set on fire of hell ? Surely, the preser
vation of the burning bush, of the three children amidst the flames ;
of Daniel in the den of lions ; are not greater wonders, than these
our eyes do daily behold.
2.. Another mercy he prays for, is ihe blessing of union among
themsetves. " Tbat they may be one, as we are."
3. A third desirable mercy that Christ earnestly prayed for,
was, that his "joy might be fulfilled in them," verse 13. He
would provide for their joy, even when the hour of his greatest
sorrow was at hand ; -yea, he would not only obtain joy for them,
but a full joy : " that my joy might be fulfilled in them."
4. And as a continued spring to maintain all the fore-mentioned
mercies* he prays " they all may be sanctified through the word
of truth," verse 17. i. e. more abundantly sanctified than y^t they

192 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
were, by a deeper radieation of gracious habits and principle*
in their heart. ,„,.,, _, ." ,
5 And lastly, as the perfection of all desirable mercies,: he
prays, " that they may be with him, to behold his glory. You
see Christ asks no trifles, no small things for his people; no
mercies, but the best -that both worlds afford, will suffice him on
their behalf.
Secondly, Let us see how he follows his requests, and with
what arguments he pleads with the Father.
The first argument is drawn from the joint interest, that both
himself, and his Father, have in their persons, "All mine are
thine, and thine are mine." Lord these are thine own by many
ties or titles: O therefore keep, comfort, sanctify, and save them,
for they are thine.
The second argument, treads as I may say, upon the very heel
of tbe former, ," And I am glorified in them' ;" I am daily blas
phemed and dishonoured by others : these are they from whom
my active glory and praise in the world must rise.
Arg. 3. And yet, he adds a third argument, in these words,
" And now I am no more in the world." Father, consider the
sadness and trouble I shall leave my poor children under. Whilst
I was with them, I was a sweet relief to their souls, whatever
troubles they met with ; and, except thou make up all this to
them, what will be the case of the poor sheep, and tender lambs,
when the shepherd is smitten ?
Arg. 4. And yet, to move and engage the Father's care, he
subjoins another great consideration. Consider where I leave
thein. They are thy children, to be left in a strange country ;
thy soldiers, in tbe enemies' quarters ; thy sheep, in the midst of
wolves ; tlly precious treasure, among thieves.
Arg. 5. And yet he hath not done, for he adds another argu
ment, And I come io thee. I come to thee swimming through a
bloody ocean. I come, treading every step of my way to thee
in blood, and unspeakable sufferings ; and all this for the sake of
those dear ones I now pray for ; yea, the design arid end of my
coming to thee, is for them, Father, grant what I request. 0
give a comfortable earnest of those good things which I am com
ing to thee for, and which I know thou wilt not deny me.
Arg. 6. And, to close up all, he tells the Father how careful
he' had been to perform that trust which was committed to him ;
" While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name."
Lo, here they are, not one is lost, but the son of perdition,
who was never given. With how great care have I been careful
for them ! O let them not fail now ; let not one of them perish.
Thirdly, The next enquiry is, why he thus pleaded for them ?
And certainly it was not because the Father was unwilling to
grant the mercies he desired for them. But the reasons of this
exceeding importunity, are,

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 193
I . He foresaw a great trial then at hand ; yea, and all the after-
trials of his people as well as that. He knew how much they
would be sifted, in that hour, and power of darkness, that was
coming. 2. He was now entering upon his intercession-work in heaven,
and he was desirous in this prayer to give us a specimen of that
part of his work, before he left us ; that by this we might under
stand what he would do for us, when he should be out of sight.
3. And lastly, he would leave this as a standing monument of
his father-like care, and love to his people, to the end of the
world. He doth not pray for health, honour, long life, riches, &c.but
for their preservation from sin, spiritual joy in God, sanctifica
tion and eternal glory. He was resolved to get all the best
mercies for his people ; the rest he is content should be dispensed
promiscuously by Providence.
Besides, what an evidence of his tenderness and care to plead
your concerns with God, at such a time as this was, even when
a world of sorrow compassed hiva on every side; and a cup of
wrath mixed, and ready to be delivered into his hand. He doth
as it were forget his own sorrows, to mind our peace and comfort.
O love unspeakable !
Corollary 1 . Did Christ so eminently discover his care and loye
for his people, in this his parting hour; then we Conclude,' The
pei-severance of the saints, is unquestionable. Do you hear how
he pleads ! how he begs ! how he fills his mouth wfth arguments !
and can you doubt of success ? Can such a Father deny the
importunity, and strong reasonings and pleading of such a Son ?
O, it can never be ! he cannot deny him.
Doth he pray, " Father, keep, through thine own name, those
thou hast given me ?" Sure they shall be kept, if all the power
in heaven can keep them. O think on this, when dangers sur
round your souls, or when fears and doubts are multiplied
within. ¦ f ,
Corollary 2. Again,, hence we learn, that argumentative
prayers are excellent prayers. The strength of every thing is in
its joints ; there lies much of the strength -of prayer also: how
strongly jointed, how nervous and argumentative was this prayer
of Christ. What was Jacob's wrestling with the angel, but his
holy pleading and importunity with God ? and how well it pleas
ed God, let the event speak, Gen. xxxii. 24. .
O it is pleasing to God, when by his spirit of adoption we
cry, Abba Father; Father, hear, forgive, pity, and help me.
This is that kind of prayer, which is melody in the ears of God.
Corollary 3. What an excellent pattern is here, for all that
have the charge and government of others committed to them,
whether magistrates, ministers, or parents, to teach them how to
acquit themselves towards their relations, when they come to die ?

194 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
For my own part, I must profess before the world, that I do,
from the bottom of my heart, bless the^ord, who gave me a reli
gious and tender father, who often poured out his soul tb God for
me : one that was inwardly acquainted with God ; and beingrfuH
of affection to his children, often carried them before the Ltjrd,
prayed and pleaded with God for them, wept and made suppli
cations for them. This stock of prayers and blessings left by
him before the Lord, I cannot but esteem above the fairest inhe
ritance on earth. O it is no small mercy to have thousands of
fervent, prayers lying before the Lord, filed up in heaven for us. ,
Corollary 4. Hence we may see, what a high esteem and precious
Value Christ hath of believers.; this was tlie treasure which he
could not quit, he could not die till he had secured it in a safe
hand. That which is much upon our hearts when we die, is dear to
us indeed ; and O how precious, how dear should Jesus Christ
be to us ! Were we first and last upon his heart ? How much
are we engaged to love him ! and when our hands and feet grow
cold, let the very last whisper of our departing souls be this,
Blessed be God for Jesus Christ.

THE SECOND PREPARATIVE ACT OF CHRIST FOR
HIS OWN DEATH. >
I Cor. xi. 23, 24, 25. — The Lord Jesus, tite same night in which
he was betrayed, took bread : and when he had given thanks', he
brakeit, and said, Take, eat; this is my body ^. which is broken
for you ; this do in remembrance of me. After the same man
ner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup
is the New Testament in my bloood: this do ye, as off as ye
drink it, in remembrance of me.
Christ had no sooner recommended his dear charge to the
Father, but (the time of his death hastening on) he institutes his
last supper, to be the lasting memorial of his death, in all the
churches, until his second coming ; therein graciously providing
for the, comfort of his people, when he should be removed out of
fheir sight.
This his second act manifests no less love than the former. It
is like the plucking off the ring from his finger, when ready to lay
his neck upon the block, and delivering it to his dearest friends,
to keep that as a memorial of bim : " Take this, &c. in remem
brance of me."
Bread and wine are naturally fit to refresh and nourish om
bodies ; but what fitness have they to nourish souls ? Surely
none, but what they receive from the blessing of Christ that
institutes them.
The preciousness of these elements is not so much from their

the fountain of life. 195
own natures, as their use and end ; and that makes them preci
ous indeed. ,A loadstone at sea is much more excellent than a
diamond, because more useful. A penny-worth of wax applied
to the label of a deed, afid sealed, may in a minute have its value
raised to thousands 'of pounds. These creatures receive jtheir
value and estimation on a like account.
Christ knew how apt our base hearts would be to lose him,
amidst such a throng of sensible objects as we here converse with;
and how much that forgetfulness of hipi and of his sufferings,
would turn to our prejudice and loss ; therefore doth he appoint a
sign to be remembered by : u As oft as you do this, ye sljew forth
the Lord's death till he come." Hence we observe, suitable to
the design of this discourse.
Doct. That the sacramental memorial Christ left wih his people,
is a special mark of his care and love for them.
What ! To order his picture (as it were) to be drawn when he
was dying, tc. be left with his spouse! To rend his own flesh, and
set abroach his own blood to be meat and drink for our souls ! 0
what manner of love was this ! It is true, his picture jn the sacra
ment is full of scars and wounds : but these are honourable scars?
and highly grace and commend it to his spouse, for whose dear
sake he here received them.
O see the love of a Saviour ! This is that heavenly Pelican that
feeds his young with his own blood. -But to prepare the point to
be meat indeed, and drink indeed to thy soul, I shall discuss
briefly these following things.
Remembrance, properly, is the return of the mind to ah object,
about which it hath been formerly conversant. And the time
shall come when Judas that betrayed him, and fhe Jews that
pierced him, shall historically remember what was done; Rev.
i. 7. , Judas shall remember; This is he whom I perfidiously be
trayed. Pilate shall remember; This is he whom I sentenced
to be hanged on the tree, though I was convinced of his inno
cence. ' The,n the soldiers shall remember ; This is that face we
spit upon, that head we crowned with thorns ; Lo, this is he whose
side we pierced, whose hands and feet we once nailed to the
cross. But this remembrance will be their torment, not their
benefit. It is not therefore a bare historical, but a gracious,
aflectionate, impressive remembrance of Christ, is here intended:
and such a remembrance of Christ supposes and includes,
I. The saving knowledge of him. We cannot be said to re
member what we never knew ; nor to remember, savingly, what
WO never knew savingly. But much of that sweetness they have
had in former considerations pf him, and hours of communjon
with bim, is lost and gone. Here therefore our old acquaintance
is renewed, and the remembrance of his goodness and love re
freshed and revived, Cant i. 4.
o2

196 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
2. Such a remembrance of Christ includes faith in it. With
out discerning Christ at a sacrament, there is no remembrance of
him ; and, without faith, no discerning Christ there. But when
the precious eye of faith hath spied Christ, under that veil, it pre
sently calls up tbe affections, saying, " Come see the Lord."
Awake my love, rouse up iny hope, flame out my desires ; Come
forth, O all ye powers and affections of my soul : come, see the
Lord, y,
3. This remembrance of Christ includes suitable impressions
made upon the affections, by such a sight and remembrance of
him : and therein lies the nature of that precious thing which we
call communion with God.
It produces an humble adoration of the goodness and love of
God, to exact satisfaction for our sins, by such deadly stripes,
from our surety. Lord, if this wrath had seized on me, as it did
on Christ, what had been my condition then !
And when that surpassing love breaks out in its glory, hoW is
the soul transported and ravished with it ! crying out, what man
ner of love is this ! here is a love large enough to go round the
heavens, and the heaven of heavens ! Who ever loved after this
rate, to lay down his life for enemies! O love unutterable and
inconceivable ! Who shall separate me from the love of God ?
These are the fruits, and this is the nature of that remembrance
of Christ here spoken of.
Secondly, What aptitude is there in this ordinance, to bring
Christ to remembrance ?
This ordinance hath an excellent use and advantage for this
affectionate remembrance of Christ, as it is an instructive sign.
And it instructs us, and enlightens our mind, particularly in
these truths.
1. That Christ is the bread on which our souls live, proper
meat and drink for believers, the most excellent New-Testament
food. It is said, « Man did eat angels food : he means the manna,
which was so excellent, that if angels did live upon material food,
they would choose this above all to feed on. And yet this was
but a type awl weak shadow of Christ, on whom believers feed.
2. It teaches us. that the New Testament is now in its full
force, and no substantial alteration can be made in it, since the
testator is dead, and by his death hath ratified it. So that all the
excellent promises and blessings of it are now fully confirmed to
the believing soul, Heb. ix. 16, Yj.
Thirdly, The ?last enquiry is, How Christ hath, hereby, left
such .a special mark of his care .for, and love to his people.
1. 1 his is a special mark ofthe care and lOve of Christ, in as
much as hereby he hath made abundant provision for the confir
mation and establishment of the faith of his people ; it tends as
much to our satisfaction, as the legal execution of a deed, by which
we hold and enjoy our estate.

THE FOUNTAIN OF IIFE. 197
2. This is a special mark of Christ's care and love, in as much
as by this he hath made abundant provision for the enlargement
of the joy and comfort of his people. Believers are N at this ordi
nance, as Mary was at the sepulchre, with fear and great joy.
Does not this sometimes create in thy soul, a joy transcendent
to all the joys and pleasures in this world ? What thinkest thou
of it?
3. Here is a signal mark of Christ's care and love, in as much
as this is one of the highest,, and best helps for the mortification
of the corruption of his people. One calls that table, an altar,
on which our corruptions are sacrificed and slain before the Lord.
For how can they that there see what Christ suffered for sin, live
any longer therein ?
4. Moreover his care and love appear in providing an ordinance
so excellently adapted, to excite and blow up his people's love
into a lively flame. A world, a thousand worlds cannot shew
such another. Here the soul is melted down at his feet ; it is
pained with love.
5. Christ's care and love are further manifested to his people,
in this ordjnance, as it is one of the strongest bonds of union be
twixt them that can be: 1 Cor. x. 17. for here they are sealed up
to the same inheritance, their dividing corruptions 'slain, and
their love to Christ, and consequently to each other, improved.
Inference 1. Did Christ leave this ordinance with his church to
preserve his remembrance among his people : Then surety Christ
foresaw, that, notwithstanding what he is, hath done,, suffered,
and promised yet to do for his people, they will be still apt to
forget him.
A man would think that such a Christ should never be one
whole hour together out of his people's thoughts and affections :
but O the baseness of these hearts ! Here we live and converse
in a world of sensible objects, which, like a company of thieves,
rob us of Christ. He thinks on us, when we forget him. All
the honour and glory paid him in heaven by the angels, cannot
divert his, thoughts one moment from us; but every trifle that
meets us in the way, is enough to divert our thoughts from him.
Why do we not abhor and loathe ourselves for this ?
In heavOn nothing else takes up the thoughts of saints to eter
nity ; and yet there is no tiring, no satiety. . O learn to live nearer
that heavenly life.
Inf. 2. Hence also we infer, that sacrament- seasons are heart-
melting seasons ; because therein the most affecting and heart:
melting recognitions and representations of Christ are made. As
the gospel offers him to the ear, iri the most sweet, affecting
sounds of grace ; so the sacrament to the eye, in the most pleasing
visions that are on this side heaven. .
And surely, to see who it is that thy sins have pierced, how
great, how. glorious, how wonderful a Person he was, that was

198 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
so abased, and brought to the dust, for such a wretched thing as
thou art, cannot but tenderly affect the considering soul. 0 let
the place where you assemble to see this sight of your crucified
Jesus, be a Bocbim, a place of lamentation. v
Inf. 3. Moreover hence it is evident,, that the believing and
affectionate remembrance of Christ, is of singular advantage
at all times to the people of God. For it is the immediate end
of one of the greatest ordinances that ever Christ appointed in
the Church.
If at any time the heart be dead and hard, this is the likeliest
means in the world to dissolve, melt, and quicken it. Look hither
hard heart ; hard indeed .if this hammer will not break it. Behold
the blood of Jesus.
Art thou easHy overcome hy temptations to sin ? This is the
most powerful restraint in the world from sin : Rom. vi. 2. We
are crucified with Christ, what have we to do with sin ? Have
such a thought as tbis, when thy heart is yielding to temptation.
How can I do this, and crucify the Son of God afresh !
Are ^ou afraid your sins are not pardoned, but still stand upon
account before tbe Lord ? What more relieving, what more sa
tisfying, than to see the cup of tbe New Testament in the blood
of Chris*.,' which is " shed for many for the remission of sins?"
Are you staggered at your sufferings, and tlie hard things yoa
must endure for Christ ? Doth the flesh shrink back from these
things, and cry, spare thyself? What is ther© in the wo. Id more
likely to steel and fortify tby spi.it with resolution and courage,
than such a sight as this ? Did Christ face the wrath of men,
and the wrath of God too ? Did he stand as a pillar of brass,
with unbroken patience, and stedfast resolution, under such
troubles as never met in tbe like height upon any mere create..,
till death beat the last breath Out of his nostrils ? And shall!
shrink for a trifle ? Ab, he did not serve me so! I will arm
myself with the like mind, 1 Pet.ii. 2.
Inf. 4. Lastly we infer ; Though all other things do, yet dirist
neither doth, nor can grow state. Here is an ordinance, to pre
serve his remembrance fresh to the end of the world. The blood
of Christ doth never dry up. ' The beauty of this rose of Sharon
is never lost.or withered. He is the same yesterday, to-day, and
tor ever. As his body in the grave saw no corruption^ soneiie.
can his love, or any of his excellencies. When the saints shall
have ted their eyes upon him in heaven, thousands arjd millions
ot years, he shall be as fresh, beautiful, and orient as at the be'
ginning. Other beauties have their prime, and their fading time ;
but Christ abides eternally. He is as it were a new Christ every
day, and yet the same still, and for ever. \
Blessed be God for Jesus Christ.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 199
THE THIRD PREPARATIVE ACT OF CHRIST FOR
HIS OWN DEATH."
Luke xxii., 41, 42, 43, 44. — And he was withdrawn from them
about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, saying,
Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me : never
theless, not my will, but thine be done. And there appeared
an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And
being in an agony he prayed more earnestly : and his sweat
was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the
ground. The hour is now almost come, even that hour of sorrow, which
Christ had so often spoken of. Yet a little', a very little while,
and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. He
hath affectionately recommended his children to, his Father. He
hath set his house in order, and ordained a memorial of his death
to be left with his people, as you have heard. There is but one
thing more to do, and then the tragedy begins. He recommend
ed us, he must also recommend himself by prayer to the Father ;
and when that is done, he is ready, let Judas with the black
guard come when they will.
Observe 1 . The prayer of Christ ; in a praying posture he will
be found when the enemy comes ; he will be taken upon his knees,
pleading hard with God in prayer.
2. The agony of Christ, as well as his prayer, and that a most
strange one: such as in all respects never was knowh before in
nature., It was a sweat as it had been blood. Yea, a real
bloody sweat.
3. You have here his relief in this his' agony, and that by an
angel dispatched post from heaven to comfort him. The Lord of
angels now needed the comfort of an angel. It was time to
have a little refreshment when bis face and body toot stood as
full of drops of blood, as the drops of dew are upon the grass :
Hence we note,
Doct That our Lord Jesus Christ was praying to his Father
iU an extraordinary agony, when they came to apprehend
him in the garden.
1. I shall at this time speak of these particulars. The place
where he prayed.
Now, Christ went not into this garden to hide, or shelter him
self from his enemies ; for if so, it had been the most improper
place he coald have chosen, it being the accustomed place where
he was wont to pray, and a place well known to Judas, who
was now coming to seek him, as you may see, John xviii. 2.
So that he repairs thither, not to shun, but to meet the enemy
to offer himself as a prey to the wolves, vfrhich these found him1,
and laid hold upon him. He also resorted thither for: an hour or

200 the fountain of life.
two of privacy before they came, that he might there freely pom
out his soul to God.
2. We shall consider the. time when he entered into this garden
to pray. And it being immediately before his apprehension, it
shews us in what frame and posture Christ desired to be found:
and by it he left us an excellent pattern, what we ought to do,
when imminent dangers are near us, even at the door. It be
comes a soldier to die fighting, " and a minister to die breaching,"
and a Christian to die praying.
3. Next let us consider the matter of his prayer, or the things
about which he poured out his soul to God in the garden, that
evening. And verse 42. informs us what that was: he prayed,
saying,' " Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me ;
nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done." By the cup, - un
derstand that portion of sorrows then to be distributed to him by
his Father. Great afflictions and bitter trials are frequently ex
pressed, in scripture, under the metaphor of a cup. " In the hand
of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red, (noting a bloody
trial) it is full of mixture, and he poureth out the same, but the
dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and
drink them :" i. e. they shall have the worst part of the judgment
for their share.
By the passing of the cup from him, understand his exemption
from suffering that dreadful and horrid wrath of God, which he
foresaw to be now at hand.
But did he now repent of his engagement? Was all he said
before but a flourish, before he saw the enemy? Doth he now
begin to wish to be disengaged, and that he bad never undertaken
such a work ? Is that the meaning of it ? No, no, Christ nevei
repented of his engagement to his Father, never was willing to let
the burden lie on us, rather than on himself; there was not such
a thought in his holy and faithful heart ; but the resolution of this
doubt depends upon another distinction, which will clear his
meaning in it.
You must distinguish the natures according to which Christ
acted, sometimes as God, and sometimes as man. Here he acted
according to his human nature ; simply expressing and manifest
ing in this request the reluctancy it had at such sufferings : wherein
he shewed himself a true man, in shunning that which is destruc
tive to his nature. - ¦ .
In the life of Christ, there was an intermixture of power and
weakness, ofthe divine glory, and human frailty. At his birth a
star; shone, but he was laid in a manger. .The devil.tempted him
in the wilderness, but there angels ministered to him. As man
he was deceived in the fig-tree, butas God he blasted it. He was
caught by the soldiers in the garden, but first made them fall
back. So here, as man he feared and shunned death ; butas
God-man he willingly submitted to it.

the fountain of life. 201
' As there was nothing of sin in it, .it being a pure and sinless
affection of nature ; so there was much good in it, and that both
as it was a part of his satisfaction for our sin, to suffer inwardly
such fears, tremblings, and consternations : and as it was a clear
evidence, that he was in all things made like unto his brethren,
except sin. Andlastly, as it serves notably to express the griev-
ousness and extremity of Christ's sufferings, whose very prospect
and appearnce, at some distance, was so dreadful to him.
4. Let us consider tbe manner how he prayed, and that was,
Solitarily, He doth not here pray in the audience of his disci
ples, as he had done before.' Nor will he.have them with him,
possibly lest it should discourage them to see and hear how he
groaned, sweat, trembled, and cried, as one in an agony, to
his Father.
It was an humble prayer ; that is evident by the postures into
which he cast himself; sometimes kneeling, and sometimes pros
trate upon his face. He" creeps in the very dust, lower he canhot
fall ; and his heart was as low as his body.
It was a reiterated prayer ; he prays, and then returns to the
disciples, as a man in extremity turns every way for comfort,: so
Christ prays, " Father, let this cup pass," but in that the Father
hears him not; though as to support he was heard. Then he
goes and bemoans himself to his pensive friends, and complains
bitterly to them, " my soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto
death." He would ease himself a little, by opening his condition
to them ; but alas, they rather increase than ease his 'burden.
For he finds them asleep, which occasioned that gentle reprehen
sion, Mat. xxvi. 40. Then back again he goes to-that sad place,
which he had stained with a bloody sweat, and prays to the same
purpose again. But, however, considering it must be so, be
sweetly falls in with his Father's will, Thy will be done.
And lastly, It was a prayer accompanied with a strange and
wonderful agony : so saith verse 44. Thuanus gives us two
instances that come nearest to this, of any thing I ever observed
. or heard of. " The one was a captain, who by a cowardly and
unworthy fear of death was so overwhelmed with anguish, that a
kind of bloody dew or sweat stood on all his body: The other
is of a young man condemned for a small matter to die by Sixtus
¦V. who shed tears of blood from his eyes, and sweat blood from
his whole body."
These are rare and strange instances, and the truth of them
depends upon the credit of tlie relator; but certainly for Christ
whose body had the most excellent crasis and temperament, to
sweat clotted blood, and that in a cold night, when others needed
a fire within doors to keep them warm, John xviii. 18. I say, for
him to sweat such streams through his garments, falling to the
ground on which he lay, must be concluded a preternatural thing.
And indeed, it was not wonderful if you do but consider what an

202 the fountain of life.
extraordinary load pressed his soul at that time, even the: wrath
of a great and terrible God, in the extremity of it.
Now he stood as it were, arraigned at God's bar, and had to
do immediately with him. And you know " it is a fearful thing
to fall into the hands of the living God." The uses follow.
Inference 1. 'Did Christ pour out hjs soul to God so ardently
in the garden, when the hour of his trouble was at hand? Hence
we infer, That prayer is a singular preparative for, and reUef
under, the greatest troubles.
It is sweet, when troubles find us in the way of our duty., The
best posture we can wrestle with affliction in, is to engage them
upon our knees. The naturalist tells us, if a lion find ai man
prostrate, he will do him no harm. Christ hastened to the garden
to pray, when Judas and the soldiers were hastening thither to
apprehend him. O ! when we are nigh to danger it is goodifor
us to draw nigh to our God, Psal. xxii. 1 1 . Wo be to him,
whom death or trouble finds afar off from God. And as prayer
is the best preparative for troubles, so tbe choisest relief undei
them. Griefs are eased by groans. The heart is cooled and.dis-
burdened by spiritual evaporations.
Christian if thou hast had amy experience this way, thou wilt
say there is nothing like it ; bless God for appointing such an or
dinance as prayer, and say, Blessed be God for prayer : I know
not what! should have done, nor how in all the world I should
have waded through the troubles I have passed, if it had not been
for the help of prayer.
Inf. 2. Did Christ withdraw from the disciples to seek God by
prayer ? Thence it follows, That the company of the best men is
not always seasonable. If thy dearest friends in the world intrude
unseasonably betwixt thee and thy God, it is neith^i rude nor
unmannerly to bid them give place to better company ; I mean,
to withdraw from theipj as Christ did from thedisci|>_e% to enjoy
an hour with God alone, Mat. vi. 6. This is at once a good
note of sincerity, and a great help to spiritual liberty and free
dom with God.
Inf. 3. Did Christ go> to God thrice upon the same account?
Thence learn. That Christians should not be discouraged, though
they have sought God once and again, and no answer of peace
comes. Christ was not heard nor answered in the thing he de
sired, viz. that the cup might pass from him ; and yet he hath no
hard thoughts of God, but resolves his will into his Father's.
He was not heard in the thing he desired, and yet heard in that
he feared, Heb. v. 7-
The cup did not pass as he desired, but God upheld frim,, and
enabled him to drink it. He was heaird as to support, he was not
heard as to exemption from suffering.
Our puayers may be heaaid, though their answer be fa the
preeent suspended.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFEi 203
Inf. 4. Was Christ so earnest in prayer, that he prayed himself
into an agony ? Let the people of God blush to think how unlike
their spirits are to Christ, as to their prayer-frames.
His fervour in prayer is a pattern for us, and serves severely to
rebuke the dulness, formality, and stupidity, that are in our pray
ers. How often do we bring the sacrifice ofthe dead before the
Lord f how often do our lips mpve, and our hearts stand still !
Inf. 5. Was Christ in such an agony before any hand of man
was upon him, merely from the apprehensions of the wrath of
God, with which he now* contested ? " Then surely it is a dread
ful thing to fall into the hands of the living God ; for our God
is a consuming fire."
Ah, what is divine, wrath, that Christ staggered when the cup
came to him ! Could not be bear, and dost thou think to bear it ?
Did Christ sweat clots of blood at it, and dost thou make light of
it ? Poor wretch, if it staggered him, it will confound .thee. If ft
ntede him, groan, it will make thee howl, and that eternally.
Fools make a mock at sin, and the threatenings tbat lie
against it.
Inf. 6. Did Christ meet death with such a heavy heart ? Let
the hearts of Christians be the lighter for this, when they come io
die. The bitterness of death was all squeezed into Christ's cup.
He was made to drink up tbe very dregfe of it, that so our death
might he the sweeter to us. . There is nothing now left in death
that is frightful or troublesome, beside the pain of dissolution.
Inf. 7. To conclude, what cause have all the saints to .love
their dear Lord Jesus with an unbounding love ? He that suffer
ed for us more than any creature could, may well challenge; moire
love than all the creatures in the world. O what hath he suffered,
and suffered upon thy account ! it was thy pride, earthliraess,
sensuality, unbelief, hardness of heart, that laid on more weigh-
in that day that he sweat blood.

THE TREASON OF JUDAS.
Matth. xxvi. 47,48,49.— And while he yet spake, lo, Judas,
one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude,
wifh swords and staves, from the, chief priests and elders of
the people. Now -he that betrayed him gave them a sign,
saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he ; hold Aim
fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and Said, Hail master ;
and kissed mm.
Christ improved every moment of his time, with busy diligence,
to make himself ready for his death; and now he. is ready! and
waits for the coming of the enemies, being first in the field.
The hour, so long expected, is come. For " while he, yet

204 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
spake," saith the text, "lo, Judas, one of the twelve^ came, and
with him a great multitude, with swords and staves."
These words contain the first preparative act, on their part, for
the death of Christ., even to betray him, and that by one of his
own disciples.
Doct That it was the lot of our Lord Jesus Christ, to be be-r
trayed into ihe hands of his mortal enemies, by the assistance
of a false and dissembling friend.
Look, as. Joseph was betrayed and sold by his brethren ; David
by Ahithophel, his old friend ; Samson by Delilah, that lay in his
bosom"; so Christ by Judas, one of the twelve ; a man, his friend,
his familiar, that had been so long coversant with him : he that
by profession had lifted up his hand to Christ, now by treason lifts,
up his heel against bim ; he bids the soldiers bind those blessed
hands, that, not long before had washed the traitor's feat.
As for the person that did this, he was yery eminent by reason
of that dignity Christ had raised bim to. For,
1. He was one of the twelve; one retained not in a more ge
neral, and common, but in the nearest, and most intimate and
honourable relation and service to Jesus Christ. There were
none so much with Christ or so eminent in respect of their place,
as the twelve ; they were Christ's family, day and night conversant
with him? it was the highest dignity that was conferred upon any:
and of this number was Judas.
2. Being one of the twelve, he was daily conversant with
Christ : often joined with him in prayer, often sat at his feet,
hearing the gracious words tbat came out of his mouth. Yea,
such was the condescension of Christ to this wretched man, that
he washed his feet, and that but a little before he betrayedhim.
3. He was a man of unsuspected integrity among the apostles.
When Christ told them, One of you shall betray me; none
thought on him, but every one rather suspected himself; Lord,
is iti?4. He was preferred to the rest. For he had not only a joint
commission with them to preach the gospel to others, but he had
a peculiar office, he bare the bag, i. e. he was Almoner, or the
steward of the family, to take care to provide for the necessaiy
accommodations of Christ and them. Now who could ever have
suspected, that such a man as this should have sold the blood of
Christ for a little money? O whither will not a busy devil and
a bad heart carry a man !
Secondly, But what did this man do ? and what are the just ,
aggravations of this' act ? Why, he most basely and unworthily
sold and delivered Christ into his enemies hands, to be butchered
and destroyed ; and all this for thirty pieces of silver.
Blush, O heavens, and be astonished, O earth, at this ! In this
fact, most black and horrid aggravations appear.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 205
, 1. Judas had seen the majesty of a God on him whom he be
trayed. He had seen the miracles that Christ wrought, which
none but Christ could do. He knew that by the finger of God
he had raised the dead, cast out devils, healed the sick. To sell
the blood of the poorest innocent in the world, is horrid ; but to
sell the blood of God, O what is this ! Herein a wickedness
that no epithet can match !
2. This wickedness he committed after personal warnings and
premonitions given him by Christ, he had often told them in
general, that one of them should betray him, Mark xiv. 20. He
also -denounced a dreadful woe upon him that should do it, ver.
21 . " wo to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed ; good
had it been for that man if he had never been born." Nay, Christ
comes nearer to him than this. For when Judas asked him,
" Master, is it I ?" Christ's answer imports as much as a plain
affirmation, " Thou hast said."
3. He doth it not out of a blind zeal against Christ, as many
of his other enemies did ; of whom it is said, 1 Cor. ii. 8. "That
had they known him, they would not have crucified the Lord of
glory :" but he did it for ' money to make his market of Christ.
He sold Christ as a man would sell an ox, or a sheep to the
butcher for profit.
4. He sells him, and is content to part with him for thirty
pieces of silver, if these pieces, or shekels, were the shekels
ofthe sanctuary, they amounted but to three pounds fifteen shil
lings. But it is supposed they were the common shekels, which
were mostly used in buying and selling ; and then his price, that
he put upon the Saviour of the world, was but one pound seven
teen shillings and sixpence. A goodly price (as the prophet
calls it) that he was valuedat ! Zech. xi. 12, 13. O what a sale
was this ! to sell that blood, which all the gold and silver in the
world is not worth one drop of, for a trifle ! still the wickedness
of the act rises higher and higher.
5. He left Christ in a most heavenly and excellent employment,
when he went to make this soul-undoing bargain. For if he went
away from the table, as some think, then he left Christ instituting
and administering those heavenly signs of his body and blood.
If he sat' out that ordinance, as others suppose he did, then he
left Christ singing an heavenly hymn. ' When the Lord Jesus was
iri the most serious and heavenly exercise, the wretch slinked
away from him into the city, or else went under pretence to buy
necessaries. But his design was not to buy, but to sell, whatever
his pretences were.
6. What he did, was not done by the persuasions of any. The
high-priest sent not for him, and without doubt, was surprised
when he came to him on such an errand. No, be weht as a
volunteer, offering himself to this work : which still heightens the
sin, and makes if out .of measure sinful.

206 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
7. The manner in which he executes his treasonable design
adds further malignity to tbe fact. Re comes to Christ with fawn
ing words and carriage, "Hail, Master, and kissed him." Here
is honey in the tongue, and poison in the heart. Here is hatred
hid unden lying lips. This was the man, and this was his deed.
Let us enquire,
Thirdly, The cause and motives of this wickedness, how he
came to attempt and perpetrate such a villany.
Satan and his own lust was the impulsive cause of jjt; but
Satan inspired the motion, Luke xxiii. 3, 4. " And he wen^hjs
way," &c. his own lusts, like dry tinder j kindled presently : there
was predisppsed matter enough for the devil to work on, sothat
it was but touch and take.
The holy God disposed and ordered all this to the sipgular
benefit and good of his people : Acts iv. 28. Yet this no ways
excuses the wickedness of the instruments : for what they did,
was done from the power of their own lusts, most wickedly ; what
he did was done in the unsearchable depth of his own wisdom,
most holy. Judas minded nothing but his own advantage to get
money : God permitted that lost to work, but over-ruled the i^sue
to his own eternal glory, and the salvation of our souls.
Fourthly and lastly, But what was the end and issue of this
act ? As to Ghrist, it was his death ; for the hour being come,
he doth not put forth the power. of his Godhead to deliver hftnself
out of their hands. No, he resists not, but Judas, delivering
him into their hands at that time, was his death. For immedi
ately a death-pang of despair seized his conscience ; which was
so intolerable, that he ran to the halter for a remedy. As for
his soul, it went to its own place, ver. 25. even the place appoitned
for tbe son of perdition, as Christ calls him. This was his end;
we will next improve it.
Corollary I. Hence we learn, That the greatest professor shod
need to be jealous of their own hearts, and look well to the grounds
and principles of their professions. O professors, look tp your
foundation, and build not upon the .sand, as this poor creature
did. If you begin your profession as Judas did, no wonder if it
shall end as his did,
1. Beware therefore that you hold not the truth in unrighte
ousness : Judas did so : he knew much, but lived not up to what
he knew, for he was still of a worldly spirit in the height of Ms
profession. He had much light, but still walked ip darkness.
2. Beware you live not in a course of secret sin. Judas did so,
and that was his ruin. A secret way of sinning, under the co?
vert of profession, will -either break out at last to the observation
ot men, or ele slide thee down insensibly to hell, and leaye thee
there only this comfort, that no body shall know tbou arttheieP
3. Beware of hypocritical pretences of religion to accommodate
self-ends. Judas was a man that had notable skill this way, , 0

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 207
Christian, be plain-hearted, take heed' of craft and cunning in
matters of religion : This spoiled Judas.
4 Beware of self-confidence. Judas was a very confident man
of himself. "Last of all, Judas said, Master,' is it I ?" Matth.
xxvi. 25. But he that was last in the suspicion was first in the
transgression, Prov. xxviii. 26.
5. If yoa will not do as Judas did, nor come to such an end
as he did, take heed you live not unprofitably under fhe means
of grace: O it is a sad sign and a sad sin too, when men and
women live under the gospel from year to year, and are never
the better. I warn you to beware of these evils, all ye that pro
fess religion. Let these footsteps by which Judas went down to
his own place, terrify you from following him in them.
Corollary 2. Learn hence also, That eminent knowledge and
profession put a special and eminent aggravation upon sin. That,
'without doubt, which torments this poor soul in hell, is that he
should go against his light, against his profession, to gratify a
base lust to his eternal ruin. Had he known np better, it had
been more excusable.
Corollary 3. Learn hence in the third place, That unprincipled
professors will sooner or later become shameful apostates. Judas
was an unprincipled professor, and see what he came to. That
which wants a root, must needs wither, as Christ speaks, Matth.
xiii. 20, 21. That which is the predominant interest, will prevail,
and sway with us in the day of our trial.
Corollary 4. Moreover, in this example-of Judas you may read
this truth; That men and women are never jn more imminent
danger, than'when they meet with temptations exactly suited to
their master-lusts, to their own iniquity. O pray, pray, that ye
may be kept from a violent suitable temptation. This is the dan
gerous crisis of the soul. Now you shall see what it is, and what
it will do. Put money before Judas, and presently you .shall see
what the man is.
Corollary 5. Hence, in like manner, we are instructed', That
no man knows where he shall stop, when he first engages himself
in a way of sin.
Wickedness, as well as holiness, is not born in its full strength,
but grows up to it by insensible degrees. So did the wickedness
of Judas. I believe, he himself never thought he should have
done what he did : and if any should have told him, in the begin
ning of his profession, Thou shalt sell the blood of Christ for
money, thou shalt deliver him most perfidiously into their hands
that seek his life ; he would have answered as Hazael did to Elisha,
" But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great
thing ?" Bewar^ of the smallest beginnings of temptations. No
wise man will slight the smallest spark of fire, especially if he see
it among many barrels of gun-powder. You carry gun-powder
about yon, O take heed of sparks.

208 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
Corollary 6. Did Judas sell Christ for money ? What a potent
conqueror is the love of this world ! How many hath it cast dOwn
wounded? What great professors have been dragged at its chariot
wheels as its captives? It " drowns men in perdition." In that pit
of perdition, this sori of perdition fell, and never rose more. 0
you that so love and admire it ; make a stand here ; pause a little
upon this example ; consider to what it brought this poor wretch,
whom I have presented to you dead, eternally dead, by the mortal
wound that the love of this world gave him : it destroyed both
soul and body. Good had it been for many professors of religion,
if they had never known what the riches and pleasures of this
world meant.
Corollart/ 7. Did Judas fancy so much happiness in a little
money, that he would sell Christ to get it? Learn then, That
which men promise themselves much pleasure and contentment in,
in theway of sin, mayprove the greatest curse andmisery to them.
Judas thought it was a brave thing to get money ! he fancied much
happiness in it : but how sick was his conscience as soon as he
had swallowed it ! O take it again, saith he ! He knows not
what to do, to rid himself of that money. You may have your
desires with a curse. He that brings home fine clothes infected
with the plague, has no such great bargain of it, how cheap soever
he bought them.
Corollary 8. Was there one, and but one of the twelve, that
proved a Judas, a traitor to Christ ? Learn thence, That it is a
most unreasonable thing to be prejudiced at religion, and the
sincere professors of it, because some that profess it prove naught
and vile.
Should the eleven suffer for one Judas ? Alas, they abhorred
both the traitor and his treason. If Judas proved a vile wretch,
yet there were eleven to one that remained upright : if Judas
proved naught, it was not his profession made him so, but his
hypocrisy ; he never learned it from Christ. ,
Coi-ollary 9. Did Judas, one of the twelve, do so ? Learn
thence, That a drop of grace, is better than a sea of gifts. . Gifts,
as one saith,, are dead graces, but graces are living gifts. There
is many a learned head in hell. These are not the things that
accompany salvation. Gifts are the gold that beautifies the tem
ple ; but grace is as the temple which sanctifies the gold. One
tear, one groan, one breathing of an upright heart, is more than
the tongues of angels.
Corollary 10. Did the devil win the consent of Judas to sucha
design as this ? Could he get no other but the hand of an apostle
to assist him ? Learn hence, That the policy of Satan lies much in
the choice of his instruments he works by. He knows he hath a
foul cause to manage, and therefore will get the fairest hand he
can to manage it with the less suspicion.
Corollary U. Did Judas, one ofthe twelve, do this? Then

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 209
certainly, Christians may approve and join with some men on
earth, whose faces they shall never see in heaven. The apostles
held communion a long time with this man, and did not suspect
him. O please not yourselves, therefore, that you have communion
with the saints, and that they hope well of you. In heaven we
shall meet many that we never thought to meet there, and miss
many we were confident we should see there.
-Corollary 12. Lastly, Did Judas, one ofthe twelve, a man so
raised and honoured by Christ, do this ? Cease then from man,
be not too confident, but beware of men, Mic. vii. 5. Not tbat
there, is no sincerity in any man, but because there is so much
hypocrisy in many men, and so much corruption in the best of
men. Your charity for others may be your duty, but too great
confidence may be your snare. Fear what others may do, but
fear thyself more.

THE SAVIOUR'S ILLEGAL TRIAL AND CONDEM
NATION.
Luke xxiii. 23, 24. — And they were instant with loud voices re
quiring that he might be crucified; and the voices of them and
of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that
it should be as they required.
Jubas has made good his promise to the high-priest, and deli
vered Jesus a prisoner into their hands. , These wolves of the
evening no sooner seize the Lamb of God, but, they thirst and
longto be sucking his precious innocent blood ; their revenge
and malice admit no delay, as fearing a rescue by the people.
Bat lest it should look like a downright murder, it shall be
formalized with a trial. This his trial and condemnation are the
two last acts by which they prepared for his death, and are both
contained in tbis context, in which we may observe, 1. The
indictment. 2. The sentence to which the judge proceeded.
From both these we may observe,
Doct. 1 . That the trial of Christ for his life, was managed
most maliciously and illegally against him, by his unrighte
ous judges. ,
Reader, here thou mayest see the Judge of all the world stand
ing himself to be judged ; he that shall judge the world in righte
ousness, judged most unrighteously ; he that shall one day come
to the throne of judgment, attended with thousands, and ten
thousands of angels and saints, standing as a prisoner at man's
bar, and there denied the common right which a thief or murderer
might claim, and which is commonly granted.
To manifest the illegality of Christ's trial, let the following
particulars be heedfully weighed.

210 p THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
1 . That he was inhumanly abused before the court met, or any
examination was taken of the fact: for as soon as they had taken
him, they forthwith bound him, and led him away to the High-
priest's house. And there they that held him, mocked him,
smote him, blind-folded him, struck him on the face, and , bid
him prophesy who smote him. Is this legal! What! punish a
man first, and judge him afterwards !
2. As he was inhumanly abused before he was tried, so he was
examined and judged by a court tbat had no authority to try him,
Luke xxii. .66. For though there was still some face of a court
among them, yet their power was so abridged by the Romans,
thatthey could not hear and determine, judge and condemn in
capital matters, as formerly.
3. As he was at first heard and judged by a court that had no
authority to judge him ; so when he stood at Pilate's bar, he was
accused of perverting the nation, and denying tribute to Caesar,
than which nothing was more notwiously false, Mat. xxii. 24.
" Give unto Caesar the tMhgs that are Caesar's." And yet with
such palpable untruths is Christ charged.
4. Yea, and what is more abominable and unparalleled ; to
compass their malicious designs, they industriously labour to
suborn false witnesses to take away bis life, Mat. xxvi. 59.
What will not malice against Christ transport men to?
5. Moreover, the conduct of the court was most insolent, and
base towards him during the trial ; for whilst he stood before
them as a prisoner, yet uncondemned, sometimes they are angry
at him for his silence ! and when he speaks, and that to the-point,
they smite him on the mouth for speaking, and scoff at what
he says.
O who but himself could have so patiently digested such
abuses! Under all this he stands in perfect innocency and
patience, making no other return to that wretch that smote him,
but this, " If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil : but
if well, why smitest thou me ?"
6. Lastly, He is condemned to die by that very mouth which
had once and again professed he found no fault in him. He had
heard all that could be alledged against him, and saw it was a
perfect piece of malice and envy. » Why, (saith he,) what evil
hath he done ?" Here the innocency of Christ brake out like
the sun from behind a cloud, convincing the conscience of his
judge that be was just ; and yet he must give sentence on him,
'for all that, to please the people.
Inference 1. Was Christ thus used when he stood before the
great coun.il, the Scribes and elders of Israel? Then surely
" great men are not always wise, neither do the aged understand
judgment," Job xxxii. 9. Here were many great men, many
aged men, many politic men in council ; but riot one wise or
good man among them. Wickedness in a g*feat Or learned man,
is like poison given in wine, the more operative and deadly.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 211
*
Inf. 2. Hence also we learn, That though we are not obliged,
to answer every <captiaus, idfa, Or ensnaring question, yet We are
bound faithfully to own and confess 'the truth, when we are so
lemnly called thereto.
It was a noble sayingof the courageous Zuinglius, " What'deaths
would I not chuse ? What punishment wolild I not undergo ?
Yea, into what vault of hell would I not rather chuse to be thrown,
than to witness against my conscience?" Truth can wever be
boagtot too dear, nor sold cheap. The Lord JesUs, you see,
owns truth with the imminent and inst&nt hazard of his life!
The whole Cloud of witnesses have followed him therein,
Rev. xiv. 1.
Inf. 3. Once more, hence it follows, That to bearVhewevHings,
contradictions, and abuses of men, with a meek, composed, and
even spirit, is excellent and Christ-like. He stood before them
as a lamb ; he rendered not railing for railing; he endured the
contradictions of sinners against himself. Imitate Christ in his
meekness. This will be convincing to yom enemies, comfortable
to yourselves, and, honourable to religion.
You have heard the illegal trial of Christ, how insolently it was
managed against him ; well, right or wrong, innocent or guilty,*1
his blood is resolved upon; it is bought and sold before-hand;
and if riothing else Will do it, menaces and clamours shall con
strain Pilate to Condemn him. Whence our second note is,
Doct. That though nothing could be proved against our
Lord Jesus Christ worthy of death or bonds ; ifet was he
condemned to be nailed to the cross, and there to hang
till he died. ,
For the explication of this, I shall open the following parti
culars. 1. Who, and what was he, that durst attempt such a thing as
this ? Why, this was Pilate, who succeeded Valerius Gratus in
the presidentship of Judea, (as Josephus tells us) in which trust
,he continued about ten years.' This cruel, cursed actofhis against
Christ was in-.the eighth year of his government. " He was a
man not very friendly or benevolent to the Jewish nation, but
still suspicious of their rebellions and insurrections ; this jealous
humour the priests and scribes observed, and wrought upon itto
compass their design against Christ." But how durst he attempt
such a wickedness as this ? What ! give judgment against the
Son Of God ? for it is evident, by many circumstances in this
trial, that he had many inward fears and convictions upon him,
that he w,as the Son of God : By these be was scared, John xix.
8, 12. And yet the fear of Csesar prevailed more than the fea.
of a Deity; he proceeds to give Sentence. See what man will
attempt, and perpetrate, to secure and accommodate self.
. p2

212 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
2. Against whom doth Pilate give sentence ? against a male
factor ? No, his own mouth had once and again acknowledged
him innocent. Against a common prisoner? No, but one whose
fame no doubt had often reached Pilate's-ears, even the wonderful
things wrought by him, which none but God could do.
3. But what was. the sentence that Pilate gave ? We have it
not in the form in which it was delivered : but tbe sum of it was,
that it should be as they required. Now what did they require?
why, crucify him, crucify him. So that in what formalities so
ever it was delivered, this was the substance and effect of if, 1
adjudge Jesus of Nazareth to be nailed to the cross, and there to
hang till he be dead. Which sentence against Christ was,
' 1. A most unjust and unrighteous sentence: What! to con
demn him before one accusation was proved against him ? Pilate
should rather have come down from his seat of judgment and
adored him, than sat there to judge him.
2. As it was an unrighteous, so it was a cruel sentence, de
livering up Christ to their wills. And as soon as these wolves
had griped their prey, they were not satisfied with that cursed,
cruel, and ignominious death of the cross, but they are resolved
be shall die over and over ; they will contrive many deaths in
one ; they presently strip him naked ; scourge him cruelly ; array
him in scarlet, and mock him ; crown bim with a bush of plaited
thorns ; /asteh that crown upon his head by a blow with a cane,
which set them deep into his sacred temples; sceptred him
with a reed, spat in his face, stript off his mock robes again ;
put the cross upOn his back," and compelled him to bear it. All
this, and much more, they expressed their crueltv by, as soon as
they had him delivered over to their will.
3. As it was a cruel,, so it was a rash and hasty sentence.
The trial of many a mean man hath taken up ten times more time
than was spent about ' Christ. " They that look but slightly
into the cause, easily pronounce and give sentence." But that
which was then done in haste, they have had time enough to re
pent pf since.
4. As it was a rash and hasty, so it was an extorted, forced
sentence. They squeeze it out of Pilate by mere clamour, im
portunity and suggestions of danger.
<5. As it was an extorted, so it was an hypocritical sentence,
masking horrid murder under a pretence and formality of law.
Loth he was to condemn him lest innocent blood should clamour
in his conscience. Pilate calls for water, washes his hands be
fore tbem, and tells them, .» I am free of the blood of that just
person. But stay ; free from his blood and yet condemn a
known innocent person ? Free'from his- blood because he washed
his hands in water? No, no, he could never "be free, except his
soul had been washed in that blood he shed. O the hypocrisy

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 213
of Pilate ! Such juggling as this will not serve' his tum, when he
shall stand as a prisoner before him, who now stood arraigned at
his bar.
6. As it was an hypocritical, so ft was an unrevoked sentence :
it admitted not of reprieve, no, not for a day ; but away he is
hun ied to the execution. Blush, O ye heavens ! and tremble,
O earth ! at such a sentence as this ! Now is Christ dead in law ;
his soul and body must feel tbat, the very sight of which put hirii
into an agony but the night before.
Fourthly, In what manner did Christ receive this "cruel and
unrighteous sentence ? He received it like himself, with admirable
meekness and patience. He doth not once desire the judge to
defer tbe sentence, much less fall down and beg for his life, as ,
other prisoners do at such times. No, but as a sheep he goes to
the slaughter, not opening his mouth. O the perfect patience and
meekness of Christ. The inferences from herice are,
Inference 1 . Do you see what was here done against Christ,
under pretence of law ? What cause have we to pray for good
laws and righteous executioners of them ?
O ! It is a singular mercy to live under good laws, which pro
tect the innocent from injury. Laws are hedges about our lives,
liberties, estates, and all the comforts we enjoy in this world.
Times will be evil enough, when iniquity is not discountenanced
and punished by law ; but bow evil are those times like to prove
when iniquity is established by law ! (
Inf. 2. WaS Christ condemned in a court of judicature? How
evident then is it, that there is a judgment to come after this life ?
Surely things will not be always carried as they are in this world.
When you see Jesus condemned, and Barabbas released, con
clude, that a time will come when innocency shall be vindicated,
and wickedness ashamed. " It is a mercy, if we be wronged in
one court, that we can appeal to another where we shall be sure
to be relieved by a ju^t impartial Judge " James, v. 6, 7, 8.
Inf. 3. Again, here you see how conscience may be overborne
and run down by a fleshly interest. Pilate's conscierice bid him
beware, and forbear: his interest bid him act; his fear of Caesar
was more than the fear of God. But O ! what a dreadful thing
it is for conscience to be ensnared by the fear of man? Prov.
xxix. 25. To guard' thy soul, reader, 'against this mischief,
consider how dear those profits or pleasures cost, which are
^purchased with the loss of inward peace ! There is nothing in this
world good enough to recompense such a loss, or balance the
misery of, a tormenting conscience.
You may see the horror of it in Cain, the vigour pf.it in Judas,
the doleful effects of it in Spira. Consider the nature of your
present actions ; they are seed sown for eternity, and will spring
up again in suitable effects, rewards, and punishments, when yoa
that did them are turned to dust. Gal. vi. 7. O!. therefore,

214 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
take heed what you do : so speak, and so act, as they that rougt
give an account.
Consider, how by these things men do but prepare for their
own torment in a dving hour. There is bitterness enough in
death, you need not add more gall and wormwood to increase
the bitterness of it. Ah ! how is the face and aspect of things altered
in such an hour.
Inf. 4. Did Christ stand arraigned and condemned at Pilate's
1 bar? Then the believer shall never be arraigned and condemned
at God's bar. This sentence that Pilate pronounced on Christ
gives evidence that God will never pronounce sentence against
such: for had he intended to have arrais-ned them, he would never
have suffered Christ, their su.rety, to be arraigned and condemned
for them ; had riot sentence been given against him, it must have
been given against us.
O what a meliing consideration is t'ds ! that out of his agony
comes our victory ; out of his condemnation, our justification ; out
of his pain, our ease ; out of his stripes, our healing; out of his
gall and vinegar, our honey ; out of his curse, our blessing ; out
of his crown ©f thorns, our crown of glory ; out of his death, our
life. If he could not be released, it was that you might. If Pi
late gave sentence against him, it was that the great God might
never give sentence against you. If he yielded that it should be
with Christ as they required, it was that it might be with ojirsouls
as well as we can desire. And therefore,
Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.

CHRIST'S MEMORABLE ADDRESS TO THE DAUGH
TERS OF JERUSALEM.
Luke xxiii. 27, 28, &c. — And there followed him a great com
pany of people, and of women, whicH also bewailed - and
lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them, said, Daughters
of Jerusalem weep not fbr me, but weep for yourselves, and for
your children.
The sentence of death once given against Christ, the execu
tion quickly follows. Away tbey lead him from Gabbatha to
Golgotha, longing as much to be nailing him to the cross, and
feeding their eyes with his torments, as the eagle doth to be
tearing the flesh, and drinking tbe blood ofthat lamb she hath
seized in her talons, and is carrying away to the top of some rock
to devour.
In this paragraph we have two parts, viz. the lamentation ofthe
daughters of Jerusalem for Christ, and Christ's reply to them,
. What the principle, or ground of these their lamentations was,
is not agreed. Some are of opinion their tears and lamentations

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 215
were but the effects and fruits of their more tender and ingenuous
natures, which were moved and melted with so tragical and sad a
spectacle. But Calvin attributes it to their faith, " looking upon these
mourners as a remnant reseived by the Lord in that miserable dis
persion ; and though their faith was biit weak, yet he judges it
credible that there was a secret seed of godliness in them, which
afterwards grew to maturity, and brought forth fruit."
Observe Christ's reply to them ; " weep not for me, ye daugh
ters of Jerusalem," &c. Strange, that Christ should forbid: them
to weep for him, under such unparalleled sufferings and
miseries. But he shews his merciful and compassionate disposi
tion, who was still more mindful ofthe troubles and burdens of
others than his own.
And indeed, the days of calamity coming upon them and their
children were doleful days. What direful and unprecedented
miseries befel them at the breaking up and devastation of the city.
And who can refrain from tears that hears- or reads it ?
'Now, if we take the words in the first sense, as a prohibition of
their merely natural and carnal affections, then the observation
from it will be this.
Docf. 1 . That melting affections, and sorrows, even from the
sense of Christ's sufferings, are no infallible marks of grace.
Tears are nothing else but the juice of the mind oppressed
with grief, and the heart so compressed;, vents itself sometimes
in tears, sighs, groans, &c.
Natural and common meltings 4ire nothing else but the fruit of
a more ingenuous spirit, and easier constitution, which shews
itself on any other, as well as upon spiritual occasions: as
Austin said, he could weep plentifully when he read the story
of Dido. The history of Christ is a very tragical and pathetical
history, and may melt an ingenuous nature, where there is no
renewed principle at all. So that our affections may be melted,
even upon the account of Christ ; and yet that is no infallible
evidence of a gracious heart. And tlie reasons for it are,
I. We find all sorts -of affections discovered by such as have
been no better than temporary believer?. , The stony-ground
hearers in Mat. xiii. 20. " received the word with joy." Now,
if the affections of joy under the word may be exercised, why not
of sorrow also ? Many instances of weeping and mourning be
fore the Lord we find in sacred history ; and yet their hearts were
not stedfast with God. Numb. xiv. 39.
2. Though the' object about which our affections and passions
are moved; may be spiritual ; yet the motiyes and principles that
set them on work, may- he carnal and natural oneg.
Whilst Austin was a Manichee, he sometimes heard Ambrose ;

216 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
and, saith he, " I was greatly affected in hearing bim, even, unto
tears many times : " howbeit, it was not the heavenly, nature of
the subject, but the abilities and rare parts of the speaker that so
affected him. And this was the case of Ezekiel's hearers, chap.
xxxiii. 32.
Again, 3, These motions of the affections may rather be a fit
and mood, than the very frame and temper of the soul. Now
there is a vast difference betwixt these,; there are times and sea
sons, when the roughest and most obdurate hearts may be pensive
and tender : but that is not its temper and frame, but only a fit,
a pang, a transient passion. So the Lord complains of them,
Hos. vi. 4. Therefore we conclude, tbat we cannot infer a work
of grace upon the heart; simply and merely from the meltings and
thaws that are sometimes upon it.
Inf. 1. If such as sometimes feel their hearts thawed and
melted with the consideration of the sufferings of Christ, may yet
be deceived ; What cause have they to fear and tremble, whose
hearts are as unrelenting as the rocks, yielding to nothing that is
proposed or urged upon them ? What shall become of them
that are as unconcerned, and untouched by what they hear, as the
seats they sit on, or the dead that lie under their feet ? Who are
given up to such hardness of heart, tbat nothing can touch or
affect them ? One would think, the consideration of the sixth
chapter to the Hebrews should startle such men and women, and
make them cry out, Lord, what will become of such a senseless,
stupid, dead creature as I am ? The fire and hammer of the gos
pel can neither melt nor break them ; they are iron and brass.
Jer. vi. 28, 29. '
Inf. 2. If such as these may eternally miscarry ; then let all
•look carefully to their foundation, and see that they do not bless
themselves in a thing of nought. It is manifest from 1 Cor. x.
12. that many souls stand exceedingly dangerous, who are yet
strongly conceited of their own safety. O soul ! of all the false
signs of grace, none more dangerous than those that most resem
ble true ones ; and never doth the Devil more surely and incu
rably destroy, than when transformed into an angel of light.
What if these meltings of thy heart be but a flower of nature ?
What if thou art more beholden to a good temper of body, tban
a gracious change of spirit for these things? Possibly, if thou
wouldest but search thine own heart in this matter, thou mayest
find, that any other pathetical, moving story, will havethe like
effects upon thee. Possibly, too, thou mayest find, that, notwith
standing all thy raptures and joys at the hearing of heaven, and
its g ory, yet after that pang is over, thy heart is habitually
earthly, and thy conversation is not there. For all thou canst
mourn at the relations of Christ's sufferings, thou art not s6
anected with sin, that was the meritorious cause ofthe sufferings

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 217
of Christ, as to crucify one corruption, or deny the next tempted
tion, or part with any way of sin that is gainful, or pleasurable to
thee for his sake.
Nay, for ought I know, thou mayest find, upon a narrow search,
that thou puttest thy tears in the room of Christ's blood, and givest
the confidence and dependence of thy soul to them ; and if so,
they shall never do thee ariy good.
O therefore search thy heart, reader, be not too confident:
remember the wheat and tares resemble each other in their first
springing up ; O remember that among the ten virgins five of
them were foolish.
Remember what you lately read of Judas. Great also will
be the exactness of the last judgment. And how> confident
soever you be, yet still remember that trial is not yet past.
Your final sentence is not yet come from the mouth of your
Judge. This 1 speak not to affright and trouble, but to excite
and warn you. The loss of a soul is no small loss, and, upon
such grounds as these, they are every day cast away.
This may suffice tt) be spoken on the supposition,' that it was
but a pang of mere natural affection in them. But if it were the
effect of a better principle, the fruit of their faith, as some judge,
then the observation from it would be tbis,
Doct. That the believing meditation of what Christ suffered for
us, is of great force and efficacy to melt and, break the heart.
It is promised, Zecb. xii. 10. that " they shall look upon him
whom they have pierced, and mourn for him, as one mourneth
for bis only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that
is in bitterness for his first-born." Ponder seriously here, the
spring • and motive, They shall look upon me ; it is the eye of
faith that melts and breaks the heart. The effect of such a sight
of Christ; they shall look and mourn; be in bitterness and
sorrow. True repentance is a drop out ofthe eye of faith ; and
the measure or degree of that sorrow caused by a believing view
of Christ.1. The very realizing of Christ and his sufferings by faitb, is a
most affecting and melting thing. Faith is a true glass that re
presents all those his sufferings and agonies to the life. It
presents them not as fiction, or idle tale, but as a true and faith
ful narrative. And you cannot imagine the difference there is
' in-presenting things as realities, with convincing and satisfying
evidences, and our looking on them as a fiction or uncertainty.
2. But faith can apply as well as realize ; and if so, it must
needs overcome the heart.
Ah ! Christian, canst thou look upon Jesus as standing in thy
room, to bear the wrath of a Deity for thee ? Canst thou think
on it and not melt ? That when thou, like Isaac, wast bound to the

218 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
altar, and to be offered up to justice, Christ, like the ram, was
caught in the thicket, and offered in thy room. When thy sins
had raised a fearful tempest, that threatened every moment to
entomb thee in a sea of wrath, Jesus Christ was thrown over to
appease that storm ! It was love, pure love to thesou* ot an
enemy that drew him down from heaven, and all the glory lie
had there, to endure these sorrows in soul and body for 'thee. _
3 Faith can not only realize and apply Christ and bis death,
but it can reason and conclude such things from his deatti, as
will fill the soul with affection to him.
Is Christ dead for me? then I sh^ll never die. If he be con
demned 1 am acquitted. O love past finding out!
Did God give up Christ to such miseries and sufferings for
me? How shall he with-hold any thing from me? Rom. viii
32. Christ is the root of all mercies ; he is more than all, be is
nearer and dearer to God than any other gift. O into what a
blessed, bappv state hath he now brought my soul !
Did Christ' endure all these things for me ? then it is past
doubt, he will never leave nor forsake me : It cannot be that
after he has endured all this he will cast off the souls for whom
he endured it.
4. Faith can also compare the love of Christ in all this, both
'with his dealings with others, and with the soul's dealing with
him. He hath not dealt with every one, as with' me ; nay, few
there are tbat can speak of such mercies as I have from him.
How many are there that have no part or portion in his blood ?
Who must bear that wrath in tbeir own persons that he bare'
himself for me! And what, my soul, hath thy conduct to Christ
been, since this grace that wants a name, appeared to thee ?
Hast thou returned love for love ? Hast thou prized, valued, and
esteemed this Christ, according to his own worth in himself, or
his kindness to thee ? Ah no, I have grieved, pierced, wounded
his heart a thousand times since that, by my ingratitude and sin.
Wretch that I am, how have I requited the Lord ! This shames,
humbles and -breaks the heart.
And when from such sights of faith and considerations as these,
the heart is thus affected, it affords a good argument, indeed, that
thou art gone beyond all the attainments of temporary believers ?
flesh and blood hath not revealed this.
Inference 1 . Have the believing meditations of Christ and his
sufferings such heart-melting influences ? Then sure there is but
little faith among men. Our dry eyes and hard hearts are evi
dences against us that we are strangers to tbe sights of faith
God be merciful to the hardness of your hearts. How are
Christ arid his love slighted among men ! What monsters are
carnal hearts ? We are as if God had made us without affections.
Our ears are so accustomed to the sounds of Christ and bis
blood that now they are become as common things. If a child

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 219
die, we can mourn over our dead ; but who mourns for Christ as
for an only son ?
Inf. 2. Have the Relieving meditations of Christ and his suf
ferings sueh heart-melting influences ? Then surely the proper
order of raising the affections is to begin at the exercise of faith.
If thou wouldst indeed get a heart evangelically melted *for sin,
and broken with the kindly sense of the grace and love of Christ,
thy way is not to force thy affections, nor to vex thyself, and go
about complaining of a bard heart, but set thyself to believe,
realize, apply, and compare by faith as you have been directed.
Inf. 3. Is this the way to get a truly broken heart ? Then let
those that have attained bmkenness of heart this way bless the
Lord. whilst they live, for so choice a mercy.
For as much as a heart so affected and melted is not attainable
by any natural or unrenewed person; if they would give all they
have in the world, it cannot purchase one such tear on account of
Christ. It is ranked among the prime mercies of the new cove
nant, Ezek. xxxvi. 26. And however you value and esteem it,
God himself sets no common value on it. Psal. Ii. 17. All the
magnificent temples and glorious structures in the world, give
him no pleasure in comparison of such a broken heart as this.
O then, for ever bless the Lord, tbat hath done that for you,
which none else could do, and which he has done but for few
besides you.

OF THE NATURE AND QUALITY OF CHRIST'S
DEATH.
Acts ii. 23.— Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and
f ore-knowledge of God, ye have taken, and, by wicked hands
have crucified and slain.
In this text we have an account of the kind and nature of that
death which Christ died ; as also of the causes of it, both princi
pal and instrumental.
In respect of God, Christfs death was justice arid mercy. In
respect of man, it was murder and cruelty. In respect of him
self it was obedience and humility. Hence our note is,
Doct. That our Lord Jesus Christ was not only put to death,
-but to the worst of deaths, even the death ofthe cross.
To this the apostle gives u plain testimony, Phil. ii. 8. " He
became obedient to death, even the death of the cross ;" where
his humiliation is both specified ; he was humbled to death ; and
aggravated by a most emphatical reduplication, even the death of
thei cross. So Acts v. 30.

220 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
First, I shall open the kind or nature of his death, by shewing
you that it was,
1. A violent death that Christ died. Violent in itself, though
voluntary on his part. " He was cut off out of the land of the
living," Isa. liii 8. That which died of itself was never offered
up to God ; but that which was slain, when it was in its full
strength and health. Therefore he is said to suffer death, and
to he. put to death for. us in the flesh, 1 Pet. iii. 18. It was a
Violent, though a voluntary death
2. The death of tbe cross was a most painful death. Indeed
in, this "death were many deaths contrived in one. The cross
was a rack as well as a gibbet. The pains which Christ suffered
upon the cross, are by the apostle emphatically stiled " the
pains of death :" his senses were more acute and delicate than
ordinary; and all the time of his suffering, so they continued ;
not in the least- blunted, dulled, or rebated, by the pains he
suffered. These were intended to equalize all that misery which
the sin of men " deserved," all that pain which the damned
shall, and the elect deserve to feel.
3. The death, of the cross was a shameful death : a kind of
death which was appointed for the basest and vilest of men.
The free men when they committed capital crimes, were not
condemned to the cross. No, that was looked upon as the death
appointed for slaves. But he not only endured the cross, but
also despised the shame. Obedience to his Father's will, and
zeal for our salvation, made him digest the shame of it. and
despise the baseness that was in it.
4. 'The death of the cross was a cursed death. Upon that
account he is said to be " made a curse for us." Gal. iii. 13.
The very symbol of lifting them up betwixt heaven and earth
carried much shame in it. For it implieth this in it, that the
person so used, was so execrable, base, and vile, that he deserved
not to tread upon the earth or touch the surface of the ground
any more. ¦ And when dead, they were to hasten to bury him,
that sueh an abominable sight might be removed as soon as might
be, from before the eyes of men ; and that the earth might not be
defiled, by his lying on the surface of it when taken down.
5. The death of the cross was a very slow and lingering death.
They died leisurely. Which still increaseth and aggravateth the
misery of it. If a man must die a violent death, it is a favour to
be dispatched : as they that are pressed to death, beg for more
weight. And it is a favouT to those that are hanged to be-smit-
ten on the breast or pulled by the heels. Christ stood under the
pains of death in his full strength. His life was whole in him.
Tlis was evident by the outcry he made when he gave up the
ghost, which made the centurion when he heard it, to conclude,
" Surely this was the Son of God-"
6. It was a succourless and helpless death to Christ. Some-

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE! 221
times they gave to malefactors amidst their torment. , vinegar anrl
myrrh, to blunt, dull, and stupvfy their senses. Arid if they
hanged long, would break their bone's to dispatch them out of
their pains. Christ had none of this favour. Instead of vinegar
and myrrh, they gave him vinegar and gall to drink to aggravate
his torments.
Secondly, As to the manner of the execution. They that were
condemned to the death ofthe cross, bear their cross upon their
own shoulders, to toe place of execution. And then were fast
ened to the cross with nails.
Then being nailed, like as Moses lifted up the serpent, so was
the Son of man lifted up. And when tbe cross, with the Lord
fastened on it, fell into its socket, or basis, it jerked the whole, and
every part of bis sacred body. And the whole weight hanging
upon his nailed hands, the wounds bv degrees grew wider and
wider: till at last he expired in the midst of those tortures.
_ And that the equity of their proceedings might the better ap
pear to the people, the cause of tbe punishment was written in
capital letters, and fixed to the tree over the head of the
malefactor. Thirdly. We will enquire briefly into the reasons why Christ
died this, rather than any other, kind of death.
1. Because Christ must bear the curse of death, and a curse by
law was affixed to no other'kind of death, as it was to this. On
him must all the curses of the moral law lie, which were due to
us. And +hat nothing might be wanting to make it a full
curse, the very death he died must have a ceremonial curse upon
it. 2. Christ died this rather than any other kind of death ; to
fulfil the types and prefigurations that bf old were made with
respect to it. All the sacrifices were lifted up from the earth,
upon the altar. But especialy the brazen serpent prefigured this
death, Numb. xix. 9.
3. Christ died this rather than any other death, because it was
predicted of him, and in him must all the predictions as well as
types be fully accomplished. Yea, Christ himself had foretold
the death he should die, John iii. 14. And the Scriptures must
be fulfilled.
Inference 1 . Is Christ dead ? and did he die the violent, pain
ful, cursed death of the cross ? Then surely there is forgiveness
with God, and plenteous redemption for the greatest of sinners,
that by faith apply the blood of the cross to their poor guilty
souls. "Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and
gold ; but with the precioujs blood of the Son of God, stiled the
blood of God, Acts xx. 28 : and so it becomes royal, princely
blood. The blood of all creatures in the world, even a sea oi
human blood bears no more proportion to the precious and

222 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
excellent blood of Chiist, than a dish of common water to a river
of liquid gold. Before the efficacy of this blood guilt vanishes,
and shrinks away as the shadow before the glorious sun. Every
drop of it hath a voice, and speaks to the soul that sits trembling
under its guilt better things than the blood of Abel, Heb. x. 24.
Can God exact satisfaction from the blood and death of his own
Son, the surety of believers, and yet still demand it from be
lievers? It cannot be. " Who (saith the apostle) shall lay any
thing to the charge of God's elect ? It is God that justifieth."
O what a joyful sound is this ! What ravishing voices of peace
pardon, grace, acceptance, come to our ears from the blood of the
cross ?
Those very men who had a hand in the shedding of Christ's
blood, had the benefit of tbat blood afterwards pardoning them,
Acts ii. 36. There is nothing but unbelief and impenitency of
heart can bar thy soul from the blessing of this bloOd. <-
Inf. 2. Did Christ die the cursed death of the cross for be
lievers, then though there be much of pain there is nothing ofthe
curse in tlie death of saints. A serpent that has no sting may
his3 and affright, but we may take him in our hands without dan
ger. -Death poured out all its poison and lost its sting in Christ's
side, when he became a curse for us.
When Christ was nailed to the tree, then he said as it were to
death, which came to grapple with him there, " I will be thy
plague ; O grave I will be thy destruction : and so he was ; for
he swallowed up death in victory, spoiled it of its power.
Inf. 2. If Christ died the cursed death of the cross for us, how
cheerfully should we submit to, and bear any cross for Jesus
Christ? He had his cross and we have ours ; but what feathers
are ours compared with* his ? we cannot endure or bear ours,
though they be not named with his. Three things would mar
vellously strengthen us to bear the Cross of Christ.
1. We shall bear it but a little way. " When we are over
the water, Christ shall say, down crosses and up lieaven for
evermore; down hell, and down death ; and down sin, and down
sorrow ; and up glory, up life, up joy for evermore. It is true
Christ and his cross are not separable in tbis life ; howbeit Christ
and his cross part at heaven's door : for there is no house-room
for crosses in heaven.
2. As we shall carry the cross of Christ but a little way, so
Christ himself bears the heaviest end of it. And as one happily
expresses, he saith of their crosses, half mine. He divideth
sufferings with them, and takes the largest share to himself.—
" As when two partners are owners Of a ship, half of the gain,
and halfof tbe loss, belongeth to either of the two. So Christ
iri our sufferings, is half gainer, and half loser, with us : yea, the
heaviest end of .heb)adk<.ree lieth on our Lord."
3. It is reviving to think what an innumerable m.Ui*"de of

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE'. 223
blessings and mercies are the fruit and offspring of a sanctified
cross., Since that tree was so richly watered with tbe blood
of Christ ; what store of choice, and rich fruits doth it bear to
believers ?
" Grace tried is better than grace, and more than grace. It
is glory in fts infancy. And who knows the truth of grace
without a trial. And how soon would faith freeze without a
cross ? Bear your cross, therefore, with joy."
Inf. Did Christ die the death, yea the worst of deaths for us?
Then it follows, that our mercies are brought forth with great
difficulty; and that whichis sweet to us in thefruition, was costly,
and hard lo Christ iu the acquisition. Surely, upon every mersy
we have this motto written, " The Price of Blood." Life comes
through death ; God comes in Christ ; a'nd Christ cOmes in
blood : tbe choicest mercies come through the greatest miseries ;
prime favours come swimming in blood to us.
" Man looks much at what is given for a thing. What did
this cost? Why it cost Christ's own blood. Beware, then, you
abuse not any of tbe mercies that Christ brought forth with so
many bitter pangs and throes. And let all this endear Christ
more than ever to you, and make you in a deep sense of his
grace and love, to say, ¦*
Thanks be lo God for Jesus Christ.

THE TITLE AFFIXED. TO THE CROSS OF CHRIST.
Luke xxxiii. 38. — -And a Superscription was also written over
him in letters of Greek, <and Latin, and Hebrew ; This is the
King of the Jews.
Before I pass on to Christ's death, I shall consider the title
affixed to the cross ; in which very much of the wisdom of Pro
vidence was discovered. It was the manner of the Romans, that
the equity of their proceedings might the more clearly appear to
the people, when they crucified any man, to publish the cause of
his death, in a table written- in capital letters, and placed over
the head of the crucified. And that there might be at least, a
shew and face of justice in Christ's death, he also shall have his
title or superscription,
And he is described by his kingly dignity : This is the King
of the Jews. The very office, which but a little before, they had
reproached and derided, bowing the knee to him in mockery,
saying, Hail, King of the Jews.
But surely we must look 'higher than Pilate in this thing, and
see how Providence serves itself by the hands of Christ's adver
saries. Pilate writes ip honour of (Christ, and stifflydefends it too.
Hence our observation is,

224 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFH.
Doct. 1. That the dignity of Christ was openly proclaimed
and defended by an enemy; and that, in the time of his great
est reproaches and sufferings.
To open this mystery of providence to you, that you may not
stand idly gazing upon Christ's title, as many then did, we
must, First, Show the nature and quality of Christ's title or inscription.
1. It was an extraordinary title, varying from all exam
ples of that kind ; and directly crossing the main design and
end of their own Custom ; for here is a title expressing no crime
at all, and so vindicating Christ's innocency. This some, of them
perceived,, and moved Pilate to change it, not, This is, but he
said, / am the King ofthe Jews. But what shall we say !-it was
a' day of wonders and extraordinary things. As there never was
such a person crucified before,' so there was never such a title
affixed to the cross before.
2. As it was an extraordinary, so it was a public title, " for it
was written in three languages, and those most known in the
world at that time. The Greek tongue was then known in most
parts ofthe world. The Hebrew was the Jews' native language,
And the Latin the language of the Romans.
3. As it was a public so it was an honourable title. Such
saith Bucer ; that in the midst of death, Christ began to triumph
by it. And by reason thereof, the cross began to change its own
nature, and instead of a rack, or engine of torture, it became a
throne of majesty.
4. It was a vindicating title : it cleared up the honour, dignity,
and innocency of Christ, againstall false imputations, calumnies,
and blasphemies, which were cast upon him before, by the
wicked tongues, both of Jews and Gentiles.
5. Moreover it was a predicting and presaging title. Evident
ly foreshewing the propagation of Christ's kingdom, and the
spreading of his name and glory among all kindreds, nations,
tongues, and languages. And that both Hebrews, Greeks,-
and Latins should be called to the knowledge of him.
6. It was an immutable title. The Jews endeavoured, but
could not persuade Pilate to alter it. To all their importunities
he returned this resolute answer, " What I have written, I have
written ; I cannot, I will not, alter a letter, a point of it." Most
wonderful! that he, who before was as unconstant as a reed
shaken by the wind, is now fixed as a pillar of brass.
And yet more wonderful, that he should write down that very
E articular in the title of Christ, which so scared him but a little
efore. What was now become of the fear of Cffisar ? that
Pilate dares to be Christ's herald, and publicly proclaim him,
The King ofthe Jews. This was the title.
Secondly. We shall next enquire what hand the Divine Pro
vidence had in this business.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 225
And indeedi, the providence of God in this hour, acted glori
ously and wonderfully.
1. In over-ruling the hand and. heart of Pilate in the draught
and stile of it, arid that contrary to his own inclination. I doUbt
not but Pilate himself was far enough from designing that which
the wisdom of providence aimed at in this matter. It so over-
ruled.his pen, that he could not write what was in his own heart
and intention, but the quite contrary ; even a fair and public
testimony of tbe kingly office of tbe Son of God.
2. Herein the wisdom of Providence was gloriously displayed,
in applying a present, proper, public remedy to the reproaches
and blasphemies which Christ had then newly received in his
name and honour. The superstitious Jews wound him, and he
vindicates ; they throw the dirt, he washes it off.
3. Moreover, Providence erpinently appeared at this time in
keeping so timorous a person from receding, or giving ground in
the least to their importunities. Is Pilate become a man of such
resolution and constancy ? whence is this ? but from the God of
the spirits of all flesh.
4. Herein also much of the wisdom of Providence appeared,
in casting the ignominy of the death of Christ upon those very
men who ought to bear it. »
5. The providence of God wonderfully discovered itself (as
before was noted) in fixing this title to the cross of Christ, when
there was so great a confluence of all sorts of people to take
notice of ftj So that we may say, How wonderful are the works
of God!
Inference I. Hence it follows, That the providence of our God
can, and often doth over-rule the counsels and actions ofthe worst
of men to his- own glory.
It can serve itself by, them that opposeit; and bring about the
glory and honour of Christ, by those very men, and means, which
are designed to lay it in the dust. " Surely: the wrath of man
shall praise thee," Psal. Ixxvi. 10. The Jews thought when they
crowned Christ with thorns, bowed the knee, and mocked him,
led him to Golgotha and crucified him ; that now they bad utterly
despoiled him of all his kingly dignities ; and yet even there he is
proclaimed a king. -> - ,.
Inf. 2. Hence likewise it follows, That the greatest services
performed to Christ accidentally and undesignedly, shall never be
accepted or rewarded of God. \ - Pilate did Christ an eminent
piece of service. He, did that for Christ that not one of his. own
disciples at that time durst do ; and yet this service was not ac
cepted of God, because he did it not designedly for his glory, but
from the mere over-rulings of providence.
As it doth not excuse my sin, that God can bring glory to
himself out of it ; so neither doth it justify an action that, God
hath praise and honour accidentally by it.
Q

226 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
Inf. 3. Would not Pilate recede from what he had written on
Christ's behalf? How shameful a thing is it for Christians to re
tract what they have said or done on Christ's behalf?
That counsel given by a reverend divine in this case, is both
safe and good. " Be sure (saith he) you stand on good ground,
and then resolve to stand your ground against all the world.
Follow God, and fear not men. Repent not of your righteotis*
ness, test you afterward repent of your repentance. Wish faot
any thing undone, concerning which God will say, Well done."
Ifyebehotand cold, profess, and retract yout profe_sioh ;
he that condemned Christ with his lips, will condemn you by his
example. 'Resolute Pilate shall be your judge.
Inf. 4. Did Pilate affix such an honourable, vindicating title to
the cross ? Then the cross of Christ is a dignified cross. Then
the cross and sufferings of Christ are attended with glory and
honour. How did the martyrs glory in their sufferings! calling'
their chains of iroffl, chains of gold ; and their manacles, bracelets;
And as there is a great deal of honour in being called forth to
suffer on Christ's account ; so Christ will confer special honour
upon his suffering saints, in the day of their reward, Mat. x. 32.
And then to be brought forth by Christ before that great assembly
of angels and saints : and there to have an honourable mention
made of your labours, and sufferings, your patience and self-denial
for Christ ; and to hear from his mouth, Well done, good and
faithful servant: O ' \vhat honour is this !
I tell you, it is an honour the angels have not. I make no
doubt, but they would be glad, (had they bodies of flesh as we
have), to lay their necks on the block for Christ. But tbis is the
saints peculiar privilege^
Inf. 5. Did Pilate so stiffly assert and defend tbe honour of
Christ ? What doubt can then be made ef the success of Christ's
interest, and the prosperity of his cause, when the very enemies
thereof are made to serve il ?
That people can never be ruined, who thrive by their losses ;
conquer by being conquered; multiply by being diminished:
whose worst enemies are made to do that for them, which friends
cannot or dare nOt do.
Inf. 6. Did Pilate vindicate Christ in drawing up such a title
to be affixed to his cross ? hence it follows, That God will', sooner
or later, clear up the innocency and integrity of his people;, who
commit their cause to him. Christ's name was clouded with many
reproaches; wounded through and through, by the blasphemous
tongues of bis malicious enemies. He committed himself to him
that;iudge.hirighteously, 1 Pet. ii. 23. and see how sooh Grid vin
dicates him.
_, Ifjour "?me' '** bis sake» be cast °«t as evil, and spumed in
the dirt ; Christ will deliver ft you again in that day whiter than
the snow in Salmon.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 227
Inf. 7. Did Pilate give this title to cast the reproach of his
death upon the Jews, and clear himself of it ? How natural is if
to then to transfer the fault of their own actions from themselves
to others ? For when he writes, This i$ the King of" the Jews,
he charges them "with the crime of crucifying their king : as if he
had said, hereafter let the fault of this action lie wholly upon your
heads, who have brought the guilt of his blood upon yourselves
and children. I am clear, you have extorted it from me. O
where shall we find a spirit so ingenuous, to take home to itselif
tlie shariie of its own actions, and charge itself freely with its own
guilt.
OF THE MANNER OF CHRIST'S DEAT&
ZecH. xiii. 7. — Awake, O sword, against my shephera\ and
against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts ;
smile the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered ; and IwiU
turn mine hand upon the little ones.
In these words we have four things particularly to consider.
I. The'comiriission given to the sword by the Lord of h'0ist_.
" Awake, O sword, and smite, saith the Lord of hosts." The
Lord of hosts, at whose beck arid command all the creatures are.
Who, with a word of his mouth, can open all the armories in the
world, and command what weapons and instruments of death he
pfea'seth, calls here for the sword ; not the rod, gerttly to chasteri ;
put the sword to destroy. The rod breaks no bones, but the
sword opens the door to death and destruction.
2. The person against whom it is commissioned, " my shep
herd, and the man that is my fellow." This shepherd can be no
other than Christ, who is often in scripture stiled " a Shepherd,
yea, the chief Shepherd, the Princeof pastors." Who redeemed,
feeds, guides, and preserves the flock of God's elect, 1 Pet. v, 4.
3. You have here the dismal consequent of this deadly stroke
upon the shepherd. And that is the scattering of the sheep, the
disdples, which fol.owed this shepherd till he was smitten, then
_hey all forsook him and fled. And so Christ was left alone,
amidst his enemies.
4. Here is a gracious mitigation of this sad dispersion, " I will
tum my hand upon the little ones." By, turning his hand upon
them, understand the gathering of them again after tlieir sad dis
persion, so that they shall not be lost, though scattered for the
present. Doct. That Christ's dearest friends forsook and left him alone,
in the time of Ms greatest distress and danger.
Let us inquire who were these sheep that were dispersed and
scattered? They were persons that had left all and followed
hhn, and, till that time, faithfully continued with him in his
Q.2

228 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
temptations. And were all resolved so to do, though they should
die with him, Matth. xxvi. 85. '
But were they as good as their word ? Did they indeed stick
faithfully to him ? No, they all forsook him and fled.
These were stars fixed in their orb, though clouded and over
cast for a time. This was but a mist or fog, which overspreads
the earth in the morning till the sun be^risen, and then it clears
up and proves a fair day. But though it was not a total and final
apostasy; yet it was a very sinful and sad relapse from Jesus
Christ. For,
1 . This relapse of theirs was against the very articles of agree
ment which they had sealed to Christ at their first admission into
his service ; he had told them, what they must resolve upon,
Luke xiv. 26, 2/. Accordingly they submitted to these terms,
and told him they had left all and followed him. Against this
engagement made to Christ, they now sin. Here was unfaith
fulness. ¦*
2. It was against the very principles of grace implanted by
Christ in their hearts. - Grace bid them stand, corruption bid
them fly. Grace told them it was their duty to share in the suf
ferings as well as in the glory of Christ. Corruption represented
these sufferings as intolerable, and bid them shift for themselves
while they might.
, 3. It was against the honour of their Lord and Master. By
this their sinful flight they exposed the Lord Jesus to the con
tempt and scorn of his enemies; for doubtless it did not a little
reflect upon Christ, that there was not one of all his friends that
durst own their relation to him, in a time of danger.
4. It was against their own solemn promise made to him be
fore his apprehension, to live and die with him. They had passed
their word, and given their promise that they would not flinch,
Matt. xxvi. 35.
5.^ It, was against Christ's heart-melting expostulations with
them. Will ye also go away ? There is an emphasis in [ye]
q. d. What ye that from eternity were given to me ! Ye whom I
called, loved, and honoured above all others, for whose sakes I
am ready and resolved to die. " Will ye also forsake me ?,"
Whatever others do, I expect other things from you.
6. It was against a late direful example presented to them in
the fall of Judas. They had heard Christ say of him, " Good
had it been had he never been born." An expression able to
scare the deadest heart. They saw he had left Christ the even
ing before. And that very day, in which they fled, he hanged
himself. And yet they fly.
7- It was against the law of love, which should have knit
them closer to Christ, and to one another. Surely they should
have kept together, praying, watching, encouraging, and
strengthening one another. Butthey forsook each other, as well
as Christ. O what an hour of temptation was this.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 229
8. This, their departure from Christ, was accompanied with
some offence at Christ. For so he tells them, Matt. xxvi. 31.
Some think the scandal they took at Christ was this, that when
they saw he was fallen into his enemies' bands, and could no
longer defend himself; they began to question whether he were
the Christ or no, and seeing he, gave himself into their hands,
they thought it advisable to provide as well as they could for
themselves, and take refuge from the present storm, which had
overtaken him. Consider the grounds and reasons of it.
1. God's suspending wonted influences and aids of grace from
them. They were not wont to do so. They never did so after
wards. They would not have done so now, had there been in
fluences of power, zeal, and love from heaven upon them. But
Christ must not have the least relief or comfort from any creature ;
that he might be left alone, to grapple hand to band with the
wrath of God, and of men ; the Lord for a time withholds his
encouraging, strengthening influences from them : and then, like
Samson when he had lost his locks, they were weak as other
men; their resolutions and purposes melt away before a temp
tation, as snow before the sun.
2. The efficacy of temptation was great, yea, much greater than
ordinary. As they were weaker than they used to be, so tbe
temptation was stronger than any they had yet met with. Oft
was a black and, cloudy day. Never had the disciples met with
such a whirlwind, such a furious storm before.
3. That which concurred to their shameful relapse; was the re
maining corruptions that were in their hearts yet unmortified.
Do not censure them, reader, in thy thoughts/ nor despise
them for this their weakness. They thought as little of doing
what they did, as you, or any of the saints do ; but here see
whither a soul that fears God may be carried if his corruptions
be irritated by strong temptations.
4. Let us view the issue of this sad apostasy of theirs. And
you shall find it ended far better than it began. Though these
sheep were scattered for a time, yet the Lord made good his
promise, in turning his hand upon these little ones, to gather
them. The morning was overcast but the evening was clear.
Peter repents, of his perfidious denial of Christ, and never
denied him more. ' All the rest likewise returned to Christ and
never forsook him any more. He that was afraid ofthe yoice of
a damsel, afterwards feared not the frowns of the mighty. * And
they that durst not own Christ now, afterwards confessed him
openly before councils,* and rejoiced that they Were counted
worthy to suffer for his sake, Acts v. 41. They that were now
as timorous as hares, afterward became as bold as lions, and
feared not any danger but sealed their confession of Christ, with
their blood.
Inf. 1. Did the disciples forsake Christ, though they had such

230 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
strong persuasions and resolutions never to do it ? Then we see
that self-confidence is a sin tod incident to the best of men. They
little thought their hearts would have proved so base and deceit
ful, as they found them to be when they were tried. Peter re
solved honestly, but he knew not what a feather he should
be in the wind of temptation, if God once left him to his own
IP__.FS ^
Little reason have the best of saints to depend upon their inhe
rent grace, let their stock be as large as it will. The angels left
to themselves, quickly left their own habitations, Jude 6. Upon
which, one well observes, That the best of created perfections,
are of themselves defectible. It is safer to be humble with one
talent,- than proud with ten ; yea better to be an humble worm,
than a proud angel. Adam had more advantage to maintain his
station than anyr of you, and had ho inherent corruption to en
danger him, yet he fell . Consider the cases of Noah, Lot, David,
and Hezekiah, men famous and renowned in their generations, and
then " let him that thinks he standeth, take heed lest he fall." 0
lie not high-minded, but fear.
Inf. 2. Did Christ stand his ground, and go through with his
suffering-work, when all that had followed him, forsook him ?
Then a resolved adherence to God, and duty, though left alone,
withouLcompany or encouragement, is Christ-like, and truly ex
cellent. You shall not want better companay, than that which
hath forsaken you in the way of God.
Paul complains, ?' At my first answer no man stood by me, all
men forsook me : nevertheless the Lord stood with me." And as
the Lord stood by him, so he stood by his God alone, without any
aid or support from men. How great an argument of integrity
is this ! He that professes Christ for company, will also leave
him for company.
Inf. 3. Did the disciples thus forsake Christ, and yet were all
recovered at last ? Then, though believers are not privileged
from backslidings, yet they are secured from final apostasy and
ruin. The new creature may be sick, it cannot die, Sainlp may
fall but they shall rise again, Micah. vii. 8. The highest flood
of natural zeal and resolution may ebb, and be wholly dried up ;
but saving grace is a " well of water, still springing up into ever
lasting life." God's unchangeable election, the frame and con
stitution of the New Covenant, the meritorious and prevalent
intercession of Jesus Christ, do give the believer abundant se
curity against the danger of a.total arid final apostasy.
Inf. 4. Did the sheep fly, when the shepherd was smitten;
such men, arid so many forsake Christ in the trial ? Then learn
how sad a thing it is for the best of men to be left to their own
carnal fears in a day of temptation : This was- it that made those
good men shrink away so shamefully from Christ in that trial:
" The fear of man brings a snare," Prov. xxix. 25. In that

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 231
snare these good- souls were taken, and. for a time held fast.. But
shall we shamefully turn our backs upon duty, because we see
duty and danger together ?
Inf. 5. Learn hence, how much a man may differ from himself,
according as the Lord is with him or withdrawn from him.
And whe,re is he that doth not soexperience.it ? Sometimes bold
and courageous, despising dangers, bearing down all discourage
ments in the strength of zeal and love tp God : at another time
faint, feeble, arid discouraged at every petty thing,. These very
men that flinched now, when the Spirit was more abundantly
shed forth upon them, could boldly own Christ before the council,
and despised all dangers for his sake.
•s -Inf*Q: Was the sword drawn against the Shepherd, and he left
alone to receive the mortal strokes of it? How should all adore
both the Justice and mercy of God so illustriously displayed here
in ! Here is the triumph of divine justice* and the highest triumph
that ever it had. For in this blood shed by it,' it hath more
glory than if the blood of all the men and women inthe world
had been shed- And no less is the mercy bf God herein signa
lized, in giSvitog the sword a commission against the man, his
fellow rather than against us. Why had he not rather said,
Awake, O sword, against the men that are mine enerhies ; shed
the blood of them that have sinned against me, than smite the
.Shepherd, and only scatter the sheep. O what manner of love
was this !
Inf. 7. Were the sheep scattered when the Shepherd was
smitten ? Learn hence, That the best of men know not their own
strength till they come to the trial. Little did these holy men
imagine such a cowardly spirit had been in them, till temptation
put it to the proof. Let this therefore be a caution1 for ever to
the people of God.
Inf. 8. Did the dreadful sword of divine justice smite the
Shepherd, God's own fellow; and at • the same time the flock,
from whom all its outward comforts -arose, were scattered, from
him ? Then learn, That the hotiest of men have no reason either
to repine or despond], though God should at once strip them of all
their outward and inwarji comforts together. God sometimes
takes outward, and leaves inward; comfort ; sometimes he takes
inward, and leaves outward cornfort ; but: the time may come,
-when God may s^ripyou of both, Yet he can, O Christian, sup
port thee, when all sensible comforts shrink away together from
-thy soul and body in one day.
Lastly, It deserves remark, that this comfortless forsaken con
dition of Christ, immediately preceded the day of his greatest
glory and- comfort.- Naturalists observe, the greatest darkness
is a Uttle before tbe dawning of the morning. It was so with
Christi it may be so with thee. Act therefore your faith upon
this, that the most glorious, light usually follows the thibkest

232 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.,
darkness. The louder your groans are now, the louderyour
triumphs hereafter will be. The horror of yoUr present, will but
add to the lustre of your future state. :> -

OF THE MANNER OF CHRIST'S DEATH. -
Isa. liii. 7.— He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,yet he opened
not his mouth; hefs brought as a larnb to the slaughter, and
as a sheep before her shearef-s is dumb, so he opened not
his mouth.
This chapter treats wholly ofthe sufferings of Christ, and the
blessed , fruits thereof. Hornbeck tells us of a learned Jew that
ingenuously confessed " this very chapter converted him to the
Christian faith. And such delight he 'had in itv that he read it
more than a thousand times over." Such is the clearness of this
prophecy, that he who penned it, is deservedly stiled the evan
gelical prophet. I cannot allow time to annalize the chapter ;
but my work lieth in the seventh verse, I shall speak to these two
branches or parts of it, viz. The grievous, sufferings of Christ,
and the glorious ornament he put upon them.
Doct. That Jesus Christ supported the burden of Ms sufferings,
with admirable patience and meekness of spirit.
It is a true observation, that meekness inviteth injury, but al
ways to its own cost. And it was evidently verified in the suf
ferings of Christ. Christ's meekness triumphed over the affronts
and injuries of his enemies^much more than they triumphed over
him. Patience , never had a more glorious triumph, than it had
upon the cross.
Consider the burden of sufferings and provocations which
Christ supported, for on him met all kinds of trouble at once, and
those in their highest degrees and fullest strength. Troubles in
his sou), and these were the soul of his troubles. His soul was
laden with spiritual horrors. " He began to be sore amazed and
very heavy." The wrath of an infinite God beat him down to the
dust. His body full of pain and exquisite tortures in every part.
Not. a member or sense but was the seat and subject of tor
ment. His name and honour suffered the vilest indignities, blasphe
mies, and horrid reproaches that the maglignity of Satan and
wicked men could belch out against it. He was called a blasphe
mer, seditious, one that had a devil, a glutton, a wine bibber, a
friend of publicans and harlots, the carpenter's son, this fellow.
He that was God's fellow, as you heard lately, now this fellow.
And for him to, bear all this, without the least discomposure of

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 233
spirit or breach of patience, is the highest triumph of patience
that ever was in the world. It was one of the greatest wonders
of that wonderful day .
God hath several sorts of burdens to impose upon his people.
Some heavier, others lighter ; some to be carried but a few hours,
Others, many days ; others, all our days : some more spiritual,
bearing upon the soul; some more external, touching or punish
ing the flesh immediately ; and the spirit by way of sympathy :
and sometimes both sorts are laid on together. So they were
at this time on Christ.
And then" our patience is, as Christ's most exactly was, accord
ing to the will of God ; when'it is as extensive, as intensive, and
as protensive as God requires it to be. ,
1. When it is as extensive, ^is God would have it. His was a
patience that stretched and extendid itself to all and every trouble
and affliction, that came upon him. Troubles came upon him in
troops, in multitudes. Yet he found patience enough to receive
them all. Our patience is often worn out. And like sick people,
we fancy, if we were in another chamber, or bed, it would be
better. If it were any other trouble than this, we could bear
it. Christ had no exceptions at any burden his Father would
lay on.
2. It is then according-to the will of God, when it is as intensive
as God requires it to be, i. e. in the apostle's phrase, Jam. i. 4.
When it hath its perfect work, or exercise; when it is not only
extended to all kinds of troubles ; but when it works in the high
est and most perfect degree.
3. As protensive as God required it to be, i. e. it held out to
the end of his trial. He did not faint at last. .His troubles did not
out-live his patience. '
In the last place, let us enquire into the grounds and reasons
,of this his most perfect patience.
1. This admirable patience and meekness of Christ, was the
fruit and offspring of his perfect holiness. His nature was free
from those corruptions, that ours groan and labour under. Take
the meek Moses who excelled all others in that grace, and let
him be tried in that grace, wherein he excels, and see how " un
advisedly he may speak with his lips," Psal. evi. 33. Take a
Job, whose patience is resounded over all the world ; ye have
heard of the patience of Job ; and let him be tried with outward
and inward troubles, meeting upon him in one day ; and even a
Job may curse the day wherein he was born. • Envy, revenge,
discontent, despondencies, are weeds naturally springing up in
the corrupt soil ofour sinful natures. But our high-priest was
holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, Heb. vii. 26.
2. The meekness and patience of Christ proceeded from tbe
infinite wisdom with which he was filled. The wiser any man is
the more patient he is. Hence meekness, the fruit, is denominated

234 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
from patience, the root that bears it, Jam. iii. 13, " The meek
ness of wisdom." And anger is lodged in folly, its proper cause,
Eccl. vii. 9. " Anger resteth in the bosom of fools." Wise
men used to ponder, consider, and weigh things deliberately in
their judgments, before they suffer their affections and passions to
be stirred and enraged. Hence come the constancy and serenity
of their spirits. As wise Soloman hath observed, Prov. xvii.
27. " A man of understanding is of an excellent (or as the He
brew is) a cool, spirit."
Now wisdom filled the soul of Christ. Hence it was that he
was no otherwise moved with the revilings and abuses of his en
emies, than a wise physician is with the impertinences of his dis
tempered, and crazy patient.
' 3, And as his patience flowed from his perfect wisdom and
knowledge, so also from his fore-knowledge. He had a perfect
prospect of all those things from eternity, which befel him after
wards. They came not upon him by way of surprisal. And
therefore he wondered not at them, as if .some strange thing had
happened. -" Jesus knowing all things that should come upon
him, werit forth and said unto them, whom seek ye ? "
4. As hi& patience sprang from his fore-knowledge of his suf
ferings ; so from his faith which he exercised under all that he
suffered in this world. His faith looked through all those black
and dismal clouds, fo the joy proposed, Heb. xii. 2. His faith
acting upon the glory into which he was to enter, after he had
suffered these things, filled him with peace.
5. As "his faith, eyeing the glory into, which he was passing,
made him endure all things ; so the heavenliness of his Spirit also
filled him with tranquility and calmness of spirit under all his
abuses and injuries. " They are the inferior heavens that lighten
and thunder : the nearer the earth the more tempestuous and
unquiet: even so the sublime and heavenly mind is placed in a
calm and quiet station."
6. His meekness and patience sprang likewise, from the com
plete and absolute obedience of it to his Father's will and plea
sure. He was privy to the design and end of his Father, with
whose will he all along complied ; looking on Jews and Gentiles
but as the instruments ignorantly fulfilling God's pleasure, and
serving that great design of his Father; this- was his patience,
and these the grounds of it.
Use 1 . I might variously improve this point ; but the direct and
main use of it is, to press us to a Christ-like patience in all our
sufferings and troubles. And I resolve to wave all other uses,
and spend the remaining time wholly upon this branch.
1. Look upwards when tribulations come upon you: look to
that sovereign Lprd who sends them upon you. You know
troubles do. not rise out of the dust, nor spring out of the ground)
but are framed in heaven, Jer. xviii-. H. Oh' when we have to

TBE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 235
do with men, and look no higher, how do our spirits swell and
rise with revenge and impatience ! But if you once come to see
that man as a rod in your Father's hand, you will be quiet ; Psal.
¦?lvi. 10. "Be still, and know, that I am God."
2. Look downward, and see what is below you, as well as up
to that which is ahoye you. You are afflicted and cannot bear
it. Oh ! no trouble like your trouble ! never man in such a case
as you are ! Well, well, cast the eye of your mind downward,
and see those who lie much lower than you. Can you see none
On earth in a more miserable state than yourselves ? Sure there
are thousands in a sadder case than yon on earth.
Or if not on earth, doubtless, you will yield there are many in
hell, who would be glad to change conditions with you, as bad as
you think yours to be," And were not all these moulded out of
the same lump with you ? Surely if you can see any creature
below you, you have no reason to return so ungratefully upon
your God, and accuse your Maker of severity ; or charge God
foolishly. Look down, and you shall see grounds enough tQ be
quiet. Look inward, yes discontented spirits, and see if you can find
nothing thereto quiet you. Cast your eye into your own hearts ;
consider either the corruptions or the graces that are there. Can
not you find weeds enough there, that need such winter, weather
as this to rot them ? Hath not that proud heart need enough of
all this to humble it ? That carnal heart need of such things as
these to mortify it ? That backsliding, wandering heart need of
all this to reduce and recover ft to its God ? And how shall
graces be exercised without tribulations ? , Can you tell ? Doth
not " tribulation work patience, and patience, experience, and ex
perience hope ? " Ron. v, 3, 4. Is not .' th© trial of your faith
much more precious, than of gold which perishes ? " 1 Pet. i. J.
O look inward and you will be quiet.
4. Look outward, and see vyhp stands by and observes your
carriage under trouble. Are there not many eyes upon you?
yea, many envious observers round about you. To the wicked
there can scarcely be an higher gratification and pleasure, than to
see your carriage under trouble so like their own. Oh, how do
you dishonour Christ before his enemies, when you make them
think all your religion lies in, talking of it ! Consider who looks
on you.
5. Look backward, and see if there he nothing behind you that
may hush and quiet your impatient spirits. Is this the first "strait
that ever you were in? If so, you have reason to be quiet, and
to bless God that hath spared you so long, when others have had
.hen? days filled up with sorrow. But if you have been in trou
bles formerly, and the Lord hath helped you out ; if you have
passed through the fire, and not been burnt ; through the waters

236 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
and not drowned ; O what cause have you to be quiet now, and
patiently wait for the salvation of God !
6. Look forward, to the end of your troubles ; yea, look to a
double end of them, the end of their duration, and the end of their
operation. Look ye to the end of their duration, and that is just
by you ; they shall not be everlasting troubles, if you be such as
fear the Lord. " These light afflictions are but for a moment,"
2 Cor. iv. 18. They are no more comparatively; with that vast
eternity that is before you. Alas ! what are a few days and
nights of sorrows, when they are past ? Are they not swallowed
up as a spoonful of water in the vast ocean ? But more especi
ally look to the end of their operation. What do all these afflic
tions tend to and effect ? Do they not work out an exceeding
weight of glory? Are you not by them made " partakers of his
holiness ? " Heb.xii. O ungrateful soul look forward to the end
of your troubles ;' the end of their duration and operation;
7. Look to the right-hand, and see how you are shamed; con
vinced, and silenced by other Christians ; and it may be such tcp,
as never made that profession you have done ; and yet can, not
only patiently bear the afflicting hand of God, but are blessing,
praising, and admiring God under their troubles ; whilst you are
sinning and dishonouring him under smaller ones.
8. Look to your left-hand, and there you will see a sad sight,
a company of wicked, graceless wretqh'es, carrying themselveS
under their troubles, but too much like yourselves. What do
they more, than fret and murmer, despond and sink: mix sin
with their afflictions, when the rod of God is upon them ?
Reader, such considerations as these, would be of singular use
to thy soul at such a time, but above all, eyeing the great pattern
of patience, Jesus Christ; whose Lamb-like carriage, under
a trial, with which thine is not to be named the same day,
is here recommended to thee. O how should this transform
thee into a lamb, for meekness and patience also !

OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST ; HIS LAST WORDS;
THE FIRST OF WHICH IS HERE ILLUSTRATED. ^
Luke x^iii. 34. — Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them, for
they know not what they do.
The last words of a dying man are remarkable ; tbe scrip-
tore puts a remark upon them,. 2 Sam. xxiii. 1. "Now these be
the last words of David." How remarkable are the last words of
Christ. These words are seven in number ; three directed to his Fa-

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 237
ther, and four more to those about him. Of the former sort this
is one, Father, forgive them, #.. In which we have, First the
mercy desired by Christ, and that is forgiveness. Secondly, The
persons for whom it is desired, that is those cruel and wicked
5ersons that were now imbruing their hands in his blood. And,
"'Mrdly, The motive or argument urged to procure that mercy
from his Father, for they know not what they do. For them this
prayer of Christ is heard. Hence the notes are,
Doct. 1. That ignorance is the usual cause of enmity to Christ.
"These things (saith the Lord) will they do, because they
have not known the Father, nor me," John xvi. 3. What things
doth he mean ? Why kill and destroy the kingdom of God, and
therein suppose they do God good service, (i. e.) think to oblige
and gratify the Father, by butchering his children.
What was the nature of their ignorance who crucified Christ ?
Natural light they had ; and scripture light they had ; but in this
particular that this was the Son of God, the Saviour of the
world, therein they were blind and ignorant.
But how could that be ! Had they not heard at least of his mi
raculous works? "Did they riot see how his birth, life and death,
squared with the prophecies, both in time, place, and manner ?
Whence should this their ignorance be when they saw, or, at least
might have seen, the scriptures fulfilled in him ; and that he came
among them in a time when they were big with expectations of
the Messiah ?
1 . Though they had the scriptures among them they misunder
stood them ; and did not rightly measure Christ by that rule.
2. Another thing occasioning their mistake of Christ, was the
outward meanness and despicableness of his condition. They.
expected a pompous Messiah, one that should come with state
and glory, becoming the king of Israel. But when they saw him
in the form of a servant, coming in poverty, not to be ministered
unto, but to minister, they utterly rejected him.
3. Add to this, their implicit faith in the learned rabbies and
doctors. Do the rulers know indeed " that this is the very
Christ ?" They pinned their faith upon the rulers' sleeves, and
suffered them .to carry it whither they would. This was their
ignorance and these its causes.
Thirdly, Let us see, in the next place, how this disposed them
to such enmity against Christ.
1. Ignorance disposes men to enmity and opposition to Christ,
by removing those hindrances that would otherwise keep them
from it, as checks and rebukes of conscience, by which they are
restrained from evil.
2. Ignorance enslaves and subjects the soul to the lusts of
Satan ; he is " the ruler of the darkness bf this world," Eph. vi.

238 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
12. There is no work so base and vile, but un ignorant man
will undertake it.
3. Nay, which is mOre, if a man be ignorant ot Christ, his
truths, or people, he will not Only oppose and persecute, but he
will also do it conscientiously, i. e. he will look upon it as his
duty so to do, John xvi. 3.
Inference 1. How falsely is the gospel charged in the cause of
discord and trouble in the world. It is not the light, but dark
ness, that makes men fierce and cruel : as light increases So doth
peace, Isa. xi. 6, 9. Certainly we owe much ofour civil libetty
and outward tranquillity to the gospel light.
Inf. 2. How dreadful is it to oppose Christ and his truths
knowingly and with open eyes? Paul himself was once filled with
rage and madness against Christ and his truths: it was well for
him that he did it ignorantly : had he gone against his light and
knowledge, there had.been little hope of him, i. Tim. i. 13. ,
Infi 3. What an awful majesty sits upon the brow of holiness,
that few dare to oppose it that see it! There are few or none so
daringly wicked, to fight against it with open eyes ; 1 Pet. iii. IS.
For holiness, manifested in its power, is so awfully glorious, that
the consciences of the vilest can riot but honour it, and do obei
sance to it, Mark vi. 20. " Herod feared John, for he was a
jttst man." ,
Inf. 4. The enemies of Christ are objects of pity. Alas, they
are blind, and know not what they do. It is pity that any other
affection than pity, should stir in our hearts towards them. Were
their eyes but open, they would never do as they do : we should
look upon them as the physician doth upon the sick distempered
patient. Inf. 5. How needful is it before we engage ourselves against
any person or way, lo be well satisfied and resolved that it is a
wicked person or practice thai we oppose? You see 'the world
generally runs upon a mistake in this matter. O beware of
doing you know not what ! for though you know not what, Satan
knows what he is doing by you.
Doct. 2. That there is forgiveness wilh God, for such as oppose
Christ out of ignorance.
If all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men,
thenthis, as well as others, even those whose wicked hands had
crucified Christ, may receive remission by that blood they shed,
Acts ii. 23, 38. compared.
First, Forgiveness is God's gracious discharge of a believing
penitent sinner, from the guilt of all his sin, for Christ's sake*
, " I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for
mine own name sake," Isa. xliii. 25.
It is a gracious discharge from the guilt of sin. Guilt is that

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 239
which pardon properly deals with. Guilt is an obligation to pu
nishment. Pardon ig the dissolving that obligation. Guilt is a
chain with which sinners are bound and fettered by the Jaw.
Pardon is that aquafortis that eats it asunder, arid makes the
prisoner a free man, Rom vii. 53. "Who shall lay anything
to the charge of God's elect ? It is God that justifieth, who shall'
condemn ? It is Christ that died."
It is God's discharge of a believing penitent sinner. Infidelity
and impenitency are not only sins in themselves, but such sins as
bind fast all other sinsupdn the s6ul. " Repent, therefore, that
your sins may be blotted out."
Lastly, It is for Christ's sake, be is the meritorious cause of
our remission, " As God, for Christ's sake hath forgiven you,"
Eph. iv. 32. It is his blood alone that meritofioiisly procures
our discharge.
Secondly, Now to evince the possibility of forgiveness, for
such as' ignorantly oppose Christ, let these things be weighed :
1. Why should any poor soul, that is now humbled for its
enmity to Christ question the bossibility of forgiveness, when
this effect doth riot exceed the power of the cause ; nay, when
there is more efficacy in the blood of Christ, the meritorious
cause, than is in the effect of it ?
2. And as this sin exceeds not the power Of the meritorious
cause of forgiveness ; so neither is it any where excluded from
pardon, by any word of God. Nay, such is the extensiveneSs of
the promise to believing penitents, that this case is manifestly in
cluded, and forgiveness tendered to thee in the promised, Isa.
lv. 7.
3. And it is yet more satisfactory ; that God hath already
actually forgiven such sinners ; take one famous instance of many ;
it is that ^f Paul in Tim. i. 13, 16. "Who was before a blasphe
mer, a persecutor, and injurious. But I obtained mercy, because
I did it ignorantly in Unbelief." It is no small encoUfagemeht to
a sick man, to hear of some that have been recovered out o'f the
same disease, and that prevailing iri an higher degree than in
himself. 4. Moreover, it is encouraging to consider, that when God
had cut off others in the way of their sin, he, had hitherto spared
thee ; and not only spared thee, but also given thee a heart iii*
genuously humbled for thy evils: doth this not speak mercy for
thee ; surely it looks like a gracious ^design of love to thy soul.
Inference 1. And is there forgiveness with God for such as
have been enemies to Christ, his truths and gospel? Then cer
tainly there is pardon and mercy for the friends of God, who
involuntarily fall into sin),' by the surprisals of temptation, and
are broken for it, as ingeriudus i children for offending a good
father. Doubt it not, but he who receives enemies into his

240 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
bosom, will much more receive and embrace children, though
offending ones.
Inf. 2. Is there mercy with God and forgiveness, even for his
worst enemies upon their submission ; How unlike to God then
are all implacable spirits ! Some there are that can not bringtheir
hearts to forgive an enemy ; f to whom revenge is sweeter than
life. How little do such poor creatures consider, if God should
deal by 'them as they do by others, no words could express the
misery of their condition ! Those that have found mercy, should
be ready to shew mercy : and they that expect mercy themselves
should not deny it to others. This brings us upon the third and
last observation, vis.
Doct 3. That to forgive enemies, and beg forgiveness for them,
is the true character and property ofthe Christian spirit.
Thus did Christ: "Forgive them." And thus did Stephen,
in imitation of Christ, Acts vii. " And he kneeled down, and
cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not the sin to their charge."
This suits with the rule of Christ, Matt. v. 44, 45.
First, Let us enquire what this Christian forgiveness is.
1. It consists not in a Stoical insensibility of wrongs and in
juries. God hath not made men as insensible, stupid blocks,
that have no sense or feeling of what is done to them ; nay, the
more deep dnd tender our resentment of wrongs and injuries,
the more excellent is our forgiveness of them.
2. Christian forgiveness is not a politic concealment of our
wrath and revenge, because it will be a reproach to discover it;
or, because we want opportunity to vent it. This is carnal policy,
not Christian meekness. , - '
3. Nor is that moral virtue, for which we are beholden to an
easier and better nature, and the help of moral rules \ and docu
ments. All graces, in the exercise of them, involve a respect to
God : and for the being of them,, they are not by natural acqui
sition, but supernatural infusion.
4. Christian forgiveness is not an injurious giving up of out
rights and properties to the lust of every one that hath a mind to
invade them. No ; these we may lawfully defend and preserve,
and are bound so to do; though, if we cannot defend them
legally, we must not avenge our wrongs unchristianly : But,
then, positively, >
, It is a Christian lenity or gentleness of mind, not retaining,
but freely passing by the injuries done to us, in obedience to the
command of God.
, The grace of God calms the tumultuous passions ; new moulds
our sour spirits, and makes them benign gentle and easy to be
entreated ; Gal. v. 22.

.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 241
This gracious lenity inclines the Cliristian to pass by injuries;
yea, and that freely, not by constraint, because we • cannot' avenge ,
ourgelves, but willingly. I will be even with bim saith nature:
I will be above him saith grace: it is his glqry to pass over
a transgression, Prov. xix. 11. ;
A^d this il doth in obedience to the command of God; TheiF
own nature inclines them another way. " Be kind one to another,
tender-hearted, forgiving one to another, even as God for Christ's!
sake hath forgiven you," this is forgiveness in a Christian sense.
This speaks your religion excellent, that can mould your hearts
into that heavenly frame, to which they are so averse, yea, con-
trarily disposed by nature.
Christianity teaches it, and some Christians have attained it, to
receive evil and return good. ," Being reviled we bless ;. being
persecuted, we suffer it ; being defamed we intreat." This cer
tainly is that meekness wrought in us by the wisdom that is
from above.
This, impresses and stamps the very image of God, upon the
creature, who doth good to his enemies, and sends down showers
of outward blessings upon them, that pour out, floods of
wickedness daily to provoke him. In ia word, this Christian
temper gives a man the true possessiqn and enjoyment of him
self. So that our breasts shall be -as the pacific sea, smooth and:
pleasant, when others are as the raging sea, foaming and casting
up mire and dirt.
Inference 1 . Hence we clearly infer, ; That the Christian reli
gion, exalted in its power, is the greatest friend to the peace and
tranquillity of states arid-kingdoms. Nothing is more opposite
to the true Christian spirit, than implacable fierceness, , strife, re
venge, tumults and uproars. It teaches men to do good and rer
ceive evil : to redeive evil and return good. How great a mis
take then is it to cry out, when Atheism and irreligion have
broken the civil peace ; this is the fruit of religion ! Happy
would it be if religion did more obtain in all nations. It is the
greatest friend in the world to their tranquillity and prosperity. .
Inf. &. How dangerous* a thing is it to abuse and wrong meek
and forgiving Christians? Their, patience, often invites injury,
and encourages vile spirits to insult and trample upon them : but,
there is nothing in the world should more scare and affright them
from such practices than this. You may abuse and wrong them,
they must not avenge themselves, nor repay evil for evil : true,
but because they do not the Lord will ; and he will do it to
purpose, except ye repent.
" Be patient, therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord,"
James v. 7. Will ye stand to that issue ? had you rather indeed
have to do with God than with men ? he will be sure to avenge
it seven-fold more than they could. His little finger will be
heavier than their loins. You will get nothing by that.

242 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
ltd • 3 Let tis all imitate our pattern Christ, and labour for
meek forgiving spirits. His glory is more than your life. O do
not expose it to the scorn and derision of his enemies. Let
them not say, How is Christ a lamb, when his followers are
lions ? How is the church a dove, that smites and scratches like
a bird of prey ? Consult also the quiet of your own spirits.
What is life worth without the comforts of life f If your spirits
be full of tumult and revenge, the spirit of Christ will grow a
strange, to you: that dove delights in clean and quiet breasts.

THE SECOND EXCELLENT WORD OF CHRIST
UPON THE CROSS.
John xix. 27. — Then said he to his distipk, Behold thy mother,
Christ was not only subject and obedient to his parents
whilst he lived, but manifested his tender care even whilst he
hung in the torments of death upon the cross. " Then saith
he to his disciple, Behold thy mother."
Tbe words contain an affectionate recommendation of his dis
tressed mother to the care of a dear disciple, a bosom friend ;
wherein we see the design, manner, and season of this recom
mendation. Hence the doctrinal note is,
Doct. That Christ's tender care of his mother, even in the time
of his greatest distress, is an excellent pattern for ati gra
cious children to the end of the world.
" There are three great foundations or bonds of relation, on
which all family government depends." Husbands and wives.
parents and children, masters and servants. The Lord hath
planted in the souls of men affections suitable to these relations,
and to his people he hath given grace to regulate those affections.
So that, as in the motion of a wheel every spoke takes its turn,
and bears its stress ; in like manner, in the whole round of a
Christian's conversation, every affection, grace, and duty, at one
season or other, comes to be exercised.
First, Let us examine what duties pertain to the relation of
children, -and they are as truly, as commonly branched out into
the following particulars.
L Fear and reverence are due from children to their parents,
by the express command of God, Lev. xix. 3. Ye shall fear every
man his mother and his father. Joseph, though Lord of Egypt,
bowed down before his aged father, with his face to the earth,
Gen. xlviii. 12. Solomon the most magnificent and glorious

THE FOUNTAIN OF UFE. 243
king that ever swaged a sceptre,, wheni his mother, came to speak
with him for Adonijah, rose up to meet her, and bowed himself
to her, and caused a seat to be set up for tbe king's mother, and
set her upon his right hand, 2 Kings, ii. 19.
2. Dear and tender love ia due from children to their parents ;
and to show how strong and dear that love ought to be, it is joined
with the love you bave for your own. lives, Matt. x. 37.- The
bonds of nature are strong, and direct betwixt parents and children.
O the care, the cost, the pity, the tenderness, the pains.,, the
fears they bave expressed for you.
3. Obedience to their commands is due fo them, by the Lord's
strict and special command, Eph, vi. I . " Children obey your
parents in the Lord, for this is right." But, this obedience ia
not absolute and universal. God haa not divested himself of his
own authority to clothe a parent with it Your obedience to
them must be in the Lord, L e. in such things as they require
you to do in the Lord's authority. In things consonant to that
divine and holy will, to which they, as well aa you, must be sub
ject. Parents must be loved, but God must be preferred
4. Submission to their discipline and rebukes is also your duty,
Heb. xii. 9. " We had fathers of our own flesh, that corrected
us, and we gave them reverence." The end for which they mani
fest their anger to their children is to save their souls from hell.
They judge it better for you to hear the voice of their anger, than
the terrible voice of the wrath of God _ to feel their hand than
his. And for the manner in which they rebuke and chasten,, it is
with grief in their hearts and tears in their eyes. Alas ! it is no
delight to them to cross, vex, or afflict you, and you have
no more reason to blame them for what they do, than if they cry
out and violently snatch at you, when they see you ready to fall
from the top of a rock.
5. Faithfulness to all their interests is due to them by the na
tural and positive law of God. What in you lies, you are bound
to promote, not to waste and scatter their substance : to assist,
not to defraud them. Whoso robbetb his father or mother, and
saith it is no transgression, the same is a companion of a destroyer,
Prov. xxviii. 24. God never meant you should grow up about
your parents, as suckers, about a tree, to impoverish tbe root.
But for a child, out of covetousness after what his parents have,
secretly to wish tlieir death, is a sin so monstrous, as should not
be once named, much less found among persona professing Chris
tianity.. 6, And more especially, requital of all that love, care, and
pains they have been at for you, is your duty so far as God ena
bles you, I Tim. v. 4. " Let them learn to shew piety at home,
and requite their parents." '
It is a saying frequesni among th© Jews, " A child should rather
Ft2

244 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
labour at the mill than suffer his parents to want." And to the
same sense is that other saying, " Your parents must be sup
plied by you if you haye it; if not, you ought to beg for them,
rather than see them perish." It was both the comfort and
honour Of Joseph, that God made him an instrument of so much
succour and comfort to his aged father and distressed family,
Gen. xlvii. 13. And^ you are also to know, that what you do for
them, is not in the way of an alms or common charity. For the
apostle saith, it is but your requiting them, and that is justice,
not charity. And it can never be a full requital. Ev£n Christ
himself took care for his mother.
Secondly, Let us consider how Christ's exarriple enforces all
those duties upon children.
I.' Christ's example in this hath the force and power of a law;
yea, a law of love, or a law lovingly constraining you to an imi
tation of him. If Christ himself will be- your pattern, Oh, how
niuch are you obliged to imitate him. This was intended as a
precederit to facilitate and direct your duties.
2.. He will come to take an account how you have answered
the pattern of obedience and tender care he set before you in the
days of his flesh. What will the disobedient plead in that day?
He that heard the groans of an afflicted father or mother, will now
come to reckon with the disobedient child for them ; and the glo
rious example of Christ will, in that day, condemn and aggravate,
silence and shame such wretched children as shall stand guilty
before his bar. .
Inference 1 . Hath Jesus Christ given such a famous pattern of
obedience and tenderness to parents ? Then there can be nothing
of Christ in stubborn, rebellious and careless children, that regard
not fhe good or comfort of their parents. The children of dis
obedience cannot be the children of God. But have' you not
been guilty of slighting your parents by irreverent words ov
carriages ; calling them the old man or woman ? To such I com
mend the serious consideration of that scripture, Prov. xxx. 17.
It may be you are rich they are poor ; own and honour tbem
in their poverty, and despise them not. God will requite it with
his hand if you do.
Have you not been disobedient to the commands of parents ?
a son of Belial is a son of wrath, if God give not repentance to
life. Have not many repented this with a halter about their
necks ?
Have you not risen up rebelliously against,~and hated your'
parents for chastening your bodies to save your souls from hell ?
W_ll,- if they do not, God will take the rod into his hand, and
him you shall riot resist.
Have you not been unjust to your parents, and defrauded them ?
first, help to make them poor, and then despise them because
they are poor? O horrid wickedness ! What a complicated evil

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 245;
is this! This is tbe worst of theft, in God's account., You may
think you make bold with them, but bow bold do you make with
conscience, and the command of God ? ,
Are you not, or bave you not been ungrateful to parents ? ,
Leaving them to shift for themselves, in those straits you have:
helped to bring them into. Q consider it, children, this is an
evil which God will surely avenge, except ye, repent. If any one
of you be guilty of these evils, I desire these considerations may
be laid to heart.
1. That the effects of your obedience or disobedience will
stick upon you and yours to many generations. -- If you be
obedient children in the Lord, both you and yours may reap the
fruits of that obedience, in multitudes of sweet mercies for many
generations. So runs the promise, Eph. vi. 22. But, " Whoso
curseto his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in ob;
scure darkness ;" i. e. the lamp of his life quenched by death,
yea,, say others, and his soul also by the blackness of darkness;
in hell.
2. This sin seldom escapes exemplary punishment, even in
this world. ' Our English history tells us of a yeoman in Leices
tershire, who had made over all he had to his son, to prefer him
in marriage, reserving only a bare maintenance at his son's
table : afterward, upon some discontent, the son bid his father.
get out of his house. The next day Mr. Goodman, the minister
of the parish, meeting the young man, asked him how he did ?
He answered, Very well; but before the minister was gone far,
from him his bowels fell out, which he carried in his hands, got.
to his house, sent for Mr. Goodman, bitterly bewailed his sin
against his father, and so died. , , And Dr. Taylor, in his Great
Examplar, tells us of another, that, upon discontent with his father,
wished the house might be on fire, if ever he came any more, into
his father's house : afterwards, .coming in, it was fired indeed,
and this wicked son only consumed. I could multiply instances
of this nature, (for indeed the righteous judgment of God hath
multiplied them,) but this only for a taste.
3. Heathens will rise up in judgment against you, and condemn
you. They never had such precepts nor precedents as you, und
yet some of. the better natured Heathens would rather choose
death than do as you do.
; i 4. These are sins inconsistent with the true fear of God, in
whomsoever they are found. He that is a bad child can never
be a gqod Christian. Never talk of your obedience to God,
whilst your disobedience to the just commands of your parents
gives you the lie.
5. :A parting time is coming when death will break up tlie
family, and when that time comes, Oh! how bitter will the re
membrance of these things be! When you shall see a father or a

246 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
mother lying by the wall, what a cut it will be to remeiriber your
miscarriages and evils 1
6. What a terrible thing it will be, to have a father or mother
come in as witnesses against you at Christ's bar? As well as
they loved yori, and as dear as you were to them in this world,
they mast give evidence against you then.
Inf. 2. Have you such a pattern of obedience and tender love
to parents? Then, children, imitate your pattern, as it becomes
Christians, and take Christ for your example.
If your parents be godly, O beware of grieving them by any
unbecoming carriage. ,
If they be carnal, walk circumspectly in the most precise and
punctual discharge of your duties, for how knowest thou, O
child, but hereby thou mayest win thy parents ? Wouldst thou
but humbly, and seriously intreat, and persuade them to mind
the ways of "holtoess, and back all this with your earnest cries to
heaven for them, O what blessed instruments might you be of
their everlasting good !
Inf. 3. Let those that have such children as fear the Lord
account them a singular treasure and heritage, and give them
all due encouragement to their duties.
If God have given you fhe blessing of godly children, you can
never be sufficiently thankful for suchi a favour. O that ever
God should honour you to bring forth children for heaven ! what
a comfort must this be to you, whatever other troubles you meet
with abroad, when you come home among godly relations, that
are careful to sweeten your own family to you by their obedi
ence ! especially^ what a comfort is it, when you come to die,
that you leaVe them within the covenant, entitled to Christ, and so
need not be anxious bow it shall be with them when you are
gone?

THE THIRD OF CHRIST'S LAST WORDS UPON
THE CROSS.
Luke xxiii 43. — And Jesus said unto him, Verily 1 say unto thee,
to-day thou shalt be with me in paradise.
In this scripture you have the thi_d excellent saying of Christ
Upon the cross, expressing the riches of free grace to the peni
tent thief; a man that had spent Ms life in wickedness, and for
his wickedness was now to lose his life. His practice had been
vile and profane, but now his heart was broken for it; he proves
a convert, yea, the first fruits of tbe blood of the cross. In the
former verse be manifests his faith, " Lord, remember me, when
thou comest into thy kingdom." In this Christ manifests his

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 247
pardon and gracious acceptance of him ; " Verily I say unto thee,
to-day shaft thou be with me in paradise." In which promise
are considerable, the matter of it, the person to whom it is made,
the time feet for its performance, and the confirmation of it for his
full satisfaction.
Hence we have three plain obvious truths, for our instruction
and consolation.
Doct. 1 . That there is a future eternal state, into which souls
pass at death.
This is a principal foundation-stone to the hopes and happiness
of souls. And seeing our hopes must needs be as their foundation
is, I shall briefly establish this truth by these five arguments.
Arg. 1. The being of a God undeniably evinces a future state
for human souls after this life. For, if there be a God who rules
the world which be hath made, he must rule it by rewards and
punishments. And as he hath made a rational sort of creatures,
capable of moral government by rewards and punishments ; so he
rules them in that way which is suitable fo their natures, promising
" jt shall be well with the righteous, and ill with the wicked."
But itis evident that no such distinction is made by the, providerice
of God (at least ordinarily and generally) in this life ; therefore
we conclude, the righteous Judge of the whole earth, will, in
another world, recompense to every one according as his work
shall be.
Arg. 2. The scriptures of truth plainly reveal it. These scrip
tures are the system of laws, for the government of man ; yshich
the wise and holy Ruler of the world hath enaqted and ordained
for that purpose. And in them we find promises made to the
righteous, of a full reward for all their obedience, patience, . and
sufferings in tbe next life or world to come ; and threatenings,
made against tbe wicked, of eternal wrath and anguish, as the just
recompence of their sin in hell for ever, Rom. ii< 5, IQf. " Tjiou
treasurest up to thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and reve
lation ofthe righteous judgment of God ; who will render to every
man according to his de>sds."
Arg 3. As the scriptures reveal it, so the consciences of all men
have some presentiments of it. Where is the man whose conscience
never felt any impressions of hope, or fear* from a future world.
And I demand, how the consciences ofthe Heathens, who have
neither scriptures nor preachers, came to be imprest with these
things. If there were no such things, surely conscience would
neither accuse nor excuse for good or evil done in this world,
Arg. 4." The incarnation, wtf death of Christ, are but a vanity
without it. What did he propose to himself, or what benefit have
we by his coming, if there be no such future state. Sorely fhe
ends of Christ's death were to deliver us from the wrath to come,

248 the fountain of, life.
not from 'an imaginary, but a real hell ; to bring us to God, and
to be the author of eternal salvation to them that obey him,
Heb. v. 9.
Arg. 5. The immortality of human souls, puts it beyond' all
doubt. The soul of man, vastly differs from that of a'beast, which
is but a material form, and so wholly depending on, that it must
need perish with matter. But it is not so with us : for if a man
dispute whether man be rational, his very disputing it proves him
to be so : arid our disputes, hopes, fears, and apprehensions of
eternity, prove our souls immortal, and capable of that state.
Inference 1. Is there an eternal state, into which souls pass after
this life ? How precious then is present time, upon the improve
ment whereof that slate depends. O what a huge weight hath God
hanged upon a small wife ! God hath set us here in a state of
trial. Every day, every hour, nay, every moment of your present
time hath an influence into your eternity. Surely our prodigality
in the expence of time, argues we have but little sense of great
eternity.' «
Inference 2. Howrational are all the dfficullies, and severities
of religion, which serve to promote and secure a future eternal
happiness ? So vast is the disproportion betwixt time and eternity,
the present vanishing, and future permanent state, that he can
never be justly reputed a wise man, that will not let go the best
enjoyment he hath on earth, if it stand in the way of his eternal
happiness. Inf. 3. If there certainly be such an eternal state into which souls
pass immediately after death ; How great a change then doth death
make upon every man and woman ? O what a serious thing is it
to die ! It is your passage out of the swift river of time, into the
boundless and bottomless ocean of eternity.
The souls of men are, as it were, asleep now in their bodies;;
at death they awake, and find themselves in the world of realities.
O remember what a long word, what an amazing thing eternity
is ! especially considering,
Doct. 2. That all believers are, at their death, immediately re
ceived into a state of glory and eternal happiness. <
This day shalt thou be with me.
You see the scripture puts no interval betwixt the dissolution
of a saint, and his glorification : It speaks of the saints that are
dead, as already with the Lord: And the wicked that are dead,
as already in hell, calling them spirits in prison, 1 Pet., iii. 19, 20.
assuring us, that Judas went presently to his own place, Acts i. 25.
And to that sense, „is the parable of Dives and Lazarus; Luke
xvi. 22.
But let iis weigh these things more particularly.
Arg. 1. Why should the happiness of believers be deferred}

the fountain of life. 249
since they are immediately capable of enjoying it, as soon as
separated from the body? Alas, the soul is so far from being
assisted by the body for the enjoyment of God ; that ft is clogged
and hindered by it : So speaks the apostle, 2 Cor. v. 6, 8. Surely
then the laying aside of that clog, or the freeing ofthe soul from
that burden, can be no bar to its greater happiness, which it enjoys
iri it_ separated state.
Arg. 2. Why should the happiness and glory of the soul be
deferred, unless God hath some farther preparative work to do
upon ft, before it be fit to be admitted into glory ? But surely,
there is no such work wrojught upon it after its separation by
death ; all that is done bf that kind, is done here. When tbe
compositum is dissolved, all means, duties, and ordinances cease.
Arg. 3. Thirdly, Again, Why should our salvation slumber,
when the damnation of the wicked doth not slumber ? God defers
not their misery ; and surely he will not defer our glory. If he
be quick with his enemies, he will no. be slow and dilatory with
his friends.
Arg. 4. How do such delays consist with Christ's ardent de
sires to have bis people with him where he is, arid with the vehement
longings of their souls to be with Christ? Delays make. their
hearts sick : the expectation and faith in which the saints die, are
to be satisfied then ; and surely God will not deceive them.
Inference 1. Are believers immediately with God after their
dissolution? Then how surprisingly glorious will heaven be to
believers. For a soul to be now here in the body, conversing
with men, and within a few moments to be with the Lord ; this
hour on earth, the next in the third heaven, among an innumerable
cOmpany of angels, and the spirits of the- just made perfect1: O
what a change is this ! To be lifted up from a bed of sickness to
a throne of glory ! To leave a sinful, troublesome world, a sick
and pained body, and be in a moment free from all troubles and
distempers ! You cannot think what this will be !• Who can tell
what sights, what apprehensions, what thoughts, what frames
believing souls bave, before the bodies they left are removed from
the eyes of their dear surviving friends !
Inf. 2. Are believers immediately with God after their dissolu
tion ? Where then shall the un believers be, and in what state will
they find themselves immediately after death hath closed their eyes?
To be plucked out ofthe body, from among friends and comforts,
and thrust into endless miseries, into tbe dark vault of hell-; neyer
to see the light of this world any more ; never to see a cOmfortable
sight ; never to hear a joyful sound ; never to know 4he meaning
of rest, peace, or delight any more. O what a change is here !
To exchange the smiles and honours of men, for the frowns arid
fury of God ; to be clothed with flames, and drink the pure un
mixed wrath of God, after being clothed in silks,, and filled with
the sweet of the creature ! How is the state of things altered
with them !-

250 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
Inf. 3. How little cause have they to fear death, who shall be
with God so soon after their death ? Some there are that tremble
at the thoughts of death. But you that are interested in Christ,
need not do so ; you can lose nothing by the exchange : the words
Death, Grave, and Eternity, sbouidhave another kind of sound
in your ears, and make contrary impressions upon your hearts.
Inf. 4. If believers are immediately with God, after their disso
lution, then it is their duty to long for that dissolution,, and cast
many a longing look towards their graves. So did Paul, I desire
to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, which is far better. Oh!
if the dust of this earth were but once blown out of your eyes,
that you might see the divine glory, how weary would you be to
live ? How willing to die ! '
Doct. 3. That God may, though he seldom doth, prepare nienfor
glory immediately before their dissolution by death.
There is one parable, and no more, that speaks of some that
were Called at the last hour, Matt. xx. 9, 10. And there is this
one instance in the text, and no more, that gives us an aceount of
a person so called. We acknowledge God may do it, his grace is
his own, he may dispense it how and where he pleaseth. Who
shall fix bounds, or put limits to free grace, but God himself?
This thief was as unlikely ever to receive mercy, but a few hours
before he died, as any person in the world could be.
But surely this is no encouragement to neglect the present sea
sons of mercy, because God may shew mercy hereafter ; or to,
neglect the ordinary, because God sometimes manifests his grace
in ways extraordinary.
1 . Because God hath vouchsafed us the ordinary and standing
means of grace, which this sinner had not ; and therefore we can
not expect such an extraordinary and unusual conversion as he had.
2. Such a conversion as this, may not be ordinarily expected,
because such a time as that will never come again.
" Christ being now to be installed in his kingdom, and crowned
with glory and honour, extraordinary things were done ; as when
kings are crowned, the streets are richly hanged, the conduits run
with wine, great malefactors are pardoned." What Christ did
now for this man, was at an extraordinary time.
3. Such a conversion as this may not ordinarily be expected,
for there will never be the like reason for such a conversion any
more : Christ converted him upon the cross, to give an instance, of
his divine power at that time, when it was almost wholly clouded.
4. None hath reason to expect the like conversion, that enjoys
the ordinary means ; because, it is a pattern without a promise ;
God hath not added any promise to it, that ever he will do it for
any other ; and where we have not a promise fo encourage our
hope, our hope can signify but little to us. .
Inference 1. Let those that have found mercy in the evening of
their life, admire the extraordinary grace that therein hath ap-

THE fountain OF LIFE. 251
peared to them. O that ever God should accept the bran, when
Satan hath had the flour of thy days. Oh ! if God have wrought
such wonderons salvation for any of you, what cause have you to
do more for him than others ! What ! to pluck you out of hell
when one foot was in ! Oh ! what riches of mercy have appeared
to you '.
Inf. 2. Let this convince and startle _wc/i, as even to their grey
hairs, remain in an unconverted slate, who are where they were,
yea, further off by much.
Bethink yourselves, ye that are full of days, and full of sin,
whose time is almost done, and your great work not begun : who
have but a few sands more in tbe upper part of the glass to run
down, and then your conversion will be impossible ; your sun is
setting ; your night is coming ; the shadows of the evening are
stretched out upon you ; you have one foot in the grave, and the
other .in hell. O strive, strive, while you bave a little time more;
strive to get that work accomplished now that was never done yet ;
and may the Lord at last give you an eye to see, and an heart to
consider. Inf. 3. Let this be a call and caution to all young ones to begin
wilh God betimes and take heed of delays till the last, so as many
thousands have done before them to their eternal ruin. Now is
your time, if you desire to be in Christ ; if you have any sense of
the weight and worth of eternal things upon your hearts.
O set to the business of religion now, because this is the mould
ing age, the time when you are most likely to be wrought upon.
Now, because your life is immediately uncertain ; you are not
certain that ever you shall attain the years of your fathers : there
are graves in the church-yard just of your length ; and skulls of all
sorts and sizes in Golgotha, as the Jews' proverb is.
Now, because God will not spare you because yon are but
young sinners, jf-jyou die Christless. If you are not, as you
think, old enough to mind Christ, surely, if yott -die Christless,
you are old enough to be damned.
Now, because your Ufe will be the more eminently useful, and
serviceable to God, when you know him betimes, and begin with
him early.
Now, because your life will be ihe sweeter to you, when the
morning of il is dedicated to the Lord. The first fruits sanctify
the whole harvest: this will have a sweet influence into all your
days, whatever changes, straits, or troubles you may afterwards
meet with.

THE FOURTH EXCELLENT SAYING OF CHRIST
UPON THE CROSS.
Matth. xxvii. 46.— And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a
loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani ; that is to say,
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?

252 • THE FOUNTAIN OF. LIFE.
This verse contains the fourth memorable saying of Christ
upon the cross; words able to rend the hardest heart in the
world : it is the voice ofthe Son of God in an agony : his suffer
ings were great, very great before, but never in tbat extremity as
now ; when this heaven-rending and heart-melting outcry brake
from him upon the cross, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani ? In which
are considerable, the time, matter, and manner of this his sad
complaint. Questions, especially such as this, are full of spirit. It is as
if he were surprised by the strangeness of this affliction : and
rousing up himself with unusual vehemency, turns to the Father,
and cries, Why so, my Father ? O what dost thou mean by
this ! What ! hide that face from me that was never hid before !
What! and hide Jt from me now, in the depth of my other fer
ments and troubles ! O what new, what strange things are these !
Hence we observe, .
Doct. That God, tot heighten the sufferings &f Christ to the
uttermost forsook him in the time of Ms greatest distress; to
the unspeakable affliction and anguish of his soul. .
This proposition shall be considered in three .parts.
First, The desertion itself. Divine desertion generally con
sidered, is God's withdrawing himself from any, not as to his
essence, that fills heaven and earth, and constantly remains the
same ; but it is the withdrawment of his favour, grace, and love:
when these are gone God is said to be gone.
More particularly, to open the nature of this desertion of
Christ I shall proceed in the explication of it negatively and
positively. 1. When Christ cries out of God's forsaking him, he, doth not
mean that he had dissolved the personal union ofthe two natures.
No, for when he was forsaken of God, he was still true and real
God-man, in one person.
2. When Christ bewails the Father's forsaking him, he doth
not mean that he pulled away the prop of divine support from him,
by which he had.till then endured the tortures and sufferings that
oppressed hjm ; no, though the Father deserted, yet he still sup
ported him. " Behold my servant, whom I uphold ." Isa. xlii. 1.
So that this cannot be the meaning of it.
3. Much less is it his meaning? that God had lefi him, as to
inherent grace and sanctification; recalling that spirit of holiness
which had anointed him above his fellows ; no, he had indeed
less comfort, but not less holiness than before.
4. The love of God was not so withdrawn from Christ, as that
the Father had now no love for him, nor delight in him. His
love was not turned into wrath; though his wrath only was now
manifested to him as our surety.

THK FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 253
5. Nor was Christ forsaken, by his Father finally, it was but
for a few hours that the dark cloud dwelt upon his soul ; it soon
passed away, and the bright and glorious face of God shone forth
again as bright as ever.
6. It was not a mutual desertion, or a desertion on both parts • "
the Father forsook him, but he forsook not his Father. When
God withdrew he followed him, crying, " My God, my God."
Yet to speak positively of it ; I say it was,
1. Avery sad desertion, the like unto which in all respects
never was experienced by any, nor can be to the end of the world.
Under all his other sufferings he opened not his mouth, ; but this
touched the quick, that he could not but cry out, " My God, my
God, why hast thou forsaken me ?" ,
2. As it was a sad ,so it was a penal desertion, inflicted on him
for satisfaction for those sins of ours, which deserved that God
should forsake us for ever, as the damned are forsaken by him.
Sq that this cry (as one observes) was like the perpetual shriek
of them that are cast away for ever : this was that hell, and the
torments of it, which Christ, our surety suffered for us.
3. It was a desertion that was real and not fictitious. He doth
not merely personate a deserted soul, but the thing was so in-,
deed. The Godhead restrained and kept back,, for this time, all
its joys, comforts and sense of love. This doleful outcry of
Christ gives evidence enough of the reality 'of it : he did'hotf/eigra
hwt feel the burdensomeness of it.
4. This desertion fell out in the time of Christ's greatest need
of comfort that ever he had in all the time of his life on earth.
His Fatherforsook him at that time, when all earthly comforts
had forsaken him, and all outward evils had broken in together
upon him ; then, even then, to complete and fill up his suffering,
God stands afar off too. .
5. It was such a desertion as left him only to the supports of
his faith He had nothing else now but his Father's covenant
and promise to bang upon. And indeed as a judicious author
pertinently observes, the faith of Christ did several ways act and
manifest itself, in these very, words of complaint in the text.
He lays a confident claim to God as his God ; " My God, my
God,',' and only queries about his forsaking of him.
"Secondly, In the next place let us consider the design and ends
of it; which were principally satisfaction and sanctification: •
Satisfaction for those sins of ours which deserved that we should
be totally and everlastingly forsaken of God. This is the desert
of every sin, and the damned do feel it, and shall to all eternity;
And as satisfaction was designed in this desertion of Christ, '
so also was the sanctification of all tbe desertions ofthe saints de
signed in it. For he having been forsaken before us and for us,
whenever God forsakes us, that very forsaking of his is sancctified,
and thereby turned into a mercy to believers.

264 THE FOUNT .IN OF LIFE.
Thirdly,; Let us, in the next place, consider the effects and in
fluence this desertion had upon the spirit of Christ. , . , ,
1 This was a new thing to Christ, and that with which he
never was acquainted before. He never missed his Father
before : never saw a frown, or a veil upon that blessed face
before. This made it an heavy burden indeed.
2. As it was a new thing to Christ, so it was a great thing to
Christ ; so great, that he scarce knew how to support it. It was
so sharp, so heavy an affliction to his soul, that it caused him,
who was meek under all other sufferings as a lamb, to roar undee
this like a lion.
• 3. As it was a great burden to Christ so it was a burden laid
on in the time of his great distress. When his body was in tor.
tures, and all about him was black, dismal, and full of horror and
d _i.r___i_.6ss 4. It was a burden that lay upon him long, even from the trine
bis soul began to be sorrowful and sore amazed in the garden, till
his very death. If you were but to hold your finger in the fire f6r
two minutes, you would not bp able to bear it. But what is tbe
finger of a man to the soul of Christ ? Or what is a material fire
to the wrath of the great God !
5. So heavy was this pressure upon Christ's soul, that in. all
probability it hastened his death ; for it was not usual for crucified
persons to expire so soon. He bare it till the ninth hour, and
then makes a fearful outcry and dies.
Inference 1 . Did God forsake Christ upon the cross as a punish
ment to him for our sins ? Then it follows, That as often as we
have sinned, so oft have we deserved to be forsaken of God. By
sin we depart from God, and, as a due punishment of it, God de
parts from us. This will be the dismal sentence in the last day,
Matt. xxv. Beware, sinner, how you say to God, Depart from
us, lest he say, Depart from me, you shall never see my face.
Inf. 2. Did Christ never make such a sad complaint and out. '
cry till God bid his face from bim ? Then the hiding of God's
face is certainly the greatest misery that can possibly befaLa gra
cious soul in this world.
If two dear friends cannot part, though it be but for a season,
but that parting must be im a shower, blame not the saints if they
sigh and mourn bitterly when the Lord,, who ia the life of their
life, depart, though but, for a season, from them.
Inf. 3. Did God really forsake Jesus Christ upon the* cross?
Then from the desertion of Christ, singular consolation springs
up to the people of God; yea, manifold consolation. Principally
it is a support in these two respects, as it is preventive of your
final desertion and a comfortable pattern to you in your present
sad desertions.
Moreover, this sad desertion of Christ becomes a comfortable
pattern to poor deserted souls in diyers respects.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 255
L Though God deserted Christ, yet at the same time he
powerfully supported him : his omnipotent arms were under him,
though his pleased face was hid from him: he had not indeed his
smiles, but he had his supports. So, Christian, just so shall it
be with thee : thy God may turn away his face, but he will not
take away his arm.
2. Though God deserted Christ, yet he deserted not God:
his Father forsook him, but he could not forsake bis Father, but
followed him with this cry, " My God, my God, why hast thou
forsaken me ?" And is it not even so with you ? God goes off
from your souls, but you cannot go off from him. No, your
hearts are mourning after the Lord, seeking him carefully with
tears. S. Though God forsook Christ, yet he returned to him aguin*
In this also/ doth his desertion parallel yours. God may, for
several wise and holy reasons, hide his face from you, but not
so as it is bid from the damned, who shall never see it again.
This cloud will pass away ; this night shall have a bright morn
ing. 4. Though God forsook Christ, yet at that time he could justify
God. So you read, Psal. xxii. 2, 3. Is not thy spirit, accord
ing to the measure, framed like Christ's in this ; canst thou not
say, I am deserted but not wronged. There is not one drop of
injustice in all the sea of my sorrows.
5. Though God took from Christ all visible and sensible com
forts, inward as well as outward ; yet Christ subsisted, by faitb,
in the absence of them all. My God, my God, are the words of
faith, and is it not so with you too ? Yes, yes, and blessed be
God for faith, Isa. l! 10.
6. Christ was deserted, a little before the glorious morning of
light and joy dawned upon him. lt was a little, a very little
while, after this sad cry, before he triumphed gloriously ; and so
it teay be with you : heaviness may endure for a night, but joy
and gladness will come in the morning.
But, I fear I am absolutely and finally forsaken.
Why so ? Do you find the characters of such a desertion upon
your soul ? Is it indifferent to you whether God ever returns
again or no? Are there no mournings or thirstings after the
Lord ? Indeed, if you forsake him, he will cast you off for ever ;
but can you do so ? No, though I have no present comfort from
him, no assurance of my interest in him ; yet I will not exchange
my poor weak hopes for all the good in this world.
Inf. 4. Did God forsake his own Son npon the cross? Then
the dearest of God's people may, for a time, be forsaken of their
God. Think it not strange,, when you, that are the children of
light, meet with darkness, yea, and walk in it ; neither charge
God foolishly ; nor say he deals hardly with you. Oh, prepare
for spiritual trpubles; I am sure you -do enough every day to

256 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
involve you in darkness. Now, if at any time this trial befal you
mind these two seasonable admonitions. ¦
J. Exercise the faith of adherence when you have lost the faith
.of evidence. . When God takes away that, he leaves this : that is
necessary to the, comfort, this to the life of his people. Stay
yourselves on your Go'd, when you have no light, Isa. |1. 10.
Drop this anchor in the dark, and do. not reckon all gone when
evidence is gone. Evidence comforts, affiance saves you ; and,
sure, salvation is more than comfort. Faith of evidence' brings
more joy to you, but faith of adherence brings more glory to
God ; for thereby you believe not only without, but against
sense and feeling.
2. Tafte the right method to recover the sweet light which you'
have sinned away. Do not go about from one to another com
plaining; nor yet sit down desponding under your burden. But
search diligently after the cause of God's withdrawment : urge
him hard, by prayer, to tell thee wherefore he contends with
thee, Job x. 2. Say, Lord, what have- 1 done that so offends thy
Spirit ? What evil is it that thou so rebukest ? I beseech thee:
shew me the cause of thine anger.
Humble yourselves before the Lord for every evil you shall be
convinced of: tell him it pierces your hearts that you have so
displeased him, and that it shall be a caution to you, whilst you
live, never to return again to folly.
W&it on 'n the use of means till Christ return, O be not dis
couraged ; for, blessed are all they that wait for him.

THE FIFTH EXCELLENT SAYING OF CHRIST
UPON THE CROSS.
John xix. 28. — After this, Jesus knowing all things were now
accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith,-!
thirst. It is as truly, as commonly said, death is dry : Christ found
it so, when he died. When his spirit laboured in the agonies of
death, then he said, / thirst .
This is the fifth word of Christ upon the cross, spoken a little
before he bowed the head and yielded up the ghost; It is only
recorded by this evangelist ; and, there are four things remark
able in this complaint of Christ, viz. The person complaining :
the complaint he made : the time when, and the reason why he
so complained.
Now it was foretold of him, Psal. lxix.21. " They gave me gall
for my meat, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink;"
and herein it was ve'rified. Hence the note is,

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 257
^ Doct. That such were the agonies and extreme sufferings ofour
Lord Jesus Christ upon ihe cross, as drank up his very
spirits, and made him cry, I thirst.
" If I, (said one) should live a thousand years, and every day
die a thousand times the same death for Christ that he once died
for me, yet all this would be nothing to the sorrows Christ en
dured in his death.
Here we are to consider the extremities and agonies Christ
laboured under upon tbe cross, which occasioned this sad com
plaint" of thirst.
First, his corporeal and more external sufferings were exceed
ing great, acute, and extreme sufferings.
1. They were sharp sufferings ; for his body was racked or
digged in those parts where sense more eminently dwells : in the
hands and feet the veins and sinews meet, and their pain and an
guish meet with them, Psal. xxii. 16.
2. As his pains were sharp so they were universal, not affect
ing one, but every part ; for, as his head was wounded with
thorns, his back with bloody lashes, his hands and feet with
hails, so every other part was stretched and distended beyond
its natural length, by hanging upon that cruel engine of torment,
the cross.
3. These universal pains were continual, not by fits, but with
out intermission. He had not a moment's ease by the cessation
of pains; wave came upon wave, one grief driving on another,
till all God's billows and waves had gone over him.
4. As his pains were sharp, .so they were altogether unrelieved
by his understanding part, if a man have sweet comforts flowing
into his soul from God, they will sweetly allay the pains of his
body : this made the martyrs shout amidst the flames.
But now Christ had no relief this way in the least ; not a drop
of comfort came from heaven into his soul to relieve it, and the
body by it.
Secondly, Let us consider these inward sufferings of his soul
how great they were, and how quickly they spent his natural
strength, and turned his moisture into the drought of summer.
And, 1. His soul felt the wrath of an angry God, which was terri-
ribly impressed upon it. " His fury is poured out like fire, and
the rocks are thrown down by him." Had not the strength that
supported Christ been greater than that of rocks, his wrath had
certainly overwhelmed and ground him to powder.
2. It was the pure wrath of God, without any allay or mixture:
not one drop of comfort came from, heaven or earth ; all the ingre
dients in his cup were bitter ones: there was wrath without
mercy. If our mercies must be pure mercies, and our glory in
s

258 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
heaven pure and unmixed glory, then the wrath which he suffered
must be pure and unmixed wrath.
3. As the wrath, the pure unmixed wrath of God, lay upon his
soul, so all the wrath of God was poured out upon him, so that
there is not one drop reserved for the elect to feel. In all the
chastisements God inflicts upon his people, there is no vindictive
wrath ; Christ bore it all in his own soul and body on the tree.
4. As it was all the wrath of God that lay upon Christ, so it
was aggravated in divers respects beyond that which the damned
themselves do suffer.
None of thenamned were ever so near and dear to God as
Christ was: they were estranged, from the womb, but Christ lay
in his bosom.
None ofthe damned had ever so large a capacity to take in a
full sense the wrath of God as Christ had. The greater the ves
sel is the more water it contains. Now Christ had a capacity
beyond all mere creatures to take in the wrath of his Father ;
and what deep and large apprehensions he had of it may be
judged by his bloody sWeat in the garden.
The damned suffer not so innocently as Christ suffered ; they
suffer the just demerit and recompence of their sin. When Christ
suffered he suffered not for what he had done ; but his sufferings
were the sufferings of a surety, paying the debts of others, Dan.
ix. 26.
Thirdly, In the last place, it is evident that such extreme
sufferings as these must needs exhaust his very spirits, and make
him cry, I thirst. For let us consider,
1. What mere external pains and outward afflictions can do.
These prey upon, and consume our spirits. So David complains,
Psal. xxxix. 11. They shrivel and dry up the most vigorous and
flourishing body, and make it like a bottle in the smoke, Psal.
cxix. 83.
2. Consider what mere internal troubles of soul can do upon
the strongest body. They spend its strength and devour the
spirits, Prov. xvii. 22. What a spectacle of pity was Francis
Spira become, merely through the anguish of his spirit ?
3. When outward bodily pains shall meet with inward spiritual
troubles, and both in one extremity shall come in one day; howsoon
must the firmest body fail and waste away like a candle lighted
at both ends ? Now strength fails a-pace, and nature must fall
flat under tbis load. *
So it was with Christ, when outward and inward sorrows met
in one day in their extremity upon him. Hence the bitter cry, 1
thirst. Inference 1. How horrid a thing is sin! How great is that
evil of evils, which deserves that all this should be inflicted and
suffered for the expiation of it!

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. £59
The sufferings of Christ for sin give us the true account and
fullest representation of its evil. « The law (saith one) is a
bright glass, wherein we may see the evil of sin ; but there is the
red glass of the sufferings of Christ, and in that we may see more
Of the evil of sin, than if Gbd should let ,us down to hell, afld
there we should see all the tortures and torments of the dkriihed."
Fools make a mock at sin, but wise men tremble kt it.
Inf. 2. How afflictive and intolerable are inward troubles.
Did Christ complain so sadly under them, and cry, J thirst !
Surely then they are not such light matters as many are apt to
make of them. If they so scorched the very heart of Christ, dried
up the green tree, preyed upon his very spirits, and turned his
moisture into the drought of summer, they desehre' not to be
slighted, as they are by Some.
W. at is the worm that never dies but the efficacy of a guilty
conscience ? This worm feeds upon, and gnaw s the very inwards,
the tender and most sensible part of mart ; and is the principal
part of hell's horror. In bodily pains a man may be relieved by
proper medicines ; here nothing but tbe blood of sprinkling reJ
Heves. O let none despise these troubles, they ate dreadful
things,! Inf. 3. How dreadful a place is hell, where this cry is heard
for ever, I thirst .' There the wrath of the great and terrible
God flames Upon the damned fot ever, in which they thirst, and
none relieves them. If Christ complained, I thirsty when he
had conflicted but a few hours with tbe wrath of God ; what is
their state then, tbat are to grapple with it for ever ? When mil
lions of years are past and gone, ten thousand millions more are
coming on. Think on this ye that now add drunkenness to thirst,
ahd drown nature in an excess of. luxury. Remember what
Dives said, Luke xvi. 24. No cups of water, no bowls of wine
in hell. There that throat Will be parched with thirst, which now
is drowned with excess. The songs ofthe drunkard turned into
howlings. But, surely, such 8s this will the cry of those souls be
that are cast away for ever. O terrible thirst t
Inf. 4. HoW niilch do nice and Wanton appetites deserve to be
reproved? The Son of God wanted a draught of cold water to
relieve him', and could not have it- O tbat this complaint of
Christ on the cross, I thirst, were but believingly considered, it
would make you bless God for what you now despise. Dost thou
contemn and slight the good creatures of God ! What, despise a
cop of WMer, who deserveth nothing but a cup of wrath ? O lay
I it to heart, alrtd hence learn contentment with any thing.
Inf. 5. Did Jesus Christ upon the cross cry, I thirst? Then
betievers shall never thirst eternally. Their thirst shall certainly
te satisfied. .
These sufferings of Christ, as tbey were ordained for them, so
tbe benefits Of them are truly imputed to them. " They shall be
s2

260 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. *
i
abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house, and thou shall
make them drink ofthe river of thy pleasures." There they shall
drink and praise, and praise and drink for evermore ; all their
thirsty desires shall be filled with complete satisfaction. O how
desireable a state is heaven upon this account ! and how should
we beA restless till we come thither ; as the thirsty traveller is
until he meet that cool, refreshing spring he wants and seeks
for. O bless God, that Jesus Christ thirsted under the heat of his
wrath once, that yoU might not be scorched with it for ever. If
he bad not cried, I thirst, you must have cried out of thirst eter
nally, and never be satisfied.
. Inf. 6. Did Christ in tbe extremity of his sufferings cry, /
thirst? Then how great; beyond compare, is the love of God
td sinners, who for their sokes exposed the Son of his love to
such ? There is none of us woijld endure to see a child of our
own lie panting and thirsting in the extremity of torments, for
the fairest inheritance on earth ; much less to have the soul of a
child conflicting with the wrath of God, and making such heart
rending complaints as Christ made upon the cross, if we might
have the largest empire in the fworld for it: yet such was the
strength of the love of God to us, tbat he willingly gave Jesus
Christ to all this misery and torture for us. 'O the height, length,
depth, and breadth of that love .which passeth knowledge.
Though God the Father was content to expose Christ to this
extremity to hear his bitter cries, and yet not relieve him, till he
fainted and died under it, yet he heard the cries of his Son. That
voice, / thirst, pierced heaven, and reached the Father's ear ; but
yet he will not refresh him in his agonies, nor abate him any thing
of the debt he was now paying, and all this for the love he had to
poor sinners.
And it should never be forgotten, that Jesus Christ was ex
posed to these extremities of sorrow for sinners' the greatest of
sinners, who deserved not one drop of mercy from God. Thus
the love of God in Jesus Christ still rises higher and higher in
every discovery of it. Admire, adore, and be ravished with the
thoughts of his love !
Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.

THE SIXTH EXCELLENT SAYING OF CHRIST
UPON THE CROSS ILLUSTRATED.
John aix. 30. — When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar,
he said it is finished; and he bowed his head and gave up the
ghost.IT in finished. This is the sixth remarkable word ofour Lord

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 261
Jesus Christ upon the cross, uttered as a triumphant shout when
he saw the glorious issue of all his sufferings now-at hand.
It is but one word in the original ; but in that one word is
contained the sum of all joy ; the very spirit of all divine conso
lation. The ancient Greeks reckoned it their excellency to speak
much in a little : " to give a sea of matter in a drop of language."
What they only sought, is here found. It isfinished : that is, all
the types and prefigurations that shadowed forth the redemption
of souls, by the blood of Christ, are now fulfilled and accomplish
ed. And doubtless, as this is itself a truth, s6 it is such a truth
as may not be excluded, as foreign to the true scope and sense
of tbis place.
But a far greater truth is contained herein, even the finishing
o.j completing of the whole design or project of our redemption,
and therein of all the types that prefigured it. Both these the ju
dicious Calvin conjoins, making the completing of redemption
the principal ; and fulfilling of all types the collateral and less
"principal sense of it:
According then to the principal scope of the place, we observe,
Doct. That Jesus Christ hath perfected and completely finished
the great work of redemption, committed to him by God the
Father. To this great truth the apostle gives a full testimony, " By one '
offering he hath perfected for. ever theni that are sanctified." And
to the same purpose speaks Christ,. " I have glorified thee on
earth ; I have finished the work thou gavest me to do." Con
cerning this work, and the finishing thereof by Jesus Christ upon
the cross we shall enquire,
First, What was the work which Christ finished by his death ?
It was the fulfilling the whole law of God in our room, and for
our redemption, as a sponsor or surety for us. The law is a glo
rious thing ; the holiness of God, that fiery attribute, is engraven
Or stamped upon -every part of it ; but be continued in all things
written in the law, to do them: He fulfilled all righteousness,
as it behoved him to do, Mat. iii. 15. He dfd .all that was re
quired to be done,, and suffered all that was requisite to be suf
fered ; and so finished the work his Father gave him to do ; and
this, work was both a necessary, difficult, and precious work.
It was -a necessary work, which Christ finished upon the
cross. When God had once decreed and determined to redeem and
save poor sinners by Jesus Christ, then it became necessary
that the council of God should be fulfilled ; Acts iv. 28. and had
not Christ finished this work, sin bad quickly finished all our lives,
comforts, and hopes. Without the finishing this work, not a son
or a daughter of Adam could ever have seen the face of God.

262 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
Secondly, As it was a necessary work, so the finishing of it
was exceedingly difficult. All the angels in heaven were not able
by their united, strength, to lift that burden one inch from the
ground, which Christ bear upon his shoulders, yea, and bear it
away. Thirdly. It was a most preeious work which Christ finished
by his death ; that work was dispatched and finished in a few
hours, which will be the matter of everlasting songs andtriumphs
to the angels and saints to all eternity. O it was a precious
work ! which cannot enter into the heart of man to conceive. If
the angels sang when the foundation-stone was laid, what shouts,
what triumphs should there be among the saints, when this voice
is heard, It is finished.
Let us next inform ourselves how and in what manner Jesus
Christ finished this glorious work.
1 . This blessed work was finished by Jesus Christ most obe
diently, Phil. ii. 8. " He became obedient to death, even to the
death ofthe cross.
2. As Christ finished it obediently, so be finished it freely.
Freedom and obedience in acting are not at all opposite to, or ex
clusive of each other. He liked the work for its end's sake. When
he had a prospect of it from eternity, then were his. delights with
the sons of men: then he rejoiced in the habitable parts ofthe
earth. And when he came into the world about it,, with what a
full and free consent did his heart echo to. the voice of his Father
calling him to it, Psal. xl.
3. As he. finished it freely, so he finished it diligently' ; lie
wrought hard from the morning of bis life to the end of it : he was
never idle wherever he was, but " went about doing good»" .the
very moments of his time were all employed for God to finish
tbis work. .
4. He finished it completely and felly. All that was to be
done by way of impetration and meritorious redemption is fully
done ; no hands can come after his ; angels can add nothing to, it.
"That ia perfected to which nothing is wanting and to which
nothing can be added." Such is the work Christ finished.
Fourthly, In the last place, let us consider what assurance or
evidence we have that Christ hath so finished redemption-
work. 1. When Christ died, redemption-work must needs, be finish
ed, inasmuch as the blood, as well as the obedience of Christ was
of infinite value and efficacy, sufficiently able to accomplish all
tlie ends for which it was shed; justice is fully paid, andi, conse
quently, the souls for whom, and in whose names it is paid, are
folly redeemed from the curse by the merit thereof.
2. It is apparent that Christ finished the, work, by the dis
charge or acquittance God the Father gave him,, when h© raised
him from the dead:. For when the grave was opened^ and Christ

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 263
arose, it was to him as the opening of the prison-doors, and set
ting^ surety at liberty, who was confined for another man's, debt.
And this the apostle gives so in many great words, " after be had
offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down on the right hand
of God."
3. It is evident that Christ hath finished the work, by the bles-
ed effects upon all that believe in him : for by virtue ofthe com
pleteness of Christ's work, their consciences are now rationally
pacified, and their souls, at death, actually received into glory.
If he had but almost done that work, we had been but almost
saved, that is certainly damned. And thus you see briefly the
evidences, tbat the work is finished.
Inf. 1 . Hath Christ perfected and completely finished all his "
work for^us? how sweet a relief is this to us that believe in
him against all, defects and imperfections of all the works that
are wrought by us. There is nothing finished that we do ; all
our duties are imperfect duties ; they come off lamely, und de
fectively front our hands. But Jesus^Cbrist hath finished all his
work, though we can finish none of ours : and so, though we be
defective, poor, imperfect creatures, in ourselves, yet, notwith
standing, we are complete in him. Christ's complete obedi
ence beihg imputed to us, makes us complete and without fault
before God.
Inf. 2. Did Christ finish his work witb his own hand ? How
dangerous and dishonourable a thing is it to join any thing
of our own to the righteousness of Christ, in point of justifi
cation before God. Jesus Christ will never endure this ; it re
flects upon his work dishonourably. Did he finish the work by
himself, and will he ever divide the glory ? No, no, Christ is no
half Saviour ; but it is an hard thing to bring these proud! hearts
to live upon Christ for righteousness : we would fain add our
penny to make up Christ's sum. But if you will bave ft so, you
arid your penny must perish together, Isa. 1. ult.
Inf. 3. Did Christ finish his work for us : Then there can be
no doubt, but he will also finish his work in us. As be began
the work of our redemption, arid finished it ; so be that hath be
gan the good work in you, will also finish it upon your souls, Phil.
i. 6'. He is not only called' the author but th&finisher ofour faith.
Therefore as he presented a perfect sacrifice to God, and finished
redemptior_-work ; so will he preterit every man perfect and
complete, for whom he offered up himself; for he will not lose
the end of all his sufferings at last.
Inf. 4. Is Christ's work of redemption a complete and finished
work ? How excellent and comfortable beyond all compare, is
the method and way of faith! How pleasing and acceptable to
God must be that faith, which presents so complete and excellent
an atonement to him ! Hence the acting of our faith upon Christ

264 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
for righteousness, is called the work of God ; that is, the most
grateful, acceptable, and well pleasing work to God that a crea
ture can perform, and this perfect work only produces perfect
peace. Inf. 5. Did Christ Work, and work out all that God gave him
to do, till he had finished his wcfrk ? How necessary then is a
laborious working life to all that call4hemselves Christians ? The
life of Christ, you see, was a laborious life. Shall he work and
we play ? Shall a zealous, active, working Christ, be reproached
with idle, negligent, and lazy followers ? O work, and work out
your own salvation with fear and tremBling, Phil. ii. 12.
God preserve all his people, from the gross and vile opinions
of Antinomian libertines, who cry up grace and decry obedience :
who under specious pretences of exalting a naked Christ upon the
throne, do indeed strip him naked of a great part of his glory, and
vilely dethrone him.
Inf. 6. Did Christ finish hia work ? Look to it Christians, that
ye also finish your work which God hath given you to do: That you
may with comfort say, when death approaches, as Christ said,
John xvii. 4. " I have glorified thee on earth, I have finished the
work thou gavest me to do. O work out your own salvation with
fear and trembling; and, that I may persriade you to it, I beseech
you lay these considerations to heart.
1. If your work be not done before you die, it can never be,
done when you are dead. " There is no work or knowledge, or
device in the grave, whither thou goest," Eccl. ix. 5, 10.
2. If you finish not your work, as tbe season of' working, so
the season of mercy will be over at death. Do not think, you
that have neglected Christ all your lives, you that could never be
persuaded to a laborious holy life, that ever your cries or entrea
ties shall prevail with God for mercy, when your seasbn is past
No, it is too late ; « Will God hear his cry, when troubles come
upon him?" Job xxvii. 9. The season of mercy is then over:
as the tree falls, so it ties. Luke xix. 42.
3, If your work be not finished when you come to die, you can
never finish your lives with comfort. He that hath riot finished
his work with care, can never finish his course with joy. O what
a dismal case is that soul in, that finds itself surprised by death
in an unready posture ! To lie shivering upon the brink ofthe
grave, saying, Lord, what will become of me « OI cannot I
dare not die ! I am in a' Christless state, and dare not go before
that awful judgment seat. If I had in season made Christ sure,
I could then die with peace Well then, look to it that you finish
your work as Christ also did his.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 265

THE LAST WORD WITH WHICH CHRIST
BREATHED OUT HIS SOUL.
Luke xxiii. A6.-—And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he
said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit ; and having
said thus, he gave up the ghost.
These are the last of the words of our Lord Jesus Chr ist.upon
the cross, with which he breathed out his soul. They were Da
vid's words before bim, Psal. xxxi. 5. and for substance, Ste
phen's, after him, Acts vii. 21]. They are words full, both of
faith and comfort ; fit to be the last breathings of every gracious
soul in this world.
Taking then these words, not only as spoken by Christ, the
head of all believers, and so commending their souls to God with
Ids own, but also as a pattern, teaching them what they ought to
do themselves, when they come to die ; we observe,
Doct. That dying believers are both warranted and encouraged
by Christ's example, betievingly to commend their precious
souls into the hands of God.
We will corisider
First, What is implied in this act of a believer, his commend
ing or committing his soul into the hands of God at death ?
1. It implies this evidently in it, That the soul outlives the
body, and fails not, as to its being, when its body fails ; it feels
the house in which it dwelt, dropping into ruins, and looks out
for a new habitation with God. If it vanished into air, and did
not survive the body ; if it were annihilated at death, it were but
a mocking of God to say, when we die, " Father, into thy hands
' I commend my spirit."
'2. It implies the soul's true rest to be in God. It had been
working after God by gracious desires before, but when it comes
near its God (as it doth in a dying hour) " then it even throws
itself into his arms ; " as a river, that after many turnings and
windings, at last is atrived to the ocean ; it pours itself with a
central force into the bosom of fhe ocean, and there finishes its
weary course. -
3. It also implies the great value believers have for their souls.
¦ That is the precious treasure ; " I commit my spirit : " They are
words speaking the believer's care for his soul, that it may "be
safe, whatever , becomes of the vile body. A believer when be
comes nigh to death, spends but a few thoughts about his body,
where it shall be laid, or how it shall be disposed of: He trusts
that in the bands of friends. It is not, Lord Jesus receive my

2(36 the fountain of life.
body, take care of my dust, but receive my spirit : Lord, secure
tbe iewel, when the casket is broken.
4 These words imply .Ae deep sense that dying believers have
of the gnat change that is coming upon them by death ; when all
visible And sensible things are shrinking away frdm them, and
failing ' They feel the world and the best comforts of it tailing :
Every creature and creature-comfort failing. The creatures had
some f interest in.their hearts ; alas, too much: but now all these
are vanished, it turns from them all, and casts itself upon God
for all its subsistence, expecting now to live upon its God en
tirely, as the blessed angels do. .
5 It implies the atonement of God, and his full reconcihation
to believers, by the blood of the great Sacrifice; else they durst
never commit their souls into his hands : " For it is a fearful thing
to fall into the hands of a living God," i. e. of an absolute God, a
God unatoned by the offering up of Christ.
. 6. It implies both the efficacy and excellency of faith, in sup
porting and relieving the soul at a time when nothmg else is ablg
to do it : Faith is itp conductor, when it is at the greatest loss
and distress that ever it met with : it secures the soul when it is
turned out of the body : when heart and flesh fail, this leads it to
the rock that fails not : it sticks by that soul till it sees it safe
through all the territories of Satan, and safe landed upon theshore
of glory.
Secondly, What warrant or encouragement have gracious
souls to commit themselves at their death into the hands of
God? 1. Tbis God is its Creator: the Father of its being ; be crea
ted and inspired it, and so it hath the relation of a creature to a
Creator : yea of a creature now in distress, fo a faithful Creator,
I Pet. iv. 19. And now grace brings that relation into repute:
holiness ingratiates us again-, and revives the remembrance of this
relation ; so that believers only can plead this.
2. As the gracious soul is his creature, so it is his re
deemed creature ; one that he bath bought, and that with a great
price, even with the precious Wood of Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. i. 18.
This greatly encourages the departing soul, to commit itself into
the hands of God ; so you find, Psal. xxxi. 5. Shall the ends
both of creation and recemption be lost altogether ? I know thou
wilt have a respect to the work of thy hands ; especially to a re
deemed creature, which thou hast bought at so dear a rale.
3. The gracious soul may confidently and securely commit
Itself into- the bands of God, when it parts with ftsbody at death ;
because it is his renewed creature also : and this lays' a fit m
ground for the beltever's confidence and acceptance ; fe. , in such
a soul, there is a doable workmanship ©f God, Iroth glorious,
though the last exceeds in glory. The Holy Ghost came down
from heaven on purpose to create this new workmanship ; to frame

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 267
this new creature ; and indeed, it is the top and glory of all God's
works of wonder in this world ; and must needs give the believer
encouragement to commit itself to God. For can God shut the
door of glory upon such a soul, that by grace is made meet for
the inheritance ? O it cannot be,
4. As the gracious soul is a renewed soul, so it is also a seal
ed soul ; God bath sealed it in this world for tbat glory, into
which it is now to enter at death. All gracious souls have those
works of grace wrought on them, which do evidence their glory.
Surely if God have sealed, he will not refuse you ; if he have
given bis earnest, he will not shut you out ; God's earnest is not
given in jest.
5. Every gracious soul may confidently cast itself into the arms
of its God, as it is a soul in covenant with God ; who stands
obliged by his promise to such, not to cast them out, when tbey
come unto bim. As soon as ever thou wast his, by regeneration,
that promise became thine, Heb. xiii. 5. " I will never leave you,
nor forsake you." Yea multitudes of promises ; the whole co
venant of promises, give security to the soul against the fears of
rejection, or neglect by God.
6. The gracious soul sustains many intimate and dear rela
tions' to that God into whose hands it commends itself at death.
Itis his spouse, and Christ its head and husband ; it is a member
of his body, flesh and bones, Eph. v. 30. It is his child and he
its everksting Father. And what father can shut the door upon a
dear child that comes to him for refuge, saying, Father, into thy
hands I commit myself.
7. The unchangeableness of God's love to his people, gives-
confidence they shall in no wise be cast out. They know Christ.
was the same to them at last as he was at first : the same in the
pangs of death, as he was in the comforts of life. He doth not
love as the world loves, only in prosperity ; but they are as dear
to him when their beauty and strength are gone, as when they
were most flourishing/ The improvement of all thte you have
in the following practical deductions.
-. Are dying believers only warranted and encouraged thus
to eonvmend their soul's into the hand's of God ? What a sad
strait then must all dying unbelievers be in about their souls ? Such
souls will fall into- the* hands of God, but that is their-misery, not
their privilege : they are not. put by faith irito the hands of merey,
but fall by. sin into tbe hands of Justice : not God, but the devil
is their father, John viii-. 4. Whither should the child go but to its-
own father.
OdismaltO deplorable case!' A poor soul is< turning out of
house and home, arid knows not where to go ; it departs, and im
mediately, ftlh. into the hands* of justice. The devil stands by,
waiting for such a soul (as a dog for a crust,) which God will'
throw to him. It is a lamentable case.

268 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
2. -Will God graciously accept, and faithfully keep what the
saints commit to him at death ? How -careful then should they be
to keep what God commits lo them, while they live ? You have a
great trust to commit to God when you die, and God hath a great
trust to commit to you whilst you live. If you keep his truths,,
he will keep your souls. " Because thou bast kept the word of
my patience, I also will keep thee," &c. Rev. iii. 10. Be faith
ful to your God and you shall find him faithful to you.
3. If believers may safely commit their souls into the hands
of God, how confidently may they commit all lesser interests into
the same hands? Shall we trust him with our souls, and not with
our lives, liberties or comforts. Can we commit the treasure to
him and not a trifle ? Whatever you enjoy in this world, itis but
a trifle to your souls. Sure, if you can trust him for eternal life
for your souls, you may much more trust him for the daily bread
for your bodies.
• 4. Is this the privilege of believers, that they can commit their
souls to God in a dying hour ? Then how precious, how useful a
grace is faith to the people of God, both living and dying ?
All the graces have done excellently, but faith excels theba all :
faith is the phce nix grace, the queen of graces : deservedly' it is
stiled precious fait h, 2 Pet. i. 1. The benefits and privileges of
it in this life are unspeakable: and as there is no comfortable
living, so no comfortable dying without it.
Faith can do many sweet offices for your souls upon a death
bed, when the light of this world is gone, and all joy-ceases on
earth : it can give us sights of things invisible in the other world,
and those sights will breathe life into your souls, amidst the very
pangs of death.
5. Do the souls of dying believers commena* themselves into the
hands of God? Then let not the surviving relations of such sorrow
as men that have no hope. Is it not better for them to be in the
bosom of God than, in yours ? Could they be spared so long from
heaven, as to come back again to you but an hour, how would
they be displeased to^ see your tears, and hear your cries and
sighs for them : They would say to you as Christ said to the ,
daughters of Jerusalem, " Weep not for me, but weep for your
selves and for your children."
6. Is this the privilege of dying believers, to commend their
souls into the hands of God ? Then as ever you hope for comfort,
or peace in your last hour, see that your souls be such as may then
befit to be. commended into the hands of an holy and just God :
" Without holiness no man shall see God." Will you £put an
unclean, filthy, defiled thing into tlie pure hand of the most holy
God ? The gracious soul alone may confidently say, Lord Jesus !
into thy hand I commend my spirit. O let all that can say so
then, now say, Blessed be God for Jesus Christ.

THE FOUNTAIN OF 1IFE. 269

.CHRIST'S FUNERAL ILLUSTRATED.
John xix. 41, 42.— Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound
it in linen clothes, with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is
to bury. Now in the place where he was crucified, there was
a garden, and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never
man yet laid. There laid they Jesus, therefore, because ofthe
Jews preparation-day, for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
All you that are friends and lovers of Jesus, are this day in
vited to his funeral : such a funeral as never was since graves
were first digged. " Come see the place where the Lord lay."
There are six remarkable particulars, about this funeral, iri these
three verses.
1 . The preparations that were made for it, and they were mainly
in two particulars, viz. the begging and perfuming of the body.
His body could not be buried, till, by begging, his friends had
obtained it as a favour from his judge. But what need of spices
to perfume that blessed body ? His own love was gerfume enough
to keep it sweet in the remembrance of his people to all genera
tions : however by this they will manifest, as far as they are able, .
the dear affection they have for him,
2. The bearers that carried his body to its grave, Joseph of
Arimathea arid Nicodemus, two secret disciples. But how a
spirit of zeal and courage is come upon them, when those that
made greater and more open confessions of him are gone.
3. The' attendants who followed the hearse, were the women
that followed bim out of Galilee : among whom the two Mai7s>
and the mother of Zebedee's children (whom Mark calls Salome)
are only named.
4. The grave, or sepulchre, where they laid him : It was in
Joseph's new tomb, for he had not an house of his own to lay his
body in when dead. In this also divine Providence had a respect
to that prophecy, " He made his grave with the rich."
.' 5. The disposition of the body in that tomb. Itis true, there
is no mention made ofthe groans and tears with which they laid
him in his sepulchre; but no doubt they laid him with melting
hearts and flowing eyes in his tomb when dead.
6. The last remarkable particular in the text, is the solemnity
with which his funeral rites were performed, and they were all
suitable to his- humbled state : it was, indeed, a funeral as de
cently ordered, as the straits of time, and state of things would
then permit: but there was nothing of pomp or outward state
at all observed ..« few marks of honour set by men upon it ; only
the heavens adorned it with divers miraculous works. Whence
our observation fs,

- 270 THE FODNTAIN OF LIFE.
Doct. That the dead body of our Lord Jesus Christ was de
cently interred by a small number of his own disciples, and
continued in the state of the dead for a time. But let us
enquire,
First, Why had Christ any funeral at all, since he was to rise
again from the dead, within that space of time that other men
commonly have to lie by the wall before their interment.
1 . It was necessary Christ should be buried, to ascertain his
death; else it might have been looked upon as a cheat: had he
not been perfumed and interred., But this cut off all pretensions ;
for in their kind of embalming, his mouth, ears and nostrils were
all filled with spices and odours ; bound up in linen, and laid long
enough in the tomb to give full assurance to the world of the cer- '
tainty of his death ; and since our eternal life is wrapt up in
Christ's death, it can never be too firmly established.
2. He must be buried, to fulfil the types and prophecies that
went before. " He made his grave with the wicked^ ahd with
the rich in his death," said Isaiah, pointing at this tomb of
Joseph, who was a rich man.
3. He must be buried,' _o complete his humiliation. They have
brought me to ihe dust of death : lower he could not be laid ; and
v ,so low he must lay his blessed head, else he had not been hum
bled to the lowest.
4. But the great end and reason of his interment was the con
quering of death in its own dominion and territories ; which
victory over the grave furnished the saints with that triumphant
song, " O death'! where is thy sting ? O grave ! where is thy
victory ?" Death is a dragon, the grave its den ; a place of dread
and terror ; but Christ goes into its den, there grapples with it,
and for ever overcomes it ; disarms it of all its terror ; and
makes it become exceedingly beneficial to the saints; a bed of
rest, and a perfumed bed.
Secondly, Next let us enquire what manner of funeral Christ
had? I. We shall find it to be a very obscure and private funeral.
Here was no external pomp or gallantry : Humiliation was de
signed in his death ; and state is inconsistent with such an end ;
besides, he died upon the tree ; and persons so dying, dd not
have much ceremony and state at tlieir funerals.
The dead; body ofthe Lord was brought from the tree. They
begged it of his judge. Had they not obtained tbis favour from
Pilate, it had been tumbled into a pit digged under the cro.s.
1 hus was the Prince of the kings of the earth, who bas the keys
ol death and hell, laid into his grave.
But though men bestow little honour upon him, yet the heavens
with divers miracles wiped off the reproach of his death

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 271
1. There was that extraordinary and preternatural eclipse of
the sun ; such an eclipse as was never seen since it first shone in
heaven ; the sun fainted at the sight of such a rueful spectacle,
and clothed the whole heaven in black. The sight of this caused
a great philosopher to cry out, " Either the God of riature now
suffers, or the frame of the world is now dissolved."
Snch a preternatural eclipse is remembered in no other his
tory; for it was not 'in time of conjunction, but opposition, the
moon being then at full. From the sixth to the ninth hour, the
sun and moon were together in the midst of heaven ; but in the
evening she appeared in the east, her own place, opposite to the
sun. And then miraculously returning from east to west, did
not pass by the sun, and set in tbe west before it, but kept it
Company for the space of three hours, and then returned to the
east again.
2. And as Christ's funeral was adorned with such a miraculous
eclipse, which put the heavens and earth into mourning ; so the
rocks did rend: the vail of the temple rent in twain from top to
bottom ; the graves opened, and the dead bodies of many saints
arose. The rending of the rocks was a sign of God's fierce
indignation, Nahum i. 6. and a discovery of the greatness, of his
power ; showing them what they deserved, and what he could
do. As for the rending in twain of the vail, it was a notable mira
cle, showing that all ceremonies were now abolished ; no more
vails now : as also that believers have now most free access into
heaven. The opening of the graves plainly showed the design of
Christ's going into it ; that it might not bave dominion over the
bodies of the saints, but being vanquished and destroyed by
Christ, lets go all that are bis whom he* ransomed from the
grave as a prey out of its,paws.
Use. And now we have seen Jesus interred ; he that wears at
his girdle the keys of hell and death, himself locked up in the
grave. What shall I say of him whom they now laid in the
grave? shall I undertake to tell you what he was, what he did,
suffered and deserved ? Alas ! the tongues of angels must pause
and stammer in such a work. I may truly say, as Nazianzen
said of Bazil, " No tongue but his own can sufficiently commend
and praise him." " If every leaf and spire of grass (saith one)
" nay, all the stars, sands and atoms, were so many souls and
seraphims, whose love should double in them every moment to all
eternity, yet would it fall infinitely short of what is due to his
worth and excellency.
" Who ever weighed Christ iri a pair of balances?" saith
another, " Who hath seen the heights and depths of that glory
that ia in him ! O for such a heaven, as but to stand afar off and
see, and love, and long for him, till time's thread be cut, and

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.

this great work of creation dissolved !  O, if I could yoke in
among th.e throng of angels and serapbims, and now glorified
saints, and could raise a hew love-song of Christ before all the
world ! I am pained with wondering, at new opened treasures in
Christ. If every finger, member, bone and joint, were a torch
burning in the hottest fire in hell, I would they could all send out
high songs of praise for evermore, to that plant of renown, to
Jesus my Lord. — — r-But when I have spoken of him till my
head rive, I have just said nothing ; I may begin again. .Set ten
thousand thousand new-made worlds of angels and elect men
and double them in number ten thousand thousand thousand
times : let their hearts and tongues be ten thousand times more
agile and large than tbe hearts and tongues of the seraphims, that
stand with stretched wings before bim, when they have said all for
the glorifying and praising of the Lord Jesus, they have spoken
little or nothing. O that I could even wear out this tongue in
extolling his highness!"
Thus have, his enamoured friends faintly expressed his excel
lencies ; and if they have therein done any thing, they have
shown the impossibility of his due praises.
But I will insist no longer upon generals : let us draw down
the particulars of Christ's funeral to our use.
1. Was Christ buried in this manner? Then a decent and
mournfulfuneral, where it can be had, is very laudable among
Christians. - *
I know the- souls of the saints have no concernment for their
bodies, nor are they solicitous how the body is treated here; yet
there is a respect due to them, as they are the temples wherein
God bath been served and honoured by those holy souls that once
dwelt in them.
We read of many sad and mournful- funerals in scripture and
Christ's funeral had as much of decency and solemnitv in 'it as
the time would permit ; though he was a stranger to all pomp,
both m life and death. ' *
2. Did Joseph ind Nicodemus so boldly appear at a time of
so much danger, to beg the body and give it a funeral ? Let it be
for ever a caution to strong Christians, not to despise or storu
over the weak. You see here a couple of poor, low-spiritec. arid
timorous persons that were afraid to be seen in Christ's company,
when the other disciples professed their readiness to die with
him: yet those flee and these appear for him, when the trial
comes indeed If God desert the strong and assist the weak,
the feeble shall be as David, and the strong as tow
3. Hence we may be assistedin discerning the depths of Christ's
humiliation for us : And see to what his love brought him 0
it was deep humiliation indeed ! how unlike himself is he now
become ! What the Son of God, whom all the angels adore,
to be hurried by three or four persons into his grave in an even-

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 273
ing! to be carried from Golgotha to the grave in this manner,
and there lie as a captive to death ! Never was such an abase
ment heard of in the world.
4. From this funeral of Christ results the purest and strongest
consolation and encouragement to believers, against the fears of
death and the grave.
The grave received, but Could not destroy Jesus Christ : death
swallowed him, as the whale did Jonah his type, but could not
digest him when it had swallowed him, but quickly delivered him
up again. -¦¦
Christ's lying in the grave before us, hath quite changed and
altered the nature of the grave ; so that it is not what it was : it
was once a part of the curse. The grave had the nature and use
of a prison, to keep the bodies of sinners against the great assi
ze's, but now it is abed of rest : yea, and a perfumed bed, where
Christ lay before us. O then let not believers fear. He that
hath one foot in heaven need not fear to put the other into the
grave. 5. Since Christ was laid in his grave, and his people reap such
privileges by it; as ever you expect. rest or comfort in your-
graves, see that you get union with Christ now.
It was an ancient custom of the Jews, to put rich treasures
into the graves with their friends, as well as to bestow much
upon their sepulchres. It is said, Hrrcanus opened David's se
pulchre, and took out of it three thousand talents of gold and
silver. And to this sense many interpret that act of the Chal
deans, Jer. viii. 1. "At that time saith the Lord they shall
bring out the bones ofthe kings of Judah, and the bones of his
princes, &c. And they shall spread them before the sun and the
moon," &c. , This is rather conceived to be an act of covetous
ness than cruelty : they shall ransack their graves for the treasure
that is hid there among their bones. It is possible the case
so stands with many of you, that you have no great matter, to
bestow upon your funerals, nor are they like to be splendid'; no
stately monuments : no hidden treasure ; but if Christ be yours,
you carry that with you to your graves, which is better than all
the gold and silver in the world. What would you be the better
if your coffin were made of beaten gold, or your grave-stone set
thick with glittering diamonds ? But if you die in the Lord, what
an encouragement is here ! I am as much the Lord's in the state
ofthe dead, as I was in the state of the living : death puts an end,
to all other relations, but tbe bond ofthe covenant rots not in the
grave: that dust is still the Lord's.
God looks down from heaven into fhe graves of his saints with
delight, and looks on that pile of dust with complacency, which
those that once loved it cannot behold without loathing. The
Goldsmith does not value the dust of his gold, as God 'values tho
T

2^4. THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
dust of his saints, for all these precious particles are united to
Christ. Moreover, God's providence shall order your graves, when
they shall be digged for, you. And be sure he will not dig your
graves till you are fit to be put into them : he will bring you thither
in the best time, Job. v. 26.
To conclude ; If in Christ, know this for your comfort, that
your own. Lord Jesus Christ keeps the keys of all the chambers
of death ; and as he unlocks the door's of death, when he lets you
in, so he will open it again for you when you aWake, to let yqn
out ; and hehimself wakes and watches by while you sleep there.
" I (saith he) have the keys of death," O then, as you expect
peace or rest in the chambers of death, get union with Christ, A
grave with Christ is a comfortable place.

FOUR WEIGHTY ENDS OF CHRIST'S HUMILIATION.
Isa. liii. 2. — He shall see the travail of his soul and, be satisfied.
It is inconsistent with the prudence of a common agent, to be
at vast expences of time, pain and cost, and not to propound to
himself a design worthy of all those expences., -And it is, much
lessdmagitiable, that Christ should so stupendously abase himself,
by^sfo© ping from the bosom of his Father to the state of the dead,
where our last discourse left him, if there had not been some
excellent and glorious thing in his eye, the attainment whereof
mi^ht give him a content and satisfaction^ equivalent to all the
sorrows and abasements he endured for it.
And so much is plainly held forth in this scripture, " He shall
seethe travail of his soul and be satisfied."
Hence We observe, * '
Doct. That all the blessed designs and ends for wMch the Lord
Jesus Christ humbled himself to ihe death of the cross, shall
certainly be attained, to his full content and satisfaction.
First, Then let us enquire into the designs and ends of Christ's
humiliation, at least the main and principle ones.
1 . One principal design and end of shedding the blood of Christ
was to deliver hfe people from danger, the danger of that wrath
which burns down to the lowest hell, 1 Thess. i. 10. Jesus who
delivered us from the wrath to come. Wrath -to come implies.- oth
the futurity and perpetuity of this wrath. " It is not only certainly
future, but when it comes it will be abiding wrath, Or wraJfystHl
coming. When millions of years and ages are past and gone,
this will still be wrath to. come. Ever coming as a river iever
flowing. «

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 275
Now from this wrath to come, hath Jesus delivered his people
by bis death. The blood of Jesus Was the price that ransomed
man from this wrath.
And this be did most freely, when none made supplication to
him. No sighing of the prisoners came before him. Hfe designed
it for us before we had a being.
This deliverance obtained for us by the death of Christ is a
special and distinguishing deliverance. Not common to all,
but peculiar to some ; and they by aatUre no better -than those
that are left under wrath.
This is is a wonderful salvation. It would weary the arm of
an angel to write down all the wonders that are in thfc salvation.
That ever such a project of grace was contrived in the heart Of
God, who might have suffered the whole species to parish. That
it should only concern man, and not the angels, by nature more
excellent than we ; that Christ should be pitched upon to go
forth Upon this design. That he should effect it in such a Way,
by- taking our nature and suffering the penalty ofthe law therein.
That our deliverance should be Wrought Out and finished when
the Redeemer and his design seemed to be lost and perished.
These with many more are such wonders as will take up eter
nity itself to search and admire.
Before I part from this first end ofthe death of Christ, give me
leave to deduce two useful .corollaries from it, arid then proceed
to a second.
- Coroli. 1 . Hath Christ by death delivered his people from the
wrath to come ? How ungrateful and disingenuous a thing must
it be then for those that have obtained such a deliverance as this,
to repine and grudge at those tight afflictions they suffer for a
moment upon Christ's accouM in this world!
Alas! what are these sufferings, that we should grudge at
them ? Are they like those which the Redeemer suffered for ©ur
deliverance? Did ever any of us endure for him what he endured
for us? Or is there any thing you cah suffer for Christ in this
world, comparable to this wrath, to come, which you mast have
endured, had he not, by the pri-e of -hid own blood, rescued you
from it. "
Our troubles here at not constant, there are gracious relaxa
tions, lucid intervals here ; bat the wrath to come allows riot a
HMHneBfi's ease or mitigation.
And :lai_.lyj How much more -Omfa.t_.ble is it, to suffer in
fellowship with Christ and bis saints for righteousness sake, than
to suffer With devils and reprobates for Wickedness skke ? Grudge
not then, O ye that are delivered by Jesus from wrath to come,
at &?ty thing, ye do suffer, or shall suffer from Christ, or for Christ
io this world.
Corol. 2. If Jesus Christ bath delivered Ms people from the
wrath to come, how little comfort can any man take in his present
T2

276 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
enjoyments and accommodations in the world, whilst it remains a
question with him, whether he be delivered from the wrath to come.
It is well for the present, but will it be so still ? lt can afford a
man little content tbat all is easy and pleasant about him now.
O, methinks such a thought as this, what if I am reserved for the
wrath to come ? should be to him as the fingers appearing upon
the plaster of the wall were to Belshazzar in the height of a
frolic. Give not sleep, therefore, to thine eyes, reader, till thou
bast good evidence, that thou art of the number whom Jesus hath
delivered from the wrath to come. Till thou canst say, he is a
Jesus to thee.
As the typical blood was shed and sprinkled to deliver from
danger, so it was Shed to make atonement, Lev. iv. 20. And
what was shadowed in this typical blood, was really designed
and accomplished by Jesus Christ, in the sheddirg of hisi blood.
There was a breach made by sin betwixt God and angels, but
that breach is never to be repaired or made up ; sirice, as Christ
took not on him their nature, so he never intended to be a medi
ator of reconciliation betwixt God and them. That will be an
eternal breach. But that which Christ designed, as the end of
his death, was to reconcile God and man. Not the whole species,
but a certain number, whose names were given to Christ.
We shall now make some improvement of this, and pass on
to the third end of the death of Christ.
Inference 1. If Christ died to reconcile God and man, how
horrid an evil then is sin ! -And how terrible was that breach
made betwixt God and the creature by it, which could no other
way be made up. but by the death of the Son of God! I remem
ber I bave read, that when a great chasm or breach was made
in the earth by an earthquake, and the oracle was consulted how
it tmight be closed, this answer was returned, That breach can
never be closed, except something of great worth be thrown into
it. Such a breach was that which sin made, it could never be
reconciled but by tbe death of Jesus Christ. •
Inf. 2. How sad is the state of all such as are not comprised in
the articles of peace' with God! The impenitent unbeliever is ex
cepted. God is not reconciled to him ; and if God be bis enemy,
how httle avails it, who is his friend ? Alas, whither wilt thou
turn . To whom wilt thou complain ? What wilt thou do, when
thou shalt stand at the bar, and see that God, who is thine ene
my, upon the throne? Sad is their ease indeed, who are not com
prehended in the articles of peace with God.
Inf. 3. If Christ died to reconcile us to God, give diligence to
cleanup to your own souls, your interest in this reconciliation.
It Christ thought! it worth his blood to purchase, it, itis worth
your care and pains to clear it. And what can better evidence
it, than your conscientious tenderness of sin, lest you make new

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 277
You have seen. two of those beautiful births of Christ's'.. avail
and Io, a third cometh, namely, the sanctification off his people. ,
Typical blood was shed, as you heard, to purify them that were
unclean ; and so was the blood of Christ shed to purge away the
sins of his people : so speaks the apostle expressly, Eph. v. 25,
26. And though it is proper to say the Spirit sanctifies, yet, it is
certain, it was the blood of Christ that procured for us the Spirit
of sanctification. Had not Christ died, the Spirit had never
come down from heaven upon any such desfgn. .;,,-;'
Inference I. Did Christ die to sanctify his people, how deep>
then is the pollution of sin, that nothing but the blood of Christ
can eleanse it ! .All the tears of a penitent sinner, should he shed
as many as there have fallen drops of rain since the creation,
cannot wash away one sin. The everlasting burnings in hell
canrtot purify the flaming conscience from the least sin.
Inf. 2. Did Christ die to sanctify his people ?- Behold then the
love of a Saviour. " He loved us, and washed us from our sins
in his own blood." He did not shed the blood of beasts, Us the
priests of old did, but his own blood, Heb. ix. 12. one drop of
whfch out-value's the blood that runs in the veins of all Adam's
posterity. And not some* of that blood but all ; fo the last drop.
As Christ died to sanctify his people ; so he died also to confirm
the New Testament to all those sanctified ones. So it was in the
type, Exod. xxiv. 8. and so it is in the text. " This is the New
Testament in my blood," Matt. xxvi. 28. i. e. ratified and con
firmed by my blood. The blessings and benefits bequeathed to
believers in the last will and testament orChrist, are abundantly
confirmed and secured to them by his death. Yea, he died on
purpose to make that testament of force to them. And what is
bequeathed to us in this testament of Christ, is altogether a free
and voluntary donation. Christ giveth to his church, in the New
Testament, three sorts of goods.
1. All temporal good things, 1 Tim. vi. l.'the comfort and
blessing of all, though not the possession of much.
2. All spiritual good things are bequeathed to them in this tes-
tanient, as remission of sin, and acceptation with God, justifica
tion; sanctification, adoption into tthe family of God. The mi-
history of angels, Heb. i. 14. Interest in all the promises, 2
Pet. i. 4.
3. All eternal good things. Heaven, glory and eternal life.
No such bequests as these were ever found in the testaments of
princes. That which kings and nobles settled by will upon their
heirs, are but trifles to what Christ hath conferred in the New
Testament upon his people. And all this is confirmed and rati
fied by the death of Christ, so that the promise is sure, and the
estate indefeasible to all the heirs of promise.
' Inference 1. Did Christ die to confirm the New Testament, in

278 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
Which sUCh legacies are bequeathed to believers. How are all
believers concerned then to prove the will of Jesus ! My meaning
is, to1 clea/r their title to the mercies contained iri this blessed
testament. And tbis may be done by clearing to ourselves
our covenant-relation to Christ. And by discovering those spe
cial covenant4mpressions upon our hearts, to which the promises
therein contained do belong.
Inf. 2. To conclude, it is the indispensible duty of all on whom
Christ hath settled such mercies, to admire Ms hve, and walk
answerably to it.
O how intense and ardent was the love of Jesus ! Before this
love let all the saints fall down astonished, humbly professing
that they owe themselves,, and all they are, or shall be worth, to
eternity, to this love.
And be sure "you walk becoming persons for whom Christ hath
done such great tMragSi.

THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST, WITH ITS IN
FLUENCES UPON THE SAINTS' RESURRECTION.
Matt, xxviii. 6. — He is not here ; for he is risen, as he said.'
come, see the place where the Lord lay.
We have finished the doctrine of Christ's humiliation, wherein
the Sun of righteousriess appeared to you, as a setting sun, gone
out of sight ; but as the sun when it is gone down to us, begins
a new day in another part of the world, so Christ,' having finished
his course and work in this world, rises again, and that, iu orde,
to the acting another glorious part of this work in the: world
above. In his death, he was upon: the matter totally eclipsed;
but in his resui.-ection', he begins to recover his light and glory
again. God nOver intended that the darling of his soul should
be.lost in an obscure sepulchre. An angel descends from heaven,
to roll away the stone, and with it, the reproach of his death ;
and to be the heavenly herald, to proclaim his resurrection to
the two Marys, whose love to Christ had; at this time, drawn
them to visit the sepulchre, where they lately left him.
At this time (the Lord being newly risen) the keepers were
trembling, and become as dead men. So great was the terrible
majesty and awful solemnity attending Christ's resurrection ; but,
to encourage these good souls, the angel preverits them with
these good tidings ; " He is not here ; for he is risen as be said:
come; see the place where the Lord lay." Thos the resurrection
of Christ is declared and confirmed. Hence our observation
is,

the fountain of life. 279
Doct. That our Lord Jesus Christ, by the almighty power of
his own Godhead, revived, and rose from the dead; to the
terror and consternation of his enemies, and the unspeakable
;ii consolation of believers.
That our Lord Jesus Christ, though laid, was not lost in the
grave ; but the third day revived and rose again, is a truth con
firmed to us by many infallible proofs, as Luke witnesseth, Acts
i. 3. We have testimonies of it, both from heaven and earth,
and both infallible. From heaven, we have the testimony of an
gels, and to the testimony of an angel all credit is due ; for angels
are holy creatures, and cannot deceive us. The angel tells the
two Marys, in the text, " He is risen." • We have testimonies of
it from men, _holy men, who were eye-witnesses of this truth, to
whom he showed himself alive by the space of forty days after his
resurrection,, by no less than nine solemn apparitions to them.
.Sometimes five hundred brethren saw him at once, 1 Cor. xv. 6.
These were holy persons who durst not deceive, and who con
firmed their testimony with their blood. So that no point of re
ligion is of more confessed truth, and infallible certainty than this
before us.
And blessed be God it is so. For if it were not, then were
the "gospel in vain," 1 Cor. xv. 14. seeing it hangs the whole
weight of our faith, hope, and salvation, upon Christ, as risen from
the dead.
And blessed be God it is a nail fastened in a sure place. I
•need spend no more words to confirm ft; but rather choose to
explain the nature and manner of his resurrection.
, 1 . Christ rose from the dead with awful majesty. So you find
it in Matt, xxviii. 2, 3, 4. Human infirmity was not able to bear
such heavenly majesty as attended the business of that morning.
Nature sunk under it. The earthquake was, as one calls it, a
sign of triumph, or token of victory, given by Christ, not only to
the keepers, and the neighbouring city, butjto the whole world,
tbat he had overcome death in its own dominions, and like a con
queror, lifted up his head above all his enemies.
2'. And to iriirrease the splendour ofthat day, and drive on the
triumph, his resurrection was attended with the resurrection of
many of the saints, who had slept in their graves till then, and
then were awakened and raised to attend the Lord at his rising,
Matt, xxvii. 52, 53. This was designed, both to adorn the
resurrection of Christ, and to give a specimen or pledge of our
resurrection ; which also is to bo in the virtue of his. They were
seen and known of many in the city, who doubtless never thought
1 to have seen them any more in this world.
3. As Christ rose from the dead with those satellites or attend
ants, so it was by the power of his own Godhead that he quick
ened and raised himself; and by the virtue of bis resurrection they

280 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
were raised also, who accompanied him. It was not the Angel
who rolled back the stone that revived him in the sepulchre, but
he resumed his own life ; so he tells us, John x. 18.
And, therefore, the apostle well observes, Rom. i. 4. " That
he was declared to be the Son of God with power, by his re
surrection from the dead."
4. And therefore it may be truly affirmed, that though some
dead saints are' raised to life before the resurection of Chrst, yet
Christ is " the first-born from the dead," as he is called, Col. i.
18. - For though Lazarus and others were raised, yet not by them
selves, but by Christ.
5. Christ rose as a public person. "As the first fruits of them
that slept," 1 Cor. xv. 20. I desire this may be well understood ;
for upon this account it is that our resurrection is secured to us by
the resurrection of Christ ; and not a resurrection only, but a bless
ed and a happy one, for the first fruits both assured and sancti
fied the whole crop of harvest.
Now that Christ did rise as a public person, representing and
comprehending all, the elect, who were called the children ofthe
resurrection, is plain from Eph. ii. 6. where we are said to be risen
with, or in him. So that as we are said to die in Adam, (who
also was a cOmmon person) as the branches die in tbe death of
the root : so we are said to be .raised from death in Christ, who
is the head, root, and representative, of all his elect seed.
Christ's resurrection is fnot only the meritorious and efficient
cause, but it is also the exemplary cause or pattern of our resur
rection. 1. Christ's body was raised substantially the same that it was
before ; and so will ours. Not another, but the same body. Up
on this very reason tbe apostle uses that identical expression, 1
Cor. xv. 53. That cannpt be called a resurrection where one
thing falls and another rises, as Gregory long since pertinently
observed. 2. His body was raised not by a word of power from the Father,
but by his Spirit, ho will ours. Indeed the power of God shall
go forth £to unburrough sinners, and fetch them forcibly out of
their graves ; but the resurrection of the saints is to be effected
another way. That Very Spirit of Christ which effected their
spiritual resurrection from sin, shall effect their corporal resurrec
tion also from the grave.
¦ 3".uHi!i..b0dy LWas raised first' he had m this, as well as
in other things, the pre-eminence in the resurrection, _ Thes.
iv. 16. '
4. Christ's body was marvellously improved by the resurrec
tion, and so will ours. It fell in weakness but was raised in
power; no more capable of sorrows, pains and dishonours. In
like manner our bodies are "sown in weakness, but raised in
strength, sown in dishonour, raised in glory."

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. . 281
5. Christ's body was raised from the dead to be glorified and
crowned with horiour. Oh it was a joyful day to him ; and so
-will the resurrection of the saints be to them, tbe day ofthe glad
ness of their hearts. It will be said to them in that morning,
«? Awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust," as Isa. xxvi. 19.
O how comfortable will be the meeting betwixt the glorified soul
and its new raised body.
For as the body shall be raised with all the improvements and
endowments imaginable, so the soul comes down immediately
from God out of heaven, shining in its holiness and glory.- It
comes perfumed out of those ivory palaces, with a strong scent of
heaven upon it.
And principally, that wherein the chief joy of this meeting con
sists, is the end for wliich the glorified soul comes down to quicken
and repossess it, namely, to meet the Lord and ever to be wilh the
Lord. To receive a full reward for all the labours and services
it performed to God in this world. To receive a crown, and a
kingdom. Do but imagine then what a sun-shine morning this
will.be, and how thei pains and agonies, cold sweats, and bitter
groans at parting will be recompensed by the joy of such a
meeting? , From the consideration of all which,
Inference I. We infer, ihat if Christ was thus raised from the
'dead, then death is fairly overcome, and swallowed up in victory ;
were it not so, it had never let Christ escape out ofthe grave.
The prey of the terrible had never been thus rescued out of its
paws. Death is a dreadful enemy, it defies all the sons and
daughters of Adam. None durst cope with the king of terrors
but Christ, and he, by dying, went into the very den of this dra
gon, fought with it, and foiled it in the grave, its own territories
and dominions, and came off a conqueror. So that there is nc
reason why a believer should stand in a slavish fear of it.
Inf. 2. Has Christ, and bath his resurrection such a potent
and' comfortable influence into the resurrection of the saints r
Then it is the duty, and will be the wisdom of the people of God
so to govern, and employ their bodies, as become men and women
that understand what glory is prepared for them at the resurrec
tion of the just.
Be not fondly tender of them, but employ and use them foi
God here. How many good duties are lost and spoiled by sinfri
indulgence to our bodies ? Alas ! we are generally more solicit
ous to live long, than to live usefully. How many saints have
active, vigorous bodies, yet God hath little service from them.
Wherein is the mercy of having a body, except it be employee
for God ? Will not its reward at the resurrection be sufficien
for all the pains you now put it to in his service ?
Let not the contentment and accomodation of your bodies

282 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
draw your soul into snares, and bring them under the power of
temptations to sin. This is a very-common case. O how many
thousands of precious' souls perish eternally for«the satisfaction nf
a vile body for a moment. Their souls must, because their bodies
cannot suffer.; .' ¦
With-hold not, that which God and conscience bid you to com
municate for the refreshment ofthe saints, whose present necessi
ties require your assistance. It was the opinion of an eminent di
vine, that no man, living, fully understands and believes that
scripture, Mat. xxv. 40. " In as much as you have done it to
one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it to me.
Inf. 3. Is Christ risen from the dead, and tbat as a public
person and representative of believers ? How are we all con
cerned then to secure to ourselves an interest in Christ, and con
sequently in this blessed. resurrection ?. What consolation would
be left in this world, if the hope of the resurrection were taken
away ? It is this blessed hope that must support you under all the
troubles of life, and the agonies of death.
But until our souls are partakers of the spiritual resurrection
from the death of sin, we can have no assurance our bodies shall
be partakers of that blessed resurrection to life.
Now if the power of Christ's death, i. e. the mortifying influ
ence of it, have been uport our hearts, killing their lusts, deaden-
, ing their affections, and flattening their appetites to the creature,
then the power of his" life, or resurrection, shall come upon our
dead withered bodies, to revive and raise them up to live with
him in glory.
If your hearts and affections be now with Christ in heaven,,
your bodies in due time shall be there also, and conformed tb his
glorious body. Phil. iii. 20, 21.
If God have raised in your hearts a vehement desire, and earnest
endeavour after a perfect freedom from sin, and full conformity to
' God, in the beauties of holiness ; that very love of holiness, your
firesent pantings, and tendencies after perfection, speak you to be
be persons designed for it.
If you be fruitful and useful in the world, you shall have part
in this blessed resurrection. "All that are in the graves shall
hear his voice and shall come forth ; they that have done good
unto tbe resurrection of life." But the same requisites tbat the
schoolmen assign to make a good prayer, are also necessary to
every good work. The person, matter, manner, and end must
be good. "Thefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, un-
moveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much
as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."
Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 283

THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST ILLUSTRATED AND
IMPROVED.

OHN. xx. 17.-*- Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not: for lam
not yet ascended to my Father : but go to my brethren, and say
unto tliem, I ascend unto my lather and your Father; and to
mv God and uour God.

JOHN. xx. 17.-*- Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not: for lam
not yet ascended to my F"*i">~ • *-•' — '  _..-.. 7
unto them, I ascend uni
my God and your God.
In the former verses you find Mary wai-Mng at Christ's sepu -
chre, in a very pensive frame : exceedingly troubled because she
knew not what had become of Christ, ver. 15. In the next verse
Christ calls her by her name, Mary, she knowing tbe voice,
turned henself, and answered, Rabboni. And as a soul trans
ported with joy, rushes info his arms, as desirous to clasp and
embrace him. But Jesus said, " Touch me not," &c.
Christ would signify hereby that it was not his pleasure in so
great a juncture of things as this, to spend time in expressing her
affections "to him ; but rather to shew it by hastening about bis
service; Which is now to " tell my brethren, I ascend to my
Father, and your Father ; to my God, and your God." This is
the comfortable message sent by Mary to tbe pensive disciples.
Hence the observation is,
Doct. That our Lord Jesus Christ, did not only rise from the
dead, but also ascended into ¦ heaven ; there to dispatch all
that remained to be done far the completing the solvation of
his people.
Now fot the opening this act of Christ, we wilLbind up the
whole in the satis-actib__ of these questions.
1. Who ascended?
This the apostle answers, Eph. iv. 10. " the same that'de*
scended," viz. Christ. And himself tells us in the text, " I
ascend." ' As God, he is spiritually with us Still, even to the
end ofthe world. But as man, " the heaivens must contain him
till the restitution of all things, Acts iii. 21.
2. Whence Christ ascended ?
I answer, it was from Mount Olivet, near unto Jerusalem.
The very place where he began his lastsorrowful tragedy. There,
his heart began to be sad, and there, is it now made glad. Oh,
what a difference was there betwixt the frame Christ was in,
in that mount before his passion, and this he is now in, at the as
cension !
3. Whither did he ascend ?
It is manifest it was info the third heavens : tbe throne of God,
and place of the blessed ; where all the saints shall be with him
for ever. It is said to be far above all heavens ; i. e. the heavens

284 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
which we see, for they are but the pavement ofthat stately palace
ofthe great king.
4. When did Christ ascend ? Was it presently as soon as he
arose from the dead ? •
No, not so, for "after his resurrection (saith Luke) he was seen
of them forty days, speaking ofthe things pertaining to the king
dom of God." He had ineffable glory prepared for him in heaven,
and awaiting his coming; but he will not go to possess it, til] he
has settled all things for the good of his church here. Then he
had work of great concernment to do for us in the other world.
He desired to be no longer here, than he had work to do for God
and souls. A good pattern for saints.
5. How did Christ ascend into heaven ?
Christ ascended as a public person or forerunner, in our names,
and upon our account. John xiv. 2. To take possession of
heaven in our names. The forerunner hath respect to others
that were to come to heaven after him, iri their several gene
rations. It notes precedency, he is oar forerunner, but he himself had
no forerunner Never any entered into heaven before him, but
such as entered in his name and through the virtue of his merits.
All the fathers who died before him entered in his name.
2. He ascended triumphantly into heaven. To this _good ex
positors refer, Psal. xlvii. 5. "God is gone up with a shout, the
Lord with the sound of a trumpet ; sing praises to God, sing prai
ses ; sing praises unto our King sing praises."
A cloud is prepared, as a royal chariot, to carry up the King
of glory to his princely pavilion. " A cloud received him out of
their sight," Luke xxiv. 51. And then a royal guard of mighty
angels surrounded the chariot, for the greater state and solemnity
of their Lord's ascension. ' And oh what jubilations of the bles
sed angels were heard in heaven ! How was tlie whole city of
God moved at his coming ! Yea, the triumph is not ended at this
day, nor ever shall.
3. Christ ascended munificiently, shedding forth abundantly,
inestimable gifts Upon his church at his ascension. As in the Ro
man triumphs they did bestow largesses upon the people : so did
our Lord when he ascended,wherefore be saith when he ascended
up on high, he led captivity captive ; and gave gifts unto men."
Thousands now in heaven and thousands on earth also, are bless
ing Christ at this day for these, his ascension-gifts.
4. Our Lord Jesus Christ ascended most comfortably, for
whilst he was blessing his people, he was parted from them, Luke
xxiv. 50, 5l. The last sight they had of him in this world was
a most sweet and encouraging one. They heard nothing from
his lips but love, they saw nothing in his face but love, till he
mounted his triumphant chariot, and was taken out of their
sight.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 285
By this we may be satisfied that Christ carried an heart full of
love to. his people away with him to lieaven ; since his love so
abounded in the last act that ever he did in this World.
5. He ascended, as well as rose again by his own power.
He was not merely passive in his ascension, but it was his own
act. He went to heaven. And this plainly evinceth him to be
God, for no mere creature ever mounted itself from earth, far
above all heavens, as Christ did.
6. Why did Christ ascend ?
I answer : His ascension was necessary upon many and great
accounts. For
1. If Christ had not ascended, he could not have interceded, as
now he doth in heaven for us. And do but take away Christ's
intercession and. you starve the hope ofthe saints. For what
have we to succour ourselves with, under the daily surprises of
sin,. but this, "That if any man sin, we have an advocate (with
the Father) : " to transact all our affairs, and as a surety for the
peace betwixt God and us.
2. If Christ had not ascended, you could not have entered into
heaven when you die. For he went to "prepare a place for
you," John xiv. 2. , Nor could your bodies have ascended after
their resurrection, but in the virtue of Christ's ascension.
3.' If Christ had not ascended he could not have been inaugu
rated, and installed in the glory he now enjoys in heaven. This
world is not the place where perfect felicity and glory dwell.
Luke xxiv. 25.
4. If Christ had not ascended, how could we have been satisfied
that his payment on the cross made full satisfaction to. God, and
that now God hath no more bills to bring in against us ? How
is it that the Spirit convinceth the world of righteousness. This
gives evidence of God's full content and satisfaction, both with his
person and work. -
5. How should we have enjoyed the great blessings of the
Spirit and ordinances, if Christ had not ascended ? If Christ had
not gone away, "the Comforter had not come," he begins where
Christ had finished. And indeed by Christ's ascension, both his
sanctifying, and his ministering gifts were shed forth, more com
monly and more abundantly upon men.
6. If Christ had not ascended, how had all tbe types and pro
phecies, that prefigured and foretold it, been fulfilled? So
'that upon all these accounts, it was expedient that he should go
away„ It was for his glory and our advantage.
Inference 1. Did Christ ascend into heaven ? Is our Jesus,
ourifmasure indeed there? Where then should the hearts of be
lievers be, but in heaven, where their. Lord, their life & ? > Surely
saints; it is not good that your love, and your Lord should be iri
two.seiveral countries, said one that is now with him. •¦> Up and
hasten after your lover, that he and you may be together. An

286 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
heart ascendant, is the best evidence of your interest in Christ's
8 seen sion ¦
Inf. 2. Did Christ go to heaven as a forerunner ? What haste
should,we make to follow him ? Did he run to glory, and shall
we linger? did he flee like as an eagle towards heaven, and we
creep like snails ? Come Christians, " Lay aside every weight,
and run with .patience the race set before you, looking' unto Je
sus." How tedious should it seem to us, to live so long at a dis
tance from our Lord Jesus ! "
Inf. 3. Did Christ ascend so triumphantly, leading captivity
captive ? How little reason then have believers to fear their con
quered enemies ? Sin, Satan, and every enemy, were in that day
led away in triumph, dragged at Christ's chariot wheels, brought
after him as it were in chains. It is a , lovely sight to see the
necks of those tyrants under the foot of our Joshua.
Inf. 4. Did Christ ascend so munificently, shedding forth so
many mercies upon his people? mercies of inestimable value re
served on purpose to adorn that day ? O then see that you abuse
not those precious ascension^gifts, but value and improve them as
the choicest mercies. Now the ascension-gifts^' as I told you, are
either the ordinances and offcers ofthe church, (for he then gave
them pastors and teachers,) or the spirit that furnished tbe
church with all its gifts. Beware that you abuse not either of
these. First, Abuse not the ordinances and officers of Christ. Thig
is a sin that no nation is plunged deeper into the guilt of, than
this nation, and no age more than this. We have been loose,
wanton sceptical professors, that have had nice and coy stomachs,
that could not relish plain, wholesome truths, except so and so
modified to our humours. For this tbe Lord hath a controversy
with tbe nation, and by a sore judgment, he hath begun to rebuke
this sin already. And I douht not, before he make an end, plain
truths will down with us, and we shall bless God for them.
But in the next place, see that you abuse not the Spirit, that
you do not vex him by your disobedience ; nor grieve him by
your unkindnesses ; nor quench him by your sinful neglects of
duty, or abuse of light. O deal kindly with the Spirit, and obey
his voice.
He was the first and principal mercy that Christ received jor
you at his first entrance into heaven. It was the first thing he
asked of God when he came to heaven, John xiv. 16, 17. So
that the Spirit is tbe first-born of mercies ; and deserves the first
place in our hearts and esteem.
TAe Spirit comes not in. his own name to us, but he comes tous
in, the name, and in the hve, both ofthe Father and the Son. ¦ 0
therefore give him an entertainment worthy of one that comes to
you in the name of tbe Lord. In the Father's name, and in the
Son's name.

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 287
But that is not the only consideration that should cause you to
beware of grieving the Spirit, for he deserves better entertainment
than any of the saints give him, for his own sake; for he is co
equal with the Father and Son in nature and dignity 2 Sam
xxiii. 23. Beware and grieve him not, for in so doing you grieve
We.are obliged, even on the score of gratitude, to obey him ;
for he is sent in the quality of an advocate to help us to pray ; to
indite our requests for us ; to teach us what and how to ask of
God. He comes to us as a comforter, and none like him.
It is he that puts efficacy Into the ordinances, and without him
they would be a dead letter. It was he that blessed them to
your conviction and conversion. For if angels had been the
preachers, no conversion had followed without the Spirit. It is
he that lis the bond of union: betwixt Christ and your souls. It
was he that so often helped. your infirmities, comforted your
hearts when they were overwhelmed within you, and preserved
you many thousand limes from sin and ruin, when you have been
upon the slippery brink of it in temptations ; and it is he that is
the best evidence your souls have for heaven. O grieve not the
Holy Spirit whom Christ sent as soon as ever he went to heaven,
to perform all these offices for you. -,»
Inf. 5. Is Christ ascended to the Father_as our fore-runner ?
Then the door of salvation stands open to ati believers, and by
virtue of Christ's ascension, they also shall ascend after him, far
above all visible heavens. O my friends, what a place hath Christ
prepared and taken up for you! O bow august and glorious a
dwelling is that, where the sun, and moon, and stars, shall shine
as much below your feet, as they are now above your beads ?
God send us a joyful meeting within the vail with our Fore-run
ner, and sweeten our passage into it, with many a foresight and
foretaste thereof. And, in the mean time, let the love of a
Saviour inflame our hearts, so that whenever we cast a look
towards that place, our souls may say, with melting affections,
Thanks be lo, God for Jesus Christ; and again, Blessed be God
for Ms unspeakable gift.

THE SESSION OF CHRIST AT GOD'S RIGHT HAND.
Heb. i. 3. — When he hadby himself purged our sins, sat down on
the right hhnd of the Majesty on, high.
How much is the state and condition of Je3us Christ changed
in a few days! Here he groaned, wept, laboured, suffered, sweat,
yea, sweat blood, and found no rest in this world, but when he
comes to heaven, there he enters into rest. Sits down for ever

238 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
on the highest and easiest throne, prepared by the Father for
him when he had done his work. " When he had by himself
purged our sins, he sat down," &c.
Doct. That when our Lord Jesus Christ had finished his work
on earth, he was placed in the seal of the highest honour and
authority ; at the right hand of God in heaven: ? '
This truth is transformingly glorious. Stephen had but a
glimpse of Christ at his Father's right hand, and it caused " his
face to shine, as it had been the face of an angel," Acts vii. 56.
We shall here open two things in the doctrinal part;"
First, What are we to understand here by God's right hand?
It ft obvious enough, that the expression is not proper, but figura-.
tive and borrowed. God-hath no hand, right or left ; but it is a
condescending expression, wherein Gbd stoops to thj& creature's
understanding, and by it he would have us understand, ,-,.:' .
1. The right .hand is the hand of honour, where we place those
whom we highly esteem and honour. So Solomon placed his
mother in a seat at his right hand, 1 Kings ii. 19. So, in token
of honour, God sets Christ at his right hand; which, on that
account, in the text, is called the right hand of Majesty, Heb. i.
13. ,
2. The right hand is the hand of power : we call it the weapon
hand, and the working hand. And the setting of Christ there,
imports his exaltation to the highest authority, and most supreme
dominion. , Matt. xxvi. 64. " Hereafter ye shall see .the Son
of man sitting on the right hand of power."
3. It signifies nearness in place, us we use to say, a. one'selbow,
and it is applied to Christ, in Psal. ex. 5. The Lord, who is
very near thee, present with thee, he shall subdue thine enemies.
This then is what we are to .understand by God's right hand,
honour, power, and nearness. , •
Secondly, In the next place let us see what is implied in Christ's
sitting at God's right hand, with his enemies for his, footstool, .s
1 . It implies the perfecting and completing of Christ's work,
that he came into the world about. After his work was ended,
then he sat down and rested from those labours, Heb. x. 11, 12.
2. His sitting down at God's right- hand, notes the high con
tent and satisfaction of God the Father in him, and in his work.
" The Lord said to my Lord, sit thou at my right hand f it is as
if he had said, " O my Son, what shall be done for thee this day?
Thou bast finished a great work, and in a_l fte parts of it acquitted
thyself as an able and faithful servarit to me ; what honours shall
I now bestow upon thee ? The highest glory in heaven is not too
high for thee ; come sit at,my right-hand." ' .;
3. Christ's sitting down at God's; right hand in heaven, notes
the advancementof Christ's human nature to the highest honour;

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 289
even to be the object of adoration to angels and men. Not sim
ply, as it is flesh and blood, but as it is personally united to the
second person, and enthroned in the supreme glory of heaven.
0 here is the mystery, that flesh and blood should ever be
advanced to the highest throne of majesty, and being installed
in that glory, we may now direct our worship to him as Gdd-
man ; and to this end was .his humanity so advanced, that it might
be adored and worshipped by all. That all men should honour
the Son, " even as they honour the Father." And the Father
will accept of no honour divided from his honour. Hence the
apostles, in the salutations of their epistles, beg for grace, mercy,
and peace, from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
4. It imports the sovereignty and supremacy of Christ over
all. The investiture of Christ with authority over the empire, of
both worlds : for this belongs to him that sits down upon his
throne. When the Father said to him sit at my right hand, he
did therein deliver to him the dispensation and economy of the
kingdom. Put the awful sceptre of government into his band,
and so the apostle interprets and understands it, 1 Cor. xv. 25.
" He must reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet."
5. To sit at God's right hand with his enemies for a foot-stool,
implies Christ lo be a conqueror over ati his enemies. To have
his enemies under his feet, notes perfect conquest and complete
victory. 6. Christ's sitting in heaven notes to us the great Und wonder
ful change that is made upon the state and condition of Christ,
since his ascension into heaven. He was born in a stable, but
now he reigns in his royal palace. Then he had a manger for
his cradle, but now he sits in a chair of state. Then oxen
and asses were bis companions, now thousands of saints, and ten
thousands of angels minister round about his throne. Then he
had no form or comeliness; now the beauty of his countenance
shall send forth such glorious beams, as shall dazzle the eyes of
all the celestial inhabitants. Here he lay upon the ground, there
he sits on the throne of glory.
7- Christ sitting at God's right hand, implies the advancement
of believers to the highest honour : For this session of Christ's
respects them, and there he sits as our representative, in which
regard we are made to sit with him in heavenly places, as the
apostle speaks, Eph. ii. 6. How secure may we be (saith Ter
tullian) who do now already possess the kingdom ? meaning in
our Head, Christ. Surely, it is matter of exceeding joy to believe
that Christ oiir Head, our flesh, and blood, is in all his glory at
his Father's right hand.
Inference 1 . Is this so great an honour to Christ to sit en
throned at God's right hand ? What honour then is reserved in
heaven for those that are faithful to Christ now on the earth ?
Christ prayed, and his prayer was heard, John xvii . 24. " That
u

_#0 Tift F6tiN*__l'N ifr Uft.
we My he With hfm to behold thb glory that God hath given
hfiri";" arid what heart can conceive the felicity of mch Might?
But this is 'riot all, though this ;be mtfch, to bV Spectators of
Cbri_t iri his throne Of glory;, we shrill not drily see him in His
throne, but also sit with hiri/enthroned in glory. To behold hfm
is mricb, but to sit with hirn is more. And you know how!M
Qtieiai df the SMth fainted at the sight Sf Soloinbri iri hfs gfety.
But thi_ Sight yburshall have of Christ will change you into his
likeness. " We shallbe like liim for We .shall pee him as he is."
Thfe hbriour have all the' saints. . O WrriaMiifc love! What'!
shall wfesit on thrones, Whfle.as!t6od(bi^h;!Ef-:v.e;b'y nature HdWl
in flames ! O what_daiiner 6ffl& .-e is this ! O, it is Udmirdbfe tb
thirik, Wither free grace hdth already iriburited poor 'dust ah<J
ashes ? AVWhat tea-dri' have j^ou to nonOur Christ on earth, whb
is fvep^hg sii-h licirioUr'sfoff ybu iii'be^veh.
Inf. 2. IsChrisfJisUs tMi enHwb^eWinhedien, thSnhoibihi-
pdssible is it, that' ever Ms ifiter est should hiiscaWy dr'Sinfe6k,
earth ? The chur.h hath many subtle afid1 potent enemies. Truie,
biftas'Hafaiah^couldttfetpreyAilagairfM'th'e^fe whilst' E_fh'er
their f_i&rid spkke1brTthem'f 6 the kirig, rio mbre ca!n they whilst
our Je'siis sits at his, and our Father's right hatid. The'eheiny
under Ms feet shall riot destroy the children in his larrifs. He sits
iri_w-a!vbh cm'p^rpbse to manage all to the advahtarge'ftf his' church,
Eph. i. 22. He may permit his enemies to straiten them iri brie
p_3S_; 'but it shall be for their enlargement iri another. For if is
wrmHhe church, as it is withthe sea ; what it \bkes itt orie place
it'^ets ih%ribther ; 'arid so really loses nothing.
Inf. 3. Is Clirist sit down on the right hand of the Majestyjin
heWybh ? O with' klfhat awful revejrence should 'ice approach hipi
in the duties "of his worship ! A Way With light and low thbflgbts
of Christ. AwSy with formal, irreverent,: arid careless frames' iii
ptayirig, b£_.ring, receiving, yea, in conferring and speaking of
Christ. Away With all deadness, arid drowsiness in duties ; Tor
he is a gi-eat King with whom you'have to do. A kirig, to whom
the kings of the earth are but as little bits of clay. Lo, the
angels febver their faces in his presence. He is an adorable
Majesty. Inf. 4. If 'Christ be so gloriously advanced in the hiMffl
throne, then none need to reckon themselves dishonoured >by
suffering the vilest things for his sake. The very fchains' arid
sufferings of Christ have glory in them. Hence Mdsbs " esteen_eil
the -very reproaches bf Christ greater riches than- the treasures of
Egypt," Heb. xi. 26. He salw such exCellericy in the ve.y wbrit
things of Christ, his reproaches and sufferings, Us maide him l-$>
out of his honours -.rid'. idhes into tliem. He d_d hot, (fe.bhe
saith) only endure the reproaches of Christ, but counted' them

Inf. 5. If Christ sat not dorin to'Wst ln]lkdven tUVhe Kid

THE1 FOUNTAIN <JF LIFE. 29_
fiifisfied his' work on earth, then it is in vain for its to think of
rest, till we have finished our work, as Christ also did his.
Ilow wjlling are, we to find rest here! To drearri ofthat, which'
Cftrist- rieyef found infois world; nor any ever found Before us.
04Kink riot of re^rig, till you have done working arid dbri'e shi
lling. T? pur life and jrour labours must/end together. "Write
(saith the Spirit) blessed are the dead' that die in the Lord, for
they re^t'frorn^lhei-^bburs^' Rev. jdv. 13. Hereybu riiust'have
the sweat, arid there the sweet. " Arise, depart, this is riot fth'y
test^fpr it is polluted." Well then, bp content to eritb. irito jrbUr
fe^,,as Ghrist' did into' his. He sweat, then sat,' and so rnu_tyou.

CHRIST'^ ADVENT TO ^UDGMjfcN'T,
Acts x. 42. — And he commanded us to preach unto the people, to
^siify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge cf
quvcK and dead. ,/,
Christ ejithrpned in the highest glory in heaven, is there to
atrae'for the effeqfual and j^uceessful /govefrimpnt, both of the
world) arid pfrthe church, until the number given hjrii by the
Father, befjoreth^ world .was, and prirchas-d. by the blood bf tffe
cross, be gathered iri; arid then cbmeth Jije judgment of( the great
day, wliiGh will perfectly, »eparate.tjie precious from the Vife ; put
the redeemed in full possession of the purphase of his blood in
hesiyen, and ",jthen shall he deliver Up the kingdom to his Father,
tha| ,^(M^may 'he all in all." .<'"',"
.Thislas^ act pf Christ, namely, his judging tbe,World is a spe
cial* parfo'f f(is, exaitatibri Arid honour bestowed upon him, " be-
M. jp hef EpkofMn .*' ; In 'that dayshallhis. glory, ,e_a- £ihg,
and afeblufe Lord5, ! s'frine forth as the sun When it shineth1 iri '%s
strength. 0, what an honour wijl it be to tbe man Christ Jesiis,
who stood arraigned and condemned at Pilate's bar, to sit Upon
the ;gr$at ,wfyite. throne, surrounded with thqu^ands, ^and fen
'$$$&&% bf angels"!, men and devils, wafting upon' li.m' to rpceive
the Jnal'l'etiteriee 'frj-m'his mouth. In this wijfjthe ^lpiy'bf
,' dhriS.s.spvlre^gn^' and power be eminently arid jlllUsfriously dis-
* , Played beiRpre ^ngels ,and men. And this; Js jthat gr'ea't truth Whiph
he copmifirided to be preached and testified fo the pebble, niuriety,
j$iap.is . '' ne wliich' is ^rdained pf (*od to Be the Judge bf quidk
vand^(d|ead." ,ipoct. Thai 9W, Lord jesus Christ is ordained by God the Father
to bejthe Judge of quick and dead.
Three things will be opened herre.
'MVs./Thecerfeirity of a judgment. This is a truth of a firmer
u 2

292 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
establishment than heaven and earth. It is no devised fable, no
cunning artifice to keep the world in awe ! but a thing as confess
edly true as it is awfully solemn.
1. As the scriptures do very plainly reveal it, so the justice
and righteousness of God require it should be so. For the Judge
of all the earth will do right, Gen. xviii. 25. Now righteousness
itself requires that a difference be made betwixt the righteous
and the wicked., But no such distinction is generally and fully
made betwixt one and the other in this world. . Yea, rathe,r the
wicked prosper and the righteous perish.
And even in courts of judicature, where the innocent might ex
pect relief ; there they often meet with the worst oppressions.
How fairly and justly, therefore, doth the wise man infer a judg-
ment to come from this consideration, Eccles. iii. 16, 17. Itis
confessed, that sometimes God vindicates his providence against
the Atheism of the world, by particular strokes upon the wicked,
but this is but rare. And as the Father well observes, " if no sin
were punished here, no providence vyould be believed ; again, if
every sin were openly punished here, no judgment hereafter
could be expected."
2. Man is a reasonable being, and every reasonable being, is
an accountable being. He is a subject capable of moral govern
ment. He is swayed by rewards and punishments. " So then
every one of us shall give an account of himself to God." All the
gifts of body, mind, estate, time, &c. are so many talents en
trusted to him by God ; therefore a time will come, Matt. xxv.
14, 19. when he will reckon with them.
3. And what need we seek evidence of this truth, further than
our own conscience, which both accuses and excuses for good
and evil, which it could never do, were there not a future judg
ment, of which it is now conscious to itself. And, therefore, it is
undoubted that such a day will come. But I shall rather choose,
in the
Second Place, to open the nature and manner of this judgment,
and First, It will be a great and awful day. It is called the " judg
ment of the great day," Jude 6. The manner of Christ's coming
will be awfully solemn ; " For the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the arch-angel, with
the trump of God ; 1 Thess. iv. 16, 17. Here Christ breaks out
of heaven, with the shouts of angels, " as armies shout when the
signal of battle is given." Above all which shall the voice of
the Archangel be distinctly heard. After this shout the trump of
God shall sound. By this tremendous blast sinners will be af
frighted out of their graves ; but to the saints it will carry no more
terror than the roaring of cannons) when armies of friends approach
a besieged city, for the relief of them that are within it. The
dead being raised, they shall be gathered before the great throne

THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 293
on which Christ shall sit in his glory ; and there be divided
exactly to the- right and left hand of Christ by the ah gels.
These preparatives will make it awful ; and much more will
the work itself, that Christ comes about, make it so. For it is
"to judge the secrets of men."
Imagine Christ upon his glorious throne, surrounded with my
riads and legions of angels, his royal guard ; a poof unbeliever
trembling at the bar ; an exact scrutiny made into his h eart and
life ; the dreadful sentence given ; and then a cry ; and then his
delivering him over to the executioners of eternal vengeance^
never, never, to see a glimpse of hope or mercy any more.
Imagine Christ, like the general of an army, mentioning with
honour, on the head of all the hosts of heaven and earth, all the
services that fhe saints have done for him in this world : then sen-
tentially justifying them by open proclamation ; then entering the
gates ofthat city of God, in that noble train of saints and angels
intermixed; and. so for ever to be with the Lord. O what a
great day must this day be !
2. As it will be an awful and solemn judgment, sb it will be
a critical and exact judgment. Justice holds the balances in an
even hand : Christ will go to work so exactly, that some divines
of good note think, the day of judgment will last as long as
this day ofthe gospel's administration hath lasted or shall last.'
3. It will be an universal judgment, 2 Cor. v. 10. " We must
all appear before the judgment seat of Christ." Those that had
many talents, and he that had but one talent, must appear at this
bar ; those that were carried from the cradle to the grave, with
him that stooped for age : the rich and poor ; the father and the
child ; the master, and servant ; the believer, and the unbeliever,
must stand forth in that day. " I saw the dead both small and
great, stand before God, and the books were opened," Rev.
xx. 12.
4. It will be a judgment full of convictive clearness. All things
will be so sifted; that the sentence of Christ, both on saints and
sinners, shall be applauded. " Righteous art thou, O Lord,
because thou hast judged thus."
5. It will be a supreme and final judgment, from which lies no
appeal. For it is the sentence of the highest and only Lord.
And so you find it in that judicial process, Matt. xxv. ult. just
after the sentence is pronounced by Christ, it is immediately
added, " these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but
the righteous into life eternal." ,
Thirdly, In the last place, I must inform you that God, in
ordaining Christ to be the Judge, has very highly exalted him.
l! This act of judging pertaining properly tb tbe kingly office,
Christ will be glorified as much in his kingly office, as he hath
been in either of the other. We find some few glimpses ofthe

294 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
kingly office, breaking forth in this world; But these were only
faint beams; For what were the Hosannas of little children,in
the streets Of Jerusalem, to the shouts and acclamations of thou
sands of angels, arid ten thousands of saints ? What was his whip
ping the profane out of trie temple, to his turning the wicked into
bejl, ai?<| seijdjng hijs angels to gather out of his kingdom eVery
thipg tbaft offendeth ? What was a title wrjtten by his. judge, and
fixed on the ignominious tree, to fhe name that shah now be seen
on his vesture, and 'on his thigh, King of kings, and Lord of
Lords. 1 ,. i. ,
2. Thjs : will he a display of his glory in .the highest, before thg
whole wprjd. For they will be present at once, and together,iall
the inhabitants; of heaven, and earth, and hell; angels, those glit
tering courtiers pf heaven must attend his; person ; so that heaven
will, for a time, be left empty of all its inhabitants : men and de
vils must be there fo be judged : arid before tbis great assembly
yvill Christ appear iri royal Majesty. The inhabitants of the three
regions, shall then rejoice or tremble before ibim, arid acknow
ledge, him to be supreme Lord and Jting.
,3., This will roll away for eyer the reproach of his death : fojr
fijate and the Iljgh-priest, that judged him at their bars, shall
pow,stan4 quiyejing at Iiis; bar; with Hero^ that set him at
nought, the. soldiers and officers that traduced and abuse<| hihi:
there they that reviled him on the cross, wagging their heads, will
sfand, with trembling knees, before his throne. , For, " every eye
shall see him, and they also that pierced him," Rev. i. 7.
Inference ' 1 . Is Jesus Christ ordained of God tqbe the judge
of thequick and dead ? Great then is the security, believers forae,
that they shall, nql be condemned in that day. Who shaU con
demn, when Christ is judge J . And, to be sure, no sentence of
condemnation shall in that ^day.be^gijren by Christ againsi theni.
For, he died to save them, and he will never cross and oveiihrQjif
th^designs an<} ends of his own de^h: * *
'Ihey have been cleared and absolved already. .Andfjeiffg
oncet absolved by divine sentence, they can never be condense!
afterward. For one divine sentence cannot cross and rescind
another. , .
He tljat judged them is their head, husband, friend, and bro?
ther: who loved them and gave himself for them. 6 then, with
what confidence may they go, , even unto his throne ? It is' not
t}ie business of that day to condemn, put to absolve andipronounce
them pardoned and justified, according to tjje sentence of Acts
iii. 12- and Mat. m\, 32.
,/«/. 2. If .Christ be ordained of Grpd \o be fhe judge pfquick
and dead, How miserable a case will Chrisiiess souls be in al tha \
day. They, that app Chris tless,now,wM be speecbJe^help]efs and
hopeless then. How, will their hands harig dbwii, and their knees
knock together! O dreadful day ! 6"astonisni_ig sight ! tb. see

THE, FOJJNTAI^ QfLIFjg. '-, ,, 2$j
dful conflagration, the; elemejfts *i$te the
. r,th trembling, toe judgment set, the pnsbhgfs
It fprto; 0 who shall endure this day, hut those fBa. By
aLui,' rHZ _. .._- -.._. ._ ^j J__.ii.__ __Ji •_::^nrV4n____ !»'!*>_'«

Let
to J5o you ttiink it ppssi
citation is given '
can you
dust,

¦ou imagirie it ? Is npi tfel"sam^ povyer ttiat revived y'our
able to bring you, befojre trie barY $rid if yo| mi|k|$jtear,
are there no accusers, npf witriesses? tha. will "appear against you
and confront you in the court'if' "What, think you, wap Satan so
often a tempter to you here, and will He not be 'an acdri'seij there ? ,
What think yon of your Own consciences . If tiiey vv^i^er now,
they will thunder then. Will not the, Spirit accuse-you, for re
sisting his motions, and stifling thousands of hfe' convictions ?
Will not your companions; m sin accuse you, who, drew bf were
d rpwn by' you to sin ? Will not your1 tp ackers Be. youf accusers '?.
Will not ybur very relations, be your accusers^ to Whom you haye
failed ity all youi; relative dutiej. ? Yea, and eybry one whom
you have tempted to sin, aBused, defrauded, over-reacted ';' all
these will bje your accusers.
Bemg accused Before* Jesus Christ vifhat will you pl^ad fpjr,
yourselves ? If you deriy, arid plead not guilty, thy Judge fs me
searcher of hearts, and knows all things. V
If , rib defence pr plea he left thee, then what canst ^hou imagine
shptdd retar^ the sentence ?
Abd, if Sjentehce "Be once gjveh by Chris^ against thy r^oul,
what' in all ' the w<M cari^t'thqu ' imagine sBouldhiri^er theex^
cution? Will he alter the thing tha.ris gone ou.'dfhis'inouffi?
Dost thou hope he is more merciful and pitifuLthan so ? Thou
mistakest, if thou expect mercy out of that way in which he dis
penses it. " Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord,
have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast
out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you ; depart
from me ye that work iniquity."
And must it come to this dismal issue with you indeed ? God
forbid it should.
Inf. 3. If Christ be appointed of God to be the Judge of all,
^how are all concerned to secure thei* interest in him, and therein
an eternity of happiness to their own souls by the work of regene
ration ? Of all the business that men have in this world, there is
none, so solemn, so necessary, and important as this. O my
brethren, 'this is a work, able to drink up your spirits, while you
do but think of the consequence of it. <
Summon in then by thy self-reflecting and considering powers :
get alone, reader, and forgetting all other things, ponder with;thy-

296 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
self this deep, dear, eternal concernment of thine. Examine the
state of thy own soul. "Look into the scriptures, then into thine
own heart, and then to heaven, saying, Lord, let me not be deceived
in so great a concernment to me as this. O let not toe trifles of
time wipe off the impressions of death, judgment, and eternity
from thy heart. O that long word (Eternity,) that it might b_
night and day with thee : that the awe of it may be still upon thy
spirit, O let not that day corpe by surprizal upori you. Re-
meiriber, that as death leaves, so judgment will find you.
Inf. 4. Is Jesus Christ appointed Judge of quick and dead,
then look to itf all you that hope to be found of him in peace, that
you avoid those sins, and live in the daily practice of those duties,
which the consideration of that day powerfully persuades you
to avoid or practice. For it not only presses to. holiness in the
beginning of it, but in the daily exercise and practice of it- ,
Be ye meek and patient under all injuries. Avenge not
yourselves, but leave it to the Lord, who will do it. Do not an
ticipate the work of God. " Be patient, my brethren, to the
coming of the Lord."
Be watchful, and sober, keep the golden bridle of moderation
upon all your affections.
Improve all your Master's talents diligently and carefully.
Take heed of the napkin, Mat. xxv. 14, 18. Then must you
make up your account for them all.
But, above all, be sincere in your profession. Beware of hy
pocrisy ; for there is nothing covered, which shall not be revealed ;
neither hid, that shall not be made known. — Thus I have
finished, through divine aids, the whole doctrine of the impetra-
tion of redemption by Jesus Christ.

THE
METHOD OF GRACE.

THE GENERAL NATURE OF EFFECTUAL
APPLICATION.
1 Con. i. 30. — But of Mm are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is
made unto us, wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification,
and redemption.
He that enquires what is the just value of Christ, asks a ques
tion which puts all men on earth, and the angels in heaven, to
an everlasting non-plus. >
The highest attainment of our knowledge in this life is to know,
that himself and his love do pass knowledge, Eph. iii. 19.
But how excellent soever Christ is in himself, and whatever
joy, peace, and ravishing comforts, spring up to men out of his
incarnation, humiliation, and exaltation, they all give down
their distinct benefits and comforts to them, in the way of effectual
application. For never was any wound healed by a prepared, but unapplied
plaister. Never any body warmed by the most costly garment
made, but not put on : Never any heart refreshed and comforted
by the richest cordial compounded, but not received : Nor ^roni
the beginning ofthe world was it ever known, that a poor deceived,
condemned, polluted, miserable sinner, was actually delivered out
of that woful state, until of God, Christ was made unto him, wis
dom and righteousness, sanctification and redemption.
How great a weight therefore doth there hang upon the effec
tual application of Christ to the souls of men ! And what is
there in the Whole world so awfully solemn, so greatly important
as this is!
In these words we bave an enumeration of the chief privileges
ofbelievers, and an account ofthe method whereby they come to
be invested with them.
x First, Their privileges are enumerated, namely, wisdom righ
teousness, sanctification, and redemption, mercies of inestimable
value in themselves, and such as respect a fourfold misery lying
upon sinful man, viz. ignorance, guilty pollution, and the whole
train of miserable consequences and effects, let in upon the nature
of men, yea, the best and holiest of men, by sin.
But from all these, and whatever else, the fruits and conse-

298 THE METHOD. OF GRACE.
quences of sin, Christ is redemption to his people : This seals up
the sum of mercies.
These four, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemp
tion, take all that is necessary or desirable, to make a soul truly
and perfectly blessed.
Secondly, We have here the method and way, by which the
elect come to be invested with these excellent privileges : " Who
of God is made unto us," in which expression four things are re
markable. First, That Christ and his benefits go inseparably {together.
It is Christ himself who ja made all this unto us : we can have
no saving benefit separate and apart from the person of Christ.
Secondly, That Christ With his benefits must be personally and
particularly applied to us, before we can receive any actual1, SEr.itig'
privilege by him ; he mttst be [made unto Us] i. e. particularly ap
plied to us ; as a sum of money is made the ransom and liberty
of a captive, when it is not only promised, but paid down i# iris
name, and legally applied for that use and end.
Thirdly, That this application of Christ is the wcffk ief Gb^
and not of man : ',' Of God he is made unto us :" The same hand
that prepared it, must apply ft, or else we perish
Fourthly and lastly, This expression imports the siwt^>lfiness
of Christ, to the tyecessities of sinners ; what they wa$}£ he is
made to them ; and indeed, as money answers all thi^g^ audi?
convertible into what our bodily necessities require; so Christ if;
virtually and eminently all that the necessities of our .gpuJs ier
quire. The sum of all is,
Doc,t- That the Lord Jesus \Chris <, wffh -off ^ prieciQus bener
fits, became ours, by Gad's special and effectual appl^at^n.
4.
l$ow. this personal, secondary and <. dtml Qm&PttefrVfM-
den^ti&ntqm by the spirit, m hi .sanctifying work, ifsftatpfcJ4i
I- am engaged here tp discuss and qpep ; which I shall dp inthege
following propositions.
Proppsitiori 1. The-app^cf^^n of Christ to jis is not only WW
prehensive of oitr justification, foffrf nUtkmew^ks.ofM^U,
which are known lo us in scripture, by the names of fegen$rg&m,
vocation, sanctification, and conversion. -. ,, ,
So the apostle observes, 1 Thess. i. .fi, ,$, « ,QW gpfsppl^Hft
not to you in word only but in power, andin £* Koly^^.
Ibere was toe effectual »ppji(?atfon, of Chrjst to fhm. #;&-d
you Be^e followers of ,,«s md of the LqhJ,» Ver..& tymm®
thejr ;effectu?..<5aH. " And ye lur^d from (JpmB idols. t»' mm
toe hying apd true <Sp<i, ver. 9. ,fbm yva$ thej? q^yersim
i?o,tbatye^er^ ensample. fo all that believe," **.&• ifc*e.ff3.
their life of sanctifi^ipp or de ..fe^OR to God, f&'ftitMtftt
are com^herid^m effectual appjiwi '™^ ?•*«*»

THE METHOD OF GRACE.
Prop. 2. The application of Qhrist to the souls of men i$ that
great project and design of God in this World, for the accomplish
ment whereof all the ordinances and all the officers of the gospel
a¥e appointed and continued in the World.
This the gospel expressly declares to be its direct erid, and the
grerit Business of all its officers, Eph. iv. ll, 12. Whefl, there
fore, all the elect are brought home iri a reconciled gtate in
Christ, when the marriage of the Lamb is come, bur work and
office expire together.
Prop 3. Such is th6 importance and great concernment of the
personal application of Christ td us 6y the Spirit, that whatsoever
the Fathet Aaih'adnS in the contrivance, or the Son, hath done in
the acboftiplishrhent of oat redemption, is all unavailable and;
ineffectual lo out 'Saltfatidii Without this.
HeUce the Upostle, 1 Pet. i. 2. noting tbe order of causes in
their operation, for the bringing about of our salvation, thus
states it, " Elect, according to the foreknowledge of God the
Fkttfer, through sari-tifi-afipn of the Spirit unto, obedience, arid
sprildkling of the blood of Jesd's Christ.*' Here you find God's
election arid Christ's Jblood, the two great causes of salvation,
and yet theie rttUst be kddedthe'saflCtifiCation ofthe Spirit.
Prop. 4. The application of CAmf, Aiilk Ms saving benefits, is
exactly ofthe same extent and latitude with the Father's election,
and the Son's ittUntion in dying, And cannot possibly be extended
to one soul farther.
Who hath saved and called us With an holy falling, not accord
Mg to our Works, but according tb 'his own purpose and grace,
Which wa_ giveh Us in Jbsus Christ, before the fburidation of the
world, 2 Tim. i. 9.
" 'Sb that ybu _ee the application of Christ, and his benefits by the
Spirit, ate commensurable with 'the Father's secret council, and
the Sbi_'_ design in dymg, which are theruie,mp'del, and pattern
of the Spirit's working.
'' #.bp. Sp'Tke dpptication of Christ to souls, by the regenerating
work of the Spirit, isthatuikidh makes the first'inietnut^feVence
dhd dtsiin^idn timdng men.
The elect themselves! ate " by nature the children of wrath,
even as oti_e.s," feph. iL 3.' Arid to 'trie Satrie purpose the apbs^
tlel'ells the (-brinthiriris, 1 Co.. vi. 1 1. whose practices did stink
in the very ribstrils of nritui'e, and' were able to make the more
siib^HeaMris biu__i. " Arid such Vere'soWof you, but ye
aife hashed, $e. q. d. look, jthbse wete ybur tfbrrijianiotti. orice':
as: they're; yori lately1 WeVe. ' ' ¦' ,;
, But " if any mari be in Christ, he is a new creature,; old things
arb iM kWay, Behold, ijl fflingg vare Becornenew."

300 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
ing comforts thatthey have in Chfist, and in all that he hath done,
suffered, or purchased for sinners.
"An unsanctified person may seem to relish and taste some
sweetness in the delicious promises and discoveries of the gos
pel byaOTMop/>/ica-.o«ofthemtohimself. But this is like the
foy'pf a beggar, dreaming he is a king ; he awakes and finds he
is a beggar still : but for the rational, solid, and genuine delights
and comforts of religion, no man tastes them, till this work ofthe
Spirit hath first passed upon his soul : it is an enclosed pleasure,
a stranger intermeddl es not with it.
Prop. 7. The application of Christ to the soul effectually, though
it be so' far wrought in the first saving work of the Spirit, as
truly to unite the soul to Christ, and save it from the danger of
perishing; yet it is a work gradually advancing in the believer's
soul, whilst it abides on this side heaven and glory.
It is true, indeed, that Christ is perfectly and completely ap
plied to the soul in the first act for righteousness, " Justification
being a relative change, properly admits no degrees, but is
perfected together, and at once, iri one only act ; though as to
its manifestation, sense, and effects, it hath various degrees."
But the application of Christ to us, for wisdom and sanctification,
is npt perfected in one single act, but rises by many and slow
degrees to its just perfection, till at last it is wholly swallowed
up in Christ's full and perfect enjoyment.
Prop. 8. Lastly, Although the several privileges and benefits
before mentioned are all truly bestowed with Christ upon believers,
yet they are not communicated to them in the same manner ; but
differently as their respective natures do require.
These four illustrious benefits are conveyed from Christ to, us
iri three different ways and methods.; his righteousness, is made
ours by imputation : his wisdom and sanctification by renovation :
his redemption by our glorification.
So that look, as justification cures the guilt of sin, and sanctifi
cation, the dominion of sin, so glorification removes, together
with its existence and being, all those miseries which it let in (as
at a flood-gate) upon our whole man, Eph. v. 26, 27.
I shall next improve the point in some useful inferences.
Inference 1 . Learn from hence, what a naked, destitute, and
empty thing, a poor sinner is, in Ms unregenerate state.
He is one that naturally and inherently hath neither wisdom,
nor righteousness, santification nor redemption ; all these must
come frorn without himself, even from Christ, who is made all
this to a sinner, or else he must eternally perish.
O man ! thine excellencies, whatever they are, are borrowed
from Christ, they oblige thee to him, but he can be no more
obliged to thee, who wearest them, than the sun is obliged to him
that borrows its light, or the fountain to him that draws its water.

THE METHOD «F GRACE. 301
Inf. 2. Hence we are informed, that none may claim benefit
by imputed righteousness, but those only that live in the power of
inherent holiness; to whomsoever Christ is made righteousness to
him he also is made sanctification.' '
It is true, that our sanctification cannot justify us hefore God ;
but what then, can it not evidence our justification before men ?
Is there no necessity, or use for holiness, because it hath no hand
in our justification ? Is the preparation of the soul for heaven,
by altering its frame and temper, nothing ? Is the glorifying of
our Redeemer, by tbe exercises of grace in the world, nothing ?
Doth the work of Christ render the work of the Spirit needless ?
God forbid.
Inf. 3. How unreasonable,- and worse than brutish, is the sin
of infidelity, by which the sinner rejects Christ, and with him all
those mercies, and benefits, which alone can relieve and cure his
misery !
He is by nature blind and ignorant, and yet refuses Christ, who
comes to him with heavenly light and wisdom ; he is condemned
by the terrible sentence of the law to eternal wrath, and yet re
jects Christ, who has complete and perfect righteousness.
Sin hath stabbed the sinner to the heart, the wounds are all
mortal, eternal death is in his face ; Christ hath prepared the
only plaister that can cure his wounds, but he will not suffer him
to apply it. He acts like one in love with death, and that judges
it sweet to perish. So that in two things the unbeliever shews
himself worse than brutish, he cannot think of damnation, the
effect of sin, without horror ; and cannot yet think of sin, the
cause of damnation, without pleasure, he is loth to perish to all
eternity without a remedy, and yet refuses and declines Christ
who only can deliver him from that eternal perdition. And his
ruin will be more intolerable than the damnation of others, be
cause neither heathens nor devils ever aggravate their sins by
such a horrid circumstance, as the wilful refusal of such an apt,
offered, and only remedy.
Inf. 4. What a tremendous symptom of wrath, and sad
character of death, appears upon that man's soul, to which no ef
fectual application of Christ can be made by the gospel.
Christ, with his benefits, is frequently tendered to them in the
gospel ; they have been beseeched once and again, upon the knee
of importunity, to accept him ; and yet nothing will affect them :
all arguments, all entreaties, return to us without success.
Lord ! what is the reason of this unaccountable obstinacy? In
other things it is not so : If they be sick they are far from reject
ing a physician. If arrested for debt, and any one pay their debts,
words can hardly express the sense they have pf such a kindness : ,
but though Christ would be both a physician and surety, they
will rather perish to eternity, than accept bim. The Lord open

302 THE .METHOD OF GRACE.
the eyes of poor sinners, to apprehend not only how great a. sin,
.but how dreadful a sign this is.
Inf. 5. If &hrist with all his benefits^ be made ours, by God's
special application, what a day of mercies 'then is the day oficort-
version! what rnuliitudes-of choice 'blessings visit the tpniierled
soul m that day ! . ,
'"This dayJ '(saith Christ to Zaccheus, Luke xix. 9:) i? salva
tion come fo'this house. " In this day Christ cometo into the sjbiri;
andhe comes not empty, but bririgii with him all his treasured of
Wisdoin arid righteousness, sanetifieation and redemption. , ¦ ~
It 'is no wonder we read of such joy accompanying Christ into
the soul, when we consider, that in one day, so many blessiiigs
meet together in it, the least of which is not to be exchanged
for all the kingdoms in this world, and the glory oT.theri., eter
nity itself WilPbut suffice to bless God for the mercies of this one
day. Inf.. 6. If Christ be made all thisto every soul unto whom he
is effectually applied, what cause then have those souls, that are
come nigh to Christ to stretch out their hands, with vehement
desire and give him 'the most importunate invitation intor their
soUk! Those that are come under the preparatory workings of the
Spirit, nigh to Christ, Who see their oWn irtdis'pensible necessity
bf hiiri, and his suitableness to their necessities, in whom also
encouraging hopes' begin to dawn, and their souls are waiting at
the foot of - God for power 'to receive Bim, for an heart to close
sincerely arid universally With him ; O what vehement desires !
what strong pleas ! What moving arguments should such persons
¦ urge, and- plead to- win Christ, . and get possession of him ! They
are in sight of their. Orily remedy; Christ, and salvation are come
to' their Very doors ¦' there wants' but a few things to make them
blessed for ever. , ,
iReader, if this1 be the case bf thy soul, go and plead the abso
lute necessity which now drives thee to Christ ; tell ,hBnv_h'y hope
is utterly perished in all other refuges. Thou ajt. come like, a
starving Beggar to'the last door Of hope.
Plead the Father's gracious design in furnishing and ser^firig
him into the worid, and his own design in accepting the Father's
call. Pledd the ui-l'itMted and general invitation made to such soul-
as you are,! tp come to Christ' freely. Isa. lv. 1. Rev. xxii. 17.
Plead the unprofitableness of thy blood to God ; Lord there is
no profit in my blobd,' it will turn to no more advantage, to thee
to destroy, thariit Will to save me: and the deBl'I owe thee
never will Be paid. But, if thpu apply thy Christ to me for righte
ousness,- satisfaction for all that I have done will be laid down
in brie full complete sum.

THE Ml_THOiD OF GRACE. 308
And lastly, Plead thy compliance with' the terms bf the 'gbspel :
tell Him, Lord, my Will, cbmplies fully and heartily to all thy
g_acfous terms. 'Jfever yet did any perish in that posture and
frame -} and I hope I shall not be made the first instance and
example. Inf. 7. Lastly, If Christ, with all his benefits, be made ours by
Special applicdtibn ; how coktented, thankful, and hopeful, should
beMevWs be, inevety condition.
After SUch'U mercy rik'.fhis, let them never open Iheir mouths
atty more,torrepinte a*nd 'gfudge at the outward incfOriVeiiiences of
their ebriditibn In this Wof.ld. Wh_t are the things youVarit,
fcomtiated With "the 'tHihgs ybU enjoy ? ' What -is a little money,
health,' 0. liberty to'Wisdom, righteousness, sanctifhsition, and re
demption?. All the CrOWns und sceptres in the worid, sold to
their full ValufeJ/afe rio ^ririce'fO- the least of these mercies. O
bless Gbd in Jffie fewest eBb - of otitWard <iori_fo_ts, fo_ suchpriT
vileges ris these. ,
Tbii ate the 'Lord's freemen, j^Ou. deBts to justice are rill dis
charged By Christ ; arid you are Within a little bf complete redemp
tion frofri all the ttoribles' ahd inconveniences of your preserit state.
Tfyiiiks be to God for Jesus 'Christ.

THEUNTON OF THE BELIEVER WITH CHRIST.
JOHN xvii. 23.— I in them, and 'thou in Wie, that they may be
Made perfect in one.
In this verse we find a threefold' union, one Betwixt the Father
arid Christ, a second betwixt Christ rind believers, a third
Betwixt' believers themselves.
'My business, at this time, lyin'g1 iri the second branch, namely,
fhe.rinion betWixt' Christ aud believers, Tshall g&.ber up the sub
stance of it i_ito this doctrinal p"_d[>b.itiOri.
Doct. That there is a strict and dear union betwixt Christ and
all true btiieveirs.
, The 'scriptures have "borrowed from the book of nature four
elegit and lively metaphors,' to help the nature bf this mystical
union with Christ into our understandings ; namely, that o^pieces
of timber United by glue ; that of a graft ' taking hold of -its
stock, arid making one tree ;' tbat bf the' husband and wife, by the
. mrirriagefCbyenarit, ! becoming one 'fle_ h : and that bf the mem
bers and head animated? by one sOiil, arifd so : becoming orie
natural body. Each one of these is more lively and full: than

304 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
the other ; and what is defective in one, is supplied in the other:
but yet, neither any of these singly, nor all of them jointly, can
give us a full and complete account of this mystery. Let us
consider, ¦First, The reality of it ; I shall make it appear, that there is
such a. union betwixt Christ and believers ;
1. From the communion that is betwixt Christ and be
lievers : in this the apostle is express, 1 John i. 3. " Truly our
fellowship is with 'the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ."
Now this communion of the saints with Christ is intirely and
necessarily dependent upon their union with him, even as much
as the branch's participation of the sap and juice depends upon
its union and coalition with the stock ; take away union, and
there can be no communion, or communication.
2. From the imputation of Christ's righteousness to him for his
justification. That a believer is justified before God by a righte
ousness without himself, is undeniable, from Rom. iii. 24.
Some will demand, How can we be justified by the righteous
ness of another ? Can I be rich with another man's money, or
preferred by another man's, honours? Our answer is, Yes, if that
other be my surety or husBand. Indeed Peter cannot be justi
fied by the righteousness of Paul ; but both may be justified by
the righteousness of Christ imputed to them ; they being mem
bers, jointly knit to one common Head. Principal and surety are
one in obligation and construction of law.
3. The sympathy that is betwixt Christ and believers, proves
a union betwixt them ; Christ and tbe saints smile and sigh to
gether. The bead in heaven, cries out, " Saul, Saul, why perse
cutest thou me ? " when the foot was trod upon on earth : How
doth Christ sensibly feel our sufferings, or we his, if there be not
a mystical union betwixt him and us ?
4. The manner in which the saints shall be raised at the last
day, proves this mystical union betwixt Christ and them ; for
they are not to be raised as others, by the naked power of God
without them, but by the virtue of Christ's resurrection as their
Head, sending forth vital, quickening influences into their dead
bodies, which are united to him as well as their souls. For so we
find it, Rom. viii. 11.
Next, I shall endeavour to open the quality of this union.
First, Negatively.
1. The saints' union with Christ is not a mere mental union
only in conceit or notion, but really exists, whether we conceit it
or not.
2. The saints' union with Christ is not a physical union, such
as is betwixt the members of a natural body and the head.
3. Nor is it an essential union, or union with the divine nature,
so as our beings are thereby swallowed up and lost in the Divine
being.

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 305
4. The -union I here speak of^ is not a fcederal union, or an
union by covenant only.
5. It is not a mere moral union by love and affection ; thus we
say, one soul is in two bodies, a friend is another self : such an
union of hearts and affections there is betwixt Christ and the
saints, but this is of another nature ; that we call a moral, this is a
mystical union ; that only knits our affections, but this our per
sons to Christ. But observe, Positively,
1. Though this union neither makes us one persori nor essence ;
with Christ, yet it knits our persons most intimately and nearly
tp the person of Christ.
2. The mystical union is wholly supernatural, wrought by the
alone power of God. So it is said, 1 Cor. i. 30. ; ,
There are two ligaments, or bands of union betwixt Christ
and the soul, namely, the Spirit on his part, and faith on
ours. 3. The mystical union is an immediate union; as excluding
degrees of nearness among the members of Christ's mystical
body. Every member, the smallest as well as the greatest, hath
an immediate coalition with Christ, 1 Cor. i. 2.
4. The saints' mystical union with Christ is a fundamental
union ; it is fundamental by way of sustentation ; all our fruits of
obedience depend upon it, John xv. 4.
5. The mystical union is a most efficacious union, for thrbugh
this union the divine power flows into our souls, both to quicken
us with the life of Christ, and to conserve and secure that life in
us after it is s,o infused.
" Because I live, ye shall live also : " q. d. whilst there is vital
sap in me, the _bot, you that are branches in me cannot wither
and die.
6. The mystical union is an indissoluble union : there is an
everlasting- tye betwixt Christ and the believer ; and herein also
it is , beyond all other unions in the world ; death dissolves the
dear union Betwixt the husband and wife, friend and friend,
yea, betwixt soul and body, But not betwixt Christ and the
soul, the bands of this union rot not in the grave.
-,,7. It is an honourable union, yea, the highest honour that can
be done unto men. And yet such honour have all the saints,
Eph, -v. 30. " We are members of his body, of his. flesh, and of
his bones."
8., It is a mOst comfortable union : yea, the ground of all solid
comfort, Both io life and death. He is not only an head to his
own, by way of influence ,-but to all things else, by way of domin
ion, for thejr good. How comfortably may we repose ourselves,
under that cheering consideration, at all times and in all difficult
cases !
9. It is a fruitful union ; the immediate end of it is fruit, Rom.
x

306 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
vii. 4, Christ is a fruitful root, and makes all the branches that
live in him so too, John xv. 8.
10. And lastly, It is an enriching union ; for, by our union
with his person, we are immediately interested in all his riches.
How rich and great a person do the little arms of faith clasp and
embrace! " All is>ou.s," 1 Cor. iii. 22.
Inference 1. If there be such a union betwixt Lnnst and
believers, Oh then what transcendent dignity hath Godput upon
npl% cvpts
Well might Constantine prefer the honour of being a member of
the church, before that of being head of the empire ; for it is not
only above all other earthly dignities and honours, but, in some
respects, above that honour which God hath put upon the angels
of glory.
Some imperions grandees would frown, should some of these
persons but presume to approach their presence ; but God sets
them before his face with delight, and angels delight to serve
them. Inf. 2. If there be such a strict and inseparable union
betwixt Christ and believers, then the grace of believers can never
totally fait ; sanctified persons are inseparably united to Christ
the Fountain of Life.
Whilst the sap of life is in the root, the branches live by it.
Thus it is betwixt Christ and believers, John xiv. 19.
Tjue it is, those things which belong to the well being of the
new-creature, as manifestations, joys, spiritual comforts, &c.
may, for a time, fail, yea, and grace itself may suffer great losses
and remissions in its degrees, but still the essence of it is im
mortal, and when the means of grace fail, or when temporary
formal professors drop away from Christ like withered leaves
from the trees in a windy day, yea, when the natural union of
their souls and bodies is suffering a dissolution by death, when
that silver cord is loosed, tbis golden chain holds firm for ever,
1 Cor. iii. 23.
Inf. 3. Is the union so intimate betwixt Christ and believers ?
How great and powerful a motive then is this, to make us open-
handed and liberal in relieving the necessities of every gracious
person !
Christ personal is not the object of our pity and charity, he is at
the fountain-head of all the ricjies in glory, Eph. iv. 10. but Christ
mystical is exposed to necessities and wants, he feels hunger and
thirst, cold and pains, in his body the church ; and he is refreshed,
relieved, and comforted, in their refreshments and comforts. Mat.
xxv. 35, 40. A text believed and understood by very few.
But let none that understand tbe relation the saints have to
Christ, as the.members have to the head, henceforth suffer Christ
to hunger, if, they have bread to relieve him, or to be thirsty, if

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 307
they have wherewith to refresh hm. Methinks a little rhetoric
might persuade a Christian to part with any thing he hath for
Christ, who parted with the glory of heaven, yea, and his own
blood, for his sake.
Inf. 4. Do Christ and believers make but one mystical person ?
How unnatural and absurd then are all'those acts of unkindmess,
whereby believers wound and grieve Jesus Christ ! This is as if
the hand should wound its- own head, from which it receives life,
sense, motion and strength.
When Satan smites Christ by a wicked man, he then wounds
him with the hand of an enemy ; but when his temptations prevail
upon the saints to sin, he wounds him as it were with his own
hand. As the eagle and tree in the fable complained, the one
that' he was wounded by an arrow winged with his own feathers ;
the other, that it was cleft asunder by a wedge hewn out of its
own limbs.
Inf. 5. Is there so strict and intimate a relation and union be
twixt Christ and the saints ? Then surely they can never want
what js good for their souls or bodies.
Every one naturally cares and provides for his own, especially
for his own body : yet we can more easily violate the law of na
ture and be cruel to our own flesh, than Christ can be so to his
mystical body. I know it is hard to rest upon, and rejoice in a
promise, when necessities pinch, ahd we see not from whence
relief should arise ; but Oh ! what sweet satisfaction arid com
fort might a necessitous believer find in these considerations.
I have his promise and engagement that he will never leave me
hor forsake me, Heb. xiii. 5. A promise that hath never failed
since the hour it was first made. The Lord Jesus knows and
feels all my wants, hath enough, and more than enough to sup
ply them ; he gives even to redundance unto his enemies, hath
not hitherto forsaken me, and hath promised he never will ? Why
then is my soul thus disquieted in me ! Surely there is no cause
it should be sp.
Inf. 6. If the saints are so nearly united lo Christ, as the mem
bers lo the head : O then how great a sin, and full of danger is
it for any to wrong and persecute the saints! For in so doing,
they must needs persecute Christ himself.
" Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ? "Acts ix. 4.
O it were Better thine hand should wither,' and [thine arm fall
from thy shoulder, than ever it should be lifted up against Christ,
in the poorest of his members. Believe it, sirs, not only your
violent actions, but your hard speeches are all set down upon
your -dooms-day book ; and you shall be brought to an account
for them in the great day, Jude 15.
Inf-jt- If there be such an union betwixt Christ and the saints,
as hath been described, upon what comfortable terms then may
believers part with their bodies at death ?
x 2

308 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
Christ your Head is risen, therefore you cannot.be lpst : a part
of Christ cannot perish in the grave, much less burn in hell.
Inf. 8. If there be such an union betwixt Christ and believers,
How doth it concern every man to try and examine his state,
whether he is really united with Christ or not.
They that are so nearly united to him, cannot but love him
and value him above their own lives.
The members are subject to the head ; and all that are united
to Christ do bear fruit to God ; there are no barren branches
growing upon this fruitful root..
Inf. 9. Lastly, How much are believers engaged to walk as the
members of Christ in the visible exercises of all those graces
and duties, which the consideration of their near relation to
Mm requires.
How contented and well pleased should you be with your out
ward lot, however providence hath cast it in this world ?
How humble and lowly in spirit should you be under your great
advancement !
How zealous should you be to honour Christ, whoTiath put so
much honour upon you.
How exact and circumspect should you be in all your ways,
remembering whose you are, and whom you represent !
How studious should you be of peace among yourselves, who
are so neatly united to such a Head. And
Lastly, How joyful and comfortable should you be, to whom
Christ, with all his treasures and benefits, is effectually applied
in this blessed union bf your souls with him !
Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ.

THE NATURE AND USE OF THE GOSPEL
MINISTRY. '
2 Cor. v. 20. — Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as
though God did beseech you by us :, we pray you in Christ's
stead, be ye reconciled to God.
God graciously condescends and accommodates himself to our
infirmity, in treating with us in order to our union with Christ,
by his ambassadors, and these not angels, whose converses we
cannot bear, but men like ourselves, who are commissioned
for the effecting of this great business betwixt Christ and us.
" Now then, we are ambassadors for God, $c. In which words
you have,
Their commission opened.
The work whereunto the ministers of the gospel are appointed,
is to reconcile the world to God.

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 309
Their capacity described : They act in Christ's stead, as his
vicegerents, Luke x. 16.
The manner of their acting in that capacity prescribed ; and
that is, by humble, sweet, and condescending entreaties and be-.
seedlings. This best suits the meek and lamb-like Saviour
whom they represent, Isa. xlii. 3.
From hence the note is,
Doct. That the preaching ofthe gospel by Christ's ambassadors,
is the mean appointed for the reconciling and bringing home
of sinners' to Christ. r
First, We will open what is implied and imported in Christ's
treaty. And here we find these things implied.
1. It necessarily implies the defection and fall of man, from
his estate of favour and friendship With God : If no war with
heaven, what need of ambassadors of peace ? The very office of
the ministry is an argument of the fall.
2. It implies the singular grace and admirable condescension
of God to sinful man. That God will admitany treaty with him
at all, that is wonderful mercy, it is more than he would do for
the angels that fell, Jude, ver. 6.
But tb beseech stubborn enemies to be at peace, arid accept
their pardon, oh, how unparalleled was this condescension.
3. It implies the great dignity and honour ofjthe gospel-minis
try. We are ambassadors for Christ ? Ambassadors represent
and personate the prince that sends them ; and the honours or
contempts done to them, reflect upon, and are reckoned to the
person of their master, Luke x. 16.
Neither their persons, nor parts, are the proper ground and
reason of our respects to them ; but their office and commission
from Jesiis Christ ; but we are fallen into the dregs of time,
wherein a vile contempt is poured, not only upon the persons,
but the very office of the ministry.
4. Christ's treating with sinners by his ministers, who are his
ambassadors, implies the strict obligation they are under to be
faithful in their ministerial employment. Christ counts, upon their
faithfulness whom be puts into the ministry, 1 Tim. i, 12. They
are accountable to him for all acts of their office, Heb. xiii. 17-
5. It implies the removal of the gospel-ministry to be a very.
great judgment to the people. The removing of ambassadors
presages an ensuing war.
What now are tbose once famous an Renowned places, from
whence Christ, (as he threatened) hath removed the candlestick,
but dens of robbers, and mountains of prey !
d. And lastly, It implies both the Wisdom and condescension

310 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
of God to sinful men, in carryittg on a treaty of peace with them
by such ambassadors, for had the Lord treated with sinners per
sonally aud immediately they had been overwhelmed with his
awful Majesty. v
Or, had he commissioned angels for this employment, their
appearances would be more apt to astonish than persuade us.
So that, in this appointment, much of the Divine wisdom and
condescension to sinners is manifested, 2 Cor. 7.
Secondly, Next we are to consider that great concernment
about which these ambassadors of Christ are to treat with sinners ;
and that is their reconciliation! to God.
Now reconciliation with God, is the restoring of men to that
former friendship they had with God, which was broken by the
fall, and is still continued by our enmity and aversion whilst we
continue in our natural and unregenerate state. This is the
greatest and mosf blessed design that ever God had in the world;
an astonishing and invaluable mercy to men, as will clearly appear,
by considering,
First, That God should be reeohciled after such a dreadful
breach as the fall of man made, is wonderful ; no sin, all things
considered, was like unto this sin ; other sins, like a single'bul-
let, kill particrilar persons, but this, like a chain-shot, cuts off
multitudes as the sand upon the sea-shore, which no man can
number. Secondly, That God should be reconciled to men, and not to
angels, a more high and excellent order of creatures, is yet more
astonishing; when the angels fell they were lost irrecoverably;
no hand of mercy was stretched out to save one of these myriads
of excellent beings, but chains of darkness were immediately
clapped on them, to reserve them to the judgment of the great
day, Jude 6.
That the milder attribute should be exercised to tbe inferior,
and the severer attribute to the more excellent creature, is just
matter for eternal admiration. Who would cast away vessels of
gold, and save earthern potsherds ? angete excluded and men
received. O stupendous mercy !
Thirdly, That God Ishould be wholly and thoroughly reconciled
to man, so that no fury remains in him against us.
The design he sends his ambassadors about, is not the miti
gation of his wrath, but thoroughly to quench all his wrath, so
that no degree thereof shall be felt by you. O blessed embassy.
Fourthly, That God should be freely reconciled to sinners,
and discharge thernjyithout any, the least, satisfaction to his
Justice from them is, Md for ever will be marvellous in their eyes.
O what mercy would the damned account it, if after a thousand
years torment in hell, God would at last be reconciled to them,
and put an end to their misery! But believers are discharged

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 31 1
without bearing any part of the curse, not one farthing of that
cfebt is levied upon them. This mercy comes freely to your
hands, how costly soever it proved to Jesus Christ, Rom. iii. 24.
Fifthly and lastly, that God should be finally reconciled to
sinners, so that never any new breach shall happen betwixt him
and them any more, is a most ravishing and transporting mes-

Two things give confirmation and full security to reconciled
ones, viz. the terms of the covenant, and the intercession of the
Mediator. The covenant of grace gives great security. It is said, Jer.
xxxii. 40. " I will make an everlasting covenant with them."
Moreover, the intercession of Christ in heaven secures the
saints in their reconciled state, 1 John ii. 1, 2. " If any man sin,
we have an advocate with the Father.'" So that as long as
Christ thus appears in the presence of God for us, it is not pos
sible our state of justification and reconciliation can be again dis
solved. In the last place, we are to enquire what, and whence is this
efficacy of preaching, to reconcile and bring home sinners to
Christ. That its efficacy is great in convincing humbling and changing
the hearts of men, is past all deBate and question. " The wea
pons, of our warfare (saith the apostle) are not carnal but migh
ty through God, 2 Cor. x. 4, 5. No heart so hard, no conscience
so stupid, but this sword can pierce and wound it.
If you ask, whence hath the word preached this mighty power ?
the answer must be, neither from itself nor him that preaches ft,
hut from the Spirit of God whose instrument it is, by whose
blessing and concurrence with it, it produceth its blessed effects
upori the hearts of men.
" So, then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that
Watereth ; but God that giveth the increase."
Ministers, saith one, are like trumpets which make no sound,
if breath be not breathed into them. Or like Ezekiel's wheels,
which move not unless the Spirit move them ; or Elisha's servant,
whose presence doth no good except Elisha's spirit be there also.
This Spirit is not limited by men's gifts or parts, but oftentimes
blesses mean, despicable gifts with great success.
Suppose, saith Austin, there- be two conduits in a town, one
very plain and homely, the other built of polished marble, and
adorned withexcellent images, as eagles, lions, angels ; the water
refreshes as water, and not as it comes from such or such a con
duit. It is the Spirit that gives the word all that virtue it hath.
First Use of Information.
Is the preaching of the gospel by Christ's ambassadors the way
which God takes of reconcilipg sinners to himself? Then how

312 , THE METHOD OF GRACE.
inexcusable are all those that continue in their state of enmity,
though the ambassadors of peace have been with them all their
lives long.
O invincible, obstinate, incurable disease, which is aggravated
by the only proper remedy ! Hath God been beseeching you by
his ambassadors so many years to be reconciled to him, and will
you not yield to any intreaties ? Well, when the milder attribute
hath done withyou, the severer attribute will take you ih hand.
Inference 1. 'Hence it also follows, That the world owes better
entertainment than it gives to the ministers of Christ.
Your respect to them is founded upon their office and employ
ment for you. They watch for your souls, dare any of you
watch for their ruin ? They bring glad tidings, shall they return
with sad tidings to him that sent theni ? They publish peace, shall
they 'be rewarded with trouble? O ungrateful world ! We read in
Eph. vi. 20. of an ambassador in bonds, and he no ordinary one either.
Some that brake the bread of life to you might want bread to eat,
for any regard you have to them. The office of the ministry
speaks the abundant love of God to you ; your contempt and
abuse of it, speaks tbe abundant stupidity and malignity of your
hearts towards God.
Inf. 2. Hence it follows, That it nearly concerns all Christ's
ambassadors,, to see they be in a state of reconciliation with God.
Shall we stand in Christ's stead by officeand yet not be in Christ
by union ? Shall we intreat men to be reconciled to God, and yet
be at enmity With him ourselves? O let us take heed, " Lest after
we have preached to others, we ourselves' should be cast-a-ways,"
1 Cor. ix. 27. Of all men living we are the mpst miserable, if
we be Christless and graceless: our consciences will make more
terrible applications of our doctrine to us in Bell, than ever we
made to the vilest of sinners on earth. O, it is far easier to
study and press a thousand truths upon others, than to feel the
power of one truth upon our own hearts.
Second Use for Conviction.
Is this the method God uses to reconcile meri to himself? 0,
then, examine yourselves, whether yet the preaching of the gospel
hath reconciled you to God. It is too manifest that many among
us are in a state, of enmity unto this day. " Who bath believed
bur report?"
Reconciliation without any consideration about it can never be.
" When was the time, and where was the place, that you were
found in secret upon your knees, mourning over the sin of your
nature, and the evils of your ways ?
Many of us are not reconciled to the duties of religion, and
ways of holiness, and how th<_n is it possible we should be recon
ciled to God ? What, reconciled to God, and unreconciled to the
ways of God ?

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 313
Many of us are not enemies to sin, and how then are we recon
ciled to God ? What, friends with God and our lusts too ? It can
not be. " Ye that loye the Lord hate evil." The same hour^our
reconciliation is made with God, there is an everlasting breach
made with sin. This is one ofthe articles or conditions of our
peace with God, Isa. lv. 7.
We love not the children of God, nor are we reconciled to them
that bear his image, and how then can we be reconciled to God ?
1 John v. 1. What, at peace with the Father, and at war with
the children ? It cannot be.
Lastly, How can any man think himself to be reconciled to
God, who never closed heartily wilh Jesus Christ by faith, who
is the only days-man and peace-maker , the alon'e Mediator and
reconciliation Betwixt God and man.
Third Use of Exhortation.
First, To the ambassadors of reconciliation. God hath put a
great deal of honour upon you in this, high and noble employ
ment. But yet the duty is no less than the dignity. O what
manner bf men should we be to whom the management of so
great a concern betwixt God and man is committed.
Heaven and hell are matters of most awful and solemn con
sideration. O, what an account have we shortly to give unto
him that sent us ! These are matters of such deep concernment,
as 'should swallow up our very spirits ; the least they can do, is
to compose our hearts unto seriousness in the management of
them. Secondly, The exhortation speaks to all: those that are yet in a
state of enmity and unreconciled to God unto this day. O that
my words might prevail, and that you would now be entreated to
be reconciled to God! The ambassadors of peace are yet with
you, the treaty is not yet ended, the Master of the house is
not yet risen up, nor the door of mercy and hope finally shut :
hitherto God hath waited to be gracious ; O that the long-suffer
ing of God might be your salvation.
It is a dreadful thing to have God for your eternal enemy ; to
have the great and terrible God causing his infinite power to
avenge the abuse of his grace and mercy.
Thirdly and lastly, This point speaks to those who have be
lieved our report.
Aaynire and stand amazed at this mercy. O how "overwhelm
ing a mercy is here before you ! God is at peace, at peace with
you that were " enemies in your minds by wicked works." At
peace with you, and at enmity with millions as good by nature
as you ; at peace with you that sought it not ; at peace for ever ;
no dissolving this friendship for evermore. '
Beware of new breaches with God: God' will speak peace

314 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
to his people, and to his saints, but let them not turn again to
folly. Labour to reconcile others to God : especially those that are
endeared to you by the bonds of natural relation.
Lastly, " Let your reconciliation with God relieye you under
all burdens of affliction." Let the peace of God keep your hearts
and minds. As nothing can comfort a man that must go to hell
at last, so nothing should deject a man that shall, through many
troubles, at last reach heaven.

CONCERNING THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT.
John vi. 44. — ?No man can come to me, except the Father, tqhifh
hath sent me, draw him.
Our last discourse informed you of the usefulness and influence
of the preaching of the gospel ; but all the preaching in the world
can never effect a union with Christ, except a supernatural and
mighty power go with it. Let Boanerges and Barnabas try
their strength, let the angels of heaven be the preachers ; till
God draw, the soul cannot come to Christ.
No saving benefit is to be had by Christ, without union with
his person, no union without faith, no faith ordinarily without the
preaching of the gospel by Christ's ambassadors, their preaching
hath no saving efficacy without God's drawings, as will evi
dently appear by considering these words and the occasion of
them. Doct. That it is utterly impossible for any man to come lo Jesus
Christ, unless he he drawn unto Mm by the special and mighty
power of God.
No man is compelled to come to Christ against his will, he that
comes, comes willingly, but even that will and desire to come is
the effect of grace, Phil. ii. 13. " It is God that worketh in you,
both to will and to do of his own good pleasure."
Consider,First, What the drawing ofthe Father imports.
There is a real internal efficacy Implied in this drawing, or an
immediate operation ofthe Spirit upon the heart and will, which,
in a way congruous and suitable to its nature, takes away the
rebellion and reluctance of it, and of unwilling, makes it willing
to come to Christ.
Thus by immediate powerful influence upon the will, not in
fringing the liberty of it, but yet infkllibly and effectually persua
ding it to come to Christ, the point is gained.

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 315
Secondly, Next let us consider the marvellous way and manner
in which the Lord' draws the souls of poor sinners to Jesus Christ,
and you will find, in this order, the Spirit1 (ordinarily) draws souls
to Christ. , He shines into their minds by illumination ; applies
that light to their consciences by effectual conviction-; breaks and
wounds their hearts for sin in compunction ; and then moves the
will to embrace and closfe with Christ in the way of faith for
life and salvation.
The way therefore which the Lord takes to win and draw-Jthem
to Christ, is by rectifying their false apprehensions, and shewing
them infinitely more good in Christ than in the creature and in
their lusts ; yea, by satisfying their understandings, that there
is goodness enottgb in Jesus Christ, to whom he is drawing
them. Enough to out-bid all temporal good, which is to be denied
for his sake ; and enough to preponderate all temporal evils,
which are to be suffered for his sake.
It is true, they that close with Christ close with his cross also :
they must expect to save no more but their souls by him. Who
soever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my
disciple, saith our Lord. And to read such a text as this, with
such a comment upon it, as Satan and our flesh can make, is
enough to fright a man from Christ for ever.
But when the soul is satisfied that those sufferings are but ex
ternal upon the vile body, these afflictions but temporal, whilst
Christ and his benefits are eternal : it must needs prevail with
the will to come over to Christ. Thus the Lord draws us in our
own way, by rational convictions of the understanding, and allure
ments of the will.
1 . The drawings of the Father are very powerful. " The arrri
ofthe Lord is revealed in this work," Isa. liii. 1. The scripture
expresseth the work of conversion by a threefold metaphor,
namely, That of a resurrection from the dead, Rom. iv. 4.
, That of creation, Eph. ii. 10, And
That of victory or conquest, 2 Cor. x. 4, 5.
To raise the dead, is the effect of Almighty Power ; but then
the resurrection supposeth pre-existent matter. In the work of
creation, there is no pre-existent matter ; but then there is no op
position: That which is not, rebels not against the power which
gives it being. But victory and conquest suppose opposition, all
the power of corrupt nature arming itself, and fighting against
God ; but yet not able to frustrate his design. I
2. The drawings of God are very effectual.
There may be, arid frequently are, many pauses, stands, and
demurs : they have convictions, affections, and resolutions stir
ring in them, which, like early blossoms, seem to be nipt and die
away again ; after hopeful beginnings, the work seems to stand,

316 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
(it may be some years), at a pause ; however, at last, the Lord
makes it victorious over all, opposition.
3. To conclude, those whom the Father draws to Christ, he
draws them finally and for ever. " The gifts and calling of God
are without repentance." '
There is a time when Christians are drawn to Christ, but
there shall never be a time in which they shall be drawn away
from Christ, John x, 29. It was common to a proverb, in the
primitive times, when they Would express an impossibility, to
say,' " You may as soon draw a Christian from Christ, as do it."
They who are thus drawn, do with full purpose of heart, cleave
unto the Lord.
Thirdly, In the last place, I am to evince the impossibility of
coming to Christ without the Father's drawing. -
Snch are the difficulties of this work, that it surmounts all the
abilities of nature. This the scripture very plainly affirms, Eph.
ii. 8. " By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of your-,
selves, it is the gift of God."
1 . Consider the subject of faith ; it is the heart of a sinner,
which is naturally as indisposed for tbis work, as the wood which
Elijah laid upon the altar was to catch fire, when he had poured
so much water upon it.
To take guilt, shame, and confusion of face to ourselves, and
acknowledge tbe righteousness of God in our eternal damnation ;
to come to Christ naked and empty, as one that justifies the un-
.godly ; I say, nature left to itself, would as soon be. damned as
do this; the proud heart can never come to this, till tbe Lord
hath humbled and broken it by his power.
2. Let us take the act of faith into consideration also. In
coming to Christ, the soul forsakes not only its sinful self, but its
righteous self, i. e. not only its worst sins, but its best perform:
arices, accomplishments, and excellencies. Now this is one of
the greatest straits that nature can be put to.
Let the gospel furnish its table with the richest and costljest
dainties that ever the blood of Christ purchased, such is the pride
of nature, that ft disdains to taste them, except it may also pay for
the same. If the old hive be removed from the place where it
stood, the bees will come to the old place, yea, and many of them
will die there, rather than go to the hive, though it stand in a far
better place than it did before. Just so stands the case with
men. / The hive is removed, i. e. we are not to expect righteous
ness as Adam did, by obeying and working, but by believing and
coming to Christ ; but nature had as soon be damned as do
this ; It still goes about to establish its own righteousness.
And if we look to the other term to which the soul moves, we
shall find it acting above the sphere >nd ' ability of improved
nature. To venture itself for ever upon Jesus Christ whom it never

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 317
saw, "nay, Whose very existence its own belief calls in question,
and that when it is even weighed down to the dust, with the
burdensome sense of its own vileness, total unworthiness, and
fears of wrath : this is as much above the power of nature, as
it is for a stone to rise from the earth, and fix itself among the
stars. Well might the apostle ascribe it to that Almighty
Power which raised up Christ from the dead, Eph. i. 19.
3. Consider the enemies to faith, or what blocks are rolled by
Satan and his instruments into the way to Christ.
These are strong"holds, 2 Cor. x. 4. out of which those objec
tions, fears, and discouragements sally, by which the soul is
fiercely assaulted in the way to Christ.
Wilt thou forsake all thy pleasures, merry company, and sensi
ble comforts, to live a sad, retired, pensive life ? Wilt thou
beggar thyself, let g*> all thy comforts in hand, for an hope of
that which thine eyes never saw, nor hast thou any certainty that
it is atty more thah a fancy and wilt thou that hast livgd in repu-
tatiori now become the scorn and contempt of the world ?
O what stands and demurs, what hesitations and doubts, is the
soul clogged with in its way to Christ ! But yet none of these
can withold and detain the soul when the Father draws.
The inferences and improvements of the point follow.
Inference 1 . How deeply and thoroughly is the nature of man ,
corrupted, and what an enemy is every man to his own happi
ness, that he must be drawn to it ? John v. 40. " You will not
come unto me, that ye might have life."
Life is desirable in every man's eyes, and eternal life is the
" most excellent : yet, in this, the world is rather agreed to die and
perish for" ever than come to Christ for life. Had Christ told us
of fields and vineyards, sheep and oxen, gold and silver, hon
ours and sensual pleasures, who would not have come to him
for these? -But to tell of mortification, self-denial, and suf
ferings for bis sake, and all this for an happiness to Be enjoyed
in the world to come, nature will never like such a proposition
as this.
Who ever found his own heart first stir and move towards
Christ? In our motions to sin we need restrainining, but in all our mo
tions to Christ we. as much need drawing. O the riches of the
grace of God ! Oh unparalleled mercy and goodness ! not only
to prepare glory for an unworthy soul, but to put forth the ex
ceeding greatness of thy power, to draw an unwilling soul to the
enjoyment of it. , . .
Inf. 2. What enemies are they to God and the souls of men,
that do all they can to discourage and hinder the conversion of
men to Christ ? God draws forward, and these do , all that in
them lies to draw backward.
O how many have been thus discouraged in their way'to Christ

318 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
by their carnal relations, I can't say friends ! Their greatest ene
mies have been the men of their own house. These have pleaded
(as if the devil had hired and fee'd them) against the everlasting
welfare of their owh flesh. O cruel parents, brethren, and sisters,
that jeer, frown, and threaten, where they should encourage,
assist, and rejoice! Such parents are the devil's children.
What will you neither come to Christ yourselves, nor suffer
your dear relations that would ? Had you rather find tbem in
the ale-house than in the closet ? If these lines should fall into
any such hands, O that God would set home the conviction of
this horrid evil upon their hearts. Take heed what you do in
this case, lest you go down to hell under the guilt of damning
more souls than your own.
Inf. 3. Learn hence the true ground and reason of those strange
and supernatural effects, (hat you behold in the joorTd, as often as
you see sinners forsaking their pleasant, profitable corruptions
and companions, and embracing the ways of Christ, godliness, and
mortification. It is said, I Peter, iv. 4. " They think it (strange that you
run not with them into the same excess of riot."
Beloved; it is the world's wonder to see their companions in
sin forsake them ; those that were once as profane and vain as
themselves, it may be more, to forsake their society, retire into
their closets, mourn for sin, spend their time in meditation and
prayer, embrace the severest duties, and content to run the great
est hazards in the world for Christ ; but they see not that Al
mighty Power that draws them.
inf. 4. Is this the first spring of spiritual motion after Christ?
Learn from hence, how it comes to pass that so many excellent
sermons and powerful persuasions are ineffectual, and cannot
draw and win one soul to Christ. Surely it is because ministers
draw alone ; and the special saving power of God goes not forth
at ati times alike with their endeavours.
Paul is " nothing, and Apollos nothing ; but God that gives
the increase."
It is our great honour, who are the ministers of the gospel that
we are workers together with God, " the weapons of our warfare
are mighty through God." But if his presence, blessing, and as
sistance be not with us, we are nothing, we can do nothing.
Inf. 5. Doth all success depend upon the Father's drawings?
Let none then despair of their unregenerate and carnal relations,'
over whose obstinacy they do and have cause to mourn.
What if they have been as many years under the preaching of
the gospel, as the poor man lay at the pool of Bethesda, and
hitherto to no purpose ? A time may come at last, (as it did for
him) when the Spirit of God may move upon the waters ; I mean
put a quickening and converting {power into the means, and then
the desire of your souls for them shall be fulfilled.

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 319
They are now drawn away of their own lusts ; they are easily
drawn away by their sinful companions ; but when God draws,
none of these shall withdraw them from the Lord Jesus.
Inf. 6. If none can come to Christ except the Father draw
them, then surely none can be drawn from Christ except the
Father leave them : That power which at first drew them to
Christ, can secure and establish them in Christ to the end
John x. 29.
If the world say, I will ensnare thee ; If the devil say, I will
destroy thee ; If the flesh say I will betray thee ; yet thou art se
cure and safe, as long as God hath said, " I will never leave thee
nor forsake thee."
. Inf. 7f Let this engage you to a constant attendance upon the
ordinances of God, in which this drawing power of God is some
times put forth upon the hearts of men.
Had tbat poor man, that lay so long at the pool been absent at
that very time when tbe angel came down, he had, in all likelihood,
carried his disease to the grave with him.
How dost thou know but this very sabbath, this sermon, this
prayer, may be the instrument by which the Lord may do that
for thy soul which was never done before ?
Inf. 8. To conclude, How are all the saints engaged to put
forth all the power and ability they have for God, who hath put
forth his infinite Almighty Power lo draw them to Christ?
. 0 that you would henceforth employ all the power you bave
for God in the duties of obedience, and in drawing others to
Christ, and say continually, " Draw me, we will run after thee,"
Carit. i. 4. Blessed be God for Jesus Christ.

OF THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT.
Eph. ii. \.—<-And you hath he quickened who were dead in tres
passes and in sin.
If we needfully observe the scripture, we shall find there are
two bands which knit Christ and the soul together.
The Spirit, on Christ's part, quickening us with spiritual life,
whereby Christ first takes hold of us, and faith on our part, when
thus quickened, whereby we take hold of Christ.
Thus we apprehend, being ourselves first apprehended by Jesus
Christ, Phil. iii. 12. We cannot take hold of Christ till first he
take hold of us ; no vital act of faith can be exercised till a vital
principle be first inspired.
Hence the observation will be this,

320 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
Doct. That those souls which have union with Christ, are
quickened with a supernatural principle of life by the Spirit
of God in order thereunto.
I will in the doctrinal part labour to open these five particu-
l*vpq First, We shall enquire into the nature and properties of this
life. There be many changes made upon men besides this,
many are changed from profaneness to civility, and from mere
civility to formality, and a shadow of religion, who still remain
in the state and power of spiritual death, notwithstanding: but
when the spirit of ,the Lord is poured out upon us, to, quicken us
witti the new spiritual life, this is a wonderful change indeed.
First, The soul that is joined to Christ is quickened with a di
vine life ; believers are said to he partakers of the divine nature;
not essentially, so it is wholly incommunicable to the creature,
nor yet hypostatically and personally ; so Christ only was a par
taker of it ; but we partake of it by the inhabitation ofthe Spirit
of God in us. " Know ye not that ye are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you ?"
Secondly, And being divine, it must needs be the most, excel
lent and transcendant life that any creature can live in this world :
it surmounts the natural, rational, and moral life of the unsancti
fied, as much as the angelical life exceed the life of flies and
worms ofthe earth.
Some think it a rare life to live in sensuab pleasures ; but the'
scripture will not allow so much as the name of life to them ; but
tells us, " they are dead whilst they live," 1 Tim. v. 6. certainly'
it is a wonderful elevation of the nature of man to be quickened
with such1 a life as this. This is a peculiar privilege, a mercy
kept from the world that is to perish, and only communicated to
God's elect, whb are to live eternally with him in heaven.
Thirdly, This life infused by the regenerating Spirit, is a most
pleasant life. All delights, all pleasures, all joys which are not
fantastic and delusive, have their spring and origin here, Rom.
vni. 6.
All the delights in the sensual life, all the pleasures that ever
your lusts gave you, are but as the putrid, stinking waters of a
corrupt pond, compared to the crystal streams of the most pure
arid pleasant f ounlain.
Fourthly, This life of God is also a growing increasing life,
a well of " water springing up into everlasting life."
It is not in our sanctification, as it is in our justification ; our
justification is complete and perfect, no defect is found there; but
•the new creature labours under many defects. And upon the
Imperfection of the new creature in every faculty, that warfare
experienced by every Christian is grounded ; grace rises gradu-

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 321
ally in the soul: as the sun doth in the heavens, " which shineth
more and more unto a perfect day," Prov. iv. 18.
Fifthly, This life with which the regenerate are .quickened, is
an everlasting life, 1 Johnv. 11; Itis no transient, vanishing
thing, but a fixed, permanent principle, a man may lose his gifts,
but grace abides; the soul may,'ftnd must be separated from the
body, but grace, cannot Be, separated from the soul : when all
forsake us, this will not leave us.
It is one thing, for the Spirit to come upon a man in the way of
present influence and assistance, and another thing to dwell in a
man as in his temple.
, Secondly, We are to enquire into the way and manner in which
it is infused by the Spirit, and ¦ : ,,. ,. i|;.
First, The work is wrought in the soul very mysteriously; so
Christ tells Nicodemus, John iii, 8. "The Wind bloweth where
itlisteth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell
whence it icometh, or whither it goeth, so is every one, that is
born of the Spirit." There may be many opinions among pMlo-
sophers about the origin of wind, but we have no certain know
ledge of it. Bazil saith, divers questions may be moved about
afly, which may puzzle the greatest philosopher : we know little
of the forms and essences of natural things, much Jess of these
profound and abstruse spiritual things.
Secondly, But though we cannot pry into these secrets by the
eye of reason, yet God hath revealed; this to us in his word.
The appstle ascribes this work to the exceeding greatness of the
power of God ; the Spirit of God expresses it in scripture by a
new creation ; i. e. a giving being to something out of nothing.
Supernatural life is not. educed out of natural principles; this
wholly transcends the sphere of all natural power.
Thirdly, This divine life is infused into all the natural facul
ties and powersfpf the soul, ft becomes light in the mind, and
obedience ih the will- Iri the affections an heavenly temper arid
tenderness. And so is variously denominated, even as> the sea
is from several, shores it washes, though it be one and the same
sea. Hypocrites may have new light, but no new love ; a new
tongue, but not a new heart ; this or that vice may be reformed,
but the whole course of life is npt altered.
Fourthly, This infusion of spiritual life' is done instantaneously \,
as all [creation work is ; hence it is resembled to that plastic
power, Which, in a moment, made the light shine out of darkness,
2 Cor. iv. 6.
O what a Blessed moment is this ! Upon which the whole
weight of our eternal happiness depends ; for it is Christ in us,
i. e. Christ formed in us, who is the hope of glory.
First, Let the design and end of God, in this his quickening
work he next considered. And if we consult the scripture we
T

322 THE METHOD >m ®RAI__:.
shall 'fthdtols prin<S|ral 'of .ife fa irifused _n order to onr glbffifjMng
God in this worlSJ by a life of obedience, and ottr enjoying ©f
God in the worid to eome. , , ¦ ; ' ' v
;OTeader, pause -a litffle^pen this ere thou passvOn^askthy hestt
whether holy dttiies be ConriaitUral to thee? Dbth toy scttl. move
and work after God by a kirid df supernatural _nst4rtct? -This
then will brito-tobe a gobd evidence of thy integri^.1 . ;
Secondly, From this infused principle of life TesUlts'toe'Kec-/-
lency of our obedience: \as well as the slribenty of _..; -fo. byvir-
tue and reason thereof # beeomes free and'ybluafttrp^'nbtforaed
and constrained. An unprincipled professor 'must be pres_-d
hard by some We*ig__;<bf - afflictibrt, *re he w_H 'yMl one tearj or
pour out a prayer, Psal. lxxviii. 34i " When he slew them, theta
they sought him.-" """ ¦ ° , n.;. ;'
Thirdly, Another £im and -design of lGod _n>toe!_&fu__on<of .his
{Mh-iple of life, is <iheiehy to prepare Jar_d^Ualify--trie':sorii'_or the
enjoymerit of himself in heaven. - For want 'OfttHrSyital pr_n-Jf>te
it is, that the -very same duties 'and ordinances whit^a1 are'ithe
highest pleasures Of -hesriints,!airenbbetter tban'a'nferedraiilgery
rindbondage to others, Mril. i. 13. 'Heaven would beno heaven
to a dead'soul; this .principle of life, in fts-driily'^rowtb1 aridim-
pre^er_tei_tyiS'oar meetoess, as well as our evidence, for heaven1:
these are the main ends of its infusion.
Fourthly, I '-am to show you, that this quickenmg work is
wholly supernatural: it is the sole and proper work of ithe Spirit
of JGbd. >SoJOh_isfvbi__self expressly asserts, M John iii. ig. 8.
'Believers are; the birth or offspring ofthe13p__.t; whb proAuS-th
the new creature in theto in an uriirttelligibte manner, even to
themselves. '¦ ._o'far;is it above their own ability to produce.Hha.
it is above their eapac-fcy to Understand tbe way of its production.
The scripture usCnbes Both impotency and erimitytb nature, with
respect to grace. "It .deriies to it a power to do any tbhjgofitself,
John xv. 5. And WMch is least of all, it denies ft power to think
a good thought; 2 Cor. iii. 5. This impotency, if there were no
more, cuts dffrili pretence of our active concurrence. Theseefl
of God, which remaineth <rn the regenerate soul, is" bornnet^f
corruptible, btit of incorruptible seed," TPet 1' 23.
If nature could produce, or but actively concur to the produc
tion of ithis spiritual life, then the best natures would be soon
quickened with it ; but we find the wo.st natures often regem*-
tfated, and the best left in the state of spiritual death, 'Mark*.
21. Luke vii. 37. And toere is scarcely any thing that effeets the
¦hearts of Christians more than this comparative corisider_tion
doth; when vessels of gold are cast away, and leaden ones chosen
for such noble uses. 'So that itis plain enough to all wise and
humble souls, that this new life is wholly of superris-ttt-aV-proauc-
tion. : • I .

THE ' METHOD OF' XK/UOE. 323'
Fifthly, I $djalrib.fefily:_^^ of
this quickening work of the Spirit, to our closing with (_h_i_t
by faith : in Which tjWo toirigsrire^eceseaT-lynnfiluded. & '.\\\\
"First, The n-ffliouooiag' bfiiall jither hojids land dependencies
Wfelatsoever.'li Self lira, ial' ifis! ^oeeptations, natui;al, sinfal^irind
moral, fis now to >b,e denjesi Kind renounced (for ever. But. this d®
as impossible tolh^uwcfitaewed arid natu_al _ria,n, as«itisibr.'tf-_ks
o_nmountair_s t® > start frorii 4_\eir oentre, and % like Wandering
atoms in the air. ts-,.<u:- \\ • r. v >/,:¦' ; ' >.:!!oo_n .'¦;[ .. o^
')Sfe-«tt.i%, :The -apiebing She hekrt dully 40 Jesusc (aJhBist.:'iflii- is
ids^fftbe effect of J-he^aiekemngrSpirit-ndSooner mays-e.e»pe_t
to see the ^liow&s and blossoms open without the anfluenoe ;af ithB •
sun, than the heai_t;andwilIof a. sinner open to'ifetewe Christ
without a1 principle ;<if 'sjfir itual 'lifejfkst derived ifrofai Mm; i'_ '
J .< t io . .tsUob ¦¦.).'!' ¦ f>l'i
Fixst'Wse of Information.
\\&Mfetwieei.. If: such be the natoret»ndcHece^tyr;oftoi_lpr__ici-
ple, then it will folloW, that unregenerate men are no better ithari
dead ifteri, i.e.'spiritUally dead, thbttghnaturrilly alive ; there 5s a
Uheefdld consideration "iof bbjeefs, »j_.V,„»:n b.; 1, i}j.;>f
1. Naturally, To all those things that are natural, they are
alive: they canireason, discourse, and contrive, aswell as" others ;
they can eat, drink, arid build, plant, and suck .out toe natural
S-iMmfort of these things, as much as any .others. So their life is
ite-Cribed, Jpb. xxi.' 12. and. yet this natural sensual life is not
ja)ffowed'tthe matrie of life, 1 Tim. v^ 9. such persons are dead
>4e^e:they'iiiqev:s' rr-.f't si:.-'. v-»i:i !:oi.'_r_.r'< ,i/ i-i-. v:*,vw<- »_!$«
2. 0^e^sjn^y]^^mslA^ediip6\l^&lly;\^jid yjafeh respect to
isueh 'things, they a_re,'a_u& also . t^^AC_n):bu^ari_S, sell, arid ma-
iflap alMheir wsoridLyiaiSaks jHitoiasemudlrdekte-ity^skill and policy
as other men. • BratitfaeKiifi.'i.vmi^ -Minis ir.-iiv-"!p noi ;j v !' 'W.
'. 'i3. iWhepdogkaJly coriside_ed;-.t___jyareid3_td-; withoutlife, sense,
*«*P3rriotion, towardsMSod,. .and ihie ;tMngs= tbat .are above. Their
ffe__9dti)_asr>are deadjjqeveri to ike- most: excellent and spiritual ob
jects ; and all their duties are dead duties, without life or spirit.
Th_sisitl-e[safii®fse.i>frtheiurire|jewerate avorld. < < ¦¦! '
-¦•wfiyl^gt Thisjipmksxnckiwagernewtto ministers and parents, to
wait in hopes of success at last, even upon those that yet gime

The work you see is the Lord's ; when toEnSpirit of life comes
W^o^theil'.deadvfeiutls \t__eyi shall bblieve, and be made willing;
pfeay f^t -tltem'.amdipfe^Wit-tfttefo ;; ytsu know not in/which prayer
or exhortation the Spirit of life may breathe -upon them. Can
these dry bones live ? Yes, if the Spirit of life from God breathe
upon them.
Mr. Richard Rogers would say, when he would exercise the
utmost . degree of charity or hope, for any that at present were
- ' v2

324 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
vile and naught, I will never despair of any man for JbhaRogers'
Inf. 3. How honourable are ChrsUans by their new birth !
" They are born of God." Oh what honour is this for a poor
sinful creature, to have the very life of God breathed into his
soul ! All other dignities of life are trifles compared with this.
Inf. 4. How deplorable is the condition of the unregenerate
world?. Now to affect our hearts with the misery of such a condi
tion, let us consider the following particulars,
1. There is no.beauly in the dead, there is no spiritual beauty
or loveliness in any. that are unregenerate : it is true, many of
them have excellent moral virtues, but what are all these, but so
many sweet flowers strewed. over a dead corpse?
2. The dead have no pleasure nor delight; even so the. unre
generate are incapable of the delights Of the Christian life. They
live in sensual pleasures, but this is to be dead while alive, in
scripture-reckoning. : 3. The: dead have no heat, they- are as cold as clay ; so are all
the unregenerate towards God and things above. I
4. The dead must be buried, Gen. xxiii. 4. So.must theunre-
generate be buried out of. God's sight for ever ; buried in the
lowest hell, in the plaee of darkness, for ever.
Inf. 5. How greatly are all men concerned to examine their
condition with respect' to spiritual life and death J
. 1 . If there , be spiritual sense in your souls, there is spiritual
life. They can feel and sensibly groan under soul pressures and
burdens of sin, Rom. vii. 24. The dead feel not, moan not under
the burdens of sin, damnation may scare them but pollution does
not ; hell may fright them, but not the offending of God.
2. If there be spiritual hunger and thirst, it is a sweet sign of
spiritual life ; you will find something making you restless during
the interruption of your daily communion with the Lord.
3. If there be spiritual conflicts with sin, there is spiritual life
in your souls, Gal. v. 17. arid the more inward and secret any
lust is, by so much the more will it be opposed and mourned
over. Object. O but I have a very dead heart to spiritual things !
It is a sign of life that you feel, and are sensible of that dead
ness. Object. Some signs of spiritual life are clear to me, but I can
not close With others. /
If you can really close with any, it may satisfy you, though you
be dark in others ; for if a child cannot go, if it cannot cry, yet if
it breathe, it is- alive.

the method of grace. 325
OF THAT ACT ON OUR PART, BY WHICH WE
APPLY CHRIST TO OUR SOULS.
JOHN i. 12. — But as many as received Aim, to them gave1 he
power to become the sons of God ; even to them that believe
on his name.
No sooner is the soul quickened by the Spirit of God, but it
answers, in some measure, the end of God in that work, by its
active reception of Jesus Christ, in the way of believing. We
have here three things to ponder.
First, The privilege conferred : a very high and glorious one,
than which no created being is capable of greater, " power to be
come the sons of God ;" not only a right to pardon, favour, and
acceptance now, but to heaven and the full enjoyment bf God
hereafter. O what an honour, dignity1, and privilege is this !
Secondly,^ The subjects of this privilege are described ; " As
many* as received him." This text describes them by that very
grace, faith, which gives them their title and right to Christ.
Nothing But unbelief bars men from Christ and his benefits.
Thirdly, This description is yet further explained by this addi
tional exegetical Clause, [even lo them that believe on his name.]
His name is Himself and Himself is his name. So that here we
have the true nature and precious Benefits of saving faith excel
lently expressed in this scripture, the surn of which take in this
preposition. Doct. That the receiving ofthe Lord Jesus Christ is that saving
and vital act of faith which gives the soul right both to ha
person and benefits.
First, In the first place, then, I will endeavour to explain the
nature of this receiving of Christ, and show you what is implied
m it.
Artd, indeed, it involves many deep mysteries; and things of
great ' Weight. People are generally very ignorant and unac
quainted with the importance of this expression ; they bave very
slight thoughts of faith who never passed under the illuminating,
convincing, and humbling work of the Spirit: but we shall find
that saving faith is quite another thing, and differs in its whole
kind and nature from that traditional faith, and common assent,
which is so fatally mistaken for ft in the world. ' ':
For, it is evident that no man can receive Jesus, Christ in the
darkness of natural ignorance. I will not presume to state the
degree of knowledge which is absolutely necessaiy to the recep
tion of Christ; but yet we must say in general, that wherever
faith is, there is so much light as is sufficient to discover to the

326' THE WETflO D*;PF GSAfiB.
soil itfe OWft "sWs, Mngtm md wants,- and? the dl-^ufBpewcy,
suitableness, aifd'Ue?ef$fey: of Christ.. ,j; .-,., i , t_
Secondly, The receiving of Christ necessarily implies the assent
'ofKthe-.undes.6-Snilmg.tothe,t_utha of ;, Christ revealed in the gpspel,-
viZi'hte pefebn^iifctflyes, officee-, bis inbaiPUftfony, death and satis^
faction ; which assent, though it be not in itself saving, faith, yet
it is the foundation and ground work of it \ it being impoSsiBle the
s©ul_hdUl8tr.ee|yeV rind'fidutcially embrace, what the mind doth
not aslserit unt<-.as true and infallibly certain, AIL acts of faith
and religion* without assent, are bu. as so many arrows shot at
random into" the open air, they signify nothing fo. : want of a
fixed detefmSnate object. .. . . -. ,
Tkirdfyi Oar receiving Qbrist necessarily implies our hearty
approbation and estimation ; yea, t_ge> acquiescence of our very
Sori-s in Jesus, Chris*,- as the most excellent, suitable remedy/-.)!
all oUr W4tnt_< sir/sand dangers. 0, saith the soul, how'completely
happy shrill I bb if 1 can fe winf Christ ! I should not envy the
noble, j of the earth we. e: 1 but in Cbrigfc I am hungry and athirst
arid Christ is:r*eat,ihdeedi,i;and drink indeed. I am a law-con-
de_Ufled sinner1,, t-eaalbltogfoi?'. fear of the execution- of the curse
Updn me every MoiEaentjjft Christ is. complete righteoasjiesa to
Justify ray soul; O there is rtothing batter for, me than Christ
I see myself plunged, both ifi natore aid- pjt&etfoef into the odt->
oils pollutions of sinj and in Christ is a fountaiBi. opened f©rsin
and) fet nftcle&ftftess. >' < His bloqd is» a fountaSp of merit, his spirit
is a fountain of holiness and purity : none but Christ) none but
Christ. O the manifold wisdom and unsearchable love of God,
to prepare and furnish such a Christ fully; answei$ng.alif theneeds,
all the distresses,, all the fears and bunfcbs of a pooif sinner!
Fourthly, Receiving Christ consists in. the consent and choice
of the will; and this is the opening of the heart and stretching
forth of the soul, to receive hint Thy people staaU;be willing<,in
fbb day of ** thy power."
It is the great design and main scope of the gospel,- to work,
Over the; Wills of poor siftners to. this. And tbiswas .the gjreat
complafot;of .Christ against the incredulous! Jews, "iYe will-jet
come unto me! that ye might have life." : ,
Fifthly, The last and principal thing included in our .eeeiving
of Christ, is the respect that this act of acceptance hate, unto the
terms upon which Christ is tendered to us in the gotpeh
1. The gospel offers Christ to us sincerely and. really; apdso'
the true believers receive and accepts him, even with afeeitk tmr.
feigned. 2. Christ is offered to us in the gospel entirely and imdiwdedlfo
as clothed with all his offices, priestly, pfophstieal^arjd regal;.
arid so the true believers receive him. Tbe kypocritp,\ li_?e the
harlot, is for dividing, but the sincere believer finds top needibe'

THE METHOD OF GRAGfi. 327
yto-ro6(e1viej\yi'iofE!ce;of, Christ, and knows, not.boW; tpwawt any
thing that is iri him. ,' '.,'.'-
The Gospelrofc of, Christ, includes all, his offices t$ submit to
him*, as well, as to. Be redeei^ed by him ,;> to, imitate him in the
holiness of his life, as well as to reap the purchases, and fruits; of
his death.' <: , ¦ , . .
-. 3* -Ch mist is offeredto usiinithe gospel exclusively, as the- alone
and only Saviour of sinners. To depend partly ugou Christ's
righteousness,, and partly upqa ourown,is to, set one foot upon
a rock, and the- other in a quick-sand ; either Christ will be to us
aHUvall, ®r nothing, at all.
4» The gospel offers Christ freely to sinners as the gift of God.
The believer comes to Christ with an empty hand„not only as an
undeserving, but as an hell-deserving sinner ; he comes to Christ
as to onethat justifies the nipgodly, Rom. iv.,£L There is nothing
qualifies a man for -Christ more than a sense of his. unworthiness
of >bim, and the want of all excellencies or. ornaments that may
eojwmend him to divine acceptance.
5. The gospel offers Christ orderly to sinners, first his person,
then his privileges., God first gives his. Son, and them with him,
or as a consequent, .of that, gift, he gjves us aU things, Rom. viii,
32. In the same order must our faith seceive him. The believer
doth not marry jthe portion, first, and then the person, but. to be
found in him is the first and gjjeat care of a believer.
6. Christ is advisedly offered in the gospel to sinners, as the
result of God's eternal counsel,, a project of grace upon which his
heart and thoughts have been much s$t, Zecb. vi. 13.
.: And tons* doth the Lord open the hearts, of his. elect, and win
the consent of theis wills to receive Jesus Christ upon the deepest
consideration and debate of tbe matter in their own most solemn
th0_{$tts, They know that they must deeply deny themselves,
take up the cross and follow him, these are hard, and difficult
things, but yet the necessity and excellency of Chrigt make them
appear eligible and rational : by all which you see faith i^ anotoej
thing than what the sound of that word signifies to the under
standings of most men. .
Seemdly, Our next work wiU be to evince this receiving of
Christ as hath been opened, to Be. that special saving faith of
God's elect* This is that faith of wbwh.sueh great and glqraons
things are spoken in the go^p^^whjjch whosoever hath shall be
saved,, and he that hath \% not shall be damn£;di ; and this I shall
evidently prqv^ by the following argument^
Arg. 1. First, That faith which gives the soul right and tftj'e to
spiritual .^option* with all th® pri#ege^and B§neflfe thereof, is
isue and saving faitfi. , ,
'¦¦ '. But such a receiving of Christ as Bath, been described, gives
the soul} right and title to spirituEdudoption, with all. toe privileges
and benefits thereof.

328 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
" To as many as received him, to them gave he power or right
to become the sons of God." , _/
Arg 2. Secondly, That only is saving and justifying faith, which
is in all true believers, in none but true believers, and in all true
believers at all times. -,-_..,.
But such a receiving of Christ as hath been described^ is in all
true believers, in none but true believers^ and in all true be
lievers at all times.
There are three acts of faith, assent, acceptance, and as-
SUVGTIC6 Assent is too low to contain the essence of saving faith ; it is
found in the unregenerate as well" as the. regenerate! yea, in
devils as well as men, it is included in justifying faith, but it is
not the justifying or saving act.
Assurance is as much too high, being found only in some emi
nent believers : and in them too but at sometimes. So that
assent widens the nature of faith too much, and assurance upon the
other hand straitens it too much ; but acceptance, %hich saith, I
take Christ in alibis offices to be mine, this fits it exactly, and be
longs to all true believers, and to none but true believers ; and to
all true believers at all times. This therefore must be the justi
fying and saving act of faith.
Arg. 3. That and no other is the justifying and saving act of
faith, to which the properties and effects of saving faith do belong*
or in which they are only found.
The scripture ascribes great difficulties to that faith by which
we are saved, as being most cross andopposite to the corrupt
nature of man; but of all the acts of faith, none is clogged with
the like difficulties, or conflicts with greater opposition than the.re-
ceiving act doth ; upon the self-denying terms of the gospel, as
will hereafter be evinced. We conclude therefore, that in this
consist the nature and essence of saving- faith.
Thirdly, Having seen what the receiving of Jesus Christ is, I
next come to open the dignity and excellericy of this faith, whose
praises and encomiums are in all the scriptures.
This is the grace that is singled out from among all other
graces, to receive Christ; by which offer it is dignified above all
its fellows . It is the grace that instrumentally saves us. As it
is Christ's glory to be the door of salvation, so it is faith's glory
to be the golden key that opens that doOr.
1 . This is the bond of our union with Christ ; that union is be^
gun in our vivification, and completed in our actual receiving of
Christ. 2. Itis the instrument of our justification, Rom. v. 1. Till
Christ be received we are in our sins, under guilt and condemna
tion ; but when faith comes, then comes freedom'; a full and.
final pardon sealed. O precious faith ! Who can sufficiently
value it !

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 329
What respect, reader, wouldst thou have to that hand that
should bring thee a pardon when on the ladder or block ?
Why, sueh a pardon, which thou canst not read without tears of
joy, is brought thee by the hand of faith. O! inestimable
grace !
3. It is the spring of our spiritual peace and joy : as it is
the instrument of our justification. " Being justified by faith, we
have peace with God." " Believing we rejoice with joy unspeak
able." 4. It is fhe means of our spiritual livelihood and subsistence :
all other graces, like birds in a nest, depend upon what faith
brings in to them ; take away faith, and all the graces languish
and die : joy, peace, hope, patience, and all the rest depend upon
faith, as the members Of the natural body do upon the vessels by
which blood and spirits are conveyed to them,
h. In the last place, it is no wonder that it is the main scope
and drift of the gospel, to press and bring souls to believe; ft
is the gospel's grand design to bring up the hearts of men to
faith! Fourthly, I promised to shew you upon what account faith is
thus dignified and honoured.
First, it doth not justify in the popish sense, upon the account
of its own proper worth and dignity; for then justification would
be of debt, not of grace ; and the way of our justification by faith
worild be so far from excluding, that it would establish boasting,
expressly contrary to toe apostle, Rom. iii. 2J.
Then there should be no defects or imperfections in- faith, for
a defective or imperfect thing can never be the matter of our
justification before God. : !
And it is evident, it doth not justify us in the Arminian sense,
the act of believing beirig accepted By God, as our evangelical
righteousness, instead of perfect legal righteousness. Let all Ar-
niiniani- know, we have as high an esteem for faith as any men in
the world, but yet we will not rob Christ to clothe faitb.
We dare not yield this point, lest'we undermine all the com
fort of Christians, by setting their pardon and peace upon a weak
imperfect work of their own. , Oh how tottering and unstable
must their station be, that stand upon such'a bottom as this !
We dare "riot WrOng the justice and truth of God at that rate,
as to affirm that he esteems our poor weak faith as perfect legal
righteousness. The justice of God requires full payment, and*
all that we can db, amounts not to one mite of the vas1
sum we owe to God. So that we deservedly reject this opinio.
also. . . .
And for the third opinion : That it justifies as thb condition '
the new covenant ; I cannot see any reason, why repentance ms
not as properly be said to justify us as faith, for it is a conditio'

33© THE MBBHOD OF GRACE.
of the new covenant as muehas faith ; andi if faith justify as a
condition, then every Othec gi'ade that is- a condition must justify
as well as faith. Faith, considered as a habit, is no, more pre
cious- than other gracious habits are, but considered as an instru
ment to receive Christ and his righteousness it excels all. And
thus much of tbenatuue andexfeellenejs of saving faith.

John i. 12— But as many as received him,, to them gave he
power to become the sons' of God;. even to them that' be
lieve on his name.
The nature and excellency of saving faith, having been dis.
coursed doctrinally, I now come to make application' of it, ac
cording to toe nature of thip weighty and fruitful point. ,
, And the uses I shall make of it will bes,,
.First, For Informatipn.
; Inference _.„ Is toe receiving of Christ the vital and saving act
of faith, which gkes,tbe soul right to the person and privilege? of
Christ? Then it follows,. That the rejecting of Christ by* unbe
lief, must needs be the damning and 'soul-destroying sin, whkh
cuts a man off from Christ, qnd.all the benefits purchased %
his blood. If there be life in receiving, theremust needs he death
in reacting Christ.. , ,;
There is no grace more excellent than faith ; ao sin, more exe^
crable and abominable toanuaibelief.
i , Though Christ Be come, in the flesh ; though he died and rose
agpini from the, dead ;. yet if you believe not,, you must for all that
$p,in,your sins< And what a dreadful thing is this ! better any
death whatever than die in your sins. If you die in your sins,
you, will also rise in your ans, and stand at the bar of Christ in
your sins : you can never receive remission, till first you, haye
rq(3#.ed Christ., ,„',.-
Inf. 2. . If sueh a receiving, of Christ, as hath been described,
be saving and justifying faith, then,fait,his a work of greateriif-
fi0ultythan most mew. understand, it to be, and there are but few
sound believers in the worlds .„
.-, Before Christ can be received, the heart must. Be emptfec. and
opened: But most men's hearts are, full, of self.rjgbjtem$n@ss. and
vain confidence. ,
Man's, righteousness was ouce in himself,! and what liquor is
first put mtp the vessel,, it, ever after savours of it,. God hath re*
moved their righteousness from doing tp believing: fcqffi ,/w»-

THE- METHQD OF GRACE. 331
selves tQ Christ . :Brit wh® sihall prevail withtheiu to fo-j&be self?
Nature will venture, to be damned rather than do it,.- So that ft
may well be plaGed; among, the great my steries of Godliness, that
Christ is believed on .,M»to,e: worid, 1 Tim. iii. 16. ¦¦'-'-'
Inf. 3, Hence itwill follow, That there may be more true1 and
sound, believers in the world, than know, or dare conclude them
selves fa be sueh. , ,.;, i; :,.,; . ,.
For, as many ruin their own souls by placing the essence of
saving faith; in naked aissenfe, so some rob themselvesrof thewown
comfort, by placing it in full assurance. Faith, and sense of
faith;, are; two dis_i_ict and seperable mercies ; the Father owns
l^p child in toe Gradle^ who yet knows him not to be his Fa
ther,, - .:.;¦.
Now there- are seme reasons why many; believers, live with
out the comforts of tlieir faith : many great objections lie against
it. -As, ,"-, - ,- -;.. - -.'_\-,.'-
- Obj. 1. Light and knowledge are necessarily required tci the
right receiving of Christ, but I am dark and signo. ant ;, many
unregenerate persons know more than I do, and are more able t,«*
discourse of the mysteries of religion than I am. ,
,Sol. But you ought to distinguish ofi the kinds and degrees of
knowledge, and then you wonld see that your bewailed ignorance
is no- bar to your interest in Christ.
If you know, so much, of the evil of sin, as renders it .toe most
bitter and burdensome thing in the world to you, and so much of
top necessity and. excellency of Christ, as renders'him th© most
sweet and desirable thing intoe world to you, thoughyiora maybe
defective in many degrees, of. knowledge,, yet), this, is? enough to
p^oye yours to be the frnitof the Spirit : ybu may have a sancti^
fied heart, though you Bave an i.regjilar or weak head : many
that knew more than you, are in hell : and some that once knew
as little as you, are now in heaven, .-< - ¦
Obj: 2. Butl haye rn^y staggeriugs and doubting$ about toe
certainty and reality of these things ; many horrid; atheistical
thoughts,; which shake the assenting act of faath in the veryfouiida-
tio». audihenGe I doubt I do not believe. -; ,;, ,..•;, ;,v^,
' 'hot. There may be, and often is, a true and sincere assent
fbiBjd in/toe soul,, that is assaulted with violent atheistical sug
gestions from Satan, ."''•;: o . '. ;
, .4. man saitb* I donat assent to the necessity, or exeelleneyof
Jesus Cihrisit ; yet, in tlie mean, time, his* soul is filled with cares
and fears aBout securing bis interest in him, he is found panting
for him with vehement desires, there is nothing in all the world
would give him such joy ^ as to be well assured of an interest in
hiratj while it is thus with any; man, let him say or think what! he
will, ft is manifest by this he doth truly and heartily assent, and
there can be no better proof of ft than these real effects pb*
duced by it. : > , ¦ ,; .;

332 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
Secondly, Bat it often falls out, that believers are afraid to draw
the conclusion : and that fear partly arises from,
The weighty importance of this matter ; it is the everlasting
happiness of their souls,, than which nothing is, or can be of
greater weight upon their spirits. The sense they have ofthe de
ceitfulness of their own hearts, and the daily workings of hy
pocrisy there, makes them afraid to conclude in so great a point
as this is.
They know, that very many daily cheat themselves in this mat
ter ; they know also tost their own hearts are full of falseness and
deceit; and what if they .should prove so in this? Why then
they are lost for ever. ! And this being toe common case of
most Christians, it follows that there must be many more be
lievers in the world than do think, or dare conclude themselves
to be such.
Inf. 4. If tbe right receiving of Jesus' Christ, be true saving
faith, then those that have the lowest degree of saving faith,
have cause for ever to admire the bounty and riches of the grace
of God.
O believer, though the arms of thy faith be small and weak,
yet they embrace a great Christ, and receive the richest gift that
ever Gpd bestowed upon the world: the treasures often thou
sand worlds cannot purchase such privileges as these : all the
crowns and sceptres of the earth, sold at full Value, are no price
for such mercy. .
The least degree of saving faith brings the soul into a state of
perfect and full justification, Rom. viii. 1.
The least measure' or degree Of saving faith, is a greater mercy
than God hath bestowed; or ever will bestow upon many that
are far above you" in outward respects ; All men have not
faith. "¦'-'-
Say therefore iri thy mostdebased, straitened, afflicted condtfon,
" Return to thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bounti
fully with thee:"'
infer. 5. Learn hence, the impossibility of their salvation,
who neither know the nature, nor enjoy the means of saving
faith. ' My soul pities, and mourns over the infidel world. Ah ! what
will Become ofthe millions of poor unbelievers ! there is but one
door of salvation, viz. Christ ; and but one key of faith to open
that door; and as that key was never given to the Heathen
world : so itis laid aside, or taken away from the people by their
cruer guides,- all over the Popish world.
I think if toe devil himself were in the pulpit, he could hardly
tell how to bring men to a more low and slight esteem of faith;'
to represent it more as a very trifle, than these his agents have
done. Some say ifa man believe with a particular explicit faitby
i- e. if he actually assent to the scripture-truths once in a year, it

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 333
is enough. Yea, and others think it too much to oblige people
to believe once in twelve months,; and, for their ease, tell them,
if they beUeve once in twelve years it is sufficient ; and, lest tbis
should be too great a task, others affirm, that if it be done but
once in their whole life, and thaf at the point of death too, itis
enough, especially for the rude and common people. Good God!
what a doctrine is here! O, bless God while you live for your
deliverance from popery.
Doth saving faith consist in a due and right receiving of the
Lord Jesus Christ ? Then let me persuade you to examine your-r
selves in this great point of faith*
If all you were worth in the world lay m one precious stone,
and that stone were to be tried by the skilful Lapidary, whether
it were true or false, sure your thoughts, could not be uncon
cerned about the issue. Why all that you are worth in both
worlds depends upon the truth of your faith which is now to be
tried. ' ,
O therefore read not these lines with a running careless eye
but seriously ponder the matter before you. You would be loth
to put to sea, though it were but to cross the channel, in a rotten
leaky bottom : And will you dare to venture info the occasion of
eternity in a false rotten faith ! G°cl forbid.
Well then, hath God opened your eyes to see sin and misery
in another manner than ever you saw them before ? Certainly,
if God hath opened your eyes by saving illumination, you will
find as great a difference betwixt your former arid present appre
hensions of sin and danger, as betwixt the painted Hon upon the
wall or a sign-post, and the real living lion that meets you roaring
in the way.
Conviction is , antecedent to believing : Where tois goes not
before, no faith can follow after : The Spirit first convinces of sin,
then of righteousness.
Self-despair, or a total and absolute loss in ourselves about
.deliverance, and the way of escape, either by ourselves, or any
other mere creature, doth, and must go before faith. ;
So it was with those believers, Acts ii. 37- "Men and bre
thren, '< What shall we do ?" They are the words of men at a
total loss.
Duties cannot save us, reformation cannot save us, nor angels,
nor men can Save us ; , there is no way but one, Christ, or con
demnation for ever.
Hence come vehement and earnest cries to God for faith; for
Christ, for help from heaven, to transport the soul out of tois
dangerous condition, to that strong rock of salvation.
Again, If you would be satisfied of the sincerity and truth of
your faith, then examine what concomitants ft is attended with in
your souls, I mean, what frames and tempers your souls were
in, at that time when you think you received Christ.

334 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
1 The heart is deeply serious, a*id as muoh in earnest in this
matter, as ever ft Was, or can;be about ariy tMng. in ^be worid
TMs you*ee in that exam file «rf the -gaoler, Aete'xm^?. At
frothiness and frolics are gone; and the heart* settles 'itself
iri the deepest earnest about its eternal state. •" '<..''"
2 The heart .hat recedes Jesus Christ is in a frame of deep
humiliation and self-abasement. When a -soul ss convinced of
its utter unworthiness and desert of hell, and ,can scarce expect
as_y thing else from the just arid iioly -God but damnation, how-do
the- first drawings bf mercy melt and humble it. ;
3 The soul that receives Jesus JGhrist is m a weary condition,
restless, and full of disquietness, neither able to bear the burden
of sin, ner knowing how to be discharged frbm it; except" Chbist
will'give-it ease^Matt. m 28.
,4. The soul that rightly receives'Ohrist, is not only in a weary,
but in fc-'-fe nging ConMidni, : never did the hart pant more ear
nestly for the water-brooks: never did the hireling^ desire the
shadow . never did a condemned person long fotf a pardon more
than 'the' soU-1 forigs after Jesus Christ. O now were teU' tobu-
sarid worlds" at my command, and^htfst to be bought; -how freely
would <I 'lay 4_em rill down to purchase him! O that ' "God would
give Christ, if I should go in rags, and hunger and thirst rill flay
days in this 'world !
5. The soul in the time of its closing with or receiving Christ,
4s in a state ofeomfort : -new hopes inspire toe soul, and. he hands
that ididhang, down are strengthened. '
These are the concomitant frames that accompany faith.
'.-'.- Lastly, F-xamihe the consequents and effects of faithvif 'yoU
would be satisfied of toe truth and sincerity of it. And: such a.e,
s- ''EnxmgeMical meltings, and ingenuous toawings of the heart
under the 'apprehension of g_aee and*ae_ey, Zech. xii 10. ¦¦¦•'¦
Love to Christ ,'his ways and people, Gal. v. 6. Fa$k>wonketh
%y<love. '¦ '¦'''¦' ' r ' ¦-"'' '•'¦'
%leaxbpur$ty, Acts' xv. 9. ." Purifying' the heart >by" fafth.''
It doth not only cleanse ^iie hands but Ahehearfl .''•¦¦-¦¦¦
'OBedieflee to the commands of Christ, Rom. ij-Vi. -26.
In a word, let the poor 'dbuBtirig believer -reflect upbn 'those
things that are unquestionable in his own experience. ' '
dt is very doubtful to you whether you ibelievb,' fbufryet _t may
-be past doubt >that you have been deeply con win .ed of sia. You
doubt whether Christ be yours, but it is past-iioabttoatPyOivbave
'almost high and precious esteem of <3h-ist^that you' heartily long
^for him, that you prize and love all, 'whetoer personsw Jthi_igs,
that bear hisf image: that you -would rather your souls _ho«fld*e
i filled vvith his Spirit, than your houses with gold anfi silver. It
isdoubtfal whether Christ be yours, 'but it is past doubt that one
token bf his love Wjould do yeu-more good toBn rill toe honours
and smiles ofthe world. You dare not say that you have received

THE METHOD 'Ot GRACE. 33S
him, nor can ybu deny but that ybu 'have gone into many secret
places with yearning Bowels after him. Whether he be yours or
not, you 'Cannot tell ; but that you are resolved to be his, that you
can tell. Whether he will save you is but a doubt, but that you
resolve to lie atlnsfebt, arid wriitonly -Ori fe_m, and never look to
another for salvation, is no doubt.
Well, Weil ; poor pensive sori), if _t %e so, arise, 'lift up'thy
dejected -head, take IMne owp Ohri-t. SUch things as these are
mot found in them that despise and reject 'Christ by Unbelief.
3. Use. This point is likewise very improveable byway ef ex
hortation.-- - • v '•' '¦ "- '¦-•'¦ i:f! '•"¦ '¦'•''
First, To unbelievers, whb 'frona hence must be pressed, as
ever ^hey-expectto see'the'face of God in peaee, to receive Jesus
Christ as he is now Offered to1 them jn the gospel. f
Consider well what is in Christ, whom I persuade you thfe;fiay
to'-fbceive. '-'¦¦ ¦ ¦ ' lf,:' <*' '
" God- is ;in Christ;" 2 <Cor. v. 19. the Deity hath ehosen to
dwelt 'in his flesh; he is "iGodniariifest'in fle_h."
The authority of God is in Christ,/' My=name is in 1.™.'' A.I
power in heaven arid • earth is giveri' to bim.
The wisdom of God is in Christ, 1 Cor. i/24. The "angels
desire to Icfo'k into it." ; '"-'.' ;'
Thefullness ofthe Spirit is m Chri_t; yea, it fills him so as
it never did, nor Will fill any creature, Jbhn iii. '34.
The righteousness of God is in Christ, by which only a poor
guilty dinner ean be justified before God, 2 Cor. v. 21.
The love of God is in Christ. "What is-Chfist, but theloye of
God wrapt up in flesh and blood? 1 Johniv.'9, 10;
The ^mercies and* compassions of God are all in Christ, Jude,
ver. 21. Mercy is toe thing that poor sinners want, it is that
they cry for at the last gasp ; ft is the only toing that can do
'them good. O what would they give to Und mercy in the great
¦ day? - '>¦'¦¦'-¦ ' ' ¦ ¦'- '<-•¦
To conclude, The salvation of God is in Christ, Acts iv. 1 2.
'* Neither is there salvationin any other."
•Next, I beseech you, consider What' there is in toe offer of
-Christ to siririers, to induce you to receive him. /Consider
-well, .'•¦•¦• i " v , , • -i
First, To whom is he offered ; not to the fallen angels, 'but to
you; and will -you not receive hiiri? Oh ! then 'how will toe
devils; the damned; and the Heathen upbraid your folly! and say,
<ha_. we had '©lie -such terider of merpy, of which you have'had
'thousands, we 'would never have been now in this place of tor-
=_oients. :
: - Secondly, Consider 'how Christ is;offe_ed to_you, arid you shall
find that he is offered. -1 '
' >\1 . < Freely, as the gift of 6r06?;>toybur sbuls ', you are nCftAxfj&ur-
'enase ihim, but only to receive Mm, Isa. lv. i.

336 ..THE METHOD OF GRACE.
2. Christ is offered importunately, by repeated intreaties, 2
Cor! v. 20. God now beseeches you, will you not yield toi the
intreaties of your God ? 6 then what wilt thou say for thyseff,
when God will not hear thee.,
Consider the sin and danger there is in refusing or neglecting
toe present offers of Christ in toe gospel, for in refusing Christ*
1. You put the greatest contempt and slight upon all the attri
butes of : God that is possible for a creature to do: his justice,
his mercy, and all his attributes shine in their brightest glory in
Christ. 1 -.
2. You hereby frustrate and evacuate the very design and im
portance of the gospel to yourselves.
3. Hereby a man murders his own soul, John viii. 24. Unbe
lief is self-murder; you are guilty of the blood of your own souls.
Yea -
4.' The refusing of Christ by unbelief will aggravate your dam*-
nation above all others that perish in ignorance of Christ.
To believers this point is very useful to persuade them to
divers excellent duties. ¦- r-
1. You that have received Jesus Christ truly, give yourselves
no Test till you are fully satisfied that you have done so ; accept
ance brings you to heaven hereafter, but assurance will bring
heaven intoyour souls now. O, what a life of delight and plea .
sure doth the assured believer live, ! I was upon the brink of hell,
I am now upon the very borders of heaven ; I shall be in a very
little while among the innumerable company. of angels and glori
fied saints, Bearing part with them iri the song of Moses, and of
the Lamb for evermore. ,
Oh !, therefore, give diligence to this work, attend the study of
the scriptures and of your own hearts more, and grieve, not the
holy Spirit of God.
2. Bring up your conversation to the excellent principles and
rules of faith ; "As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so
walk ?n him." ;-•,
Convince the world of your constancy and cheerfulness in all
your sufferings for Christ, that you are still of tbe same mind
you were, and that Christ, with his cross, Christ, with a pri
son, Christ, with the greatest afflictions, is worthy of all ac
ceptation. ,
Lastly, I will close all jn a few words of direction.
1 . In your receiving Christ, Beware you do not mistake the
means for the end. Many do so, but see you do not. If I go
into a boat, my design is not, to dwell there, but to be carried to
the place whereon I desire to be landed : so it must be in this
case, all your duties must land you upon Christ ; they are means
to bring you to Christ.
2. See that you receive not Christ for a present help, butjor
your everlasting portion. Many do so ; They will enquire after

THE METHOD OF GRACE.. 337
Christ, pray for Christ, when the terror of conscience is upon
them, but as soon as the storm is over, there is no more talk of
Christ; beware of -mistaking peace for Christ.
3. In receiving Christ come empty-handed unto him. Many
persons stand off from Christ for want of fit qualifications ; they
are not prepared for Christ as they should be. O! this is toe
pride of men's hearts, and the snare of the devil. Let him that
hath no money come.
4. In receiving Christ beware of dangerous delays : life is un
certain, so are the means of grace too. The man-slayer needed
no motives to quicken his flight to the city of refuge.
; 5. See that you receive Christ with all your heart. As there
is nothing in Christ that may be refused, so there is nothing in
you from which he must be excluded.
6. Understand that the opening of your hearts to receive Christ -
is not a work done by any power of your own, Isa. liii. 1. It is,
therefore, your duty and interest to be daily at the feet of God,
pouring out your souls to him in secret, for abilities to believe.
And so much, as to our actual reception of Christ;
Thanks be lo God for Jesus Christ.

THE BELIEVER'S FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST.
Psalm xiv. 7. — Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee witk
(he oil of gladness above thy fellows.
*' The words read, are a part of that excellent song of love
wherein the spiritual espousals of Christ and the church are figu
ratively and very elegantly celebrated. Among many rapturous
and elegant expressions in praise of this glorious Bridegroom,
Christ, this is one, which yOu have before you. " God, thy
God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fel
lows :" i. e. enriched and filled thee, in a singular manner, with
the fulness of the Spirit, whereby thou art consecrated to thy
ofiice ; and by reason whereof thou out-shinest and excellest all
the saints, who are thy fellows or co-partners in these graces.
So that in these words you have two parts ; viz. First, The saints'
digmty, and Secondly, Christ's pre-eminency. Making Christ
the first receptacle of grace, who first and immediately is filled
from the fountain, toe Godhead : but itis for his people, who re
ceive and derive from him according to their propottion. " God,
thy-God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy
fellows." r By the oil of gladness understand the Spirit of holiness. " And
this -oil is here called the oil of gladness, because it is the cause
of aft joy and gladness to them that are anointed with it." Oil

338 ' ffHE METHOD OF GRACE.
was used at the instalment of sovereign princes; which was the
day of the gladness of their hearts ; and, among the common
people, it was liberally used at all their festivals, but never upon
their days of mourning. Whence it becomes excellently expres
sive ofthe nature and use ofthe Spirit of grace, who is the cause
and author of all joy in believers, John xvii. 13.
Doct. That all true believers have a real communion or fellow
ship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
From the saints' union with Christ, there doth naturally and
immediately result a most sweet and blessed fellowship with
him in graces and spiritual privileges, Epb. i. 3. So in 1 Cor. i.
30. and 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23. <* AH are yours, and ye are Christ's."
What Christ is and hath is theirs by communication to them, or
improvement for them ; and this is very evidently implied in all
those excellent scripture metaphors, by which our union with
Christ is figured and shadowed out to us.
In the explication of this point, I shall speak to four things.
lirst, What are those things in which Christ and believers
have fellowship, to which I must speak both negatively and
positively. 1. Negatively, The saints have no fellowship with Jesus
Ch'ristan those tilings that belong to him as God ; such as his
consubstantiality, co-equality, and co-eternity with the Father.
Neither men nor angels partake in these things.
2. The saints have no communion or fellowship in the honour
and glory of his mediatory works, viz. his satisfaction to God; or
redemption of the elect. Though we have the benefit of being
saved, we may not pretend to the honour of being saviours, as
Christ is to ourselves or others.
Secondly, But then there are many glorious and excellent
things which are in common betwixt Christ and believers, though
- in them all he hath tlie pre-eminence ; he shines in the fulness
of them, us the sun, and we with a borrowed and lesser light, but
of the same kind and nature as the stars.
, 1 . Believers have communion with Christ in his names and
titles ; they are called Christians from Christ, from him the whole
family in heaven and earth is named.
2. They have communion with him in his righteousness, i. e.
the righteousness of Christ is made theirs, 2 Cor. v. 21. and he
is " the Lord our righteousness," as a man and his wife, a debtor
and surely, are one : so his payment or satisfaction is in our
name, or upon our account.
Even as a poor Woman that owes more than she is worth,
in one moment is discharged of all her obligations, by her mar
riage to a wealthy man.
3. Believers have communion with Christ in his holiness, for

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 339
of God he is made unto them, not only righteousness, but sanc
tification also; as in the former privilege, they have a stock
of merit in the blood of Christ to justify them. You would think
it no small privilege to have bags of gold to go to, and enrich
yourselves with, and yet that were but a very trifle in comparison
to have Christ's righteousness and holiness to go to for your jus
tification and sanctification.
4. Believers have communion with Christ in his death. " I am
crucified with Christ :" the death of Christ is the death of sin in
believers ; and this is a very glorious privilege ; for the death of
sin is the life of your souls \ if sin do not die in you by mortifica
tion, you must die! for sin by eternal damnation.
5. Believers have communion with Christ in his life and re
surrection from the dead ; as he rose from the dead, so do they ;
and that by the power and influence of his vivifitaMon arid resur
rection. It is the Spirit of life which is in Christ JesUs that
makes us free from the law of sin and death, Rom* viii. !_. Our
spiritual life is from Christ, Eph. ii. 1.
6. To conclude, believers have fellowship with JesUs Christ
in his glory, which they shall enjoy in heaven With him : they
" shall be ever with the Lord." I do not say that Christ will
make any saint equal with him in glbry ; he will be known from
all the Saints in heaven, as the sun is distinguished from the stars ;
but they shall partake of his glory, and be filled With his joy.
Thirdly, Next I would open the way and means by which we
come to have fellowship with Jesus Christ, in these excellent
•privileges. 1 . No man hath fellowship wilh Christ in any special saving
privilege by nature ; it is not the privilege of our first, but second
birth, John i. 12, 13.- the wild branch hath rio communication of
the sweetness and fatness of a more excellent root until it be
ingrafted upon it.
2. Believers themselves have not an eqwal share one with another,
in all the benefits and privileged of their Union witk Christ.
In justification they are all equal ; all tbat belieVe are justified
from all things. But it is a plain case, that there is great variety
fotmd in the degrees of grace and comfort among them that are
jointly interested in Christ, and equally justified by him.
3. The saints have not fellowship and communion witk Christ
by one and the same medium, but by various mediums, according
to the nature ofthe benefits, in which they participate.
By imputed righteousness, we are freed from the"guilt of sin :
by imparted holiness, we are freed from the dominion of sin, and
by our glorification with Christ, We are freed from all toe relics
and remains both of sin and misery let in by sin upon our na
tures. 4. That Jesus Christ imparts to all betieHerisi all the spiritual
bkssmgs that he is filled wilh, be these blessings ever go gteat,
z 2

340 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
or they that receive them ever so mean. " Ye are the children
of God by faith in Jesus Christ.". The salvation that comes by
Jesus Christ is stiled the common salvation : hence we find ex
cellent treasures of grace in mean and contemptible persons in
the world ; poor in the world and rich in faith, and heirs of the
kingdom. 5. The communion believers have with Christ, in spiritual be
nefits, isa very great mystery, far above the understandings of
natural men. There are no footsteps of this thing in all the
works of creation ; yea, it is so deep a mystery, that the angels
themselves stoop down to look into it, 1 Pet. i. 12. 1 Cor. ii. 9, 10.
Lastly, I shall, in a few particulars, open the dignity and ex
cellency of this fruit of our union with Christ.
Consider, 1. with, whom we are associated, even the Son of
God ; with him that is over all, God blessed for ever. Our
association with angels is an high advancement, But what is this
to our fellowship with Jesus Christ himself.
2. What we are that are dignified with tois title, the fellows
or co-partners with Jesus Christ : such wretched sinners,, as, by
the sentence ofthe law, ought to be associated with devils, and
partakers with ,them of the wrath of the Almighty God to all
eternity. . 3. The benefits we are partakers of, in and with the Lord Jesus
Christ; and, indeed, they are wonderful and, astonishing things,
so far as they do already appear, but yet we see but little of them
comparatively to what we shall see, 1 John-iii. 1, 2.
4. The way and manner in which we are brought into this
fellowship with Christ, 2 Cor. viii. 9. He empties himself of his
glory, that we might be filled ; he is made a curse, that we might
enjoy the blessing ; lie submits to be crowned with thorns, that
we might be crowned with glory and honour ; he puts himself
into tbe number of worms, Psal. xxii. 6. that we might be made
equal to the angels. O, the inconceivable grace of Christ !
5. The reciprocal nature of that communion which is betwixt
Christ and believers. O, what an honour is it to thee, poor
wretch, to have a King, yea, the Prince of all the kings of the
earth, to pity, relieve, sympathize, groan and bleed with thee, to
sit by thee in all thy troubles, and give' thee his cordials. O,
what name shall we give unto such grace as this is !
6. Consider the perpetuity of this privilege ; your fellowship
with Christ is interminable, and abides for ever. No, the rela
tion never ceases ; justification, sanctification and adoption, are
everlasting things, and we can never be divested gf them.
Inference 1. Are the saints Christ's fellows ? What honourable
persons then are they ! they shall sit with him in his throne. 0-
that this vile world did but know the dignity of believers, they
would never slight, hate, abuse, and persecute them as they do!
And O that believers did but understand their own happinessand

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 341
privileges by Christ, they would never droop and sink under
every small trouble at the rate they do !
Inf. 2. How abundantly hath God provided for all the necessi
ties and wants of believers ! "My God shall supply all your
needs," Phil. iv. 19. : If all the riches of God can supply your
needs, then they shall be supplied. O be cheerful, be thankful,
you have all your hearts can wish ; and yet be humble ; it is all
from free-grace to empty and unworthy creatures.
Inf. 3. How absurd, disingenuous, and unworthy of a Chris
tian, is it to deny, or withhold from Christ any thing he kath, or
by which he may be served or honoured? . Doth Christ communi
cate all he hath to you, and can you withhold any thing from
Christ, John xx. 17- O this cursed idol self! which appropriates.
all to its own designs and uses. HoW liberal is Christ ! and how
penurious are We. .Some will not part with a drop of blood for
Christ, when Christ spent the whole treasure of his blood freely
for us ; yea, how loth are we to part with a shBling for Christ,
when as yet " we know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we
through his poverty might be rich!" O ungrateful return !-' O
Base and disingenuous spirits !
Inf. 4. Then certainly no man is, or can be supposed to be a
loser by conversion, seeing from that day, whatever Christ is or
hath becomes his.
O what an inheritance are men possessed of by their new birth !
Some men cry out, Religion will undo you ; but with what eyes
do these men see ? Surely, you could never so reckon, except
your souls were so incarnated, as to reckon pardon, peace, adop
tion, holiness, and heaven, for nothing ; that invisibles are non
entities, and temporals tbe only realities.
Inf. 5. How securely is the saints' inheritance settled upon
them, seeing they are in common with Jesus Christ? Christ and
his saints are joint-heirs, and the inheritance cannot be alienated
but by his consent ; he must lose his interest, if you lose yours.
Job was happier upon the dunghill, than Adam was in paradise.
The covenant of grace is certainly the best tenure ; as it hath the
best mercies, sb it gives the fullest security to enjoy them.
Inf. 6. How rich and full is Jesus Christ, who communicates
abundantly to all the saints, and yet hath infinitely still more in
. himself, than hath ever been received by them all.
Take all the faith of Abraham, all the meekness of Moses, all
the patience of Job, all the wisdom of Solomon, all the zeal of
David, all the industry of Paul, and all the tender-heartedness of
Josiah ; add to this* all the grace that is poured into all the elect
vessels in the world, 3-et still itis far short ofthat which remains
in Christ ; " He is anointed with the oil of gladness above his
fellows." There are many thousand stars, and one star differs

342 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
from another star in glory, yet there is more light and glory in
one sun, than in many thousand stars.
Inf. 7. What delight and singular advantage must needs be in
the communion of the saints, who have communion witk Jesus
Christ in all his graces and benefits. 1 John, i. 3.
O it is sweet to have fellowship with those that have fellow
ship with God in Jesus Christ, so it is sweet and most delightful
to Be improving by spiritual communion ; yea, for that end one
is furnished with one grace more eminently than another; the
eye, the knowing man, cannot say to the hand, the active man, I
have no need of thee. And O how sweet would it be, if gfftg,
graces, and experiences were frequently and humbly imparted ;
but idle notions, earthly mindedness, self-interests, and want of
more communion with Christ, have almost destroyed the comfort
of Christian fellowship every where in tbe world.
Inf. 8. In a word, those only have ground to claim interest in
Christ,' who do 'really participate of his graces, and in whom
are found the effects and fruits of their union and communion
with him.
If you have interest in Christ, you have communion in his
graces and benefits ; and if you have' such communion, ft will
appear in your maintaining daily actual communion with God in
duties; and as ctoth which is often dipt into the vat receives tbe
deeper dye, and livelier tincture, so will your souls by assiduous
communion with God. It will also be discerned in your deeper
humiliation, and spiritual sense ofyour own vileness ; and it will
appear in your more vehement longings after the full enjoyment
of God in heaven. You will not be so taken with things below,
as to be content with the best lot on earth for your everlasting
portion. O ! if these communicated drops be so sweet, what is
there in Christ toe fountain ?
Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ.

USE OF EXHORTATION, INVITING ALL MEN TO
APPLY TO JESUS CHRIST.
Matt. xi. 28.— Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest.
These- words are the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ himself,
in which there is a vital, ravishing sound; it is your mercy to
have such a joyful sound in your ears this day.
The verse is brought in to obviate the discouragements of any
poor, convinced, and humbled soul, who might thus object ; Lord,
l am tully satisfied ofthe fulness of thy saving power, but greatly

THJMiBTHOD OF GRACE. 343
doubt whether ever I shall have the benefit thereof; for I see so
much sin and guilt in myself, so great vileness. and utter unwor
thiness, toat I am over weighed, and even sink under the burden
of ft ; my soul is discouraged because of sin. This objection is
prevented in the words of my text, " Come unto me, all ye tbat
labour, and are heavy laden," q. d. Let not the sense of your
sin and misery driye you from your only remedy, be your sins
ever so many, and toe sense and burden of them ever so heavy,
yet, for all that, come unto me, you are the persons whom I invite
and call, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repen
tance. In the words, three things are especially remarkable.
1. Tbe soul's spiritual distress and burden ; ( Weary and heavy
laden. "
2. Its invitation to Christ under toat burden ; Come unto me.
3. Its encouragement to that great duty ; IwiU give you rest.
But bere itmust be needfully noted, that this promise of rest
in Christ is not made to men simply as they are sinners, nor yet
as they are burdened and heavy laden sinners, but as they come
tq Christ, i. e. as they are believers. For let a man break his
heart for sin,, let him weep out his eyes, let him mourn as a dove,
and shed as many tears for sin (if it were possible) as ever there
fell drops of rain upon toe ground, yet if he come not to Christ by-
faith, his repentance shall not save him, nor all his sorrows bring
him to true rest. Hence note,
Doct. 1 . Some souls are heavy laden with Ike burdensome sense
of sin.
I do not say all are so, for " fools make a mock at sin." But
when a man's eyes are opened to see the evil that is in sin, and
the eternal misery that follows it, (sin and hell being linked
together with such strong chains as nothing but the blood of Christ
can loose) then no burden is like that of sin! " A wounded con
science who can bear ?"
First, The memory of sin fang since committed, isrefreshedand
revived, as if it had been but yesterday,. What was done in our
youth is fetched back again, and by a new impression of fear and
horror set home upon the trembling conscience, Job xiii. 26.
Conscience can call back toe days that are pUst, and draw up a
new charge upon tbe score of old sins, Gen, xlii. '21. All that
ever we did is recorded and entered into the book of conscience,
and now is toe time to open that book, when the Lord will con-
yiuce and awaken sinners. This is the first office and wor,k of
conscience ; upon which
The second, namely, its accusations, do. depend. These, accusa
tions of conscience are terrible things; who can stand before them ?

344 THE METHOD of*^_!_iiS.— __
Conscience dives into all sins, secret as well as open, and into
all the circumstances and agravations of sin, as being committed
against light, against mercy, against the -strivings, warnings, and
regrets of conscience. John iv. 29. And as the accusations of
conscience are full, so they are clear and undeniable. A man
becomes self-convinced, and there remains no shift, excuse, or
plea, to defend himself. A thousand witnesses cannot prove any
point more clearly than one testimony of conscience. Matt. xxi.
12. These 'make way for the third, namely,
Thirdly, The sentence and condemnation of conscience : And
truly this is an insupportable burden : The condemnation of con
science is nothing else but its application of the condemning sen
tence of the law to a man's person. 'Ihe law curseth every one
that transgresseth it, Gal. iii. 10. Conscience applies "this curse
to the guilty. This is that torment wliich no man can endure.
See the effects of it in Cain, in. Judas, and in Spira ; it is a real
foretaste of hell-torments ; and tois also makes way for a fourth,
namely, Fourthly, To upbraid and reproach the sinner under his misery;
and this makes a man a very terror to himself. To be pitied in
misery is1 some relief, but to be upbraided and reproached, double
our affliction. It was one of Christ's sufferings to be reproached
by the tongues of his enemies, whilst he hanged in torments upon
the cursed tree ; but all the scoffs and reproaches, the bitter jeers
and sarcasms in the world, are nothing to those of a man's own
conscience, which will cut to the very bone.
O when a man's conscience shall say to him did I not warn
you, threaten you, persuade you in time against these evils, but
you would not hearken to me ; therefore, behold now you must
suffer to all eternity for it : Tbis is toe fruit of thy own wilful
madness and obstinacy. O this is terrible ! O the bitter fore
taste of hell ? A wounded spirit who can bear ?
This is a fourth, wound of conscience, and it makes way for a
fifth ; for bere it is as the pouring out of the vials, and the sound
ing of those woe-trumpets in Revelations ; one woe is past, and
another cometh. After all these deadly blows of conscience
upon the very heart of a sinner, comes another as dreadful as any
that is yet named ; and that is,
Fifthly, The fearful expectation of wrath to come, which it be
gets in the soul of a guilty sinner: of this you read, Heb. x. 2J.
" A fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation." And
this makes the stoutest sinner faint and sink under the burden of
sin. And thus you see what the burden of sin is, when God makes
it to bear upon the consciences of men, no burden of affliction is
like it : losses of dearest relations, sorrows for an only son, are
not so pungent and penetrating as these : For,

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 345
First, No creature-enjoyment is pleasant under these inward
troubles. These inward troubles for sin alienate the mind from all former
pleasures and delights ; there is no more taste or savour in them
than in the white -of an egg.
Secondly, These inward troubles for sin put a dread into death,
beyond whatever the soul saw in it before. Now it looks like
the King of terrors indeed. They tremble at the very name or
thoughts of death.
Thirdly, Such is the nature of these inward troubles of spirit,
that they swallow up the sense -of all outward troubles. Alas !
these are all lost in the deeps of soul-sorrows, as the little rivu
lets are in the vast sea. Have I Josses in toe world, or pains
upon my body ?' Alas ! these are not to be named with the loss
of God, and the feeling ef his wrath and indignation for ever
more. Secondly, If you ask, how it comes to pass that any soul is
supported under such strong troubles of spirit, the answer is,
First, Because God hath a most tender care over them, and
regard to them ; underneath them are the everlasting arms ; were
they left to grapple with these troubles in their own strength, they
could never stand.
Secondly, The Lord is pleased to nourish still some hope in the
soul under the greatest fears and troubles of spirit. There are
usually some glimmerings or dawnings of mercy through Christ,
in fhe midnight darkness of inward troubles. In hell, indeed,
there is no hope to enlighten the darkness, but it is not so upon
earth. Thirdly, The experience of others, who have been in the same
deeps of trouble, are also of great use to keep up toe soul above
water. You know if a man be taken sick, and if one and another
come and tell him, sir, I have been in the very same case that
you are now in, and so have many more, and all did well at last ;
why this is half a cure to the sick man. So it is here a great
support to hear the experiences of other saints.
Fourthly, As the experiences of others support the soul under
these burdens, so the riches of free grace through Jesus Christ
uphold it. All this gives hope and encouragement under
trouble. Fifthly, Though the state ofthe soul be sad, fet Jesus Christ
usually makes haste in the extremity of trouble to relieve it by
sweet and seasonable discoveries bf his grace. This is sweetly
exhibited to us in that excellent parable of the prodigal, Luke
xv. Thirdly, If it be inquired, why God makes the burden of sin
press so heavy upon the hearts of poor sinners ? it is answered,
First, He doth it to divorce their hearts from sip, by giving

346 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
them an experimental taste of the bitterness and evil that is in
sin. This is the most* effectual way to separate the soul of a
sinner from his lusts, Jer. iv. 18.
Secondly, The Lord deth tois to make Jesus Christ most wel
come and desirable to the soul. Christ is not sw eet till sin be
made Utter to us. Matt. ix. 12. " They that be whole need not
a physician, but they that be sick."
TMrdly, The Lord doth tois to advance toe mbes ot his free
"race in the eyes of sinners. Grace never appears grace till sin
appear to be sin. Never doth the grace of a prince so melt the
heart of a traitor, as when trial, sentence, and all preparations
for his execution bave passed, before his unexpected pardon
comes. - , ,
Fourthly, The Lord doth this to prevent relapses into sin:
" In that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it
wrought,!" The burnt child dreads the fire, the bird that is deli
vered out of the talons of the hawk, trembles afterwards at the
noise of his bells. Ask a poor penitent soul, will you return to
your former course of sin again ? O no, it hath cost him too dear
already. Fifthly, This the Lord doth to make them both skilful and
compassionate in relieving others that are under the like inward
troubles. None can speak so judiciously, so pertinently, so feel
ingly to another's case, as he that hatb been in the same case
himself. Inference 1. Is there such a load and burden in sin? What
then was the burden that our Lord Jesus Christ felt upon whom
the whole weight of ati the sins of all God's elect lay ! Isa. liii. 6*.
O there is: a vast difference betwixt that which Christ bare, and
that which we bear. We feel but the single weight of our own
sins ; Christ felt the whole weight of all qur sins. " My God,
my God, (saith he in that doleful day) why hast thou forsaken
me ?" There is no comparison betwixt our load and Christ's.
Inf. 2. If there be such a burden in sin, then certainly sinners
will pay dear for allthe pleasure they find in sin. O sinner, thy
mirth will cesrtainlybe turned into mourning, as sure as thou
livest ; that vain and frothy breast of thine shaU be wounded ;
thou shalt feel the sting and pain, as well as relish the sweet and
pleasure of sin. O that thou wouldst but give thyself the leisure
seriously to think. Either I shall repent for sin or I shall not :
if not, theni must howl under toe wrath, of God for sin, in the
lowest hell for evermore.
* Inf. 3. Is there such a burden in sin, then the most tender com
passion is a debt due to souls afflicted and heavy laden wilh sin.
Their condition cries for pity ; they seem to caill upon yoft, as
Job upon his friepds, " Have pity, have pity upon me, O ye my
friends, for the hand of God hath touched me." And O let all

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 347
m
that have felt the wounds and-unguish of an afflicted conscience,
learn from their own experience tenderly to pity and help others.
Inf. 4. How inexpressibly dreadful is Ike state of the damned,
who pinst bear all the burden of their sins, without relief, or hope
of deliverance ! " where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not
quenched." No soul is so capacious now, to take in the fulness ofthe evil
and misery of sin, as they who are gone down to the place of tor
ments. As we have the visions of heaven, so we have the visions
of hell also, but darkly through a glass.
Inf. "5.. If the burden of sin be so heavy, how sweet then must
the pardon of sin be to a sin-burdened soul ? Is it a refreshment
to a prisoner to have his chains knocked off? A comfort to a
debtor to bave bis debts paid, and obligations cancelled ? What
joy must it then be to a sin-burdened soul, to hear the voice of
pardon and peace, in his trembling conscience ! O the inconceiv
able sweetness of a paTdon ! Who can read it without tears of
joy? Inf. 6. Lastly, In how sad a case are those that never felt any
burden in sin, that never were kept waking and restless one night
for sin ?
There is a burdened conscience, and there is a benumbed con
science. The first is morepainful, but the last more dangerous.
And this is so much more sad, because it incapacitates the soul
for Christ, and is a presage or fore-runner of hell. It would
grieve the heart of a man, to see a delirious person in the rage
and height of a fever, to laugh at those that are weeping for him,
call them fools, and telling them he is as well as any of them:
much so is the case of many thousand souls ; the God of mercy
pity them.
1. Satisfy not yourselves in fruitless complaints to men. Many
do so, but they are never the nearer. The best of men, in the neg
lect of Christ, are but physicians of no value. One hour betwixt
Christ and thy soul in secret, will do more to thy true relief than
all other counsellors and comforters in the world can do.
2. Beware of a false peace, which is more dangerous than your
trouble for sin can be. Many men are afraid of their troubles,
but I think they have more cause to fear their peace a great deal.
0 how glad are some persons when their troubles are gone;
but I dare not rejoice withthem. It" is like him thatrejofces that his
ague is gone, when it hath left him in adeep consumption. Surely
they have much to answer for, that help on these delusions, heal
ing the hurt of sbuls slightly, by crying, Peace, peace, when
there is no peace.,
3. Let all that are under inward troubles for sin, take heed of
drawing desperate conclusions against themselves, and the final
state ef their own souls. Though your case be sad, it is not des
perate ; though the night be troublesome and tedious, keep on in

348 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
the way to Christ, andlight w il- spring up. To mourn for sin is your
duty ; to conclude there is no hope for you in Christ is your sin.
You were once quite out of the way and method of mercy, now
you are in that very path wherein mercy meets the elect of God.
4. Observe whether your troubles for sin produce such jmits
and effects in your souls as theirs do, which end at last in Christ
and everlasting peace.
One that is truly burdened with sin, will not allow himself to
live in the secret practice of sin ; either your trouble will put an
end to your course of sinning, or your sinning will put an end to
your trouble.. Consult 2 Cor. viii. 1 1 .
5. Beware of those things that make your troubles longer than
they ought to be.
Till you come to believe, you cannot have peace ; and while
labouring to heal the wounds- that the law hath made upon your
consciences, by a more strict obedience to it for the future, in the
neglect of Christ and' his righteousness, you cannot have peace.
6. Hasten lo Christ in the way of faith, and you shall find
rest ; aud till then the world cannot give you rest. You may
labour and strive, look this way and that, but rill in vain ; Christ
and peace come together.
Doct. 2. That sin-burdened souls are solemnly invited to come
to Christ.
This point sounds sweetly in the ears of a distressed sinner ; it
is the most joyful voice the soul ever heard : the voice of blessing
from mount Gerizim, the ravishing voice from mount Sion, " Ye
are come to Jesus the Mediator." In opening of it I will show,
First, What it is to come to Christ, and how many things are
included in it.
In general, to come to Christ, is a phrase equiqypollent, or of
the same amount with believing in Christ. John vi. 35.
1. It hints to us, That the souls of convinced sinners discern
the necessity of applying to Christ, and that their eternal life is in
their union with him.
2. And, coming to Christ also implies the soul's despair of sal
vation in any other way, and coming to Christ as their last and
only remedy.
3. Coming to Christ notes a supernatural and almighty power,
raising the soul quite above its own natural abilities in this mon
tion. John vi. 44. It is as possible for the ponderous moun
tains to start from their bases and mount aloft into the air, and
there fly like wandering atoms hither and thither, as it is for any
man, of himself, i. e. by a power of his own, to come to Christ.
4. Coming to Christ notes the voluntariness of the soul in its
motion to Christ. Psal. ex. 3. Ask a poor distressed sinner in
that eeason, Are you willing, to come to Christ ! O rather than

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 349
live ! life is not so necessary as Christ is ! O with all my heart,
ten thousand worlds for Jesus Christ, if he could be purchased.
5. No duties, no reformations, no ordinances of God, how
excellent soever in themselves, can give rest to the weary and
heavy laden soul. Ordinances and duties have the nature and
use of means tb bring us to Christ, but not to be to any man in
stead of Christ.
6. Coming to Christ, implies an hope or expectation from
Christ in the coming soul. Hope is the spring of. motion and
industry"; if you cut off hope, you hinder faith : it cannot move'to
Christ, except it be satisfied, at least, ofthe possibility of mercy
and salvation by him.
7- Coming to Christ for rest, implies that believers have, and
lawfully may have an eye to their own happiness in closing with
the Lord Jesus Christ. If Christ blame some for not coming to
him, that they might have life, sure he would not blame them,
had toey come to him for life. John v. 40. -
8. Coming to Christ, notes the all-sufficiency of Christ, to
answer all the needs and wants of distressed souls, and their be
taking themselves accordingly to him only for relief, being content
to come to Christ for whatever they need, and live upon that ful
ness that is in him. O ! this is hard, but it is the way of
faith. Secondly, In the next place, let us see how Christ invites men
to come to him, -and you shall find the means employed in this
work are either internal and principal, namely, the Spirit of
God, ov external, namely the preaching of the gospel by com
missioned ambassadors, who, in Christ's stead, beseech men to be
reconciled to God.
1. There is an illustrating work of the Spirit opening their
eyes to see their danger and misery. Henpe, seeing the Son, is
joined with believing, or coming to him, in John vi. 40.
2. There is the authoritative call, or commanding voice of the
Spirit in the word; a voice that is full of awful majesty and
, power. This answers all pleas against coming to Christ from
our unworthiness and guilt.
3. There are soul-encouraging, conditional' promises, to all
that do come to Christ in obedience to the command. 2" will
give you rest. And these breathe life and encouragement into
poor souls>that fear, and are daunted through their own unworthi
ness. 4. There are dreadful threatenings denounced by the Spirit in
the word, against all that neglect to come to Christ, Mark xvi.
16. Upon your own-heads let the blood and destruction of your
own souls be for ever, if you will not come unto bim.
5. There are moving examples set before souls in the word,
to prevail with them to come, alluring and encouraging examples
of such as have come to Christ, under the deepest guilt and dis
couragement, and yet found mercy, 1 Tim_ \. 15, 16.

350 the Method of grace.
6. There is an effectual persuading, and victorious work of the
Spirit upon the hearts and wills Of sinners, under which they
come to Jesus Christ. <
, Thirdly, In the last place, if you enquire why Christ make.
his invftatipns to weary and heavy laden souls, and to no other ?
the answer is briefly this :
1. Because in so doing, he follows the commission which he
received from his Father : so you will find it runs, in Isa. lxi. 1 .
Matth ix. 13.
2. The very order of the Spirit's work in bringing men to
Christ, shews us to whom the invitation and offers of grace in
Christ are to be made. For none are convinced of righteous
ness, i. e. of complete and perfect righteousness, which is in
Christ for their justification, until first they be convinced of
sin. 3. It behoves that Christ should provide for his own glory.
And certainly such a way is this, by first convincing, humbling,
and burdening the souls of men, and then bringing them home to
rest in himself. Alas ! let those that never saw or felt the evil
of sin, be told of rest, peace, and pardon in Christ, they will but
despise ft as a thing of no value, Luke v. 31. " The whole need
not a physician, but those that are sick."
Inf. 1 . If sin-burdened souls are solemly invited to come to
Christ, Then it fellows, that whatever guilt ties upon the con
science it is no presumption, but their duty to come to Christ. •
Let it be carefully observed, how happily that universal particle
all, is inserted in Christ's invitation, for the encouragement of
sinners ; " Come unto me [all] ye that labour.
Say not I am guilty of many great and heinous abominations,
too. great for me to expect mercy for ; and therefore I dare not
go to Christ.
Let not a motive to go to Christ be made an obstacle in your
way to him. Great sinners are expressly called, Isa. i. 18. great
sinners have come to Christ and found mercy, I Cor. vi. J.
Inf. 2. Hence it follows, That none have cause to be troubled,
when God makes the souls of their friends or relations sick with
ike sense of sin.
Yet how do many carnal relations lament and bewail this as a
misery, as if then they must be reckoned lost, and never till then,
when Christ is finding and saving them. Oh ! if your hearts were
spiritual and wise, you would go alone to bless God for such a
mercy, that ever you should live to such a happy day.
Inf. 3. It also follows from hence, That those to whom sin
was never any burthen, are not yet come to Christ, ?ior have
any interest in him.
Methinks, reader, if this be thy case, it should send thee away
with an aking heart ; thou hast not yet tasted the bitterness of sin,
and if thou do not, thou shalt never taste the sweetness of Christ,
his pardons and peace. ,

of a
the wi

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 351
Inf. 4. How great a mercy is it for sin-burdened souls to be
within the sound and call of Christ in Ike gospel !
There be many thousands in the Pagan and Popish parts of the
world, that labour under distresses of conscience as well as we,
but have no such reliefs, no such means of peaoe aud comfort as
we have that live within the joyful sound of the gospel. The
damned endure the terrible blows and wounds of conscience for
sin, they roar under that terrible lash, but no voice of peace or
pardon is heard among them. It is not, " Come unto me, ye
that labour, and are heavy laden," but " depart from, me ye
cursed." Inf. 5. How sweet and unspeakably relieving is the closing
burdened soul with Jesus Christ, by faith ! It is rest to
weary soul.
Is a soft bed in a quiet chamber sweet to one that is spent and
tired with travel ? Is the sight'of a shore sweet to a shipwrecked
mariner, who looked for nothing but death ? Much more sweet
is Christ to a soul that comes to him pressed in conscience, and
broken in spirit under the sinking Weight of sin.
Inf. 6. Learn hence the usefulness of the taw to bring souls
to. Jesus Christ.
It is utterly useless as a covenant, to justify us ; but exceed
ing useful to convince and humble us ; it cannot relieve nor ease
us, but it can and doth awaken and rouse. It is the fair glass to
shew us the face of sin, and till we have seen that, we cannot see
the face of Jesus Christ.
The hard, vain, proud hearts of men require such an hammer
to break them to pieces..
Inf. 7. It is the immediate duty of weary and heavy-laden
sinners to come to Christ by faith, and not stand off from Ckrist,
or delay to accepi him upon any terms whatsoever.
Christ irivites and commands such to come unto him ; and if
your sin hinder not Christ from calling, neither should it hinder
you from coming.
And, Lastly, Bethink thyself, what wilt thOu do, and whither
wilt thou go, in this case^ if not to Jesus Christ ? Nothing
shall ease or relieve thee till thou dost come to him. Thou art
under an happy necessity to go to him ; with him only is found
rest for the weary soul ; which brings us to the third and last ob
servation, Doct. 3. That there is rest in Ckrist, for all that come unto
, him , under the heavy burden of sin.
Rest is a sweet word to a weary soul ; all seek it, but none
but believers find it. We which have believed, (saith the apostle)
do enter into rest, Heb. iv. 3. " He dotli not say, they shall but

352 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
they do enter into rest. Faith centres the unquiet spirit of man
in Christ," brings it to repose itself and its burden on him. It is
the soul's dropping anchor ina storm, which stays and settles if.
The -great debate which "cost so many anxious thoughts is now
issued into this resolution ; I will venture my all upon Christ, let
bim do with me as seemeth him, good. But to prevent mistakes,
three Cautions need to be premised.
1. You are riot to conceive, that allthe soul's fears, troubles and
sorrows are presently over and at an end, as soon as it is come to
Ckrist by faith. You will have many troubles in toe world after
that. 2. We may not think all believers do immediately enter into
the full, acfual sense of rest and comfort, but they enter into the
stale of rest. They have rest and peace in the promise, when
they have it not in possession; and he is a rich man that hath
good bonds and Bills for a great sum pf money, if he have not
twelve-pence in his pocket.
-3. We may not conceive that faith itself is the soul's rest, but
the means and instrument of it only. We cannot find rest in
any work or duty of our own, but we may find it in Christ, whom
faith apprehends for justification and salvation.
A convinced sinner, out of Christ, sees every thing against
him ; nothing yields any comfort, yea, every thing increases and
aggravates- his burden, when he looks to things past, present, or
to come. If he reflect upon things past, his soul is filled with
anguish, to remember the sins committed and. the seasons neg
lected, and the precious mereies that have been abused ; if he
look upon things present, the case is doleful and miserable;
nothing but trouble and danger, Christless and comfortless ; and
if he look forward to things to come, that gives him a deeper cut
to the heart than any thing else ; for though it be sad and mig.-
erable for "the present, yet he fears it will be much worse here
after ; all these are but toe beginning of sorrows. And thus the
poor, awakened sinner becomes a Magor MissaMb ; fear round
about. But, upon his coming to Christ, all things are marvellously
altered ; a quite contrary face of things appear to him ; every
thing gives him hope and comfort, which way soever he looks,
So speaks the apostle, "All thjngs are yours, whether life pr
death, or things present, or things to come ; all is yours, and ye
are Christ's, and Christ is God's : " They are ours, i. e. for our
advantage; Benefit, and comfort.
Inf. 1 . Is there rest in Christ for weary souls that come unto
him ? Then certainly it is a design of Satan against the peace
and welfare of men's souls, to discourage them from coming to
Ckrist in the way of faith.
It frets aud grates his proud and envious mind, to see others

THE METkoD OF GRACE. 353
find rest when he can find none. And he obtains'his end fully,
if he can but keep off souls from Christ.
Inf. 2. Hence also it follows, that unbelief is the true reason
of all that disquietness and trouble, by which the niinds of poor
sinners are so racked and tortured.
Till you come to Christ, peace cannot come to you : Christ
and peace are undivided. You bave tried other ways, you have
tried duties, and no res^ comes. ; why will you not try thb way of
faith? Why will yoii not carry the burden to Christ ? How long
will you thus oppose your own good ?
Inf. 3. Wliat cause have we all to admire the goodness of
God, in providing for us a Christ, in whom we may find rest to
our sOuls.
How hath tbe Lord filled and furnished Jesus Christ with all
that is suitable to a believer's wants ! Had not God provided
Jesus Christ for us, we had never known one hour's rest to all
eternity. Inf. 4. How unreasonable, and wholly inexcusable, in believers,
is the sin of backsliding from Christ !
Have you found rest in him, when yqu could not find it in any
other? And will yon, after this backslide from him again? O
what madness is this! Had Judas rest ? Had Spira rest? and
do you think you shall bave rest? No, no, " The backslider in
heart' shall be filled with his own ways."
Inf. 5. Let all that come to Christ learn to improve him to the
peace of their own souls, in the midst of all the troubles they meet
with in the world. ¦
Surely rest miay be found in Christ in any condition ; he is able
to give you peace in the niid.t of all your troubles here. John
xvi. 33. Believers you may have peace in Christ, when there is
little in your own hearts ; and your hearts might be filled with
peace too, if you would exercise faith upon Christ for that end.
It is your own fault if you be without rest in any condition in this
world. Blessed be God for Jesus Christ.

EXHORTATION ENFORCED BY ONE MOTIVE FROM
THE FIRST TITLE OF CHRIST.
Matt. ix. 12. — But when Jesus heard thai; ke said unto them,
Tkey that be- whole need not a physician but they that are
- sick. The occasion of these words of Christ, was the call of Matthew
the publican, who, having first opened his heart, next opened his
house to Christ, and entertains him there. This strange and
A a

354 the method of grace.
unexpected change, wrought upon Matthew, quickly brings in all
the neighbourhood, and many publicans and sinners resorted
thither. From tois occasion they took offence at Christ, and, in
this verse, Christ takes off the offence, by such an answers was
fitted both for their conviction and his own vindications When
Jesus heard that, he said unto them, " The whole, have no need
of a physician, but tbey that are sick."
Pharisees were so well in their own conceit, toat Christ saw that
they would have little to do with him, and so he applied himself
to those who were more sensible of their sickness.
Doct. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the only physician for
sick souls.
The world is a great hospital, full of sick and dying souls
all wounded by one and the same mortal weapon, sin. Some
are senseless of. their misery, feel not their pains, value not a
physician; others are full of sense, as well as danger: mourn
under the apprehension of their condition, and sadly bewail it.
, The merciful God hath, in his abundant compassion, sent a phy
sician; from heaven, and given him his orders under the great seal
of heaven. Luke iv. 18. He is the tree of life, whose leaves are
for the healing of nations: he is Jehovah Raphe, the Lord that
healeth us. He rejects none that come, and heals all whom he
undertakes ; but more particularly, I will
First, Point at those diseases which Christ heals in sick souls,
and by what means he heals them.
1. The guilt of sin ; this is a mortal wound, a stab in the very
heart of a sinrter. Nothing is found more dreadful and insup
portable ; put all pains, all poverty, all afflictions, all miseries, in
one scale, and God's condemnation in the other, and you weigh
but so many feathers against a talent of lead.
This disease, our great physician cures, by remission. Rom.
viii. 1 . All bonds are cancelled, the guilt bf all sins is healed or
removed, original and actual, great and small. This cure is per
formed upon souls by the blood of Christ ; nothing is found in
heaven or earth, besides his blood that is able to heal this dis-
ease. " Whithout shedding of blood there is no remission ; "
Isa. liii. 5. " By his stripes we are healed," Rev. i. 5: 6; •
2. The next evil in sin cured by Christ, is the dominion of it
over the souls of sinners. It passes tbe skill of angels or men to
heal it ; but Christ landertakes it, and makes a perfect cure of it
at last, and this he doth by his Spirit.
As the power of sin misplaced and disordered all the affections,
so sanctification reduces them again and sets them right True
it is, this cure is not perfected in tois life ; but it is begun, and
daily advances towards perfection, and at last will be com
plete.

the Method op grace. 355
Sin like ivy in the o.d walls, will never be gotten out till the
walls be pulled down, and then it is pulled up by the roots. This
cure Christ will perform in a moment, upon our dissolution.
For if such freedom and perfection must be before we can be
perfectly happy, and no such thing be done in this life, it remains
that it must Be done immediately upon our dissolution, and at
the very time of glorification.
Again, as sin is the disease of the saints, so also is sorrow.
How many tears fall from the eyes ofthe saints, upon the account
of outward as well as inward troubles, even after their reconcilia
tion with God,? Through much tribulation we must enter into
the " kingdom of God."
1. Christ cures troubles by sanctifying them. Trouble is a
scorpion, and hath a deadly sting, but Christ is a -wise physician,
and extracts a sovereign oil out of this scorpion, that heals the
wound it makes, Isa. xxvii. 9.
2. Christ cures outward troubles by inward consolations. One
drop of spiritual comfort is sufficient to sweeten a whole ocean of
outward f rouble. " In the world ye shall have trouble, but in me
ye shall have peace."
3. Christ cures all outward sorrows and troubles in his people
by death, which is their removal from the place of sorrows to
.peace and rest for evermore. One step beyond the state of this
mortality, brings us quite out of toe sight and hearing of all
troubles and lamentations.
. Secondly, Next I shall shew you that Jesus Christ is the only'
Physician of souls, and this will be evident in divers respects.
1. None so wise and judicious as Jesus Christ, to understand
and comprehend the nature, depth and danger of soul-diseases.
2. None so able to cure and heal the wounds of afflicted souls
as Christ is; he only hath those medicines that. can cure them.
The. blood of Christ, and nothing else, in heaven or earth, is able
to cure a trembling conscience ; let men try all other receipts,
andwostly experience shall convince them of their insufficiency.
Conscience may be benumbed by stupefactive medicines, prepared
by the devil for that end ; but pacified it can never be but by the
blood of Christ.
3. None so tender-hearted: and sympathizing with sick souls
as Jesus Christ ; he is one that can have compassion, because he
hath had experience. If I must come unto the surgeon's hands'
with broken bones, give me one whose own bones have been
broken, who bath felt the anguish in himself.
4. None cures iri so wonderful a method as Christ doth, Isa.
liii. 5. The Physician dies that the patient may live ; his wounds
must bleed, that ours may be cured ; he feels the smart and pain,
that we might have ease and comfort.
5. None so ready to relieve a sick soul as Christ.;, he is within
A a 2

356 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
the call of a distressed soul at all times. He can be with thee in
a moment. ,
6- None so willing to receive and. undertake all distressed
and afflicted souls as Jesus Christ is ; he refuses none that come to
him. John vi. 37.
; 7- None so happy and successful as Christ ; be never fails of
performing a perfect cure. Other physicians fill church-yards,
and cast away the lives of men ; but Christ suffers none to perish
that commit themselves to bim.
8. None so free and generous as Christ ; he doth all gratis;
he sells not his medicines, though they be of infinite value, but
freely gives them ; Isa. lv. 1.
9. None rejoice in the recovery of souls more than Christ
doth. O ! it is unspeakably delightful to him to see the efficacy
of his blood upon our souls ; Isa. liii. 11.
Inference 1 . How inexpressible is the grace of God, inproviding
such a physician as Christ, for the sick and dying souls Of sin
ners ! O blessed be God that there is balm in Gilead, and a
Physician there ! that their case is not desperate,; forlorri and
remediless, as that of the devils and damned is. Q inestimable
mercy ! There be thousands, and ten thousands now in heaven
and earth, who said once, never was any case like theirs ; so
dangerous, so hopeless. The greatest of sinners have been per
fectly recovered by Christ, 1 Tim. i. 15.
Inf. 2. What a powerful restraint from sin is the very method
ordained by God for the cure of it ! O think of this again and
again, you that so easily yield to the solicitations of Satan. Hath
Christ healed you by his stripes, and can you put him under fresh
sufferings for you so easily ? Have you forgot also your own
sick days and nights for sin, that yon are careless in resisting and
preventing it ? Sure it is not easy for saints to wound Christ, and
their own souls, at one stroke.
Inf. ,3. If Christ be the only physican of sick souls, what sin
and folly is it for mento take Christ's work out of his hands, and
attempt to be their own physician.
Thus do those that superstitiously endeavour to heal their souls '
by afflicting their bodies, or by confession, restitution, reformation,
and stricter course of life, to beal those wounds that sin hath
made, without any respect to the blood of Christ ; but this course
shall notprofit them at all ; the wounds so skinned over, will open
and bleed again. God grant it be not when our souls shall be out
of the reach of the true and only remedy.
Inf. 4. How sad is the case of those souls, to whom Christ hath
not yet been a physician ? They are mortally wounded by sin,
and are like to die of their sickness ; but no saving, healing appli
cations have hitherto been made unto their souls ; and this is the
case of the greatest part of mankind, yea, of them that live under
the discoveries of Christ in the gospel.

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 357
Inf. 5. What cause haVe Ikey to be glad, that are vender
the hand and care of Ckrist, in order to a cure, and, who do
find their souls in a very hopeful way of recovery ! Can
we rejoice when toe strength of a natural disease is broken,
and naturebegins to recover ease and vigour again? And .hall
we not much more rejoice, when our souls" begin to recover, and
all comfortable signs of health andlife appear upon them. When
the heart, which is harder than an adamant, is now brought to con
trition for sin, and cap mourn as heartily over it, as ever a father -
for a dead son.
In the last place, this point yields matter of advice and direc
tion to poor souls that are under the disease of sin.
To those that are in their first troubles for sin, and know 'not
what course to take for ease and safety ; I would say,
1. Shut your ears' against the dangerous counsels of carnal
persons, or relations, lt was Augustine's complaint, that his
own father t. ok little care for his soul ; and many parents act, in
this case, as if they were employed by Satan.
2. Be not too eager to get out of trouble, but be content to take
God's way; and wait bis time. A man may lengthen his own '
troubles to the loss of his own peace, and may shorten them to
the hazard of his soul .
3. Open your case to wise, judicious, and 'experienced Chris
tians, and especially the ministers of Christ, whose office it is to
counsel and direct you in these difficulties ; ft will be the joy of
their hearts to be employed in such Work as this.
4. Be much with God in secret, open your hearts to him, and
pour out your complaints into his bosom. The cii. Psalm Bears
a title very suitable to your case and duty, that nothing will be
able to keep God arid your souls asunder ; whatever your incum
brances in the worl4 be, some time will be daily, redeemed, to be
spent betwixt God arid you.
, 5. Understand your peace to be in Christ only, and faith to be
the only way to Christ and rest ; cry to God day and night for
strength to carry you to Christ in the way of faith.
As to those that have been longer under the hands of Christ, I
only add two ox three words for a close.
1 . Consider whether you have rightly closed with Christ, and
whether there be not some way of sin, in which you still live ; if
so., no wonder your wounds are kept open, and your souls are
strangers to peace.
2. Consider, how much of this trouble may arise from your
constitution and natural temper, which being melancholy, will be
doubtful and suspicious.
3. Acquaint yourselves more with the nature of true justifying
faith ; a mistake in that hath prolonged the troubles of many ; if
you look for it in no other act but assurance, you may easily over-

358 THB METHOD OF GRACE.
look it as it lies, in the mean time^ in your affiance or accept
ance. 4. Be more careful to shnn sip, toah to get yourselves clear of
trouble : it is sad to walk in darkness, but worse to lie under
gnilt. Waft on God in the way of faith, and in a tender spirit
towards sin, and thy wounds shall. be healed at last by the great
Physician, Blessed be God for Jesus Ckrist,

SECOND MOTIVE FROM. A SECOND TITLE OF
CHRIST.
Luke i.' 72.. — To perform the mercy promised to ou,r fathers, and
to Remember his holy covenant.
This scripture is part of Zecharjah's prophecy, at the rising
of that bright star, John, the harbinger and forerunner' of Christ :
They are some ofthe first words he spake after God had loosed
his tongue, which, for a time, was stiuck dumb for his unbelief,
His, tongue is now unbound, and at liberty to proclaim to all th<5
world, the unspeakable riches of merqy through Jesus Christ, in
asongpf praige. Wherein
First, You have a mercy" freely promised, viz. by God the
Father, from the beginning ofthe world, and often repeated and
confirmed in several succeeding ages, to the fatber$,Mn his cove-
'nant transactions.
Secondly, We find here also the promised mercy faithfully per
formed ; " To perform the mercy promised." What mercy
soever the love of God engaged him. to promise, the. faithfulness
of God stands engaged for the performance thereof Hence the
note is, * ,
Doct. That Jesus Christ, the mercy of mercies, was graciously
promised and faithfully performed by God to his people.
' 1. Christ is the mercy, emphatically so called: the peerless,
invaluable, and matchless mercy : Because he is the prime fruit
of the mercy of God to sinners. The mercies of God are infinite;
mercy gave the world and us our being ; all our protection, pro
vision, and comforts in this world are the fruits of mercy, the
free gifts of divine favour : but Christ is the first and chief; all
other mercies, compared with him, are but fruits from that root,
and streams from that' fountain of mercy.
2. Christ is the mercy, because all the mercy of God to sinners
is dispensed and conveyed through Christ to them. No drop of
saving mercy runs beside this channel.

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 359
3. Christ is the mercy, because all inferior mercies derive both
their nature, value, sweetness, and duration from Christ.
They derive their nature from Christ ; for out of him, those
things which men call mercies, are rather traps and snares to
them. All these things, that pass for valuable mercies, like
cyphers, signify much when such an important figure as Christ
stands before them, else they signify nothing to any man's com
fort or benefit.
They derive their value as well as nature from Christ : For
how little, I pray you, doth it signify to any man to be rich, and
, successful in all his designs in this world', if, after all, he must
lie down in hell ? ,
All other mercies derive their sweetness from Christ, and are
but insipid things without him.
All mercies have their duration and perpetuity from Christ.
The mercies of the saints are continued to eternity ; the end of
their mercies on earth, is the beginning of their better mercies in
heaven. For these reasons, Christ is called toe mercy.
In.the next place, let us enquire what kind of mercy Christ is
to the saints.
1. He \s free and undeserved mercy. John iv. 10. , Needs
must that mercy be free, which is given, not only to the unde
serving, but to the ill-deserving ; the benevolence of God was the
sole, impulsive cause of this gift.
2. Christ is a full mercy, replenished with all that answers to
the wishes or wants of sinners ; and in him are the highest and
most perfect degrees of mercy.
3. Christ is the seasonable mercy, given by the Father to us in
due time. When a poor soul is distressed, lost, at its wits end,
and ready to perish, then comes Christ.
4. Christ is the necessary mercy, hence in scripture he is called
the " bread of life." Bread is riot so necessary to the hungry,
nor water to the thirsty, nor a garment to the naked, as Christ is
to the soul of a sinner.
5. Christ is a fountain-mercy, and all other mercies flow from
him : from his merit, and from his spirit, flow our redemption,
justification, sanctification, peace, joy in the Holy Ghost, and
blessedness in the world tb come. „
6. Christ is a satisfying mercy ; he that is full of Christ, can
feel the want of nothing. He is the very sabbath of the soul.
The weary motions of a restless soul, like those of a river, cannot
he at rest till they pour themselves into Christ, the ocean of
blessedness. '7> Christ is a peculiar mercy, intended for, and applied to a
remnant among men ; some would extend redemption as large as
the world, but the gospel limits it to those only that believe.
8, Jesus Christ is a suitable mercy, suited in every respect to

360 . THE METHOD OF GRACE.
all our needs and wants, 1 Cor. i. 20. "Ye are complete in
him," (saith the apostle).
,9. Christ is an astonishing and" wonderful mercy ; his name is
called wonderful. His person is a wonder. God' manifested in
the flesh. : '
10. Jesus Christ is an incomparable and matchless mercy ; he
is more than ali spirituals, as the fountain is more than the
stream. He is more than all peace, all comfort, all joy, as the
tree is more than the fruit.
IL Christ is an unsearchable mercy ; who can fully express
bis wonderful name? Who can tell over his unsearchable riches ?
He is a deep which no line of any created understanding, angelic
or human, can fathom.
12. Christ is an everlasting mercy ; all the creatures are flow
ers, that appear and fade in their month ; but this Rose of Sharon,
this Lily of tbe Valley never withers. Thus you see the mercy
perforrned with its desirable properties.
Thirdly, 1'he last thing to be opened is tbe manner of God's
performing his mercy to his people ; which the Lord did,
1. Really and truly ; as he had promised, so he made go^dthe
promise. Acts ii. 36. Yea, toe assertors of ft appealed to the
very enemies of Christ for the certainty thereof, Acts ii. 22.
2. God' performed this promised mercy exactly agreeable to
the promises, types, and predictions made of him to the fathers,
even the most minute circumstances thereof.
As to bis birth, the time, place and manner thereof, were fore
told to tbe fathers, and exactly performed. Gen. xliv. 10. When
the sceptre should depart from Judah, as, indeed, it did in Herod
the Idumean.
The place of his birth was foretold to be Bethlehem Ephrata,'
Micah v. 2. and so it was, Matt. ii. 5, 6.
His parent was to be a virgin, Isa. vii. 14.
His stock, or tribe, was foretold to be -Judah, Gen. xlix. 10.
Heb. vii. 14.
His forerunner was foretold, Mai. iv. 5, 6. fulfilled in John the
Baptist, Luke i. 16, \J.
Tbe obscurity and meanness of bis birth were predicted, Isa.
liii. 2. Zech. ix. 9. to which the event answered, Luke ii. 12.
His doctrine and miracles were foretold, Isa. xvi. 1, 2. xxxv.
4, 5. the accomplishment whereof is evident in the history of all
the ev/ingelists.
His death forus was foretold by the prophets, Dan. ix. 26. Isa.
liii. 5.
His burial in the tomb of a riqh man was foretold, Isa. liii. 9.
and accomplished most exactly, Matt, xxvii. 59, 60.
His resurrection from the dead was typed out in Jonah, and
fulfilled in Christ's abode three days and nights in the grave,
Matt. xii. 49.

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 361
Inference 1 . If Christ be ike mercy of mercies, the medium of
conveying all other mercies from God to men, then in vain do men
expect and hope for mercy of God out of Jesus Christ.
1 know many poor sinners comfort themselves with this, when
upon a bed of sickness ; t am sinful, but God is merciful : arid it
is very true God is merciful ; plenteous in mercy. But what is'
all tbis to thee,, if thou art Christless ? There is not one drop of
saving mercy that comes in any other channel than Christ to the ,
soul of any man.
All your sorrows, tears and mournings for sin cannot obtain
mercy ; could you shed as many tears fbr any sin as all the chil
dren of Adam have sbed upon any account whatsoever, they would
- hot purchase the pardon of one sin ; for the law accepts no short
payment. Tbe repentance of a soul finds, through Christ, accep
tance with God, but out of him it is nothing.
A righteous judge will not reverse the just sentence of the law,
though the prisoner at the bar fall upon hjs knees and cry, mercy,
merfy, nor will the great Judge of all ; therefore, never expect
mercy out of Christ.
Inf. 2. Is Christ, the mercy of mercies, greater, better and more
necessary than all other mercies : then let no inferior mercy satisfy
you for your portion.
• If the Lord should give any of you the desires of your hearts
in tbe good things of this life, let not that satisfy you, whilst you
are Christless. For the sweeter your portion hath been on earth,
the more intolerable will your condition be in hell'; yea, these
earthly delights do not only increase the torments of the damned,
but also prepare (as they are instruments of sin) the eouls of men
for damnation.
Inf. 3. Is Christ, the mercy of mercies, infinitely belter than
all other mercies ? then let all that be in Christ be content, and
well satisfied, whatever other inferior mercies the wisdom of God
sees fit to deny them.
Let those that have full tables, heavy purse's, rich lands, but
no Christ, be rather objects of your pity than envy : it is better,
like store cattle, to be kept lean and hungry, than with the fatted
ox, to tumble in flowery meadows, thence to be led away to the
shambles. ¦Inf. 4. Is Christ the mercy ? then let none be discouraged in
going to Christ, by reason of the- sin and unworthiness that are
in them : his very name is mercy, and as his 'name is so is he.
Poor drooping sinner, encourage thyself in the way of faith.
Those that shed the blood of Christ have yet been washed in
that blood from their sin, Acts ii. 36, 37. Mercy receives sin
ners, without exception of great ahd heinous crimes.
Inf. 5. Hath God performed the mercy promised to the Fathers,
then let no man distrust God for the performance of lesser mercies

362 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
contained in any other promises. The performance of this mercy
secures the performance of all other mercies to us. For,
Christ is a greater mercy than any other which yet remains to
be perfoi'med, Rom, viii. 32. and this mercy virtually comprehends
all other mercies. It was much more improbable that God would
bestow his own Son upon the world, than that he should bestow
any other mercy upon it. Wait, therefore, in a cOmfortable
expectation of toe fulfilling of all the rest of the promises in then-
seasons. Inf. 6. How mad are they that part with Christ, the best of
mercies, to secure and preserve any temporal mercies to them
selves ! Thus Demas and Judas gave up Christ to gain a little
of the world ; O soul-undoing bargain! How dear do they, pay
for the world, that purchase, it with the loss of Christ, and their
own peace for ever !
Blessed be God for Jesus Christ, the Mercy of mercies. »

THIRD MOTIVE FROM A THIRD TITLE OF CHRIST.
Cant. v. part of verse 16.— Yea, He isaltogetker lovely. .
At the ninth verse of this chapter, you have a query propounded
to the spouse, by the daughters of Jerusalem, " What is thy,bfi.
loved more than another Beloved ?" To this question the spouse
returns her answers in the following verses, wherein she asserts
his excellency in general. Ver. 10. " He is the chiefest among
ten thousands ;" confirms that general assertion, by an enumera
tion of his particular excellencies, to ver 1 6. where she closes up
her character and encomium of her beloved, with an elegant
epiphonema, in the words that I have read : " Yea, he is alto
gether lovely." Hence note,
Doct. That Jesus Christ is the loveliest person souls can set
their eyes upon, Psal. xiv. 2- " Thou art fairer than the
children of men."
In opening this lovely point,
First, Let us weigh this excellent expression arid particularly
consider what is containedv in it, and you will find,
1. That it excludes all unlovel. ness and distastefulness from
Jesus Christ. The fairest pictures must have their shades:
The most orient and transplendent stones must have their foils to
set off their beauty ; the best creature is but a bitter sweet at
best. But it is not so in our altogether lovely Christ ; his excel-

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 363
lencies are pure and unmixed ; he is a sea of sweetness without
one drop, of gall.
2. Altogether lovely, i. e. all in him is wholly lovely ; as every
ray of God js precious, so every thing that is iri Christ is precious.
Who can weigh Christ in a pair of balances, and tell you what
his worth is ?
3, He is comprehensive of all things that are lovely : he seals
up the sum of all loveliness : Things that shine as single stars
with a particular glory, all meet in Christ as a glorious constel
lation. Cast your eyes among all created beings, survey the
universe, observe strength in one, beautyin a second, faithfulness
in a third, wisdom in a fourth ; but you shall find none excelling
in them all as Christ doth.
4. Nothing is lovely in opposition to*' him, or in separation
from him- If he be altogether lovely, then whatsoever is oppo
site to, or separate from him can bave no loveliness in it; take
away Christ, and where is the loveliness of any enjoyment ?
5. Altogether lovely, i. e. Transcending all created ex
cellencies in beauty and loveniness ; so much it speaks. If you
compare Christ and other things, be they never so lovely, never
soexcellent and desirable, Christ carries away all loveliness from
them. Angels and men, the world and all the desirables in ft,
receive what excellency they have from bim ; they are streams
from the fountain.
The beauty and loveliness of all other things ' is fading and
perishing ; but the loveliness of Christ is fresh to all eternity.
The loveliness of every creature is of a cloying nature; our
estimation of it abates and sinks by our longer enjoyment of it :
creatutes, like pictures, are fairest at a due distance, but it is not
so with Christ ; the nearer fhe soul approacheth him, and the
longer ft lives in the enjoyment of him, still the more sweet and
desirable is he.
Secondly, Next I have to show you in what respects Jesus
Christ is altogether lovely. And,
1 . He is altogether lovely in kis person : a Deity dwelling in
flesh, John i. 14. The wonderful union and perfection of the
divine and human nature in Christ, render him an-object of ad-
miratioh and adoration to angels and men, 1 Tim. iii., 16. God
never presented to the world such a vision of glory before,
2. He is altogether lovely in his offices: by reason whereof he
is able " to save to the uttermost, all that come to God by him,"
Heb. vii. 25. The three offices, comprising in them all that our
souls do need, become an universal relief to all our wants.
Out of the several offices of Christ, as out of so many foun
tains, all the promises of the new covenant flow, as so many
soul-refreshing streams of peace and joy ; so that Jesus Christ
must be altogether lovely in his offices.
3. Jesus Christ is altogether lovely in his relations.

364 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
He is a lovely Redeemer, Isa. lxi. 1 . He came to open the
prison-doors of them toat arebound. How lovely was Titus, in
the eyes ofthe poor, enthralled Greeks, whom he delivered frbm
their bondage! this endeared him to them fo that degree, that
when their liberty was proclaimed, they even trod one another to
death to see the herald that-proclaimed it; and all the night fol
lowing, with instruments' of music, danced abOut his tent, crying
with united voices, " a Saviour, a Saviour." O then how lovely
is Jesus Christ in the relation of a Redeemer to God's elect !
Rev. v. 9.
He is a lovely bridegroom to all tbat he espouses to himself.
How doth the Church glory in him, in the words following my
text ; " this is my Beloved, anc} this is my Friend, O ye daugh
ters of Jerusalem ! " q. d.. Heaven and earth cannot shevy such
another : which needs no fuller proof than the follovying parti-,
culars. 1. That he espouses to himself, in mercy and in*loving-kind-
ness, such deformed/ defiled, and altogether unworthy souls as
we are ; who have no beauty, no excellency to make us de
sirable. 2. He expects nothing with Us, and yet bestows himself, and
all that he hath upon us.
3. No husband loves the wife of his bosom, as Christ loved
his people, , Eph. v. 25.
4. None bears with weaknesses and provocations, as Christ
doth. 5. No husband is so immortal and everlasting a husband as
Christ is ; death separates all other relations. No husband can
say to his wife, what Christ saith to toe believer, " I will never
leave .thee nor forsake thee." ,
6. No bridegroom advanceth his bride to such honours by
marriage, as Christ doth; the mighty and glorious- angels think
it no dishonour to be their servants.
7. No marriage was ever consummated wjth such triumph).
solemnity, as the marriage of Christ and believers shall be in
heaven, Psal. xiv. 14, 15. There will Be joy on all hands, ex
cept among the , devils' and damned, who shall gnash their
teeth with envy at the everlasting advancement and glory of
believers. Christ is altogether lovely, in the relation of an advocate. 1
John ii. 1. For,
1. He makes our cause his own, and acts for us ip heaven, as
for himself, Heb. iv. 15.,
2. Christ our advocate, follows our suit in heaven, as his great
and main design, as if all the glory and honour which is 'paid him
there would not satisfy him, or divert him for one moment from
our business.
3. He pleads the cause of believers by his blood ; it satisfies

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 365
him not, as other advocates, to be at the expense of words and
oratory, which is a cheaper way of pleading ; but he pleads for us
by the voice of his own blood, Heb. xii. 24. Other advocates
spend their breath, Christ his blood.
( 4. He pleads the cause of, believers freely. Other advocates
plead for reward, and exhaust the purses, while they plead the
causes. bf their clients.
Christ is altogether lovely iri the relation of a friend, Luke xii.
4, 5. There are certain things-in which one friend manifests his
-affection to another, but none like Christ. For,
1. No friend is so open-hearted to his friend as Christ is to his
people: he reveals the very counsels and secrets of his heart to
them. John xv. 15.
2. No friend in the world is so generous and bountiful to his
friend, as Jesus Chiist is, John xv. 13. he parts with his vOry
blood for them.
3. No friend sympathizes so tenderly with his friend in afflic
tion, as Jesus Christ doth with his friends : "In all our afflictions
he is afflicted," Heb. iv. 15.
4. No friend in the world takes that complacency in his friend
as Jesus Christ doth in believers. Cant iv. 9.
5. NO friend in the world loves his friend with so fervent and
strong affection as Jesus Christ loves believers.
6. No friend in the world is so constant and unchangeable in
friendship as Christ is, John xiii. I. I might farther show you
the loveliness of Christ in his ordinances and in his providences,
in his communion with us and communications to us, but there is
no end of the account of Christ's loveliness.
Use. First, Is Jesus Christ altogether lovely, then I beseech
you set your souls upon this lovely , Jesus. Away with those
empty nothings, away with this vain deceitful world, which
deserves not the thousandth part of the love you give it ; let all
stand aside and give way to Christ. , '
2. Esteem nothing lovely but as it is enjoyed in Christ, or im
proved far Christ. Love nothing separate from bim.
3. Let us all be humbled for the baseness of our hearts, that
are so free of their affections to vanities and trifles, and so
hard to be persuaded to the love of Christ, who is altogether

4. Represent Christ, as he is, to the world, by your conduct
towards Mm. He is glorious in himself, and will put glory upon
you ; take heed you put not shame and dishonour upon him.
Never be ashamed to own Ckrist ; Some men glory in their
shame ; be Uot you ashamed , of your glory.
6. Be willing to leave every thing, that is lovely upon earth,
that you may be with the altogether lovely Jesus Christ in heaven.
Lift up your voices with the spouse, Rev. xx. 20.
7. Strive io be Christ-like, as ever you would be lovely in the

366 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
eyes of God and man. The more you resemble hiffl in holiness',
the more will you discover of true excellency and loveliness,
changing yOu, into the same image, from glory, to glory.
Let the loveliness of Christ draw all men to kim. If you see
no beauty in Christ it is because the god of this world hath
blinded your minds.

A FOURTH MOTIVE CONTAINED IN ANOTHER .
TITLE OF CHRIST.
Haggai ii. 7- — And the desire of all nations shall come.
In these words we have both the description of Christ, and an
index pointing at the time of his incarnation.
The character of Christ, stiled the desire of all nations, who
was to come into the world in the time of the second temple;
Mai, iii. 12. and that, after grievous concussions and shaking.
of the world, which were to make way for his coming ; " I will
shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come," i. e.
Christ tbe object of the desires of God's elect, in all natrons of
the world . From whence the note is,
Doct. Thai the desires of God's elect in all kingdoms, and
among all people of the earth, are, and shall be drawn
out after, and fixed upon the Lord Jesus Ckrist.
The merciful God beholding the universal ruins ofthe world
by sin, hath provided an universal remedy for bis own elect, in
every part of toe earth. In the explication of this point two
things must be enquired into.
First, Why he is called the desire of all nations.
1 . That God the Father hath appointed him as a common re
medy for the sins and miseries of his people, in all parts and
quarters of the world. If God bad not appointed him for, he
could not be desired by all nations.
2. Christ, the desire of all nations, plainly notes the sufficiency
that is in him, to supply the wants of the world ; as the sun in
the heavens suffices all nations for light and influence.
3. It implies the reality that is in godliness. It shews you
that, in all nations ofthe world, that are truly religious: all their
desires, like so many needles touched by one and the same load
stone, move toward Jesus Christ. Were it possible for the peo
ple of God to come out of all nations, into one place, and thefe
compare the desires and workings of their hearts, though they
never saw each other's faces, yet, as face answers to face in a
glass, so would their desires after Christ answer to each other.

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 36'89
Which could never be if religion were but a fancy, as sonui-
call if.
4. Christ, the desire of all nations, implies the vastekterit his
kingdom hath, and shall have in the world ; out bf every nation
some shall be brought to Christ, and to heaven by him. In order
whereunto, the gospel, like the sun in the heavens, circuits the
world. Secondly, we are to enquire upon what account Christ becomes
the desire of all nations.
1. They are all, by nature, under comdemation, Rom. v. 16,
18. under the curse ofthe law ; against which, nothing is found
in heaven or earth, able to relieve their consciences, but the.
blood of sprinkling, toe pure and perfect righteousness of tl.-x-
Lord Jesus. ¦ , »
2. All nations of toe world are polluted with the filth of sir?f
which they shall see, and bitferiy bewail, when the light of the
gospel shall shine amongst them ; O' how welcome then will he
be that cometh unto them, not by blood1 only, but by water also.
3. They shall then see, that by reason of the gqilt and filth of
sin, they are all barred out of heaven j those doors are chained
up against them, and that none but Christ can open an entrance
for them into that kingdom of God. The improvement of all
followeth in five several uses. '
I. Is Christ toe desire of nations ? how vile' a sin is it then
in any nation, upon whom the light of the gospel hath shined, to
reject Jesus Christ? Thus did the Jews, and thereby judged
themselves unworthy of eternal life. This is at once a fearful sin,
and a dreadful sign. How soon did vengeance overtake them
like the overthrow of Sodom ? O, let it Be for a warning to al1'
nations to the end ofthe world.
2. If Jesus' Christ be the desire of all nations, how incomparable
happy then must that nation be, that enjoys Christ in the powei
and purity of his gospel-ordinances ! O England, know thy hap
piness and the day of thy visitation : provoke not the Lord Jesus
to depart from thee, by corrupting his worship, longing after idol
atry, abusing his messengers, and oppressing his people, lest his
soul depart from thee.
3. If Christ be toe desire of nations, examine whether he be
the desire of your souls in particular ; else you shall have no be
nefit by him. Are your desires after Christ true spiritual
desires ?
Are they vehement and ardent ? Hath Christ the supreme
place in your desires ?
Are your desires after Christ universal ; i. e. is every thing in
Christ desirable in your eyes ? The hypocrite, like the harlot,
is for a divided Christ ; they would be called by his mame, but
Upon their own stock. Are his cross and sufferings desirrible for
his sake ? such universal desires are right desires.

g68 THE METHOD OF GRACE.,
Are your jtesi.es after Christ industrious desires, using all the
means of accomplishing what you desire ! You say you desire
Christ, but what will you do to obtain your desires?
Are your, desires after Christ permanent desires, or only a
.sudden motion or fit which goes off again without effect ?
Will your desires after Christ admit no satisfaction, nor find
rest any where but in the .enjoyment of Christ ?' then are your
desires right desires.
Do your desires after Christ spring from a deep sense of your
need and want of Christ ? Bread and water are made necessary
and desirable by hunger and thirst/ by these things try the truth
of your desires after Christ.
¦_J)o you indeed, upon serious trial, find such desires after Christ
as were described above ? O bless the Lord for that day wherein
S hrist, the desire of all nations, became toe desire of yoUr souls.
O blessed souls, enlightened ofthe Lord, to see those things that
are hid from them that perish ! Your desires after Christ are a
sure evidence that the desire of, Christ is towards you.
God never raised such desires as these in the souls of his peo
ple, to be a torment to tliem for ever. Whilst the desires of
others are hunting after riches, pleasure and honour, God hath
directed your desires to Christ,' the most excellent object in
heaven or earth. Others may fall asleep and cast off duty, but it
will be hard for you to do so, whose souls burn with desire after
Christ. This will make death much the sweeter and easier to
you, Phil. i. 23. When a Christian was once asked, Whether
he was willing to die ? He returned this answer, " Let him be
unwilling to die, who is unwilling to go to Christ." And much
ke it, was that of another, I refuse this life, to live with Christ.
D, In the next place, let me exhort and persuade all to make Jesus
e_ hrist the desire and choice of their souls. And O that I could
trffectually press home this exhortation upon your hearts ; let me
offer some moving considerations to you, and may the Lord
accompany them to your hearts.
1. Every creature naturally desires its own preservation; do
not you desire the preservation of your precious and immortal soul !
2. Do not your souls earnestly desire the bodies they live in?
How tender they are over them, how careful are they to provide
for them? though they pay a dear rent for those tenements they
live in. And is not union with Christ infinitely more desirable
than the union of soul and body ? that soul and body may be
happy in him, and with bim for evermore.
3. How do the men of tois world desire the enjoyments of it?
Shall a worldling do more for earth than' you for heaven ? ^
4. What do all your desires in this world benefit you, if you
go Christies. ? Suppose you had the desire of your hearts in these
things, how long would you have comfort in them, if you miss
Christ?

TIJE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 369
5. Doth Christ desire you, who have nothing lovely or desi
rable in you? And have you no desires after Christ?
6. How absolutely necessary is Jesus Christ to yOur souls?
Bread and water, breath and life, are not so necessary as Christ
is, if you miss Christ you are undone for ever.
/. How suitable a good is Christ to your souls ! comprising
whatsoever they want.
,8. How great are the benefits that will redound to you by Jesus
Christ ! In him you shall have a rich inheritance settled upon
you : all things shall be yours when you are Christ's.
9., All your well-grounded hopes of glory are built upon.your
union with Christ. Will not this draw your desires to him-- '
10. Suppose you were at the judgment-seat of God, where you
must shortly stand, and saw the terrors of the Lord in that day ;
the sentences of absolution and condemnation passed, by the
great and awful Judge, upon the righteous and wicked : would
not Christ be then desirable in your eyes ? As ever you expect
to stand with comfort at that bar, let Christ be the desire and
choice of your souls now.
Do these, or any other considerations, put thee, upon this en
quiry ; how shall I get my desires kindled and enflamed towards
Christ ? To such I shall offer the'following directions.
I. Redeem some time every day for meditation ; and seriously
bethink yourselves how the present state of your soul stands, and
how it is like to go with you for ever : here all sound conver
sion begins.
2. Consider seriously of that lamentable state, in which you
came into the world ; children of wrath by nature, so that either
your state must be changed, or you inevitably damned, John iii.
3. 3. Consider the way and course you have taken since you
came into the world, proceeding from iniqiuty to iniquity. Either
this guilt must be separated from your souls, or your souls from
God to all eternity.
'. 4. Think upon the severe wrath of God due to every sin. And
how intolerable is the fulness of toat wrath which must abide for
ever upon you, if ybu get riot interest in Christ.
5. Ponder well the happy state they are in who have obtained
pardon and peaceby Jesus Christ. And seeing the grace of God
is free, why may not you be as capable thereof as others ?
6. Seriously consider the great uncertaih.ty.of your time, that
you may not bewail your folly and madness when too late.
7. Associate yourselves with serious Christians, and beg their
assistance ; beseech them to pray for you ; and see that you rest
not here, but be frequently upon your knees, begging ofthe Lord
a new heart and a new state.
In conclusion, let me beseech all the people of God, as upon
my knees, to take heed, lest by the scandal of their lives they
B B

370 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
quench the weak desires beginning to kindle in the hearts bf
others. O shed not soul-blood, by stifling the hopeful desires of
any after Christ.
Blessed be God' for Jesus Christ,- the desire of all nations.*

FIFTH MOTIVE DRAWN FROM ANOTHER EXCEL
LENT TITLE OF CHRIST.
1 Cor. ii. 8. — Which none ofthe princes of this world knew,
for had they known him, they woul&ndt have crucified the Lord
of glory. ¦•''
In these words we find one of Christ's glorious and royal titled,
The Lord of glory ; upon which' title will be my present dis
course. ¦ The words Being fitly rendered, and nothing of ambiguity
in them, they give us this observation,
¦ Doct. That Christ crucifiedis the Lord of glory.
The writer to thb Hebrews Galls him not simply the glory, but
•"the Brightness ofthe Father's glory,", as though he should say,
tbe radiancy," sparkling, or beaming forth of bis Father's glory;
the very splendor or refulgency of divine glory. O what a glorious
Lord is bur Lord Jesus Christ ! the bright sparkling diamond bf
heaven ; who shines in glory there,, above the glory of angels and
saints, as the glory of toe sun excels the lesser, twinkling stars.
But more particularly let us consider toe glory of Christ, as Lt
is distinguished into his
I. Essential, or, 2. Mediatorial glory.
> First , The essential glory of Christ, which he hath as God from
everlasting; which is unspeakable and inconceivable-glory; For
" He being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal
with God," i. e. he has a peerage or equality with his Father in
glory ; John x. 30.
Secondly, The mediatorial glory of Christ is exceeding great.
This is proper to him, as the head of the church, which he hath
purchased with his own blood. Of this glory the apostle speaks,
Phil. ii. 9, 10. " Wherefore God also hath exalted him, and
given him a name, which is above every name ; exalted above all
exaltation. Now the mediatorial glory of our Lord Jesus Christ
consisteth, 1. In the fulness of grace inherent in him ; the humanity of
Christ is filled with grace, as the sun with light ; John j. 14.
" Fall of grace and truth." Never any creature was filled by the
1 Spirit of grace; as the man Christ Jesus is ; for " God gives not
the Spirit to him by measure."

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 371
2. In the dignity and authority put upon him. He is crowned
King in Sion ; all power in heaven and earth is given unto hiffl,
he is a law-giver- to the church; all acts of worship are to be per
formed in his name. Church officers are commissioned by him.
The judgment of the world in the great day will be administered
by him,. Matt. xxv. 31. '.>•.'
3. Jesus Christ shall have glQry and honour ascribed to him
for evermore, by ringe'ls and saints, upon the account of his me
diatorial work ; this some divines-call his passive glory, the glory
whieh he is said to receive from his redeemed ones. Rev. v. 8,
9, 10. And thus you see that our Lord Jesus Christ is upon all
accounts the Lord of glory. The uses follow.
¦Inference 1 . How, wonderful was the love of Christ, the Lord of
glory, to be so abased and humbled, as he was for «., vile and
sinful dust? It is astonishing to conceive that ever Jesus Christ
should strip himself of his robes of glory, to clothe himself with
the mean garment of our flesh ; if the most magnificent monarch
upon earth had been degraded into a toad ; if tbe sun in the heavens
had been turned into a wandering atom; if the mOst glorious
angel in heaven had been transformed even into a fly ; it had been
nothing to the abasement of the Lord of glory. . O stupendous
abasement! O love unspeakable ! '
Inf. 2. How transcendently glorious is tke advancement of be
lievers, by their union with the Lord of glory? O what is this ?
Christian, dost thou know and believe all this, and thy heart not
burn within thee in love to Christ ? What art thou, by nature,
but sinful dust, a loathsome sinner, viler than the vilest creature?-
Othat ever the Lord of glory should unite himself to such a lump
of vileness! Be astonished, .O heavens and earth, at this ! this
is toe great mystery which the angels stoop down to look into.
¦< Inf. 3. Is Jesus Christtbe Lord of glory? Then let no man
count himself dishonoured by suffering .the vilest indignities, fbr
his sake. "Moses esteemed the reproaches of Christ greater
riches than the treasures of Egypt." The diadem of Egypt was
not half so glorious as self-denial for Christ, Phil. i. 29. The gift
• of suffering is matched with the gift of faith ; it is given as an
honorarium, a badge of honour to suffer for the Lord of glory.
Thanus reports of Ludovicris Marsacus, a knight of France, that
being led to suffer with other martyrs, who were bound, and he
unbound, because a person of honour ; he cried out, '* Why don't
; you honour me with a chain too, and create me knight of that
noble order ?" MyTirethren count it all joy When ye fall into
divers temptations," trials, and sufferings; for disgrace itself is glo
rious when endured for- the Lord of glory. '
¦ " Infr4 Is (Christ the Lord of glory ? How glorious then shall the
saints' one day be, when they ska ll be made like this glorious Lord.
Yea the vile bodies of believers shall be made like to the glorious
BB 2

372 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
body of Christ; then the poorest believer shall be more glorious
than Solomon in all his royalty.
Inf. 5. How hath the devil blindfolded, and deluded them that
are frighted off from Christ, by the fears of being dishonoured by
him ? Many persons have half a mirid to religion, but when they
consider the generality pf its professors to be persons of the lowest
rank in the world, and that reproaches and sufferings attend that
way ; they shrink back as men ashamed. But O dear bought
honours, for which men stake their souls and everlasting happi
ness. Inf. 6. If Christ be the Lord of glory, how careful should all
be who profess Mm, that they do not dishonour Jesus Christ, whose
name is called upon them? Christ isa glory to you, be not
you a shame and hishonour to him. It was a cutting question,
James ii. 7- apt to startle the consciences of loose professors ;
" Do they not blaspheme that worthy name by which ye are
called ?"
inf. 7- What delight should Christians take in their daily con
verse with Jesus Christ in the way of duty ? The greatest peers
count it more honour to be in the presence of a king, bare-hpaded,
or upon the knee at court, than to have thousands standing bare
to them in the country. When you are called to the duties of
communion with Christ, you are called to the-greatest honour,
dignified with the noblest privilege creatures are capable of in this
world. But alas ! it is but seldom the best of saints, by the eye
of faith, do see the King in his glory,
Inf. 8; If Christ be so glorious, how should believers long to
be with him, and behold him in his glory above ? Most men need
patience to <.«_, a believer should need patience to toe. Paul
thought it well worth enduring the pangs of death, to get a sight
of Jesus Christ in his glory, Phil. i. 23. Tke spirit and tke bride
say, come, even so, come Lord Jesus, and be thou as a swift roe
upon tke mountains of separation.
Blessed be God for Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.

THE SIXTH MOTIVE TO COME TO CHRIST.
Luke ii. 25.— Waiting for the [Consolation] of Israel.
Several glorious titles of Christ have been already spoken to,
out of each of which much comfort flows to believers. But now
I am to shew you, from this scripture, that the saints have not
only much consolation from Christ, but that Christ himself is the
very consolation of believers.
Tn which words, we have,
1. A description of Christ, the consolation of Israel. ,

THE METHOD OF GRAOB. 373
2. The description of a believer, one that waited for Christ.
From whence the point of doctrine is,
Doct. That Jesus Christ is tke only consolation of believers,
and of none besides them .
So speaks the apostle, " For we are the circumcision, which
worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have
no confidence in the flesh." Those that worship God in tke Spi
rit are sincere believers ; to such sincere believers, Christ is
consolationy our rejoicing is in Christ Jesus.
The first thing to be opened, is the nature of consolation, which
is nothing-else but the cheerfulness of a man's spirit, whereby he
is upheld, and fortified against all evils felt, or feared. Conso
lation is to the soul what health is to the body after Wasting
sickness ; or the reviving spring to the earth after a long and hard
winter. Spiritual comfort is the refreshment, peace, and joy, gracious
Souls have in Christ, by the exercise of faith, hope, and other
graces. And this only deserves the name of true solid consola
tion, to which four things are required.
t 1. That toe matter thereof be some spiritual, eminent, and
durable good ; else our consolation in it will be but as the crack
ling of thorns under a pot, a sudden blaze, quickly extinct with
the failing matter of it.
2. Interest and propriety in these comfortable things, are
requisite to our consolation by them. It is no.consolation to him
that is hungry to see a feast ; to him that is poor to see a trea
sure ; if the one may not taste, or the other partake not thereof.
3. Knowledge, and evidence of interest, in some degree is
.requisite to actual consolation, for that which appears not, is (in
point of actual comfort) as if it were not.
4. In order hereunto, the work of the Spirit upon our hearts is
requisite, both to give, and clear our interest in Christ. And
both these ways he is the Comforter.
Secondly, Next I will shew you that Christ, and he only, is
matter of consolation to believers.
Jesus Christ brings to their souls all that is comfortable, and
removes from their souls all that is uncomfortable.
Is pardon comfortable to a person condemned? Nothing can
be matter of greater comfort in this vyorld. Come to a dejected
soul, labouring under the burden of guilt, and say, cheer up, I
bring you good tidings, there is such an estate fallen to you ; alas !
this will not reach the heart ; if you can bring me (saith he) good
news from heaven, that my sins are forgiven, and God reconciled,
how soon should I be comforted ! And therefore (as one well ob
serves) this was the usual receipt with which Christ Gured the

374 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
souls Of men arid women, when on earth ; son or daughter, " be
of good cheer, thy. sins are forgiven thee."
Are the hopes and expectations of heaven and glory comfortable !
Yes sure, nothing is comfortable if this be not. " We rejoice in
hope ofthe glory of God." Now, Christ Brings this to toe souls
of men.
Again, Jesus Christ removes from believers Whatever is un
comfortable ; therein relieving them against all the matters of
their affliction and sorrow.
1. Is sin a.burden to believers ? Christ, and none but Christ,
removes that burden, Rom. vii. 24, 25.
2. Do the temptations of Satan burden believers? Christ
brings toe only matter bf relief against temptations, Rom. xvi. 20.
3. Is spiritual desertion, and tbe hiding Of God's face, matter
of affliction and casting down to believers? Christ brings sub
stantial matter of consolation against the troubles of desertion ;
He himself was deserted of God for a time, that they might not
be deserted for ever.
4. Are outward afflictions matter of dejection and trouble? Alas,
who finds them not to be so ? But our relief and consolation
under them all is in Christ Jesus ; for the rod that afflicts us is in
the hand of Christ that loveth us, Rev. iii. 29. So that upon the
Whole, two things are most evident.
Nothing can comfort the soul without Christ ! he is the soul
that animates all comforts ; and then no troubles, sorrows, or
afflictions can deject or sink the* soul that Christ comforteth. " As
Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing."
In the third plaqe, I am to "shew you that none but believers
can have consolation in Christ. >
1. No unbeliever hath the materials', but of which spiritual
comfort is made. See how their mirth is described in Job xxi.
12. 2. No unbeliever hath any interest iri Christ and toe promises,
and so they can signify nothing to him. It is not another man's
money, but my own, that must feed, clothe and comfort me ; nor
is it another man's Christ, that must justify, save, and comfort
my soril.
3. Evidence of a man's peace and reconciliation with God, is %
necessary, which no unbeliever can possibly bave. ¦
4. There is one inquiry remains to be satisfied -T namely, seeing ...
Jesus Christ is consolation to believers, how it comes to pass,
that so many believers in the world should walk so dejectedly as
they do, without any spiritual consolation ? '
Answer* They have Christ and the promises, which' are the
sebds of consolation, and will bring forth joy at last, though at
present they have no actual consolation'.
It must be remembered also, that interest and evidence are

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 375
distinct blessings, every believer hath interest in Christ, but every
believer hath not the evidence thereof, Isa. 1. 10.
' Again, Every believer, doth not walk with like strictness and
exact holiness ; all do not exercise faith in a like degree ; and
these are usually denied the joy and comfort which others abound
withal. The consolations of Christ are dispensed by the Spirit, who is
the Comforter, and giveth to every man in such proportions, and
at such seasons as pleaseth him.
Inference!. Hence it follows, That the state of unbelievers is
the most sad and uncomfortable state in the world, having no
interest in Christ, tke comfort of Israel. It is true, they abound
in creature-comforts ; they live in pleasure upon earth ; but for
- all this, there is not the least drop of true consolation in any of
their hearts ; and when the day of their distress cometh, and the
terrors of conscience shall awake them out of their pleasant
, dreams, all their sensual joys will vanish from them, and thq
doors of true consolation will be shut against them.
Inf. 2. Let all believers fetch all their comforts out of Christ,
who is tke consolation of his people, Jer. ii. 13. If you make any
creature the spring and fountain of yoar comfort, assuredly God
will dry up that spring. Besides, as your comforts are, so are
you. The food of every creature is suitable to its nature.
Inf. 3. If Christ be the consolation of believers, what a com
fortable life should all believers live in tke world ? Certainly, if
the fault be not your own, you might live tbe happiest lives of all
men in the world. Your condition abounds with all the helps
and advantages of consolation. Why is it then you go comfort
less? If your afflictions be many in the world, yet your encou
ragements are more in Christ. Your troubles in the world have
been turned into joy, but your comforts in Christ can never be
turned into trouble. Shake off despondency then, and live up to
the principles of religion.
Inf. 4. If Christ be the consolation of believers, then let all that
desire comfort in this world, or in that to come, embrace Jesus
Christ, and get real union with him. , The same hour you shall
be in Christ, you shall also be at the fountain-head of all consola
tions. O come to Christ! come to Christ! til 1 you come to
Christ, no true comfort can come to you.

SEVENTH MOTIVE TO COME TQ CHRIST.
Eph. i. 7.  In whom we have redemption through his blood, tke
forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace.
In these words we have, first, a singular benefit bestowed,

37<S THE METHOD OF GRACE. '
viz. redemption, the price of tbis mercy,; even the blood of Christ,
also the impulsive cause, moving God to grant pardons at this
rate to sinners, the riches of grace, and the qualified' subjects of
this blessed priyitege, i. e. we the saints and faithful in Christ
Jesus, ver. 4, 5. Hence, observe,
Doct. That all believers^ and none but believers, receive the re
mission of their sins through the riches of grace, by the blood
of Jesus Ckrist.
, Observe,
First, Now remission of sin is the gracious act of God, in and
through Christ, discharging a believing sinner from all the guilt
and punishment of his sin, both temporal and eternal.
; It is the act of God ; he is the author of remission ; none can
forgive sins but God only : who can remit the debt but the
creditor ?
It is a gracious act of God, the effect of pure grace, done for his
own name's sake, providing a surety for us every way able to
pay our debt.
It is toe gracious act of God in and through Christ : the satis*
faction of Christ is the procuring cause of our remission, and so
God declares himself just in the remission of our sin, Rom. iii.
25. And this gracioUs act of God discharges the pardoned soul both
from guilt and punishment. Guilt is nothing else hut the force
and power that is in sin, to oblige the sinner to undergo the
penalty due to sin ; therefore sinners are said to be guilty; of
hell fire; Remission takes away both guilt and punishment
together. Now that this remission of sin is the privilege of believers, is
most apparent, for all the causes of remission are in conjunction
to procure it for them ; the love of God, which is the ifripulsive
cause of pardon ; the blood of Christ which is the meritorious
cause, and saving faith, which is tite instrumental cause, do all
co-operate for their remission, as it is plain in the text. ' :
Besides all the promises of pardon are made to them', Jer.
xxxi. 34. So that it is a truth beyond controversy, that all that
are in Christ are in a pardoned state.
Secondly, Next I will show you, that the pardon of believers
is the purchase of the blood of Christ : nothing but the blood of
Christ is a price equivalent to the remission of sin, for this blood
was innocent and untainted blood, the blood of a lamb without
spot ; this blood was precious blood, blood of infinite worth and
value. To conclude, tbe severe justice of God could put in no excep-.
tion against the blood of Christ; it is unexceptionable blood.
Justice required no less, and could demand no more; and this is

THE METHOD OF GRACE. ' 377
the price at which our pardons are purchased, and without which
no sin could be pardoned, Heb. ix. 22.
Thirdly, The last thing to be.opened is, That God. hath mani
fested the riches of his grace in the remission of our sins. So
speaks the apostle, Rom. v. 20. Which will appear,
1. J/rom the nature of the mercy, which is the richest of all
mercies, except Christ the purchaser of it ; no mercy sweeter
than a pardon to a condemned sinner. \
2. The very riches of grace must needs be in the pardon of sin,
if we consider the method in which pardons are dispensed, wliich
is, as the text speaks, " through his bfood." Mercy and justice
meet and triumph together.
. 3. The riches of his grace shine forth iri the peculiarity of the
mercy. Remission is no common favour ; it is never extended
to:the fallen angels, nor to the greater part of the children of men,
but only to a little flock.
4. The riches of grace are manifested in remission, if we con
sider the subjects of this privilege, who are not only equally plunged
jnto sin and misery with others by nature, but many of the Lord's
pardoned ones have been actually guilty of a deeper-dyed abomi
nation than many unpardoned ones, in the civilized world, 1
Tim. i. 15. 1 Cor. vi. 11. '
5. More of the riches of grace still appear, if we view the lati
tude and extent of this act of grace. 0 how innumerable are
our transgressions ! " Yet the blood of Christ cleanseth us from
all sins." Small and great sins, open and secret sins, old and new
sins, all pardoned without exception. O the riches of grace !
O the unsearchable goodness of God !
i. 6. The riches of grace sbine forth in the perpetuity of remis
sion. The pardoned soul shall " never come into condemna
tion." " As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he re
moved our transgressions from us." The east and west are the
two opposite points of heaven, which can never come together ;
neither shall the pardoned soul and its sins ever meet any. more.
" Thou hast Gast, (saith Hezekiah) all my sins behind thy back."
The penitent believer sets his sins before' bis- face, but the merci
ful God casts them all behind his back, never to behold them
more, so as to charge them upon his pardoned people.
Inf. 1. If this be so, that all believers, and none but believers,
receive the remission of their sins through the riches of grace, by
the blood of Christ ; what a kappy condition then are saintsin !
Those that never felt the load of sin may make light of a pardon;
but so cannot you, that have been in the deeps of trouble and fear
about it ; those tost have Been upon the rack of an accusing, and
condemning conscience can never sufficiently value a pardon.
God would not be at such vast expence of the riches of his grace;
Christ would not lay out the treasures of his precious blood to
procure a cheap and common blessing for us. Rejoice then,' ye

378 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
pardoned souls, God" hath done great things for you, for which
you have cause to be glad.
Inf. 2. Hence it follows, That interest in Christby faith, brings
the conscience of a believer into. a state cf rest and peace, Rom.
vi. 1. I say not that every believer is presently brought into
actual peace and tranquillity of conscience. We are apt to fear,
that this or that special sin which has most terrified and affrighted
our conscience, is not forgiven : but if there be riches enough in
the grace of God, and efficacy enough in the blood of Christ, then
the sins.of believers, all their sins, great as Well as small, without
limitation or exception, are pardoned.
Inf. 3. Hence it also follows, That no remission is to be ex
pected by any soul, idithoutan interest by faith in Jesus Christ :
no Christ,- no pardon ; no faith no Christ. Some expect remis
sion of sin by virtue of their own duties, not Christ's merits : I
have sinned, but I will repent, restore, reform, and God will par
don ! But little do such men know how they therein diminish the
evil of sin, undervalue the justice of God," slight the blood of
Christ, and put an undoing cheat upon their own souls for ever.
Repentance, restitution and reformation are excellent duties, in
their kind, and in their proper places, but they were never meant
for saviours, or satisfaction tb God for sin.
Inf. 4. If the riches of grace be thus manifested in the pardon
of sin, How vile an abuse is il of the grace of God, to take the
more liberty to sin , because grace abounds in the pardon of it!
" Shall we continue in .sin, that grace may abound? God for
bid !" Rom. vi. 1, 2. Will nothing cheaper than the grace of
God serve to make a cloak for sin ? O vile abuses of toe most
excellent thing in the whole world ! Did Christ shed bis blood to
expiate our guilt, and dare we make that a plea to extenuate. our
guilt ? God forbid ! The devils never sinned at Jthis rate ; they
cannot abuse the pardoning grace of God, because such a grace
was* never offered unto them.
Inf. 5. To conclude: If this be so, as ever you expect pardon
and mercy from God,, come to Christ in the way of faith ; receive
and embrace him now in the tenders of the gospel.
To drive home this great exhortation, I beseech you, as in the
bowels of Christ Jesus, and by all the regard and value you, have
for your, souls, let these following considerations; sink down in
your hearts.
1 . That all Christless persons are actually under toe condem
nation of <God, John iii. 18. "He that believeth not is condemned
already. . - 2. Consider what a terrible thing ft is to lie under the -condem
nation of God ;, put all sickness, all poverty, all reproaches, the
torments invented by all tyrants into one scale, and the condem
nation of God into the other, and they will be all found lighter
than a feather.

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 379
3. There is yet possibility of escaping the wrath to cO me. O
what a mercy is this ! Who, that is on this side heaven or hell,
fully understands the worth of it?
4. The door of mercy will be shortly shut, Luke xii. 25. God
hath many ways, to shut it. But if he shut it not by removing
the means of grace from you, certain it is, it will be shortly shut
by your removal from all the means and opportunities of salvation
by death.
5. When once the door of mercy is shut, you are gone beyond
all the possibilities of pardon and salvation for evermbre. John
ix. 4. All the golden seasons ybu now enjoy, will be irrecover
ably gone out of your reach. -
6., Pardons are now daily granted to others. The world is
full of the examples and instances of the riches of pardoning
grace. O therefore, lift up your cries to heaven, give the Lord
no rest, take no denial till he open the blind eye, Break the stony
heart, open and Bow tbe stubborn will, effectually draw thy Soul
to Christ,'and deliver thy pardon signed in his blood.

EIGHTH MOTIVE TO-COME TO CHRIST.
Eph. i. 6.— To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he
hath made us accepted in the beloved.
In these words three things are observable, viz.
1. The privilege itself, which is exceeding rich arid sweet in
its Own nature ; "be hath made us accepted ;" endeared us to
him, so that we find grace in his sight.
2. The ineritoriOus cause, purchasing and procuring this bene
fit for us, the beloved ; the great favourite of heaven; the delight
of God's soul, the prime object of his love.
• 3. The ultimate. end and aim of conferring this benefit "upon
believers; to toe praise and glory of his grace. Hence the note
is, ' Doct. That Jesus Christ kath purchased and procured fpecial
¦-.'-¦ favour and acceptation with God for ati that are' in him.
Believers are said to be made by Jesus Christ '" kih£s and
priests unto Godj arid his Father, i. e. dignified favourites; upon
whom the special marks of honour are set by God.
In opening this point three things must be dbctrinally dis
cussed and opened, viz.
';; First , What the acceptation of our persons with God is ?
Accepting of persons is noted in scripture as the sinful act of a
crimiptman; a thing which God abhbrs,' being the bor-uption

380 the method of grace.
and abuse of that, power and authority which men have in judg
ment./ ' ,
But there is also an accepting of persons, wnicn is the gracious
act of a merciful God ;- and of this my text speaks. In which act
of favour three things are supposed or included. •
1. It supposes an estate of alienation and enmity; those only
are accepted into favour that were out of favour. The fall made
a fearful breach betwixt God and man. Sin, like a thick cloud,
intercepted all the beams of divine favour from us ; the satisfac
tion of Christ dissolves that cloud, Isa. xliv. 22. This dark cloud
thus dissolved, the fece qf God shines forth again with cheerful
,beams of favour and love upon all, who, by faith, are interested
in Jesus Chiist.
2. It includes the removing of .guilt from the persons of be.
lievers, by the imputation of Christ?s righteousness to them,
Rom. v.. 1. 2. the person must be first made righteous before he
can be made accepted.
3. lt includes the offering up or tendering of our persons and
duties to God by Jesus Christ. Accepting implies presenting or
tendering. Believers indeed do present themselves to God,
but Christ's presenting them makes their tender of themselves
acceptable to the Lord ; " unblamable, and unreprovable in his
sight." Secondly, In the next place I must shew you how it appears
that believers are thus ingrated, or brought into the special favour
of God by Jesus.
1 . By the titles of love and endearedness, with which the Lord
graceth and honoureth believers, who are sometimes called the
household of God, the friends of God, the dear children of God,
the peculiar people of God, The object of his delight and pleasure.
O what terms of endearedness doth God use towards his people !
2. The gracious manner in which he treats them upon the throne
ol grace, Heb. iv. 16. This also speaks them in the special
favour of God ; he allows them to come to him in prayer, with
the liberty, confidence and filial boldness of children to a father,
Gal. iv. 6. However, let no favourite of heaven forget the infi
nite distance betwixt himself and God. Abraham was a great
favourite of heaven, and was called the friend of God ;¦ yet see
with what humility of spirit and reverential awe he qddresseth
God, Gen. xviii. 27.
3. God's readiness to grant, as well as their liberty to tisk,
speaks them the special favourites of God. The heart of God is
so ready to grant the desires of believers, that it is but to askand
have, Matt. vii. 7. The door of grace is., opened by the key of
prayer. O blessed liberty of the sons of God ! David did but
say, " Lord, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness,"
and it was done as soon as asked, 2 Sam. xv. 31. Joshua did

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 381
but say, " Thou sun stand still in Gibeon," _nd a miracu
lous stop was presently put to its swift motions. Every prayer,
according to the* will of God, js presently "granted in heaven,
though, for wise and holy ends, we may be held in a doubtful
suspense upon earth.
4. The free discoveries of the secrets of God's heart to be
lievers, speak them to be his special favourites : men operi not
the counsels and secrets of their own hearts to enemies or strangers
but to their most inward and intimate friends : " The secret of
the Lord is with them that fear him."
5. The Lord's- receiving every small thing that, comes from
them with grace and favour, when he rejects the greatest things
offered by others, doth certainly bespeak Believers to be the special
favourites of God. There was but some small buddings of grace
in young Abijah, and the Lord took special notice thereof, 1
Kings, xiv. 13. " Because in him there is found some good
thing toward the Lord God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam."
Let this be an encouragement to young ones, in whom there are
found any breathing desires after Christ; God will not reject
them if any sincerity be found in them ; a secret groan, uttered
to God ih sincerity, shall not be despised, Rom. viii! 26. The
very intent and purpose that lie secretly in the heart of a believer,
not yet executed, are accepted with him, 1 Kings,, viii. 18.
Thirdly, How Christ, the beloved, procures this benefit for
believers. 1. By the satisfaction of his blood. " When we were enemies
we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son." No friend
ship without reconciliation, no reconcifotion but by the blood of
Christ. ,
2. The favour of God is procured for believers, by their mysti-
» cal union with Christ, whereby they are made " members of his
body," Eph. v. 30. So that as Adam's posterity stood upon the
same terms that he tlieir natural head did, sO believers, Christ's
mystical members, stand in the favour of God, by the favour
which Christ; their spiritual head hath, John xvii. 33.
3. Believers are brought into favour with God by Christ's be
coming their altar, upon which their persons and duties are all
"offered up to God : The altar sanctifies the gift, Heb: xiii. 10.
Christ is that golden altar from whence all the prayers of the
saints ascend to the throne of God, perfumed with the odours and
incense of his merits, Rev. viii. 34.
¦'¦ Inference 1. If all believers be in favour with God, how great
a mercy is it to have the prayers of suck engaged on our behalf.
Would we have our business speed in heaven, let- us seek the
favour of God ourselves, and engage the prayers of his people,
the favourites of heaven for us. The benefit of such assistance
in prayer .by the help of other favourites with God, is plainly inti-

382 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
mated by Jesiis Christ to us, Matt, xviii. 19. St. Bernard pre
scribing rules for effectual prayer, close, them with this wish,
when thy heart is in'this frame, then remember me.
Inf. 2. If believers be such favourites in heaven, in what a
desperate condition is that cause andthose poor persons, against
whom the generality of believers are daily engaged in prayers
and criesrto .heaven ?
Certainly Rome shall feel the dint and force of the many mil
lions of, prayers that are gone up to heaven from, the saints for
many generations ; the cries of the blood of the martyrs of/Jesus,
joined with the cries of thousands of believers, will bring down
vengeance at last upon the man of .in. It was said of Luther,
that man could have of God what he would ; his enemies felt the
weight of his prayers, and the'church of God reaped the benefit
thereof. The Queen of Scots professed she was more afraid of
the prayers of Knox, than of an army of ten thousand men.
, Inf. 3. Let no believer be dejected at tke contempts and slight-
ings of men, so long as they stand in the grace and favbur of God;
How are heaven and earth divided in their judgments and esti
mation of the saints ? Those whom men call filth and dirt, God
considers a peculiar treasure, a crown of glory, a royal diadem.
But trouble not thyself, believer, for the unjust censures of the
blind world. A courtier regards not a slight in the country, so
long as he hath the ear and favour of his prince.
Inf. 4. Never let believers fear the want of any good thing
necessary for them in this world. "Trie favour of -God is the
fountain of all blessings, provisions, protections, even of all that
you need, Psal. lxxxiv. 1 1 . He that is bountiful to his enemies
will not withhold what is'goOd from his friends.
Inf. 5. Hence it also follows, that the sins of believers are very
piercing things to tke heart of God. What a melting expostulation
was toat which the Lord used with David, 2 Sam. xii. f, 8: 0
reader, if thou be a reconciled person, a favourite with God, and
bast grieved him by any eminent transgression, how should it
melt thy heart to hear the Lord thus expostulating: I delivered
thee out of the hand of Satan ; I gave thee into the bosom of
Christ; I have pardoned linto thee millions of sins; I have
bestowed upon thee the riches of mercy; my favour hath made
toee great: and, as if all this were too little, I haye prepared
iheaven for thee : for which of all these favours dost thou thus
requite me ? . , .
inf. 6. How precious should Jesus Christ be to believers, by
' whose blood they are ingratiated with God, and by whose interces
sion they are and shall for ever be continued in, his favour.
Take away Christ and you have no ground on which 'to stand one
minute in the favour of God. O then let Jesus Christ, the foun
tain of your honour, be also tbe object of your love and praise.
Inf. 7- Estimate by this the stale and condition of a deserted

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 383
saint, upon whom the favour of God is -eclipsed* If the favour of
God be better than life, the hiding of it from a gracious soul
must be more bitter than death : Deserted saints have reason to
take the first place among all the mourners in the world : The
darkness before conversion had indeed more danger, but tbis
hath more of trouble. Darkness after light is dismal darkness.
Since, therefore the case is so sad, let your preventing care be
the more ; grieve not the good spirit of God ; you prepare but
for your own grief in so doing.
Inf. 8- Let this persuade all men to accept JesUs Christmas
eve- they expect to be accepted with the Lqrdrthemselves.
Consider how sad is it to be rejected of God, and forsaken by
all creatures at once ; what a day of straits thy dying day -ia like
to be, when heaven and earth shall cast thee out together. The
saints will have boldness in the day of judgment ; and there is
yet, blessed be the God of mercy, a capacity and opportunity for
reconciliation. But this can be of no long continuance. O
therefore, by all the regard and love you have for the everlasting
welfare of your own souls, come to Christ; embrace Christ in the
offers of the gospel, that you may be made accepted in the be
loved.

. THE LIBERTY OF BELIEVERS OPENED AND
STATED.
John viii; 36. — If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall
be free indeed.
From the 30th verse of this chapter unto my text, you have an
account of the differerit effects which the words of Christ bad '
upon the hearts of his hearers : some believed. Those he encou-
ragethfto continue in his word, giving 'them this encouragement,
*' Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.*
Hereat the unbelieving Jews take offence, and commence a quar
rel with him. " We be Abraham's seed, and were never in
bondage to any man." We are of no slavish extraction; the
blood of Abraham runs in our veins. This scornful boast of the
proud Jews Christ confutes, where he distinguisheth on a two
fold bondage ; one to men, another to sin ; one civil, another
spiritual : whosoever committeth sin is, the rservant of sin, yet
freedom is to be obtained. And this freedom is the prerogative
belonging to the Son of God to bestow : " "If the Son ©f God
shall make you free."
Doct. That interest in Christ sets the soul at liberty from alttkat
bondage whereunto it was subjected in its natural state.

384 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
This glorious liberty, viz. that which is spiritual and eternal,
is the'liberty of the children of God, Rom, viii. 21. Christ and
none but Christ, delivers his people out bf the hand of their enei
mies, Luke i. 74.
In the doctrinal part of this point I must show you,
First What those things are from which believers are not made
free in this world. We must not think that our spiritual liberty
by Christ, presently brings us to an absolute liberty, in all res
pects. For,
1. Christ doth riot free believers from obedience to the moral
law : It is true we are no more under ft as a covenant for our
justification ; but we are, and must still be under it, as a rule for
our direction. Tbe matter ofthe moral law is unchangeable, as
the nature of good and evil is, and cannot be abolished except
that distinction could be destroyed, Matt. v. 17, 18. The pre
cepts of toe law are still urged under the gospel to enforce duties
upon us, Eph. vi. 12. It is, therefore, a vain distinction, invented
by Libertines, to say it binds us as creatures,' not as* Christians ;
or that it binds the unregerierate*pa.rt, but not the regenerate":
but this it a sure truth, that they who are freed from its pbrialties
are still under its precepts, Psal. cxix. 45. " Tliori hast com
manded us to keep to]' precepts diligently ; O that my heart were
directed to keep thy statutes." It is excellent when Christians
begin to obey the law from life, which others obey for life ; because
. they are justified, not that they may be justified. Had Christ
freed us from obedience, such a liberty had been to our loss.
2. Christ hafh not freed believers, iri this world, from toe
temptations and assaults of Satan : even those that are freed from
his dominion, are not free from his molestation. Though he
cannot kill them, yet he can and doth afflict and fright them, by
shooting his fiery darts of temptation among them, Eph. vi. 16.
k 3. Christ hath not yet freed believers, in this world, from the
motions of indwelling sins ; these are continually acting, and
infesting the holiest bf men, Rom. vii. 21, 23, 24. Corruptions,
like Canaanites, are still left in the land to be thorns in your eyes,
and goads in your sides," Rom. vii. 24.
N 4. Jesus Christ doth not free believers,, in this world, from
inward troubles and exercises of soul, upon the account of sin.
God may let loose Satan, and conscience too, in the way of ter
rible accusations, which may greatly distress the soul of a be
liever, Psal. xxxviii. unto ver. 11.
5. Christ hath not freed believers, in this world, from toe rods
of affliction. All the children of God are made free, yet what son
is there whom tbe father chasteneth riot? Heb. xii. 8. To be free
from affliction would be no benefit to believers, who receive so
many benefits by it
6. No believer is freed by Christ from the stroke of death,
though they are all freed from the sting of death, Rom. viii. 10.

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 385
The bodies qf believers are under the same law,pf mortality with
other men^ Heb. jx. 27. We must come to the grave as well as
others ; yea, we must come to it through the same agonies and
dolours that other men do.
Secondly, Tbat believers are freed^ from many grea,t and sad
miseries and evils by Jesus Christ, notwithstanding all that hath
been said. For,
1. All believers are freed from the' rigour and curse of the law.,
The rigorous yoke ofthe law is broken off from their necks, and
the sweet and easy yoke of Christ put on, Matt. ix. 28- O
blessed freedom! when dtfty becomes light and failings hinder
not acceptance ! This is one part of the blessed freedom of
believers. 2. All believers are freed from the guilt of sin ; it may trouble
but it cannot condemn them, Rom. viii. 33. The hand-writijig
which was against us is cancelled by Christ, nailed to his cross,
Col. ii. 14. When the seal and hand-writing are torn off from
the bond, the debtor is made free. O blessed freedom !. How
sweet is it to lie down in our beds, yea, in our graves, when
guilt shall neither be our bed-fellow, nor grave-fellow !
3. Jesus Christ frees, all believers from the dominion as well
as the guilt of sin, Rom. vi. 14. What slavery, what an intole
rable drudgery is the service of- divers lusts, from all which be
lievers are freed by Christ ; not from the residence, but the reign
of sin.
4, Jesus Christ sets all believers free from the power of Satan,
in whose right they were by nature, Col. i- 13. They are re
deemed by price., ., The blood of Christ purchaseth believers out
ofthe hands of justice, which being done, Satan's authority over
them falls of course, as the power of a gaoler over the prisoner
doth, when be hath a legal discharge, Heb,. ii, 14.
By power. Satan is exceeding unwilling to let go his prey.
He is a strong and malicious enemy;: every rescue and deliver
ance qut of his hand is a glorious effect of Almighty power.
5. Christ frees Believers from the poisonous sting and hurt of
death : kill us. it can, but hurt us ft cannot, I Cor. xv. 55, 56.. It
is guilt that arms death, both with. its bm$P& and terrifying
power. Bnt from death, as a curse, and from the grave, as a
prison, Christ hath set believers at liberty, by .submitting tb
death in their room ; and by his victorious resurrection. from the
grave. , , ¦,., , .
Thirdly, The next thing to be.briefly spoken to, is the nature
ofthat freedom purchased By Christ for believers.
1. It is a wonderful liberty, never enough to be admired- t or
those who owed God more than ever they could pay by their own
eternal sufferings ; those that were under the dreadful curse and
condemnation of the law, in toe power and, possession of Satan,
the strong man armed; those that were bound with so many.
c c

286 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
chains in their spiritual prison ; for such persons to be set at
liberty, notwithstanding all this, is the wonder, of wonders, and
will be deservedly marvellous in the eyes of believers for
ever. 2. The freedom of believers is a peculiar freedom ; a liberty
which few obtain; the generality abiding still in bondage to
Satan, the god of this world. How many nobles and great
ones of the world are but royal slaves to Satan and their own
lusts !
3. The liberty of believers is a liberty dearly purchsaed by the
blood of Christ. It was not silver or gold, But the precious
blood of Christ that purchased it, 1 Pet. i: 18.
4. The freedom and liberty of believers is a growing and in
creasing liberty. The body of sin dieth daily in them : they are
said to be crucified with Christ : the strength of sin abates con
tinually in them, after the manner of crucified persons, who die
a slow, but sure death.
5. The freedom of believers is a comfortable freedom : the,
apostle comforts Christians of the lowest rank, poor servants,
with this consideration, 1 Cor. vii, 22. Your outward condition
is a state of subjection, but you are the Lord's freemen, of pre
cious account iri his eyes. O it is a comfortable liberty !
6. It is a perpetual and final freedom ; they have their manu
mission and final discharge from the state of bondage they were
in before. Sin may trouble them, but shall never more rule and
govern them, Acts xxvi. 18. And thus you see what a glorious
liberty the liberty of believers is. '
Inf. 1 . How rational is the joy of Christians above the joy of
all others in the world. Shall not the captive rejoice in his reco
vered liberty? the very birds of the air (as one observes) had
rather be at liberty in the woods, though lean and hnngry, than in
a golden cage with the richest fare: every creature naturally
prizes it; none more than believers, who have felt the burden
and bondage of corruption. The angels in heaven rejoice whm. a
soul is recovered out of the power of Satan : And shall not the
recovered soul, immediately concerned in the mercy, rejoice ?
Inf. 2. How unreasonable and wholly inexcusable is tke sin of
apostasy from Jesus Christ. What is it but for a delivered cap
tive to put his feet again into the manacles ; his neck into the iron
yoke, frbm which he hath been delivered ? Let the people of God
run any hazard, endure any difficulties in the way of religion,
rather than return again into their former bondage, to sin and
Satan. Let them rather choose to die ten thousand deaths, than
to forsake Christ and go back into that sad condition. -
Inf. 3. How suitable and well-becoming is a free spirit in be
lievers lo tkeir state of liberty and freedom. Christ hath made
your condition free, O let the temper and frame of your hearts
be free also. Let none of God's commandments be grievous to

THE METHOD OF GRACE. . 387
you :: let not thine heart need dragging and forcing to its own
benefit and advantage. Whatever you do for God, do it cheer
fully ; and whatever you suffer for God suffer it cheerfully. Acts
xxi. 13.
Inf. 4. Let no man "wonder at the enmity and opposition of
Satan to tke preaching ofthe gospel: for by the gospel 'it is that
sods are recovered out of his power, Acts xxvi. 18. It is the
express work of ministers " to turn men from darkness to light,
and from the power of Satan unto God." Satan (as one vsaith)
is a great and jealous prince : he will never endure to have liberty
proclaimed by the ministers of Christ within his own dominions.
And O what multitudes of prisoners have broken loose from
Satan at one proclamation of Christ, Acts ii. 41.
Inf. _¦. How careful . should Christians be to maintain their
spiritual liberty iri all and every point thereof ! " Stand fast (sfifth
Paul) in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, Gal. v.
1. One man is no rule to another, but the word pf Christ is a
rule to all: follow not the holiest of men one step farther than
they follow Christ, he is your Lord and Lawgiver.
inf. 6. Let this encourage and persuade sinners to come to
Christ ; for with bim is sweet liberty to poor captives. , Oh that
you did but know what a blessed state Jesus Christ would bring
yOu into ! The devil persuades you, that the ways of obedience
and strict godliness are a perfect bondage ; -but if ever God re
generate you, then you will find the worst work which Christ puts
you about, even suffering work, sweeter than all the pleasures
that ever you found in sin. O therefore open your hearts at the
call of the gospel. Come unto Christ, then shall you be free
indeed.

THE SAINTS COMING TO GOD BY RECONCILIA
TION AND GLORIFICATION.
1 Pet. iii. 18. — For Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just
for tke unjust, that he might bring us to God.
In the words before us we have,
First, The sufficiency of Christ's sufferings intimated in that
particle [once] ; Christ needs to suffer no more, haying finished
and completed that whole work at once.
Secondly, The meritorious cause of the sufferings of Christ,- and
that is sin, Christ once suffered for sins ; not his own sins, but
Thirdly, The admirable grace and unexampled love of Christ
to us sinners, the just for the unjust ;, Christ died not only for pur
good, but also in our stead.
c c 2

388 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
Fo urt kly, ' Here is also the final cause or design of the suffer
ings of Christ, Which was to bring us to God. '
Doct. That the end of Christ's cursed death and bitter suffer
ings, was lo bring all those for whom he died unto God. ' ¦'-
In toe explication and preparation of this point observe,
First, What Christ's brihgihg Us to God imports ? And cer
tainly there be many great arid excellent thirigs- Contained in this
expression. ' ¦ ''
1. That the chief happiness of man consisteth in the "enjoyment
of God : tbat the creature hath as necessary dependence Upon God
for happiness, >as the stream hath upon the fountain, or toe image
in the glass upon the face'bf !him that looks into it. For as the
sum of the creature's misery lies in this, depart frbm me ; sepa
ration from Grod being tob principal part of damnation ; so, On
the contrary, the chief happiness of the creature corisisteth in the
enjoyment' of God, 1 John* iii. 2.
2. It implies man's revolt and apostasy from God, Eph. ii. 12.
Thpse whom Christ bringeth unto God were before afar off, both
in state and condftibri, and in temper and disposition. The pro
digal was said to go irito a far country.
3. Christ brirfging us to God, implies our inability to return
to God of ourselvefe ; We must be Brought back by Christ, or
perish for ever in a state of separation from God : the lost sheep
is made the'erriblem Ofthe lost sinner, Lukexv. 5.
4. Christ bringing Us to God evidently implies this, toat God's
unsatisfied justice Was once the great bar betwixt him and man.
Man can have no access- to God but by Christ : Christ brings us
to God by no other way but the way of satisfaction by his blood. '
Better ten thousand worlds should perish for ever, than that God
should lose the honour of his justice.
5. It shows us the peculiar happiness and privileges of be
lievers abOve all rjeople* iri the world: Others} indeed, shall be
brought to God as a Judge, to be condemned By him : believers
only are brought to God in the Mediators's hand; as a re
conciled Father, to be made blessed for ever in the enjoyment of
him : every believer is brought singly to God at his death, Luke
xvi. 22. And all believers shall be jointly and solemnlypre-
sOnted to God in the great day, Col. i. 22. Jude, ver. 24. They
shall be all presented 'faultless before the presehte of his glory
with exceeding joy. ' ¦
There shall be a collection of all believers, in all ages of the
world, into one blessed assembly ; they shall cometrom the east
and west, and north and south, and shall sit down in the kirig-
dom of God, Luke xiii. 29. O what a glorious train will be seen
following the redeemer in that-day. ' vl
"With joy and rejoicing shall they be brought ;< they

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 389
shall enter into the king's palace." It will be a day of universal
joy- God the Father will rejoice when Christ brings home that pre
cious number of his elect, whom be redeemed by his blood.
Jesus Christ will exceedingly rejoice ; it will be the day of the
gladness and satisfaction of his heart. Isa. liii. 11. " He shall see
the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied."
The day in which Believers are brought home to God,, will be
a day of unspeakable joy to the Holy Spirit of God himself. For
unto this all his sanctifying designs in this world had respect.
Thus the great and blessed persons, Father, Son, and fcpirit,
will rejoice in the bringing home of the elect to God.
The angels, of God will rejoice at the bringing home of belie
vers to him : the spirits of just men made perfect, will be united
in one general assembly, with an innumerable company of angels,
Heb. ii. 22. Great is the affection and love of angels to redeemed
ones, they therefore cannot but rejoice exceedingly, to see them
all brought home in safety to their father's house.
It will be matter of Unspeakable joy to themselves ; for, what
ever sights of faith they had of heaven and the glory to come in
this world, yet the sight of God and Christ the Redeemer will
be an unspeakable surprise to them in tbat day.
Secondly, Let it be - considered, what influence toe death of
Christ hath upon this design.
1 . The death of Christ removes all obstacles put of the way of
this mercy. The guilt of sin barred us from His gracious pre
sence. The filth of sin excluded us from God. The enmity of
our nature perfectly stopped up our way to God, Rom. viii. 7.
by reason hereof fallen man hath no desire to come unto God.
The justice of God, like a flaming sword, turning every way,
kept all men from access to God, And Lastly, Satan that mali
cious and armed adversary, lay as a lion in toe way to God, 2
Pet. v. 8. Thus tbe way to Christ was clogged with such diffi
culties, as none but Christ was able to remove ; but he by death
bath effectually removed them all: The way is now open, even
the new and living wav, consecrated for us by his. blood.
2 The blood of Christ purchased for believers their right and
title to this privilege, GaL iv. 4, 5. There was value enough in
the precious blood of Christ, not. only to pay all our debts to jus
tice, but over and above the payment of. our debts, to purchase
for us this invaluable privilege ; but no believerhad ever tasted
;the sweetness of such a mercy, if Christ had not tasted the bitter ¦
ness of death for him. Observe the following deductions of
Deduction I. Great is the preciousness and worth of souls, thai
the life of Christ should begiven to redeem and recover them to
God. No wise man expends large sums to bring home trifling
commodities. How cheap soever our souls are in our estimation,

390 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
it is evident by this they are of precious esteem in the eyes of
Christ. Deduct. 2. Redeemed souls -must expect no rest or satisfaction
on this side heaven, and Ike full enjoyment of God. As the rivers
rest not till they pour themselves-uito the bosom of toe sea, so nei
ther can renewed souls find rest till they come into the bosom of
God. " Whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from
the Lord."
Deduct. 3. What sweet and pleasant thoughts should all be
lievers have of death ! When they die, and never till they die,
shall toby be fully brought bome to God. Phil. i. 23. It should
not affright us to be brought to death, the king of terrors, so long "
as it is the office of death to bring us to God O, if tbe friends
of dead believers did but understand where their souls are, whilst
they are mourning over their bodies, certainly they would quickly
dry up their tears, and fill the house of mourning with the voice
of praise and thanksgiving !
Deduct. 4. How comfortable and sweet should the converse and
communication of Christians be one witk another in this world!
Christ is bringing them all to God through this vale of tears :
they are now in the way to him ; all bound for heaven ; going
home to God, their everlasting rest in glory: every day, every
hour, every duty brings them nearer and nearer to their journey's
end, Rom., xiii. 11. O what pleasant and delightful converse
should they have with one another about tbat place and state
whither Christ is bringing them, and where they shall shortly be.
Thus lived the believers of old, Heb. xi. 9, 10. But, alas ! most
Christians are either so entangled in the cares or so ensnared by
the delights and pleasures ofthe way, that there is but little room
for any discourses of Christ and heaven.
Deduct. 5. How unreasonable are the dejections of believers
upon the account of those troubles which they meet witk in this
world! If afflictions be the way through which you must come to
God, then never be discouraged at affliction ; troubles and afflic
tions are of excellent use, under the blessing of tbe- Spirit, to
further Christ's great design in bringing you to God. Doubtless
when you reach home you shall find you have been as much "be
holden (it may be a great deal more) to your troubles than to
your comforts, for bringirig you thither.
Deduci. 6. How much are all believers obliged,\in point of in
terest, lo follow Jesus Christ whithersoever he goes ! Thus are
the saints described, Rev. xiv. 4. If it be the design of Christ
to bring us to God, then certainly it is our duty to follow Christ
in all the paths of active and passive obedience, as ever we ex
pect to be brought home to God at last. Heb. iii. 14. The
crown of life belongs only to them who are faithful to death.
Deduct. 7. Let all that desire or expect to come to God here
after, come to Ckrist by faith now. Be assured of this

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 391
great truth, Death shall bring you to God as an avenging Judge,
if Christ do not bring you now to God as a reconciled Father :
without holiness no man shall see God. But as sure as you are
now brought to Jesus Christ by spiritual union, so sure shall you
be brought to God in full fruition.
Blessed be God for Jesus ( hrist, the new and livins way to the
Father. s *

THE USEFULNESS OF THE LAW OR WORD
OF GOD.
Rom. vii. 9. — For I was alive without the law once, but when the
commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
The scope ofthe apostle in this epistle, and more particularly
in this chapter, is to state the due use and excellency of the law,
which he doth accordingly,
By ascribing to it a power to convince us, and so prepare us for
Christ. Neither attributing to it more honour than belongeth to it, nor
yet detracting from it that honour and usefulness which God hath
given it. It cannot make us righteous, but it can convince us
of sin. " I was alive without the law once ; but when the command
ment came, sin revived, and I died." Wherein three particulars
are very observable.
1 . The opinion Paul had, and all unregenerate men have of
themselves before conversion : I was alive once. By life under
stand here liveliness and confidence of his good estate and con
dition. .
2. The opinion he had, and all others Will have of themselves,
if ever they come under the regenerating work of the Spirit. I
died. The apprehension he then had of his condition struck him
home to the heart, and damped all his carnal mirth : I died.
3. The ground and reason of this wonderful alteration and
change of his.judgment, and apprehension of his own condition ;
the commandment came and sin revived : i. e. came home to my
conscience ; it so came at this time, as it never came before.
Doct. 1. That unregenerate persons are generally full of
groundless confidence and cheerfulness, though their condi
tion be sad and miserable.
In opening whereof I shall show you,
First, What is the life ofthe unregenerate, and wherein it con
sists ?
1 . There is in unregenerate men a great deal of carnal security ;

392' THE METHOD OF GRACE.
they dread no danger, Luke xi.,21. There is generally a great
stillness in the consciences of such men, when others, in a bette.
condition, are watching and trembling, they sleep securely; so
they live, and so oftentimes they die, Psal. lxxiii. 4.
2. The life of the unregenerate consisteth in- presumptuous
hope. This is the very foundation of their carrial security. So
Christ tells the Jews, John viii. 54, 55. The world is fullof
hope without a promise, which is but a spider's web, when a stress
comes to be laid upon it, John xxii. 8.
3. The lifer of the unregenerate consisteth in false joy, the im
mediate offspring of ungrounded hope, Matt. xiii. 28. The stony
ground received the word with joy.
Now these three, security, hope and joy, make up toe livelihood
of the carnal world.
Secondly, Next it concerns us to enquire What are the things
that maintain and support this- security, hope and joy in the
hearts of unregenerate men ; and there are many springs tovfeed
and maintain this life of delusion in tbe unregenerate.
* I. Church privileges lay the foundation tVthis strong-delusion.
Thus the Jews deceived themselves, saying in their hearts, " We
have Abraham for our father," Matt. iii. 9. though Abraham's
faith and obedience were, never wronghtiri their hearts.
2. Natura] ignorance ; this keeps all -in peace : they see not,
fear not. Satan could never quiet rrien, if he did not first blind
them. 3. False evidence ofthe love of God is another spring feeding
this security, vain hope and false joy in the hearts, of men: see
the power of it to 'hush and still the conscience, Matt. vii. 22.
4. Slight workings of the gospel ; such are transient motions
ofthe affections under the word, Heb. vi. 8. the working of their
desires about spiritual, object's, these serve to nourish the vain
hopes ofthe unregenerate. - '
5. Self-love isa ground of security and false hope, Matt. vii.
3. It makes a man overlook great evils in himself, whilsthelis
sharp-sighted to discover and censure less evils in others, it takes
away the sight of sin, by bringing it too near.thd eye.
6. Mens comparing themselves with those that are more pro
fane and grossly wicked than themselves, serves notably to quiet
and hush the conscience asleep ; " God, I thank thee, I ani not
as other men." O what a saint did he seem to himself.
7- The policy of Satan blinding and ruining the souls of men,
is another great reason they live so' securely as they dp, in a
state of so much danger and misery, 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4.
Thirdly, I shall give you evidence that this is the life the gene
rality ofthe world do live, if you consider,
1. The activity and liveliness of men's spirits in pursuit ofthe
world. Psal. vi. 4. Now this could never be, if their eyes were
but opened to see their state. How few designs for the world

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 393
run in the thoughts of a condemned man? and if God had ever made
the light of conviction to shine into their consciences, certainly
the temptations would lie'the quite contrary way.
2. The marvellous quietness and stillness that is in the thoughts
and consciences of men, about their everlasting concernments,
plainly shews this to be tbe life of the unregenerate; how few
scruples, doubts, or fears shall you hear from them.
3. The professed willingness of carnal men to die, gives clear
evidence that such a life of security and vain hope is the life they
live, Psal. xlix. 14. Had God opened their eyes to apprehend
the consequences of death, and what follows the pale horse, Rev.
vi. .8. it were impossible But that every unregenerate man should
make that bed on which he dies shake and tremble under him.
4. The low esteem men have for Christ, and the neglect of
duties, plainly discover this stupid secure life to be the life that
the generality ofthe world do live ; for were men sensible ofthe
disease of sin, there could be no quieting them without " Christ
tbe physician," Phil. iii. 8.
Fourthly, In the last place, I. would speak a few words to dis-
coverthe danger of such a life as hath been described.
1. "By these things souls are inevitably betrayed into hell and
eternal ruin. " If our gospel be bid, it is hid to them toat are
lost ; whose eyes the god of this world hath blinded." Those
that are turned over into eternal death are thus generally hood
winked and blinded in order thereunto, Isa. vi. 9, 10.
2. As damning" is. the event of blinding, so nothing makes hell
a more terrible surprize to the soul than this doth ; bytois means
the wrath of God is felt before its danger be apprehended ; a man
is past all hope, before he begins to have any fear.
3. Nothing more aggravates a man's damnation than to sink
suddenly into it, from amidst so many hopes of safety ; for a man
to find himself in hell, when he thought and concluded himself
within a step of heaven, O what abell will it be to such.
4. This life of security and vain hope frustrates all the means
of recovery and salvation, the word hath no power to convince
men's consciences, nothing can bring them to a sight and sense
of their condition; therefore Christ. told the self-confident and
blind Jews, " That the publicans and harlots go into the king-
'donrof God before them.
Inf. 1. Is this ike life that the unregenerate world tives ?
Then it is not to be wondered at that tke preaching of tke gospel hath
so tittle success, Isa. liii. 1- Ministers study for truths apt to
awaken and convince the consciences, but their words return again
to them. The greater cause have they. to admire the grace of
. God ; to whose hearts God brings home the commandment by
an effectual application.
. Inf 2 If this be the life ofthe unregenerate world, what deadly
enemies are they that nourish and strengthen tke groundless con-

394 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
fidences and vain hopes of men ? Jer. vi. 1 4. This is the doctrine
which the people love; but oh, what will the end of these things
be ! Such flattery is the greatest cruelty ; those whom you bless
upon earth, will curse you in hell, and the day in which they
trusted tlieir. souls to your conduct.
Inf. 3. How great a mercy is it to be awakened out of that gene
ral sleep and security which is fallen upon the world! You cannot
estimate the value ofthat mercy, for it is a peculiar mercy. . O that
ever the Spirit ofthe Lord .Ifould touch thy soul under the ministry
of the word, startle, and rouse thy conscience, whilst others are _
left in the dead sleep of security round about thee ? Paul in the
way to Damascus, saw a light shining from heaven, which those
toat travelled frith him saw as well as he, but that voice which
did the work upon his heart, his companions heard not. From
this act of the Spirit all other saving acts take their rise ; so that
you have cause for ever to admire the goodness of God in such a
favour as this. '
Inf. 4. Lastly, Hence it follows that the generality of the world
are inthe direct way to eternal ruin. " Straight is the gate that
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Hear me all you
that live this dangerous life of carnal security, whatever your per
suasions are, except you give them up, and get better grounds
for your hope, you cannot be saved. For,
Such hopes and confidence as yours are directly contradictory
to the established order of toe gospel, Acts xiii. 39. John iii. 3.
And this order shall never be altered for any man's sake.
If such as you be saved, all the threatenings in scripture must
be reversed, which lie in full opposition to your vain hopes, Mark
xvi. 16. -Either the trutri of-God must fail, or your vain hopes
must fail-
If ever such as you be saved, new conditions must be set to all
the promises. Compare your hearts with these scriptures, Matt.
v. 3, 6. Psal xxiv. 4. Psal. lxxxtv. 11.
if ever such a hope* as yours bring you to heaven, then the
saving hope of God's elect is not rightly described to us in the
scriptures, 1 Pet. i. 3. 1 John iii. 3.
Tbe very-nature of heaven is mistaken in scripture, if such as
you be subjects qualified for its enjoyment ; for assimilation, or
the conformity of the soul to God in holiness, is, in the scripture
account, a principal ingredient ofthat blessedness ; by all which it
manifestly appears that the hopes of most men are in vain, and
will never bring them to heaven.

Rom.1 vii. 9. — For I was alive without the law once ; But when
the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 395
Doct. 2. There is a mighty efficacy in toe word or law of
God, to kill vain confidence, and quench carnal mirth in the hearts
of men, when God sets it home upon their consciences, 2 Cor. x.
4,-5. . ^
In the opening of this point,
.First, I shall give you some demonstrations ofthe mighty power
and efficacy that there are in the word or law of God ; which will
appear, 1. From the various subjects upon whom it works ; the hearts
and consciences of men of all orders and qualities, have been
reached and wourided to the quick by the two-edged sword of
God's law. Some, among the great and honourable ofthe earth,
have been made to stoop and tremble under toe word. The wise
and learned ofthe world have felt-its power, Acts xvii 34. Yea,
and the most simple and illiterate have been wonderfully changed,
and wrought upon by the power ofthe word ; " The testimonies
of toe Lord make wise the simple." Those that have been
under the prejudice of tbe worst and most idolatrous education,
have been the subjects of its mighty power, and men ofthe most
profligate and debauched lives have been wonderfully changed
and altered by the word, 1 Cor. vi. 10, 11.
2. The mighty efficacy of the law of God appears in the manner
of its operation ; it works suddenly ; strikes like a dart through
the hearts and consciences of men, Acts ii. 37- A wonderful
change is made in a short time ; and, as it works quickly and
suddenly, so it works irresistibly, with an uncontrouled power
upon the spirits of men, 1 Thes. i. 5. Rom. i. 16.
3. The wonderful power of the law or word of God is evidently
seen in the strange effects which are produced by it in the hearts
and lives of men.
It changes and alters the frame and temper of the mind ; it
moulds a man into a quite contrary temper, Gal. i. 23. Thus a
tyger is transformed into a lamb, by the power ofthe word of God.
It makes the soul to forego and quit the dearest interests it
hath in this world for Jesus Christ, Phil. iii. 7, 8, 9. Riches, ho
nours, self-righteousness, dearest relations, are denied and
' forsaken. Reproach, poverty, and death itself, are willingly em
braced for Christ's sake, when once the efficacy ofthe word hath
been felt upon the hearts of men, I Thes. i. 6.
. Secondly, Next, let us see wherein the efficacy of the word upon
the souls of men principally consisteth.
1 . It hath an awakening efficacy upon secure and sleepy sinners ;
it rouses the conscience, and brings a man to a sense and feeling
apprehension, Eph. v. 13, 14. The first effectual touch of the
word startles the drowsy conscience.
2. The law of God hath an enlightening efficacy upon the minds
of men ; it is alight shining into the very heart of man, 2 Cor.

396 the Method of grace.
iv. 6. The sins that Were hid from our eyes, and the danger
which was concealed by toe policy of Satan, now lie clear and
open before us, Eph. v. 8.
3. The word of God hath a convincing efficacy ; it sets sin in
order before the soul, Psal. I. 21. As an army is drawn up'in an
exact order, so the sins of youth and age, a great and terrible
army is drawn up before the eye of the conscience, and it hath
nothing to say why the wrath of God should not come upon it to
the uttermost, Rom. iii. 19. .
4. The law'bf God bath a soul-wounding efficacy; it pierces
into the very soul and spirit of man, Acts ii; 37- No outward
trouble, affliction, disgrace, or loss, ever touched the quick as the
word of God dotb.
5. The word hath a heart-turning, a converting efficacy in it ;
it is a regenerating, as.Well as a convincing Word, 1 Pet. i. 23.
1 Thes. i. 9. The laW wounds, the gospel cures; the law disco
vers the evil toat is in sin, and tbe misery that follows it ; arid the
Spirit of God, working in fellowship with the word, effectually
turns the heart frbm sin. And thus you see what the power of
the word is.
Thirdly, In the last place, it will concern us to enquire whence
the word of God hath all this power ?
1. Its power is not in, or from itself; it works not in a physical
way, as natural agents do ; for then the effect would always follow,
except it* Wei" e miraculously hindered ; but this spiritual efficacy
is in the Word, as the healing virtue was in the waters of Bethesda,
John v. 4. HoW often is the word preached, and no man awaked
or convinced by it !
2. The power ofthe word is not communicated to it by the
instrument that manageth it, 1 Cor. iii. 7. If toe effects ofthe
word were in the power of him that preacheth it, then the blood
of all tbe souls'that' perish under our ministry must lie at our
door. 3. If you say, whence then hath the word all this power ? Our
answer is, it derives it from the Spirit of'God, 1 Thes. ii. 13. It
is a successful instrument only When it is in the hand of the Spirit,
Without Whose influence ft never did, nor can convince, convert,
or save any soul. Now,
Observe, 1. The Spirit hath a glorious sovereignty over the
Word itself whose instrument it is to make it successful or not,
as it pleaseth him, Isa. lv. 10, 11. Those things upon which
ministers bestow greatest labour in their preparation, and from
which accordingly they have the greatest expectation ; these do
nothing, when sbmetingthat dropped occasionally from thecd, like
a chosen shaft, strikes the mark arid doth the work.
'2. The Spirit of the Lord hath a glorious sovereignty over the
souls wrought Upon ; it is his peculiar work " to take away the

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 397
stony heart, and to give an heart of flesh.", We may reason,
exhort, and reprove, but nothing will abide till, toe Lord set it
home. The Lord opened toe heart of Lydia under Paul's minis
try, and he opens every heart that is effectually opened to receive.
Christ. We may say .concerning such souls; as Martha did
concerning her brother Lazarus; .'.' Lord, if thou hadst been here,
my brother had not died." So, Lord, if thou hadst been in this
sermon, these sinners had not remained dead.
3. The Spirit hath dominion over toe times and seasons of
conviction and conversion. Therefore the day in which souls are
wrought upon is called "tbe day of his power, "~Psal. ex. 3. , That
shall work at one time, which had no, , efficacy at all at another
time ; because this, and not that, was the time appointed.
Thus the commandment comes, sin revives, and vain hope
gives up the ghost.
Inf.l. Is there such a mighty power in theword? then, certainly
the word is of divine authority, 1 Thes. ii. 13. Can the word of a
mere man, so convince the conscience, so terrify the heart, > so
discover the very secret thoughts of toe soul, as to put a man into
such tremblings? Nc^ a greater than man must needs be here ;
none but a God can so open the eyes of the blind, so open the
graves of the dead, so change and alter the frame and temper of a
man's spirit, or so powerfully raise, refresh and comfort a droop
ing dying soul.
Inf. 2. Judge from hence what an invaluable mercy the preach
ing ofthe word is to the world : It is a blessing far above our esti
mation ; little do we know what a treasure God committeth to
us in toe Ordinances. It is the very power of God to salvation,
Rom. i. 16. And salvation is ordinarily denied to whom the
preaching of tbe word is denied, Rom. x. 14.
Inf. 3. How sore and terrible a judgment lies upon the souls
of those men to whom no word of God is made powerful enough to
convince and awaken them! O what a stupendous judgment
is here ! Heb. vi. 7> 8- What a sore judgment and sign of God's
displeasure would you account it, if your -fields were cursed ; if
you should manure, plow, and sow them, but never reap the fruit
of your labour; the increase being still blasted? And yet tois
were nothing, compared with the blasting of the word to your
souls, 2 Cor. ii. 16. The Lord affect our hearts with the terrible
strokes of God upori the souls of men !
You that never felt any power in the word at all,* I begiyouia
tbe name of him that made you, to bethink yourselves. ¦
No judgment of God, on this side hell, is greater than a hard
heart and stupid conscience under theword ; it were much better
that the providence of God should blast thy estate, takeaway thy
children, or destroy thy health, than harden thy heart, and sear
thy conscience under the word ; so much as toy soul is better

398 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
than thy body, so much as eternity is more valuaBle than time,
so much is this spiritual judgrnent more d readful than all temporal
ones. God doth not inflict a more terrible stroke than this upon
any man in this world.
Let this be matter of serious consideration and caution to all
such as have only felt some transient and ineffectual operations
of the gospel upon their souls.
Oh ! that such men would consider, that the dying away, of their
convictions is that which threatens the life of their souls for ever ;
now is the bud withered, the blossom blasted ; and what expec
tation is there of fruit after this, except the Lord revive them
again ? Tbe Lord open men's eyes to discern the danger ol such
thing's as these, Jude 12. Heb. x. 58.
In the last place, let us give a word of' counsel and advice to
them, upon whom the word works effectually and powerfully ; to
whose hearts the commandment is come home to revive sin, and
kill their vain hopes.
God hath stopt you in that path that leads down to hell, and
none that go in there do ever return again, or take bold of the
paths of life. O ! it is better to weep, tremble, and be distressed
now, than to mourn without hope for ever. Let_it not trouble
you that sin hath found you out. If it so revive as to kill all vain
hopes in thee, and send thee to Christ alone, as thy only door of
hope, fear not ; these troubles will prove the greatest mercies that
ever befel thee in this world, if thus they work, and continue to
work upon toy soul.
-Others there are upon whom tbe word hath had its full effect
as to conversion. O bless God for ever for this mercy;. you
cannot sufficiently value it! God hath not only made ita con
vincing and wounding, but a converting and healing word to your
souls ; he hath not only revived your sins, and killed your vain
hopes, but begotten you again to a lively hope ; see that you be
thankful for this mercy. How many have sat under the. same
word, but never felt such effects of it. O let this beget thankful
ness in your souls ; and let it make you love the word as long as
you live, Psal. cxix. 93.
But aBove all, I beseech you make it appear that the command
ment hath come home to your hearts, with power to convince you
of the evil of sin, by your tenderness and care to shun it as long
as you live. You that have had such inward terrors and fears of
spirit about it, will be loth to feel those distresses of conscience
again, for the Best enjoyment in this world.
Blessed be God if any word has been brought home to our hearts,
which hath been instrumental in bringing us to Christ ! •

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 399
THE TEACHINGS OF GOD OPENED, IN THEIR
NATURE AND NECESSITY.
John vi. 45.— -It is written in the prophets, And they shall
be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard,
and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
IN these words we have both the necessity and efficacy of di
vine teaching ; without it no man can come, and under it no man
can miscarry. The words being fitly rendered, and the sense
obvious, note
Doct. 1. That the teachings of God are absolutely neces
sary to every man that cometh unto Christ, in the way
of fait M
Of the necessity of divine teaching, the apostle speaks, in Eph.
iv. 20, 21. Now, in the explication of this point, I shall speak
distinctly to the following enquiries.
First, How doth God teach men, or what is imported in our
being taught of God ? To this I will speak both negatively and
positively. .
1. The teaching of God, and our hearing and learning of bim,
is not to be understood of any extraordinary appearances, or im
mediate voice of God to men : God indeed hath so appeared
unto some, Numb. xii. 8. Such voices have been heard frori.
heaven, but now these extraordinary ways are ceased, Heb. i. 1,
2. and we are no more to expect them ; we may sooner meet
with satanical delusions than divine illuminations in this way.
We are now to attend only to toe voice of the Spirit in the scrip-
tures : this is a more sure word, than any voice from heaven,
2 Pet. i. 19.
, 2. The teachings of God are not to be understood as opposite
unto, or exclusive of toe teachings of men. Divine teachings do
not render- ministerial teachings vain or useless. Paul was"
taught of God, Gal. i. 12. and his conversion had something ex
traordinary in it, yet the ministry of Ananias was used and hon
oured in that work, Acts ix, 4, 17. compared. Divine teachings
do indeed excel, but not exclude human teachings. The teach
ings of men are made effectual by the teachings ofthe Spirit ; and
the Spirit in, his teachings will use and honour the ministry of
man. 3. But to speak positively, the teachings of God are nothing
else but that spiritual, and heavenly light, By which the Spirit Of
God shineth into the hearts of men, to give them " the light of
the knowledge ' of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
O what a light doth spiritual sense and experience cast upon a

400 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
great part of the scriptures ! When a sanctified man reads Da
vid's Psalms, or Paul's epistles, hoW is he surprised with wonder
to find the very workings; of his own heart so exactly decyphered
and fully expressed there ! O, saith be, this is my very case,
these holy men speak what my heart hath felt.
The Spirit of God teacheth usj also by his gracious assistance.
" He shall bring all things to your remembrance i .be assisteth
both the understanding in due apprehensions of truth, and the
heart in the spiritual improvements of truth." And so much
briefly of the first particular.
Secondly, In the next place we are to enquire, what those spe
cial truths are which believers hear and learn ofthe Father, when
they come to Christ.
And there are diversgreat and necessary truths, wherein tbe
Spirit enlightens men in that day. I cannot say . they are all
taught every believer in the same degree and order; but it is
certain' they are taught of God such lessons as these.
Lesson 1 . They are taught of God that there is abundantly
more -^vilin their sinful natures and actions, -than ever they dis
cerned or understood before : "the Spirit when he cometh shall
convince the world of sin," John xvi.t8, 9. Now all excuses,
pleas,; and; defences of sin are gone, no such sinner in the world
as I ; can such sins as mine be pardoned ? The greatness of
God greatens my sin ; the holiness of God makes if beyond
measure^ vile; the goodness of God pats unconceivable. weight
into my guilty 0, can there be mercy for such a wretch as I !
If there be, then there will not be a greater example of the riches
of free grace in all the world than I am. Thus God teacheth the
evil of sin*
Lesson 2. God teacheth the soul whom he is bringing to Christ
what that wrath and misery are, which hang, over it in the
threatenings because of sin. \ They- once apprehended themselves
safe enough, Isa. xlviii. 15. Psal. 1. 21. or if trouble must follow
sin, they should speed no worse than others, the generality of the
world being in the same case; and besides, they hoped to find-
God more merciful than sour and precise preachers represented
him. .^But when a light from j God enters into the soul, then it
sees that in the whole ocean of God?s eternal wraith, there is not
one drop qf injustice. Never do men rightly apprehend .the
danger of their condition^ until sin and wrath; and the wages of
sin be discovered to them by a light jfrom heaven. .
Lesson] 3. God teaches the soul whom he brings- to Ckrist
that deliverance from sin, and wrath to come, is the greatest
and most important business in this world; Acts xvi., 30.
" What must L do to be saved ?" q. d. O direct me to some
effectual way (if there be any) to secure my poor wretched soul
from the wrath of God. Sin, and the wrath that follows it, are
things, that drink up the very spirits of. men. These things float

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 401
not upon their fancies as matters of mere speculation, but settle
upon their hearts day and night, as the deepest concernment in
all the world. They now know much better than any mere
scholar, the deep sense of that text, Mat. xyi. 26. " What is
a man profited, if he should gain the whole world, and lose his
own Soul ? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?"
Lesson 4. The Lord teaches the souls that are coming to Christ,
that though it is their duty to strive to the uttermost for salva
tion ; yet all strivings, in their own strength, are insufficient to
obtain it. This work is quite above the power of nature. N0
repentance nor reformation can possibly amount onto a just sa
tisfaction. Dr. Hill when speaking about the power of man's
will; should lay his hands upon his breast, and say, " Every man
hath something here to confute the Arminian doctrine." This
fully takes off the soul from all expectations of deliverance that
way. Lesson 5. The soul that is coming to Ckrist by faith, is
taught of God, that though tke case it is in be sad, yet it is not
desperate. There is a door of hope, a way of escape for poor
sinners, how black and fearful soever their own thoughts and ap
prehensions are. The troubled soul cannot but acknowledge
itself to be in far better case than the damned are, whose hopes
are perished from the Lord, and a death-pang of despair hath
seized their consciences. And herein the merciful and com
passionate nature of God is eminently discovered, in hasting to
open the door of hope, almost as soon as the evil of sin is opened.
These supporting hopes the Lord sees necessary to encourage
industry in the use of means ; it is hope that sets all the world
awork ; if all hope were cut off, every soul would sit down in a
sullen despair, yielding itself for hell.
Lesson 6. The Lord teaches those that come to Christ, that
there is a fulness of saving power in him, whereby any soul that
duly receives him, may be perfectly delivered from all its sin and
misery, Heb. vii. 25. It is the great design of Satan to. fill the
soul with despairing thoughts of a pardon ; but all those black
and heart-sinking thoughts vanish before thediscovery of Christ's
all-sufficiency. Christ is f ' able to. save, to tbe uttermost, all toat
come unto God by him."
. , Lesson *]. Every man that cometh to Christ is taught of God,
that he can never reap any benefit by the. blood of Christ, except .
he have union with the person of Christ, 1 John v- 12. • For as
the sin ofthe first Adam could never hurt us, unless he had been
our head by way of generation : so the righteousness of Christ
can never benefit us, unless he be our head by way of regenerar
tion. Lesson 8. God teaches the soul, whom he is bringing to Christ,
that whatever is necessary to be wrought in us, or done by us,
in order to our union with Christ, is to be obtained, from kim in
D D

402 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
the way of prayer, Ezek. xxxviw 37. Those that were taught to
pray by men before, are now taught of toe Lord to pray, and
that fervently too, as men concerned for their eternal happiness.
They pfay and will not give over praying, till Christ Come with
complete salvation.
Lesson 9. All that come to Christ are taught of God to abandon
their former Ways and companions in sin, as ever tkey expect
lo be received unto mercy , Isa. lv. 7- 2 Cor. v. Xft Sifts that
were profitable and pleasant, tbat were as the right hand, and
right eye, must now be cut off. Companions in sin, Who Were
once the delight of their lives, must now be cast off. Nothing
bat the effectual teachings of God are found sufficient to dissolve
_ufih bonds'of iniquity as these.
Lesson 10. All that come unto Ckrist are taught of God, that
thiri is suck a beauty and excellency in tke ways and people of
God, as is not to be equalled in tke whole world, Psal. xvi. 3.
Then you may see what a change of judgment is Wrought in them
with respect to the people of God: and to wara" them especially,
whom God hath in any way made instrumental for the good of
their souls. Change of heart is always accompanied with change
of judgment, with respect to the people of God : Acts xvi. 33.
Whatever vile or low thoughts they had of them before, to be
sure now they are toe excellent of the earth, in whom is all their

Lesson 1 1 . All that come to Christ are taught of God, that
whatever difficulties tkey apprehend in religion^ yet they must not,
upon pain of damnation, be discouraged thereby, or return again
to sin, "No man having put his band to the plough, and looking
baGk, is fit for the kingdom of God." Plougbihg-wOrk is hard
work; a strong and steady hand is required for it: he that
ploughs must keep on, through the hardest and toughest ground
he meets with. Religion also is the running of a race, 1 Cor.ix.
24. there is no standing still, much less turning back, if ever we
hope to win tbe prize.
Lesson 12. They that come to Christ, are taught of God, that
whatever guilt and unworthiness. they discover in themselves, and
whatever fears and doubts are upon their hearts, as to pardon
and acceptance ; yet as the case stands, it is their wisdom and
great interest to venture themselves in the way of faitk, upon
Jesus Christ, whatever the issue thereof be.
The sOul learns this lesson : That as ungodly as it is, never
theless it is every way its great duty and concernment to go;on
in the way of faith, and make that great adventure of itself upon
JesUB Christ.
It saith, as the lepers at the siege of Samaria, 2 Kings vii. 3.
4. " If I stay here, I perish : " If I go to Christ I can but perish;
and it is the dictate of wisdom, the vote of reason, to exchange
a certain for an uncertain ruin. And thus you have here what

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 403
those excellent le.Sons5 are which all that come to Christ are
taagbt by the Father.

JoHSrvi. 45.— It is written in the . Prqphets^ And they shall be,
all tkught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard j and
halk learned ofthe Father, cometh unto me.
In the former sermonj you bave been taught this great truth j
Doct. That the teachings of God are absolutely necessary to
every soul that cometh unto Christi in ike way of faith.
That which teniains to be further cleared about this subject,
will be to shew you,
Mrst , What are the properties of divine teachings ?
Ii God teacheth powerfully; 2 Cor. x. 4. Now the gospel
" tomes not in word only, (as it was wont to do^) but; in
power;" 2. The teafchings of God are sweet teachings* Men never
relish tbe sweetness of truth, till they learn it from God, Cant* i.
3; " His nUme is as ointment poUred forth." O how powerfully.
ind how swfeetly doth the voice of God slide into the hearts of
poor melting sinners.
3; God teacbbth plainly and clearly : 2 Cor. iii. If); In that
day the vail is takeri away from the heart ; the soul doubts no
more, hesitates no more, but acquiesces in that which God
teaches ; it is sb satisfied, that it can venture all upon toe truth of
what it hath learned fronr God; as that martyr said, I cannot
dispute, but Icah die for Christ. See Prov. viii. 8, 9. '
4. The teachings of God are infallible teachings. The wisest
and holiest of men may -mistake, and lead others into the same
mistakes with themselves ; but it is not so in toe teachings of
God; John xvi. 3.
5; The teachihgs of God are abiding teachings; they make
evetlasting impressions upon toe soul, Psal. cxix. 98, It is usual
With souls, whose understandings, have been opened by the Lord,
many years afterward to say, I shall never forget such a scrips
tufe that Oncfe convinced, sueh a promise that onee encouraged
me, 6. The teriehirigs of God are saving teachings $ they make
the soul wise urito salvation, 2 Tim* iii; 15. , There is a great
deal of other knowledge that goes to hell with fnen : The pave
ment bf hell (as otie speaks) is pitched with the skulls of many
great scholars, but eternal life is in the teachings- bf God, John
.sv}L3. 7. The teachings of God make their own way into the dullest
and Weakest capacities. Matt; xi.; 25. It is admirable tp see
dd2

404 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
what clear illuminations some poor illiterate Christians have in
the mysteries of Christ and salvation, which others, of great
er abilities, can never discover with all their learning and
study. > ' . -
8. The teachings of God are transforming teachings ; 2 Cor.
iii. 18. they change the soul into the same image,; God casts
them, whom be teacheth, into the very mould of those truths
which they learn of him, Rom. vi. 17- These are the teachings
bf God, and thus -he instructeth those that come to Christ.
Secondly, Next let us see what influence divine teachings have
upon souls, in bringing them to Christ.
1. They have an influence upon toe me ans by Which we come
to Christ ; the" best ordinances are but a dead letter except the
Spirit of God work in fellowship with them, 1. Cor. iii. f. Let
toe most learned, eloquent, and powerful orator be in tbe pulpit,
yet no man's- heart is persuaded till it hear the voice of God.
2. They have influence upon the mind, to remove what hin
dered it from Christ. The natural mind of man slights the truths
of God, until God teach them ; and then they tremble with an
awful reverence of them. Sin is but a trifle till God shews us
the face of it in the glass ofthe law, and then it appears exceeding
sinful, Rom. vii. 13. We readily caught bold upon the promises
before, when we had no right to them ; but the teachings of God
make the presumptuous sinrier let go his hold, that he may take
a better and surer hold of them in Christ. Thus the teachings
of God remove the errors ofthe mind, by which men are withheld
from Christ. -
3. The teachings of God powerfully attract and allure the will
of a-sinner to Christ, Hos. ii. 14. But of these drawings I have
spoken before, and shall now hasten to the last thing propounded,
and shew,
Thirdly, Why it is impossible for any man to come to Christ
without the Father's teachings.
1 . The impossibility will appear from the power of sin, which
hath so strong an holdfast upon the hearts and affections of all
unregenerate men, tbat no human arguments or persuasions
whatsoever can divorce or separate them. The power of sin hath
been strengthening itself from the beginning, by long and con
tinued custom, which gives it the force of a second nature, Jer.
xv. 23. In short, sin being connatural, customary and delight
ful, doth bewitch their affections and inchant their hearts to that
degree of madness and fascination, toat they rather choose dam
nation than separation from sin.
2. The impossibility appears from tbe indisposedness of man,
the subject Of this change, 1 Cor. ii. 14. Three things must be
wrought upon man, before he can come to Christ: His- blind
understanding must be enlightened; his hard arid rocky heart
must be broken and melted; his stiff, fixed, and obstinate will

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 405
must be conquered and subdued: but all these are the effects of
supernatural power.
3. The nature of faith, plainly shews the impossibility of coming
without the Father's teaching. Every thing in faith is superna
tural. It is not of ourselves, but the gift of God ; it is not an
habit acquired by industry, but infused by grace, Phil. i. 29.
The victories and conquests of faith do all speak it to be super
natural ; it overcomes the strongest oppositions from without,
Heb. xi. 33, 34. and ft subdueth andpurgeth the most obstinate
and deep-rooted corruptions within, Acts xv. 9.
Inf. 1 . How notoriously false and absurd is that doctrine which
assertetk the possibility of believing without the efficacy of super
natural grace? The desire of self-sufficiency was the ruin of
Adam, and tbe conceit of self-sufficiency is the ruin of multitudes
of his posterity ;' yet the pride of nature will strive to maintain
what scripture and experience plainly contradict and overthrow.
Inf. 2. Hence we may also inform ourselves how it cometh to
pass that so many rational, wise and learned men miss Christ,
while the simple and illiterate, even babes in natural knowledge,
obtain interest in him, and salvation by him. The reason hereof
is plainly given us by Christ, in Matt. xiii. 11, It is the dropping
and dews of divine teaching upon one and not upon another, that
maketh the dry tree to flourish. It is fio matter how dull and
incapable the scholar be, if God undertake to be the teacher. -
Inf. 3. This also informs us of the true reason of the strange
and various successes of Ike gospel upon the souls of men. Here
we see why the ministry of one man becomes fruitful,^ and ano
ther's barren ; yea why the labours of toe same poor man pros
per exceedingly' at one time, and not at another. We often see
a weaker and plainer discourse blessed with success, whilst that
which is more artificial, neat and laboured, comes to nothing.
Inf. 4. Learn hence the transcendent excellency of saving,
spiritual knowledge, above that which is merely literal and natural.
One drop of knowledge taught by God, is more excellent than
the whole ocean of human knowledge and acquired gifts, Phil. iii.
8. John xvii. 3. l'Cor. ii. 2. Let no man, therefore, be dejected
at the want of those gifts with which unsanctified men are
adorned. If you ask how the teachings of. God may be discerned from
all other teachings ; I answer, they may be discerned by these
signs. Sign 1. The teachings of God are very humbling to. the soul
that is taught. Human knowledge puffeth up, 1 Cor. viii. 1. but
toe teachings of God do greatly abase tbe soul, Job xlii. 5.
Sign 2. The teachings of' God are deeply affecting and impressive,
they fully reach the heart of man, Hos. ii. J 4 One drop of con
solation from heaven sweetens a sea of trouble upon earth, Psal.

406 Vm ME!THQp pf GRACE-
xciv. 19. «- Ih the mjiltitude of nay .bights vyifhin r^e, thy
comforts delight' my soul." •
Sign 3. The teachings of God are sanctifying and t&\ew%pg
teachings ; they reform and change the heart,. Eph. |v. 21 . Jlq?
Bness, both external and uftqrqal, negative and positive, foljpvwj
the Father's teachings: all thp discoveries God rfl-,kes tp us pf
himself in Christ, have, an assimilating quality, and cftapge top
soul into their owri likenpss, 2 Cor. i,\i. 18.
Sign 4. All God's teachings are PX^Qtical , producing obedience.
Idle notions and useless speculations are not learned frpin Gbd.,
As God hath in nature mad> pp creature in vain, sp hp sppa^no
word in vain: everything wh^h niOri heap, qr learn, frpin, tb_
Father, is for use, prfiptje. , aqd benefit to the soul.
Sign k- AH teflchmgs, of Qod are agreeable with the written
word: The Spirit qf God, apd the word of God never jar, John
xiv. 26. Sp that thp written word becomes the standard to, weigh
and try all divine te^chipgs, Jsa. viii. 20- " To top law an$ to
the testimony: If tbpy speak not according to this word, itis,
bfecause there is. np \\ght in them,"
Sign 6- The jfeackiftgs of God are very satisfying teachings to,
the soul of 'man, : Tt? Hpdej-standiingi faculty, like a djal, ^ en
lightened with th?> b'e^s of divine truth shining upon it: thjs, m
man's teachings; can do, Eph. i. 18. And thus wo rqay distil
guish the teachings of. God from all other teachings-
The last use I sb<dl m^ke of thj§ ppint, shall be a word of px-
hortatiori. I . To those tout riSYST yef hpawj the yoice of God speaking to
their hearts^ O satisfy VP . yPWr. e Ws ^ftb what is merely uatft7
ral and human in ordipancps ; cppj\e tq the word with higher ends,
§nd more spirit".^ d% s igns, . Wrestle, with God by prayer, for %
blessing uppu the ordinances. S^y, Lprd, speak, thyself'to m JF
heart, Jet me hear, ihy vp.ice, and fepl thy power in this P.ayfl.ior
15 this sermpn. It h^d he.en much bpttpr fe. me if I ha,d WWF
he,aifd< the voice, of preachers, except I hear thy Vpiop iri topm.
2. Jjptall those that haye heayd the y$ce pf Gftd, and aye
Gom,e tp Christ iri the virtu? of hi? teachings,, admire the, wonder.
fui condpscepsjon pf God tp thetp. Q that God should speak tp,
ihy soul, and be silent to others ! There be many topjaipftfldji
^iviug at this day updpr penances, to, whpm top Lpyd hath spot
given ap ear to bear, npr ap heart tP obey, Deut. xxi,x, 4? '.To,
you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heave^,
pftt to them it is pot giyen," ]\fot. s% \\. \ bpsppph yop' y?alk
as men tbat have b,epn tavjght oj Gfpd,

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 407
OF THE MANNER AND IMPORTANCE OF THE
SPIRIT'S .INDWELLING.
1 John iii; 24. — And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by
the Spirit which he hath given us.
The apostle in this chapter is engaged in a very trying dis
cburse ; his scope is to discriminate the spirits and states of sin
cere believers; from merely nominal and pretended Christians ;
which he attempts not to do by any thing that is external, but by
the internal effects and operations of the Spirit of God upon their
hearts. His enquiry is not into those things which rhen profess,
or about tbe duties which they perform, but about the frames and
tempers of their hearts, and the principles by which they act in
religion. According to this test, he puts believers upon the search
and study of their own hearts ; calls them to reflect upon the ef
fects and operations of the Spirit of God wrought in their souls,
assuring them, that these gracious effects, and the fruits of the
Spirit in their hearts, will be a solid evidence unto them of their
union with Jesus Christ.
Hence the observation will be,
Doct. That interest in Christ may be certainly gathered and
concluded from the gift ofthe Spirit to us.
" Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he ih us, because
he hath given us of his Spirit," 1 John iv. 12, 13. The being of
God is invisible, but the operations of his Spirit in believers,
are sensible and discernible. The soul's nniop with Christ is a
supernatural mystery, yet it is discoverable by the effects thereof,
which are very per.ceptib.le in and by believers.
First, As to the import of this phrase, we are to enquire what
i_ meant by the Spirit, and what by the giving ofthe Spirit;
In the first sense it is put for the Godhead, l Tim. iii. 16.
Justified in the Spirit,' i. e. by the .. power of his divine nature;
which raised him from the dead. In the second sense it denotes
the third person, subsisting in the glorious and blessed Trinity ;
Now the fruits or gifts ofthe Spirit are either,
Common and assisting gifts : or special and sanctifying gifts.
In the last sense and signification, it must be taken in this
place ; for as to the common assisting and ministering gifts of
the Spirit, they are bestowed promiscuously upon one' as well as
another ; such gifts in an excellent degree and a large measure,
are found in the unregeneratej and therefore can never amount to
a solid evidence of toe soul's union with Christ : but his special
sanctifying gifts, being the proper effect and consequent of that
union, must needs strongly prove and confirm it. Ip this sense

408 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
therefore we are to understand the Spirit in this place ; and by
giving the Spirit to us, we are to understand more than the com
ing of toe Spirit upon us : The spirit of God is said to come upon
men in a transient way,, for present assistance in some parti
cular service, though in themselves they be unsanctified persons.
Thus the Spirit of God came upon Balaam, Num. xxiv. 2. en
abling him to prophesy of things to come . And although those
extraordinary gifts of the Spirit be now ceased, yet the Spirit
ceaseth not to give his ordinary assistances unto men, both re
generate and "unregenerate, 1 Cor. xii. 8, 9, 10, 31.. compared.
But whatever gifts he gives to others, he is said to be given, to
dwell, ahd to abide only in believers, 1 Cor. iii. 6.
, Secondly i In the next place we are to enquire how tois giving
of toe Spirit evidently proves that soul's interest in Christ unto
whom he is given.
1. The Spirit of God in believers is the very bond by which
they are united unto Christ : If therefore we find in ourselves the
bond of union, we may warrantably conclude, that we have union
with Jesus Christ : This is evidently held forth in those words of
Christ, John xvii. 22, 23. It is "Christ's glory to be one with
God ; ft is our glory to be one with Christ, and with God by
him. 2. The scripture every where makes this giving, or indwelling
of the Spirit, the great mark and trial of our interest in Christ ;
concluding from the presence of it in us, positively, as in the
text; and from the absence of it, negatively, as in Rom. -viii. 9.
3. That which is a certain mark of our freedom from the cove
nant of Works, and our title to the privileges of the covenant of
grace, must also infer our union with Christ, and special interest
in him ; but toe giving [or indwelling Ofthe sanctifying Spirit in
us, is a certain mark of our freedom from the first covenant,
Gal. v. 18. " If ye ' be led by toe Spirit, ye are not under the
law." 4. If the eternal decree of God's electing love be executed,
and the virtues and benefits of the death of Christ applied by the
Spirit, unto every soul in whom he dwelleth, as a spirit of sancti
fication ;" then such a giving ofthe Spirit unto us must be a cer
tain mark and proof of our special interest in Christ; but the de
cree of God's electing love is executed, and the benefits of the
blood of Christ are applied to every soul in whom he dwelleth, as
a spirit of salification. This is plain from 1 Pet. i.' 2. "Elect
according to toe foreknowledge of God the Father, through
sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the
blood of Jesus Christ." Where you see both God's election ex
ecuted, and the blood of Jesus sprinkled or applied unto us by
the Spirit, which is given to us as a Spirit of sanctification ; and
consequently, the interest of such a soul in Jesus Christ is
beyond all dispute.

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 409
5. The giving Of the Spirit to us, or his residing in us, as a
sanctifying Spirit, is every where in scripture m.ade the pledge
and earnest of eternal salvation, and consequently must abundantly
prove the soul's interest in Christ, Eph/i. 13, 14. " The holy
Spirit of promise, is the earnest of our inheritance."
Use. Now the only use I make of this point shall be to try and
examine the truth of our interest in Jesus Christ.
First,- I shall lay down some general rules for the due informa
tion of our minds in this point, upon which so much depends.
Rule 1. Though the Spirit. of God be given to us, and worketh
in us, yet he worketh not as a natural and necessary, but as a free
and arbitrary agent. He neither assists, nor sanctifies, as the fire
burneth, as much as he can assist or sanctify, but as much as he
pleaseth ; • dividing to every man severally as he will, 1 Cor.
xii. 11.
Rule 2. There is, a great difference in the manner of the Spirit's
' working before and after tke work of regeneration. Whilst we
are unregenerate, be works upon us as upon dead creatures ; but
after regeneration, he works upon a complying and willing mind ;
we work, and he assists, Rom. viii. 26.
Rule 3. Though the hpirit of God be given to believers, and
worketh in them, yet believers themselves may do or omit such
things as may obstruct the working, and obscure the very being of
the Spirit, of God in them. For though he will not forsake his
habitation^ as a Spirit of sanctification, yet he may for a time
desert it~as a Spirit of consolation, Psal. Ii. 11.
Rule 4. Thos» things which discpver the indwelling ofthe Spirit
in believers are not so much the matter of their duties, or substance
of their actions, as the more secret springs, holy aims, and spiritual
manner of their doing or performing of them. This made Luther
say, he saw more excellency in the duty of a plain rustic Christian,'
than in all the triumphs of Ceesar abd Alexander.
Rule 5. All the motions and operations of the Spirit are always
harmonious, and suitable to the written word, Isa. viii. 20. The
scriptures are by the inspiration ofthe Spirit, therefore tois inspi
ration in the hearts of believers must either substantially agree
with the scriptures, or the inspiration of the Spirit be self-repug
nant, and contradictory to itself.
Rule 6. Although the works ofthe Spirit, m all sanctified per
sons, do substantially agree, yet as to the manner^ of infusion and
operation, there are found many circumstantial differences. . Ine
work of grace is introduced into some souls with more terror and
trouble for sin, than it is in others ; he wrought upon Paul one
way, upon Lydia in another, way ; he holds some much longer
under troubles than he doth others. , . , . t .j, „„„,*.,
Rule 7 There is a great difference found betwixt the sane tify-
. ing and ihe comforting influences of Ike Spirit upon believers m
respect of constancy and permanency. His sanctifying influences

410 THE METHOD OF GRACE,
abide for ever in the soul, they neyer depart ; but his comforting
influences come and go, and abide not long. Sanctification belongs-
to the being of a Christian, consolation only to his well-being.
Sanctification brings us to heaven hereafter, consolation brings
heaven urito us here ; our safety lies in the former, our pheerful-
ness only in the latter.
Consider the following evidences.
Evidence 1. In whomsoever, tke Spirit' of Christ is a Spirit of
sanctification, ke hath been more or less, a Spirit of conviction and
humiliation. Conviction of sin hath toe same respect unto sanc
tification, as the blossoms of trees have to the fruits that follow
them. Where there are no blossoms, we can expect no .fruit ; ,
and where we see no conviction of sin, we can expect no conver
sion to Christ.
Evidence 2. As the Spirit of God hath been a convincing, so he is
a quickening Spirit, to all those to whom he is given ; Rom. viii. 2.
He is the Spirit of life, i. e. the principle of spiritual life in the
souls w.hbm he inhabiteth; arid this spiritual life, in believers,
manifests itself as the natural life doth in vital actions and opera
tions. O think upon this you that cannot feel any, burden in Bin,
you that have no hungerings or thirstings after Christ ; how. can
the Spii'it of'Gedbe in you ?
Evidence 3. Those to whom God giveth his Spirit have a tender
sympathy with all the interests and concernments of Ckrist,
This must be so, if the same Spirit which is in Christ dwelleth
also in toy heart ; if thou be a partaker of his Spirit, then what
he loves, thpu lovest, and what he hateth, thou hatesi Paul could
rejoice that Christ was preached,- though his own afflictions were
increased, Phil. i. 16, 18. and John could rejoice that Christ in
creased, though be himself decreased ; yea, therein was his joy
fulfilled, John iii. 29.
O reader, lay thine hand upon thine heart ; is it thus with thee?
Dost thou sympathize with the affairs and concernments of Christ
in toe world ? or, carest thou not which way things go with the
people of God, and gospel of Christ, so long as thine own affairs
prosper, and all things are well with thee ? ., ,
Evidence 4. Wherever the Spirit of God dwelleth, he doth in
some degree, mortify and subdue the evils and corruptions ofthe
soulin which he resides. Believers, " through the Spirit, do mortify
thedeeds ofthe body," Rom. viii. 13. I do not say he kills and
subdues sin in believers, as that it shall never trouble or defile
them any more ; but its dominion is taken away, though its life
be prolonged for a season.
Evidence 5. Wherever the spirit of God dwelleth in the way of
sanctification, ke is tke Spirit of prayer and supplication, Rom.
viii. 26. , O reader, reflect upon thy duties, dost toou hurry over.
them as an interruption to thy business and pleasures ? Are they,
an ungrateful task, imposed upon thee by God, and thy own con-

THE METHOD OF GRACE, 4H
SPippcp ? Are there no bungerings and thirstjngs after God in
thy soul ? If it be so, reflect sqd|y npon too carnal state of thy
heart ; these things do not speak the Spirit of grace and supplica
tion tp be given thee,
Evidence 6. Wherever the Spirit of grace inhabits, there.
is, an heavenly, spiritual frame of mind accompanying the
indwelling ofthe Spirit, Rom. viii. 5, 6- The workings of every
creature follow the being and nature of it, If God, Christ, heaven,
and the world to, come, engage the thoughts and affections of the
Soul, and the temper bf such a squl is spiritual, 'and the Spirit of
God dwelleth there ; this is the life ofthe regenerate, Phil, ill, 20,
Yet- ft must b.e acknowledged, for the relief of weaker Christians,
that there is a great difference and variety found in this matter,
among the people of God.
Evidence 7- Those to whom the Spirit of grace is given, are led
by thei Spirit, Rom- viii. 14, "¦ As many as are led by the Spirit
of God, they are the sons of God ;" sanctified souls give themselves
Up to toe government and conduct ofthe Spirit ; they obey his
voice, beg big direction, and follow his motions. Arid tljey that
da sb, they are the sons of God,
Objection 1. I greatly doubt toe Spirit of God is npt in me,
(saith a poor Christian) because of the great darkness and igno-.
ranee which clouds my soul. " 1 have need to learn of the meanest
of God's people ;' this only I know5 that I know nothing as I
ought to know.
If your- ignorance humble you, and drive you to God daily for
"the increase of knowledge, one drop of such knowledge of Christ,
and yourselves, is more worth than a sea of hqman, unsanctified,
and speculative knowledge. If thou knowest so much as brings
thee to Christ, thou shaft shortly be where thy knowledge shall
be as toe light at noon-day.
Qjbjeet,. 2. I sometimes find my heart raised, and my affectiana
melted in duties, but I doubt, it is in a natural way, md not from
the Spirit pf Gpd.
Consider whether this be not the ground of your fear- and
dppbting, it may be, you expect your spiritual comforts should
iftwin upon you spontaneously, aud drop from heaven immediately
of their owri accord, without any pains or industry of yoMS.
But take this as a sure roife, whatsoever rises from self, always
aims at, and terminates in self, This; stream cannot be carried
higher than the fountain ; if therefore toy heart be melted, or desie©
te he melted in tbe sense of the evil of sin, and, under the, appre.
hgasipns. pf toe free .gra^e and mercy- of Gpd ip the pardon of sin,
never reject them as the mere fruits of nature ; a carnal root cannot
bridug forth sw?h fruits as these.
Object 3. Fpon the. contrary, sp.rii.ual deadness, and radisrr
P,««_>dries s todutjpsi, ig the ground upon which many spiritual souk,
tfMlbt th© w7dw«Hiag of the Spirit in them. Q, saith sueh a spsd,

412 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
if the" Spirit of God be in me, could my heart be so dead, so
backward and averse to spiritual duties.
These things indeed are very sad; but tbe question will be,
how thy soul behaves itself in such a Condition as this is ? whether
this be easy or burdensome to thee ?
Know also, tbat there is a great difference betwixt spiritual
death, and spiritual deadness ; the former is the state ofthe un
regenerate, the latter is the disease and complaint of many
thousand regenerate souls. Besides it is not so always with thee;
there are seasons wherein the Lord breaks in upon thy heart,
enlarges thy affections, and sets thy soul at liberty.
• Object 4. But the Spirit of God is tbe comforter, as well as a
sanctifier. But I walk in darkness, and am a stranger to the
sealing and comforting work of the Spirit.
There are many other ways beside that bf joy and comfort,
whereby tbe indwelling of the Spirit may evidence itself in thy
soul ; if he do not enable thee to rejoice, yet if he enable thee
sincerely to mourn for sin; if he do not enlarge thy heart in
comfort, yet if he humble and purge toy heart by sorrows ; if he
deny thee the assurance of faith, arid yet give thee the dependence
of faith, thou hast no reason to call in question, or deny the in
dwelling ofthe Spirit in thee.
Object. 5. But the apostle saith, " They tbat walk in the Spirit,
do not fulfil the lusts of the flesh," Gal. 5.^16. But I. find myself
entangled, and frequently overcome by them ; therefore I doubt
the Spirit of God is not in me. It is not the apostle's meaning in
that place, that sin in believers doth not work, tempt, and oftentimes
overcome, and captivate them ; fof then he would contradict himself
in Rom. vii. 23.
But that the principle of grace will give a check to sin in its
first motions, so that it shall never be able to gain the full consent-
of the will, as it doth in the unregenerate. But if notwithstanding
all the opposition grace makes to hinder toe birth or commission
of it, it doth yet prevail, and break forth into act ; yet such acts
of sin, as they are not committed without regret, so they are
followed with shame, sorrow, and true repentance ; and those very
surprisals, and captivities of sin at one time, are made cautions
and warnings to prevent it at another time. If it be so with thee,
thou dost not fulfil toe lusts of the flesh.
And now, reader, upon the whole, if upon examination of thy
heart by these rules, the Lord shall help thee to discern the saving
work of the Spirit upon thy soul, and thereby thine interest in
Christ, what a happy man or woman art thou ! what pleasure will
arise to thy soul from such a discovery ! O what hath God done for
thy soul ! Think, and think again ; are there not many thousands
in the world whorn the Spirit of God passeth by, and leaveth them
as tabernacles for Satan to dwell in? Such a one thou lately
wast, and hadst still remained, if God bad not wrought for thee,

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 413
beyond all the expectations and. desires of thine own heart. O
bless God that you have received not the spirit of the world, but
the Spirit which is of God ; that ye might know the things which
are freely given yoa of God.

OF THE NATURE AND NECESSITY OF THE NEW
CREATURE.
2 Cor. v. 17. — Therefore if any man be in. Christ, he. is a
new creature : old things are passed away ; behold, all things
are become new.
•. You have seen one trial of an interest in Christ, in our last
discourse, namely, by the donation ofthe Spirit. We have here
another trial of the same matter, from one of the greatest, and
most noble effects of tbe Spirit upon our souls ; namely, his work
of renovation, or new creation : " If any man be in Christ, he is a
new creature." And because this is toe most excellent, glorious,
and admirable work of the Spirt, which is, or can be wrought
upon man in this world ; therefore the apostle asserts it with an
ecce, a note of special remark and observation, " Behold, all things
are become new ; " q. d. Behold and admire this surprisipg,
marvellous change which God hath made upon men ; they are
come out of darkness into his marvellous light. 1 Pet. ii. 9. out
of the old, as it were, into a new world ; " Behold, all things are
become new." Hence note,
Doct. That God's creating of a new supernatural work of
trace in the soul of any man, is that man's sure and info tit
le evidence of a saving interest in Jesus Christ.
Suitable hereunto are those words of the apostle, Eph. iv. 20,
21,24. "But ye have not so learned Christ ; if so be that ye
have heard bim, and have been taught by him, as the- truth is in
Jesus : That ye put off, concerning the former conversation, the
old man, which is corrupt, according to tbe deceitful lusts : and
be renewed in toe Spirit of your mind: and that ye put on the
new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true
holiness," Where we haVe, in other words of the same import
the very self-same description of the man, that is in Christ,
whicb-toe apostle gives us in this text. Now for the open
ing and stating of this . point, it will be necessary that I shew
First Why the regenerating work of the Spirit is called a new
G_*6?_ t .Ofi
1, Tlie same almighty Author who .created the world, createth

414 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
also this work of grace in the soul of mart, 2 Cor, iv. 6. The
.ariie powerful word which created the natural, created al.o the
spiritual light. It is equally absbrd for ariy man to .ay, I make
myself to repent, or to believe, as it is to say I made myself to
exist. 2. The first thing that God created in the natural world, was
light, Gen. i. 3. and the first thing which God created in the
riew creation, i. the light of spiritual knowledge, Col. iiii 10. .
.3. Creation is out of nothing ; it requires no pre-existent mat
ter ; ft doth not bring one thing out of another, but something
out of hotoing, So it is also in the new creation^ 1 Pet. ix. 10>
The Work bf grace is not educed out of the power and principles
of nature, but it is a pure work of creation. ¦- •
4. It was the virtue and efficacy of the Spirit of God, which
gate toe natural wbrld its beirig by creation 3 Gen, i, 2i So
it is In the new creatiori ; a qUiekening influence must come
from the Spirit df God, or else the new creation can never be
formed ih us ; John iii. 8* " That which is bora of toe Spirit; is
Spirit." 5. The Word of God was the instrument of toe first creation}?
P.al. Xxxiii. 6, 9. The Word of God is also- the instrument of
toe hew creation or Work of grace in man, 1 Pet. i., 23., Great;
t e.peet and honbh. , love and dfelight, are due to tbe Word upon this
account^ that it is toe instrument Of our new d_eation.
6. The same power which created tbe world, still underprop.
and _Upport. it in it. being ; to£ worid owes its conservation* as
Well a. it. existence, to the power of Grid, without which it could
not subsist one moment. Just so it is with the new creation*
which entirely depends, upon the preserving power, which first
formed it, 1 Pet. i. 5. " Who are kept by the priwer of- God,
tbtough fattbj unto salvation." . ,,
7. God surveyed the first Creation with complacence and great
delight ; he beheld the works of his hands, and approved them as
Veiy gobd, Geii; i, 31. So this also in tbe second Creation;
flbthiflg pleaseth Got! more than toe works of grace iri the soul.
bf his people, Gal. vi. 15.
Secondly, _ Next we must enquire, in What respects every soifl
that is iri Christ is renewed, or made a new creatore,
1. He is renewed in his state arid condition: for be1 passeth
from death to life in his jristificatiorij I John iii, 14. He was
condemned by the law, he is now justified freely by grade, through
the redemption which is in Christ, O blessed change, from a
sad to a sweet and comfortable condition, Rom. viii. 1.
2. Every man in Christ is renewed in all the faculties and
affections of his soul, his understanding was dark, but now is
light in toe Lord, Epb. t. 8. bis conscience was dead and secure,
or full of guilt and horror, but is now become tender, watcbfal,
and full df perifle> Heb, ix. 14. his will Was rebellious, stubborn,

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 415
and inflexible ; but is now made obedient and complying with the
will of God, Psal. ex. 2. Thus the soul in the faculties and affec*
tions is renewed.
3. The man in Christ is renewed in his practice and conversa-*
tion: the manner of operation always follows toe nature of be*
ing.. Now the regenerate not beihg what they were, cannot
walk and act as once they did ; Eph; ii. 1, 2, 8. 1 Pet. iv. 4.
Whe rein they think it strange, that you run not " with them into
the same eXcesss of riot, .speaking. evil of you4 They toihk it
strange." The word signifies to stand and gaze, as the hen doth
which hath hatched partridge eggs, when she seeth the chickens
which she hath brought forth, take w.ing and fly away from her.
Thus do tbe men of this world stand amazed to see their old com
panions in sin; whose language once was vain and earthly, it may
be, profane and filthy, now to be praying, speaking of God, hea*
ven, and things spiritual, this amazes them and makes them look
with a strange admiring eye upon the people of God.
Thirdly, In tbe next place let Us enquire into toe properties and
qualities of this new creature, yet, reader, expect not here an
exact account of that which is so great a mystery ; for if questions
may be moved about a silly fly, which may puzzle the greatest
philosopher, how much more may we conceive this great and
marvellous work of God, to surmount the understandings of the
most illuminated Christians.
1.. The scripture speak, of it as a thing of too great difficulty to
be conceived by man,' John iii. 8. We hear the voice of the wind,
feelfts mighty force, and behold its strange effects ; but neither
know whence it comes, or whither it goes* Can you describe its
nature, or declare its original ? No, that is a mystery. Why
just so it is with him that is born of the Spirit.
2. But though this life of the new creature be a great mystery,
yet so far as it is known, the new creature is tbe most beautiful
and lovely creature that ever God made ; for the beauty of the
Lord himself is upon ft : " The new man is Created after God,"
Epb. iv. 34. As the picture is drawn after the man, it is a
draught of God bimself delineated by the Spirit; toat admirable
artist, upon the soul of man. Holiness is the beauty and glory
Of God ; and in holiness the new creature is created after God's
own image, Col. iii. 10. Men do not resemble God as they are
noble, and as they are rich, but as they are holy : no gift,, no en*-
dowment of" nature embellishes the soul as this new creature
3.' This new creature is created upon the highest design toat
ever any work of God was Wrought : tbe end of its creation and
infusion is- high and noble: salvation to the soul in which it is
wrought. -When we receivetoe end of our faith, we receive the
salvation of our souls; salvation is the end of faith : as death is
the end of sin, so life eternal Is the end of grace, God, by this
workmanship upon our souls, is now polishing, preparing, and

416 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
making us meet to be partakers of the inheritance ofthe saints in .
lights. 4. This new creation is the most necessary work that ever
God wrought upon the soul of man : tbe eternal well-being of his
soul depends upon it ; and without it no man shall see God.
O reader, with what a careless and unconcerned eye soever thou
readest these lines ; .yet know thou must either be a new creature,
or a miserable or a damned creature for ever. The very blood
of Christ hibaself, without tbe new creature, never did, and never
will save any man. Oh how necessary a work is the new
creation. 5. The new creature is a marvellous and wonderful creature :
there are many wonders in the first creation. But there are no
wonders in nature, like those in grace. It was not a greater
miracle to see dead Lazarus come but ofthe sepulchre, than it is
to see the dead and carnal mipd coming out of Its lusts to em
brace Jesus. Christ ; it was not a greater wonder to see the dry
bones in the valley move and come together, than it is to see a
dead soul moving after God, and moving to Christ in the way of
faith. 6. The new creature is an immortal creature, a creature that
shall never see death, John iv. 14. it is in the soul a Well of
water, springing , up unto eternal life. Our gifts may leave, us,
our friends may leave us, our estates leave us, but our graces
will never leave us ; they ascend with the soul into glory, when the
stroke of death separates it from the body.
,7. The new creature is an heavenly creature ; its descent and
original is heavenly, its centre is heaven, and thither are all its
tendencies, Phil. i. 93. The flesh- indeed lingers, but the. new
creature would fain be gone, 2 Cor. v. 2. It is not at home
whilst it is here ; it came from heaven and cannot be quiet, nor
suffer the soul, in which it dwells-, to be so, until it comes thither .
again. 8. The new creature is an active and laborious creature ; no
sooner is it born, but it is acting in the soul. Activity is its very
nature. The new nature will delight to do thevwill of God; re
joice in the way of his commandment, and find the sweetest plea
sure in the paths of duty.
9. Ihe new creature is a thriving creature, growing, from
strength to strength, and changing the soul in which it is subjected,
from giory unto glory, 2 Cor. iii. 18.
10. 'I he new creature, is a creature of wonderful preservations :
There are many Wonders in the preservation of our natural lives,
but none like those whereby the life ofthe new creature is pre
served in our souls: There are critical times of temptation and
desertion, in which ft is, ready to die, Rev. iii. 2. but tb.ough.ft be
ready to die, God wonderfully preserves it frOm death.
Fourthly, We will demonstrate the necessity of this new crea"
tion, and this necessity will appear divers ways.

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 417
1 . From the positive and express will of God, revealed in
scripture, touching this matter. So pur Saviour tells Nicoderrius,
John iii. 5. Agreeable whereunto are those words ofthe apos
tle, Heb. xii. 14. Christ and heaven are the gifts of God, and he
is at liberty to bestow them, upon what terms he pleaseth : and
this is the way, the pnly way, in which he will bring men, by
Christ unto glory. Men may| raze out the impressions of these
things from their hearts, but' they can never alter the settled
course and method of salvation. Either we must be new crea
tures, or lost creatures, as'the threatenings of the word plainly
tell us.
2. This new creation, is the inchoative part of that great salva
tion which we expect through Christ. Our glory in heaven, con
sisteth in two things ; namely, our assimilation to God, and our
fruition of God: and both these take their beginning and rise
from our renovation in this world. Now nothing can be more
irrational, than to imagine that ever that design, or work should
be fiinished or perfected, which never had a beginning.
8. So necessary is the new creation to all that expect salvation,
that without this, heaven would be no heaven, and the glory thereof
no glory fo us, by reason of the unsuitableness and aversion of
our carnal minds thereunto. Renovation, you see, is the work
ing or moulding of a man's spirit into an agreeable temper,
the making of us meet for the inheritance of the saints in light.
4. There is an absolute necessity of the new creature, since
all the marks, and signs of an interes't in Christ are constantly
taken from the new creature wrought in us. So that either we
must have a new Bible, or a new heart ; for if these scriptures
be the true and faithful words of God, no unrenewed creature can
see his face.
'Fifthly, The last thing to be opened is, how the new crea
tion is an infallible proof and evidence of the soul's interest
in Christ.
1. Where all the saving graces ofthe Spirit are, there interest
in Christ must needs be certain ; and where the new creature is,
there all the saving graces of the Spirit are. Any one of these
special graces of the Spirit gives proof of ourintere'st in Christ :
how much more, then, the new creature, which is the complex
frame or system of all the graces together ? , _ j
2. Where all the causes of an interest in Christ are found, and
all the effects and fruits of an interest in Christ do appear ; there,
undoubtedly, a real interest in Christ is found: but wherever you
find a new creature, you find all the causes and all the effects of
an interest in Christ: For there you find, the impulsive cause,
viz. The electing love of God, from which the new creature is in
separable, 1 Pet. i. 2. also, the meritorious, efficient and final
causes of iiiterest in Christ, Eph. ii. 10. v , , . .,
All toe effects and fruits of interest in Christ are found in the
E E

418 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
new creature; there areajl the fruits of obedience, for we are
created in Christ Jesus unto good works, Epb. ii. 10. There is
perseverance in the ways of God to the very end, and victory over
all temptatioris, 1 John v. 4. And thus much of the doctrinal part
of this point.

2 Cor. v. 17, — Therefore if any man be in Christ he a5s a new
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are
become new.
After, the explication of the sense of this scripture, we ob-
s^ryed, Docf. That God's creating of a new supernatural work of
grace ip tke soul of any man, is that man's sure and infeliir-
ble evidence of a saving interest in Jesus Christ.
Which we now come to improve, in several uses.
Is the new creature the sure and infallible evidence of oursaving
interest in Christ ? From hence then we are informed,
inf. 1. How miserable and deplorable an estate all unrenewed
souls are in; who can lay no claim to Christ during that state, and
therefore are upder, an, impossibility of salvation. O reader ! if
this be the sta^. of thy soul, better had it been for thee not fo
haye been God's natural! workmanship as a man, except thou
be, his. spiritual workmanship, also as a new man. Think on it,
arid lay it to, thjne heart, better thou hadst died from the womb,
than that thou shouldst live and die-a stranger to the new birtjh^
or, that thy mother should bring thee forth only to increase and
fill, up the number of the damned.
Inf.. 2. And, on tke contrary, we may hence learn^ what cause
regenerate souls have to bless, God, fbr the day wkereiri they
were born. O what a privileged state doth the new birth bring
men into! For the present they understand it not; for believers
are like, a great heir lying in the cradle, .that knows not to, what
an estate, and honour be is born : nevertheless, on the same day
wherein we become new creatures by regeneration, we haye a „
firm title apd solid claim to all the privileges of the sons, of God.
Some have kept their birth-day as a festival, a day of rejoicing ;
but none have more cause to rejoice that ever they were born,
tjhan} those that are new-born. *
inf. 3. Learn from hence, that the work of grace is wholly
supernatural; it is a creation, and creation-work is above the
power of the creature. No power, bu^ that which gave being to
the world, can give being to a new qreature. '. The nature of this
new creature speaks its original to be above the power of nature.

T_iE' MTHQD OF (-RACE. 419
Inf. 4. If the work of gfdce be a new creation,- let not tlie
parents and friends of the unregenefete utterly despair of the
conversion of their relations. It may be;- yoii see no hopeful- in
ebriations in your frierids towards God arid spiritual things . nay,
possibly they arb totally opposite, arid- filled With- enmity against
them-; but yet remember' toe Work of grace is creation-work.
God can make thee yet to rejoice and to sri^ with the father of
the prodigal, " Thi. rriy spri was dead,- ahd is alive again ; he
was lost arid is found." Difficulties are for- men but not for God':
he Works, in conversion, by a power which is able to subdue
all things unto itself.
Inf. 5. If none but new creatures be in Christ,- how smalt a
remnant dihong men belong to Ckrist in this World! Among
the multitude of rational creatures inhabiting this wdrld, how few,
how very few, are new creatures ? Look over the .ities-, towns,
arid parishes in this populous kingdom, and hb# few shall you
find that speak the language or do the work of neW creatures ?
The more cause have they, whom God hath indeed regenerated^
to admire toe riches of God's distinguishing mercy to them.
Inf. 6. If the change by g¥ace be anew creation, how universal
and marvellous a change doth regeneration make Upon men !
The new creation speaks a marvellous and universal alteration,
both upon the state and tempers of men ; and yet this marvellous
change is not alike evident in' all new creatures.
Some are changed from a state of notorious profaneness into
serious godliness; there the change i_< very evident; all the
rieignbourfiood! rings of it : but in others itis more insensibly dis
tilled in their teridetfybafs, by the blessing of God upon religious
education, and thefe it is more indiscernible. Moreover, there
isgreat difference in the natural tempers and constitutions ofthe
regenerate ; some arb of a more melancholy, fearful, and suspi
cious temper than others are;; and are therefore much longer held
ui.flbr' doubtings and t.buble of spirit ; nevertheless, what dif
ferences Soever these things touke, the change made by grace is
a' marvellous change.
Inf. 7. Lastly, HbW ittcdngtuous are carnal ways and'eourses
tb' the' spirit of Christians! who' being new creatures , can never
delight or find pleasure in their former sinful companions and
prabtices. Alas! those' things' are now mOst unsuitable, loath-
Some and detestable, how pleasant soever they once were. The
proper use that should be made of this doctrine is, to Undeceive
false pretenders, and to awaken all to a more deep and thorough
sea.cho_toeTfown conditions ; which being^ptecautioned, let' all
men be convinced of the following truths.'
1 That the chalQge made by civility, upori such -as were lewd arid
ptofarfe, is a different thing from thbnew creature, the power and
efficacy of moral virtue is one thing, the influence ofthe rbgene-
ratihg Spirit is qUite* ariother. A man1 may be very strict and

420 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
temperate, free from all the pollutions of the world; and yet a per
fect stranger to regeneration all the while, John iii. 10.
2. That many strong/ convictions and troubles for sin may be
found where the new creature is never formed. Conviction, is
the blossom of the tree ; but as fruit doth not always follow
the blossoms, so neither doth toe new creature follow all con
victions and troubles for sin. lt,,
3. That excellent gifts and abilities, fitting men for service in
the church of God, may be where the new creature is not ; for
these are promiscuously dispensed by the spirit both to the re
generate and unregenerate : Mat. vii. 22. Reader, it may cost
thee many an aching head to attain gifts, but thou wilt find an
aching heart for sin if ever God makethee a new creature.
4. Be convinced that multitudes of religious duties may be
'performed by men, in whom the new creature was never formed.
Though all new creatures perform the duties of religion, yet all
that perform the duties of religion, are not new creatures, Isa.
lviii. 2.
Next, therefore, let me persuade every man to try the state of
his own heart, and closely consider this great question : Am I
really and indeed a new creature ? or am I an old creature still,
in a new creature's dress and habit ?
Consider, hath the Lord opened the eyes of your understand
ing in the knowledge of sin and of Christ ? .
Hath he brought home the word with mighty power and effi
cacy upon your hearts to convince and humble' them ?
Have these convictions over-turned your vain confidences, and
brought you to a great concern and inward distress of soul,
making you to cry, What shall we do to be saved ?
Have your vain spirits been composed to toe greatest serious
ness, and most solemn consideration of things eternal-, as the
hearts of all those are whom God regenerates ? When heaven
and hell, life and death, are before a man's eyes, these are the
most awful and solemn things that ever his thoughts conversed
with in this world. Such convictions of sin pluck down the pride
and loftiness of man, and empty him of his vain conceits. Those
that were lofty, proud, and blustering before, are meekened and
brought down to toe very dust now.
Wherever the new creature is formed, there a man's course
and conversation is changed : Eph. iv. 22. The new creature
cannot but blush and be ashamed of the old creature's conversa
tion, Rom. vi. 21.
If, therefore, thou canst sin and sin again without such a bur
densome sense of sin, delude not thyself, thou hast not the signs
of a new creature in thee.
If the new creation be a sound evidence of our interest in
Christ, theh hence let me persuade all that are in Christ, to evi
dence themselves to be so, by walking as it becomes new creatures.

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 421
Let your hearts daily meditate, and your tongues discourse
about heavenly thmgs ; be exceeding tender of sin, strict and
punctual in every duty ; and hereby convince the world that you
are- men of another spirit.
Let every new creature be cheerful and thankful : if God hath
renewed your natures arid thus altered the frame and temper of
your hearts, he hath bestowed the richest mercy upon you that
heaven or earth affords. This is a work of the greatest rarity ;
a new creature may be called one among a thousand. Let all
therefore whom the Lord hath thus renewed, fall down at the
feet of God, in an humble admiration of the unsearchable riches
of free grace, and never open their mouths to complain under any
adverse or bitter providences of God.

THE NATURE AND NECESSITY OF MORTIFICA
TION.
Gal. v. 24.- — And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh,
with the affections and lusts.
Two great trials of our iriterest in Christ are finished : we now
proceed to the third, . namely, The mortification of sin : " They
that are Christ's have crucified the flesh."
By crucifying the flesh, we are not to understand the perfect
subduing of corrupt nature, but only the deposing of corruption
from its regency and dominion in the soul ; its dominion is taken
away, though its life be prolonged for a season; but yet, as
death surely, though slowly, follows crucifixion, it is so in the
mortification of sin ; ahd therefore what the apostle in this place
calls crucifying, he calls in Rom. viii. 13. mortifying. He doth
not say, they tbat believe Christ was crucified for sin are Christ's,
but they, and they only are bis, who feel as well as profess the
power and efficacy of the sufferings of Christ, in the mortification
and subduing of tfieir lusts and sinful affections.
'•The observation followeth.
Doct. That a saving interest in Christ may be regularly and
strongly inferred and concluded from the mortification of
-<>¦- tke flesh, with its affections and lusts.
This point is fully confirmed by the apostle, Rom. vi. 5, 8.
Now for the stating and explication of this point, I shall, in the
doctrinal part labour to show, , ... ,.
' First, What the mortification or crucifixion ot sin imports.
1. " The crucifying of the flesh doth not imply the total abo
lition of sin in -believers, or the destruction of its very being and

422 THE METHOD pf GRACE.
existence in them for the present j sanctified souls so put-off tjieir
corruption oply with their dead bodies at death." This will he the -
effect ofour future glorification, not of our present sanctification.
2. Nor doth the crucifixion of sin consist in the suppression of
the external acts of sjn only : for sjn may. reign over the souls of
men, jvhilst it doth not break forth into their lives in gross and
open $ctiops, 2 Pet. iii. 20. Many a man shews a white, and fair
hand, who yet hath a very foul and black heart,
3. The crucifixion of the flesh doth not consist in the cessation
of the external acts of sin ; for, in that respect, the lusts of men
may die of their own accord, even a kind of natural death. An
old soldjef may have as jajupji skill and delight as ever in military
actions, but age and hard services have so enfeebled him that he
can no longer follow the camp ; so is it with an old sinner.
4. The crucifixion of sin doth not consist in the severe casti
gation of the body, stripes, fasting, and tiresome pilgrimages.
This may pass for mortification among Papists, but never was
any lust of the flesh destroyed by this rigour : it is faith in Christ's
blood, not the spilling of our own blood, which gives sin the mor
tal wound.
But if you enquire what then is implied in fhe mortification or
crucifixion of sin, I answer,
1. It necessarily implies tlie souJ'§ implantation into Christ,
JUid union with hina: without which it is impossible that any one
corruption should be mortified. What believer almost hath not
under his first convictions, tfied all external ineans of mortifying
sin, and found all to be to as little purpose as the binding of Samson
with green withs or cords ? But when he hath once come to act
faith upon the death of Christ, then the design of mortification
hath succeeded to good purpose.
2. Mortjfjcation of sin implies the agency of^he Spirit, of God
in tbat work, yvithoflt whose assistances all pur endeavours must
needs be fruitless. Rom. viii. 13. The duty is ours, but the
power is God's.
3. The crucifixion of sin necessarily implies the subversion of
its dominion in toe soul : A mortified siii cannot be a reigning
sin, Rom. vi. 13. the mortified heart is dead to all pleasures and
profits of sin ; it becomes its burden and daily complaint.
4. The crucifying of ihe flesh implies a gradual i/peakem&g' of
the power of sin in the soul. For saqctificatipn is a progressive
work of the Spirit. And as bolinpss, increases, sp toe powel and
interest of sin proportionably abates and sinks lower and lower,
iwtil at lepgth it be swallowed up in victory,
5. The crucifying of tlie flesh notes tp us thb believer's designed
application of all spiritual means, and sanctified instruments for
the destruction of it. There is nothing in this world vyhich a
gracious heart more vehflmentiy desires than thp de^th of sin apd
perfect deliye.^ce fropji it, ft<$p. $. 24. $8 .jnwerijfcj5 of whjpfe

THE METHOD OF GRAtiE. 423
desires doth accordingly manifest itself in the daily application of
all God's remedies. Psal. Xviii. 23. Psal. xix. 13.
Secondly, In the next place we shall examine the reasons why
this work, of the Spirit is expressed under the figurative expres
sion of crucifying the flesh. Now the reason of the use Of this
expression, is the resemblance which the mortification of sin bears
unto the death ofthe cross : And this appears in five particulars.
1. The death ofthe cross was a painful death, and the morti
fication of sin is a very painful work, Matt. xxv. 29. " Straight
is the gate that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it,"
Matt. vii. 14. The righteous themselves are Scarcely saved.
2. The death of the, cross was universally painful ; every
member, every sense, every sinew, every nerve, was the subject
of tormenting pain. So it is in the mortification of sin ; the whole
man of sin is to be destroyed, Rom. vi. 6.
3, The death of the cross was a slow and lingeririg death.
Corruptions in believers, like the Canaanites in the land of Israel,
are left to prove and to exercise the people of God, to keep us
watching and > praying ; yea, wondering and admiring at tbe
riches of pardoning and preserving mercy all our days,
4. The death of toe cross was a Very opprobious or shameful
death ; they toat died upon the cross were loaded with ignominy ;
after this manner dietli' sin, a very shameful and ignominious
death. Every true believer draws up a charge against it in every
prayer, aggravates and condemns it in every confession, making
sin as vile and odious as he can find words to express it, Ezra
ix. 6.
5. In a word, the death of the cross was rtot a natural, but a
violent death : Such also is the death of sin ; for if the Spirit of
God did not kill it, it would live to eternity in the souls of men ;
it is' not toe everlasting burnings, and all the wrath of God Which
Hes upon tbe damned for ever, tbat can destroy sin. Like a
salamander it oan live to eternity in the fire of God's wrath.
Thirdly, Why all that are in Christ must be so crucified, or
mortified unto sin. And the necessity of this will appear divers
ways.. 1. From the inconsistency and contrariety that there is betwixt
Christ and unmortified lust, Gal. v. 17-| " These are contrary the
one to the other." " Let every one that nameth the name of
Christ depart from iniquity." As Alexander said to a soldier of
bis name, remember thy name is Alexander, and do nothing un
worthy of that name.
2. The necessity of mortification appears from tbe necessity of
conformity betwixt Christ, the Head, and all the members of his
mystical body ; for how incongruous and nncorrtely would it be
to see a holy, heavenly Christ, leading a company of unclean,
carnal, and sensual members ? Men cannot put a greater dis-

424 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
honour! and reproach upon Christ, than by making his name and
profession a. cloke and cover to their filthy lusts, 1 John ik 6.
-3,- The necessity of crucifying the flesh appears from the. me
thod of salvation, as it is stated in the gospel. God every where
requires the practice of mortification, under pain of damnation,
Matt, xviii. 8. It was one special end of Christ's coming into
the world, to save his people4from their- sins, Matt. i. 21. nor will
he be a saviour unto any who remain under the dominion of their
lusts. 4. The whole stream and current ofthe gospel, puts us under
the necessity of mortification ; gospel-precepts have respect unto
this, Col. iii. 5. Gospel-toreatenjngs are written for this end,
and do all press mortification in a thundering dialect, " The
wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness,
and unrighteousness of. men." The promises are also written
designedly to promote it, 2 Cor. vii. 1 ..
, 5. Mortification is toe very scope and aim ofour regeneration,
Gal. v. 25. In vain were the habits of grace planted, if the fruits
Of holiness be not produced.
6. If mortification be not the daily endeavour of believers, then
top way to heaven no way answers to Christ's description of it;
Matt. vii. 13, 14. So that either Christ must be mistaken in the
account he gave of the way to glory, or else all- unmortified per*
sons are out of toe way.
7- I" a word, be that denies toe necessity of mortification,
confounds all discriminating marks betwixt saints and sinners ;
pulls down the pale of distinction, and lets the world into the
church, and the, church into the world. If men may be Christians
without mortification, we may as wellgp; into the taverns and
ale-houses, among the roaring or sottish crew of sinners, and
say, here are those that are redeemed by the blood of Christ ;
here are his disciples and followers ; as to seek them in the
purest churches,, or most strictly religious families; by all which
the necessity of mortification, unto all that are in Christ, is abun
dantly evinced.
Fourthly, In the next place, we are to enquire into the, true
principle of morti fication. There are many ways attempted by
men, and many rules laid down. But I shall lay tbis down as a
sure conclusion, that the sanctifying Spirit is. the only effectual
principle of mortification ; and, without him, no resolutions,
vows, abstinences, castigations of the body, or any other external
endeavours, can ever avail to the mortification of one sin. For
mality pares off the excrescences of vice, but never kills the root
of it: it usually recovers itself again, and their souls relapse into
a worse condition than before, Matt. xii. 43, 44.
This work of mortification is peculiar to the Spirit of- God;
Rom. viii. 13.

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 425
1. The Spirit of God implants habito of a contrary nature.
Grace is to corruption what water is to fire ; a contrariety both
in nature and operation. Grace gives the mind and heart of man
a contrary bent and inclination ; that which was the object of de
light, hereby becomes the object of grief and hatred. Rom. vii.
15. What I hate, that I do.
The case of a regenerate soul under thesurprisals of temptation,
is like that of a captive in war, who marches not with delight,
but by constraint among his enemies. Thus the Spirit of God
promotes the design of mortification, by the implantation of con
trary habits. *
2. By assisting those gracious habits in all times of need.
" My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect
in weakness : " And, by reason of grace thus implanted and
thus assisted, " he that is born of God keepeth himself, and the
wicked one toucheth him not."
Fifthly, The last query to be satisfied is, bow mortification of
sin evinceth the soul's interest in Christ
Evidence 1 . Whatsoever gives evidence of the indwelling of
toe Holy Spirit in us, must needs be evidential of a saving inter
est in Christ, but the mortification of sin doth plainly evidence
toe indwelling of the Spirit of God. There is as strong and in
separable a connection betwixt mortification and the Spirit; as
betwixt the effect and its proper cause.
--¦ Evidence 2. That which proves a soul to be under the covenant
of grace, evidently proves its interest in Christ ; but mortification
of sin is a. sound evidence of the soul's being under the cove
nant of grace, as is plain from those words of the apostle, Rom. vi.
12, 13, 14. Whoever, therefore, hath his corruptions mbrtified,
hath his interest in. the covenant, and consequently in Christ, so
far cleared unto him.
Evidence 3.- That wliich is the fruit and evidence of saving
faith, must needs be a good evidence ofour interest in Christ ;
but mortification of sin is toe fruit and evidence of saving faith.
Acts xv. 9. ." Purifyirig their hearts by faith." " This is the
victory whereby we overcome the world, even our faith." The
heart and affections are not easily taken with the ensnaring plea
sures of the world, or much moved |with disgraces, losses, and
sufferings from the world; and so the strength and toe force
of its temptations are broken, and the soul becomes victorious
over it.
Evidence 4. In a word, there is an intimate and indissoluble
connection betwixt the mortification of sin, and toe life of grace.
Rom, vi. II. " Dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, through
Jesus Christ : " and the life of Christ must needs involve a sav
ing jnterest in Christ.

426 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
Gai_ v. 24. — And they that are Christ's, have crucified the
fiesh, with the affections and lusts.
Having opened the nature and necessity of mortification and
shewn how regularly a saving interest in Christ may be concluded
from it ; we now proceed to apply the whole.
Inference- 1 . If they that be Christ's have crucified the flesh,
Then tke life of a Christian is no idle or easy life: the corruptions
of his heart continually fill his bands, with work, with work of the
most difficult nature. The world, and the Devil are great ene
mies to believers, but not like the corruptions of their oWn hearts ;
they only tempt objectively and externally, but these tempt in
ternally, they only tempt at times and seasons ; these continually:
at all times and seasons. It may be said of sin as it was said of
Hannibal, that active enemy, that ft will never be quiet, whether
conquering or conquered : and until sin cease working, the Chris
tian must not cease mortifying.
Inf. 2. If mortification be the great work of a Christian, then
certainly those that give the corruptions of Christians an oc
casion to revive, must needs do them a very ill office ; they are
not our best friends that stir tbe pride of our hearts by the flat
tery of their lips. Christian, thou carriest gun-powder about
thee, desire those toat carry fire to keep at a distanee, it is a dan
gerous crisis when a proud heart meets with flattering Hps. It
is said of Alexander, that he bid a philosopher (who had been
long with him) to be gone ; for, said he, so long thou hast been
with me and never reproved me ; which must needs be thy fault ;
for either thou sawest nothing in me worthy of reproof which ar
gues thy ignorance; or else toou durst not reprove me, which
argues thy unfaithfulness. A faithful friend, or. even a malicious
enemy, may bejielpful to this work.
Inf. 3. Hence ft follows, that manifold and successive afflic
tions are no more than what is necessary for the best of Chris
tians : the mortification of our lusts requires toqm all, be they
never so many, 1 Pet. i. 5.
Christian, how difficult soever it be for thee to bear it ; yet the
pride of thy heart requires all the scoffs and all the reproaches,
that ever toe tongues or pens of thy bitterest enemies, bave at
any time thrown upon thee. Such rank weeds as grew in our
hearts, will require hard frosts and very sharp weather to k_tt
them. Inf. 4. If they that be Christ's have crucified the flesh, then
the number of real Christians is very small. It is true, if all
that seem he to meek, humble, and heavenly, H_ight pass for Chris
tians, the number would be great; but if no more most be
counted Christians, than those who crucify the flesh, with its af
fections and lusts, O how small is the number ! For, O, how

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 427
many be there under the Christian name, that pamper and in
dulge their lusts, and secrectly hate all who faithfully reprove
them. How many are there tbat seem very meek and bumble,
until an occasion be given them to stir up their passion, and then
you shall see in what degree they are mortified: the flint is a cold
stone, till it be struck, and then it is all fiery.
inf. 5. If they that be Christ's have crucified the flesh, i. e.
if mortification is their daily work and study ; then how falsely are
Christians charged as troublers of the world, and disturbers of
the civil peace and tranquillity of the times and places they live in.
It is" not holy, meek, and humble Christians that put the world
into confusion ; this is done by the profane and atheistical ; or by
the designing arid hypocritical world, and laid at the door of in
nocent Christians, James iv. 1. O, if men did but study morti
fication and selfrdenial, and live as much at home in the constant
work oftbeir own hearts as some men do ; what tranquillity and
peace, what blessed halcyon-days should we quickly see! It is
not preaching and praying, but drinking and swearing, profane
ness, and enn>ity which disturb and break the tranquillity of
top times, but let innocency commit itself unto God, who will
protect, and in due time vindicate the same.
Inf. 6. If fliey that be Christ's/have crucified the flesh, then
whatsoever opinion, or doctrine doth in its own nature counte
nance and encourage sin, is not of Christ. Whatsoever doctrine
ft is which nourishes the pride of nature, to the disparagement of
grace, or encourages licentiousness and fleshly lust, is not the
doctrine of Christ, but a spurious offspring begotten by Satan
upon the corrupt nature of man.
Inf. 7. If mortification be the great business and character of
a Christian, Then that condition is most eligible which is least of
all exposed to temptation, Prov. xxx. 8. " Give me neither
poverty nor riches, but feed me with food convenient." Few
Christians have a head strong and steady enough to stand upon
the pinnacle of wealth and honour. Mediocrity is our best ex
ternal security. It is well for us that our wise Father leaves us
not to our own choice. If children were left to carve for them
selves, how often would they cut their own fingers ?
Inf. 8, If mortification be the great business of a Christian,,
then Christian fellowship and society duly managed and improved,
must needs be of special advantage to. tke people of God. Fop
thereby we have the friendly help of many other hands to carry
on. our great design, and help us in our most difficult business; if
corruption be too hard for us, others this way- come in to our as
sistance, Gal. v,i. I. If temptations prevail, and overbear us that
we fall under .sin, it is a special mercy to have the reproofs and
counsels ofour brethren, who will not suffer sin to rest upon us.
Ley. six. \J.

428 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
Inf. 9. How deeply hath sin fixed its roots in our corrupt na
ture, that it should be the constant work of a Christian's whole life,
to mortify and destroy it ? m
O the depth and strength of sin ! which nothing can separate
from us, but that which separates our souls and bodies. And
upon that account, the day of a believer's death is better than
the day of his birth. Never till then do we put off our armour,
sheath our sword, and cry, victory, victory.
If they who are Christ's have crucified the flesh, &e. Then as
ever we hope to make good our claim to Christ, let us give all
diligence to mortify sin. I shall press you to this by the follow
ing motives.
' Motive 1 . The comfort resulting from mortification should ef
fectually persuade every believer to more diligence about it.
For dost thou not feel a blessed calmness and tranquillity in thy
conscience, when thou hast faithfully repelled temptations, .suc
cessfully resisted and overcome thy corruptions ? Doth not God
smile upon thee ; conscience encourage and approve thee ? Hast
thou not an heaven Within thee ? whilst others feel a kind of hell
in the bitter accusations. of their own consciences ? But then con
sider it also is an evidence of the soul's interest in Christ, as my
text considers it ; and what an heaven upon earth must then be
found in mortification.
Motive 2. As the comfort of your own lives, so your instru
mental fitness for the service of God, which is much more, de
pends upon the mortification of your sins, 2 Tim. ii. 21 . Where
is the mercy of life but in the serviceableness ofit unto God ?
It is not worth while to live sixty or seventy years in the world
to eat and drink, to buy and sell, to laugh and cry, and then go
down to the place of silence. So far as any man lives to God an
useful serviceable life, so far only, and no^fartoer, doth he answer
the end of his being.
Motive 3. Your stability and safety in the hour of temptation,
depend upon the success of your mortifying endeavours. Temp
tation is a siege, Satan is the enemy without the walls, labouring
to force an entrance ; natural corruptions are toe traitors within,
that hold correspondence with toe enemy without, and open the
gate of the soul to receive him. They are our fleshly lusts that
go over unto Satan in the day of battle, and fight against our
souls , 1 Pet. ii. 1 1 . Mortify therefore your corruptions, as ever
you expect to maintain your station in the day of trial : cut off
those advantages of your enemy, lest by them he cut off your
souls, and all yeUr hopes from God.
Motive 4. As temptations will be irresistable, so afflictions will
be unsupportable to you without mortification. How cheerful was
holy Paql under all his sufferings ! and what think you gave him
that peace and cheerfulness, but his mortification to the world ?
' I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound ;

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 429
every where, and in all things I am instructed, both to be full,
and to be hungry, both to abound and suffer need."
Motive 5. The reputation and honour of religion are deeply
concerned in the mortification of the professors of it: For unmor
tified professors will, first or last, be the scandal and reproach of
it. The profession of religion may give credit (o you, but to be
sure you will never bring, credit to it. If ever you will keep re
ligion sweet, labour to keep your hearts mortified and pure. ,
Motive 6. To conclude, what hard work will you have in your
dying hour, except you get a heart mortified to this world. Your
corruptions, like glue, fasten your affections to the world, and
how hard will it be for such a man to be separated by death ?
But the Surgeon's knife is scarcely felt when it cuts off a morti
fied member.
I will in the next place, offer my best assistance in laying
down the rules of this work.
Rule 1 . If ever you will succeed and prosper in the work of
mortification, then get, apd daily excercise more faith, 1 John v.
4. By faith alone eternal things are discovered to your souls,
and by opposing things eternal to things temporal, we resist Sa^
tan. This is toe shield by which we quench the fiery darts of the
wicked one, Eph. vi. 16.
Rule 2. Walk in daily communion with God, if ever you will
mortify the corruptions of nature ; that is the apostle's own pre
scription, Gal. i. 17. Spiritual and frequent communion with
God, gives manifold advantages for the mortification of sin, as it
is a bright glass wherein the holiness of God and the exceeding
sinfulness of sin, as it is opposite thereunto, are most clearly dis
covered, than which, scarce any thing can set a keener edge of
indignation upon the spirit of a man against sin.
Rule 3. Keep your consciences under the awe and in the fear
of Gpd continually, as ever you^hope to be successful in the mor
tification of sin. " By the fear of the Lord, men depart from
evil," Prov. xvi. 6. It keeps men from those evils which no eye
nor ear1 of man can possibly discover. The fear of the Lord
" breaks temptations, baited with pleasure, with profit, and with
secrecy, 2 Cor. vii. 1 .
, Rule 4. Study the vanity of the creature, and labour to get
true notions of the emptiness and transitoriness thereof, if
ever yOu will attain to the mortification of yonr affections to
wards it.
It is the false picture and image ofthe world, in our fancy, that
crucifies us with so many cares, fears, and solicitudes about it:
and itis the true picture and image ofthe world, represented to
us in the glass of the word, which greatly helps to crucify our
affections to the world. The best and sweetest enjoyments in
the world, are but fading flowers and withered grass. Millions

430 THE METHOD OF GRAtiE.
of souls will wish, to eternfty, they had never feriown the riches',
pleasures, or honours of it.
Rule 5. Be careful to cut off all the occasions of 'sin*, and keep
at the greatest distance from temptations, if ever ybu would mor
tify the deeds of the body. I Thes. v. 22: " Abstain from all api-
pearance of evil." He that dares to venture to the very brink of
•sin, discovers but little light in his understanding, and less tend
erness in hfs conscience. And it is usual With God to Chastise
sel'f-confiderice by shameful lapses into sin.
Rule 6. If ybu will successfully mortify the corruptions of
yottr nature, never engage against them in your own single
strength, Eph. vi. 10. O remember what a mere feather thoti
art in the gusts of temptation. A weak Christian, trembling in
himself and depending by faith upon God, shall be able to stand
against toe shock of temptation, when the bold and confident shall
melt away as wax before the sun.
Rule 7. Set in with the mortifying design of God, in the day
of thine affliction ; sanctified afflictions are prescribed in heaven
for the purging of our corruptions, Isa. xxvii. 9. God kills thy
comforts, out of no other design but to kill thy corruptions with
them. Happy is the man who understands, approves, and
heartily sets in with the design of God, in such afflictirig pro
vidences. Rule 8. Bend the strength of your duties and endeavours
against your proper and special sin ; it is in vain to lop off' branches
whilst this' root of bitterness remains untouched : This was Da
vid's practice, Psal. xviii: 23.~ We observe, in nature, that one
soil suits with some sorts of seeds rather than another': And
every believer may find his nature and constitution inclining liim
to one sin rather than another ; and, according to the progress of
mortification in that sin, we may safely estimate tbe degrees of
mortification in other sins ; Strike, therefore, at the life attd'root
of yrour own iniquity.
Rule 9; Study the nature and' great importance of those things
which are to be won or lost, according tb the successand issue
of this conflict. Your life is a race, eternal • glory is the prize;
grace and corruption are the antagonists, and accordingly ' aS
either finally prevails, eternal life is won or lost. Shall'l lose
heaven for indrilgirig the flesh, and humouring a wanton appetite !
God forbid, 1 Cor. ix. 28.
Rule 10. Accustom your thoughts to such meditations as are
proper to mortify sin iri your affections.
Meditation 1. Consider the evil that is in sin, and how terrible
trie appearances of God will one day be against those that' obey
it, in the lusts thereof. Think what its aspect will be in a dying
hour. Think what' toe frightful remembrances of it will' be at
the bar of judgment, when Satan shall accuse, conscience shall

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 431
upbraid, God shall condemn, and everlasting burnings shall
avenge the evil of it.
Meditation 2. Think what it cost the Lord Jesus to expiate the
guilt of sin by suffering the wrath of toe great and terrible God
for it in our room : the meditations of a crucified Christ are very
crucifying meditations unto sin, Gal. vi. 14. he suffered unspeaka
ble things for sin.; it was a divine wrath, the wrath of God which
put him into sore amazement, a bloody sweat, and. made his soul
heavy unto death.
Meditation 3. Consider what, a grief and wound- the sins of be
lievers are to the Spirit of God, Epb, iv. 30. Nothing is more
.contrary to his nature, Jer. xliv. 4. Nothing obstructs and
crosses the sanctifying design of the: Spirit, as sin doth ; defacing
and spoiling, toe most rare and admirable workmanship that ever
God wrought in this world. Lay this meditation upon thy heart,
believer, and say, dost thou thus requite the Lord, O my ungrate
ful heart, for all his goodness ?
- ... Meditation- 4. Consider with yourselves, that no real good,
either of profit or pleasure can result from sin.. As for that brutish
pleasure which some have in sin, it can be but for a moment ;
for either they must repent, or not repent : if they do repent, the
pleasure of sin will be turned into toe gall of asps here ; if they
do not repent, it will terminate in everlasting howlings hereafter.
" For toe end of those things is death."
Meditation 5. Consider what the damned suffer for those sins
which the devil now tempteto you to commit ; it hath deprived
them of all good, and of all hope of enjoying any good for ever :
and it hath plunged them into all positive misery : misery from
- without, the wrath of God being come upon them to the utter
most ; and misery from within, for t he ir worm dieth not. Would
any man that is not forsaken by reason, run the hazard* of those
eternal miseries for the brutish pleasures of a moment ?
Meditation 6. Bethink yourselves what inexcusable hypocricy
it will be in you to indulge yourselves intoe private satisfaction of
your lusts, under a contrary profession of religion. You that
profess holiness, and daily pray against sin, confess it to Gbd,
arid pour out supplications for, pardoning and preventing grace ; are
you in jest or earnest in these solemn duties of religion ? Cer
tainly, if all those duties produce no mortification, you do but
flatter God with your "Ps> and _"ft a •dreadful cheat upon your
own souls. . ,___.,-
Meditation 7. Consider with yourselves what hard things some
Christians have chosen to endure rather than defile themselves
with guilt; and shall every sriialt temptation ensnare and take
your souls'? Read over the xi. chapter to the Hebrews, and see
what the saints have endured to escape sin ; no torments were so
terrible to them as the displeasure of God, and the wounding of
conscience; and certainly, -it you did see sin with the same

432 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
eyes they saw it, you would hate it asdeeply; watch against it as
carefully, and resist it as vigorously as any of the saints have
done before you.
Meditation 8. Consider with yourselves what rational and
solid comfort is to be found in the mortification of sin. It is not
the fulfilling qf your lusts that can give you the thousandth part of
that comfort and contentment that the resistance of them, and vic
tory over them will give you.
In tbe next placb, this point naturally puts us upon the exami
nation and trial of our own hearts.
There are several things that are evidential of the truth and
sincerity of mortification.
Tenderness of conscience as to all known sins, one as well as
another, is a good sign sin hath lost its dominion in the soul.
The sincere and earnest desires of our souls to God in prayer
for sin-mortifying-grace,' is a good sign our souls have no love
for sin. Canst thou say, poor believer, in the truth of thy heart,
that if God would give thee thy choice, it would please thee bet
ter to have sin cast out, than to have the world cast in.
Do you make conscience of guarding against the occasions of
sin ? Do you keep a daily watch over your hearts and senses ?
Do you rejoice and bless God from your hearts, when the
Providence of God orders any means for the prevention of sin ?
Thus did David, 1 Sam. xxv. 33.
In a word, though the thoughts of death may be terrible in
themselves, yet' if the expectation and hope of your deliverance
from sin thereby do Sweeten the thoughts of it to your souls, it
will turn unto you for a testimony, that you are not the servants
of sin.
It only remains that I conclude with a few words of consola
tion unto all that are under the mortifying influence of the Spirit.
Mortified sin shall never be your ruin : It is only reigning sin
tbat is ruining sin.
If sin be dying, yoUr souls are living, Rom. vi. 11.
If sin be dying in you, it is certain that Christ died for you,
and you cannot desire a better evidence of it, Rom. vi. 5, 6.
If sin be dying under the mortifying influences of toe Spirit,
and it be your daily labour to resist and overcome it, you are
then in the direct way to heaven and eternal salvation ; which
few, very few in the worid shall find, Luke xiii. 24.
Finally, if you, through the Spirit, be daily mortifying the
deeds ofthe body, then the death of Christ is effectually applied
by the Spirit unto your souls, and your interest in him is unques
tionable. For, they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with
the affections and lusts.
Blessed be God for a crucified Christ.

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 433
OF THE IMITATION OF CHRIST IN HOLINESS
OF LIFE.
1 JOHN ii. 6. — He that saith he abideth in him, ought himself also
so to walk, even as he walked.
The express and principle design ofthe apostle, in this chapter,
is to propound marks and signs, both negative and positive, for
the trial and examination of men's claims to Christ; amongst
which my text is a principal one ; a trial of men's interest in
Christ, by their imitation of Christ.
The life of Christ is the believer's copy, and though he cannot v
draw one line or letter exact as his copy is, yet his eye is still
upon it, he is looking unto Jesus, Heb. xii. 2. and labouring to
draw all the lines of his life, as agreeably as he is able, unto
Christ his pattern.
Doct. That every man is bound to the imitation of Christ, under
penalty of forfeiting his claim to Christ.
Now to state the method of this discourse, it will be needful to
discuss three things in the doctrinal part.
First, What the saint's imitation of Christ supposeth and com-
priseth. 1 . It supposes that no Christian is, or may pretend to be a rule
to himself, to act according to the dictates of his own will and
pleasure ; for as no man hath wisdom enough to direct and govern
himself, so if his own will were made the rule of his own actions,
it would be the highest invasion of the divine prerogative that
cotild be imagined. Jer. x. 23.
2. This imitation of Christ implies, that as no man is, or may
pretend to be his own 'guide, so no mere man, how wise or holy
soever he be, may pretend to be a ruler to Other men ; but Christ
is the rule of every man's way and walking. The best of men
are but men at best ; they have their errors and defects, which
they freely acknowledge ; and where they differ from Christ, it is
our duty to differ from them. We may not pin our faith to any
man's sleeve ; and it was a good reply of the father to a clamorous
disputant, crying, Hear me, hear me ; "I will neither hear thee,
nor do thou hear me ; but let us both hear Christ." (
- 3. The imitation of Christ implies the necessity of sanctifica
tion ; all external conformity to Christ's practice, depends upon^.,
an internal conformity to Christ in the principle and Spirit of
holiness. 4. The imitation of Christ plainly implies that the Christian
religion is a very precise and strict religion. Profaneness and
licentiousness, therefore, can find no shelter or protection under
the wing of the gospel ; this is the universal rule laid upon all
F F

' 434 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
the professors of ihe Cjnjistian religion, " Let every one that
nameth the name of Christ,, depart from iniquity."
5. The imitation of Christ necessarily implies the defectiveness
and. imperfection of t_t,e best of men in this. life; for if the hfe
ot Christ be our pattern, the hqliest of men must confess they
come short in every thing ofthe rule of their duty. Our pattern
js still above us, the best;pf men are ashamed when they com
pare their lives with the life of Christ.
6. The imitation' of Christ, as Our general rule or patter ne.
Qessarily^mpliesthetranscending holiness of the Lopd Jesus ; his
holiness is greater than the holiness of all creatures, " For only
that which is <first*and b.est in every Jsind, is the rule und measure
of all the. rest. :
j, The Christian's imitation pf Christ, under penalty of losing-
his olajm to Christ, necessarily implies sanctification and obedi .,
"ence to be the evidence of our justification and interest in Christ ;
Assurance is unattainable without' obedience ; we can never be
comfortable Christians except we be strict and regular Christians,
Gal. vi. 16. '
Secondly, In toe-next place, we are to enquire, in what things
al} M?hb profess Christ are obliged to the imitation of him,
The life of Christ was a living law ; all toe graces ajjd virtues
ofthe Spirit were represented in their glory, and brightest lustre
in his conversation upon earth. We shall, from among many
others, single out the following particulars, which we are obliged
tpi imitate,
, Pattern, 1 . Arid first of aid, the purity and holiness of the life
of Christ is proposed as a glorious pattern -for the saint's imi
tation,,! Pet. i. 15. ),
1. He was truly and sincerely AoZy,wfthaut fiction or simulation.
The i hypocrite)! makes shew of more holiness than he hath; but
there was more holiness in Christ than ever appeared to the view
of men.
2. Christ was uniformly holy at one time as well as another j>
in one place and company as well as another : toe same tenor of
holiness ran throughout bis whole life from first to last: So must
it be with alibis people, holy in all manner of conversation.
3. Christ was exemplarily holyJ O imitate him in tois. Let
no man goi out of your company without conviction or edification.
Phil. iii. 17.
4. Christ was strictly and precisely holy : " Which of you con
vince^ me of sin ?'' His greatest enemies cannot find a flaw in
any of bis words or actions.
5. Christ was perseveringly holy, holy to the last breath; as
he began, so he. finished his whole life in a constant course of
holiness : in this also he is our great pattern.
Pattern 2. The obedience of Christ 1,6. his Father's will, is a
pattern for the imitation of all Christians.

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 43J)
1. Christ's obedience was free and vpluntofy, nqt forced or
compulsory ; ft was so from the very first undertaking of the
^vork of our redemption. Psal. xj. f. ",Then said I* Jo I come,
in the volume of thy book it is written of me, I delight to do thy
will, O my God." Nor was this a (flourish before be came into
the field and saw the enemy, for he laid down hjs life w ito the
greatest cheerfulness. It was as grateful a work to Christ to die
for us, as it was to Moses' mother to take him to nurse from the
band of Pharaoh's daughter. O Christians, do nothing grudgingly
for God, let not his Commands be grievous, I John v, 3,
2. The obedience of Christ was universal mi complete, he
was obedient to the will pf Grod, making no demur to toe hardest
service imposed by the will of God upon him, Phil. ii. 8. " He
became obedient unto death, even the death of ithe cress.'-' Such
was Paul's obedience, Acts xxi. 13.
3. The obedience of Christ was sincere and purp, without any
base or by-end, purely aiming at the glory of God, Join. xvii. 4.
He sought not honour of men, and in this Christ is propounded as
your pattern, Phil. ii. 3, 4, 5.
4. The streams of Christ's obedience flowed from the spring
andfountain of ardent Jove to God, John mv. 31 . Thus let ^11 your
obedience to God turn upon the hinge of love ; for ff love is toe
fulfilling ofthe law."
5. In a word, the obedience of Christ was constant ; he was
pot weary of |iis work to toe last. Suqh a patient^ntinuance in
well-doing is laid upon you by his own express conPmand, backed
with the most encouraging promise, " Be thou faithful unto
Sleuth, and I will gise thee tthe, crown life."
Pattern 3. The self-denial of Christ is the pattern of behevers.
and their conformity unto ft ig their jndispensible duty, Phil. ii.
4,5, 6. • Jesjus Christ, for the glory of God, and the love he bar.
the etedt denied himself all toe delights and pleasures of thi.
world , Matt, xx. ^8. . He was aM his life-time in toe world, ff i
man iof sorrows and acquainted with grief," Isa. liii. 5. more un
provided of comfortable accommodations than toe birds ofthe aiF,
or feasts ofthe earth, Luke ix. 58. '' The foxes have holes, and
the ibirds pf the air have nests, but the SbU of man hath not where
to lay his head." Yet this was the least part of Christ's sejfr
denial: What did he not deny when he left the bosom of his
Fattier, with the ineffable delights and pleasures he there enjoyed
from eternity, and instead thereof to drink toe cup, the bitter cup
©f his Father's wrath, for our sakes? O Christian, look to your
giftte. n, -jaw. -imftate your self-denying Saviour.
-¦¦' Jp a word, consider how much your selfr^lenial for Christ
rhakes for your advantage in both worlds, Luke xviii. 29. O
therefore, look not every man upon bis own things, but upon the
things toat are of Christ.
jPdtiem 4. The activity and diligence of Christ in-finishing the
work of God which was committed to him, was a^lieOT.for all
ff2

436 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
believers to imitate. It is said of, him, Acts x. 38. " He went
about doing good." O what a great and glorious work did Christ
finish in a little time ! A work to be celebrated to all eterriity by
the praises of the redeemed,
"He never fainted under the many great discouragemente he
frequently met With in that work, Isa. xliii. 4.
He improved all opportunities, companies and occurrences to
further the great work which was under his hand, Johniv. 6, 10.
And nothing rejoiced his soul more, than the prosperity and suc
cess of his work. When the disciples made the report of the suc
cess *6f their ministry, it is said, " In that hour Jesus rejoiced in
spirit." And O what a triumphant shout was that upon theCross
at the accomplishment of his work, It is finished!
Now, Christians, eye your pattern, look unto Jesus ; trifle not
away your lives in vanity. Christ was diligent, be not yOu
slothful. And to encourage your in your imitation of Christ,
consider, 1. How great an honour God puts upon you in employing you
for his service : every vessel of service is a vessel of honour, 2
Tim. ii. 21.
2. Your diligence in the work of God will be your great secu
rity in the hour of temptation ; for " toe Lord is with you while
you are with him."
3. Diligence in the work of God is an excellent help to the im
provement o j|.ace. For, though gracious habits are not acquired,
yet they are* eatly improved by frequent acts.
4. In a word, laborious diligence, in tbe day of life, will be
your singular comfort. when the night of death overtakes you, 2
Pet. i. 11.
Pattern 5. Delight in God, and in his service, was eminently
conspicuous in the life of Christ, and is a rare pattern for our
imitation, John iv. 32, 34. And if you be Christ's heavenly
things will be the delight of your souls also. O Christians, strive
to imitate your pattern in this. And to encourage you, I will
briefly hint a few things.
1 . Scarce any thing can be more evidential of sincerity than a
heart delighting in God, and toe will of God. Hypocrites go as
far as others in toe material part of duties, but here they are de
fective ; they have no delight in God and things spiritual ; but do
whatsoever they do in religion, from the compulsion of conscience,
or accommodation of self-ends.
i 2. An heart delighting in God will be a chbice help and means
to perseverance. Thereason why many so easily part with reli
gion is, because their souls never tasted the sweetness of it; they
never delighted in rt.
3. This will represent religion very beautifully to such as are
yet strangers to it ; you will then invite them to Christ by your
example the language whereof will be, " O taste and see that
the Lord is good."

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 437
4. This will make your services to God very pleasing and
acceptable through Christ ; your duties are so far > angelical as
they are performed in the strength of delight in God.
, Object. But may not a sincere Christian act in duty without
delight ? Yea, may he not feel some kind of weariness in duties?
Solut. Yes, doubtless he may; but then we must distinguish
betwixt the temper and distemper of a renewed heart ; the best
hearts are not always in the right frame.
Pattern 6. The inoffensiveness of the life of Christ upon earth
is an excellent pattern to his people ; he injured none, offended
none, but was holy and harmless, Heb. vii. 26. He denied his
own liberty to avoid occasion of offence ; as in the case of the
tribute-money, Matt. xix. 27. O ye professors of religion ;
imitate him in this gracious excellency of his life, according tphis
command, Phil. ii. 15. ,
1. For the honour of Jesus Christ be you inoffensive, his name
is called upon you, his honour is concerned in your deportment,
Jam. ii. 7. Your inoffensive carriage is the only means to stop
the mouths of detractors, 1 Pet. ii. 15. .
2. For the sake of souls, the precious and immortal souls of
pthers, be wary that you give no offence: " Wo to the world,
(saith Christ,) because of offence," Matt. xiii. 7. O Christians,
draw not the guilt of other men's eternal ruin upon your souls.
3, In a word, answer the end of God in your sanctification ; by
the holiness and harmlessness of your lives, many may be won
to Christ. What the Heathens said of moral virtue, that if it
were but visible to mortal eyes, all men would be enamoured
with it, will be much more true of religion when you shall repre
sent the beauty of it in your conversation.
Pattern 7. The humility and lowliness of Christ is propounded
by himself as a pattern for his people's imitation. Matt. xi. 29.
" Learn of me, for I am meek arid lowly." He could abase and
empty himself of all his glory, Phil. ii. 5, 6, 7. He could stoop
to the meanest office, even to wash the disciples' feet. We read
but of one triumph in all the life of Christ upon earth. Matt.
xxi. 5. The humility of Christ" appeared in all he spake or did.
Christians ! here is your pattern ; look to your meek and humblev
Saviour, and tread in his steps. Whoever are ambitious to be the
world's. great ones, let it be enough for you to be Christ's little
ones. And I beseech you to consider,
1. From how vile a root pride springs. Ignorance of God and
of yourselves, give rise and being to this sin.
' 2 Consider the mischievous effects it produces. It provokes
GOd to lay you low, Job. xl. 11, 12. It goes before destruc
tion. ,
3. As it is a great sin, so it is a bad sign, Hab. 11. 4.
4. How unsuitable it is to the complaints you make of your
rbwn corruptions and spiritual wants ; and above all, how eon-

438 THE METHOD OF GRAOE.
trary it is to your pattern.; Did Christ speak, aot, or thirik as you
do ? O learn humility from Jesus Christ, it will make you precious
in the eyes of Gbd, Isa: lvii; 15.
Pattern 8. The Contentment of Christ in a low and mean con
dition in the world, is an excellent pattern for his people's imita
tion. His lot in tbis wbrld fell upon a conditiori of the deepest
poverty and contempt. Yet how well was he satisfied and con
tented with it ! O that in this also the poorest Christians Would
imitate theii- Saviour. Let there be no murmurs, complaints^ or
foolish charges of God heard from you, Whatever straits or troubles
be brings yori into : For,
1. The meahest ahd most afflicted Christian is oWner of many
rich, invaluable mereieS, Eph.- i. 3;
2. You have many precious promises toat God Will not forsake
you in your straits, Heb. xiii. 5.
3. Hbw Useful Uhd beneficial are all your afflictions to you !
they turn to your salvation : and how unreasonable then must
your discontent at thbm be ?
4. The time of your, relief and fhll deliverance from all your
troubles is at harid. If the candle of your earthly comfort be
blown out, yet remember it is but a little while to the break of
day. 5, Your lot falls by divine direction upon you, and as bad as it
is, ft is much easier thah the cbndition of Christ in this world
Was : 0 that we could learn contentment from Christ in evety
conditiori.

1 JOHN iii 6. — He that saith he abideth in him, ought Mmself also
so to Walk) even as he walked.
ThESE words havb been tesblved into their parts, and their
Sbnfee opened in thb former sermon : The observation was this :
That every man is bound to ihe imitation of Chiist, under
petlttlty of forfeiting his claim to Christ.
It now remains that I shew you, in the next place, why all that
profess Christ are bound to imitate his example, and then apply
the Whole. Now the necessity of this imitation of Christ will
appear, 1. From the established order of salvation, which is fixed and
Unalterable. " For whom he did foreknbw* he also did predes
tinate, to be conformed to the image of his Son." So that we
may as well hope to be saved without Christ, as to be saved with
out conformity to Christ.
2. The nature bf Chrisfrfnystical requires this conformity, and

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 4^
.¦enders it indispensably necessary. ; Otherwise, toe body of Christ
must be of a nature different from the head, and how monstrous
and uncomely would this be. That image or resemblance of
Christ, which shall be complete and perfect after the resurrection,
must be begun in its first draught herb by the Work of regene
ration. 3. This resemblance and conformity to Christ appears neces-
riry from the communioh which all believers have With Christ,
•n the same spirit of grace and holiness. Now where the same.
¦Spirit rind principle is, there the same fruits and operations must
)e produced, according to the proportions and measures of the
Spirit of grrice communicated.
4. The necessity of this imitation of Christ may be argued,
.0rii the design and end of Christ's exhibition to the World in a
)ody of flesh. For though we 'detest that doctrine of the Soci-
lians, which makes the exemplary life of Christ to be the whole V
irtd of his incarnation ; yet we must not run so far from an error,
as to lose a precious truth. 1 Pet. il. 21. " He hath left us an
example toat we should follow his steps."
5. Our imitation of Christ, is one of those great articles which
every man is tb subscribe, whom Christ will admit into the
number of his disciples. " Whosoever doth not come after rite,
ceihnot be my disciple."
6. The honour of Christ necessitates the conformity bf Chris
tians to his example, else what way is there left to stop detract-1
ifig mouths, and vindicate the name of Christ from reproach.
The world hath eyes to see what we practise, as well as ears to
hear what we profess.
Inf. 1 . If ati that profess interest in Christ be strictly bound
to imitate his holy exemple, then it follows, that religion is very i
unjustly charged by the world, wifh the scaiidals and, evils of theni
that profess it. Nothing can be more unjust and irrational; if
we Consider,
It' is absurd to condemn religion for what itself condemns :
lobsferieSs no Way flows from the principles of Christianity, but is
most Opposite and contrary to it, Tit. ii. 11, 12.
It is an argument of the excellency of the Christian religion,
that even wicked men themselves covet the name and profession
Of it. According to this reasoning, there can be no religion in the
World ; for name that religion that is not Scandalized by the prac
tices of some toat profess it. So that this practice hath a natural
tendency to Atheism ¦ and is, no doubt, encouraged by the devil
for toat erid.
Inf. 2. If all men forfeit their claim to Ckrist, who endeavour
not to imitate him in ihe hb'liness: of his life, then how small pi
number of real CM^tiahs ttre therein the wtirld? Itfdfeed, if ^
iB-ral tolkirig, without accurate Walking, were enough to toristi-i
ttttte a Ch-Mlari, then this qriarte. bf 'the' World Wbuld abound

440 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
With Christians : But if Christ owns none for such but those that
tread in the steps of his example, then the number of real Chris
tians is very small.
Inf. 3. What blessed times should we all see, if true religion did
once generally obtain and prevail in the world ! How would it
humble the proud, meeken the passionate, and spiritualize those
that are carnal ! Whereas nothing in the world but religion, ad
vanced in the poWer of it, can heal and cure these epidemical evils.
Inf. 4. Hence it also follows, that real Christians are tke sweet
est companions. Itis a comfortable thing to walk with them that
walk after the example of Christ; the holiness, heavenliness,
humility, self-denial, and diligence in obedience, which was in
Christ, are, in some measure, to be found in all sincere Chris
tians : They shew forth the virtues of him that calleth them; the
graces of the Spirit do more or less shine forth in them. And
O how endearing, sweet, and engaging are these things !
Inf. 5. In a word, if no men's claim to Ckrist be warranted but
theirs that walk ai. he walked, how vain and groundless then
are tke hopes and expectations of all unsanctified men, who walk
after their own lusts ? None are more forward to claim tbe privi
leges of religion than those that reject the duties of it ; multitudes
hope to be saved by Christ, who yet refuse to be governed by
him. But such hopes have no scripture warrant to support them ;
yea, they have many scripture testimonies against them, 1 Cor.
vi. 9. O how many thousand vain hopes are laid in the dust, and
how many thousand souls are sentenced to hell by this one scrip
ture .
If tois be so, it naturally presses all the professors of Christi-
: anity to strict godliness in their conversation, as ever they expect
benefit by Christ. Give me leave, therefore, closely to press it
upon your hearts, by the following motives.
Motive 1 . Christ hath conformed himself to you hy his abasing
incarnation ; how reasonable, therefore, is it that you conform
yourselves to him iri the way of obedience and sanctification?
He came as near you as it was possible for him to do, strive you,
therefore, to come as near to Christ as it is possible for you to
db, Heb. ii. 14.
Motive 2. You shall be conformed to Christ in his glory ; how
reasonable, therefore, is it you should now conform yourselves to
him in holiness ? O professors, as ever you look to be with
Christ in glory hereafter, see that ye walk after Christ's example
in holiness and obedience here.
Motive .3. The conformity of your lives to Christ, your pattern,
is your highest excellency in this world ; the measure of your
grace is to be estimated by this rule.
Motive 4. So far as you imitate Christ in your lives, and no far
ther, you will be beneficial in the world in which- you live ; so far
as God helps you to follow Christ, you will be helpful to bring
others to Christ, or build them up in Christ. But if you walk ac-

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 441
Cording to the course of this world, the world will not be the
better for your walking.
Motive 5. To walk as Christ walked, is a walk only worthy of
a Christian ; this is to " walk worthy ofthe Lord," 1 Thess. ii.
12. In a word, such walking as this, and sUch only becomes
your expectation. " Wherefore [beloved] seeing that you look
for such things, be diligent, that ye may be found of him in
peace, without spot, and blameless."
Motive 6. How comfortable will toe close of your life be, if you
have walked after Christ's pattern and example in this world :
A comfortable death is ordinarily toe close of a holy, life, Psal.
xxxvii. 37. But a loose, careless life, puts many terrible stingS
into death.
Lastly, I would leave afew wordsof comfort to such as sincerely
endeavour, accordingto the tendency oftheir new, nature to follow
Christ's example, but see and lament their imperfections.
1 . Such defects in obedience make no flaw in your justification :
for your justification is not buift upon your obedience, but upon
Christ's, Rom. iii. 24. Wo to Abraham, Moses, David, Paul,
and to the most eminent saints toat ever lived, if their justification
.and acceptation with God had depended upon the perfection and
completeness of their own obedience.
2. Your deep troubles for the defectiveness of your obedience,
do not argue you to be less, but more sanctified than those who
make no such complaints ; the most eminent saints have made
the bitterest complaints upon this account, Rom. vii. 23, 24. '
3. The Lord makes excellent uses even of your infirmities and
failings to do you good, and makes them turn to your unexpected
advantage: for, by these defects he hides pride from your eyes ;
and makes you to admire • the ricbes of free grace. O the
blessed chemistry of heaven, to extract such mercies out of such
miseries !
. . 4. Your bewailed infirmities do not break the bond of the ever-
. lasting covenant. The bond of the covenant holds firm, notwith
standing your defects and weaknesses, Jer. xxxii. 40,
5 Though the defects qf your obedience are grievous to God,
yet your deep sorrows for them are well-pleasing in his eyes,
Psal. Ii. 17. ; Your sins grieve him, but your sorrows please
him. 6, Though God have left many defects to bumble you, yet
he hath given many things to. comfort you. It is a comfort that
toe desire of thy soul is to God, that thy sins are not thy delight
as once they were; toy case is not singular; and this i_^the
comfort above all comforts, that the time is at hand, iri which aH
these defects, infirmities and failings shall be done away, 1 Cor.
•: xiii.. 10.
¦;., , ,.;¦ ' For ever blessed beGod for. Jesus Christ.

442 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
OF THE STATE OF SPIRITUAL DEATH.
Eph. v. 14. — Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepesl, and
arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
This scripture represents unto us the miserable and lamentable
state of the unregenerate, as being under the powei' of spiritual
death, which is the cause and inlet of all other miseries. From
herce, therefore, I shall make the first discovery bf the woful
and wretched state of them that apply not Jesus Christ to their
Own soUls.
Observe, 1. The miserable state of the unfegeiierate; they are
asleep and dead.
The Christless and unregenerate worid is in a deep sleep ; a
spirit of slumber, senselessness and security is fallen Upon them,
though they lie exposed immediately to eternal wrath and ready
to drop into hell every moment. Just as a man that is fast asleep
in a house on fire, and Whilst the consuming flameS are round
about him, his fancy is sporting itself in some pleasant dream ;
this is a very lively resemblance of tbe unregenerate soul.
2. We have here the duty of the unregenerate, which is to
" awake out of sleep, and arise frbm, the dead." First awake,
then arise. Startling and rousing convictions make way for
spiritual life ; till God awake Us by convictions of our misery,
we shall never be persuaded to arise and move towards Christ for
remedy and safety*
3. But you Will sby> if urtregefierate men M dead men, to what
purpose is it to persuade them to arise and stahd up : The very
exhortation supposes some powers or ability ift the unf egeberate ;
else In vain are they commanded to arise. This difficulty is
Solved in this very te_ft, though the duty is ours, yet the power
is God's. God commands that in his word, which only his grace
can perform. " Christ shall give thee light."
Doct. That all Christless souls are under the power (>f spiritual
death ; they are in the state ofthe dead.
And, 1. I will shew you ift what sense Christless and unre
generate men are said to be dead.
Natural death is nothing else but the privatibn of the principle
of natural life, or the separation of the soul from the body. Spi
ritual death is the privation of tlie principle of Spiritual life, ofthe
absence bf toe quickening Spirit of God-in the soul. Eternal
death is the misery of tbe damned. Now Christless arid tfrife-
gei.e.ate men are Mt dead ift the fi.st Seftsb J hbr ate they yet
dead in the last sense, but they are dead in the second serise;
they are srMtually dtead, Whilst they are naturally alive ; and
this spiritual death is the fore-runner of eternal death.

T^R METHOD OF GRACE. 443
2. Let us cbrisider what this spiritual death is. That Soril is
dead, into which toe Spirit of Christ is not infused in the work of
regeneration ; and all its works are dead works, as they are
called. For, look hoW it is With the daniried, they liye, they have
sense and motion, and an immortality irt all these ; yet becaUSe
they are eternally separated from Gbd, the life Which they live,
deserves not the name of life, but it is every Were in scripture
stiled death : so tbe Unregenerate, they are naturally alive ; they
eat and drink, they buy and sell, they talk and laugh, they rejoice
in the creatures ; and many of them sperid their days in pleasures
and then go down to toe grave. This is the life they live, but
.yet the scripture rather Calls it death than life ; because though
they live, yet it is without God in the World, Eph. ii. 12. though
they live, yet it is a life alienated from the life of God. The dead
see and discern nothing, and the natural man perceiveth not the
things that are of Gbd; The dead have no beauty or desirable
ness in them ; " Bury my dead (saith Abraham) out of my sight ;"
neither i9 there any spiritual loveliness in the utttegene. ate. All
natural qualities and moral excellencies, are so many flowers,
decking and adorning a dead corpse. The dead are Objects of
pity and great lamentation. But unr egPr ate, and Christless sbuls,
are much more the objects of pity and lamentation.
3; And that tois is the state of all Christless and unsanctified
persons, will undeniably appear, two ways.
1. The causes of spiritual life have not wrought Upon them.
AS all the members ofthe natural body receive animation, sense,
and motiori, by their Union With their hatoral head ; so believers,
the members of Christ, receive spiritual life and animation by
their union with him, as their mystical head, Eph. iv. 15, 16.
But the Spirit of God hath, yet exerted ho regerieiating, quicken
ing influences, nor begottferi any special sriving faith in natural,
unsanctified men ; whatever he hath dbhe for them in the Way bf
natural, or spiritual common gifts, yet'he hath not quick-tied tlierri
with top, life of Christ. And as for the subordinate external means
of life, viz. the preaching of the gospel, Which is the instrument
ofthe Spirit ita this glorious wdrk, arid is therefore called, The
Word of life, to this day the Lord hath not given them an he,U.t
opening itself, in the Way of faith, to receive it.
2. The effects and signs of spiritual life do riot appear in them:
Fbr, they have no feeling, or sense of misery and dariger. I
mean no such sense as thoroughly aWakeris them to .taply Christ
their remedy, That spiritual judgment lies upbn toetn, 10.
vi. 9. They have no spiritual motions towatds Christ, ot after
things that are spiritual; The natural tendency of the spiritual
life is upward. They have rib appetite untd Spiritual fobd ; Wey
can eo froth week to week, arid frbm year tb year, arid feel no
need of it, else they Would esteem the Words of God's mouth
mote than their, neuessafy food* Job. ?ixx. 12. Thbyhaverio

444 THE METHOD OF GRAbfi.
heat or spiritual warmth in their affections to God, and things
above; their hearts are as cold as a stone to spiritual objects,
Thejr breathe not spiritually, therefore they live not spiritually:
were there a spiritual principle of life in them, their souls would
^breathe after Gbd in Spiritual prayer, Acts ix. 11. They have
no cares or fears for self-preservation, which is always the effect
of life; the poorest fly,, or silliest worm will shun danger. The
wrath of God hangs over them, hell is but a little before them,-;
yet Will they use no Fttieans to avoid it. How plain, therefore, is
this, sad case that Christless and unregenerate souls are dead
souls ? The uses follow.
Inf. 1. If ati Christless and unregenerate souls be dead souls,
hen how little pleasure can Christians take in tke society of the
unregenerate? Certainly, it is no pleasure for the livlngjjto converse amongthe
dead. It was a cruel torment invented by Mezentius the tyrant,
to tie a dead and living man together. The pleasure of society
arises from toe harmony of Spirits, and the hopes of mutual en
joyment in the world to come ; neither of which can sweeten the
society ofthe godly with the wicked in tois world.
Art thou godly? shew thyself so in toe choice of husband
or wife. I am sure, if some, could bring no other testimonials
for their godliness than the care they have taken in this particular,
• it might justly be called into question both by themselves and
others. Look to the rule, O Christian, if thou wilt keep the
power of holiness, that is clear as the sun-beams written in the
scripture, "Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers,"
2 Cor. vi. 14.
Inf. 2. How great and wholly supernatural, andwonderful is
that change which regeneration makes upon the souls of men !
It is a change from death to life. Luke xv. 24. " This my son
was dead and is alive again." • There are two stupendous changes
made upon the ,souls of men, which justly challenge the highest
admiration. The change from grace to glory is acknowledged* by all, and
that justly, to be a wonderful change, for God to take a poor
creature out ofthe society of sinful men; and in a moment to
make him a complete and perfect soul, shining in toe beauties of
holiness, and filling him with tlie unspeakable and inconceivable
joys of his presence; to turn his groanings /into triumphs, his
fightings into songs of praise ; and yet the former change from
^n to grace is no way inferior to it. Great and admirable is this
work of God ; and let it for ever be marvellous in our eys, .
Inf. 3. If unregenerate souls be dead souls, what a fatal stroke
doth death give to the bodies of unregenerate men?
A soul dead in sin, and a body dead by virtue ofthe curse for
sin, and both soul and body remaining for ever under toe power
of eternal death, is so full and perfect a misery, as that nothmg

.THE METHOD OF GRACE. 445
can be added to make it more miserable. Death .drags toe unre
generate from all his sensitive delights and comforts, to the place
of torment, and buries the dead soul out of the presence of God
for ever.
Inf. 4. If every unregenerate soul be a dead som., how sad is
the case of hypocrites and temporary believers, wko are twice
dead ? ,
.These are those cursed trees that the apostle Jude speaks of,
" Trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked
up by the roots." Such trees are prepared for the severest flames
in hell, Mat. xxiv. 51 . Their portion is the saddest portion allotted
for the sons of death, 2 Pet. ii. 20, 21. Double measures
of wrath seem to be prepared for them that die this double
death. Inf. 5. If this be so, then unregenerate persons deserve the
greatest lamentations.
Were this truth heartily believed, we could not but mourn over
them,;With toe most tender compassion and hearty sorrow. If
our husbands, wives, or children are dying a natural death, how
are our hearts rent with pity and sorrow for them ? O Christians,
is all the love you have for your relations spent upon their bodies ?
Are their souls of no value in your eyes ? Is spiritual death no
misery ? Doth it not deserve a tear ? The Lord open your eyes,
and duly affect your hearts with spiritual death and soul mise
ries. Consider, my friends, their, graves must be shortly made, to be
buried out of the sight of God for ever, in the lowest hell, the pit
digged by justice for all that are spiritually dead : the dead must
bp buried. Can such considerations as these draw no pity from
your souls, nor excite your endeavours for their regeneration ?
then it is to be feared your souls are dead as well as theirs, i O
rpity them, pity them, and pray for them ; in this case only,
prayers for the dead are our duty : who knows but at the last,
God may hear your cries, and you may say with comfort, " This
my son was dead, but is alive ; was lost, but is found." Luke
iv. 24.

THE CONDEMNATION OF UNBELIEVERS.
John iii. 18. — But he that believeth not is condemned already,
because ke hath not believed in the name of {he only begotten
Son of God.
Christ having discoursed with Nicodemus in the beginning of
this chapter, about the necessity of regeneration, proceeds, to
shew, the reason why regeneration and faith are so indispensably

446 THE METHOD OF GRACE*
necessary, viz. because there is no other way to set men free
from the condemnation of the law. The curse of the law,
lil^e toe fiery serpent in toe wilderness, hath smitten every sin
ner with a deadly stroke and sting, for which there is no cure but
Christ lifted up in the gospel, ver. 14. Neither doth Christ cure
any but those that, believingly, apply to him. The' result and
conclusion of which you have in my text ; " He that believeth hot
is condemned already," &c.
Let us take into consideration the sin which is here threatened,
viz. unbelief; the neglecting or refusing of an exalted and offered
Jesus. The punishment inflicted, and that is condemnation : the judg
ment, or sentence of God condemning a man to bear the punish^
ment of his eternal wrath for sin ; the most terrible of all
sentences. The immediate relation or respect this punishment hath to
that sin of unbelief. The unbeliever is condemned already, i. e.
he is virtually condemned by the law of God ; his mittimfts is al
ready made for hell. Unbelief is his great sin, and condemna
tion is his great misery. Hence the observation will be this ;
Doct. That all unbelievers are presently ; and immediately
under tke just and dreadful sentence of God's condem
nation.
In the doctrinal part of this point, let us consider,
First, What the sin of unbelief, or not receiving Christ is.
By unbelief, we are not here to understand the remains of that
sin in the people of God, which is mixed with their imperfeet fait. .
But the unbelief here spoken of, is the neglecting or refusing to
take Christ as be is offered in the gospel, and
1. It is exclusive ofthe saving act of faith, which is the due
receiving of Christ offered in the gospel, consenting to take Mtn
upon his own terms. The unbeliever will accept the righteous
ness of Christ in conjunction with his own righteousness ; but he
will not accept the righteousness of Christ as the sole matter
of bis justification, he is willing to wear the crown of Christ, but
cannot be persuaded , to bear 4he cross of Christ. Thus Christ
and unbelievers part upon terms ; God will come down no Jower,
and toe unbeliever will come up no higher ; God will not alter
Jiis terms, and the unbeliever will not alter his resolution : and so
Christ is refused, salvation is neglected, and in effeet the unbe
liever chuseth rather to be damned," than comply with the terms of
self-denial, and bearing the cross of Christ.
2. It is exclusive of the saving fruits and effects of faith.
Faith produces love to God, faith purifies the heart of a believer:
Faith makes the cross of Christ sweet and easy to the believer,
iinbelief makes Christ, because of the cross, bitter and distasteful

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 447
to, the unhejjpyer, Thus unbeljpf excludes both the saving act
and fruits of faith, and consequently bars the soul from the saving
benefit and privileges of faith, namely, justification and peace
with God.
, Secondly, Next fet us consider the punishment of this sin,
^hich is condemnation.
1. Condemnation is top sentence of God, toe great and terrible
God. ii is a dreadful thing to be condemned at man's ha. ; but
the courts pf human judicature, how awful and solemn soever, are
birt trifles ty this court, of bpaypn, and conscience, wherein the
unbeliever is arraigned and condemned.
.. 2- It is thp sentence 0f God'adji^gingthe unbeliever to eter
nal death, than which, notoingis more terrible. What is a pri
son to heU ? What is a scaffold and an axe, to " go yp cursed
into ever lasting fire ? " What is a gallows, and a haftep, to
eyer(as,ting burnjpgs ?
3. Condemnation is the final sentence of God, the supreme
judge, from whose bar and judgment there lies no appeal for the
ujabelieve. , bftt. execution certainly follows condemnation. If man
epndemn, God may justify and save ; but if God condemn, no man
can save or deliver: O then what a dreadful word is condemn
Ijation ! Put all afflictions, calamities, sufferings, and miseries of
this world into one scale, and tois sentence of God into the
other, and they will be all, lighter than a feather.
Thirdly, I shall shew you that this punishment, viz. condemn
nation, must unavoidably follow that sin of unbelief,
1. It excludes a man from top pardon of sin, John viii. 24.
" If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall dfe in your sins," And
the wages of sin is death, Rom- vi. 23.
2. Unbelief excludes, a man from, all the saving benefits that
come by the sacrifice or death of Christ. For if faith be the only
instrument toat brings home to the soul the benefits of the blopd
pf Christ, as unquestionably it is, then unbelief must of necessity
exclude a, man from all those benefits, and consequently- leave him
in the state of death and condemnation. '¦'¦ By grace are ye save ..
through faith."
3. Unbelief excludes, a man from the saving efficacy and opera-,
tiou ofthe gospel, by shutting up toe heart against it, and crossing
the main scope and drift pf it, which is to bring up men to th*.
terms of salvation, Sp then if the unbeliever escape condemna
tion, it must be in a way unknown to us by toe gospel ; yea*
cqfijtr^ry to the established order therein.
'|. Unbelief excludes a man from union with Christ, fafth being
the bond of that union, Eph. iii, \J, The unbeliever therefore
may as reasonably expect to he sa^ed witfepUt Ghrist, as to be
saved without faith. ,. ..
Fourthly, Let us next see what guilt and misery unbelief «ir
eludes men under.

448 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
1. lt is a sin which reflects the greatest dishonour upon God.
" He that believeth not God, hath made him a liar ; because he
believeth not the record that God gave of his Son."
2. Unbelief makes a man guilty ofthe vilest contempt of Christ,
and toe whole design of redemption managed by him. For what
doth the neglect and wilful rejection of Christ speak, but the
weakness and folly of that design of redemption by him.
3. Unbelief includes in it the sorest spiritual judgment that can
be inflicted in this world upon the soul of man, 2 Cor. iv. 4.
4. Unbelief includes a man under the curse, and shuts him up
under all the threatenings that are written in the book of God.
" He that believes not, shall be damned." So that nothing can
be more evident than this, that condemnation necessarily follows
unbelief. This sin and that punishment are fastened together with
chains of adamant.
Inf. 1. If this be so, then how great a number of persons are
visibly in the state of condemnation ! So many unbelievers, so
many condemned men and women ; and O what a great and
terrible day will the day of Christ's coming to judgment be, when
so many millions of unbelievers shall be brought to his tribunal
to be solemnly sentenced !
Inf. 2. Hence see how great a mercy the least measure of
saving faith is ; for the least measure of true faith unites the soul
to Jesus Christ ; and " there is no condemnation to them that are
in Christ Jesus." The weakest believer is as free from condem
nation as the strongest. A piece of gold is as" much worth in the
hand of a child, as it is in the hand of a man. O the exceeding
preciousness of saving faith !
Inf. 3. How dreadful a sin is the sin of unbelief, which brings
men under the condemnation of the great God. No sin startles
less, or damns surer ; it is a sin that doth not affright the con
science as some other sins do, but it kills the soul more certainly
than any of those sins could do ; for, indeed, other sins could not
damn us, were it not for unbelief, which fixes the guilt of them all
upon our persons. This is the condemnation. It is a despising
of him who is altogether lovely in himself, who hath loved us and
given himself for us, and is now offered tb us. A mercy denied
to the fallen angels, and the greatest part of mankind, which ag
gravates the evil of this sin be3'ond all imagination.
Inf. 4. If this be the case Of all unbelievers, itis not wonderful
that souls under the first convictions of their miserable condition,
are plunged into such deep distresses of spirit, Acts ii. 27.
Certainly, if souls apprehend themselves under the condemnation
and sentence of the great God, their weary days and restless
nights are not without just cause and reason. Those that never
saw their own miserable condition by the light of a clear and full
conviction, may wonder to see others so deeply distressed in spirit.
They may mis-judge the case, and call it melancholy or madnes;

_ THE METHOD OF GRACE. 449
but spiritual troubles do not exceed the cause and ground of
them. Inf. 5. How groundless and irrational is toe mirth and jollity
of all carnal and unregenerate men ? They feast in their prison,
and dance in their fetters. O poor sinners, you have found but
an effectual way to prevent your present troubles ; it were Well if
you could find out a way to prevent your eternal misery ; but it
is easier for a man to stifle conviction, than prevent damnation.
Inf. 6. Lastly, what cause have they to rejoice, admire, and
praise the Lord to eternity, who have a well-grounded confidence
that they are freed from God's condemnation ? O it is a privilege
in which the grace, mercy, and love of God shine forth as clearly
as toe sun when it shineth in its full strength. And certainly you
will find cause to lie at the feet of God, astonished and overwhelmed
with the sense of this mercy, when you shall find yourselves free
from the condemnation of God, whilst many others, as good as
you were, are still under condemnation. Yea, yourselves freed,
and many of your superiors in the world still under the curse ;
yourselves freed, and others that sat under the same means of
grace, and had the same external advantages as you had, still in
chains. O brethren ! This is a marvellous deliverance.
Let them that are so delivered, spend their days on earth in
praise and cheerful obedience ; and, when they die, let them not
shrink away from death, nor be afraid to take it by the cold hand,
it can do them no harm. Yea, let them close their dying lips
with — Thanks be to God for Jesus Ckrist.

THE SIN AND PUNISHMENT OF UNBELIEF UNDER
THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL.
John iii. 19. — And this is the condemnation, that light is come
into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because
their deeds were evil.
Out of the foregoing verse it was fully proved in our last ser
mon, that all Christless and unregenerate men are no better than
dead men, being condemned already. Our Saviour proceeds in
thia verse to aggravate the misery of those that refuse and despise
him yet farther, and to let them know, that those who remain in
unbelief, must expect some greater and sorer wrath than other
men; not only a simple condemnation, but an aggravated and
peculiar condemnation, " This is the condemnation, that light is
come," &c.
" Light is come." By light we are to understand the knowledge,
discovery, and manifestation of Christ, and redemption by him in
the gospel. Light may come among a people in the means, and
G G

450 THE METHOD OF GRAC.E.
yet they actually remain in darkness all the while, As it is in
nature; the sun may be up and a very glorious morning far ad
vanced, whilst many thousands are upon their beds with their
curtains drawn about them.
The sense of this place is, that ljght was come in the gpspel-
dispensatibn among them, yea, it had shined into many of thejr
consciences, galled and reproved them fpr sin, but they hated it,
and had rather be without such a troublesome inmate. .. ,.-
In a most just proportion to this sin, we have here toe agrayated
coridernriation of them who sinned against such clear gospelrlight,;
"This is the condemnation," this is the judgment of adjudgments,
the greatest and most intolerable judgment ; a severer sentence
of condemnation than ever did pass against any others that sinned
in the times of ignorance and darkness.
Observe the cause and occasion, drawing men into this sin and
misery, " because their deeds are evil," i. e. the convincing light
of truth put a great deal of vigour and activity into their con
sciences, which they could not endure. The accusations and con
demnations of conscience are very irksome and troublesome things
to men. To avoid this, they are willing to be ignorant.
Doct. That the greater and clearer the light is, under which
the impenitent and unregenerate do live in this world, by
so much greater and heavier will their condemnation and
misery be in the world to come, Mat. 11. 21, 22.
First, We will enquire into the grounds and reasons why
greater light aggravates, proportionably, the sins toat are com
mitted under iti
1. All light (especially evangelical light) is a great preserva
tive from sin, and an excellent means to prevent it : It is toe
property of light to inform the judgment, and rectify the mistakes
and errors of it ; and thereby to give check to the affections in the
pursuit of sinful designs and courses : light discovers danger, and
thereby overawes and stops men from proceeding farther in those
paths and courses toat will run them into it.
2. Sinning under and against the light, supposes and involves
in it a greater contempt of God's authority, than sinning in igno
rance and darkness doth. Wilful sinning is a despiteful sinning
against God, Heb. x. 26. it argues a low and vile esteem ofthe
law of God, and by so much the more it maketh sin to be exceeds
ing sinful.
3. Sinning against the light, admits not of those excuses and
pleas to extenuate the offence, which sins of pure ignorance do.
Those that live without the sound ofthe gospel may say, Lord,
we never heard of Christ, and the great redemption wrought by
him ; if we had, we would never have lived and acted as we did.
John xv. 22. But others cannot say so.

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 451
4. Evangelical light is a very rich favour and mercy of God to
men ; one of the choicest gifts bestowed upon the nations of the
world: ; and therefore it is said, Psal. cxlvii. 20. He hath not
dealt so with any nation ;. and as tor his judgments they have not
known them. Other nations have corn and wine, gold and silver,
abundance of earthly delights and pleasures '-\ but they have not
a beam of heavenly light shining upon them. We may account
this mercy small; but God who is best able to value the worth
of it, accounts it great, .Hos. viii. 12.
' 5. Sinning against the light, argues a love to sin, as sin ; to
naked sin, without any disguise or cover. Now as for a man to
love grace as grace, is a solid argument to prove the truth of his
grace ; so on the contrary for a man to love sin as sin, doth not
only argue him to be in the state of sin, but to be in the fore-front,
and amongst toe highest rank of sinners.
6. The greater and clearer the light is, under and against which
men continue in sin, the more must toe consciences of such sin
ners be supposed to be wasted and violated by such a way of
sinning. This puts a plain force upon the conscience, and gives
a dreadful stab to that noble power, God's vicegerent in the
soul. Secondly, In toe next place, let us examine why sin, so aggra
vated by the light, makes men liable to the greater condemnation :
For that it doth so, is beyond all debate or question ; else the
apostle Peter would not have said of those sinners against light,
as be doth, 2 Peter ii. 21 . " That it had been better for them not
to have known the way of righteousness." Nor would Christ
have told the inhabitants of Chorazin or Bethsaida, toat it should
be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than
for them:
It must needs be, that the heaviest wrath and most intolerable
torments should be the portion of them who have sinned against
the Clearest light and means of grace : For we find, in the scrip
ture account, tbat a principle and special part of the torment of
the damned, will arise from their own consciences. Mark ix. 44..
" Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
Apd nothing is more manifest than this, that if conscience be the
tormentor of the damned, then sinners against light must needs
have the greatest torment. The more conscience is violated
here by sinning ; with so much the more rage and fury will it
then avenge itself upon the most stout, daring, and impudent.sin-
ner ! The more- guilt now, the more rage and fury then.
O what a peal will conscience ring in the ears of such sinners !
"Did not I warn thee of the issue of such sins, undone wretch?
How, often did I strive with thee, if it had been possible to take
thee off from thy course of sinning and to escape this wrath?
IS forewarned thee of this danger, but'thy lusts were too strong
G g 2

452 thb js__T__0_) of G_t_-iffE.
for my light, and now thou seest whither thy way tended, but,
alas, too late ! "
Sinners, you have now a wide and open door, many blessed
opportunities of salvation under toe gospel ; it hath put you in a
fair way for everlasting happiness : Many of you are not far from
tbe kingdom of God : there will be time ^enough in hell to reflect
upon all this. What think you, will it not be sad to think there :
O how fair was I once for heaven, to have been with God, and
among yonder saints ! My conscience was once convinced, and
my affections melted under the gospel. I was almost persuaded
to be a Christian, indeed the treaty almost concluded betwixt
Christ and my soul ; there were but a few points in difference be
twixt us ; but wretch that I was, at those points I stuck, and
there the treaty ended to my eternal ruin : I could not deny my
lusts, I could not live under the strict yoke of Christ's govern
ment ; but now I must live under the insupportable wrath of the
righteous and terrible God for ever ; and tbis torment will
be peculiar to such as perish under the gospel. The Heathen
who enjoyed no such means, can therefore have no such reflec
tions ; nay, the very devils themselves, who never had such a
plank after their shipwreck, I mean, a mediator in their nature,
or such terms of reconciliation, offered them, will not reflect
upon tlieir lost opportunities of recovery, as such sinners must
and will. This, therefore, " is the condemnation, that light
is come into the world ; but men loved darkness rather than
light." Inf. 1 . Hence it fellows, that neither knowledge, nor the best
means of knowledge, are in themselves sufficient to secure men from
wrath to come.
Light in itself is a choice mercy, but yet a mercy liable to the
greatest abuse, and the abuse of the best mercies brings forth the
greatest miseries. I fear the time is coming when many among
us will wish they had never set foot on English ground. God
hath blessed this nation with many famous, burning and shining
lights. It was once said to the honour of this nation, that, the
English ministry was the world's wonder ; and when a man of
another nation began to preach methodically and convincingly,
they were wont to say, We perceive this man hatk been in Eng
land. The greater will our account be for abusing such light and
rebelling against it.
Inf. 2. If the abuse of light thus aggravate sin and misery,
then times of great temptation are like to be times of great
guilt. Woe to an enlightened, knowing generation, when strong
temptations befal them. How do many in such times, imprison
the known truth to keep themselves out of prison ? offer violence
to their own consciences, to avoid Violence from other hands ? O

' THE METHOD OF GRACE. 453
how hard is it to keep conscience pure and peaceable in days of
temptation ! Doubtless, it is a mercy to many weak and timour-
ous Christians to be removed by a seasonable death out of harm's
way ; to be disbanded by a merciful providence before the heat
ofthe battle.
Inf. 3. If this be so, what a strong engagement lieth upon all
enlightened persons to turn heartily to God, and reduce their
knowledge into practice and obedience ?
The more men know, the more violence they do their own con
sciences in rebelling against the light, this is to sin with an high
hand, Num. xv. 30. Believe it, sirs, you cannot sin at so cheap
a rate as others do ; knowledge in a wicked man, like high
metal in a blind horse, doth but the sooner precipitate him into
ruin. Inf. 4. Hence also it follows, that the work of conversion is a
very difficult work; the soul is scarcely half won to Christ, when
Satan is cast out of the understanding by illumination.
While the heart stands out, though the understanding be taken
in the soul remains in his possession ; it is a greater work, (and
we daily find it so,) to win one heart than to convince twenty
understandings. Inf. 5. Hence also we may learn what strength and power
there is in the lusts of men's hearts, which are able to bear down
so strong convictions ofthe conscience before them. Eccl. viii. 11.
Every man, saith the prophet, " turneth to his course, as the
horse rusheth into the battle." The horse is a very fierce arid
warlike creature ; and when his courage is roused by the sounds
of drums and trumpets and shouts of armies, he breaks headlong
into the ranks of armed men, though death is before bim. Such
boisterous and headlong lusts are found in many enlightened per
sons, though their consciences represent damnation before them ;
onward they will rush, though God be lost, and a precious soul
undone for ever.
Inf. 6. To conclude, As ever you will avoid the deepest guilt,
and escape Ike heaviest condemnation, open your hearts to obey
and practise whatsoever God hath opened your understandings
and consciences to receive of his revealed will ; obey the light of
the gospel, while you have opportunity to enjoy it. " Yet a little
while the light is with you : " and whatever patience God may
exercise towards poor ignorant souls, yet commonly he makes
short work with the despisers of this light. The light of the
gospel is a shining lamp, fed with golden oil ; God will not be
at the expence for such a light for them that do but trifle with it.
The night is coming when no man can work. There are many
sad signs upon us of a setting sun, a night of darkness approach
ing. England hath been unkind to Christ; many thousands
there are that rebel against the light, and say unto God, " De
part from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways." Christ

4§4 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
will not tarry where he is not welcome ; who would, that hath
any where else to go? Obey the light, therefore, lest God put it
out in obscure darkness.

THE BLINDING POLICIES OF SATAN OPENED.
2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. — But if our gospel be kid, il is hid lo them that
are fost ; in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds
of them which believe not, lest the light ofthe glorious gospel of
Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
We come now to discover the great difficulty of conversion,
and shew yoq where it is that all our endeavours are obstructed,
with all our labouring and striving, reasoning and persuading ;
as also to mourn over and bewail the misery of Christless and
unregenerate souls, with whom we must part, upon the saddest
terms; I have chosen this scripture, which is of a most awaken
ing nature, if haply the Lord, at last, may persuade any soul to
come over to Christ thereby.
In the words themselves we have to consider,
1. A very dreadful, spiritual judgment inflicted upon the souls
of men, viz. the hiding ofthe gospel from them.
2. We havehere an account ofthat wicked instrument by whom
this judgment is inflicted, viz. Satan, called here the god of this
world ; because he rules over a vast empire, and hath multitudes
of souls, even the greater part of the world in subjection to his
government. , 3. Here, also, we have an account ofthe politic manner of this
government, how he maintains his dominion and keeps the world
in quiet subjection, namely, by blinding the minds of all them
that believe not ; putting out the eyes of all his subjects or dark
ening that noble faculty, the mind, or understanding..
Doct. That the understandings of all unbelievers are blinded
by Satan's policies, in order to their everlasting perdition*
First, We shall enquire what toe blinding of toe mind, or
hiding the gospel from it, is.
1. Let us examine what spiritual blindness, or the hiding the
gospel from the minds of men is not opposed unto : and we shall
find, .
1. That it is not opposed unto natural wisdom ; a man may be
of an acute and clear understanding ; eagle-eyed, to discern the
mysteries of nature, and yet the gospel may be hidden from him.
Who were more sagacious and quick-sighted in natural, things
than the Heathen Philosophers, renowned for wisdom in their

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 455
generations ; yet unto them the gospel was but foolishness, 1 Cor.
i. 20,21. 2. It is not opposed to all light and knowledge in spiritual
truths. A man may have a true understanding of the scriptures,
give an orthodox exposition of them, and enlighten the minds of
others by them ; and yet the gospel may be hidden from himself,
Matt. vii. 22. A man may shew others the way to Christ and
salvation, whilst both are hid from himself.
3. It is not opposed to all kind of influences upon the affec
tions ; for, it is possible, the gospel may touch the affection^
themselves, and cause some sweet motions and raptures in them;
and yet be an hidden gospel to the soul, Heb. vi. 5, 9.
But if these three things may consist with spiritual blindness
unto what then is it opposed ? To which I answer, that spiritual
blindness stands only opposed to that saving manifestation of
Jesus Christ in the gospel by the Spirit, whereby the sou! is re
generated, and effectually changed by a real conversion unto
God. Wherever the gospel thus comes in the demonstration of
the Spirit, and of power, it is no longer an hidden gospel to that
soul, though such persons do not see clearly all that glory which
is revealed by the gospel ; though they know but in part, arid see
darkly as through a glass ; yet the eyes of their understandings
are opened, and the things which belong to their peace are not
hidden from them.
Secondly, But though this be the happiness of some men, yet
it is demonstrable that the eyes of many are blinded by the god
of this world, and the gospel is an hidden gospel from them ; for,
1. Many that live under the gospel are so entirely swallowed
up in the affairs of this world, that toey allow themselves no time
to ponder the great concernment of their souls in tbe world to
come. The earth hath opened her mouth and swallowed up their
time, thoughts, studies, and strength, as it did toe bodies of
Corah and his accomplices. Judge whether the god of this world
hato blinded these men or nO, who can see. so much beauty in the
world, but none in Christ, and put an absolute necessity upon the
vanities of this world, but none upon their own salvation. If this
be not spiritual blindness, what is ?
2. The great stillness and quietness of men's consciences,
under the most rousing and awakening truths ofthe gospel, plainly
prove that the god of this world hath blinded their eyes. For did
men see and apprehend the dangerous condition they are in,, a;s
the word represents it, nothing in the world would quiet them
but Christ. Suppose one should come, into toe congregation,
arid whisper but such a word as this in your ears, your child is
fallen into the fire and is dying, since you came from home, will
it be in the power of all the friends to quiet you and make you sit
still after such information ? much less when a man apprehends
hi. own soril in immediate danger of everlasting burnings.

456 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
3. The strong confidences and presumptuous hopes men have
of salvation, while they remain in the state of nature and unre-
generacy, plainly shew their minds to be blinded by the policy of
Satan. This presumption, is one of those false reasonings, by
which Satan deludes the understanding, James i. 22. Your con
sciences are quieted because your eyes are blinded.
4. The trifling of men with the duties of religion plainly dis
covers the blinding power of Satan upon their minds and under
standings, else they would never play and dally with the solemn
ordinances of God as they do; if their eyes were once opened,
they would be in earnest in prayer, and apply themselves with
the closest attention of mind to hearing the gospel. It is with
many of your hearts as it was with Aristotle, who after a quaint
oration made before him, was asked how he liked it ; truly said
he, I did not hear it, for I was thinking all the while of another
matter. 5. This also is a plain evidence that the god of this world hath
blinded many men's eyes, for that they fear not to commit great
sins to avoid small hazards and troubles. Those'that have seen
and felt the evil of sin in the deep troubles of their spirits for it,
will account all reproaches, all losses, all sufferings from men, to
be but as nothing to the burden of sin.
6. The pride and self-conceitedness of many thousands who
profess Christianity, plainly shew their minds to be blinded by
the sophistry of Satan, and that they do not understand themselves,
and the woful state of their own souls. Those that see God in
the Clearest light, abhor themselves in the deepest humility, Isa.
vi. 5.
Thirdly, In the third place we are to consider what policies
Satan useth to blind the minds of them that believe not, and we
shall find there are various sorts of policies practised by the god
of this world upon the minds and understandings of men, which
he darkens. ,
1. By tempting the dispensers of the gospel to darken the truths
thereof, in the delivering of them, to shoot over toe heads of their
hearers, in lofty language and terms of art, so that common un
derstandings can give no account when toe sermon is done, what
the preacher would have; but, however, commend him for a
good scholar, and an excellent orator. I make no doubt but the
devil is very busy with ministers in their studies, tempting them,
by the pride of their own hearts, to gratify his designs herein ;
he teaches them how to paint the glass, that he might keep out the
light. & V
The more plain and intelligible our discourses are, so much
the more probable they are to be successful ; that is the most
excellent oratory that persuades men to Christ.
2. Satan hinders the access of light to the understandings of
men, by employing their minds about impertinent tilings, while

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 457
they are attending upon the ordinances of God ; thus he tempted
them, in Ezek. xxxiii. 31. 32. " And lo ! thou art unto them as
a very lovely song of one that hath a very pleasant voice." The
modulation of the prophet's voice was very pleasing to their ears,
but mean while their fancies and thoughts were wandering alter
their lusts ; their hearts were full of earthly projects.
3. Satan hinders the access of light to the understandings of
men, by raising objections, and picking quarrels with the word,
on purpose to shake its authority, and hinder the assent of tbe
understanding to it, and so the word makes no more impression
than a fable or a romance would do. And never did this design
of Satan obtain more than in this atheistical age, wherein the
main pillars and foundation of religion are shaken in the minds
of multitudes.
4. Satan hinders the access of light, by helping erroneous
minds to draw false conclusions and perverse inferences from the
great and precious truths of the gospel ; and thereby bringing
them under prejudice and contempt : Thus he assists the errors
of men's minds about the doctrine of election. If God bath cho
sen them to salvation their wickedness shall not hinder it ; and
if he have appointed them unto wratb, their diligence and self-
denial cannot prevent it. Thus also the doctrine of free grace is
by the like sophistry of Satan turned into lasciviousness. If grace
abound, men may sin the more freely.
5. Satan darkens the minds of men, and shuts them up against
the light, by blowing them up with pride and self-conceit, per
suading them that they know all these things already, and causing
them to contemn the most weighty and precious truths of God, as
trite and vulgar notions. And this temptation of his generally
prevails wherever it meets with a knowing head, matched with a
graceless and unsanctified heart.
But if he miss his design here, and truth gets into the mind,
then First, He labours to obstruct the efficacy and operation of the
light, fiv .
1 . By hastening to quench convictions betimes, and nip them
in the bud. Satan knows how dangerous a thing it is, and de
structive to his interest, to suffer convictions to continue long.
Matth. xiii. 19.
2. No sooner doth the god of this world observe the light of
truth begin to operate upon the heart, but he obstructeth tbat de
sign by procrastination and delays, and if he prevail here, ft is a
thousand to one but the work miscarries. For it is with the
heart, as it is with melted wax ; if the seal be clapped to it pre
sently, it will receive a fair impression ; but if it be let alone, but
for a little while, you can make none at all. Young persons
especially the devil persuades it were no better than madness in
them to abridge and deny themselves so much delight, and steep

458 THE METHOD OF GRACE.
their youthful thoughts in such a melancholy subject as religion
3. If all this will not do, then he endeavours to scare and
fright them out of tlieir convictions, by representing to them the
inward terrbrs and despairs into which they are about to plunge
themselves, and that henceforth they must never more expect a
pleasant day. •"
Secondly, There is yet one policy of Satan to keep souls in
darkness, and that is; by toe misapplication of truth ; persuading
them, »
1 . That whatsoever they read of hear of the misery and danger
of Christless and Unregenerate persons, doth not in the least con
cern them, but tbe more notorious and profane part of the world
Matt. xix. 20. " All these things have I kept from my youth
up." A civil, sober course of life is a most effectual blind before
the eyes of many a man's conscience.
2. It is the policy of Satan to prevent convictions by convic
tion ;¦ I mean effectual cbbvictions; by convictions that have been
ineffectual, and are now vanished away. Thus the troubles that
some persons have been under, must pass for their conversion,
though the temper of their heart be the same as it was.
3. Gifts and knowledge are improved by the policy of Satan
against the true knowlfedge of Jesus Christ, and our own estate
by nature.' Rom. ii. 17, 18. And this is the temptation and
delusion of knowing persons, who are so far from being blind in
their own account, that they account themselves the guides of the
blind : Yet who blinder than such men ?
. 4- External reformatiori is improved by the policy of Satan
against true spiritual reformation, and passes current up and down
the world for conversion. Matt. xii. 44. The cleanness of their
hands blinds them in discovering the foulness of their hearts.
5. The policy of Satan improves diligence in some duties,
against the convictions of neglect in other duties. The external
duties of religion, as hearing, prriying, fasting, against the great
duties of repenting and believing. Thus duty is improved
against duty; the externals against the internals of religion, and
multitudes are blinded this way.
6. The policy of Satan improves zeal against zeal ; he allows
men to be zealous against a false religion, if thereby he may pre
vent them from being zealous in the true religion. He diverts
their zeal against their own sins, by spending it agains. other
men's. Acts' xxii. 3. A dangerous' blind of Satan and ruinous
to many. -
7- The poliicy of Satan improves the esteem' and respect men
have for the people of God against thei. great duty and interest
to become such themselves, Rev. iii. 1. The good opiriions of
others confirm their good opinion of themselves.
8. The pdliey of Satan improves sbrindness of judgment against

THE METHOD OF GRACE. 459
soundness of heart. An orthodox head againstari orthodox heart
and We; dogmatical faith, against justifying faith. Rom. ii,
«. \?hG- P°,lc? ?-. ?ata" imProves ^e blessings of God against
toe blessings of God; persuading men that the smiles of provi
dence in their prosperity are good evidences ofthe love of God to
their souls; not at all discerning how the prosperity of fools de
ceives and destroys them.
10. The policy bf Satan improves comfort against comfort, false
and ungrounded comforts under the word, against the real grounds
of comfort lying in the soul's interest in Christ.
And thus you seefiowthegod of this world blindeth toe minds
of them that believe not, and how the gospel is hid to them that
are lost.

2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. — But if our gospel be hid, it is kid to them that
are lost; in whom tke god of this world hath blinded the minds
of them which believe not, lest the tight of the gospel of Ckrist,
wko is the image of God, should shine unto them.
The words have been opened, and this point observed : —
DoCt. That the understandings of all unbelievers are blinded
by Satan's policies, in order to their everlasting perdition.
It remains now that I open to you the dreadful nature of this
judgment of God Upon the souls of men, which will appear by
considering, 1 . The subject of this judgment, which is the soul,- the most
precious and invaluable part of man. If our bodily eyes' be
blinded, we cannot see the sun, brit if our spiritual eye be blinded
we cannot see God, we wander in the paths of sin. We are led
blindfold to hell by Satan, as the Syrians were in Samaria, 2
Kings iv. 19, 20. And then our eyes like theirs will be opened
to see our misery when it is too late. O what a sad thing is ft,
that the devil should lead that that leads thee ! That he should sit
at the helm, and steer thy course to damnation !
2. It is a dreadful judgment, if we corisider the object abbUt
which the understanding is blinded, which is Jesus Christ, and
Anion with him'; regeneration and the nature and necessity
thereof. For this blindness is not universal, but respective and
particular. , The literal knowledge of Jesus Christ shines clearly
w our understanding. We are only blinded about those things
which should give us saving interest in him, about toe effectual
application of Christ to our own souls.
3v The dreadful nature of this spiritual blindness farther appears

460 the method of grace.
from the consideration of the season in which ft befals men, which
is toe very time of God's patience, and the only opportunity they
have for salvation. Luke xix. 42. Time signifies nothing when
opportunities are gone ; to be blinded in the very season of sal
vation, is the judgment of all judgments, the greatest misery in
cident to man ; to have our eyes opened when the seasons of
salvation are past, is but an aggravation of misery. If God open
them now, it is by way of prevention ; if they be not opened till
then, it will produce desperation.
4. The horrible nature of 'this judgment farther appears from
the exceeding difficulty of curing it, especially in men of excellent
natural endowments and accomplishments. John ix. 40, 41.
these are " the blind people that have eyes ;" Isa. Ixiii. 8. In
seeing they see not. The conviction of such men is next to an im
possibility. 5. The design and end of this blindness under the gospel is
most dreadful ; so saith my text. Answerable whereunto are
those words, Isa. vi. " Make the heart of this people fat, and
make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with
their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their
hearts, and convert, and be healed." So that it is plain, this
blinding is apreeludium to damnation, as tbe covering of Haman's
face was to his destruction.
Inf. 1 . If this be the case of the unbelieving world, to be so
blinded by the god of this world, how little should we value the
censures and slanders of this blind world ? Certainly they should
move no other affection but pity in our soul: if their eyes were
opened, their mouths would be shut ; they would never traduce
religion as toey do, if Satan had not blinded their minds : but
their reproaches, which they let fly so freely, are but so many
arrows shot by the blind man's bow. Beware, Christians, that
you give them no occasion to blaspheme the name of your God,
and then never trouble yourselves, however they use your names.
Should such men speak well of us, we might justly suspect
ourselves of some iniquity which administers to them the occa
sions of it.
Inf. 2. How absurd and dangerous must it be for Christians
to follow the examples of the blind world? Let the blind follow
the blind, but let not those whom God hath enlightened do so.
Christians, never let those lead you, who are led blindfold by the
devil themselves. If they will walk with you in the way of duty
and holmess, let them come and welcome ; receive them with both
arms, and be glad of their company ; but beware you walk not
in their paths, lest they be a snare unto you. Did they see the
end of their way, they would never walk in it themselves ; why
then will you who, do see it, walk with them.
Inf. 3. If this be so, let Christians be exact and circumspect in
their walking, lest tkey lay a stumbling-block before the blind.

THE method of grace. 461
O professors, look to your steps ; the devil desires to make use
of you for such purposes. The sins of thousands of others, who
make no profession of godliness, will never so fit his purpose for
the blinding of those men's eyes, as the least slip or failing of
yours will do. It is the living bird that makes the best stale to
draw others into the net. You little know what mischief you do,
and how many blind sinners may fall into hell by your occasion.
Inf. 4. How dangerous a thing is zeal in a wicked man ? It is
like a sharp sword in a blind man's hand, or like high mettle in
a blind horse. How much hath the church of God suffered upon
this account, and doth suffer at tbis day. O blind sinners, be
sure of your mark before you discharge your arrows. If you shoot
at a wicked man as you suppose bim, and God finds one of his
dear children wounded or destroyed, what account will you give
of that fact to God when you shall come before his judgment-
seat? This point is very improveable by way of exhortation.
1. To those who are still blinded by the god of this world, to
whom the Lord hath not given unto this day eyes to see thei.
misery in themselves, or their remedy in Christ. 'O that you
would be convinced that your knowledge vastly differs from the
knowledge of believers. Though you know the same things that
they do, it is a knowledge of another kind and nature : whatever
light there be in your understandings, it makes no alteration at
all upon your hearts. The light brings them to heaven. Yours
shall be blown out. by death, and yourselves left in the mists of
eternal darkness, except your eyes be opened seasonably by the
anointing of the Holy Ghost. Conviction is a great part of your
cure. Attend therefore upon the ordinances of the gospel diligently ;
that is God's enlightening instrument, by which be cures those
cataracts which blind the eyes of men's understandings, Acts
xxvi. 28. And if ever you will have your eyes opened, allow
yourselves time to ponder and consider what you hear. The
duty of meditation is a very enlightening duty : above all, cry to
the Lord Jesus Christ as that poor man did, " Lord, that I may
receive my sight." Lord, open mine eyes, and make me to see
out of this obscurity : All the light that is in me is but darkness.
0 Lord, enlighten my darkness, enlighten mine eyes, lest I sleep
the sleep of death.
" 2. Let it be a word of counsel and exhortation to such as once
were blind, but see now. .
I beseech you, bless God for the least degree of spiritual illu
mination. " Truly light is sweet, and it is a pleasant thing tor
the eyes to behold toe sun." But O how sweet is spiritual light,
and what a pleasant thing to behold the Sun of righteousness.
Labour to get a clearer sight of spiritual things every day. t or

4,62 the method of grace.
all spiritual Mght is increasing light, " which shineth more and
more unto the perfect day."
Walk as men whose eyes are opened. " Once ye were in
darkness, now ye are light in toe Lord ; walk as children of the
light-" Think what mischievous effects the abuse of your light
will havp upon this blind world? It was a smart rebuke given
once by an Atheist, who being asked how hp could satisfy his,
conscience: to live as he did? Nay rather, said the Atheist, I
Wonder how you can satisfy yourself to live as you do ; for did I
believe as you do, that there is such a Christ, and such a glory as:
you believe there are, I would pray and live at another rate than,
you do. CONCLUSION,
And now, reader, after all my discourses of the method of Christ
in purchasing the great salvation for us, and the way of the Spirit
in applying it, and making it effectual to God's elect, thou hast
two Wonders] Defore thine eyes, either of which may astonish thy
soul, 1. Behold the riches of the, goodness and mercy of God in
preparing such a remedy as this for lost man, It, might be justly'
expeqted, that when this glorious mystery should come to be
published by the gospel in the ears of sinners, all, eyes should be,
withdrawn from all; other objects, and fixed with admiration upon
Christ, all hearts should be ravished with these glad tidingS, and
every man pressing to Christ with the greatest, zeal and diligence.
But behold, instead thereof,
2. The desperate wickedness of the world, in rejecting the
only remedy prepared for them. This was long since foretold by
the prophet, Isa. liii. 3. "He is despised and rejected of men."
The Pagan world hath no. knowledge of him, they are lost in
darkness. The Mahometans which overspread so great a part ofthe
world reject him, and instead of the blessed gospel which they
hiss. at i with abhorrence, embrace toe blasphemous and ridiculous;
Alcoran. '
The Jews reject, him with abhorrence, andi spit, at his very
name, and ' being blind-folded by the devil, they call Jesus
Anathema. The, far greater part, of the ; Christianized world reject, him ;
those that are called after his name, will not submit to ,his go
vernment. The nobles of the world think themselves dishonoured
by submitting to his yoke. The sensualists of the World will not
deny their lusts, or forsake their pleasures, for all the treasures
of righteousness, life and peace, which his blood hath purchased.
Worldlings of the earth prefer the dirt and dung of the world

the method of grace. 463
before him ; and few there be among tliem that profess Christi
anity, who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity.
But now, reader, let me tell thee, that if ever God send forth
those two grim Serjeants, his law and thine own conscience, to
arrest thee for thy sins, if thou findest thyself dragged away by
them, towards that prison from whence none return, and that in
this unspeakable distress Jesus Christ manifest himself to thy
soul and open thy heart to receive him, and become thy surety
with God, and cancel all thy obligations, thou wilt love him at
another rate than others do. To work thy heart to this frame,
these things are written, which the Lord prosper upon thy soul,
by the blessing of his good spirit upon thee.
Blessed be God for Jesus Christ.

A
TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.

Gen. ii. f. — And the Lord God formed man out ofthe dust ofthe
ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and
man became a living soul.
" Three things (saith Athanasius) are unknown to men ac
cording to their essence, viz. God, angels, and the souls of men."
How have toe schools of philosophers abused and troubled the
World with a kind of philosophical enthusiasm, and a great many
ridiculous fancies about the origin of the soul of man ! and when
all is done the three words of God, by the pen of his inspired
Moses, enlighten us more than all toe subtle notions of the acci
dental concretion of atoms, their anima mundi, and the rest of
their unintelligible fancies could ever do.
The inspirsd penman gives us, in this context, a compendious
narrative of the world's creation, and then more particularly of
the various beautiful beings, thence educed by the motion ofthe
Spirit of God upon the face of the waters. But as the palaces of
princes are not beautified and adorned, to the intent that men
should pay their respects and honours to toe walls, but to shew
the grandeur and magnificence of the king, to whose person their
honour is due ; so the world is a glorious and magnificent pile,
raised designedly to exhibit the wisdom and power of its Creator
to the reasonable creature man, that from him God might receive
the glory of all his other works. Of this'creature man, the mas
ter-piece of all the visible world, Moses in the next place, gives
us the account both of his original, whence he came, and of his
dignity, what he is.
I. The original of the body of man. " Dust was its original
matter ; bf dust was it made, and into dust it must be resolved,
Gen. iii. 19. The consideration is humbling, and serves to tame
the pride of man." His body was not made of heavenly matter,
as the radient sun and sparkling stars : no, nor yet the most
precious and orient earthly matter, but ofthe vile and despicable
dust. We find that the sprinkling of dust upon new writing prevents
many a foul blot : I am sure, the sprinkling of our original dust

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 465
upon our minds by serious consideration, is the way to prevent
many a proud boast.
However, toe baseness of the matter, and coarseness of the
stuff, serves to set off the admirable skill of the most wise and
powerful Architect, who out of such mean, despicable materials,
has fashioned so exact and elegant a piece. " The Lord God
formed man out ofthe dust." But when all is done, it is but the
case in which that inestimable jewel, the soul, was to be lodged.
This, therefore, I must lay aside, and come to the more noble
subject, II. The soul of man : about which we observe,
1. The nature and property of ft, a living soul. The word
signifying to breath or respire. God's breath infused it, and
our breath continues it in union with the body.
The epithet living, the Arabic renders a rational soul, and
indeed, none but rational deserves the name ; other forms or
souls, which are of an earthly extract, do both depend on, and
die with the matter out of which they were educed ; but this being
of another nature, a spiritual and substantial being, is therefore
rightly stiled a living soul.
The Chaldee renders it, a speaking soul. And indeed , it de
serves remark, that the ability of speech is conferred on no other
soul but man's. Speech is proper only to a rational, or a speak
ing soul ; it distinguishes the soul of man from all other souls.
2. We find here toe best account that ever was given of the
origin of the soul of man, or whence it came, and from whom it
derives its being. " God breathed info his nostrils the breath of
life, and man became a living soul." It flows by way of creation,
immediately from the Father of spirits ; but yet is a spirit of an
inferior rank and order.
3. We have also the account of the manner of its infusion into
the body, viz. by the same breath of God which gave it being.
We cannot trace the way of the Spirit, or tell in what manner it
was united with this clod of earth. But it is enough that he who
formed it, did also unite, or marry it to the body.
4. Lastly, We have here toe nexus, the tie or band by which
it is united with the body of man, viz. the breath of his nostrils.
It is a most astonishing mystery to see heaven and earth married
together in one person ; the dust of the ground and an immortal
spirit clasping each other with such tender love ; such a noble
and divine guest to take up its residence within the walls of flesh
and blood. Alas, how little affinity, and yet what dear affection
is found betwixt them !
Now, that which so sweetly links these two different natures
together, and holds them in union, is nothing else but the breath
of our nostrils. All the rich elixirs and cordials in the world
cannot persuade it to stay one minute after the breath is gone.
One puff of breath will carry away the wisest, holiest, and most
H H

466 A TREATISE of THE SOUL OF MAN.
«
desirable soul that ever dwelt in flesh. " Thou takest away their
breath, they die, and return to their dust."
Doct. 1 . That the soul of man is of a divine origin, created and
inspired immediately by tke Lord.
The first thing which arrests our thoughts and requires their
attention and exercise, is the nature ofthe soul, or what kind of
being it is.
Those that are most curiously inquisitive into all other beings,
and put nature upon the rack to make her confess her secrets, are
in the mean time found shamefully slight and negligent in the
study of themselves. Few there are that can prevail with them
selves to sit down and think close to such questions as these.
What manner of being is this soul of mine ? whence came it ? why
was it infused into this body ? and where must it abide, when
death has dislodged it out of this frail tabernacle ? There is a na
tural aversion in man to such exercises of thought as these, al
though in the whole universe of beings in this lower world, a
more noble creature is not to be found.
The soul is the most wonderful and astonishing piece of divine
workmanship ; it is no hyperbole to call it the breath of God, the
beauty of men, the wonder of angels, and the envy of devils. One
soul is of more value than all the bodies in the worid.
The soul of man ~ is a vital, spiritual, and immortal sub
stance, endowed With an understanding, will, and various affec
tions ; created with an inclination to the body, and infused
thereinto by the Lord. I. It is a substance.
That is to say, not a quality, nor an accident inhering in
another being, or subject ; as whiteness doth in the snow : but a
being by itself ; which will evidently appear upon toe following
grounds. 1. Because it is, in a strict and proper sense, created by God,
"Heformeth, or createth the spirit in man," Zech. xii. 1. To
him we are advised to " commit it, as to a faithful Creator."
2. This evidencpth the soul to be a substance ; that it can and
doth exist, and subsist by itself when separated from the body
by death. " Fear not them that kill the body, but cannot kill the
soul." Were the soul but an accident, a quality, he that kills the
body must needs kill the soul too ; as he that casts a snow-ball
into toe fire, must needs destroy the whiteness with the snow.
When the Spaniards came first among the poor Indians, they
thought the horse and his rider to be one creature ; as many ig
norant ones think the soul and body of man to be nothing but
breath and body : whereas indeed, they are two distinct creature's,

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 467
as vastly, different in their natures as the rider and his horse, or
the bird and his cage.
3. Both scripture and philosophy consent in this, that the soul
is the chief, most noble, and principal part of man, from which
the whole man is, and ought to be denominated. So Gen. xlvi.
26. " All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt." The
apostle, in 2 Cor. v. 8. seems to exclude the body from the notion
of personality, when he saith, We are willing rather to be absent
from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Now if it be
the chief part of man, and that which is only worthy the name of
man, if it be so far from depending on the body, toat the body
rather depends upon it, then surely the soul must be, what we
describe it to be, a substantial being.
4. It is past all controversy, that the soul is a substance, be
cause it is the subject of properties, affections and habits. All the
affections and passions of hope, desire, love, delight, fear, sorrow,
and the rest, are all rooted in it, and springing out of it ; and for
habits, arts and sciences, it is the soul in which they are lodged
and seated. Having once gotten a promptitude to act, by some
frequently repeated acting, they abide in the soul, even when the
acts are intromitted, as in sleep, a navigator, scribe, or musician,
are really artists, when they are neither sailing, or writing, or
playing ; because the habits still remain in their minds, as is evi
dent in this, that when they awake, they can perform their several
works, without learning the rules of their art anew.
II. The soul is a vital substance, i. e.
A substance which hath an essential principle of life in itself ;
a living, active being ; and hereby it is distinguished from, and
opposed to, matter or body. Take mere matter, and compound
or divide it, alter ft, and change it how you will, you can never
make it see, feel, hear, or act vitally without a quickening and
actuating soul. Yet the soul, though it hath this vital power in
itself, it hath it not from itself, but in a constant receptive de
pendence upon God, the first cause, both of its being and power.
III. It is a spiritual substance.
All substances are not gross, material, visible and palpable
substances ; but there are spiritual and immaterial, as well as
corporeal substances, discernable by sight or touch. To deny
this were to turn a downright Sadducee, and to deny the existence
of angels and spirits, Acts xxiii. 8.
It rejoiceth in the essential properties of a spirit : For it is an
incorporeal substance, as spirits are. It hath no dimensions and
figures as matter hath ; but it is a most pure, invisible, and indis-
cernable substance. There is (saith a learned author) no greater
hh2

468 A TREATISE OF THE S0DL OF MAN.
mystery in nature, than the union betwixt soul and body : That
a mind and spirit should be so tied and linked to a clod of clay,
that while that remains in a due temper, it cannot by any art or
power free itself ! — What so much a-kin are a mind and a piece
of earth, a clod and a thought, that they shall be thus affixed to
one another ?
Certainly the heavenly bodies do not differ so much from a
dunghill, as the soul and body differ. They differ but as more
pure and less pure matter ; but these, as material and imma
terial. Again, we are beings conscious to ourselves of several kinds
of cogitations ; that by our outward senses we apprehend bodily
things present ; and by our imagination we apprehend things
absent ; and that we oft recover into our apprehension things
past and . gone, and, upon our perception of things, we find our
selves variously affected.
Let these properties of a soul and body be considered. No
man can think the combining of fire, and air, and water, and
earth should make the lump of it to know and comprehend, what
is done to it, or by it. We see manifestly, tbat upon the divi
sion of the body, the soul remains entire and undivided. It is
not the loss of a limb that can maim the understanding, or toe
will, or cut off the affections. All which shew it to be no corpo
real, but a spiritual and immaterial substance. Moreover at
death it returns to that great Spirit from whence it came. It is
not annihilated, or resolved into soft air, or sucked up again by
the element of fire, or caught back into the soul of the world, as
some have dreamed ; but it returns to God who gave it, to give
an account of itself to him, and to receive its judgment from
him. By all which we see, that as it is elevated too high on the one
hand, when it is made a particle of God himself ; so it is de
graded too low, when it is affirmed to be matter, though the
purest, finest, and most subtle in nature.
IV. It is an immortal substance.
The simplicity and spirituality of its nature, plainly shews us,
toat it is in its very nature designed for immortality ; for such a
being or substance as this hath none of the seeds of corruption
and death in its nature, as all material and compounded beings
have. It hath nothing within it tending to dissolution, and if the
soul die, it must be either from some seeds, and principles of
death and corruption within itself, or by some destructive power
without itself. In itself there is no seed or principles of death,
and the power of no creature can destroy it ; Mat. x. 28. and
though the Almighty power of God, can easily reduce it to
nothing ; yet he will never^ do so. For the designation of

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. - 469
eternity, which is discernable in its very nature, speaks the inten
tion of God to perpetuate the threatenings of eternal wrath, and
promises of everlasting life, respectively made to the souls of
men, as they shall be found in or out of Christ.
Let us proceed to the consideration of its faculties and powers.
It is a vital, spiritual, and immortal substance, endued wilh an
understanding.
This is the noble leading faculty of the soul : We are not dis
tinguished from brutes by our senses, but by our understandings.
As grace sets one man above another, so understanding sets the
meanest man above the best of brutes. Strange and wonderful
things are performed by toe natural instinct and sagacity of beasts,
but yet what is said of one, is true of them all, " God hath not
imparted understanding to them," Job. xxxix. 17. This is a
jewel which adorns none but rational creatures, men and angels,
and it hath a two-fold use in the life of man, viz.
1. To distinguish truth from error and falsehood. By this
candle of the Lord, lighted up in the soul of man, he may discern.
betwixt duty and sin, good and evil : It is the eye of the soul, by
which it seeth the way in which we should go, and the dangerous
precipices that are on either side.
2. To direct and guide us in our practice. It sits at the helm,
and guides the course of the soul ; not impelling, or rigorously
enforcing its dictates upon the will ; but pointing, as it were, with
its finger, what it ought to chuse, and what to refuse.
To this faculty belong two other excellent and wonderful powers.
1. The power or ability of cogitation ; " 'Thoughts are properly
the actings and the agitations ofthe mind, or any actual opera
tion of the understanding." They are the musings of the mind,
which are acted in the speculative part of the understanding.
The objects presented to the mind are the companions with
whom our hearts talk and converse. This power of cogitation
goes with the soul, and is rooted in it when ft is separated from
the body ; and by it we speak to God, and converse with angels,
and other spirits in the unbodied state.
2. The conscience belongs also to this faculty ; for it being
the judgment of a man upon himself, with respect or relation to
the judgment of God, it must needs belong to the understanding.
It is a very high and awful power ; it rides (as Joseph did) in the
second chariot ; the next and immediate officer under God. It
observes, records, and bears witness of all our actions ; and ac
quits and condemns, as in the name of God, for them. Its con
solations are most sweet, and its condemnations most terrible :
so terrible, that some have chosen death, rather than to endur
the scorching heat of their own consciences. It accompanies us
as our shadow wherever we go : and when all others forsake us,

470 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
(as at death they will) conscience is then with us, and is never
more active and vigorous than at tbat time. Nor does it forsake
us after death ; but where the soul goes, it goes, and will be its
companion . in the other world for ever. How glad would the
damned be if they might but have left their consciences behind
them : but as Bernard says, " It is both witness, judge, tor
mentor, and prison."
God hath endued the soul of man not only with an understand
ing to discern and direct, but also a will to govern, moderate,
and over-rule the actions of life.
The will is a faculty of the rational soul, whereby a man either
chuseth or refuseth the things which toe understanding discerns
and knows.
This is a very high and noble power ofthe soul. The under
standing seems to bear the same relation to the will, as a
grave counsellor doth to a great prince. It glories in two ex
cellencies. 1. It hath freedom and liberty; it cannot be compelled and
forced : Coercion is repugnant to its very nature. In tois it dif
fers from the understanding that the understanding is wrought
upon necessarily, but the will acts spontaneously. The libertyof
the will must be understood to be in things natural, which are
within its own proper sphere, not in things supernatural. It can
move, or not move the body, as it pleases, but it cannot move
towards Christ, in the way of faith, as it pleaseth ; it can open or
shut tbe hand or eye at its pleasure, but not toe heart. True, in
deed* it is not compelled, or forced to turn to God by superna
tural grace, but in a way suitable to its nature, it is determined
and drawn to Christ, Psal. ex. 3. but still the pride of nature will
not let men see toe necessity of divine efficacious influences upon
the will and the consistency thereof with natural liberty.
2. Its dignity lies in its dominion, as well as in its liberty. The
will, like an absolute sovereign, reigns over the body, i. e. its ex
ternal members by way of absolute command. The obsequious
members of the body, like so many servants, have their eyes
waiting upon the imperial commarids.of the will, and it is admir
able to behold with what dispatch and speed they execute its
commands, as if their obedient motions were rather concomitant
than subsequent acts to the will's mandates. Let it but command
to have the windows of the body open or shut, and it is done in a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye ; and so for the rest of the
external senses and members, they pay it most ready obedi
ence. It can bridle and restrain the affections and passions, but
it hath no absolute command over the inner, as it hath over the
outward man. It cannot, with all its power and skill command
and fetch off the thoughts from some subjects, which are set
on, with extraordinary weight upon the soul. However, the
thoughts may obsequiously follow its beck at some times, yet

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 471
there are cases and seasons, in which its authority and persua
sions cannot disengage one thought. It cannot quiet and com
pose a raging conscience, and reduce it at its pleasure to rest and
peace. This is the peculiar work of God. He only that stills
the stormy seas, can |quiet toe distressed and tempestous soul.
The impotence ofthe will, in this case, is known to all that have
been in these deeps of trouble. And this is the misery of the
devil and the damned, that though they would ever so fain, yet
they cannot get rid of those tormenting impressions made
upon them by their own trembling and condemning consciences.
These things are exempt from the liberty and dominion of the
will of man ; but notwithstanding these exemptions, it is a noble
faculty, and bath a vastly extended empire in the soul, it is the
door at which the Spirit of God knocks for entrance. When this
is won, the soul is won to Christ; and if this stand out in rebel
lion against him, he is barred; out ofthe soul, and can have no
saving union with it. The truth of grace is to be judged and dis
cerned by its compliance with his call, and the measure of grace
to be estimated by the degree of its subjection to his will.
The soul of man is riot only endued with an understanding
and will, but -also with various affections and passions, which are
of great use and speak the excellency of its nature : for the true
happiness and rest of the soul not being in itself, nor in any other
creature, but in God, the soul must necessarily move out of itself.
And seeing ft is to meet with many obstacles, enemies, and dif
ficulties in its course, which hinder its motion, and hazard its
fruition of him, God hath planted in it, fear, grief, indignation,
jealousy, anger, &c. to grapple with, and break through those
intercurrent difficulties and hazards.
But the soul considered in full union with and fruition of God,
its supreme happiness, is accordingly furnished with affections of
love, delight, and joy, whereby it rests in him and enjoys its
proper blessedness in his presence for ever. Yea, even in this
life, these affections are in an imperfect degree exercised upon
God, according to the prelibations and enjoyments it hath of him
by faith, in its way to heaven. But alas ! how are they corrupted
and inverted by sin !
The soul of man hath, in the very frame and nature of it, an
inclination to the body.
The soul of a brute is wholly confined to, and dependent on
the matter or body with which it is united. It is dependent on
it, both in its being and working ; it is but a material form,
which arises from, and perisheth with the body:
An angel is a spirit free from a body, and created without an
appetite of inclination to be embodied.
¦" An angel is a perfect soul, and an human soul is an imper
fect angel." Yet angels have no such rooted disaffection to a
body, but they have assumed bodies, for a time, i. e. serial bodies

472 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
in the figure and shapeof human bodies, Gen. xviii. 2. But they
abide in these bodies, as we do in an inn, for a night, or short
season ; they dwell not in them as our souls in those houses of
flesh, which we cannot put on and off at pleasure as they do ; but
as we walk in our garments, which we can put off without pain.
The human soul is neither wholly tied to the body, as the
brutal soul is ; nor created without inclination to a body, as angels
are ; but loves and inclines to it, though it can both live and act
without it, when it is parted from it at death. And now we are
come to the II. Branch, viz. Its origin and infusion.
As to its origin, I have described it to be immediately from
God, in the way of creation : an honour done to no other living
creature except angels. The world hath been troubled with a
great many extravagant and wild notions about the origin of the
soul of man ; a certain mark of its apostacy from God. " Sol i-
nus writes of one, who by a wound in the hinder part of his head,
fell into such a degree of ignorance and oblivion, that he forgot
his own name, and could not tell whether he had any name at
all." But oh ! what a stunning blow did man receive by the fall,
that he should forget the very Author of his being, and rather
claim alliance, and derive the being of his soul from any thing
than God.
Some affirm it to be by way of traduction, or natural generation.
This opinion is very ancient ; but antiquity is no passport for
errors. The grey hairs of opinion, as one well notes, are then
honourable, when they are found in the way of truth. m
A second opinion was, That they were procreated by angels :
and that which gave the ground to this opinion, was the similitude
or resemblance which is found betwixt angels and the souls of
men. But this fancy needs not any industry to overthrow it ; for
though there is a resemblance betwixt angels and souls, both
being immaterial and spiritual substances, yet angels neither
propagate by generation, nor is it in their power to create the
least fly or worm in the world, much less the soul of man, the
highest, the noblest, and most excellent being.
A third sort there are, who affirm that God created them to
gether and at once, as the angels were, and not one by one, as
men are born into the world ; and that it was for some former
sins of theirs, they slid -down into gross matter, and were caught
into a vital union With it.
But this is a pure creature of fancy ; for no soul in the world
is conscious to itself, of such a pre-existence ; nor doth the scrip
ture give us the least hint of any such thing. Pre-existence,
therefore, is but a dream. <
In Heb. xii. 9. God is called the Father of spirits or of souls,

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 473
and that in an emphatical antithesis, or contradistinction to our
natural fathers. Hence it appears evident, that our souls flow to
us immediately from God, their proper Father, in the way of
creation. The body, as to its material cause, is dust ; the soul, in its
nature, is a spirit, and as to its origin, God gave it the being it
hath by creation, and gave it to us, i. e. to our bodies by inspi
ration, Eccl. xii. 17-
Objec. It isurged, that it is manifest and generally yielded,
that the souls of all other creatures come by generation, and,
therefore, it is probable that human souls flow in the same chan
nel also.
Sol. There is a specific difference betwixt rational souls and
the souls of all other creatures.
What animal is there in the world, out of whose soul the acts
of reason spring and flow, as they do out of human souls? Are
they capable of learning the arts and sciences ? Can they demon
strate a star to be far greater than the whole earth, which to the
eye seems no bigger than the rowel of a spur ? Do they foreknow
the positions and combination of the planets, and the eclipses of
the sun and moon many years before they take place ? And if
they cannot perform these acts of reason, as it is sure they cannot,
how much less can they know, fear, love, or delight in God, and
long for the enjoyment of him !
Besides, that which is generable, is also corruptible, as we see
trees, animals, <Sfc. ,• but the soul is not corruptible. So that
Adam's soul, and the souls of his posterity spring not from each
other, but all from God by creation.
Obj. If tbe soul be created and infused immediately by God,
how comes it to be defiled and tainted with sin ?
Sol. The answer is, they are impure and tainted as soon as
united. For the union constitutes a child of Adam, and conse
quently a sinful impure creature.
The body doth as really (though we know not how) affect the
soul with its dispositions, as the soul influences it with life and
motion. That this infection is by way of physical agency, as a
rusty scabbard infects and defiles a bright sword when sheathed
therein, I will not confidently affirm as .some do. It may be by
way of natural concomitancy, or to speak, as Dr. Reynold, by
way of ineffable resultancy and emanation.
Upon the whole, original sin consists in two things, viz.
In the privation ol that original rectitude which ought tobe in
us : and an inordinate inclination to evil.
This privation and inordinate inclination, make up that original
corruption, the rise whereof we are searching for.
Whosoever wants original rectitude, naturally inclines to that
which is evil. And so the propension of nature to that which is

474 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
evil, seems to be" by way of concomitancy with the defect or want
of original righteousness.
And tous I have given some account of the nature and origin
of the soul of man.
Fearfully and wonderfully then am I made, and designed for
nobler ends and uses, that for a few days to eat, and drink, and
sleep, and talk and die. My soul is ef more value than ten thou
sand worlds. What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Inference 1 . From the substantial nature of the soul, we are
informed, That great is ihe difference betwixt the death of a man
and the death of all other creatures in the world. Their souls de
pend on, and perish with their bodies ; but ours neither result from
them nor perisb with them.
The soul of man, like the bird in the shell, is still growing in
sin or grace, till at last the shell breaks by death, and the soul
flies away to the place it is prepared for, and where it must abide
for ever. The body, which is but its shell, perisheth ; but the
soul lives when it is fallen away.
How doth this consideration expose and aggravate the folly arid
madness of this sensual world, who herd themselves with beasts,
though they have souls so near akin to angels ! Happy had it
been for such men (if they so live and die) that their souls had
been of no higher extraction, or larger capacity, or longer dura
tion than that of a beast. And such they will one day wish they
had been.
Inf. 2. The soul of man being a substance, and not depending
on the body or any other fellow creature, There can be no reason
why its blessedness should be delayed till the resurrection of the
body. It will be found, that what perfection soever the body receives
from the soul, and how necessary soever its dependence upon it,
the soul receives not its perfection from the body. Yea, I doubt
not but after death it enjoys itself in a much more sweet and
perfect liberty than ever it did, or could, whilst it was clogged
and fettered with a body of flesh. Before the eyes of toe dead
body are closed, I doubt not, but the believing soul, with open
eyes, beholdeth the face of Jesus Christ, Luke xxiii. 43.
Inf. 3. The souls of men being created immediately out of no
thing, it follows, That ati souls by nature are of equal value and

The soul of the poorest beggar that cries at the door for a crust,
is, in its own nature, of equal dignity and value with the soul of
the most glorious monarch that sits upon the throne.
These poor despised souls, that are now lodged in crazy, des
picable bodies on the earth, have, in their natures, a capacity for
the same employments and enjoyments with those in heaven.
They have no higher origin than these have, and these have the

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 475
same capacity and ability with them. They are beings improve
able by grace, to the highest perfection attainable by any crea
ture. ,
AH souls are rated and valued in God's book, and account, at
one and the same price ; and therefore by nature are of equal
worth and dignity. Moses, Abraham, Paul, &c. did not cost
Christ any thing more than poor Lazarus, or the meanest among
all the saints did. " The righteousness of Christ is unto all, and
upon all. that believe, for there is no difference," Rom. iii. 22.
But yet we must not understand this parity of human souls
universally, or in all respects. God bath lodged some souls in
strong, vigorous, comely bodies ; others in feeble, crazy, de
formed, and uncomfortable ones. There is a remarkable dif
ference also betwixt soul and soul, in respect of natural gifts and
abilities of mind. What a prodigy of memory, fancy, and judg
ment, was father Paul, the Venetian ! and Suarez, of whom Strada
saith, that he had all St. Augustine's works (the most copious of
all the fathers) as it were by heart. And yet Pasquier relates
what is much more admirable of a young man, who came to
P*aris, in the 20th year of his age, in 1445, so excellent in all the
arts, sciences, and languages, that if a man of ordinary wit, and
sound constitution, should live an hundred years, and study in
cessantly, without eating, drinking, sleeping, or any recreation, he
could hardly attain to that perfection. And yet a far greater dif
ference is made betwixt one soul and another, by the sanctifying
work of the Spirit -f God. Lastly, a wonderfril difference will
be made betwixt one soul and another, by the judgment of God
in the great day. Some will be blesssed, and others cursed
souls, some received into glory, others shut out into everlasting
misery. Inf. 4, If God be the immediate creator, and former of the
soul of man, Then sin must needs involve tke most unnatural evil
in il. No title can be so full, so absolute, as toat which creation
gives. Now for a creatue to turn rebelliously upon its absolute
Owner, whose only, and wholly, it is ; upon its supreme Gov
ernor and bountiful Benefactor ; Blush, O heavens, at this, and
be ye horribly afraid ! O cursed sin, the'evil of all evils, which
no epithet can match ; no name worse than its own can be in
vented, sinful sin. This is as if some venomous branch should
drop poison upon the root that bears it. Oh, how just must their
perdition be, who casting off the very bonds of nature, turn again
with enmity against that God, in whom they both live, and move,
and have their being.
Inf. 5. If God create and inspire the reasonable soul immedi
ately, This should instruct ahd incite ati Christian parents to
pray earnestly for their children.
We know that as soon as ever God infuses their souls into
them, sin presently enters, and death by sin, and that by us, as

476 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
the instruments of conveying it to them : which should have the
efficacy of a mighty argument with us to lay our prayers and
tears for mercy in toe very foundation ofthat union. O ! ye can
not begin your suits for mercy too early for them, nor can conti
nue them too long, though your prayers measure all the time, be
twixt their conception and their death. '
Inf. 6. Moreover, if God hath created our souls vital sub
stances to animate those bodies, How indispensably necessary is
it that such a principle of spiritual life do quicken and govern
that soul which quickens and governs our bodies.
The natural soul rules and uses the body as an artificer doth
his tools and except the Lord renew it by grace, Satan will rule
that which rules thee, and so all thy members will be instru
ments of iniquity to fight against God.
Inf. 7. Moreover, from the immaterial and spiritual nature of
the soul, we are informed, That communion with God, and the
enjoyment of him, are the true and proper intentions and purposes
for which the soul of man was created.
Such a nature as this is not fitted to live upon gross, material,
and perishing things as the body doth. Alas ! the soul can no
more eat, drink, and be merry with carnal things, than the body
can with spiritual and immaterial things : but bring it to a recon
ciled God in Christ, to the covenant of grace, and the sweet
promises of the gospel : and if it be a sanctified renewed soul, it
can make a rich feast upon these. Isa. xxv. 6. Spiritual things
are proper food for spiritual and immaterial souls.
Inf. 8. The spiritual nature of the soul farther informs us,
That no acceptable service can be performed to God, except the
soul be employed and engaged therein.
Spirits only, can have communion with that great Spirit.
They were made spirits for that very end, that they might be ca
pable, of converse with the Father of spirits, " They that worship
him must worship him in spirit and in truth ; " that is, with inward
love, fear, delight, and desires of soul. What pleasure can God
take in the fruits and evidences of men's hypocrisy ?
Inf. 9. How muck are tke spirits of men sunk by sin, below
the dignity and excellency of their nature ?
That noble, spiritual, heaven-born creature tbe soul, whose
element and centre God alone should be, is now fallen into a deep
oblivion both of God and itself, and wholly spends its strength
in the pursuit of sensual and earthly enjoyments, and becomes a
mere drudge and slave to the body. Carnal things now measure
out and govern its delights and hopes, its fears and sorrows. It
was a great saying of an Heathen, I am greater, and born
to greater things, than that I should ever be a slave to my
body. Inf. 10. Is the soul of man a vital, spiritual, and immortal sub
stance ? Then it is no wonder, that we find impressions of the

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 477
world to come, naturally engraven upon the souls of men all the
world over.
The impressions and sentiments of another life after this, do
as naturally and necessarily spring out of an immortal nature, as
branches spring out of the body of a tree, or feathers out of the
body of a bird. We are beings conscious to ourselves of a future
state, and that our souls do not vanish when our breath doth :
that we cease not to be when we cease to breathe.
And this is common to'the most barbarous and savage Heathens :
" They shew (saith the apostle) the work of the law written in
their hearts. Their ignorance and barbarity cannot stifle these
sentiments and impressions of a future state, and a just tribunal
to which all must come. And the universality of it plainly
evinces, toat it springs not out of education, but the very nature of
an immortal soul.
Inf. 1 1. Hath God endued the soul of man with understand
ing, will, and affections, whereby it is made capable of knowing,
loving, and enjoying God ? It is then no wonder to find the
malice and envy of Satan engaged against man more than any
other creature, and against the soul of man, rather than any
thing else in man.
It cut Haman to the heart, to see tbe honour that was done to
Mordecai ; much more doth it gall Satan, to see what Jesus Christ
hath purchased and designed for the souls of men : holiness is
what he hates, and happiness is the object of his envy : the soul
being the subject of both, is therefore pursued by him as his
prey. Inf. 12. Upon the consideration both of its excellent nature
and divine original, it follows, That the corruption and defac
ing oj such an excellent creature by sin deserves to be lamented
and greatly bewailed ; and the recovery of it by sanctification
to be studied and diligently prosecuted, as the great concern
of all men.
What a beautiful and blessed creature was the soul of man at
first, whilst it stood in its integrity ? Principles of holiness and
righteousness were inlaid in the frame of man's mind, there was
no obliquity, not a jar with the Divine will ; but joy and peace
continually transfused through all its faculties ! But sin hath
stamped the very image of Satan upon it.
How should this consideration provoke us to apply ourselves
with the most serious diligence to recover our lost beauty and
dignity in the way of sanctification.
Sanctification restores the beauty of the soul, which sin defaced,
Yea, it restores it with this advantage, that it shall never be lost
again; holiness is the beauty of God impressed upon the soul,
and the impression is everlasting.
Inf. 13. To conclude, If this excellent creature, the soul, re
ceive both its being and excellencies from God ; Then he that

478 A TREATISE^ OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
formed it must needs have the full, and only right to possess
and use it, and is tkerefore most injuriously kept out of the
posssession of it by unsanctified and disobedient persons.
All the doors of the soul are barred and chained up against
Christ, by ignorance and infidelity ; he seeks for admission into
the soul which he made, but findeth none. Rev. iii. 20. " Behold
I stand at the door and knock."
O the admirable condescension of God to poor sinners ! The
God that formed you with a word, and can as easily ruin you
with a frown, yet waits at toe gates of your souls for admission
into them.
What say you, souls? Will you at. last open the door to
Jesus Christ, or will you still exclude him ? If you will open to
him, he will not come empty-handed, he will bring a feast with
him. But, if you will not open to him, then I call heaven and
earth to witness against you this day, that you have barred the
doors of your soul against him, whose pleasure and power gave
them their very being.
Doct. 2. That the souls and bodies of men are knit together,
by the feeble band ofthe breath in their nostrils.
" There is (saith a learned man) no greater mystery in nature,
than the union betwixt the .oul and body ; that a mind and spi
rit should be so tied aud linked with a clod of clay, that while
that remains in a due temper, it cannot by any art or power free
itself. It can by an act of toe will move an hand, or a foot, or
the whole body, but cannot move from it one inch. What ! so
much a-kin are a mind and a piece of earth, a clod and a thought,
that they should be tous affixed to one another ? "
My design here is to shew by what ligament, tie, or bond, it
hath pleased the great and wise Creator, to affix and link these
different parts of man together : And this Moses in the text tells
us, is no other but the breath of his nostrils.
That little quantity of air, which we breathe in and out at our
nostrils, is more to us, than all the three regions of air, which fill
up the vast space between earth and heaven. It is, in a sense,
our life.
The heart hath continual need of refreshment ; and therefore
the lungs, must be kept continually going. No longer than
breath is going, is the heart a dying ; that which stops the one,
suffocates the other.
And here we may, with admiration contemplate the wonders
by which our lives are continued. The lungs are the most frail
and tender part of toe body, and kept in continual motion and
agitation ; yet are made serviceable for seventy or eighty years
together, which is toe wonder of Providence.
And indeed, this is but a feeble bond, a very slender and weak

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 479
thread, which holds our souls and bodies in union. Breath can
not continue long, and life cannot stay a moment behind it, Psal.
civ. 29. Thou takestjaway their breath, they die,andreturn to their
dust." Life is breath given, and death is breath taken away.
The breath of man is like a written sentence, in which there are
divers commas, or short pauses, after which speedily follows' a
full stop, and there is an end of it.
The wind without us is fickle and inconstant to a proverb, and
so is that within us too. Many grudge at the shortness of life ;
but considering the feebleness of this bond, we have more cause
to wonder at the slowness of death.
The multitudes of diseases are so many lighted candles to put
to the slender thread of our breath, besides the infinite diversity
of external accidents by which multitudes daily perish.
¦Inf. 1. How admirable then is the mystery of providence in the
daily continuation of the breath ofour nostrils ?
We- hang every moment of our life over the grave and the gulph
of eternity, by this slender thread of our breath : But it cannot
break, how feeble soever it be, till the time appointed be fully
come. O what cause have we to employ and spend that breath
in the praise of the Lord, who works so many daily wonders to
secure it !
Inf. 2. Is it but a puff of feeble breath which holds our souls
and bodies in union ? Then every man is deeply concerned to make
all haste, to secure a better ana more durable habitation for his
soul in heaven.
Your breath is yet in your nostrils, and all the means and sea
sons of salvation will expire with it ; and then it will be as im
possible for the best minister in the world to help your souls, as
for the ablest physician to recover your bodies. As physic comes
too late for the one, so counsels and persuasions for the other.
But you are not without the hopes and possibilities of salvation,
whilst the breath of life is in your nostrils. A mercy (how
light soever you value it) that would ravish with joy those miser
able souls that have already shot the gulph of eternity, and turn
the shrieks and groans of the damned unto joyful shouts and ac
clamations of praise.
When this uncertain breath is once expired, the last hope of
every unregenerate person is gone for ever. All means of sal
vation now cease for ever ; no ambassadors of peace are sent to
the dead ; no more calls or strivings of the spirit : no more space
for repentance. O what shift men make to quiet themselves in
so dangerous a state as most men live in ; quiet and unconcerned
and yet but one puff of breath betwixt them and hell ! O the
stupifying and besotting nature of sin ! What shall I say ? If
bodily concerns be so weighty, and the matters of such trifles ; if
meat and drink, and trade and children be such great things, and
Christ, and the soul, and heaven, hell, and the world to come such

480 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
little things in your eyes, you will not be long in that opinion I
assure you.
Inf. 3. Is tke tie so weak betwixt our souls and bodies ? How
close and near then do all our souls confine and border upon
eternity ?
There is a breath which will be our last breath: respiration
must, and will exterminate in expiration.
Regenerate souls should ponder this with pleasure. O it is
transporting to think how small a matter is betwixt them and their
complete salvation. No sooner is your breath gone, but the full
desire of your hearts is come ; every breath you draw draws you
a degree nearer to your perfect happiness, Rom. xiii. 1 1 .
You that are now so near salvation, were lately very near unto
damnation, there was but a puff of breath betwixt you and hell.
How many nights did you sleep securely in the state of nature and
unregeneracy ? How quietly did you rest upon the brink of bell.
I have heard of one that rode over a dangerous bridge in the
night, who, upon a review of that place, fell into a swoon, when
he was sensible of that danger which the darkness of toe night
hid from him. O reader, shall not an escape from hell affect thee
as much as such an escape would do ?
It is no less marvellous to consider where you are ; you that
were afar off are now made nigh. The stopping of your breath
can put no stop to your happiness, it will hasten, not hinder it :
If toe pale horse come for you, heaven, not hell, will now follow
him ; your sins are pardoned, the covenant of your salvation
sealed. But on the other side, what meditation can be more startling
and amazing to all the unregenerate and Christless world? Pon
der it, thou poor Christless and unsanctified soul. It is storied
of Dionysius the tyrant, that when Damocles would have flattered
him, Dionysius, to confute his fancy, caused him to be placed at
a table richly furnished, and attended with toe most curious mu
sic, but just over his head hanged a sharp and heavy sword by
one single hair; which, when Damocles saw, he earnestly begged
for a discharge from that place.
This is the lively emblem of thy condition, thou unregenerate
man. Your last breath and last hope expire together. Though
you be under God's damning sentence, yet that sentence, through
the riches of forbearance, is not executed ; but as soon as you die,
all that wrath which hanged over your heads so many years, in
the black clouds of God's threatenings, will pour down in a fu
rious storm upon you, which will never break up whilst God is
God. O think, and think again, there is but a breath betwixt you
and hell.
Inf. 4. Doth God maintain your life by breath ? Let not that
breath destroy your life, which God gave to preserve it.
" Some men's throats have been cut by their tongues," as the

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 481
Arabian proverb intimates. Life and death (saith Solomon) are
in the power of the tongue. Critics observe, that a word and a
plague grow upon the same root in the Hebrew tongue. It is
certain, that some men's breath hath been baneful poison both to
themselves and others. It was a word that cut off the life of
Adonijah, 1 Kings ii. 23. and thousands since his day have died
upon the point of the same weapon.
'Inf. 5. Employ not that breath to the dishonour of God, which
was first given, and is still graciously maintained by him for your
comfort and good.
It was better you had never breathed at all, than to spend your
breath in profane oaths, or foolish and idle chat, whereby at once
you wound the name of God, draw guilt upon your own souls,
and help on the ruin of others. That is a startling text, Matt.
xii. 36. " But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall
speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment."
Our words may do mischief to others, not only a long time after
they are spoken, but a long time after the tongue that spake them
is turned to dust.
Inf. 6. Let your breath promote tke spiritual life of others, as
well as maintain the natural life in yourselves.
Though the maintaining of your natural life be one end why
God gave you breath, yet it is not the only, or principal end of
it. Your tongues may now soW that precious seed, which may
spring up to the praise of God, though you may not live to reap
the comfort of it in this world, John iv. 36, 37. It is a rich ex-
pence of your breath, to bring but one soul to God, and yet God
hath used the breath of one, as bis instrument, to save, edify, and
comfort the souls of thousands, Prov. xi. 30.
Inf. 7. 1 f breath be the tie betwixt soul and body, How are
we concerned to improve and draw forth the precious breath of
ministers and Chistians, whilst it is yet in their nostrils.
You should do by them as scholars do by some choice book
they have borrowed, and must return in a few days. They dili
gently read it night and day, and carefully transcribe toe most
useful and excellent notes they can find in it.
One minute's breath in season may, if God concur with it, be
to you the ground of breathing forth praises to God to all eternity.
Inf. 8. Are soul and body tacked together by so frail a thing as
a puff of breath? How vain and groundless then are all those
pleasures men take in their carnal projects and designs in this
world? We lay the plot and design of our future earthly felicity in our
own thoughts ; we mould and contrive a design for a long and
pleasant life ; and our thoughts can stoop to nothing less* than
sitting down all tbe remainder of our days in pleasure. Whereas
it is become a common observation, that as soon as men have ac
complished their earthly designs, and begin to hug and bless
11

482 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
themselves in their own acquisitions, a sudden and unexpected
period is put to their lives and pleasures, Luke xii. 19, 20.
Oh then drive moderately ; you will be at the end of all these
things sooner than you imagine. We need not victual a ship to
cross the channel, as they do that are bound to the Indies.
" What is your life ? In one moment the projects of many years
are overturned for ever."
Inf. 9. Is it but a puff of breath that holds men in life ? Then
build not too muck hope and confidence upon any man.
" Cease ye from man (saith the prophet) whose breath is in his
nostrils." There are two things that should deter us from de
pendence upon any man, viz. his falseness and his frailty. It
was the saying of a philosopher when he heard how merchants
lost great estates at sea in a moment, " I love not the happiness
which hangs upon a rope."' But all the happiness of many men
hangs upon a far weaker thing than a rope, even the perishing
breath of a creature.
Let not parents raise their hopes too high, or lean too hard
. upon their children. The world is full of the lamentings and
bitter cries of disappointed parents. Let not the wife depend
too much on her husband, as if her earthly comforts were secured
in him against all danger. God is often provoked to stop our
friend's breath, toat thereby he may stop our way to sin, I Tim.
v. 5.Inf. 10. If this frail breath be all that differenceth the living
from the dead, then fear not man whose breath is in his nostrils.
As death, in a moment, can make the best man useless, so it can in
a moment make the worst man harmless, and put bim out of capa
city to do us any injury. The breath of the mightiest is no better
secured than that of the meanest nor ever in more danger to be
stopped than when they breathe out threatenings against the up
right. Julian's breath was soon stopped after he threatened to root
out the Galileans. Queen Mary resigned her breath at the very
time when she had filled toe prisons With many of Christ's sheep,
and designed them for toe slaughter. The best way to continue
your friends to your comfort, is to give God and not them your
dependence ; and the best way to secure yourselves against the
rage of enemies, is to give God your fear, and not them.

Rev. vi. 9, 10. — And when ke had opened the fifth seal, I saw
under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of
God, and for the testimony which they held.
And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord,
holy and true, dost Zhou not judge and avenge our blood on
them that dwell on tke earth ? -i \
Having, from the former text, spoken ofthe nature of the soul,

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 483
and the tie betwixt it and the body, I shall, from this scripture,
evfoce top immortality of the soul, which is a chief part of its
excellency and glory ; and in tois scripture it hath a firm founda
tion. We have, in ver. 9, an account of what John saw ; " I saw
the souls of them tbat were slain for the word of God, and for the
testimony which they held."
He had the privilege and favour of a spiritual representation of
them, being therein extraordinarily assisted, as Paul was when
his soul was wrapt info the third heaven, and heard things unut
terable, 2 Cor. xii. 2.
We learn that however men look upon the death of those per
sons, yet, in God's account, they die as sacrifices, and their' blood
is no other than a drink-offering poured out to Gpd, which , he
highly prizeth, and graciously accepteth, and that thesfe -holy, souls,.
now in a state of separation from their bodies, were very near to
Jesus Christ in heaven. They lay, as it were, at his feet. ¦
Doct. That Ike souls of men perish not witk their bodies, but
do certainly over-live them, and subsist ina state of separa
tion from them. Mat. x. 28. " Fear not them that kill the
body, but are not able to kill the soul."
The point I am to discourse from this scripture, is the immor
tality ofthe soul.
Argument 1 . The first argument for proof of the soul's immor
tality, may be taken from the simplicity, spirituality, and uncom-
pouncfedness of its nature ; it is a pure, simple, and unmixed
being. . Death is the dissolution of things compounded; where
therefore no composition or mixture is found, no death or disso.
lution can follow.
All matfe, has its limits, bounds, and just measures, beyond
which it cannot be extended. But the soul is boundless, and its
appetite infinite '; it rests not, .but in the spiritual and infinite
Being, God alone being its adequate object, and able to satisfy
its desires.
It cannot be , liable to death, from any seeds or principles of
corruption within itself. Nor is it liable to death by any adverse
power without itself; no sword can touch it, no instrument of
death can reach it: it is above the reach of all adversaries, Mat.
x.28. Object. But, there seems to be a decay upon our souls in our
old age ; and decays argue and imply, corruption, and are so many
steps and tendencies towards the death and dissolution thereof.
Sol. It is a -great mistake ; there is. not toe least decay upon
the soul ; all the alteration that is made, is upon the organs and
instruments of the body.
The soul, like an expert, skilful muscician, is as able as ever
I 12

484 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
it was, but the body, its instrument, is out of tune : and the ablest
artist can make no pleasing melody upon an instrument when its
strings are broken, or so relaxed that they cannot be screwed up
to their due height.
Arg. 2. The immortality of the souls of men may be con
cluded from the promises of everlasting blessedness, and the
threatenmgs of everlasting miseries, respectively made in the
scriptures of truth, to the godly and ungodly after this life.
feuch is that in 2 Thes. i. 7, 8, 9. " The Lord Jesus shall be re
vealed from heaven in flaming fire, to render vengeance on them
toat know not God, and that obey not the gospel ofour Lord
Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction,
from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his power."
And'speaking of the torments of the damned, Christ thus express
eth toe misery of such wretched souls in hell, Mark ix. 44.
" Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." If
the being of the soul cease, its pains and punishments must have
an end.
You see then, there are everlasting promises and threatenings
to be fulfilled, both upon the godly and ungodly, " He that be
lieveth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not
the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on
him." Arg. 3. The immortality of the soul is a truth asserted and
attested by the universal consent of all nations and ages of the
world. " We give much (said Seneca) to tbe presumption of all
men," and that justly ; for it would be hard to think tbat an error
should obtain the general consent of mankind, or that God would
suffer all the world, in all ages of it, to bow down under an uni
versal deception.
Learned Zanchius cites out of Cicero an excellentpassage to
this purpose. In every thing (saith he) the consent of all nations
is to be accounted tke law of nature ; and therefore, with all good
men, it should be instead of a thousand demonstrations ; and to
resist it, (as he there adds) what is it, but to resist the voiCe of
God ? But what speak I of philosophers ?
The very savage and illiterate Indians are so fully persuaded
of the soul's immortality, that wives cast themselves cheerfully
into the flames to attend the souls of their husbands ; and subjects,
to attend the souls of their kings, into the other world.
It is objected against this argument : —
That some particular persons have denied this doctrine, as
Epicurus, &c. and by argument maintained the contrary.
To which I answer. This no way shakes the argument from
toe consent of nations, because some few persons have denied it :
we truly say, the earth is spherical, though there be many bills
and risings in it. If Democritus put out his own eyes, must we
therefore say all the world is blind ?

A TREATISE OF THE SODL OF MAN. 485
It is worth thinking on, whether they that have questioned
the immortality of the soul, have not rather made it the matter
of their option and desire, than of their faith and persuasion.
Arg. 4. The immortality of the soul may be evinced from the
everlasting habits which are subjected and inherent in it. If
these habits abide for ever, certainly so must the souls in which
they are planted.
As for the immortal and indeterminable nature of saving grace,
it is plain to him that considers, not only what the scripture speaks
about it,, calling it incorruptible seed, a well of water springing up
into everlasting life ; but add to these, what is said of these di
vine qualities in 2 Pet. i. 4. where they are called the divine na
ture ;. and Eph. iv. 18. the life of God, noting the perpetuity of
these principles in believers, as well as their resemblance of
God in holiness, who are endowed with them.
Object. But this only proves the immortality of regenerate

Sol. It doth so. But then consider, as there be gracious habits
in the regenerate that never die, so there are vicious habits in the
unregenerate that can never be separated from them in toe world
to come. Remarkable is that place, Rev. xxii. 11. " Let him
that is filthy be filthy still." And if guilt sticks so fast, and sin
be so deeply engraven in impenitent souls, they also must remain
for ever, to bear the punishment of them.
Arg. 5. The immortality of the soul of man may be evinced
from the dignity of man above all other creatures, (angels only
excepted) and his dominion over them all. " Forthouhast made
him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with
glory and honour." One man is of more worth than all the in
ferior creatures.
But wherein is his dignity and excellency above all other
creatures, if not in respect of the capacity and immortality of his
soul ? Sure it can be found no where else ; for as to the body,
many of tbe creatures excel man in the perfections of sense,
greatness of strength, agility of members, &c.
He excels them all indeed in respect of that noble endowment
Of reason, which is peculiar to man, and his singular excellency
above them all. But certainly toe privilege of man doth not con
sist in reason, as abstracted from immortality. For man is a
prospecting creature, and raiseth up to himself vast hopes and
fears from the world to come : by these he is restrained from
the sensual pleasures, which other creatures freely enjoy, and ex
ercised with ten thousand cares, which they are unacquainted
with. Arg. 6. The souls of men must be immortal, or else the de
sires of immortality are planted in their souls in vain.
That there are desires of immortality found in the hearts of all
men, is a truth too evident to be denied or doubted.

48$ A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
Now either these notions and apprehensions of immortality are
impressed upon our souls by God, or do naturally spring but of
the souls of men : If God impress them, those impressibns are
made in vain, if there be no such thing as immortality to be en
joyed ; and if they rise naturally out of our souls, that is a suffi
cient evidence of their immortality. For we can no more form
to ourselves, ideas and potions of immortality, if our souls be
mortal, than the brutes which are void of reason, can form to
themselves notions and conceptions of rationality.
Arg. 7. Moreover the account given us in the scripture of the
return of several souls into their own bodies again after death,
and real separation from them, shews us that the soul subsists
and lives in a separate state after death, and perisheth not by the
stroke of death : For if we. were annihilated or destroyed by death
the same soul could never be restored again to the same body.
You have divers unquestionable examples. As that of the ^Shu-
namite's son, 2 Kings iv. 18, 37- That of the Ruler's daughter,
Mat. ix. 25. That ofthe Widow's son, Luke vii! 15. And that
of Lazarus, John xi. 39, 40, 45.
Arg. 8. Thp supposition ofthe soul's perishing with the body,
is subversive of the Christian religion in the principal doctrines
and duties thereof: take away the immortality of the soul, and
all religion falls to the ground.
First, It overthrows the main principles and doctrines of the
Christian religion. The end of all these is the praise Of his glo
rious grace, Eph. i. 5, 6. to make a gloribus manifestatien of the
riches of grace for ever.
It overthrows the doctrines of Christ's incarnation, death, re
surrection, ascension, and intercession in heaven for us. And
these are the main pillars both of our faith and comfort. Take
away these, and take away our lives too, for these are the springs
of all joy and comfort to toe people of God, Rom. viii. 34.
His incarnation was. necessary to capacitate him for his medi
atorial work.
And for what, think you, was the blood of God shed upon the
cross ? What was so vast and inconceivable a treasure expended
to purchase ? What ! the flattering and vain hopes of a few years,
of which we may say, as it was said of the Roman consulship, the
fugitive joy of a year ? Was this the purchase of his blood ? Was
this it for which he sweat, and groaned, and bled, and died ?
Was that precious blood no more worth than such a trifle as
this? To what purpose did Christ rise again from the dead ? Was
it not to be the first -fruits of them that sleep ?
And to as little purpose was his triumphant ascension into
heaven, if we can have no benefit by it. The professed end' of
his ascension was " to prepare a place for us," John xiv. 2. But
to what purpose are those mansions in the heavens prepared and

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 487
why is he called the forerunner, if there be none to follow him ?
as surely there are not, if our souls perish with our bodies.
So that the whole doctrine of ' redemption by Ckrist is utterly
subverted by this one supposition.
As it subverts tbe doctrine of redemption by Christ, and all
the hopes and comforts we build thereon, so it utterly destroys
the work ofthe Spirit, upon the hearts of believers.
His sanctifying work, whereby he alters the frames and tem
pers of our souls, 2 Cor. v. 17- " Old things are passed away,
behold all things are become new."
The declared and direct end of this work ofthe Spirit upon our
souls, is to attempter and dispose them for heaven, Col. i. 12.
and has a direct and clear aspect upon the life to come, and the
happiness of our souls in the full enjoyment of God to eternity.
But if our souls should perish by death these influences of the
Spirit are but delusions, and gross mistakes.
This supposition overthrows the doctrine of the resurrection,
which is the consolation of Christians.
We believe this very same numerical body shall rise again,
Job xxi. 27. by the return of the same soul into it, which now
dwelleth in it ; and that we shall be the same persons that now
we are : the remunerating justice of God requiring it to be so.
We believe the souls of the righteous shall be much better
accommodated, and have a more comfortable habitation in their
bodies than they now have, 1 Cor. xv. and this expectation is
our great relief against the fears of death, against the death of our
friends and relatioris, and against all the pressure and afflictions
of this life, Job. xix. 27. But if the being of our souls fail at
death, all hopes and comforts from toe resurrection fail with it.
It overthrows also the faith of the judgement to come. For
if the soul perish, the body cannot rise ; or if it rise by a new-
created soul, the person raised is another, and not the same that
lived and died in this world ; and consequently the rewards and
punishments to be bestowed and awarded to all men in that day
cannot be just and equal : for we believe, according to the scrip
tures, that the actions which men perform in this life are not tran
sient, but are filed to their account in the world to come, Gal iv.
7. here we sow, and there we reap.
And that in order hereunto, the very same persons shall be
restored by the resurrection, and appear before God the very
same bodies and souls, which did good or evil in this world :
Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? Justice requires
that the rewards and punishments be then distributed to the same
persons that did good or evil in this world.
By all which you see the clearest proof of the soul's immor
tality, and how the contrary supposition overthrows our faith,
duties and comforts.
Inf. 1. Is toe soul immortal ? Then it is impossible for it to

488 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
find rest and contentment in any enjoyments on this side heaven.
All temporary things are inadequate, and therefore unsatisfying
to our souls. What gives the soul rest and satisfaction, must be
as durable as the soul is ; for if we could possibly find in this
world a condition and state of things most agreeable in all other
respects to our desires and wishes, yet if the soul be conscious
to itself, that it shall, and must over-live and leave them all be
hind, it can never reach true contentment in tbe greatest affluence
and confluence of them. As the feathers that enable a bird to fly
from us, grow out of its own substance, so doth that vanity toat
carries away all earthly enjoyments. This alone will spoil all
contentment. Inf. 2. Then see the ground and reason of Satan's envy and
enmity against the soul, and his restless designs and endeavours to
destroy it. It grates that spirit of envy, to find himself, who is by
nature immortal, sunk everlastingly and irrecoverably into misery,
and the souls of men appointed to fill up those vacant places in
heaven from which the angels fell. No creature but man is envied
by Satan, and the soul of man much more than his body. By
destroying souls he at once exercises bis revenge against God,
and his envy against man, which is all the relief bis miserable
condition allows him.
Inf. 3. Do the souls of men out-live their bodies? Then it is
the height of madness and spiritual infatuation, to destroy the
soul for the body's sake ; to ruin the precious soul for ever, for
the pleasures of sip which are but for a moment; yet this is toe
madness of millions of men. Every cheat and circumvention in
dealing, eveiy lie, every act of oppression, is a wound given the
immortal soul, for the procuring some accommodation to the body.
O what soul-undoing bargains do some make with the devil !
He is a great trader for souls, he hath all sorts of commodities
to suit all men's humours toat will deal with him. He hath pro
fits for tbe covetous, honours for the ambitious, pleasures for the
voluptuous : but a soul is the price at which he sells them ; only
he will be content to sell at a day, and not require present pay :
so that he is paid on a death-bed, in a dying hour, he is satisfied.
Inf. 4 . Then the exposing of the body to danger, yea, to certain
destruction, for the preservation of the soul, is the dictate of spi
ritual wisdom, Heb. xi. 35. Dan. iii. 28. Rev. xii. 11. No pro
mises of preferment, no threats of torments, have been able to ¦
prevail with the people of God to give the least wound, or do the
least wrong to their own souls. Oh ! better thy body had never
been given thee, than that it should be a snare to thy soul, and
the instrument of casting it away for ever.
Inf: 5. If the soul be an immortal being that shall have no end,
Then itis the great concern of all men to strive to the utmost for
the salvation oj' their souls, whatever become of all temporary in
terests in this world, Luke xiii. 24.

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 489
Others have done and suffered much for the saving of their
souls ; and are not ours, or ought they not to be, as dear to us as
the souls of any others have been to them ? Matt. xxi. 32.
The utmo.t diligence is little enough to save them. Tbe
righteous themselves are scarcely saved.
The time to strive for salvation is very short and uncertain. It
will be to no purpose, when the seasons and opportunities of
salvation are once over. There is no striving in hell, a death-
pang of despair hath seized them, hope is extinguished, and en
deavours fail.
Suppose thyself either upon a death-bed, launching into eter
nity, or at the bar of Christ, in view of heaven, or in the sight
and hearing ofthe damned, what think you ? would you not then
wish, O ! that I had spent every moment in the world that could
possibly be redeemed from the pure necessities oflife, in prayer,
in hearing, in striving for salvation ? From a prospect of this it
was, that one spent many hours daily on his knees to the mace
rating of his body ; and being admonished of toe danger of health,
and advised to relax, he answered, I must die, I must die.
Do not say you have many incumbrances. One thing is neces
sary. ,
Say not it is a mercenary doctrine, and disparages free grace ;
for, are not all the enjoyments and comforts of this life confess
edly from free grace, though God hath dispensed them to you in
the way of your diligence and industry. There are extremes
found in this matter : some work for salvation, as an hireling for
his wages, so the Papists; these disparage grace and cry up
works. Others cry down obedienceas legal, as the Antinomians,
and cry up grace to the disparagement of duties. Avoid both
these, and see that you strive : whilst you are living be still
striving, your souls are worth it, and infinitely more than all this
amounts to.
Inf. 6. Doth the soul out-live the body and abide for ever ?
Then it is a great evil and folly to be excessively careful for tke
mortal body, and neglect the mortal inhabitant. In a too much
indulged body there ever dwells a too much neglected soul.
We smile at little children, who in a kind of laborious idleness
take a great deal of pains -to make and trim their babies, or build
their little houses of sticks and straws : And what are they but
children of a bigger size, that keep such ado about the body, a
weak pile, that must perish in a few days.
Two things a master commits to his servant's care, (saith one)
the child and the child's clothes : It will be but a poor excuse for
the servant to say, at his master's return, Sir, here are the child's
clothes neat and clean, but toe child is lost. Much so will be the
account that many will give to God of their souls and bodies at
the great day. You rob your souls to pay your flesh. This is
madness.

490 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
Inf. 7- How great a blessing is the gospel which brings life and
immortality to light, the most desirable mercies to immortal souls !
This is the great benefit we receive by it, as the apostle speaks,
2 Tim. i. 10. " Christ hath abolished death, and brought life and
immortality to light by the gospel."
_ Inf. 8. If our souls be immortal, certainly our enemies are not
so formidable as we are apt, by our sinful fears, to represent them.
' They may, when God permits them, destroy your bodies, they
cannot touch or destroy your souls. No sword can cut asunder
the band of union between them and Christ, they would be dread
ful enemids indeed if they Could do so. Why then do we tremble
and fear at this rate, as if soul and body were at their mercy,
and in their power ? The devil drives but a poor trade by the
persecution of the saints ; he tears the nest, but the bird escapes ;
be cracks toe shell, but loseth the kernal.
Inf. 9. If souls be immortal, Then there must needs be a vast
difference betwixt the aspects and influences of death upon the
godly and ungodly.
A marvellous alteration will then be made on the souls of the
godly. For no sooner is the dividing stroke given by death, and
the parting pull over, but they shall find themselves in the arms
bf angels, mounting them through the upper regions in a few
moments, far above the aspectable heavens, Luke xvi. 22.. They
pass from the arms of mourning friends into the welcome arms of
benevolent angels. From the sight and converses of men, to the
sight of God, Christ, and the general assembly of blessed, and
sinless spirits. The soul takes its leave of all at death. Fare
well vain world,, with all the mixed and imperfect comforts of it,
and welcome the more sweet, suitable, and satisfying company of
Father, Son and Spirit, holy angels and perfect saints. Oh what
a blessed change to the righteous must this be !
A marvellous change will also be then made upon the souls >
of the ungodly, who shall then part from all their comforts and
pleasant enjoyments in tbe world ; and, in a moment, find them
selves arrested and seized by Satan, as God's gaoler, hurrying
them away to the prison of hell. From under the means of
grace and opportunities of salvation, never to hear the joyful
sound of preaching or praying any more ; never to hear the wooing
voice of the blessed bridegroom, saying, Come unto me, come
unto me, any more. From all their vain, ungrounded presump
tuous hopes of heaven, into absolute and final desperation. Oh
that we, who cannot but be conscious to ourselves that we must
out -live our bodies, were more thoughtful of the condition they
must enter into, after that separation which is at hand.
Inf. 10. If our souls be immortal, then death is neither to be
feared by them in heaven*, nor hoped for them in hell. ," In glory
they are ever with the Lord." And in hell, though they shall
wish for death, yet death shall flee from them. Though there

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 491
he no fears of annihilation in heaven, yet there be many wishes
for it in hell, but to no purpose. In tois respect no other crea
tures are capable of the misery that wicked men are capable of.
When they die, there is the end of all their rhisery ; but it is not
so with men. Better therefore had it been for them, if God had
created them in the basest and lowest order and rank of creatures ;
a dog a toad, a worm, is better than a man in endless misery,
ever dying and never dead. And so much of the soul's immor
tality.

Eph. v. 29. — For no man ever yet hated his own flesh ; but nou-
rish'eth and ckerisheth it, even as the Lord the church.
Having given some account of toe nature and immortality of
the soul, we next come, from this text, to discourse of its love and
inclination lo the body, with which it is United. The scope of the
apostle is, to press Christians to the exact discharge of those re
lative duties they owe to each other; particularly, he here urgeth
the mutual duties of husbands and wives, ver, 22. wives to an
obedient subjection, husbands to a tender love of their wives.
This exhortation he enforceth from the intimate union, which, by
the ordinance of God, is betwixt them, they being now one flesh.
And this unionhe illustrates, by comparing it with, *
1. The mystical union of Christ and the church.
2. The natural union ofthe soul and body.
Doct. That the souls of men are strongly inclined, and tenderly
affected towards the bodies in which tkey now dwell. ,
The soul's love to toe body is so strong, natural and insepa
rable, that it is made the ru]e and measure by which we dispense
and proportion our love to others.
Two things well deserve our consideration in toe doctrinal part
of 'this point.
First, Wherein the soul evidenceth its love to the body, and
that it doth in divers respects.
1. Iii its cares for the things needful to the body, as the text
speaks, in nourishing and cherishing it, i. e. taking care for
food and raiment for it. This care is universal, itis implanted in
the most savage and barbarous people ; and is generally so ex
cessive and exorbitant, toat though it never needs a spur, yet
most times, and with most men, it doth need a curb. To speak
as the matter is, most souls are over-heated with their cares, and
eager pursuits after the concerns of toe body. They pant after
the dust of the earth. They pierce themselves through with many
sorrows. They are cumbered, like Martha, with much serving.

492 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
It is not every man that hath attained Agur's cool temper, Prov.
xxx. 8. that can slack his pace and drive moderately where the
interests of the body are concerned. If the body were not ex
ceeding dear to the soul, it would never torture itself, day and
night, with such anxious cares about it.
.2. 1'he soul discovers its esteem and value for the body in all
the fears it hath about it. When the body is in danger, the ^oul
is in distraction, the soul is in fears and tremblings about it :
these fears flow from the soul's tender love and affection to the
body ; if it did not love it so intensely, it would never afflict and
torment itself at the rate it doth about it.
3. The soul manifests its dear love and affection to the body,
by its sympathy and compassionate feeling of all its burdens :
whatever touches the body by way of injury, affects the soul also
by way of sympathy. If the body be in danger, how are the
faculties of the soul, understanding, memory, invention, &c.
employed with the utmost strength and concernment for its deli
verance ! This is a real and unexceptionable evidence of its dear
and tender love to the body.
4. The soul manifesteto its love to the body by, its fears of
death, and extreme aversion to a separation from it. On this ac
count death is called in Job xviii. 14. " The king of terrors," -
meaning, that the terrors at death are such terrors as subdue and
keep down all other terrors under them, as a prince doth his sub
jects. Other terrors compared with those that the soul conflicts
with at parting, are no more than a cut finger to the laying'one's
head on the block. Oh !' it is a hard thing for the soul to bid the
body farewell, it is a bitter parting, a doleful separation: No
thing is heard in that hour but tbe most deep and emphatical
groans ; the deep sense and meaning of which the living are but
too little acquainted with. For no man living bath yet felt the
sorrows of a parting pull, whatsoever other sorrows he hath
felt in the body, yet they must be supposed to be far short of
these. 5. Its desire of re-union continuing still with it, in its state of
separation, speaks its love to toe body. As the soul parted with"
it in grief and sorrow, so it still retains, even in glory, an incli
nation to re-union, and waits for a day of re-espousals. "How
long, O Lord, how long ?" i. e. to the consummation of all things,
when judgment shall be executed on them that killed our bodies,
and our bodies so long absent restored to us again ? And so much
of the evidence of the soul's love to the body.
Secondly, Next we are to enquire into the ground and reasons
of its love and inclination to the body.
1 . The fundamental ground and reason thereof will be found in
their natural union with each other. There my text lays it:
" No man ever yet hated his [own] flesh." Mark, the body is
the soul's own. True they are not essentially one, they have far

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 493
different natures, but they are personally one. Hence springs
its love to the body. Every man loves his own.
In this propriety and relation are involved the reasons and mo
tives of our love to, and care over tbe body, which is no more
than what is necessary to their preservation. For were it not for
this propriety and relation, no man would be at any more cost or
pains for his own body, than for that of a stranger.
2. The body is the soul's ancient acquaintance and intimate
friend, with whom it hath assiduously and familiarly conversed
from its beginning. They have been partners in each others
comforts and sorrows. Consuetude, and daily conversation, be
get and conciliate friendship and love betwixt creatures of con
trary natures: Let a lamb be brought up with a lion, and the
lion will express a tenderness towards it, much more the soul to
its own body.
3. Tbe body is the soul's house and beloved habitation, where
it was born, and hath lived ever since it had a being, and in which
it hath enjoyed all its comforts, natural and supernatural. It is
true, this house is not so comfortable an habitation, that it should
be much desired by many souls ; we may say of many gracious
souls, that they pay a dear rent for the house they dwell in : but
yet it is their home, and therefore beloved by them.
4. The body is the soul's instrument by which it doth its work
and business in the worid, both natural and religious, Rom. vi.
13. Natural men love their bodies for their natural pleasures
they are instrumental to convey to their souls ; and spiritual men,
for the use and service they are of to their own and other
souls. 5. The body is tbe soul's partner in the benefit of Christ's pur
chase. It was bought with the same price, sanctified by the same
Spirit, interested in tbe same promise, and designed for the same
glory. And thus of the grounds and reasons of its love.
Inf. 1 . Is ft so ? Learn hence the mighty strength and pre
valence of divine love, which, overpowering all natural affec
tions, doth not only enable the souls of men lo take their separa-^
tion from the body patiently, but to long for it ardently, Phil. i.
23. While some need patience to die, others need it as much to
live, 2 Thes. iii. 5. And here indeed is the glory and triumph
of a Christian's faith. To endure the greatest pains and torments
to be with him. To cast himself into the vast ocean of eternity,
the most amazing change, to be with Christ, O the glorious con
quests of love !
Inf. 2. Then the apostasy of unregenerate professors in times
of imminent danger is not to be wondered at. They will, and
must warp from Christ, when their lives are in hazard for him.
The love of the body will certainly prevail over their love to
Christ. Love is the weight of the soul, which inclines and de-

494 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
termines it, in the competition of interests, and the predominant
interest always carries it. But every unregenerate professor
loves his own life more than Christ, and prefers his body before
his soul.
O therefore, professors, look to your hearts, try their predomi
nant love ; compare your love to Christ with that to your lives.
O try your love to Christ, before God bring it to the trial. Sure
I am, the love of life will make you warp in the hour of tempta
tion ; except you live by faith, except you be sipcere in your re
ligion, and feel its power as well as wear its name, and except
you crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts. He that can
not ,deny himself will deny Christ. He sat not down and counted
the cost of religion before-hand.
Inf. 3. If the souls of men be naturally so strongly inclined
and affected towards the body ; Then hence you may plainly see
the wisdom of God in all the afflictions und burdens he lays upon
his people in this world, and find that all is but enough to wean
off their souls from their bodies, and make tkem willing to part
with them.
The great design of God in afflicting them, is the same that a
tender mother projects in putting wormwood to her breast when
she would wean the child.
It hath been observed by some discreet and grave .ministers,
that before their removal from one place to another, God hath
permitted and ordered some weaning providence to befal them.
Much so ft falls out at our natural death, the comfort of toe world
is imbfttered to us before we leave it ; the longer we live in it,
the less we shall like it.
Is an husband, a wife, or a dear child dead, and with them the
comfort of life laid in the dust ? why this the Lord sees necessary
to do, to persuade you to come after willingly ? It is the cutting
asunder thy roots in the earth, that thou mayest fall the more
easily. Do the times frown upon thee ? Do all things seem to threaten
stormy times at hand ? By these things God will imbitter the
earth, and sweeten heaven to his people.
Is the beauty and sweetness of Christian society defaced and
decayed, so toat toy soul hath no pleasure in it ? this also is a
weaning providence. Our fond affection to the body requires all
this and much more to wean and mortify it.,
Inf. 4. How comfortable is the doctrine of tke resurrection to
believers, which assures them of receiving their bodies again,
though they part with them for a time !
They take not a final leave of them when they die. Hus
bandmen cast their seed-corn into the earth cheerfully and wil
lingly, because they part with it in hope ; so should we when we
commit our bodies to toe earth at death.

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 495
Use second, of reproof.
In the next place, let me press on you to regulate your love to
your bodies, by the rules of religion and right reason.
Some offend in the defect of love to their own bodies, who use
them as if they had no love for them, whose souls act as if they
were enemies to their own bodies ; by macerating them with
covetous lusts, denying them ¦ their due comforts and refresh
ments, and unmercifully burdening them with labours and sor
rows about things that perish. And others there are that wrong
and abuse their own bodies, by laying unreasonable and unmer
ciful loads upon them, especially loads of grief and sorrow,
wasting and weakening them beyond all rules of reason and reli
gion. If a friend or relation die, they have less mercy on
their own bodies than a conscientious man hath on the horse he
rides. The souls of some mourners do willingly excite and provoke
their owngrief. Thus, as Seneca observes, " some parents that
have losttheir beloved children, willingly call to mind their plea
sant sayings and pretty actions to find a kind of pleasure in a
fresh shower of tears for them ; " when, poor hearts, sorrow hath
so broken them already, that they need consolations under their
present sorrows, rather than the irritation of new ones.
Others offend in the excess and extravagancy Of their love to
thebody, and these are a hundred to one in number compared
with those that sin in defect of love.
This appears by our sinful indulgence to our whining appe
tites. We give the flesh whatsoever it craves, and can deny it
nothing it1 desires ; pampering the body, to tbe great injury and
hazard of the -soul. Some have their conversation in the lusts of
the flesh, as it is, Eph. ii. 3. trading only in those things that
please and pamper the flesh ; " They sow to the flesh."
It was a rare1 expression of a Heathen, 1 am greater, and born
to greater things, than tbat I should be a slave to my body. And
it was the saying of a pious divine, when he felt the flesh rebellious
and wanton, I will make thee, tbou ass, tbat thou shaft not kick ;
and it will he imposssble to mortify and starve our lusts without
a due rigour and severity to our flesh. But how little are many
acquainted with these things ? They deal with their bodies as
David with Adonijah, of whom it is said, His father had not dis
pleased kim at any time, in saying, Why hast thou done so ?
Oh, how many slothful excuses doth the flesh invent to put off
duty ! We shall injure our health, &c. O the hypocrisy of such
pleas ! If profit or pleasure calls us up, we have no shifts, but can
rise early and sit up late.
0, friends, why bath God given you bodies, if not to waste and
wear them out in his service, and the service of your own soufe !
Ifa stately horse were given to you onthis conditiori jthat you must

496 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
not ride or work him, what benefit would such a gift be to you .
Your bodies must and will wear out, and it is better to wear
them with working, than with rusting: It is just with God. to
destroy that health with diseases, which he sees you would cast
away in sloth and idleness. Think with thyself, had Timothy or
Gaius beenblessed with such a body as thine, so strong and able
for service, they would have honoured God more in it in, a day,
than perhaps you do in a year. Well, remember death will
shortly dissolve them, and if you expect God should put glory
and honour upon them at the resurrection, use them for God now
with a faithful, self-denying diligence.
It appears by our cowardly shrinking from dangers that threaten/
when the glory of God, our own and others' salvation, bid us ex
pose and not regard them. Some there are, that rather than they
will adventure their flesh to the rage of man, will hazard their
souls to the wrath of God.
There be but few like-minded with Paul, who set a low price
upon his liberty or life for Christ, Acts xx. 24. or with those
worthy Jews, Dan. iii. 28. who yielded their bodies to preserve
their consciences. Few of Chrysostom's mind, who told the em
peror; I fear nothing but sin ; or of Basil's, who told the empe
ror, God threatened hell, whereas he threatened but a prison.
That is a remarkable rule that Christ gives us, Matt. x. 28.
O my friends, let me beg you not to love your bodies into hell,
and your souls too for their sakes ; be not so scared at the suffer
ings of the body, as, with poor Spira, to dash them both against
the wrath of the great and terrible God. Most of those souls
that are now in hell, are there upon the account of their indul
gence to the flesh, they could not deny the flesh, and Jnow are*
denied by God. They could not suffer from men, and now must
suffer the vengeance of eternal fire.
In a word, it appears we love them fondly and irregularly, in
that we cannot with any patience think of death and separation
from them. How do some men fright at the very name of death !
It is as death to them, to bring their thoughts close to that un
grateful subject. Peter speaks of the putting off his body by
death, as a man would of the putting off his clothes at night, 2
Pet. i. 13. And certainly such men have a great advantage
above all others, both as to tbe tranquillity of their life and death.
Use third, of exhortation.
Seeing there is so strict a friendship and tender affection be
twixt soul and body, let rae persuade every soul of you to express
your love to the body, by labouring to get union with Jesus
Christ, and thereby to prevent the utter ruin of both to all eter
nity. Souls, if you love yourselves, or the bodies you dwell in, shew

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 497
it by your preventing care in season, lest they be cast away for ever.
How can you say you love them, when you daily expose them to
the everlasting wrath of God ? Oh cruel souls ! cruel, not to
others, but to yourselves, and to your own flesh, which you pre
tend so much love to ! Is this your love to your bodies ? What,
to employ them in Satan's service on earth, and then to be cast
as a prey to him for ever in hell ? The saints love them too
well to cast them away as you do.
I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your
bodies living sacrifices to Gbd, which is your reasonable service,
Rom. xii 1.
Except you have gracious souls, you shall never have glorified
bodies : except your souls be united with Christ, the happiness
of your bodies, as well as your souls, is lost to all eternity. Oh
that this sad truth might sink deep into our consideration this
day ; that if your bodies be snares to your souls, and your souls
be now regardless of the future state, assuredly they will have a
bitter parting at death, a terrible meeting again at the resurrec
tion, and horrid reflections upon each other, naturally charging
their ruin upon each other to all eternity. Whilst they that are
in Christ, part in hope, meet with joy, and bless God for each
other for evermore.

2 Pet. i. 13, 14. — Yea I think it meet, as long as I am in this
tabernacle, to stir you up, by putting you in remembrance.
Knowing that I shall shortly put off this my tabernacle, even as
our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
In this chapter, the apostle sums up his foregoing precepts
and exhortations in one great and most important duty, the
" making sure of their calling and election." This exhortation
he enforceth on them by a most solemn and weighty motive, ver.
11. " Even an abundant entrance into toe everlasting kingdom."
To enter the port of glory before the wind, with our full lading
of comfort, peace, and joy in believing; our sails full and our
streamers flying : Oh ! how much better is this, than to lie wind-
bound, I mean heart bound, at the harbour's mouth ! tossed up
and down with fears, doubts, and manifold temptations. And
for encouragement in this great and difficult work, he engageth
himself by promise to give them all the assistance he can, whilst
God should continue his life ; to stir them up, by putting them in
remembrance, to keep the heavenly flame of love and zeal lively
npon the altar of their hearts. He well knew what a sleepjr dis
ease Christians are troubled with, and therefore he had need
to be stirring them up, and awaken them to their duty. As long
KK

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
as I am in this tabernacle; i, e. as long as I live in this world.
The: body is called a tabernacle, in respect of its moveableness
and frailty, and in opposition to that house made without hands,
eternal in the heavens.
From the speediness of his death which he knew to be at hand;
the necessity of it, that when he came he must be gone, he judged
it meet to be* [stirring them up, and every way striving to be as
useful as he could. Hence the note will be,
Doct. How strong soever the affections and inclinations of souls
are to tke fleshly tabernacles tkey now live in, yet, they must
put them off, and that speedily.
The point lies very plain before us in the scriptures. That is
a remarkable expressio nwe have in. Job xvi. 22. " When a few
years are come, I shall go toe way whence I shall not return."
I must go to my long home, my everlasting abode, never more
to return to this world.
" There is no man toat hath power over the spirit to retain toe
spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death, and there
is no discharge in that war," Eccl. viii. 8. We can (as one speaks)
as well stop tke chariot of the sun when posting, to night, and
chase away the shadows of the evening, as escape this hour of
darkness that is coming upon us. A man may escape the wars
by pleading years, or weakness of body, or the king's protection,
oe by sending another in his room ; but in this war the press isso
strict, that it admits no dispensation. It is. in vain to think of
sending another in our room, for no man dieth by proxy ? Sup- '
pose a man sitting upon a throne of majesty surrounded with
armed guards, or in the midst of a college of expert and learned
physicians, death will pass all these guards to deliver the fatal
message :, Neither can arts help thee, when nature itself gives
thee up.
The law of mortality binds all, good and bad, young and old.
Death set out on his journey towards us the same hour we were
born, and bow near is it come this day to many of us ?
Let us compare our time in these tabernacles,, either with
eternity, or with him who inhabits it, and it shrinks up into
nothing; Psal. xxxix. 5. "Mine age is nothing unto thee."
Or with the duration ofthe bodies of men in the first ages, of the
world, when they lived many hundred years in these fleshly taber
nacles. The reasons of this necessity to put off the earthly tabernacle
so soon, are
1 . The law or appointment of God which came in force imme
diately upon the fall ; Gen. ii. 17. " In toe day that thou eatest
thereof thou shalt- surely die." The threatening was not his im
mediate, actual, personal death in the day that he should eat, but

Ai TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN; 499
a5 state of mortality to commence from that time to him and his
posterity; hence it im saidi, Hebj 9, 2.7. " It is appslnted toall
men, once to die."
2. The, providence of Gbd< ordering and* framing: the: body of
man: suitably to this; bis> appointment ;, a frail weak creature, hav
ing the seeds of death in his. constitution : Thousands of diseases
and infirmities are bred in his nature, and the smallest-pore in
his body isa. door large>.et_ough.to>let> in death;
Boththese are for the payment of ai two-fold debt, which. God
owes tathe:first and to the* second Adam.
By cutting off the life, or dissolving the: taheomaeles' ofi wiclied
men;. God pays that debt of justice owing^ to the first Adam's^ sin
ful, posterity, whose sins cry daily to his justice to cut them off.
Rom. vi. 23. "(The wages of sin is death."
By cutting off the lives of good men, Godc pays- to -Christ toe
reward of his sufferings, toe end of his death which was to bring
many sons to glory, John xvii. 24. " He would bave them where
he is, that they might behold his glory."
This is the thing he all along kept his eye upon in the whole
work of) his mediation ; it was to1 bring us to God. He is not
fully satisfied till he see his seed, the souls he died for safe in
heaven ; and then the debt due to him for all his sufferings is
fully paid.
The desires ofthe saints are hereby satisfied, and their weary
souls brought tb rest. Oh.! whati do gracious souls more fpant
after than the full enjoyment of God, and the visions of his face ?
"Whilst we are at home in; the body, we are absent from the
Lord." You see the rivers, if they meet with ever so many
rocks or hills to resist their course, nothing- can stop them till
they have finished their course, and poured themselves into the
bosom of the ocean. Or as it is with yourselves, when abroad
from your habitations andi relations : this may be pleasing a little
while ; but if every day might be a festival, it. would' not long
please you, beeauseyouiarenot.at home.
Inf. 1, Must we put off these tabernacles ? Is; death neces
sary and, inevitable ?: Them it is our wisdom, to. sweeten to mir-
se-lvm that cup which we must drink.
Die we must, whether we be fit or unfit, willing or unwilling:
In all ages ofthe world death hath swept the stage clean of
one generation, to make room for another, and so it will from
age to age, until toe stage betaken down', in the great dissolution.
That man is- happy indeed, whose heart falls in with the ap
pointment of God, who can look the king of terrors in'the face,
can venture- upon death, take ft by toe odd hand ^ and bid ft
welcome; We cannot live always if we would, and our hearts should be
wrought to that frame, as to say, we would not live always if we
could-, Job. vii. 16.
kk 2

500 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
But those that have their portion, their all in this life, have no
desire to be gone hence. They that were never changed by
grace, desire no change by death ; if such a concession were made
to them, as was once to an English parliament, That they should
never be dissolved, but by their own consent, when would they
say as Paul, " I desire to be dissolved ? "
Inf. 2. Must we put off these tabernacles of flesh ? How ne
cessary is it, that every soul look in season, and make provision
for another habitation ? If you must be turned out of one house
you must provide another, or lie in the streets. Ob ! what pro
vision have you made for your souls against that day ?
I know it is the presumption of most men, that they shall be
in heaven, when they can be no longer on earth ; but who are
they that are entitled to it, and may confidently expect to be re
ceived into it? To be sure, not the presumptuous, who make a
bridge of their own shadows, and so fall and perish in the wa
ters. But
I . Those only that are new-born, shall be clothed with their new
house frbm heaven, when death unclothes them of these taber
nacles. You must be born again, or turned back again from the
gates of heaven disappointed. You must be regenerated, or
damned. 2. Those that live and die by faith, shall not fail to be received
into a better habitation by death. Heb. xi. 13. There be two
great works faith performs for the saints, one in life, the other in
death : in life, it is the principle of mortification to their sins ; in
death, it is the spring of consolation to their hearts ; it makes
them die whilst they live, and live when they die.
3. Those that love the person and appearance of Christ, have
a mark that sets them among the inhabitants of heaven and glory,
2 Tim. iv. 8.
Inf. 3. Must we put off our tabernacles, and that shortly ?
What a spur is this to a diligent improvement of time ? Great is
the worth and excellency of time, all the treasures of the world
cannot protract, stop or call back one minute of time. Most
precious are the seasons and opportunities that are for our souls ;
these are the golden spots like the pearl in toe oyster-shell, of
much more value than the shell that contains it. Invaluable are
the things which God doth for men's souls in time ; and on that
point of time, eternal life hangs in the whole weight of it. There
is no calling back time, when it is once past. See this in the ex
ample you find, Luke xiii. 26. It is wholly uncertain to every
soul, whether the present day may not determine his lease in this
tabernacle, and yet how many aged sinners, grey-headed sinners,
hear me this day, who in fifty or sixty years never redeemed
one solemn hour, to take their poor souls aside from the distract
ing noise of the world to ask this question, Oh my soul, how
stands the case with thee in reference to the world lo come!

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 501
Is it not shameful and inexcusable, to be were you were twenty
years past ? Oh ! let these things sink deep into every soul.
Inf. 4. Must we shortly put off these our tabernacles ? Then
slack your pace, and be not too eager in the prosecution of
earthly designs. O what bustling is here for provision for fu
turity, whereas far less would serve the turn ! We need not
victual a ship to cross the channel to France, as if she were bound
to the Indies. '
Oh the multitudes of thoughts and cares this world needleesly
devours ! We keep ourselves in a continual hurry and crowd of
cares. It is with many of us, as it is with a man that is deep
in thought about some subject that wholly swallows him up, like
Archimedes, who was so intent upon drawing his mathematical
schemes, that though all the city was in an alarm, the enemy
having taken it by storm and tbe streets filled with dreadful cries,
and dead bodies, the soldiers came into his house, nay, entered
his very study, and plucked him by the sleeve, before he took any
notice of it. Even so many men's hearts are so profoundly im
mersed, and drowned in earthly cares, or pleasures, that death
must come to their very houses, and tell ^them its errand,
before they will begin to awake, and come to serious considera
tion. Inf. 5. If we must shortly put off these tabernacles, Then the
mourning time of all believers is but short ; how heavy soever
their burden be, yet they shall carry it but a little way. It is
said, 2 Cor. v. 4. "We that are in this tabernacle do groan, being
burdened." Some groan under the burden of sin ; and who
groans not under the burden of affliction ?
But God will put a speedy and final end to all these things.
When you put off this tabernacle, you put off with it all those bur
dens inward and outward, for then sin is gone and the rest is
come. Inf. 6. Must you shortly put off those tabernacles? Then
spare them not whilst you have them, but employ them for God
with all diligence. You expect to have them glorious bodies
one day ; O then let them be serviceable bodies now ! Be not
fond of them as many are, who chuse rather to have them eaten
up with rust than worn out with service.
Inf. 7. Look beyond this embodied state, and learn to live
now as you hope to live shortly ; begin to be what you expect to
be. You know toe time is at hand, that you shall Jive above all
bodily concernments and employments, the soul shall be a drudge
to tbe body no more. Which brings me home to the next
point, viz. the conditions of human souls in the state of sepa
ration.

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.

Heb. xii. 23, — And fo tke Spirits -of just men made perfect.
Toe particular scope of this context falls in with the 'general
design of toe whole gospel, Which is to persuade men to a life of
holiness. The matter of the exhortation is most weighty, and
toe arguments enforcing it most powerful.
He compares the legal and evangelical dispensation in many
particulars, ver. \8f2§. giving the gospel the preference through
out the whole comparison.
The promulgation of toe law was accompanied with amazing
dread and torror ; with tounderings., lightning, darkness, anfl
the noise of a trumpet, exceeding loud ; the mount was covered
with smoke, as'the smoke of a furnace, and flames mounting up
into toe midst -of heaven, .toe whole mountain shaking and tremb
ling exceedingly. Out of this horrid tempest toe awfulivoice Pf
God was heard, all the people in toe camp trembling, yea, and
Moses himself quaking for fear.
But to such a terrible dispensation as this we are not come,
which is the negative part -of our privilege.
" But ye a.ecome-( saith he) to mount Sion, the spiritual Sion."
Judea was the best kingdom in the world ; Jerusalem the best
city in that kingdom ; and Sion toe most glorious place in that
city. Here Christ taught his heavenly doctrine ; near to ft he
finished bis glorious work of redemption. We do not come to
the literal Sion, nor to the earthly Jerusalem ; but to the gospel-
church, or state, whieh may be called a heaven upon earth, com
pared with that literal Jerusalem.
Ye are come " to an innumerable company of angels."] To
myriads, many millions of angels.
" Ye are come to toe general assembly, and churCh of the
first-born, whose names are written (or enrolled) in heaven."]
This also greatly commends and amplifies the privileges of the
New-Testament believers.
Ye are come *' to God, the Judge of all."] But why to God
the Judge ? This -seems to spoil the harmony, and jar with the
other parts of toe discourse. No, they are come to God as a
righteous Judge, who, as such, will pardon them, and avenge
them on all their enemies.
" And to the spirits of just men made perfect."] A most glo
rious privilege indeed.
They are called spirits, that is, immaterial substances, strictly
opposed to bodies, whieh are no way the objects of our exterior
senses, neither visible to the eye nbr sensible to toe touch.
They are the spirits of just men.] Just two ways, (1.) By a
full discharge and acquittance from the guilt of all their sins, and
(2.) By a total freedom from any sin, all sin being perfectly

A TREATISE <OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 80S
putged out of them, and its existence utterly destroyed in them.
On which account,
They are the spirits of just men made perfect, or consummate.
The spirit of man come home to God in glory, is now consum
mate, . no more need to be done to make it as perfectly happy Us
it is capable to be made ; which is toe first thing to be considered,
viz. the quality of those with whom We are associated.
The second follows, namely, the way and manner of our as
sociation with these blessed spirits of just men, noted in this ex
pression, [we are come.']
1 . We that live under the gospel-light, are come to a clearer
apprehension and knowledge of the blessed and happy state of
the souls of the righteous after death.
2. We are come to those blessed spirits in our representative,
Christ, who hath carried our nature into the very midst of them,
for he being the common head, both to them in heaven, and to
us on earth, we and they consequentially make but one body or
society. 3. We are come.] That is, we are as good as come, there
remains nothirig between them and us but a puff of breath, a little
space of time, which shortens every moment. We are come to
the very borders of their country, and there is nothing to sjJeak
of betwixt them and us. Hence the note is,
Doct. That righteous and holy souls, once Separated from their
bodies by death, are immediately perfected in themselves, and
associated with others alike perfect im tke kingdom of God.
"When that Which is perfect is come, then toat which is in part
shall be done away. For now we see through a glass darkly,
but then face to face ; now I know in part, but theh I shall know
even as also I am known."
These two adverbs, now and then, distinguish the two-fold
State of gracious souls. Now we are imperfect^ but then that
which is perfect takes place, and that Which is imperfect is done
§Wa.y by the opening ofthe perfect day. *
There is a cloud always overshadowing the World to come, a
gloom and haziness upon that state : Fain we would, with our
weak and feeble beam of imperfect knowledge, penetrate this
cloud, and dispel this gloom and haziness, but cannot. " For
eye hath not Seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the
heart of man, the things Which God hath prepared for theto that
love him." And another apostle adds, " It doth not yet appear
what we shall be," 1 John iii. 2. Yet this we know, that *' we
shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is."
And it is our privilege and happiness, that we are come to the
Spirits of just men made petfeCt, i. e. to a clearer knowledge

504 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
of that state than was ordinarily attainable by believers, under
former dispensations.
These things premised, I will proceed to open my apprehen
sions of the separate state of the spirits of just men made perfect,
in twelve propositions.
Proposition 1 . There is a two-fold separation of the soul from
the body ; intellectual and actual.
1. Intellectual or mental separation, and this is nothing else
but an act ofthe understanding, or mind, conceiving, or consider
ing the soul and body, as separate and parted from each other,
whilst yet they are united in a personal oneness by the breath of
life. This mental separation may, and ought to be frequently
and seriously made, before death make toe real and actual sepa
ration ; and the more frequently and seriously we do it, the less
of horror and distraction will attend that real and fatal stroke,
whenever it shall be given.
The serious and fixed thoughts ofthe parting hour, is preventive
of much guilt. " Nothing more recals a man from sin, than the
frequent meditation of death." I dare not say it is the strongest
of all curbs to keep us back from sin, but I am sure it is a very
strong one.
It was once demanded of a very holy man (who spent
much more than the ordinary allowance of time in prayer, and
searching his own heart) why he so macerated his body by such
frequent and long-continued duties ! His answer was, O ! I must
die, I must die ! *
Hereby we gain also more inward knowledge and acquaint
ance with it, and the less it terrifies us. A lion is much more
dreadful to him that never saw him, than he is to the keeper who
feedeth him every day. A pitched battle is more frightful and
scaring to a new-listed soldier, that never took his place in the
field before, nor saw toe dreadful countenance of an army ready
to engage, nor beard the thundering noise of the canon, and vol-
lies of shot, the shouts of armies, and groans of dying men on
every side, than it is to an old soldier, who hath been used to such
things. The like we may observe in seamen, who it may be
trembled at first, but now can sing in a storm.
But it needs much grace to bring, and to hold the heart to this
work ; and therefore Moses begs it of God, Psal. xc. 12. " So
teach us to number our days." The Jews, for this use and end,
had their sepulchres built beforehand, and that in their gardens
of pleasure too, that they might season the delights of life with
the frequent thoughts of death, John xix. 41.
Philip of Macedon would be awakened by his page every morn
ing with this sentence, Remember, O king, tbat thou art a mortal
man. A great emperor of Constantinople, at his great feasts,
ordered a mason to bring two stones before him, and say, " Chuse,

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 505
0 emperor, which of the two stones thou wilt have for thy tomb
stone." Prop. 2. Actual separation may be considered as to the fore
going agonies of it ; and the final result.
The conflicts and struggles of nature with death are bitter and
sharp pains, unknown to men before, whatever pains they have
endured ; nor can it be expected to be otherwise, seeing the ties
and engagements betwixt the soul and body are so strong.
This is the dark side of death to all good men ; and though it
be not worth naming, in.comparison with the dreadful consequents
of death to all others, yet in itself is terrible.
And yet all are not handled alike roughly by death ; some are
favoured with a gentle and easy death.
Mr. Bolton felt no pain at his death, but the cold hand of bis
friend, who a.ked him what pain he felt. Yea, holy Bayneham
in the midst of the flames, professed it was to him as a bed of
roses. Separation from the body is to be considered in the result and
issue of all those bitter pangs and agonies, which end in the
actual dissolution of soul and body. Augustine calls it the laying
down of a heavy burden, provided there be not another burden
for the soul to bear afterwards, which will sink it into hell.
In respect ofthe body, which tbe soul now forsakes, it is called
" the putting off this tabernacle," and the " dissolving toe earthly
house or tabernacle," 2 Cor. v. I .
This is its last farewell to this world, never to return to a low
animal life more. Job. vii. 9, 10. " For as the cloud is consumed
and vanished away, so he that goeth down to the grave shall
come up no more : he shall return no more to his house, neither
shall his place know him any more." The soul is no more bound
to a body, nor a retainer to the sun, moon, or stars, to meat,
drink, and sleep, but is become a free, single, abstracted being,
a separate and pure spirit, a being much like unto the angels.
An angel, as one speaks, is a perfect soul, a soul is an imperfect
angel. Prop. 3. The separation of the soul and body, makes a great
and wonderful change upon both.
The change upon the body is great and visible to every eye.
A living body is changed into a dead carcase ; a beautiful and
comely body into a loathsome spectacle : that which was lately
the object of delight and love, is hereby made an abhorrence to
all flesh. " Bury my dead out of my sight," Gen. xxiii. 4.
That body which was fed so assiduously, cared for so anxiously,
loved so passionately, is now tumbled into a pit, and left to the
mercy of crawling worms.
Thus it is when death bath dislodged the soul : worms nestle
in the holes where the beautiful eyes were once placed ; corrup
tion is upon all parts of that stately structure. But this being a

506 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
vulgar theme, I .hall leave fhe body to the dust from whence ft
came, and follow the soul, which is my proper subject, pointing
at the changes which are made on it.
The essence of the soril is not destroyed o* changed by tbe
body's ruin ; it is substantially the self-same soul it was when in
the body. But,
1. It is not where it was : immersed in matter, married unto
flesh and blood ; but now it is unclothed and stripped naked of
its garments of flesh, like pure gold melted out of the ore, or as
a bird let out of her cage into the open fields and woods. This
makes a great and wonderful change upon ft.
2. Being free from toe body, it is consequently discharged and
freed from all those cares and sorrows to which it was here sub
jected upon the body's account : it puts Off all those passions and
burdens with it : never spends one thought more about food and
raiment, health and sickness, wives and children, riches, ot po-.
verty, but lives henceforth after the manner of angels.
3. In the unbodied state it is perfectly freed from sin, both in
the acts and habits ; a mercy it never enjoyed since the first mo
ment it dwelt in the body. The cure of this disease was indeed
begun in the work of sanctification ; but ft is not perfected till toe
day ofthe soul's glorification.
4. Tbe manner of its converse with, ahd enjoyment of God is
changed. But yet the soul is no loser ; nay, it is the greatest gainer by
this change. Hezekiah bemoaned the loss of ordinances upon
his supposed death-bed, saying, " I shall not see the Lord, even
the Lord in the land of the living :" q. d. Now farewell temple
and ordinances ; I shall never go any more into his temple, where
my soul hath been so often cheered and refreshed with the displays
of his grace and goodness ; I shall never more join with the
assembly of his people on earth. And suppose he had not, sure
he would have lost nothing, had he then exchanged the temple at
Jerusalem for the temple in heaven ; and communion with sinful
imperfect saints on earth, for fellowship with angels, and " the
spirits of just men made perfect."
Prop. 4. The souls of the righteous, at the instant of their
separation, are received by the blessed angels, and by them trans
ferred unto the place of blessedness.
Though angels are by nature a superior Order of spirits, differ
ing from men in dignity, as the nobles and barons in the king
doms of this world differ from inferior subjects ; yet are they
made ministering spirits. Luther assigns to them a double office,
to sing the praises of God on high, and to watch over his saints
here below. Like tender nurses, they keep us whilst we live,
and bring us home in their arms to our Father's house, when we
die. When Lazarus breathed out his soul, it was " carried by angels

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 507
into Abraham's bosom." At the translation Of Elijah, they ap
peared in "the form -of 'horses and chariots of fire, 2 Kings ii. 11.
and truly, itis no small honour to have such a noble convoy and
guard to attend our souls to heaven.
Object. If it be demanded, What need is there of their help or
company ? Cannot 'God by his immediate hand and power gather
home the souls of Ms people to himself at death ?
Sol. True, he can do so; but it hath pleased him to appoint
this method of our translation, not out of mere necessity, but
bounty. Souls ascend not to God in the virtue of toe angels
wings or arms, but of Christ's ascension. Had he not ascended
as our head and Tepresentative, all the angels in heaven could not
have brought our souls thither. When he ascended, there were
multitudes of these heavenly creatures waiting upon him, "Psal.
lxviii. 17, 18. " Thou hast ascended on high," &c. And O what
jubilations of blessed angels were beard that day in heaven !
How was the whole city of God moved at his coming ! The tri
umph is not ended to this day, no, nor ever shall 'be.
Angels rejoice to attend those to heaven, who must be their
fellow-citizens for ever in heaven !
And who more fit to attend their spirits to heaven singly, than
those who must collect them into one body at last, and wait upon
that collective body, when they shall be brought to Christ ?
Object. But the sight amdpresence of angels is excceeding awful
and overwhelming to human nature: It will rather astonish and
terrify, than refresh and cheer us, to find ourselves, all on a sud
den, surrounded, and beset with majestic creatures. . " We shall
die, (saith Manoab) for we have seen God," Judges xiii. 22.
Sol. True, whilst our souls inhabit these mortal and sinful bo
dies, the appearance of angels is terrible to them, and camiot be
otherwise. Wherever thereis guilt, there will be fear, especially
upon any extraordinary appearance of God to us, though it be
but mediately by an angel.
But whan the soul is free*d, both from flesh and sin, and shall
enjoy itself in a nature, like to these pure and holy spirits, tbe
dread of angels is then vanished, and the soul will take great con
tent and satisfaction in their company and communion.
Prop . 5. The soul is not so maimed and prejudiced by its sepa
ration from the body, but Chat it both can, and doth live, and act
without it, and perform the acts of cogitation and v&tition, with*
out fflie aid and ministry of the body.
I know it is objected by them that assert the soul's sleeping till
the resurrection, that though its essence be not destroyed by death,
Cet its operations are obstructed by the want and absence ofthe
ody, its tool and instrument.
But it is much more absurd and difficult to conceive a stupi-
fied, benumbed and unactive soul, whose very nature is to be
active, lively, and always in motion, than ft is to conceive a soul

508 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
freed from the shackles and clogs of the body, acting freely ac
cording to its own nature. I wish the favourers of this opinion
may take heed, lest it carry them farther than they intend, even
to a denial of its existence and immortality, and turn them into
downright Atheists.
Prop. 6. That the separated souls of the just having finished
all the work of obedience on earth, and the Spirit having finished
all his work of sanctification upon them, they ascend to God,
with, all the habits of grace inherent in them; and all the com
fortable improvements of their graces accompanying and follow
ing them.
Common gifts fail at death ; but saving grace sticks fast in toe
sou], and ascends with it into glory. Gracious habits are insepa
rable ; glory doth not destroy, but perfect them. The languish
ing spark of love is there a vehement flame ; the faint, remiss,
and unfrequent delight in God is there at a constant, ravishing
and transporting height.
And as all implanted habits of grace ascend with the sanctified
soul to heaven ; so all the effects, results, and sweet improve
ments of those graces accompany and follow the soul into the
other world also ; " Their works follow them." They go not
before in the notion of merits, to make way for them, but they
follow or accompany them as evidences and comfortable expe
riences. I doubt not, but the very remembrance of what passed
betwixt God and toe soul here, will be one sweet ingredient in
their blessedness and joy, when they shall be singing in the upper
region toe song of Moses and ofthe Lamb.
Prop. 7- The souls of tke just when separated from their bodies,
do not wander up and down in this world, nor hover about the
sepulchres where their bodies tie ; nor are tkey detained in any
purgatory, in. order to their more perfect purification ; nor do
they fall asleep in a benumbed, stupid state: but do forthwith
pass into glory, and are immediately with tke Lord.
Some have assigned them a restless, wandering life, now here,
now there, without any certain dwelling-place any where. The
only ground for this fancy, is the frequent apparitions of the ghost
or spirits of the dead, whereof many instances are given.
1 make no doubt, but very many of these stories, have been the
industrious fictions and devices of wicked and superstitious votaries
to gain reputation, speaking lies in hypocrisy, to draw disciples
after them. And many others have been the tricks and impos
tures of Satan himself, to shake the credit of the saints' rest in
heaven, and the imprisonment of ungodly souls in hell.
Others think, when they are loosed from the body at death,
they hover about toe graves and solitary places where their bodies
lie as willing, seeing they can dwell no longer in them, to abide
as near them as they can. But what I said before of Satan's im
postures, is enough for the present to return to this also.

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 509
The Papists send them immediately to purgatory, a certain
place wherein, as in a prison, souls are purged after this life,
that were not fully purged here, to the intent that they may enter
pure into heaven. The place, the schoolmen say, is in the
bowels of ithe earth, and upon the borders of hell. And, to
countenance this profitable fable, divers scriptures are by them
abused and misapplied, as 1 Cor. iii. 15. Matt. v. 25, 26. 1 Pet,
iii. 19. All which have been fully rescued by our divines, who
have proved, God never kindled that fire to purify souls ; but the
Pope to warm his own kitchen.
Another sort affirm, they neither wander about this world, nor
go into purgatory, but are cast by death into a swoon or sleep,
remaining in a kind of benumbed condition, till the resurrection
of the body.
Now there are four considerations which to me put the immediate
glorification of the departed souls of believers beyond all rational
doubt. 1 . Heaven is as fit and ready to receive them when they die, as
ever it shall be. All that is necessary to be done for the prepara
tion of heaven is done.
2. The departed souls of believers are as ready for heaven as
ever they will be. Their justification was complete before death,
and now their sanctification is so too. They are spirits made
perfect. 3. The scripture is plain and full for their immediate glorifica
tion; Luke xxiii. 43. " To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise."
Luke xvi. 22. " The beggar died and was carried by the angels
into Abraham's bosom."
4. There is nothing in reason lying as a bar to it. The soul
in its unembodied state is capable to enjoy blessedness, and can
perform its acts of intellection, volition, &c. not only as well, but
much better than it did when embodied. I conclude, therefore,
that all other opinions are but the dreams and fancies of men,
who have forsaken their scripture-guide.
Prop. 8. At the time of a gracious soul's separation from the
body, it is instantly and perfectly free from sin, which, till that
time, dwelt in it from its beginning; but thenceforth shall do so
no more.
Immediately from their separation from the body, they are spi
rits made perfect, and that epithet perfect could never suit them,
if there were any remaining root or habit of corruption in them.
The garments spotted with the flesh, are taken away with the
body of flesh, and the pure unchangeable robes of perfect holiness
clothed upon the soul, in which it appears without fault before
the throne of God, Rev. xiv. 5.
When a compounded" being comes to be dissolved, each part
returns to its own principle ; so it is here : the spirit of man, and
all the grace that is in it, came from God ; and to him they re-

510 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
turn at death, and are perfected in him andby him.: the'flesh re
turns to earth, whence it came; and all tbat body of sin is destroyed
with it ;, neither toe one nor, the other shall be a snare or, clog to;
the soul any more. A Christian in this world is but gold in the
ore ; at death, the pure gold is melted, out and separated, and the
dross cast away and consumed. Hence observe,.
1 . That a believer's life and warfare end. together. We lay
not doWn. our weapons of war, till we lie down in, the dust, 2
Tim. iv. 7. The course and conflict you see are finished, toge.
ther. Grace and sjn have each acted its part upon the stage of
time, the victory hovered doubtfully, sometimes over sin, and
sometimes- over grace ; but now the war is endedj and with it all
the fears and sorrows ofthe saints.
2. Separated souls become impeccable, for free from all toe
hazard of sin, from the time of their separation: for there being
no root, of sin now inherent in them, consequently no temptation
to sin can fasten upon them; it were as good to discharge an
arrow at the body of the sun, as a temptation at a translated
soul., 3. Separated souls are more lovely companions, and their con
verses more sweet and delightful than ever they were in tois
world, O! blessed, society ! O ! most, desirable companions!
let my soul for ever be united to their assembly. I love them
under their corruptions ; but how shall my soul ke knit to. them;,
when.it seeth them shining in their perfections ?
Prop. 9. The pleasure and delights of the separate spirits of
the. justj are incomparably greater and sweeter than, those
they did, or at any time could experience in their bodily ,stabe:.
With What, a pleasant face would death smile upon believers !
what. roses would it raise in its, pale cheeks, if this proposition
were but, well settled in our hearts by faith! And if we will not
be wanting to ourselves, it may be firmly settled there., by these
four considerations.
1. Whatsoever pleasure any man received in this toorld, he re
ceived it by means of his soul.
If a man be placed amidst all the pleasing objects and circum
stances in the world;, yet if the spirit he wounded, there is no
more relish or savour in them, than in the white of an egg. Whaifc
pleasure had Spira, in his liberty, estate, wife and children ? in
stead of pleasure they became his horror: let but the mind be
wounded, and all tbe mirthis marred : one touch from God upon
the spirit, destroys all the joy of this world.
2. Of all natural pleasures in tke world, intellectual plea
sures are found to be most agreeable, and connatural to the soul
of man.
The more refined and remote from sin any pleasure is, the more
grateful is it to the sou] ;. those are certainly the sweetest delights
that spring, out ofthe mind. A drop of , intellectual pleasure is

A TBlEATISS QF THE SOUL OF MAN. 511
\talued by a generous and well-tempered soul, above the whole
ocean of impure joys, which come to it sophisticated and tinged
through the muddy channels of sense*
Cardan teUs, us,, "• That to know the secrets of nature, and the
QW.ec ofthe universe, hath greater pleasure and sweetness in it,
than toe thought of man can fathom or any man can hope for."
Scaliger was so delighted with, poetry, that he protested that he
had rather be the author of twelve verses in Lucan, than emperor
of Germany. And to say truth, " there is a kind of enchanting
sweetness in those intellectual pleasures; and. feasts ofthe mind;
as approaching much nearer to the- nature of the soul, which is
spiritual." 3. And as intellectual pleasures do so far exceed all sensitive
pleasures ; So divine pleasures do again muck more sur
mount intellectual ones. For what compare is there betwixt
those joys which surprise a scbaliar in toe discovery of the secrets
of nature, and those that o.verwhelmn and. swallow up the Chris
tian in the discovery ofthe glorious mysteries of redemption by
Christ and: has own personal interest therein. These are enter
tainments for angels, and after these delights,, all others are
insipid and dry.
4. All that divine pleasure, which ever the holiest, and afe-
voutest soul enjioyedi in the body, is but a sip or pretibation,
compared witk tko.se full' draughts it hath in the unembodied
state. " In toy presence is fullness of joy." This fullness of joy is
not to be expected, because not to be supported in tbis world.
The joy of heaven would quickly make the hoops of nature fly.
When a good man had but a little more than ordinary joy of the.
Lord poured into his soul, he was heard to cry, " Hold, Lord,
hold ! thy poor creature is but a clay vessel, and can hold no
more!" The spiritual pleasures, the soul hath in the body, are but by
reflection ; but those it enjoys out of the body, are by immediate
intuition, 1 Cor. xiii. 12. now in a glass, then face to face.
The pleasures it now hath, though they be of a divine nature,
yet they are relished by the vitiated appetite of a sick and dis
tempered soul ; but the unembodied soul hath none of these dis
tempers hanging about it.
The pleasures of a gracious soul on earth are but rare and
seldom, meeting with many and long interruptions ; but from
these, and, all Other prejudicial avocations, the separated sou! is
discharged and setfree for ever.
The pleasures it hath here, are but the pleasures of hope and
expectation, which cannot bear any proportion to those of sight
and full fruition. O see the advantages of an unembodied, state !
Prop. 10. That gracious souls, separate from the body, do
attaimto the perfection of knowledge,, wMk more ease than they

512 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
attained any small degree of knowledge ivkilst they dwelt in
tke body.
Great are the inconveniences and prejudices, under which souls
labour, in their pursuits after knowledge in this life, Veritas in
puteo, Truth lies deep. And it is hard, even with much labour,
pains, and study, to pump up one clear notion.
And hence it was that Augustine made his rational conjecture,
Why men used tp be so much delighted with metaphors, because
they are so much proportioned to our senses, with which our rea
son in this embodied state, hath contracted such an intimacy and
familiarity : But when the soul lays aside its veil of flesh, truth
also puts off her veil, and shews the soul her naked, beautiful, and
ravishing face ; it henceforth beholds all truth in God, the foun
tain of truth.
Then, in the unembodied state, we see him face fo face with a
direct vision. This is to see him as he is. The believer is a
candidate for this degree now, but cannot be invested with it, till
he be divested from this body of flesh.
In this light they clearly discern those deep mysteries which
here racked their thoughts, but which they could not penetrate in
this life. There they will know what is to be known ofthe union
of the two natures in the wonderful person of-our Emanuel ; and
the manner of the subsistence of each person, in the most glo
rious and undivided Godhead, and Oh ! what a ravishing sight
will this be !
The mysteries of the scripture and providences of God will be
no mysteries then : Curiosity itself will be there satisfied.
This immediate knowledge and sight of God face to face, will
be infinitely more sweet, and ravishingly pleasant than any, or
all the views we had of him here by faith ever were, or possibly
could be. Who can tell the full importance of that one text,
" The throne of the Lamb shall be in it, and they shall see his
face ? " Oh ! for such a heaven (said one) as to get one glimpse
of that lovejy face ! Earth Lcannot bear such sights. This light
overwhelms, and confounds the inadequate faculties of imperfect
and embodied souls. But there is a cheering, strengthening,
pleasant light, as the light ofthe morning star, Rev. ii 28.
Oh lovely state of separation ! That body which interposed,
clogged, and clouded the willing spirit; being drawn aside (as a
curtain) by death, the light of glory now shines upon ft, and round
about it, without any interception, or hindrance.
Prop . 1 1 . The separated souls of the "just do live in a more
Mgh and excellent way of communion with God, in his temple-
worship in heaven, than ever they did in the sweetest gospel ordi
nances, and most spiritual duties, in which they conversed witk
him here on earth.
At death they part with all those precious ordinances, but not
at all to their loss, any more than ft is to lose the light of a candle

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 513
by the rising ofthe sun. A candle, a star is comfortable in the
night; but uselesss when the sun is up, and in its meridian glory.
There are divers remarkable differences betwixt the one and the
other, as will be manifest in the following collation.
1. All our worship on earth is performed and transacted by
faith, as the instrument and means thereof. By realizing and ap
plying invisible things, we get sometimes, and with no small
pains, a taste of heaven, and a transient glance ofthat glory.
And if we get but one sensible touch of heaven upon our spirits,
if we get a little spiritual warmth and melting of our affections
towards God, we call that day a good day, and it is so indeed.
But in heaven all things are carried at a high rate, the joy ofthe
Lord overflows without any labour; or pain to procure it.
2. No grace is or can be acted here, without the clog of a con
trary corruption. " When I would do good, evil is present with
me." Every beam of faith is, presently darkened by a cloud of
unbelief. But in that perfect state above, grace flows purely out
ofthe soul, as beams do from the sun, or crystal streams from
the purest fountain. No impure or imperfect acts proceed from
spirits made perfect.
3. Here the graces of the saints are never, or very rarely
acted in their highest and most intense degree. When they love
God most fervently, there is some coldness in their love ; it is
very hard, if not impossible, for the soul to stand long in its full
bent to God. But in heaven it doth so, and will do so for ever,
without any relaxation or remission of its fervour. They all. act,
as the fire doth here, to the utmost of their power and ability.
There is no note lower than " Glory to God in the highest."
4. The most spiritual souls on earth, who live most with God,
have, and must have their daily and frequent intermissions. Our
affections will cool and fall, do what we can.
But the spirits of just men made perfect know no intermissions
in the acting of their grace . " They shall serve him day and
night in his temple."
5. If the best hearts on earth be at any time more than ordi
narily enlarged in spiritual comforts, they need presently some
humbling providence to hide pride from their eyes. Even Paul
himself must have a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to
buffet him.
But, in heaven the highest comforts are enjoyed in the deepest
humility; and the entire glory is ascribed to God, without any
unworthy defalcations.
6. All assemblies for worship in this world are mixed ; they
consist of regenerate and unregenerate, living and dead souls :
This spoils the harmony, and allays the comfort of mutual com
munion. But above, there are ten thousand times ten thousand,
loving, adoring, praising, and triumphing together, and not a jar
ring string in all their harps. L L

514 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
7- Here the worship of God is impure, mixed, and adulterated
by the sinful additions and inventions of men. But above, all
the worship is pure, the least pin in the heavenly tabernacle is
according to the perfect pattern of the divine will.
8. We have here duties of divers kinds to perform. All our
time is not to be spent in loving, praising, and delighting in God ;
but we must turn ourselves also to searching, watching, and soul-
humbling work. The spirits of just men made perfect, have but
one kind of employment, viz praising, loving and delightingin
God. 9. The most illuminated believers on earth have but dark and
crude apprehensions of Christ.
But the immediate intuition ofthe person of Christ in heaven,
the beholding of him there, with the smiles and honours, the de
light and satisfaction of the Father in his person and work must
be a for different thing.
10. In such ravishing sights and joyful' ascriptions of glory to
him that sitteth upon the. throne, and to the Lamb for evermore,
ati the separated spirits of the just are employed and wholly taken
up in heaven, as they come in their several times thitlier; and will
be so employed in that temple-service unto the end of the world,
when Christ shall deliver up the kingdom to his Father, and thence
forth God shall be all in all.
The illustration and confirmation of this assertion we have in
these two or three particulars.
1. That all the spirits of just men, from the beginning of the
world, until Christ's ascension into heaven, did enter into heaven,
as a place of rest, and did enjoy blessedness and glory there.
But yet there seems to be an alteration even in heaven itself,
since the ascension of Christ into it, and such an alteration as
advanceth tbe glory thereof both to angels and saints.
" Whatever their rest, refreshment, and blessedness ; what
ever were their enjoyments of the presence of God, yet was there
no throne of grace erected in heaven, no high-priest appearing
before it, no lamb as it had been slain, no joint ascription of
glory unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb for
ever." Now both the angels and saints in heaven, do behold Christ in
his priestly office within that sanctuary ; a sight never seen in
heaven before.
2. This frame of heavenly worship will continue as ft is unto
the end of the world, and then another alteration will be made in
the manner of his dispensatory kingdom.
But Christ will never cease to be the immediate head of the
whole glorified creation. God having gathered all the elect, both
angels> and men, unto a head in him, and he being the centre of
that collective body, the whole frame of the glorified church would
be dissolved, should he lose his relation of a head to it.

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL, QF MAN. 515
But when he shall have gathered home all his elect to glory,
he will resign his present dispensatory kingdom, and become
subject (as man, and as head ofthat body which he; purchased)
to his Father himself, " that God may be all in all," as it is,. 1
Cor. xv. 28.
1. All in all, that is, all the saints shall be filled, and abun
dantly; satisfied, in and from God alone ;, there shall be no erajpti.
mess;, no want,, no compMnt. For, as there is, wateir enough, n
one sea to fill all riyers, light enough in. one sun to UJumiiSiate all
the world ; so all souls .shall be eternally filled, saliisfiedv and
blessed in one God.
2', All in all, that is, complete satisfaction to all the saints in
the absence of all other things, out of which tbejs were wont to
suck some comfort and delight in this, world. He will now, be in
stead of all; eminently all without them : there will be, np more
need or use of them, than of candles in toe sun-shine* Rev.
xxii. 5»
3. All in all, that is, God only shall be loved, praised, and
admired by all the saints ; they shall love no creature out of God,
but all in God, or rather God in them all. This is that blessed
state to which all things tend, for which the angels and glorified
souls in heaven long. Hence it is that there is joy in heaven
upon the conversion of any poos sinner on earth ; because thereby
the body of Christ mystically advaneeth towards its. fulness, and
completeness, whea they shall be both in soul and body for ever
with the Lord. What tongue of man or angel can give us toe
complete emphasis of that word, ever with the Lord ? or that of
God's, being all in all ? O what hath God prepared for them that
love him.
Prop- 12. Il pleaseth God at some times, even in this life, to
give- some mep. tkefexesighl and foretaste of that: blessedness, which
holy separated souls do now enjoy, and themselves shall shortly
enjoy with God in glory..
Such was that famous raptureof Paul, mentioned 2 Cor. xii. 2,
3l -. '¦ I knew a man in^Christ fourteen years ago, (whether in, the
body I cannot tell, or whether out ofthe body I cannot tell, God
kno.weth,)i such a one caught, up to the third heaven, &c." His
soul, for that time, seemed to be disjointed from- toe body, much
as a flame of fire, which you shalll sometimes see to play and
hover at a distance from the wood, and then catching the fuel
again. In this- rapture his: soul ascended above this world, it was caught
lip into paradise, into the third heaven. O what a day was that
day.to bis soul ! It was as one of the days of heaven ; no woisds
could express what he felt, what he tasted in that hour. Such
favours will not be indulged to many : he was a chosen vessel,
and appointed to extraordinary sufferings for Christ,, and it was
L L 2

516 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
necessary that his supports and encouragements should be an
swerable. It was no less an extraordinary and wonderful vision, which
Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and John had ; such representations of
God as overwhelmed them, and made nature faint under them.
Stephen at his martyrdom, being full ofthe Holy Ghost, looked
steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God and Jesus
standing on the right-hand of God. This was not a sight of faith,
but an extraordinary sight by the bodily eye, it made his face to
shine as the face of an angel.
There are also, besides this, ordinary, and more common fore
tastes of heaven, and the glory to come, " Believing, we rejoice
with joy unspeakable, and full of glory."
Mr. Fox tells us of one Giles, of Bruxels, a godly martyr, who
in prison spent most of his time apart from the rest, in secret
prayer ; in which his soul was so ardent and intent, that he often
forgot himself, and the time ; and when he was called to meat, he
neither saw nor heard, those that stood by him, till he was lifted
up by toe arms : and then he would gladly speak to them, as one
newly awaked out of a sweet sleep.
And now, having explained the substance of toe doctrine, it
remains, that I further clear what belongs to this subject, in the
solution of several queries about the soul, in its unembodied state.
Query 1. Whether any notion or conception can be formed of a
separate soul; and if so, how we maybe assisted duly to form it,
and conceive it ?
Sol. It must be acknowledged not only very difficult, but an
impossible task, for a soul imriiersed in matter, to gain a clear
and adequate conception of what it shall be in the world to come.
For, seeing by nature it is invisible, and in most of its actions
makes the same use ofthe body and natural spirits, that a scribe
doth of his pen and ink; it must needs be difficult to conceive
how it subsists and acts in a separate state.
But though we acknowledge it" to be a great difficulty to trace
it beyond the limits of this World, yet all this doth not make the
notion of a separate soul impossible, the scriptures having so
abundantly obviated all these atheistical suggestions by so many
plain discoveries of the happiness of some, and misery of others
after this life ; yet there can be no more difficulty in conceiving
of a separate soul, than there is in. conceiving of an angel. For
it is certain, that a separated soul, and an angel, are. the liveliest
and clearest representations of each other in the whole number
of created beings. Some make the difference betwixt them little
more than of a sword in the scabbard from one tbat is naked. It
is the same sword when it is drawn, as ft was when sheathed in its
scabbard ; the soul is as much itself, when separated from the body,
as it was when united with it ; its being is not dependent on it,

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 517
it can live and act in a body, and it can do so without it ; for itis
a distinct being from its body ;" a substantial being itself. In its
faculties and affections, the habits of grace are permanently rooted,
which therefore accompany it in its aseension to glory: the clog
of flesh is knocked off, and all distance from God removed, by
its coming home to him, even as near as the capactity of the soul
can admit. Conceive such a spirit so qualified, now ranked in
its proper order among innumerable other holy and blessed
spirits, which surround the throne of God, beholding his face
with infinite delectation, and acting all its powers and grace to the
highest, in worshipping, praising, loving, and admiring him tbat
sitteth on the throne, and the Lamb for evermore. And then
you have a true, .though imperfect idea or notion of the spirit of
a just man made perfect.
Query 2. Whether there be any difference in tke separation of
gracious souls from their bodies ? And if so, in what particulars
doth the difference appear ?
There is a difference betwixt the departing souls of just men.
1. In the external circumstances of their death, all have not
one and tbe same passage to heaven in all respects ; for,
(1.) Some go thither by the ordinary road of a natural death
from their beds, and the arms of lamenting friends, to the arms
and bosom of Jesus Christ ; but others swim through the Red-sea
to Canaan ; from a scaffold to the throne ; from a gibbet or stake
to their Father's house ; from insulting enemies to their triumph
ant brethren, the palm-bearing multitude. This is a rough, but
honourable way to glory.
(2.) Some lie long under toe hand of death, before it dispatch
them ; it approaches them by slow and lingering pacOs, they feel
every step distinctly as ft comes on towards them ; but others
are favoured with a quick dispatch, a short passage from hence to
glory. Hezekiah feared a pining sickness, what he feared many
feel. O how many days, yea, weeks and months, have many
gracious souls dwelt upon the brink of the pit, •crying, How
long, Lord, how long ?
But others have the privilege of an easy death, a comfortable
and sweet passage into glory, even an abundant entrance into the
everlasting kingdom.
A pardon cleared,
A heart weaned from this world,
Fervent love to Christ, and longings to be with him,
Purity and peace of conscience, make a death-bed soft and
easy. The work of obedience faithfully finished, or a steady course
of holiness through life, is that which usually yields much peace
and joy in death, Act xx. 24. . ,, ,
Query 3. Whetker any souls have notices and forewarnings

518 A1 TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MB_N;
gwen them by signs or predictions, in an extraordinary way of
their approacMng separation ? -,
Though many arguments prove the common and daily use of
audh signs and predictions needless, yet they destroy not toe
credibility of them in some cases' and at some times. For,
1 . There are recorded instances in scripture of premonitions
and predictioins of death. Thus the death of Abijah was foretold
to his mother by toe prophet, and the precise hom thereof which
fell Out answerably, 1 Kings xiv. 6, 12. And tbe death of the
king of Assyria, Isa. xxxvii. J. 37, 38.
Thus Mr. Knox foretold the very place and manner of the
death of toe laird of Grrange. " I pray you go to him (said Mr.
Knox) and tell him, unless he forsake thrit wicked course he is
in, the rock wherein he confideth shall not defend him, nor the
carnal wisdom of toat man (meaning young Leshington) whom
he counteth half a God, shall help him : but he shall be shame
fully pulled out ofthat nest, and bis carcase bung before the sun."
And even so it fell out in the following year, when the castle Was
taken, and his body hanged out before the Sun. Thus God ex
actly fulfilled the prediction of his death.
The same Mr. Knox, in the year 1556, being in the pnipft at
Edinburgh, upon the Lord's day, a paper was given up to him*
wherein toese words were scoffingly written concerriing the eari
Murray, who was slain the day before. — " Take up the man
whom iye accounted another God." At the end of the sermon,
Mr. Kriox bewailed the loss toat the church and state had suffered
by the death of that virtuous man ; and then added', " There is
one in this company that makes this horrible murder the subject
of his mirth, but I tell him, he shall die where there shall be
none to lament him.'' The man that wrote this paper was one
Thomas Metellan, a young gentleman, who shortly after, in his
travels, died in Italy, having none to assist or lament him.
-Others have had premonitions and signs of their own deaths;
by strong and irresistible impressions of their approaching
change made upon their minds. So had Sir Anthony Wingfield,
who was slain at Brest. At bis undertaking that expedion, ;he
was strongly persuaded it would be his death ; and therefore so
settled and disposed of his estate, and the day before he died took
order for the payment of his debts, as one that strongly presaged
the time was now at hand ; which accordingly fell out the next
day. Mnfeh of the same nature was that of the late earl of Marlbo
rough, who fell in the Holland war. He not only presaged his
own fall in that encounter, (which Was exactly answered in the
event) but left behind him that memorable and excellent letter,
which evidenced to all the world what deep and fixed apprehen*
sions of eternity it had left upon his spirits.

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 519
2. Others have been premonished of their death by dreams,
sometimes their own, and sometimes others. The learned and
judicious Amyealdus gives us this well attested relation of Lewis
of Bourbqn, That a little before his journey from Dreux, be
dreamed that he fought three successful battles, wherein his three
great enemies were slain, but that at last he himself was mortally
wounded; and that after they were laid one upon another, he also
was laid upon the dead bodies. The event was remarkable ; for
the Mareschal of St. Andree was killed at Dreux, the Duke of
Guise at Orleans, the constable of Montmorency at St. Denis :
and this was the triumvirate, which had sworn the ruin of those
of the reformed religion, and the destruction of that prince. At
last he himself was slain at Balsac, as if there had been a con
tinuation of deaths and funerals.
Suetonius, in the life of Julius Caesar, tells us, tbat the night
before he was slain, he had divers premonitions thereof, for that
night all the doors and windows of his chamber flew open; his
wife also dreamed that Caesar was slain, and that she had him in
her arms. The next day he was slain in Pompey's court, having
received twenty-three wounds in his body.
And as remarkable is that recorded by the learned and ingeni
ous Dr. Sterne, of Mr. Usher of Ireland. About four of the
clock the day before be died, a matron who died a little before,
and whilst living was dear to Mr. Usher, appeared to him in his
sleep, and invited him to sup with her the next night : he at first
denied her, but she more vehemently pressing her request on him,
at last he consented, and that very night he died.
I have also the fullest assurance that can be of the truth of the
following narrative. A person yet living was greatly concerned
about the welfare of his dear father and mother, who were both
shut up in London, in the time of the great contagion in 1665.
About a fortnight before they were infected, he fell about break
of day into this dream, That he was in a great inn which was full
of company, and beihg very desirous to find a private room, where
he might seek God for his parents' life, casting, his eye into a
little chamber which Was empty, he went into it, locked the door,
kneeled down by the outside of the bed, fixing his eyes upon the
wall, arid Whilst he was vehemently begging of God the life of
his friends, there appeared upon toe plaster ofthe wall before bim,
the sun and moon shining in their full Strength. The sight atfirst
amazed and discomposed him so far, that he could not continue
his prayer, but kept his eyes fixed upon the body of the sun ; at
last a small line or ring of black encircled the sun, which increas
ing sensibly, eclipsed in a little time the whole body of it, and
turned it into a blackish colour ; which done the figure ofthe sun
was immediately changed into a perfect death's head, and after a
little while vanished quite away. The moon still continued shining
as before; but while he intently beheld it, it also darkened in like

520 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
manner, and turned also into another death's head, and vanished.
This made so great an impression upon the beholder's mind, that
he immediately awaked in confusion and perplexity of thoughts
about his dream; but how to apply it, he could not tell, only he
was satisfied that the dream was of an extraordinary nature : at
last Joseph's dream came to his thoughts with the like emblems,
and their interpretation ; which fully satisfied him that God had
warned and prepared him thereby for a sudden parting with his
dear relations ; which fell out in the same order, his father dying
that day fortnight, and his mother just a month afterwards.
I know there is much vanity in dreams ; and yet I am fully
satisfied, some are weighty, significant and declarative of the
purposes of God.
3. Lastly, An unusual and extraordinary elevation of the soul
to God, and enlargement in communion with him, hath been a
signifying forerunner of the death of some good men.
Thus it was with that renowned saint, Mr. Brewen of Staple-
ford. The day before his last sickness, he had such extraordi
nary enlargements of heart in his closet duty, that he seemed to
forget all the concernments of his body, and this lower world ;
and when his wife told him, Sir, I fear you have done yourself
hurt with rising so early ; he answered, "If you had seen such
glorious things as I saw this morning in private prayer with God,
you would not have said so ; for they were so wonderful and un
speakable,- that whether I was in the body, or out of tbe body,
with Paul, I cannot tell."
And so it was with the learned and holy Mr. Rivet, who seem
ed as a man in heaven, just before he went thither ; and so it
hath been with thousands besides these.
Quest. It may also be queried, whether Satan, by bis instru
ments, may not foretel toe death of some men ? How else did the
witch of Endor foretel the death of Saul ? and the soothsayers the
death of Caesar ?
Sol. Foreknowledge of things to come, which appear not in
their next causes, is certainly the Lord's prerogative, Isa. xii. 23.
Whatever, therefore, Satan doth in this matter, must be done
either by conjecture or commission, As to the case of Saul,
knowing the kingdom was made to David by promise, and that
the Lord was departed from Saul, and seeing how near the armies
were to a battle, he might conclude, and accordingly tell him,
" To-morrow thou shaft be with me," 1 Sam. xxviii. 19.
And so for the death of Caesar, the devil knew the conspiracy
was strong against him, and the plot laid for tbat day ; and so it
was both easy for him to reveal it to toe soothsayers, and his in
terest to do it, thereby to bring that cursed art into reputation.
As for other signs and forewarnings of death, by toe unusual
resort of doleful creatures, as owls and ravens, vulgarly accounted
ominous ; wall-watches, upon this account called death-watches ;

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 521
and tbe eating of wearing apparel by rats ; I look upon them ge
nerally as superstitious fancies, not worthy to be regarded among
Christians. Query. 4. Whether separated souls have any knowledge of, or
commerce or intercourse with men in this life ; and if not, what
is to be thought of Ike apparitions of tke dead?
The substance of what is pleaded for the affirmative, I find
thus collected and improved by Dr. Sterne.
,1. " Angels by command from God, are useful and helpful to
men ; they are the saints' guardians, and it is probable that each
Christian hath his peculiar angel : whence it will follow, that se
parated souls do mingle themselves with human affairs, and that
because they are angels, at least equal unto angels, Luke xx. 36.
Besides, they being spirits that were once embodied, must needs
be more fit for tbis employment, than those who never had any
tie at all to a body."
2. f The church triumphant and militant are but one body ;
and how much better the triumphant, are than the militant, by so
much the more propense they are to succour and help the other
that stand in need of it."
3. " The scriptures forbid consultations with the dead, Deut.
xviii. 10, 11. This prohibition supposeth some did consult them,
and received answers from them ; which must needs imply some
commerce betwixt the living, and the souls that are departed."
The acute and learned Dr. More, I find of the same opinion.
He affirms, that departed souls are capable of a vital union with
an airy vehicle (or body) in which they can easily move from
place to place, and appear to the living ! and act in their affairs,
as in detecting murders, rebuking injurious executors, visiting
and counselling their wives and children, forewarning them of
such and such courses, &c.
A notable example is given out of Baronius, of Marcilius
Ficinius, who having made a solemn vow with Michael Mercatus,
(after they had been pretty warmly disputing of the immortality
ofthe soul) that whether of them two died first, he should appear
to his friend, and give him certain information of that truth. It
was Ficinius' fate to die first, and that not long after this mutual
resolution : He was mindful of his promise, when he had left the
body ; for Mercatus being very intent at his studies, betimes in
a morning, heard a horse going by witb all speed, and observed
that he stopped at his window, and therewith heard the voice of
his friend Ficinius, crying out aloud, O Michael, Michael^ vera,
vera, sunt ilia; that is, O Michael, Michael, those things, are
true, they are true. Whereupon he suddenly opened his window,
and espying Marcilius upon a white steed, called after him, but
he vanished out of his sight. He sent, therefore, presently to
Florence, to know how Marcilius did, and understood that hedied
about that hour.

522 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
Much to the same purpose is that so famous and well attested
story of the apparition of major George Sydenham, to captain
William Dyke, both of Somersetshire. The major and captain
had many disputes about the being of a God, and the immortality
ofthe soul: and, therefore, it was at last fully agreed betwixt
them, that he that died first, should, the third night after his
funeral, come betwixt the hours of twelve and one, to the little
bouse in the garden adjoining to major Sydenham's house, at
Dulverton, in Somersetshire. The major died first, and the cap
tain, when the hour came, was at the place, where he waited two
hours and a half, neither seeing nor hearing any thing more than
usual. About six weeks after, the captain and a doctor went to
Eaton, and lay as they bad done before, at Dulverton.
The morning before they departed thence, the captain was longer
than usual in his chamber, and at length came into the doctor's
chamber, but in visage and form much different from himself,
with his eyeS staring, and his whole body shaking and trembling.
Whereat the doctor wondering, demanded, What is the matter,
cousin captain ? the captain replied, I have seen my major. At
which the doctor seeming to smile, the captain said, if ever I
saw him in my life, I saw him but now ; This morning (said he)
after it was light, some one came to my bed-side, and suddenly
drawing back the curtains, calls, Cap. cap. (which was the term
of familiarity that the major used to call the captain by) to whom
I replied, What, my major ? To which he returns, I could not
come at the time appointed, but I am now come to tell you, That
there is a God, and a very just and terrible one ; and if you do
not turn over a new leaf, you will find it so. These words were
sounding in his ears frequently, during the remainder of his life;,
and he never mentioned it but with horror and trepidation.
The apparition of the ghost of Sir George Villiers, father of
the duke of Buckingham, giving three solemn Warnings, by three
several apparitions to his servant, Mr. Parker, is a known and
credible story. But I will wade no farther into particulars, they
are almost innumerable.
In the next place, therefore, I will lay down some concessions
about this matter. •
1. It cannot be doubted, but upon special and extraordinary
reasons and occasions, some departed souls have returned lo, and
appeared in this world, by Order and commission from God, yet
I judge this is not frequently done upon slight and ordinary er
rands : and therefore to give you my own thoughts, I judge,
2. That those apparitions which seem to be, and are generally
reputed and taken for the souls of the dead, are not indeed so, but
other spirits, putting on the shapes and resemblances of tke dead,
and (for the most part) tricks of the devil, to delude or disquiet
men. And- my reasons are,

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 523
1. Because toe scriptures every wliere describe toe state of de
parted souls as a fixed state, either in heaven or hell ; and assign
the good or evil done in this world by spirits, not to the departed
spirits of men, but to angels or devils. And ft is our duty to
regulate our conceits by scripture, and not according to the vain
philosophy of the heathens, or toe superstitious traditions and opi
nions of men.
2. If God should ordinarily permit the spirits of men inhabiting
the other world, a liberty so frequently to visit this, what a gap
would it open for Satan to beguile and deceive the living.
Swarms of errors and superstitious and idolatrous opinions and
practices are this way conveyed by the tricks and artifices of
Satan, among the Papists, which I shall not blot my paper
withal ; only I desire it may be considered, that if this were a
thing so frequently permitted by God, as is pretended, upon what
dangerous terms had he left his church in this world, seeing he
hath left no certain noarks by which we may distinguish one spirit
from another, or a true messenger ofjieaven from a counterfeit
and pretended one.
I will conclude with three cautions.
Caution 1. Strain not conscience to enrich posterity: be true
to the trusts committed to you by the dead, or by the living, re
membering, that though they, be dead, and cannot avenge the
wrong, yet the Lord lives, and will surely do it in a severer
manner than they could, should they appear in the most terrible
and frightful forms to you. Besides, your own consciences will
haunt you worse than a ghost.
Caution 2. Finish your work for eternity before you die ; for
as " the cloud is consumed and vanished away, so he that goeth
down to the grave shall come up no more ; he shall return no
more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more."
Job. vii. 9, 10. Your souls will be fixed in eternity soon after
they are loosed from your bodies; when death comes, away you
must go, willing or unwilling, ready or unready ; but no return
ing hither, how willing soever.
Caution 3. Keep yourselves from that heathenish and accursed
practice of consulting the devil about your absent or dead rela
tions ; a practice too common in sea-port towns, and of deep and
heinous guilt before God, Isa. viii. 19. 'f And when they shall
say unto you, seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto
wizards that peep and mutter ; should not a people seek unto
their God ? for the living to the dead ?"
You need not call the devil twice ; that subtle and officious
spirit draws the living into his net by such a bait as this : you
meet your mortal enemy under the disguise of your dear friend.
Query 5. Whether the separated souls of tke just in heaven have
any converse or communication with each other ? and kow that

524 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
can be, seeing all the organs and instruments of speech and hear
ing are laid aside vjith their bodies.
It was never doubted, but after the resurrection they shall both
know and talk with one another in a more excellent and perfect
manner than now they do ; but till that time, the spirits of just
men are not mutes ; such an august assembly of holy and excel
lent spirits, do not live together in their Father's house without
mutual converse and fellowship with each other, as well as with
God. >
I cannot imagine, that men, in a state of imperfection, should
have so many ways to communicate their minds, as by speaking,
writing, &c. yea, that the very birds and beasts, are, by nature,
enabled'to signify to each other their inclinations ; and that the
spirits of just men (and when made perfect too) should have none,
but live at a greater disadvantage than they did, or the very
beasts in this world do.
But yet we cannot imagine these communications betwixt them
to be by words, formed by such instruments and organs of speech
as we now use. It is therefore probable, tbat they convey and
communicate their minds to one another, as the blessed angels
do. But the purest rhetoric that ever flowed from the lips of
the most charming orator, is but . babbling, to the language of
angels, or of spirits made perfect.
When Paul was wrapt into the third heaven, where he was
admitted to the sight and hearing of this blessed assembly, it is
said he heard words unspeakable, spiritual language, such as bis
tongue neither could or ought to utter ; such as none but heavenly
inhabitants can speak. A language they have, but not like ours.
The communications of angels, and souls in heaven, is there
fore conceived to be an ability in those blessed spirits, silently to
instil and insinuate their minds and thoughts to each other, by a
mere act of their wills ; just as we now speak to God, or our
selves, in our hearts, when our lips do not move, nor the least
outward sign appears.
1 . This spiritual language is- more clearly expressive of the
mind and thoughts, than words, writings, or any other external
signs can be. The greatest masters of language do often cloud
their mealing, for want of words fit and full enough to express
it : truth suffers by the poverty and ambiguity of words ; many
controversies are but mere strifes about words, and scufflings in
the dark, by the mistake of each other's sense and meaning ;
few have the ability of putting their own meaning into proper and
full expression.
But spirits unbodied so convey their sense and mind to one
another, that there can be no mistakes, no darkening of counsel,
by words without knowledge ; but one receives it just as it lies
in the other's mint..'

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 525
2. Spiritual language is more easy and of quicker dispatch.
Some men have voluble tongues and are very ready, their tongues
are as the pen of a ready scribe.
Yet all this is but bungling work, to the ready dispatch of spi
rits ; one act of the will opens the window to discern the mind
of another clearly ; so that the converse of spirits must needs be
more excellent, in both respects, than any we are accustomed to
in this worid.
Corollary. Long to be associated with the spirits of just men
made perfect. You that are going to join toat blessed assembly,
will even in this respect, gain an invaluable advantage. It is
true, there is much of comfort in toe present conversof embodied
and imperfect saints. It is sweet to rejoice and praise our God
together ; it is sweet to talk of heaven with our faces thitherward ;
but alas ! what is this to the converses that are among the spirits
of just men made perfect. With what melting hearts have we
sometimes sat under the doctrine of the gospel ! But alas ! how
dry and'dull a thing is the best of this, to the language of hea
ven! 0 therefore let.us long to be among the unbodied people ! This
world will never suit us with companions in all things agreeable
to the desires of our hearts. The best company are got together
in the upper-room ; an hour there is better than an age below.
Whatever fellowship saints leave on earth, they shall be sure
to find better in heaven.
Query 6. Whether the separated souls of the just in heaven, do
incline to a re-union witk their own bodies? And how that re-umon
is at last effected ?
That these blessed souls bave no such inclination or desire,
these reasons seem to persuade.
1. That their bodies, whilst they lived in them, were no better
than so many prisons ; many were the prejudices, damages, and
miseries they have sustained and suffered in them. Whereas
these blessed spirits now rejoice as prisoners do in their recovered
liberty ; and can it be supposed, after all these sufferings, groans
and sighs to be dissolved, they can be willing to be embodied
again ? Surely there is as little reason for souls at liberty to desire
to be again embodied, as there is for a bird got out of the snare
or cage, to fly back again to its place of confinement and restraint.
We read, that when a good man in the time of his sickness Was
told by his friends, .that some hopeful signs of his recovery began
now to appear, he answered, And must I then return to this
body? I was as a sheep driven out of the storm almost to the
fold, and then driven back into tbe storm again : or as a weary.
traveller near his home, who must go back again to fetch some
thing he had neglected : or as an apprentice whose time was
almost out, and then must begin a new term.
2. We have shewed before, toat the separate soul wants not

526

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.

the helps of the body, but lives and acts at a more free and com
fortable rate than ever before. It is now become equal to the
angels in the way and manner of its living ; and what it enjoyed
by the ministry of toe body, ft eminently and more perfectly en
joys without ft.
3. The supposition of such a propension and inclination, seems
no way to suit with that state of perfect rest which tbe souls of
the just enjoy in heaven. If we be kept but a few days* in earnest
expectation and desire of an absent friend, and he comes not,
what an uneasy life do we live ! We use to say, Lovers' hours
are full of eternity. These reasons seem to carry it for the
negative. But if the mutter be weighed once more, with the following
reasons in the counter-scale, and prejudice do not pull down the
balance ; we shall find tbe contrary conclusion much more strong
and rational. For,
1. The soul and body are the two constitutive parts of man ;
either of these being wanting, the man is not complete and per
fect. The good of the whole is toe good of the parts themselves ;
and every thing hath a natural desire and appetite to its own
good and perfection ; and till both be blessed, and blessed to
gether, in a state of composition and re-union, the whole man is
not made perfect.
2. Though death hath dissolved the union, yet ft hath not
destroyed the relation betwixt the soul and tbe body ; that dust
is more to it than all the dust ofthe whole earth.
. 3. The regret, reluctancy, and sorrows expressed by the
soul at parting, do strongly argue its inclination to a re-union
with it, when it is actually separated from it. For why should
we surmise, that the soul, which mourned, and groaned so deeply
at parting, should not, when absent, desire to see, and enjoy its
old and endeared friend again ? Hath it lost its affection, though
it continue its relation ? That is very improbable.
Objection. But was it not urged before, in opposition tothis
assertion, that the souls of the righteous looked upon toeir bodies
as 'their prisons, and sighed for deliverance hy death ?
Solution. The willingness of God's people, to be, dissolved,
must not be understood absolutely, but comparatively ; in that
sense the apostle will be understood, 2 Gor. v. 8. " We are con
fident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and
present with the Lord," i. e. rather than to Hve always a life of
sin, sorrow, and absence from God : death is not desirable in,
and for itself, but only as it is the soul's outlet from sin, and its
inlet to God.
No considerations in all the world, less than the more full frai«-
tion of God, and freedom from sin, could possiby have prevailed
with it to quit the body, though but for a time, and leave it in the
dust. Which is our third argument.

A TREATISE OFTHE SOUL OF MAN. 527
#
And} as the dolorous parting bour evidenceth it, sO doth the
joy with which it receives it again at the resurrection. If it part
from it so heavily, and meet it agaih with joy unspeakable ;
sure, then, it still retaineth much love for it, and desires to be re-
espoused to it in the interval. And, by tbe way, this removes
the objection beforei-mentioned, of the miseries and prejudices
the soul suffered in this world, in and from the body ; for now
it receives it a spiritual body, i. e. so subdued to, and fitted for
the use of the spirit, as never to impede, clog, or obstruct its
motions and inclinations any more, 1 Cor. xv. 44. In this
hope it parted from ft, and with this consolation it now receives
it again.
i> Upon these grounds I think the inclination of toe separated
spirits of the just to their own bodies to be a justifiable opinion.
As for the damned, we have no reason to think such a re-union
to be desirable to them ; for alas, it will be but an increase and
aggravation of their torments ; which consideration is sufficient to
overpower and stifle the inclination of nature, and make the very
thoughts of it horrid and dreadful. To what end (as the prophet
speaks in another case) is it for them to desire that day? It
will be a day of darkness and gloominess to them ; re-union being
designed to complete the happiness of the one, and the misery of
the other.
Our way is now open to the improvement and use of this ex
cellent subject and doctrine of separation.
Inf. 1. If this be the life and state of gracious souls after their
separation from the body, Then holy persons ought not to enter
tain dismal and terrifying thoughts of their own dissolution.
>„ The apprehensions and thoughts of death should have a peculiar
pleasantness in tbe minds of believers. Oh ! methinks there hath
been enough said, to make all the souls, in whom the well-
grounded hopes of the life of glory are found, to cry out with the
apostle, "We are confident, I say, yea, and willing rather to be
absent from the body, arid present with the Lord," 2 Cor. v. 8.
When good Musculus dreW near his end, how sweet and
pleasant was this meditation to his soul ! Hear but one stanza
of his song. Why quiverest thou, my soul, within my breast ?
Thine angel's come to lead thee to thy rest.
Quit cheerfully this drooping house of clay ; ,
God will restore it, in the appointed day.
Much in the same cheerful frame was the heart of dying Bul-
linger, when his mournful friends expressed their sense of the loss
they should sustain by bis removal. " Why, said he, if God will
make any farther use of my laboursin the ministry, be will re
new my strength, and I will gladly serve him: But if he please

528 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
(as I desire he would) to call me.hence, I am ready to obey his
will ; and nothing more pleasant can befal me, than to leave this
sinful and miserable world to go to my Saviour Christ." O that
all, who are out ofthe danger of death, were thus got out of the
dread of death too.
Let them only tremble and be convulsed at the thoughts and
sight of death, whose souls must fall into toe hands of a sin-reveng
ing God by the stroke of death ; who are to breath out their last
hope with their last breath. Death is yours saith the apostle,
your friend, your privilege, your passage to heaven ; it is your
ignorance of it, whii;h breeds your fears about it.
Inf. 2. Gather from hence, the absolute, indispensible neces
sity of your union with Jesus Christ, before your dissolution
by death.
Woe to that soul which shall be separated from its body before
it be united with Christ.
What thinkest thou, reader ? Darest thou adventure thy soul
and eternal happiness upon it, that the work of regeneration and
sanctification, is truly wrought in thy soul ? Consider it well,
pause upon it again and again before thou go forth. Should a
mistake, be committed here, thou art irrecoverably gone. This
venture can be made but once, and the miscarriage is never to be
retrieved afterwards ; thou hast not another soul to adventure, nor
a second adventure to make of this.
Inf. 3. How prejudicial is it to dying men to be then incum
bered, diverted and distracted about earthly concernments, wken
the time of their departure is at hand.
The business and employment of dying persons is of so vast
importance and weight, that every moment of their time needs to
be carefully saved and applied to this their present and most im
portant concern. Leave not the proper business of other days
to that day ; for that day will have business enough of its own.
Sufficient for that day are the labours thereof.
Time is exceeding precious with dying men ; the last sand is
ready to fall, and therefore not to be wasted, as it was wont to
be. When we had a. fair prospect of many years before us,
we made little account of an hour or a day ; but now one of those
hours, which we so carelessly lavished away, is of more value than
all this world to us, especially if the whole weight of eternity
should hang upon it, (as oftentimes it doth) then the loss of that
portion of time, is the loss of soul, body, and hope for evermore.
But suppose the best that can be supposed, that the soul be in
real union with Christ, and that union be also clear: yet it is sel
dom found but there are some assaults of iSatan : Or if not, yet
how many relations and friends need our experience and counsels
at such a time ? How many things shall we have to do after our
great and main work is done ? ,
Moreover, few, very few, are found furnished with wisdom,

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 529
experience, and faithfulness, to give dying persons any consider
able assistance in soul affairs. It riiay be there may be found
among the visitants of the sick, now and then, a person who hath
a word of wisdom in his heart ; but then either he wants oppor
tunity or courage and faithfulness to do the part of a true spiritual
friend. O, therefore, let me persuade all men to take heed of bringing
the proper business of healthful days to their sick-bed.
Inf. 4. What anexcelleut creature is the soul of man, which is
capable, not only of such preparations for God, whilst it is in tke
body, but of suck sights and enjoyments of God, when it lives toilh-
out a body.
Herein the dignity of the soul appears, that no other creature in
tois world hath a natural capacity, either to be sanctified inhe
rently in this world, or glorified everlastingly in the world to
come ; to be transformed into the image, and filled with the joy
of the Lord. The souls of animals serve only to move the dull
and sluggish matter, and take infor a few days the sensitive plea
sures of the creation, and so expire, having no natural capacity
of, or designation for any higher employment or enjoyment.
Think of this you that live to eat, and drink, and sleep, and
play, as tbe birds and beasts in the fields do ; What need was
there of a , reasonable soul for such sensual employments ? Do
not your noble faculties speak your designation for higher uses ?
And will not you wish.toexcbange souls with the most vile and
despicable animal in this world, if it were possible to be done ?
Certainly it were better for you to have no capacity of eternal
blessedness (as they have not) if you do not enjoy it ; and no
capacity of torment beyond this life (as they have not) if you
must certainly endure it.
Inf. 5.- If our souls and bodies must be separate shortly, how
patiently should webear all lesser separations, that may and will
be made, betwixt us and any other enjoyments in this world ?
I have now many comfortable relatives in the world ; wife,
children, kindred, and friends ; God bath made them pleasant
to me, but he may bereave me of all these. Doth not providence
wring such changes all the world over? Are not all kingdoms,
cities, and towns, full of the sighs and lamentations of widows,
orphans, and friends bereaved of therr pleasant and useful rela
tions ? But if God will have it so, it is our duty, to bound our
sorrows, remembering the time is short, J Cor. vii. "29. In a
few days we must be stripped much nearer, even out of our own
bodies by death.
Inf. 6. How heavenly should the temper and frame of those
souls be wko are candidates for heaven, and must be so shortly
numbered with the spirits of just men made perfect.
It is reasonable that we all begin lo he that which we expect
M M

5$Q A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
to be for ever ; to learn the way of living and conversing, which
we believe must be our everlasting life and business in the world
to come. Let them that hope to live with angels in heaven, learn
to live like angels on earth, in holiness, activity, obedience, and
grateful praise. Where should a Christian's love be, but where
his Lord is? Our hearts and our homes do not use to be long
asunder. It becomes you so to think, and so to speak now, as
those who make account of shortly singing hallelujahs before
toe throne.
But I am fully convinced, by long experience, hoW unsteady
and inconstant the frames and tempers of the best hearts are 5
and that it is next to an impossibility to fix them in sejCh a tem
per as this I aim at.
Alas, there be very few (if any) of such a sound and settled
temper of mind, whose pulse beats with an even stroke, through
all inequalities of condition,, alike free and willing at one time as
another, to be unclothed of the body,, and to be with Christ.
We «annot be willing to go along with death, till we have
some acquaintance with it; and they that have dwelt many years
at death's door, both in respect of the condition of their bodies,
and the disposition of their minds, yet find reUictancy enough
when ft comes to the point.
Ii we consider it simply in itself as an enemy to nature, there
is nothing in tt for which we should desire it ; but if we consider
St as a medium, or passage into glory, it will appear not only
tole-able but desirable. Because
1. If, upon a fair calculation, there shall appear to be more
gain to believers in death than in life, reason must vote for death.
What merchant will not part with an hundred pounds' worth of
glass beads and pendants for a ton of gold ? A few tinsel toys
for as many rich diamonds ? That is true merchandise, to part
With things of lesser, for things of greater value.
Now, if you will be tried and determined by God's book of
jutes, then the case is determined quickly, and toe advantage
appears exceedingly upon death's side. Phil. i. 21. " To me to
live, is Christ 5 and to die, is gain."
Objeet. True, il might be so to Paul, who was eminent in grace
and rips for glory; but it may be loss to others, who have not
attained the height of his holiness or assurance.
To this I Say, the wisdom of God orders the time of his people's
death, as well as ati other circumstances about it. And in this,
your hearts may be at perfect rest, that being in Christ you can
never die to your loss, die when you will. I know yon will re
ply, toat if your union with Christ were clear, the controversy
were ended ; but then you must also consider, they areas safe
who die in an act of reliance upon Christ, as those that die in toe
fullest assurance of their interest in him

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. " 531
2. To be weary of the body, inly on account of our hatred to
ain, and longing desires after Jesus Christ* argues strongly grace
in truth, and grace in strength.
"O, (said Mr, Rutherford) toat Christ would make long
strides ! O that he would fold up the heavens as a cloak, and
shovel time and days out of the way.'' Such desires as these can
spring from none but gracious and renewed souls 3 for nature te
wholly disaffected to a if moval heney., upon such motives and
considerations as these s if others wish at any time for de&toj ft
is but in a pet, a present passion, provoked by some intolerable
anguish or great distress of nature,' but to look and Jong, und
hasten to toe other world, out of a weariness of sin, wid a hearty
willingness to be with Christ, supposes necessarily a deep, rooted
hatred of sin, abhorring it more than death itself, to* greatest of
natural evils, and a real sight of things invisible, but by the eye
of faith.
Aqd as ft evidenceft the truth, so also the strength and maturity
of grace ; for alas, it is but here and there one among toe Lord's
own people, that have reached this height and eminence of faith
and love. It is with the fruits ofthe Spirit, just as it is with toe
fruits of the earth ; some are green and stick fast on the branches,
or as those fruits that grow in hedges, with their qoats and inter
gum. nt s enwrapping them, as nuts, <S.c. you ma^ sooner break
your nails than separate them ; so close and fast do theft busks
stick to them ? but when time md the influences of heaven have
ripened and brought them to perfection, the apples drop into
your hands with toe least teuqh, and the put falls out of its own
accord. So doth the soul part from its body, when matured and
come to its strength and vigeav by gr$ce.
3. It may greatly prevail upon toe will and resolution of a be
liever, to adventure boldly and cheerfully upon death, that our
bodies shall be most certainly and advantageously restored to us
by the resurrection.
Tbis comforted Jub (chap. jrix. 25, 26,) over all his disease®
and losses, when he qould no longer say, my friends, my chi 1.
drep, my estate ; yet then he could say, my Redeemer, When
he looked upon a poor wasted, withered, loathsome body of his
own, and saw nothing bat & skeleton, an image of death, yet then
could he see it a glorious body, by viewing it belieyingly in this
glass of the resurrection. So then, all the damage we can receive
by death, is but the absence of our bodies for a time ; and in the
mean time, the soul attains its jest and happiness, and sfttisfeo^
tion in the blessed God.
4. The consideration of what we paft from, and what, we go to,
should make the medium, by which we pass from so much evil
to so great good, lovely arid desirable in our eyes, how unpleasing
er bitter soever ft be in itself.
No man desires physic for itself. There is no pleasure in hit.
. MM 2

532 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
ter pills and loathsome pOtiotts, except what rises from the end,
viz. the disburdening of nature and recovery of health ; and this
gives it a value with the sick.
Death certainly is the best physician, next, and under Jesus
Christ, that ever was employed ; for it cures radically and per
fectly, so tbat the soul never relapses more into any distemper.
Other medicines are but anodynes, or at best they relieve us but
in part, and for a time ; but this goes through the work, and per
fects the cure at once. More particularly at death the saints
depart. 1 . From defiling corruptions into perfect purity. No sin hangs
about the separated, though it do about the sanctified soul.
All weeping, all praying, all believing, all hearing, all sacra
ments, all the means and instruments in the world, cannot do
What death will do for the saints. One dying hour will do what
ten thousand praying hours never did, nor could do. In this
hour the design of all those hours is accomplished. -When they
come out of the agonies of death, then and not till then, are they
perfectly cleansed. Sin brought in death, and death carries out
sin. 2. From heart sinking sorrows, into fulness of joy. The life
we now live* is a groaning life. ^What friend, what enjoyment
had we ever in this world, from which many sorrows have not
sprung up to us ? As day and night divide all time betwixt them,
so do our comforts and our sorrows, only with this difference, that
our nights of sorrow, like winter nights, are long, cold and dark ;
and our days of comfort short, and frequently overcast.
But when we put off these bodies, we put off our mourning
garments with them, and shall never sorrow any more. Thence
forth God Wipes away all tears from his people's eyes, Rev. xxi.
4. And that is ' not all, but they enter into tlieir Master's joy,
even fulness of joy, and pleasures for evermore. Groans are
turned into triumphs," and sighs arid tears into joyful" acclamations
and songs of praise. Oh tbat we were once made thoroughly-
sensible of the advantages that come by this exchange !¦
3. From entangling temptations into everlasting freedom. It
is this body, and the interest and concerns of it, upon which Satan
raises most of his batteries against our souls : It is' our flesh that
causeth our souls to sin ; and whilst the soUl dwells in the body,
it is within Satan's reach to tempt, and defile and trouble ft. "'
But by the door of death every gracious soul makes its escape
from the tempting power of Satan. He can no more injure toe
soul with any temptation, than we can the body of the sun with
snow-balls. For as Satan can have1 no access to that place of
blessedness, where tbe souls ofthe saints are, so if he couktyhe
can find nothing in them to fasten a temptation upon. >
4. From distressing.persecutions irito full and perfect rest. As
death sets us free from the power of Satan, ] so from toe reach of

A TREATISE OF ;THE SOOL OF MAN. 533
all persecutors. " There the wicked cease from troubling, and
there toe weary are at rest." When we are dying, we may say,
as Psal. ix. 6. " O thou enemy, destructions are come to. a per
petual end."
If then we must spend our days under the oppression of the
wicked, let this be our comfort, we know when we shall be far
enough out of their reach.
5. From pinching wants, to universal supplies. This is the
day fn which the Lord abundantly satisfies the desires, and sup
plies the needs of all his people.
6. From distracting fears, into the highest security. Two
things especially exercise their fears. Whether they be really
united to Christ, and whether they shall be able to continue and
persevere in the ways of Christ to the end ? they are afraid of
their sincerity and of their stability. And these fears accompany
many of God's people from their regeneration to their dissolution.
O, what would they not give, what would they not do, yea what
would they not endure to get a full satisfaction in those things.
And, as their fears are great about toe inward man, so also
about the outward man.
But at death they enter into a perfect peace and security, Isa.
lvii. 2. No wind of fear shall ever ruffle or disturb their souls,
and put them into a storm any more.
7. From deluding shadows, into substantial good: This world
is the world of shadows and delusive appearances. Here we are
imposed upon, and baffled by empty and deceitful vanities. All
we have here is little else but a dream ; at death the soul awakes
out of its dream, and finds itself in the world of realities, where
it feeds upon substantial good to satisfaction, Psal. ^vii. 15.
5. The foretastes we have had of heaven already in the body,
should make all saints long to be unembodied for the full and
perfect fruition of that joy. ^.
'That the fulness of this joy. cannot be in us whilst we tabernacle
in bodies of flesh, is plain When Moses desired a sight ofthat
face which the spirits of just men made perfect do continually be
hold and adore, the answer was, " No man can see my face and
live." Nature, as now constituted, cannot support such a weight
of glory. A ray, a glimpse of this light overpowers man, and
breaks such a clay vessel to pieces ; which is the reason why tbe
resurrection must intervene betwixt this state and that of the body's
glorification. But if you have been privileged with a taste of that hidden
manna, with the sight of things invisible, with joys unspeakable,
and full of glory, and yet are loth to be gone to the fountain
whence all this flows: certainly you herein both cross the design
ofthe Spirit in giving them, and cast a vile disgrace and reproaeh
upon the blessed God^ as thinking there is more bitterness in
death, than there is sweetness in his presence.

534 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
6. It should greatly fortify the people of God agamst tke fears
of dissolution,, to consider that death can neiither destroy the being
of their souls by annihilation, nor the hopes And expectations they
have of blessedness, by disappointment and frustration, Prov, xiv.
32. " The righteous hath hope jn his death." •,
Though all earthly things fail at death, yet neither the soul nor
its well-grounded hopes can fail. The anchor of a believer's hope
is firm and sure, God hath foreknown and chosen them to salvation
before toe world was. " And this foundation of God standeth
sure. His decrees are firm as mountains of brass," Zech. vi. 1.
God hath justified their persons, and therein destroyed the power
of death over them. " O death where is thy sting ? O grave
where is, thy victory ?" Thus death loseth its sting, its curse and
killing power over toe souls tbat are in Christ. So toat then-
hopes are too firmly built to be destroyed by death ; and if it
cannot destroy tlieir souls, nor overthrow their hopes, they need
not fear all that it can do besides.
7. It may greatly encourage and embolden the people of God to
die, considering that though at death they take the last sight and
view of all that is dear to them on earth ; yet then they are admitted
to the first immediate sight and blessed vision of God, which will
be their happiness to all eternity.
lt is the expectation and hope of this which comforteth tlie
souls ofthe righteous here, Psal. xvii. 15. " When I awake, I
Shall behold thy face in righteousness." This is the very sum
of a believer's blessedness : And what it is we cannot compre
hend in this imperfect state ; in general we may gather these
conclusions about it.
That it will not be such a sight of God as we now have by tbe
mediation of faith, but a direct, immediate, and intuitive vision
of God, (" We shall see him as he is," 1 Cor. xiii. 12. " Then
face to face,") which far transcends the vision of faith in clear
ness and in comfort. See the difference betwixt knowledge by
report and Immediate sight, in that example of the queen of the
south, 1 Kings x. 10. -the former only excited her desires, toe
latter transported and overcame her very soul.
It will be a satisfying sight, Psal. xvii. 15. so perfectly quiet
ing and giving rest to tbe soul in all its powers, that they neither
can proceed, nor desire to proceed any farther. For all, good is
in the chief good eminently ; as all the light of toe candles in the
world is in the sun, and all the rivers in the world in tbe sea.
«' God shall be all in all ;" the comforts you had were drop by
drop, inflaming, not satisfying the appetite of the soul : But then
" the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them
and lead them unto fountains of living water," Rev. vii, i 17.
The object fills toe faculties.
It will be an appropriating vision of God ; you shall see him as
your own God, and proper portion ; else it could never be a sa-

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 535
tisfying vision, Job xix. 27. " Whom I shall see for myself." It
will be as clear that he is our God, as that he is God.
It will be a deeply affecting sight : your eyes will now so affect
your hearts as they were never affected before. The first view
of God will snatch away your hearts to him, as a greater flame
doth the less. " God is love ; and he toat dwelleth in love
dwelleth in God." Look, as iron put into the fire becomes all
fiery, so the soul dwelling in the God of love, becomes all love,
all delight, all joy.
It will be an everlasting vision of God, I Thess. v. 17. "So
shall we be ever with the Lord," [ever with the Lord*] Who
can find language to open the due sense of these few words !
This is the everlasting sabbath, which hath no night, Rey. xxii.
4, 5. The eternal happiness purchased for the saints by the in
valuable blood of Christ Ah ! little do the friends of dead be
lievers think what visions of God, What ravishing sights of Christ
the souls of their friends have, when they are closing their eyes
with tears.
8. Tke consideration of the evil days that are to come should
make tke people of God willing to accept of an hiding place in the
grave, as a special favour from God.
It is accounted an act of favour by God, Isa, lvii. 1, 2. to be
taken away from the evil to come. Oh ! think what a World ft
is you are like to leave behind.
As there are njany evils of sin to come, so there are many evils
of suffering. " The days of visitation are coming on, the days
of reconipence are come, and Israel shall know it,"
The consideration of these things will discover to you the rea
son of that strauge wish of Job, chap. xiv„ 13. " Oh that thou
wouldst hide me in the grave ; that thou wouldst keep me in se
cret till thy wrath be passed !" Oh it is a special blessing and fa
vour to be hid out of the Way of those temptations, in a seasonable
and quiet grave. ..
9. Your fixed aversion and unwillingness to die, will provoke
God to vmbitter your lives with much more affliction than you have
yet felt, or would feet, if your hearts were more mortified and
weaned in this point.
You cannot think of your own deaths with pleasure, no, nor yet
with patience. Well, take heed, lest this draw down such trou
ble upon you, as shall make you at last to say with Job, " My
soul is weary of my life."
I am convinced that very many of our afflictions come upon this
account, to make us willing to die. And is it not sad that 4_cod
is forced to bring death upon all our comfortable and desirable
things in this world, before he can gain our consent to be gone ?
10. The decree of death eannot be reversed, nor is there am/
other ordinary passage for the soul into gUry, but through the

536 A TREATISE OF THE- SOUL OF MAN.
gates of death. "Itis appointed for all men once to die, but
after that the judgment;" and' it is sure you cannot expect the
extraordinary favour of such a translation as Enoch had, Heb. xi.
4. nor as those believers shall have that shall be found alive at
Christ's coming, 1 Thess. iv. 17. You must go the common
road tbat all the saints go ; but though you -cannot avoid, you
may fortify yourselves against the fears of it.
11. When you find your hearts reluctate at tke thoughts of
leaving tke body, and the comforts of this world, then consider how
willingly and cheerfully Jesus Christ left heaven, and the bosom
of his Father, to come down to this world for your sakes.
He left heaven and all the delights and glory of it, to come
down to this world to be abased and humbled to the lowest ; you
leave this world of sin and misery to ascend to heaven, to be. ex
alted to the highest. He came hither to be impoverished, you
go thither to be enriched, yet he came willingly, and we go re
luctantly. He came to take a body of flesh, to suffer and die in it, you
leave your bodies that you may never suffer in or by them any
more, v
As his incarnation was a deep abasement, so his death was the
most bitter death that ever was tasted. Ah Christian, your death
cannot have the ten thousandth part of that bitterness in it toat
Christ's had.
Good forsook him when he hanged upon toe tyee in the agonies
of death- But you shall not be forsaken ; He will make all your
bed in sickness. He will never leave you nor forsake you.
12. Lastly, Let no Christian be affrightedat death, considering
that the death of Christ is the death of death, and hath utterly
disarmed it of all its destructive power.
The death of Christ in thy room, hath utterly destroyed the
power of death, which was once in the hand of Satan^ and his
power wa^ not authoritative, but executive ; not as the power of
a king, but of a sheriff ; which is none at all when a pardon is
produced. Moreover, Christ hath assured us that his victory
over death shall be complete in our persons. For the power it
still retains over our dust, shall be destroyed at the resurrection,
1 Cor. xv.
O that these arguments might prevail ! O that they might at
last win the consent of our hearts to go along with death ; which
is the messenger sent by God to bring us home to our Father's
house. Obj. 1, A common plea with many is, lam not fit to die; were
I ready, I should be willing to be gone.
Sol. How long soever you live in the body, you must be in a
state of imperfection while you remain here, and according to this
plea, you will never be willing to die. If you be in Christ, you

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 537
have a fundamental fitness for death. And as to all that is want
ing in your sanctification now, it will be completed in a moment
upon your dissolution.
2. Others plead that the desire>lkey have to live, is in order to
God's farther service by them in this world.
God needs not your hands to parry on his service. Many of
greater gifts and graces than you are daily laid in the grave, to
teach you, God needs no man's help to carry on his work. Be
sides, there is higher and more excellent service for you in heaven
than any you can be employed in here on earth. Oh ! why do
not you long to be amidst the company of angels and spirits made
perfect in toe temple-service in heaven ?
3. O, but my relations in tke world lie near my heart, what
will become of them when I am gone ?
It is pity they should lie nearer your heart than. Jesus Christ :
If they do, you have little reason to desire death indeed.
Who took care of you, when death snatched your dear rela
tions from you, who possibly felt the same workings of heart that
yo now do ?
4. But I desire to live to see tke felicity of Zion, and the answer
of many prayers I have sown for it.
But it is better for you to be in heaven one day, than to live
over again all your days in the best time toat ever the church of
God enjoyed.
But, alas! this is not the main hinderance. I will tell you
where I think it lies. In the staggering of our faith about the
certainty and reality of things invisible. In some special guilt
upon the conscience. In a negligent and careless course of life,
which. is not ordinarily blessed with much evidence Or comfort.
Or in the deep engagements of our hearts to earthly things. The
Lord dissolve all those ties betwixt us and this world, which hin
der our consent and willingness to be dissolved, and to be with
Christ, which is far better. T
And now we have had a glance, a faint umbrage of the state
of the separated souls of the just in heaven: It remains that I
shew you somewhat of the state ofthe damned souls in hell. A
dreadful representation it is ; but it is necessary we hear of hell,
that we may not feel it.

1 Pet. iii. 19. — By which also he went and preached unto the
spirits in prison.
In this scripture we have a glass, representing the unspeak.
able misery of those souls or spirits which are separated by death
from their bodies for a time, and by sin from God for ever ; ar-

538 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
rested by the law, and secured in the prison of hell, unto the
judgments of the great day.
A sermon of hell may keep some souls outof hell, and a sermon
of heaven may be tbe means to help others to heaven : the desire
of my heart is, that the conduct of all those who read these dis
courses of heaven and bell, might look more like a diligent flight
from the one, and pursuit of the other.
There are difficulties in toe text. But if we take itsi genuine
sense, it only relates the sin and misery of those contumacious
persons, on whom the Spirit of God waited so long in the minis
try of Noah.
These spirits, or souls in toe state of separation, are said to be
in a prison, that is in hell, as the word elsewhere notes, Rev.
xx. 7. and Jude, ver. 6. Heaven and hell are the only recep
tacles of departed or separated souls.
That which I aim at, is comprised in this plain proposition.
Doct. That tke souls or spirits of all men who die in a state of
unbelief and disobedience, ¦ are immediately committed to the
prison of hell, there to sitffer the wrath of God due to their
sins.
Hell is shadowed forth to us in scripture by divers metaphors.
Sometimes it is called Tophet. There the children of Israel
caused their children to pass through the fire to Moloch, or sacri
ficed to toe devil, drowning their horrible shrieks and ejaculations
with the noise of drums. It was filled with dead bodies, till
there was no place for burial. In short, it appears tbat no spot
of ground in the world was so famous for the fires kindled to de
stroy men, for the doleful cries that issued from it, or the innu
merable multitudes that perished in it ; for which reason it is
made the emblem of hell.
Sometimes it is called a " lake of fire burning with brimstone,"
Rev. xix. 20. denoting the most exquisite torment, by an intense
and durable flame. And in my text it is called a prison, where
toe spirits- of ungodly men are both detained and punished.
Note 1 . Prisoners are arrested and seized by authority of the law.
The law of God which sinners have both violated and despised,
at death takes hold of themT claps up their spirits in prison, or
in the name and authority of the great and terrible God, commits
them to hell.
2. Prisoners are carried to prison by force and constraint ;
natural force backs legal authority ; Satan is God's bailiff, to
hurry away the law-condemned souls to toe infernal prison.
• 3. Prisoners are chained and bolted in prison, to prevent their
escape ; so are damned spirits secured by the power of God, and

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 539
chained by their own trembling and guilty consciences in hell,
unto the time of judgment, and the fulness of misery.
4. Prisons are dark and noisome places not built for pleasure,
but for punishment ; so is hell, " Reserved in everlasting chains
under darkness," describes the place of torments, yea, outer
darkness, extreme or perfect darkness.
5 Mournful sighs and groans are heard in prisons. " Let the
sighing of the prisoners come before thee," saith the psalmist.
But deeper sighs and more emphatical groans are heard in hell.
Matt. viii. 12.
6. There is a time when prisoners are brought out of the prison
to be judged, and then return in a worse condition than before,
to the place from whence they came. God also hath appointed
a day for the solemn condemnation of those spirits in prison.
But my business is to give you a representation ofthe state of
damned souls in hell.
Prop. I. The guilt of all sin gathers to, and settles in the con
science of every ckrist less sinner, aud makes up a vast treasure of
guilt in the course of his lifoin this world.
All the guilt which hath been long contracting, through the life
of an unbeliever, fixes itself deep and fast in his conscience ; " It
is written upon tlie table of his heart, as with a pen of iron,"
Jer. xvii. 1. i. e. guilt is as a mark or character fashioned or en
graven in the very substance of the soul, as letters are cut into
glass with a diamond.
Now, in the whole course and compass of a sinne.'s life in this
world, what treasures of guilt must needs be lodged in his consci
ence? What a magazine of sin and filth must be laid up there.
Every day of his life vast sums have been ca.t into this treasury,
and the patience of God waiteth till it be full, before he calls toe
sinner to an account and reckoning.
Prop. 2. All the sin and guilt, contracted upon the souls and
consciences, of impenitent men in this world, accompany and fol
low their departed souls to judgment, and there bring them under
the dreadful condemnation ofthe great and terrible God, which
cuts off all their hopes and comforts for ever.
The acts of sin are transient, but tbe guilt and effects of it are
permanent. The soul of a wicked man appearing before God, in
all its sins and guilt, and by him sentenced, immediately gives up
all its hopes, Prov. xi. 7. " When a wicked man dieth, his expec
tation shall perish ; and the hope of the unjust man perisheth."
The righteous hath hope in his death ; but every unregenerate man
in'the world breathes out his last hope in a few moments after
his last breatli, which strikes teTror into the very centre of his
soul, and is a death-wound to it.
Prop. 3. The souls of the damned are exceedingly large and
capacious subjects of wrath and torment; and in their separate
state their capacity is greatly enlarged.

540 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
The spirit of man is a most tender, sensible and apprehensive
creature : the eye of the body is not so serisible of a touch, a
nerve of the body is not so sensible when pricked, as the spirit
of man is ofthe least touch of God's indignation upon it.
As it is capable and receptive of more good than is found in
all the creatures, so itis capable of more misery and anguish than
all the creatures can inflict upon it. Let all the elements, all
men on earth, yea, all the devils and damned in hell, conspire
and unite in a design to torment man ; yet when they have done
all, his spirit is capable of a farther degree of torment.
Prop. 4. The wrath, indignation and revenge of God poured out
as the just reward of sin, upon the capacious souls of tke damned,
are tke principal part of their misery in hell.
At death, the soulof every wicked man immediately falls into
the hands of the living God. They are not put over to their fel
low-creatures to be punished, but God will do it himself, and
glorify his power, as well as his justice in their punishment, and
who knoweth the power of his anger ! Who can stand before
his indignation ? And who can abide in the fierceness of his anger ?
And, as if anger and wrath were not words Of a sufficient edge
and sharpness, it is called fiery indignation and vengeance, words
denoting the most intense degree of divine wrath.
Prop. 5. The separate spirit of a damned man becomes a tormen
tor to itself by the various and efficacious actings of its own con
science, which are a special part of Us torment in the other world.
Conscience, which should have been the sinner's curb on earth,
becomes the whip that must lash his soul in hell. The suspen
sion of its tormenting power in this world is a mystery and won
der to all that duly consider it. For certainly should the Lord let
a sinner's conscience fly upon him with rage," in the midst of bis
sins and pleasures, it would put him into a bell upon earth, as we
see in the doleful instances of Judas, Spira, &c. But he keeps a
hand of restraint upon then., generally^ in this life, and suffers
them to sleep quietly by a grumbling or seared conscience, which
couches by them as a sleepy lion, and lets them alone:
But no sooner is the Christless soul turned out ofthe body, and
cast for eternity at the bar of God, but conscience is roused, and
put into a rage never to be appeased any more. For
1 . The consciences of the damned will recognize, and bring
back the sins committed in this world fresh to their mind. So?t,
remember, said Abraham to Dives, in the midst of his torments.
This- remembrance of sins past, mercies past, but especially of
hope past and gone with them, never to be recovered any more,
is like a fire which consumes them.
2. Its charges are home, positive, and self-evident charges.
Just and righteous are toe judgments of God upon thee, saith con
science : in all this ocean of misery, there is not one drop of
injury or wrong.

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 541
3. It condemns as well as witnesseth, and that With a dreadful
sentence ; every self-destroyer will be self-condemned. This is
a prime part of their" misery.
4. The upbraidiUgs of conscience in . hell are terrible and in
sufferable things. To be continually twitted with our madness,
wilfulness, and obstinacy, as the cause of all that eternal misery
which we have pulled down upon our own heads, what is it but
the rubbing ofthe wound with salt and vinegar ?
5. The shamings of conscience are insufferable torments. If
some men's secret filthinesses were but published in this, world,
ft would confound them ; what then will it be, when all shall lie
open, and their own consciences shall cast the shame of all upon
them? Lastly, the fearful expectations of conscience, still looking for
ward into more and more wrath to come, this is toe very sum
and complement of their misery. What makes a prison so dread-
ftil to a malefactor but tbe trembling expectation he there lives
under of the approaching assizes ?
Prop. 6. That which makes the torments and terrors of the
damned spirits so extreme and terrible, is, that they are unreliev-
able miseries, and torments for ever.
1. No partial relief by any mitigation ; could they but divert
their thoughts from their misery, as they were wont to do in this
world, drink and forget their sorrows ; or had they but any hope"
of the abatement of their misery, it would be a relief to them :
But both these are impossible ; as impossible as to remove a
mountain. 2 Much less can their undone state admit the least hope of re
lief by final cessation of their misery. All hope perisheth from
them, and the perishing of their hope is the plainest proof that
can be given of the eternity of their misery. For were there but
the remotest possibility of deliverance at last, hope would hang
upon that possibility : and whilst hope lives, the soul is not quite
dead : the death of hope is the death of a man's spirit. The cut
ting off of the soul from God, and the last act of hope to see or
enjoy him for ever, is that death which an immortal soul is
capable of suffering. The improvement is in that which followetb.
Infer. 1. Is this toe state of ungodly souls after death ? Then
it follows, that neither death nor annihilation are the worst of
evils incident to man. Aristotle calls death the most terrible of
terribles, but the wrath of God, the worm of conscience, are much
more, bitter than death, these are the unrelieved torments of
eternity. And as for annihilation, what a favour would the
damned account ft ! Alas ! they seek for death, but it flies from
them. The immortality of their souls, is now their misery, and
their being they would gladly exchange with the contemptiblest
fly, or most loathsome toad, but it cannot be:

542 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
Inf. 2. Hence it follows, that the pleasures of sin are dearly
bought and costly pleasures. There is a greater disproportion
betwixt that pleasure and this wrath, than betwixt a drop of honey
and a sea of gall. Could a man distil all the imaginary pleasure
of sin, and drink nothing else but the highest and most refined
delights of it all his life, though his life should be protracted to
the term of Methuselah's ; yet one day or doleful night under the
wrath of God would make it a dear bargain. Oh ! consider for
what a trifle you sell your souls. When Lysimachus parted with
his kingdom for a glass of water, he said, When be had drank it,
Forkow short a pleasure have Isold a kingdom.
Inf. 3. What a matchless madness is it to cast the soul into
God's prison, to save the body out of man's prison !
Men have their prisons, and God hath his : But because the
one 5s an object of sense, and the other an object of faith, that
only is feared, and this slighted all over this unbelieving world,
except by a very small number of men, who tremble at the word
of God. Now this I say is the height of madness. You read of
the apostles, Acts xvi. ,25. how they sang in the prison : and A\-
gerius dated his letters from the delectable orchard ofthe Leonine
prison ; where, saith he, flows the sweetest nectar. Another tells
us, Christ was always kind to him : but since he became a pri
soner for bim, he even overcame himself in kindness. I verily
think (saith he) the chains of my Lord are all overlaid with pure
gold, and his eross perfumed.
In queen Mary's days, the most excellent company tobe found
in England was in the prisons : Prisons were turned into churches.
But in God's prison no better soeiety is to be found than that of
devils and damned reprobates. The Lord ¦ convince us what tri
fles our estates, liberties, and lives are to our souls, or to the
peace and purity of our consciences.
Inf. 4. What an invaluable mercy is the pardon of sin, which
sets the soul out of all danger of going into this prison. When
the debt is satisfied, a man may walk as boldly before the prison
door as he doth before his own. They that owe nothing fear no
bailiffs. Oh believer! thy debts are cancelled, the blood of
Christ hath done that for thee that all the gold and silver in the
world eould not do, " It is a oounterpriee fully answering to thy
debts»" to tbe eternal joy of thy heart."
Is it not ravishing, melting, overwhelming, and amazing (to
think thus with thyself I 'Here sit I with a joyful plenary free
pardon of sin in my hand, whilst many, who never sinned to that
height and degree I bave, lie groaning, howling, and trembling
under toe indignation of God, poured out like fire upon their souls
in hell. A greater sinner saved, a lesser damned. Oh what
price can be put upon a pardon, delivered as it were at the lad
der's foot ! My debts are paid, my bonds are cancelled, my.con*

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 543
science is quieted: let death do its worst, it shall do me no harm;
that blood which satisfied God, may well satisfy me.
Inf. 5. How amazingly sad and deplorable is the security and
stillness of the consciences of sinners, under ati their own guilt,
and the immediate danger of God's everlasting wrath !
Philosophers observe that before an, earthquake the wind lies,
and the weather is exceeding calm and still, not a breath of wind
going. So it is in the consciences of many, just before the tem
pest and storm of God's wrath pours down upon them. What a
golden morning opened upori Sodom, and began that fatal day !
Little, did they imagine showers of fire had been ready to fall from
so pleasant and serene a sky as they saw over their heads. How
secure, still, and unconcerned are those to-day, who ft may be,
shall rage, roar, and tremble in liell to-morrow ! Caesar hearing
of a citizen of Rome who was deep in debt, and yet slept soundly,
would have his pillow, as supposing there was some strange,
charming virtue in ft.
This stillness of conscience, upon the brink of damnation, pro
ceeds from the stwmg delusions of Satan, blinding their eyes and
feeding their false hopes.
Or is the effect of a spiritual, judicial stroke of God npon the
children of wrath. That^is a dreadful word, Isa. vi. 10. " Make
the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut
their eyes."
Inf. 6. The case of distressed consciences upon earth is ex
ceeding sad, and calls upon all for the tenderest pity, and utmost
help. The ordinary distresses of conscience here, compared with
those of the damned, are as the flame of a candle to a fiery oven,
or as the sparks that fly out at the top of a chimney, to the djead-
f_l eruption of Vesuvius, or mount Etna. No creature can ad
minister relief, by temporal comfort. Gold and silver, wife and
children, meat and melody, signify ho more than the drawing on
of a sijk stocking to cure tbe paroxysms ofthe gout.
All that can be done for their relief, is by the tender application
of spiritual remedies : and what can be done, ought to be done
for thewi. You that have both ability and opportunity for it, are
under the strongest engagements in toe world to endeavour their
relief. A soul in hell is out of your reach ; but these that are in
tbe suburbs of bell are not : and should they drop into he'll, whilst
you stand by as unconcerned spectators, you will have little
peace. Your unmercifulness to' their souls will be a wound to
your own.
Inf 7. Be hence informed of the evil that is in sin ; by the
eternal misery that fotlowelh tt.
If hell be out of measure dreadful, then sin must he out of
measure sinful : the torments of hell do not exceed the demerit
•Of sin; though they exceed the understandings of men to conceive

544 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
them. God will lay upon no man more than is right. Sin is
the founder of hell ; all the miseries and torments there, are but
the treasures of wrath which sinners, in all ages, have been trea
suring up. " The wages of sin is death." s
Fools make a mock at sin : But could they understand in
what dialect the damned speak of sin, who see the treasures of
wrath broken up to avenge it, surely it would alter their appre
hensions of it.
Inf. 8. What enemies are they to the souls of men, who are
Satan's instruments, to draw tkem into sin, or who suffer sin tq
lie upon them !
When there were but two persons in the world, one drew the
other into sin ; and among the millions of men and women now
in the world, where are there two to be found that have in no
case been snares to draw some into sin ? taking the devil's work
out of his hands.
Many there are who suffer sin to lie upon others, without a wise
and seasonable reproof to recover them.
Oh what cruelty to souls is here ! The day is coming when
they will curse the time tbat ever they knew you : It is possible
you may repent, but then it may be, those, whose souls you
have helped to ruin, are gone, and quite out of your reach. The
Lord make you sensible what you have done in season, lest your
repentance come too late for yourselves as well as for them.
Inf. 9. How poor a comfort is it to him that carries all his
sins out of this world with him, to leave muck earthly treasure
(especially if gotten by sin) behind him.
AH toe consolation, sensual, voluptuous, and oppressing world
lings have, is but this, that they were coached to hell in pomp
and state, and have left the same chariot to bring their graceless
children after them, in the same equipage, to the place of tor
ments. ^
Inf. 10. How rational and commendable is the courage and
resolution of those Christians who chuseto bear all sufferings from
tke hands of men, rather than wound their consciences, and ex
pose their souls to the wrath of God for ever.
That which men now call pride, humour, fancy, and stubborn
ness, will, one day, appear to be their great wisdom, and toe ex
cellency of their spirits. It is the tenderness of their consciences,
not the pride and stoutness of their stomachs, which makes them
inflexible to sin. He that understands what the punishment of
sin will be in hell, should endure all things rather than yield to
sin on earth.
Inf. 11. How patiently should we endure the afflictions of this
life, by which- sin is prevented and purged!
" We are chastened of toe Lord, that we -may not be con
demned with the world." It is better for us to groan under
afflictions on earth, than to roar under revenging wrath in hell.

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 545
Parents who are wise, had rather hear their children sob and cry
under the rod, than see them stand with halters upon their necks
on the ladder, bewailing the destructive indulgence of their pa
rents, when too late.
It is better for you to be whipped to heaven with all the rods
of aSliction, than to be coached to hell with all the pleasures of
the world. Christian, thy God sees, if thou do not, that all these
troubles are few enough to save thee from sin and hell.
Inf. 12. How doleful' a change doth the death of wicked
men make upon them! from palaces on earth to the prison
of hell.
Out of what a deep sleep, and out of what a pleasant dream
are .some awaked and startled at death, by the dreadful arrest
and summons of God to condemnation ; little do their surviving
friends think what they feel, or what is their estate in the other
world whilst they are honouring their bodies with splendid and
pompous funerals.
Inf. 13. See here the certainty, and inevitableness of the judg
ment of the great day .
This prison which is continually filling with the spirits of
wicked men is an undeniable evidence of it : for why is hell call
ed a prison, but with respect to the judgment of the great day ?
There are millions of souls in custody, a world of spirits in pri
son ; these must be brought forth to their trial. In the fearful
expectation of this day, those trembling spirits now lie in prison,
and that fearful expectation is a principal part of their present
misery and torment. You that refuse to come to toe throne of
grace, see if you can refuse to make your appearance at the bar
of justice ; you toat braved and brow-beat your ministers that
warned you of it, see if you can-out-brave your Judge too as you
did them. Nothing more sure, nothing more awful than such a
day as this. *
Inf. 14. How much are ministers, parents, and all to whom
(he charge of souls is committed, bound to do all that in
them lies to prevent their everlasting misery in the world to
come !
The great apostle of toe Gentiles found the consideration of
the terror of toe Lord a spur urging and enforcing him to minis
terial faithfulness and diligence ; 2 Cor. v. 11 O toat those to
whom so great a trust as the souls of men is committed, would
labour to acquitthemselv.es with all faithfulness therein, as he did,
warning every one night and - day with tears, that if we cannot
prevent their ruin, yet at least we may be able to take God to
witness, as he did, that we are pure from the blood of all men.
Oh consider, my brethren, if your faithful plainness and unwearied
diligence to save men's souls produce no other fruit but the
hatred of you now ; yet ft is much easier for you to bear that
N N

546 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
than that they and you too, should bear the wrath of God for
ever.

Mat. xvi. 26. — For what is a man profiled, if he shall gain the
whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give
in exchange for his soul ?
Difficult duties need to be enforced with powerful arguments.
In this chapter, our Lord presseth upon his disciples the deepest
and hardest duties of self-denial, and acquaints them upon what
terms they must be admitted into his service. " If any man will
come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and
follow me."
This hard and difficult duty he enforceto upon them by a dou
ble argument, viz. From,
1. The vanity of all sinful shifts from ft, ver. 25.
2. The value of their souls, which is imported in it, ver. 25.
As that man acts like a mad man, that goes about to purchase
a treasure of gold with the loss of his life ; for life being loSt,
what is all the gold in the world to him ? so here, what is all the
world, or as many worlds as there are creatures in it, when the
soul is lost ?
" The way of buying in former times was not by money, but
by the exchange of one commodity for another. " Now, who
that is not blinded by the god of this world, can think_that the
whole world itself, if all toe rocks in it were rocks of diamonds,
and the seas and rivers were liquidgold, is a commodity of equi
valent worth to his own soul ? Hence we infer.
Doct. 1 . That one soul is of more value than the whole world.
I need not spend much time in toe proof, of ft, when you have
considered, that he who bought them, hath here weighed and
valued them ; and that the point before us is the result and con
clusion of one that hath the best reason to know the true worth
of them. And,
1. The invaluable worth of souls appears from the manner of
their creation. They were created immediately by God, as hath
been proved, and that not without tbe deliberation ofthe whole
Trinity ; Gen. i. 26. " Let us make man." For the production
of other creatures, it was enough to give out the word of his com
mand. " Let there be light, let the earth and waters bring forth ;"
but when he comes to man, then you have no fiat, let -there be,,
but he puts his own hand immediately to it, as to the master-piece
of toe whole creation : yea, a council is called about it ; Let tis,

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 547
implying the just consultation and deliberation of all the persons
in the Godhead.
2. The soul hath in itself an intrinsic worth and excellency,
worthy of that divine Originial whence ft sprang : view it in its
noble faculties, and admirable powers, and it will appear to be a
creature upon which God hath laid out the riches' of his wisdom
and power.
It can, in a moment, mount itself from earth to heaven, de
scribe the motions of the sun in the ecliptic, calculate tables for
motions ofthe planets and fixed stars, foretel, at a great distance,
the dismal eclipses ofthe sun and moon to the very digit, and the
portentous conjunctions of the planets, to the very minute of their
ingress. These are the pleasant employments of toe understand
ing. But there is a higher game at which this eagle plays ; it is
fitted for a much nobler exercise, even to penetrate the glorious
mysteries of redemption ; and yet higher than all this, it is ca
pable of an immediate sight, or vision of the blessed God. O
what a divine spark is the soul of man ! well might Christ pre
fer it in dignity to the whole world.
3. The worth of a soul may be gathered from its subjective
capacity and ability both of grace and glory. It is capable of all
the graces of the Spirit, of being filled with the fulness of God,
to live to God here, and with God for ever.
It is now a lovely and excellent creature ; but what shall we
say, or how shall we conceive of it, when all spots of sin are
perfectly washed off its beautiful face in heaven, and the glory of
the Lord is risen upon it !
4. The preparations God makes for souls in heaven, speak their
great worth and value. When you lift up your eyes to heaven,
and behold that spangled azure canopy beset and inlaid with so
many golden studs and sparkling gems, you see but the floor or
pavement of that place which God hath prepared for some souls.
When you see a stately and magnificent structure built and the
richest hangings and furniture prepared to adorn it, you conclude
some great persons are to come thither : such preparations speak
the quality of the guests;
Now heaven, yea, the heaven of heavens, the palace of the
gteat| King, the presence-chamber of God, is prepared, for all
renewed and redeemed souls. John xiv. 2.
5. The great price with which they were redeemed and pur
chased, speaks their dignity and value. No wise man will pur
chase a triflle at a great price, much less the only wise God. Now
the redemption of every soul 'stood in no less than the most pre
cious blood of the Lord Jesus Chiist, I Pet. i. 18, 19. All the
gold and silver in the world was no ransom for one soul : nay,
all the blood of the creatures, or the blood of our dear children,
even ofour first-born, could not purchase a pardon for the small-
N N 2

548 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
est sin that ever was committed, much less was it able to pur
chase the soul itself.
A whole kingdom is taxed when a king is to be ransomed ; the
delight and darling of God's soul must die, when our souls are
to be redeemed. O the worth of souls.
6. This evidences the transcendent dignity and worth of souls,
that eternity is stamped upon their actions, and theirs only, of all
the beings in this world. The acts of souls are immortal as their
nature is.
The apostle therefore, in Gal. vi. f. compares the actions of
men in this world to seed sown, and tells us of everlasting fruits
we shall reap from them in the next life ; they have the same
respect to a future account tbat seed hath to the harvest.
7. The contentions of both worlds, the strife of heaven and
hell about the soul of man, speak it a most precious and inva
luable treasure. .
The infinite wisdom of God hath laid the plot and design for its
salvation by Christ in so great depth of counsel, that the angels
of heaven are astonished at it, and desire to pry into it. ,
Hell employs all its skill and policy, sets at work all wiles and
stratagems te destroy it, 1 Pet. v. 8. " Your adversary, the
devil, goeth about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may de
vour." Christ raises all the spiritual militia, the powers of
heaven, to rescue it. And do heaven and earth thus contend,
think you, for a thing of nought ?
Would heaven and hell be up in arms, as it were, and strive at
"this rate for nothing ? Thy soul, O man, how vilely soever thou
slightest it, it is of high esteem, a rich purchase, a creature of
nobler rank than thou art aware of. The wise merchant knows
the value of gold and diamonds, though ignorant Indians would
part with them for glass beads and tinsel toys.
8. The eighth evidence of tbe invaluable worth of souls, is the
joy in heaven, and the rage in hell, for the gain and loss of the
soul of man.
Christ, who came from heaven, tells us, that " there is joy in
the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repent
eth." No sooner is the heart of a sinner darted with conviction,
broken with sorrow for sin, and begins to cry, " men and brethren
what shall I do ?". but tbe news is quickly in heaven, and sets
all the city of God rejoicing at it, as in the chief city of a kingdom
when a young prince is born.
And what are all the fierce and cruel persecutions of God's
faithful ministers, but so many efforts of the rage and malice of
Satan against them, for plucking souls as so many captives out of
his paws ? But all this joy and grief demonstrates the great value
of the prize which is won by heaven and lost by hell.
9. The institution of gospel-ordinances, and toe appointment
of so many gospel-offcers purposely for the saving of souls, is no
small evidence of their value.

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. * 549
No man would light and maintain a lamp fed with golden oil,
and keep it burning from age to age, if the work to be done by
the light of it were not of a very precious and important nature :
what else are the dispensations ofthe gospel, but lamps burning
with golden oil to light souls to heaven, Zech. iv. 2, 3, 4, and 12.
It is reported of the palm tree,, saith one, that when it was first
planted in Italy, they watered its roots with wine, to make it take
the better with the soil : But God waters our souls wilh what is in
finitely more costly than wine, he waters them with the heart-blood
of Christ, and the precious gifts and graces ofthe Spirit. O how
many excellent ministers also, who were, as it is said of John,
burning and shining lights in their places and generations, have
spent themselves, and how many are willing to spend, and be
spent, for the souls of men !
10. The great encouragements and rewards God propounds and
promiseth to them that win souls, speak their worth and God's
great esteem of them.
There cannot be a more acceptable service done to God, than
for a man to set himself heartily and diligently to the conversion
of souls ; so many souls as a man instrumentally saves, so many
diadems will God crown, him with in the great day. St. Paul
calls his converted Philippians his joy and his crown, and tells
the converted Thessalonians, they were his " crown of rejoicing
in the presence of Jesus Christ at his coming." There is a full
reward assured by promise to those that labour in this great
service, Dan. xii. 3. The firmament shines like a sapphire in
itself, and the stars and planets more gloriously again ; but those
that faithfully labour in this work of saving souls shall^shine in
glory for ever and ever, when the firmament shall be parched up
as a scroll.
And the more to quicken his instruments to all diligence,, he
works upon thejr fears as well as hopes ; threatens them with
hell, tells them he will require the blood of all those, souls that
perish by their negligence, Ezek. xxxiii. 6.
11. It is no small .evidence ofthe precious and invaluable worth
of souls, that God manifests so great and tender care over them,
and is so much concerned about the evil tbat befals them. Isa.
lvii. 15. " I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that
is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit ofthe hum
ble, and to revive the heart ofthe contrite ones." Behold the con
descending tenderness ofthe highest majesty! Is a soul ready to
faint and fail, O how soon is God with it, with a reviving cordial
in his hand ! lest " the spirit should fail before him, and toe soul
which he hath made."
12. Lastly, It is not the least evidence of the dignity of men's
souls, that God hath appointed the whole host of angels to be
their guardians and attendants.

550 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
" Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for
them who shall be the heirs of salvation ?" Heb. i. 14.
The highest angels think it no disparagement to serve a soul
for whom Christ died : well may they all stoop to serve them
when they see Christ their Lord hath stooped, even to death, to
save them.
The greatest barons and peers in the kingdom think it not below
them to wait upon the heir apparent to the crown, in his minority ;
and no less dignity is here stamped by God upon the souls of
men. These things, duly weighed, bring home the conclusion with
demonstrative clearness, to every man's understanding, That
one soul is of more value than the whole world.
Inf. 1 . The soul of man, appearing to be a creature of such
transcendent dignity and excellency ; It is a vile abuse of the
noble and high-born soul, to subject it to the lusts, and to enslave
it to tke drudgery ofthe inferior and more ignoble part.
The very law of nature assigns the most honourable places and
employments, to the most noble and excellent creatures. The
sun, moon and stars are plaeed by this law in the heavens ; but
the ignis fatuus, and toe glow-worm, in the fens and ditches.
A king upon the throne is not so much above a beggar that cries
at our door for a crust, as the soul is above the body ; for the soul
of a beggar is ofthe same species, original, and capacity of hap
piness, and therefore, to make the noble and the high-born soul a
slave, a mere drudge to the vile body, what is it but to set a beg
gar on horseback and make the king lacquey after him on foot.
How many millions of poor creatures are there that labour and toil
aU their life long, for toe bare maintenance of their bodies, and
never think they have any other business to do in this worid !
Inf. 2. Is the soul so invaluably precious? Then the salvation
of tke soul is to be tke great care Sf business of every man in this life.
Thy soul, O man, is of more worth than the crowns and treasures
of all the princes in the world! If all their exchequers were
drained, and all their crown-jewels sold to their full value, they
could never make up a half ransom for the soul of the poorest and
meanest man. This invaluable treasure is committed to yonr
charge ; if it be lost you are lost for ever.
O that these soul-concerns did but bear upon all, as they do
upon some ! It requires more time, more thoughts, more prayers
to make these things sure, than most are aware of.
Inf. 3. If the soul be so precious, then certainly it is the special
care of heaven ; that which God looks more particularly after
than any other creature on earth.
There is an active, vigilant providence that superintends every
crehture that lives, in the world, none are left without the line of
providence.

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 551
But man is the peculiar, special care of God ; and the soul of
man much more than the body. Hence Christ fortifies the faith
of Christians against all distrusts of Divine Providence, even
from their excellency above other creatures. The body of a be
liever is God's creature, as well as his soul ; but that being of less
value, hath not such a degree of care and tenderness expressed
towards it, as the soul hath : the father's care is not so much for
the child's clothes, as it is for the child himself.
Inf. 4. If the soul of .man be so precious, how precious and
dear to all believers should the Redeemer and Saviour of their
souls be ?
" Unto you therefore that believe, he is precious," saith the
apostle. " The very name of Christ (saith Bernard,) is honey in
the mouth, melody in the ear, and a very jubilee in the heart."
The blessed martyr, Mr. Lambert, made this his motto, None
but Christ, none |bnt Christ. Molinus was seldom observed to
mention his name without dropping eyes. Julius Palmer, in
the midst of the flames, moved his scorched lips, and was heard
to say, Sweet Jesus, and fell asleep. Paul fastens upon his
name as a bee upon a sweet flower, and mentions it no less than
ten times in the compass of ten verses, 1 Cor. i. as if he knew
not how to leave it.
Inf. 5. How great a trust and charge lieth upon them to
whom the care of soul's is committed, and from whom an account
for [other men's, as well as their own souls, shall certainly be
required ?
Ministers are appointed of God to watch for the souls of their
people, and that as men that must give an account, Heb. xiii. YJ.
If a man were a keeper only of sheep and swine, it were no great
matter if the wolf now and then carried away one whilst he slept ;
but God purchased the church With his own blood.
What ! sirs, shall we despise the blood of Christ ? shall, we
think it was shed for them that are not worthy ofour care ? O then
let us hear these arguments of Christ, whenever we feel ourselves
grow dull and careless. Did I die for them, and wilt thou not
look after them ? Were they worth my blood, and are they not
worth thy labour ?
Let not that man think to be saved by the Wood of Christ him
self that makes light of precious souls, who are the purchase of
that blood.
And no less a charge lieth upon parents and masters. O
parents, consider with yourselves what strong engagements lie
upon you to do all that you- are capable of doing for the salvation
of your children. You and they must shortly part, and never
meet again till you meet at the judgrhent-seat of Christ ; and it
will be an inconceivably dreadful day to see them stand at Christ's
left hand, there cursing the day that ever they were borri of such
ignorant and negligent, such careless and cruel parents!, as took

552 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
no care to instruct, reprove, or exhort them. O who can think
without horror of the cries and curses of his own child in hell,
cast away by the very instrument of his being.
And you, masters, consider, though God hath set you above
your servants, yet are their souls equally precious with your own ;
they have another master toat expects service from them as well
as you. Do not only allow them time, but give them your ex
hortations and commands not to neglect their own souls.
Inf. 6. Are souls so precious ? Then certainly the means and
instruments of their salvation must be exceeding precious too, and
the removal of them a sore judgment.
Ordinances and ministers receive their value not from their
Author, but from their Object : they have a dignity stamped upon
them by their usefulness to the souls of men, Acts xx. 32. The
sun toat shines in heaven to give us light, the fountains, springs,
and rivers that stream for our refreshment, the corn and cattle
on the earth, yea, the very air we breathe in, is not so useful,
so necessary, so precious to our bodies, as toe word is to our
souls. Matthew Paris tells us, in the year 1072, when preaching was
suppressed at Rome, letters were framed as coming from hell,
wherein the devil gave them thanks for toe multitude of souls
sent to him that year. But we need no letters from hell, we
have a sad account from heaven, in what a sad state those souls
are left, from whom the means of salvation are cut off. " Where
no vision is, the people perish." " My people are destroyed for
lack of knowledge."
Inf. 1. If the soul be of so precious a nature, it can never live
upon such base. and vile food as earthly things are.
The apostle, Phil. iii. 8, 9, calls the things of this world dog's
meat. Your souls can no more live upon carnal, than your bodies
on spiritual things. Earthly things have a double defect in
them. What are corn and wine, gold and silver, pleasures and
honours, to the soul ? The body and bodily senses, can find
somewhat of refreshment in them ; but not toe spirit-: That which
is bread to the body, affords no more nourishment to the soul
than wind Or ashes. " I am the bread of life," saith Christ, a
soul can feed and feast itself only upon Christ and the promises ;
these are proper soul-nutriment. It is madness therefore, to be
so intent upon cares for the, body, as to neglect the soul ; but
to ruin the soul, and drown in it perdition, for the sake of these
provisions for the flesh, is the height of madness.
Inf. 8. If the soul be so invaluably precious, then it is a ra
tional and well advised resolution and practice, to expose ati other
things to hazard, yea, to certain loss, for the preservation ofthe
more precious soul.
It is better our bodies and all their comforts should perish,

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 553
than that our souls should perish for their aakes. It is recorded,
to thev praise of those three worthies, Dan iii. 28. " That they
yielded their bodies, that they might not serve, nor worship any
God, except their own God." By this rule, all the martyrs of
Christ governed themselves. One kissed the appirator, that
brought him the tidings of death. Another being advised, when
he came to the critical point, on which his life depended, to have
a care of himself: So I will, said he, I will be as careful as I can
of my best self, my soul. These men understood the value of
their souls ', certainly, we shall never prove courageous in suffer
ings, till we understand the worth ofour souls as they did.
Inf. 9. To conclude, If tke soul be so invaluably precious,
how great and irreparable a loss must the loss of a soul to all
eternity be.
O what a shriek doth the unregenerate soul make, when it sees
whither it must go, and that there is no remedy ! Three cries
are dreadful to hear on earth, the cry of a condemned prisoner at
the bar, the cry of drowning seamen and passengers in a ship
wreck ; the cries of soldiers conquered in tbe field ; all these are
fearful cries, yet nothing to that of a soul cast away to all eternity
and lost in the depth of hell.
It is no small aggravation to this loss, that we had the offers
and means of salvation plentifully afforded us ; we were warned
of this danger, over and over ; we were intreated and beseeched,
upon the knee of importunity, not to throw away our souls, by
an obstinate rejection of Christ and grace.
O thou toat hast created souls with a capacity to know, love,
and enjoy thee for ever ; pity those that cannot pity themselves : let
mercy yet interpose betwixt them and eternal ruin ; awaken them
out of their pleasant slumber, though it be at the very brink
of damnation, lest they perish, and there be none to deliver
them. Doct. 2. How precious and invaluable soever tke soul of man
is, it may be lost, and cast away for ever.
This proposition is supposed, and implied in our Saviour's words
in the text, and plainly expressed in Mat. vii. 13. The way to
hell is thronged with passengers ; it is a beaten road ; one draws
another along with him, and scoffs at those that are afraid to fol
low ; millions go in, but none return thence : millions are gone
down already, and millions more are coming after, as fast as
Satan and their own lusts can hurry them onward. The devil
drives them in droves to destruction, scarcely a man drawing
back. And though some nations enjoy the inestimable privilege
of the gospel of salvation, yet multitudes of precious souls perish,
notwithstanding, sinking into hell daily,' as it were betwixt the
merciful arms of a Saviour stretched out to save them.

554 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
Now I will make it my work, out of a dear regard to the pre
cious souls of men, and in hope to prevent (which the Lord in
mercy grant,) the loss and ruin of some, under whose eyes this
discourse shall fall, to note'some of the' principal ways in which
souls are lost. The first way to hell discovered.
I. And to begin where, indeed, the ruin of very many doth
begin, it will be found that ill education is the high-way to de
struction. Many parents, and those godly too, are guilty of too
many neglects, through carelessness, worldly incumbrances, or
fond indulgence ; and whilst they neglect the season of sowing
better seed, the devil takes hold of ft ; -if they will not improve
it, he will. If they teach them not to pray, he will teach them
to curse, swear, and lie ; if they put not the bible or catechism
in their hands, he will put obscene ballads into them : and tous
the offspring of many godly parents turn into degenerate plants,
and prove a generation that know not the God of their fathers.
Others there are of the rude and ignorant multitude, who are bred
themselves much like the beasts they daily converse with ; and
so they are fitly described, Job xxx. 6, 7. Go into their houses,
and you may sooner find a pack of cards, than a bible or a cate
chism ; their beds and tables differ little, or not at all, from the
stalls or cribs Where beasts lie down and feed, in respect of any
worship of God among them. The most they learn to know
at church, is, where their own seat stands, and that it is neces
sary to speak with such a neighbour after prayers about some
bargain, or business for the next week.
And'others there are, who breed their children as profanely, as
these do sottishly ; teaching them, by their examples, the newest
oaths that, were last minted in hell, and to revile and scoff all_
serious godliness, and the sincere professors of it, smiling to
hear with what an emphasis they can talk in the dialect of devils,
and how wittily they can droll upon Godly ministers and Chris
tians." Such families ate nurseries for hell ; and though God, by an
extraordinary hand of providence, now and then snatches a soul
by conversion from among them, as a brand out of tbe fire ;" yet
generally, they die as they live, going " to the generation of their
fathers where they shall never see light," Psalm xlix. 19.
The first way to hell barred.
1 . Let all parents consider, what a fearful thing ft is to be toe
instruments of ruining^ for ever, those that received their being
instrumentally from tliem, and to seek Whose good they stand
obliged, by all the laws of God and nature.

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 555
In vain is all your care and study for their bodies, whilst their
souls perish for want of knowledge. You rejoiced at their birth,
but they will have cause to curse the day they were born, and
say, " Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in
which I was conceived." You will one day wish you had never
been parents, when the doleful cries of your damned children
shall ring such notes as these in your ears : " O cursed father !
0 cruel, merciless mother! Whose examples have drawn me
after you, into all this misery. O happy had it been if I had
never been born of you, or seen your faces."
2. Let all children whose unhappy lot it is to be educated by
carnal and irreligious parents, consider, God hath endued them
with reason, and a conscience of their own, to enable them to
make a better choice than their parents did, and that there is no
taking sanctuary from the wrath of God in their parents' examples.
1 Kings xiv. 13. It will be no plea for you, at the judgment
seat^to say, Lord, my father or mother did so and so, before me
and* thought I might safely follow them.
The second way to hell discovered.
II. A second way to hell, in which multitudes are found
hastening to their own damnation, is the way of affected igno
rance. Look at the professing world; go into the families of country
farmers and poor people, and except here and there a family, or
person, into whose heart God hath graciously shined ; what bar
barous, brutish ignorance overspreads them. They converse
from morning to night with beasts, though they have souls which
are fit companions for angels, and capable of sweet converse with
God. The earth hath opened her mouth,fand swallowed up all
their time, strength, thoughts and souls, as it did the bodies of
Korah and his company. They know the value of a horse, or a
cow, but know not the worth of Christ, or pardon, or their own
souls. And thus they live and die in darkness, foreboding the black
ness of darkness for ever.
The second way to hell concluded.
1. Let toe ignorant consider, God hath created their souls with
a capacity of knowing and enjoying him as well as others. It is
not, therefore, your incapacity, but negligence or worldliness
that is your ruin.
How many are there of your own rank, order, and education,
all whose external advantages and helps you have, and all your
incumbrances and discouragements they had, who yet have at
tained to saving knowledge and heavenly wisdom ? Many know-

556 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
ing and learned heads are in hell, and many illiterate and weak
ones gone to heaven ; and ethers in the way thither who never
had better education, stronger parts, or more leisure than your
selves. So that you are without excuse. Moreover, would you
heartily seek it of God, and would the Spirit (which he hath pro
mised to give to them tbat ask him) become your teacher, how
soon would the light of the saving knowledge of God in the face
of Christ shine into your hearts ! And is there never"a private
corner about your houses or barns, or in the fields, where you can
turn aside, if it be but a quarter of an hour at a time, to pour out
your souls to God, and beg the Spirit of him ? Miserable
wretch ! Is toy whole life such a Cumber and clutter of cares and
puzzles about the world, tbat thou hast no leisure to mind God,
thy soul, or eternity ? O doleful state! the Lord in much mercy
pity and awaken thee. Wilt thou not once strive and struggle
to save thy soul ? What ! perish, as it were, by consent ? How
great then is that blindness !
The third way to hell discovered.
III. A vast multitude of precious souls are lost for ever by fol
lowing the examples, and being carried away with the course of
this world. For they reason, If I do as the generality do, I
shall speed no worse than they speed: and certainly God is more
merciful than to suffer the greatest part of mankind to perish.
As a drop of water is carried and moved according to the course
and current of the tide, sois the whole collective body of tbe
unregenerate world, all the particular drops, move as the tide
moveth : one common principle rules them all ; and therefore
they must needs be carried away in the same course. And
against such influence it is to no more purpose to oppose spiri
tual considerations, than it is for a man to turn the tide or course
of a river with his breath.
The world smiles upon its own, and derides those that are
afraid to follow them to hell, by which it sweeps away the multi
tude with it in the same course.
The third way to hell concluded.
But O ! if the Spirit of God would please to follow home these
considerations to your hearts, you would certainly resolve- to
take a persecuted path to heaven, rather than swim like dead fish
with the stream into the dead sea of eternal misery.
Though you go with the consent and current of the world, yet
you go against the express law and prohibition of God. He hath
laid his command upon you, " not to be conformed to the world,"
Rom. xii. 2. 1 Pet. iv. 2. You may make a jest of this precept,
but see if you can do so of the penalty. Besides this I demand

A TREATISE OF THE SOOL OF MAN. 557
of your consciences what discouragements have you that others
had not ? Or what encouragements had they that you have not ?
Why should not the salvation of your souls be as precious in your
eyes as theirs was in theirs ? All your discouragements were
theirs, and all their motives and encouragements are yours.
Again ; Is not the way which you have chosen, marked out
by Christ as the way to destruction ? " Enter ye in at the straight
gate ; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to
destruction, and there be many which go in thereat." And
where now is your encouragement and hope that God will be
more merciful than to damn so great a part of the world ? You
have your choice, to be damned with many, or saved with few ;
to take the broad, smooth-beaten road to hell, or the difficult,
suffering, self-denying path to heaven. O then make a season
able stand, and pause a while ; consider your ways, and turn your
feet to God. The fourth way of losing the soul opened.
IV. Multitudes of souls are daily lost by rooted habits and
long-continued custom in sin. Jer. xiii. 23. The spots of a
leopard and tbe hue of an Ethiopian, are not by way of external,
accidental adhesion ; if so, washing would fetch them off. But
they are innate, belonging to the constitution, and not to be
altered ; so are sinful habits and customs in the minds of sinners.
By this means it becomes a second nature. A brand tbat hath
been once in the fire easily catches a second time. Every re
peated act of sin lesseneth fear and strengtheneth inclination.
Hence it is that so few are converted to Christ in their old age.
It was recorded, for a wonder, in the primitive times, that Marcus
Caius Victorius became a Christian in his old age. Time and
usage fix the roots of sin deep in the soul. Old trees will not
bow as tender plants do.
The fourth way to hell concluded.
1. Let it be considered, the longer any man hath been engaged
in sin, the more reason there is that he speedily and without delay
repent and reform his course ; there is yet a possibility of mercy,
a season of salvation left. How far soever a soul is gone on
towards hell, none can say it is yet too late. But fhou must not
expect pardon or mercy when thy sins have forsaken thee, but
upon thy forsaking them. There must be a change, not from
profaneness to civility only, which is but to 'change the dirty road
to hell for a cleanlier path on the other side of the hedge ; but a
total and final forsaking of every way of sin, as to the love and
habitual practice of it ; yea, and thy thoughts too as well as thy
ways.

558 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
Canst thou not forbear thy customary sin, upon lesser motives
than the salvation of thy soul ? Suppose there were but an hun
dred pounds, to be certainly levied upon thy estate, for every oath
thou, swearest, or every time thou art drunk, wouldst thou not
rather choose reformation than beggary ? And is not the loss of
thy soul a penalty infinitely higher than a little money ? Darius
threw away bis, massy crown when he fledbefore Alexander, that
it might not hinder him in his flight. Sure your souls are of more
worth than your money, and all the enjoyments you have in this
world. The fifth way of losing the soul opened.
*
V. The fifth way, by which an innumerable multitude of souls
are eternally lost, is by the baits of sensual, sinful pleasures.
This was the first bait by which Satan caught the souls of our
first parents in innocency, Gen. iii. 6. " The tree was pleasant
to the eye." Pleasure quickens the principles of sin in us, and
enflames the desires of the heart after it. Every pleasant sin
hath a world of customers, and, cost what it will, they resolve to
have it. A certain fruit, which the Spaniards found in the Indies,
was exceeding pleasant to the taste ; but nature had so fenced it,
with sharp and dangerous thorns, that it was very difficult to
come at it : they tore their clothes, yea, their flesh, to get it ;
and thereforefore called the fruit, Comfits in hell. Such are all'
the pleasures of sin, damnation is the price of them, and yet toe
sensitive appetite is so outrageous and mad after them, toat at
the price of their souls, they will have them.
The fifth way to hell concluded..
Always remember sensual pleasures are but the baits with
which Satan angles for the precious soul : there is a fatal hook
under them.
Pliny tells us that the mermaids have most enchanting, charm
ing voices, and frequent pleasant, green meadows, but heaps of
dead men's bones are always found where they haunt. That
which tickles the fancy stabs the souli
If you are for pleasure, certainly you are out of the way to it,
who seek it in the fulfilling of your lusts. If your hearts were
once sanctified and brought underthe government ofthe Spirit, you
would find far more pleasure in the crucifying of your lusts, than
now you seek in the gratification of them. O ponder seriously
what a trifle it is you sell your precious souls for ! The fugitive,
empty, and beastly pleasures of a moment, for the torments of
eternity. The sixth way of losing the soul opened.
VI. There are also innumerable souls lost for ever by the dis-

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 559
tracting cares of this world. O the confused buz and clutter that
these thoughts and cares make ; so that no other voice can be
heard. And thus multitudes spend their whole lives in a miser
able servitude in this world, and by that are cast upon a more
miserable and restless state for ever in the world to come ; one
hell here and another hereafter. And what shall be done for
them ? Is there no way, for their deliverance ? O that God would
bless the following considerations to them.
The sixth way to hell concluded.
Bethink thyself poor soul! as much as thou art involved in the
necessities and distracting cares of this life ; others, many others,
as poor and necessitous, as you are, have minded their souls, and
taken all care and pains for their salvation, yea, though millions
of your rank and order are destroyed by the snares ofthe devil,
yet God hath a very great number, indeed the greatest of any
rank of men among those that are low, poor and necessitous in
toe world.
Consider your poor and necessitous condition in the world
hath something in it of motive and advantage to excite and quicken,
you to a greater diligence for salvation. Ah ! methinks these
thoughts do even put themselves upon you. Is this the life of
troubles I must expect on earth? Hath God denied me the
pleasures of this world ? O then let it be my care, my study,
my business to make sure of Christ, to win heaven, toat I may
not be miserable in both worlds.
Consider how all the troubles in this world would be sweet
ened, and all your burdens lightened, if once your souls were in
Christ, and in covenant with God. O what heart's ease would
faith give you ! what sweet relief would you find in prayer !
These things like the opening of a vein, or, tumour, when ripe,
would suddenly cool, relieve, and ease your spirits. You would
find a speedy out-let to your troubles, and an inlet to all peace,
all comforts, and all refreshments.
Say riot you have no time to mind another world : you have
one whole day every week for your souls : you have some spare
time^every day, and more business is sometimes despatched in a
quarter of ah hour in prayer, yea, let me say in a few hearty
ejaculations of soul to God, than in many long and elaborate
duties. Lastly, Consider, Jesus Christ is no respecter of persons, the
poorest and vilest on earth, are as welcome to him as the great
est. He chose a poor and mean condition in this world himself.
Poverty is no bar to Christ and heaven, though it be to the re
spects of men and the pleasures of this life. Heaven, was not,
made for the rich, and hell only for the poor : No, how hard

560 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
soever you find the way thither, I am sure Christ saith, It is hard
for a rich man to enter into that kingdom.
The seventh way of losing the soul discovered.
VII. The seventh beaten path to destruction, is by ground
less presumption. Many presume on their youth, and many
presume they have that grace in them, which God know
eth they have not: So did Laodicea, Rev. iii. 17. Here is a
dangerous conspiracy betwixt a cunning devil and an ignorant,
proud heart, to ruin the soul for ever ; they stamp their common
grace for special ; and lay a confident claim to all the privileges
of the children of God. They presume upon such mercy in God,
as they will never find ; they expect pardoning and saving mercy
out of Christ, and in an unregenerate state. Thousands and ten
thousands carve but and dispose of the mercy of God at their own
pleasure, write their own pardons, in what terms they think fit,
and if they had God's seal to confirm arid ratify them, it were all
well: but alas ! it is but a night-vision, a dream of their own
brain. But especially, men presume upon time enough for re
pentance hereafter : and in this snare ofthe devil, thousands are
taken in the very prime and vigour of their youth.
The seventh way to destruction concluded.
I would beg of young, voluptuous sinners, whose feet are fast
held in. the snare of this temptation, seriously to bethink them
selves, whether they are not old enough to be damned, whilst
they judge themselves too young to be seriously godly. There
are multitudes in hell of your age and size ; you may find graves
in toe church-yard, of your own length, and skulls of your own
size : men will not spare a nest of young snakes because they are
liittle. If you die Christless and unregenerate, it is the same
thing, whether you be old or young ; there is abundance of young
spray, as well old logs, burning in tbe flames of hell.
If you knew the weight and difficulty of salvation-work, you
would never thirik you began too soon. Say not, the penitent
thief found mercy at the last hour, for his conversion was extra
ordinary, and we must not hope for miracles : and this was re
corded, not to nourish presumption, but to prevent despair. If
ten thousand persons died of the plague, and one only of the
whole number infected with it escaped, it is no great encourage
ment that you should hope to be the second.
The morning of your life is the flower of your time, the fresh
est and fittest of all your life for your great work. If a man has
an important business to do, be will take the morning for it, know
ing that a crowd and hurry of business will come on afterwards.

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 561
And if this proper, hopeful season be lost, it is very un
likely that ever you be wrought upon afterwards : how thin and
rare, in the world, are the examples of conversion in old age !
But it is a question only to be decided by the event, whether ever
you shall attain to the years of your fathers ? What a madness,
then, is it, to put your souls and eternal happiness, upon such a
blind adventure. O beware of this sin of vain presumption, to
which tlie generality of the damned owe their everlasting ruin !
Tke eighth way of losing the soul opened.
VIII. The eighth way of ruining the precious soul, is by drink
ing in the principles of Atheism, and living without God in the
world. Atheism stabs the soul to death at one stroke, and puts it quite
out of the way of salvation ; other sinners are worse than beasts,
but Atheists are worse than devils, for they believe and tremble ;
this sin strikes at the life of God, and destroys the life of the
soul. Some are Atheists in opinion, but multitudes are so in practice.
If they dare not put their thoughts into words, and call toe gospel
tbe fable of Christ, as a wicked Pope did, or say of hell and the
dreadful sufferings of the damned, as Galderinus the Jesuit did,
I will believe it when I see it: yet their hearts and lives are of
the same complexion with these men's words. To this last sort
I shall offer a few things.
The eighth way to hell concluded.
I. You that attend upon the ordinances, but believe them no
more than so many devised fables, you may sit down under toe
best ordinances all your lives, and be no more the better for them,
than the rocks are for the showers of rain that fall upon them,
Heb. iv. 2. An unbelieved truth never converted or saved one
soul from the beginning of the world, nor ever shrill to the end of
it. If you assent not to the truth ofthe gospel, you not only make
God speak to your souls in vain, but you also make God a liar,
1 John v. 10. Vile dust, darest thou rise up against the God that
made thee, and give him the lie ? An affront which thy fellow
creature cannot put up, or bear at toy hands. Darest thou at
once stab his honour, and thy own soul ?
Dare any of you give the thoughts of your hearts as certain
conclusions under your hands, and stand by them to the last, and
venture all upon them.
Wretched Atheist ! bethink thyself, pause a while, examine
thine own breast ; whatever thy vile atheistical thoughts some
times are, is there not at other times a fear of the contrary ?
o o

562 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
Dare you venture all upon this issue ? If that be a truth, Mark xvi.
16. " He that believeth not shall be damned," you will be content
fo be damned ? Or if, Rom. viii. 13. be a truth, That " they who
live after the flesh shall die," you will run the hazard, and bear
the penalty of eternal death. Speak your hearts in this matter,
do not you live betwixt atheistical surmises and fears, toat at last
these will prove the greatest verities.
Hath not God given you all the satisfaction you can reasonably
desire of the undoubted truth and certainty of bis word ? Look
upon the seals and confirmation of ft : hath not God confirmed it
by divers miracles from heaven, a seal which neither men nor
devils could counterfeit ? And do not you see the blessing and
power of God accompanying it in toe conversion and wonderful
change of men's hearts and lives, which can be done by no other
hand than God's.
Satan, who undermines your assent to these things, is forced
to give his own : he that tempts you to look on them as fables,
himself knows tbat they are realities, James ii. 19. ^
In a word, let thy own heart, O Atheist, be judge, whether
these be real doubts. You are loth those things shall be true
which the scriptures speak, and are glad of any colourable argu
ment or pretence to still your own consciences. Is not this the
case ? The Lord stop your desperate course ; your paths lead to
hell. The ninth way of losing the precious soul opened.
IX. Precious souls are daily plunged into the gulf- of perdition
by prof aneness and debauchery. The hypocrite steals to hell in a
private, close way of concealed sin ; but the profane gallop along
toe public road at noon day. " Tney declare their sin as Sodom,
and hide it not," Isa. iii. 9, Look, as God hath some servants
more eminent, forward and courageous in the ways of godliness
than others, men that will not hide their principles, or be ashamed
of them ; so the devil hath some servants as eminent for wicked
ness, who scorn to sneak to hell by concealment of their wicked
ness, but avow and own it, without fear or shame, in the* open
sight of heaven and earth. Wherever they come, they defile the
air they breathe in with horrid blasphemies and obscene discourses
not to be named, and leave a strong scent of hell behind them.
The ninth way to hell, by profaneness, stopped.
1 . And first, let it be laid to heart, that thy condition, O pro
fane sinner, is without controversy, miserable and forlorn ; all
men know whose you are, and whither you are going. 1 Cor.
vi. 9. " If the righteous be scarcely saved, where shall the sin
ner and ungodly appear-? If strictness, holiness, self-denial, dili
gence, be all little enough to win heaven, what hope can there be
of those toat cast themselves into all the opposite ways and

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 563
courses which lead to damnation?" He thst refuseth his food en
dangers his life ; but he that drinks poison, certainly and speedily
destroys ft. But far as you are gone in a course of profaneness,
the Lord touch your hearts with the sense of you sinful and mise
rable state. The golden sceptre of free grace hath been held
forth to many, as profane and notorious sinners as you, to a blas
pheming Saul, to a Mary Magdalene, to a Manasseh. lt is not
toe greatness of the sin, but the impenitence and infidelity of the
sinner toat ruin him. This is a matter of hope, and runs into a
powerful motive and loud call to repentance. " He that hath an
ear to hear, let him hear."
The tenth way leading to destruction worked.
X. Deep and fixed prejudices against godliness, and toe sin
cere professors thereof, precipitate thousands qf souls into their
own ruin and damnation.
It was not without a weighty reason, that Christ denounced
that woe upon the world. " Woe unto the world because of
oijfences." All the scandals which fall out in the church, are so
many swords and daggers put into the hands of the wicked world
to murder their own souls withal. The primitive Christians were
represented to the Heathens as monsters, and their conventions
in the night, occasioned by the fury of persecutors, were reported
to be for lascivious and barbarous ends. This policy of hell from
toe beginning, hath prospered so much in the world, that Satan
hath no reason to change his hand. But how may this plot be
discovered, and the ruin of souls prevented ?
The tenth way of destroying souls concluded.
It will be impossible to prevent the ruin of a great part of the
world by prejudices, against toe ways of godliness, except those
who profess them, walk more holily and conformably to the rule
and pattern of Christ, whose name is called upon them.
O professors ! If your neighbour's ox or ass fall into the pit,
you are bound to deliver him if you can ; and will you not do as
much for a precious soul, as you would for a beast ? Nay, you
dig pits, by your scandalous lives, to destroy them. Say not, if
they'd©, the fault is theirs. He is a mad man that will kill him
self with a sword, and he no better that will put it into his hand.
O, therefore, if you have any regard to the precious souls of
men, live up to the rules of your profession ! Convince the world
tbat you have the fear of God in your hearts, as well as the livery
of Christianity upon your backs. Let your light so shine before
men, that you may glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Very many of those scandals, bandied up and down the world
against the professors of godliness, are devised and forged in hell,
as so many traps and snares to catch and destroy men's souls.
o o 2

564 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
Examine, then, whether the matters that are charged upon them
as their crimes, be hot their duties. Sometimes it falls out to be
so; and if so, you fight more immediately and directly against
God than men. So it was with the. primitive Christians, their
very owning of themselves to be Christians was crime enough to
condemn them.
If, moreover, professors of religion do in some things act in a
way unbecoming their holy profession, yet every slip and failing
in their lives is no sufficient warrant for you to censure their per
sons as hypocrites ; much less to fall upon religion itself, and con
demn it for the faults of those toat profess it.
O that men would seriously consider their evil in such censures
as these ! what is all this to religion ?
It is a senseless thing to condemn all, for the miscarriages and
faults of some ; which, yet, is the common practice of the world.
Why might not the enemies of Christianity have condemned the
eleven apostles upon the fall of Judas ? Had they not as good a
warrant for it, as you have for this ? In short, you little know
what a snare of the devil is laid for your souls, in all those preju
dices and offences you take at the ways and professors of godli
ness : and what a woe you bring upon yourown souls by them.
The eleventh way of ruining the precious soul opened.
XI. The eleventh way, wherein abundance of precious souls
perish in the Christianized and professing world, is the way of
formal hypocrisy in religion, and zeal about the external of wor
ship. Such were the Pharisees, Matt. xv. 7, 8, 9.
Religion runs into stalk, and blade, into leaves, and suckers,
which should be concocted into pith and fruit. How many are
there that hate doctrinal errors, who yet perish by practical ones ?
who hate a false doctrine, but, in the mean time, perish by a false
heart ? It is very difficult to reclaim this sort of men from the error
of their way ; and thereby save their souls from hell. However,
let the means be used, and the success left with God.
The eleventh way to hell, by formality, barred up.
1 . No sin entangles the souls of men faster, or damns them
with more certainty and aggravation, than the sin of formal
hypocrisy ; it holds the soul fastest on earth, and sinks it deepest
into hell. There was no sort of men upon whom toe doctrine of
Christ and the apostles had so little success and effect, as the
Scribes and Pharisees ; they derided him when publicans and
sinners trembled and believed, Luke xvi. 14, 15. The form of
godliness wards off all convictions ; their zeal for the externals of
religion secures them against the fears of damnation, whilst in the
mean time, their hypocrisy plunges them deeper into hell than

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 565
others that never made such shews of sanctity and devotion :
Hypocrisy is a double iniquity, and will be punished with double
destruction. Blind, superstitious zeal, which spends itself only about tbe
externals of religion, usually prepares and engageth men in the
violent persecution of those that are really godly and conscientious.
And men of the greatest names and pretensions to religion, if
graceless, are the most dangerous instruments the devil can em
ploy to the ruin and extirpation of true godliness. Such a zealot
was Paul, in bis unregenerate state.
Nothing is more common, than to find men hot and zealous
against false worship, whilst their hearts are cold as a stone in
the vitals, and essentials of true religion. Their zeal runs in the
wrong channel, and spends itself upon things which shall never
profit them. The twelfth way to hell, opened.
XIL The twelfth way to hell, in which many souls are carried
on smoothly and securely to their own destruction, is, the way
of mere civility and moral honesty. Indeed there can be no grace
in that soul in- which civility and moral honesty are not found :
but these may be found in thousands that have no grace. This
was the case ofthe young man, Matt. xix. 28. and like a young
man, indeed, he reasons.. He sums up all the stock of his civil
life, and thinks it strange if toat be not enough to make a pur
chase of eternal life. What lack I yet ? Alas ! poor soul, every
thing necessary to salvation : the very first stone was not laid,
when he thought the building was finished.
O that God would bless what follows, to undeceive and save
some poor soul out of tois dangerous snare of the devil !
The twelfth way to damnation barred.
Blind not yourselves with the lustre of your own moral virtues,
for though it must be acknowledged there is a loveliness and
attracting sweetness in morality and civility, yet these things rather
respect earth than heaven, and are not designed for your salvation
in the world to come. The Romans and Lacedemonians, who
perished in the darkness of Heathenism, excelled in morality •
there is nothing of Christ or regeneration in these things, how
much of excellency soever be ascribed to them.
Civilized nature is unsanctified nature still ; and without sanc
tification there is no salvation, Heb. xii. 14. Moral virtues are
so many sweet flowers strewed over a dead corpse, Which hide
the loathsomeness of it, but inspire not life into it. Cheat not
yourselves, therefore, in so important a concern as salvation is
with an empty shadow.

566 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
I am not pleading the cause of profaneness, nor disputing ci*
vilfty out of the world ; but yet it is certain, that the eyes of
thousands are so dazzled with the lustre of their own morality,
that they see no need of Christ, nor feel any want of his righte
ousness, and this is the ruin of their souls. Thus the Pharisee,
Luke xviii. 11. Well, then, beware you be not deceived by
thinking you are safe, because you are got out of tbe dirty road
to hell, when you have only stepped over the hedge into a cleaner
path to damnation. You have had a short account of some few
of those many ways in which the precious souls of men are
eternally lost : Let us briefly apply it in thefollowing inferences.
Inf. 1 . If there be so many ways of losing the soul, and such
multitudes of souls lost in every one of them, then the number of
saved souls must needs be exceeding small.
It is of trembling consideration, how many thousands of families
amongst us, are mere nurseries for hell, parents bringing forth
and breeding up children for the devil ; how one sinner confirms
and animates another ; how the rich are taken with the baits of
sensual pleasures, and the poor lost in the brake of distracting,
worldly cares^ except here and there a soul plucked out of the
snare of the devil, by the wonderful power of God. As rubies,
sapphires and diamonds are very few, in comparison of the pebbles
and common stones of tbe earth ; so are true Christians in com
parison of multitudes that perish in the snares of Satan.
Inf. 2. How little reason have the unregenerate to glory and
boast of their earthly acquisitions, whilst in the mean time their
souls are lost ! they have gotten otheT things, but lost their souls.
It is strange to see how some men, by rolling a small fortune up
and down the world (as boys do snow-balls) have raised a great
estate ; they hug themselves in the thoughts of their happiness ;
but, alas, among all the thoughts of their gains, there is not one
thought of what they have lost. What a transport.of joy did the
sight of a full barn cast that worldling into ! Luke xii. 19, 20.
little dreaming that the next hour his friends would be scramb
ling for his estate, the worms for his body, and the devils for his
soul. If poor Sinners did but apprehend what they have lost, their
gains would yield them as little comfort a . Judas' money did, for
which he sold both his soul and Saviour.
Inf. 3. Hence let us estimate the evil of sin, and see what a
dreadful thing that is, which men commonly sport themselves witk
and make so light of: it is not only a wrong and injury to the
soul, but the loss and utter ruin of tke soul for ever. '* The soul
tbat sinneth shall die."
Sin doth not destroy the being of the soul by annihilation, but
it doth that which the damned shall find, and acknowledge to be
much worse ; i,t cuts off toe soul from God, and deprives it of all
its felicity and joy. O think of this, you that make so light a

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 567
matter of committing sin ! We pity those, who, in the depth of
melancholy or desperation, lay violent hands upon themselves,
but certainly for a man to murder his own soul, is an act of wick
edness as much beyond it, as the value of the soul is above that
ofthe body.
Inf. 4. What an invaluable mercy is Jesus Ckrist to the world,
wko came on purpose to seek and save such as were lost?
In Adam all were shipwrecked and cast away. Christ is the
plank of mercy, let down from heaven to save some. The loss
of souls by the fall, had been as irrecoverable as the loss of the
fallen angels,, had not God, in a way above all human thoughts
and counsels, contrived the method of their redemption. It is
astonishing to consider the admirable harmony and glorious tri
umph of all the divine attributes, in this great project of heaven,
for the recovery of lost souls.
But what is most astonishing,, is, that so great a person as the
Son of God, should come himself from the Father's bosom, to
save us, by putting himself into our room and stead, being made
a curse for us. What a low stoop doth Christ make in his hu
miliation to catch poor sinners out of hell ! Herein was love !
No mercy was like this : ft is an astonishing act of grace. It
stands alone !
Inf. 5; If there be so many Ways lo hell, and so few that escape
it, how are all concerned to strive, It the utmost, in order to their
own salvation ?
A certain person proposed a curious question to Christ ;
" Lord, are there few that be saved ?" He saw a multitude flock
ing to Christ, and thronging with great zeal to hear him ; and
he could not conceive but heaven must fill proportionably. The
answer distinguishes those that attend upon the means of salva
tion, into seekers and strivers. In the first respect there are
many, who by a cheap and easy profession, seek heaven ; but
take them under the notion of strivers, i. e. persons heartily en
gaged in religion, then they will shrink up into a small number ;
and he presseth home bis great business and concern upon him,
Strive to enter in at the straight gate. Sit not with folded arms,
like so many heaps of stupidity and sloth, whilst the door of
hope is yet open. Strive to the utmost of your abilities and op
portunities. Such a heaven is worth striving to obtain, such a
hell is worth striving to escape, such an invaluable soul is worth
striving to save.
I confess, heaven is not the purchase Or reward of your striving :
no soul shall boastingly say there, Is not this the,glory which my
duties and diligence purchased for me ? and yet, on toe other
side, it is as true,t that without striving you shall never set foot
there. And shall I sit in a state of so much danger, and not once
strive to make an escape from the wrath to come ? Is this vile

568 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
body worth so much toil and labour to support and preserve it ?
And is not my soul worth so much care and diligence to secure
it from the everlasting wrath of the great, just, and terrible God ?
O that the consideration of the wrath to come, might prevail with
thy heart, reader, to strive, to secure thy precious soul from the
impending ruin.

EPH. v. 16. — Redeeming tke time (or opportunity) because the
days are evil.
Time is deservedly reckoned among the most precious mercies
of this life ; opportunity is the golden spot of time, the sweet and
beautiful flower, growing upon tbe stalk of time. If time be a
ring of gold, opportunity is the rich diamond that gives it both its
value and glory. The apostle well knew the value of time ; and
seeing how prodigally it was wasted, doth therefore earnestly
press all men to redeem, save, and improve it with the utmost
diligence. By the redemption of time we must understand the study, care
and diligence of Christians, at the expence of all earthly pleasures,
ease and gratification, to rescue their precious seasons, both of
salvation and service, out of the hands of temptation. Satan
trucks with us for our time, as we did at first with the silly In
dians for their gold and diamonds, who were content to exchange
them for glass beads and tinsel toys. If ever we expect to win
the port of glory, we must be as diligent and careful as seamen
are, to take every gale that blows, directly or obliquely, to set
them forward in their voyage. The note from hence is this.
Doct. That the wisdom of a Christian is eminently discovered
in saving and improving ati opportunities in this world, for
that world which is to come.
God hangs the great things of eternity upon the small wires of
times and seasons in this world : that may be done or neglected
in a day, which may be toe ground- work of joy or sorrow to ali
eternity. There is a nick of opportunity which gives both suc
cess and facility to the great and weighty affairs of the soul as
well as body ; to come before it, is to seek the bird before it be
hatched ; and to come after it, is to seek it when it is fled.
1. Christ had a season assigned- him for the impetration and
purchase of our salvation ; so you hear his Father bespeaking
him, Isa. xlix. 8. " Thus saith the Lord in an acceptable time
have I heard thee, and in the day of salvation have I helped
thee." 2. Men have their seasons and opportunities for the application

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 569
of Christ and his benefits. Behold now is the accepted time,
now is the " day of salvation ;" this is that day ; you enjoy it,
you live under it : that golden day is now running : O ! see that
you frustrate not the design thereof, by receiving the gospel-grace
in vain.
Now two things concur to make a fit season of salvation.
1. Men have a season of salvation, when God sends the means
and instruments of salvation among them. When the gospel is
powerfully preached among a people, there is a door opened to
them, 2 Cor. ii, 12. Souls have then an opportunity to step in
and be saved.
2. But yet ft is not a wide and effectual door till the Spirit of
God joins with, and works upon toe heart by those external
means and instruments ; as the waters of the pool of Bethesda
had no inherent sanative virtue in themselves, until the angel of
the Lord descended and troubled them But this will not always
last; there is a time when the Spirit ceases, and when the door
is shut, Luke xiii. 25.
There is a season, when by the fresh impression of some ordi
nance or providence of God, men's hearts are awakened, all their
affections stirred. For all convictions and motions of the affec
tions are to grace, much the same things as blossoms are to fruit,
which are but the rudiments thereof, somewhat in order to ft ; and
look, as that is a critical and hazardous season to trees, so is this
to souls.
Wise and happy then is that soul which knows and improves
its season. To persuade and press men to discern and improve
such seasons, is the principal work of the preachers of the gos
pel, and that special work to which I now address myself, in the
following motives and arguments.
Arg. 1. And first, who that hath the free exercise of reason,
and the sense of a future eternal estate, would carelessly neglect
any season of salvation, whilst he seeth all the rational world so
carefully watching all opportunities to promote their lower con
cerns and designs for tbe present life ?
How many miles men will travel to be in season at a fair ; and
who can prevail with any of these, to lose a day on which their
business depends ? they all understand their seasons and will not
be diverted. But, alas ! what is the loss of a little money to the
loss of a man's soul ? If a man's life depended upon his being at
such a place, by such a precise hour, sure he would not oversleep
his time that morning ; and had he but the least fear of coming
too late, every stroke of toe clock would strike to his heart ; and
yet remissness and carelessness, in such a case as this, is infi
nitely more excusable than in the matter of salvation.
Arg. 2. The consideration of toe uncertainty and slippery na
ture of these spiritual seasons, must awaken in us all care and
diligence to secure and improve them. The precious inch of time

570 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
being once lost, is never more to be recalled or recovered. Few
men know, or understand it whilst it is current, and toe eyes of
thousands are so dazzled that they cannot discern the season of
mercy, and so it slides from them as if it had never been.
O dally not with the Spirit of God, resist not his calls ! bis
motions on the soul are tender things ; they may soon be quenched
and never recovered.
Arg. 3. Neglect not the seasons of merey, the day of grace,
because opportunity facilitates the great work of your salvation.
An impression is easily made on wax, when melted, but stay till
ft be hardened, and if you lay the greatest weight on the seal, it
leaves no impression upon it. Much so is it with tbe heart, there
is a season when God makes it soft and yielding. Now is the
time to set in with the motions of the Spirit ; there is now a gale
from heaven, if you will take ft, and if not, it tarries not for men,
nor waits for the sons of men. Neglect ofthe season is the loss
of the soul.
Arg. 4. The infinite importance and weight of salvation, is
alone, instead of all motives and arguments, to make men prize
and improve every proper season for it. Suppose you saw toe
glory of heaven, the full reward of all the labours and sufferings
ofthe saints, the blessed harvest of all their prayers, tears, dili
gence, and self-denial in this world ; or suppose you had a true
representation of the torments of hell, and could but hear the
wailings of the damned, for the neglect of the season of mercy,
and their passionate but vain wishes for one of those days which
they have lost : Would you think any care, any pains, any self-
denial too much, to save and redeem one of these opportunities ?
Surely you would have a far higher estimation of them than ever
you had in your lives.
A trial for a man's whole estate is accounted a solemn business
among men ; the cast of a dye for a man's life is a weighty ac
tion. Yet both these are but children's play compared with sal
vation- work,
Arg. 5. If we set any value on the true pleasure of life, or
solid comfort of our souls at death, let us by no means neglect the
special seasons and opportunities of salvation we now enjoy.
These two things, the pleasure of life, and comforts in death,
should be prized by every man more than his two eyes ; certainly
no being at all is more desirable than a being without these.
Take away the true, spiritual pleasure of life, and you level the
life of man with the beast that perisheth ; and take away the hope
and comfort of the soul in death, and you sink him infinitely
below the beasts, and make him a being only capable of misery
for ever.
A careless life never did, and never will produce a comfortable
death. Arg. 6. Neglect no season of salvation which is graciously af-

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 571
forded you, because your time is short ; death and eternity are at
the door, 2 Pet. i. 13, 14. It will be in vain to say, you are not
ready ; for ready or unready you must be gone when death comes.
O therefore slip not the only season you have, both of attaining
the end of life, and escaping tois danger at the hour of death.
THE USE.
I shall close all with a word of exhortation, persuading (if pos
sible) the careless and unthinking neglecters of their precious time
and souls, to awake out of that deep and dangerous security in
which they lie fast asleep on the brink of eternity. More parti
cularly consider,
1. What a mercy it is, to have your lot providentially cast
under the gospel ; to be born under, and trained up with the
means and instruments of conversion and salvation. " God hath
not dealt so with other nations." Though others should seek the
means of life, they cannot find them ; and though you seek them
not, you can hardly miss them.
2, How great a mercy is it, to have your lives lengthened out
hitherto by God's patience under the gospel ! that neither that
golden lamp, nor the lamp of your life is extinguished. Thou
sands and ten thousands, your contemporaries, are gone out of
the hearing of the voice of the gospel ; they shall never hear
another call ; the treaty of God is ended with them ; the master
of the house is risen up, and the doors are shut ; but the patience
and goodnes of God have abounded to you.
3. Bethink yourselves what an aggravation of your misery it
will be, to sink into hell with the calls of God sounding in your
ears ! to sink into eternal misery, betwixt the tender, out-stretched
arms of mercy ! this is the hell of hell, the emphasis of damnation,
the racking engine on which the consciences of the damned are
tortured. Matt. xi. 23. Hell will prove a cooler and milder
place to the Heathens that never enjoyed your light, means and
mercies in this world, than it will to you.
4. Let no man expect that God will hear his cries and intreaties
in time of misery, who neglects and slights the calls of God in
time of mercy. God calls, but men will not hear : the day is
coming, " when they shall cry, but God will not hear," Prov. i.
24, 25. And it is impossible for any words to express tbe dole
ful state and case of toat soul whom God casts off in trouble, and
whose cries he shuts out.
5. Beware of neglecting any call of God, because that call you
are now tempted to neglect, may be the last call that ever he in
tends to give your souls. His Spirit shall not always strive
with men ; and the more motions and calls you have already
Blighted, the more probable it is that this may be the last. Oh !

572 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
beware of provoking the sorest of all judgments, by persisting any
longer in a course of rebellion against light and mercy.
6. Whilst your hearts put off and neglect the calls of God,
you can by no means arrive to the evidence and assurance of
your election ; for your election is only secured to you by your
effectual calling, 2 Pet. i. 10. Lord, let me but find my heart
complying with thy calls, my will submitting to thy commands ;
sin my burden, and Christ my desire : I never crave a fairer or
surer evidence ; for had I an oracle from heaven, to tell me thou
lovest me, I have no reason to credit such a voice, whilst I find my
heart wholly sensual, and indisposed to all toat is spiritual.
7. What reason have you why you should not presently em
brace tbe call of God, and thankfully lay hold on the first oppor
tunity and season of salvation ? If you think this to be a work
of the greatest necessity, and yet may safely be put off, I may
assure you, you will not be long of this mind. How are all the
mistakes of men in these matters rectified in a few moments after
death ! Rectified, I say, but not remedied ; your opinion will be
Changed, but not your condition.
8. Do you not every day easily and readily obey the calls of
Satan and your own lusts, whilst God and conscience are suffered
to call and strive with you in vain ? Lord, what a creature is man
become ! If a vain companion call, you have no power to deny
him ; if God call you have no ear to hear him' ,
9. You cannot but observe tbe obedience and dihgenee of
many others, how seriously, and assiduously they ply, and follow
on .the work of their salvation, and yet are no more concerned in
the events and consequences of these things than you are. Do
not such thoughts as these sometimes arise in your hearts ?
" Lord, what a difference is there like to be betwixt their end and
mine, when there is so apparent a difference in our course and
conversation ? Have not I as precious a soul to save or lose as
any of them ? What is the matter that I sit with folded arms,
whilst they are working out their salvation with fear and trem
bling ?"
10. To conclude, God will shortly give you an irresistible call
to the grave, and after that his voice shall call to you in your
graves, Arise, ye dead and come to judgment. But woe be to
you, woe and alas that ever you were born, if you should hear
the call of God to die, before you have heard and obeyed his call
to Christ. It is a dreadful thing for a poor Christless soul to sit
quivering upon the lips of a dying sinner, not able to stay, nor yet
to endure a parting pull from the body.
In a word, If you have any love to, or care of your own soul,
for God's sake, for Christ's sake, for your precious soul's sake,
trifle with heaven and hell no longer, but be in earnest to work
out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Could I think

A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 573
of any other means or motives to secure your souls from danger,
I would surely use them : could I reach your hearts effectually,
I would deeply impress this great concern upon them : But I
can neither do God's part of the work, nor yours ; it is some ease
tome, I have in sincerity, (though with much imperfection) done
part of my own : The Lord prosper it by the blessing of his Spi
rit in the hearts of them that read it. Amen,

DIVINE CONDUCT,
OR THE
MYSTERY OF PROVIDENCE.

Psalm lvii. 2.— I will cry unto God most high, unto God that
performeth all things for me
The greatness of God is a glorious and unsearchable mystery.
The condescension of the most high God to men is also a pro
found mystery. But when both these meet together, as they do
in this scripture, they make up a matchless mystery. Here we
find the most high God performing all things for a poor distressed
creature. Observe,
1 . Extreme danger is expressed both in the title and in the
body ofthe psalm. The title tells us, that this psalm was com
posed by bim when he hid himself from Saul in the cave.
Yet this danger .lightens him not out of his faith and duty ;
but betwixt the jaws of death he prays, and earnestly addresses
himself to God for mercy, ver. 5. "Be merciful to me, O God !
be merciful to me ! " The repetition denotes both the extremity
of the danger, and the ardency ofthe supplicant. Mercy ! mercy !
Nothing but mercy, and that exerting itself in an extraordinary
way, can now save him from ruin.
2. The arguments he pleads for obtaining mercy in this dis
tress, are these — he pleads his reliance upon God as an argu
ment to move his mercy ; my soul trusteth in thee ; yea, in the
shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these sad
calamities be overpast, ver 1. And then he pleads former ex
periences of his help in past distresses, as an argument encourag
ing hope under the present strait; "I will cry unto God most
high, unto God that performeth all things for me."
If we bring our thoughts a little closer to this scripture, it will
give us a fair and lovely prospect of Providence in its universal,
effectual, beneficial, encouraging influence upon the affairs and
concerns of the saints.
Not only the great and more important, but the most minute
and ordinary affairs of our lives are transacted and managed by
it. It touches all things that touch us, whether more nearly or
remotely.

THE MYSTERY OF PROVIDENCE. 575
Doct. The amount of all you have in this doctrinal conclusion,
that it is the duty ofthe saints, especially in times of straits,
to reflect upon the performances of Providence for tkem in
all the states and through ati the stages of their lives.
The church, in all the works of mercy, owns the hand of God ;
" Lord thou hast wrought aft our works in, or for us," Isa. xxvi.
12. And it has been toe pious and constant practice of the
saints in all generations, to preserve the memory of the more re
markable providences that have befallen them in their times as a
precious treasure. Thus Moses built an altar with this inscrip
tion, "J ehovah-Nissi, The Lord my banner," Exod. xvii. 14,
15. For tois end you find Psalms indited, to bring to remem
brance, Psalm lxx. the title ; parerits giving suitable names to
their children, 1' Sam. i. 20 ; the very places where eminent pro
vidences have appeared, new named, hence Bethel took its name,
Gen. xxviii. 19, and that well of water where Hagar was season
ably refreshed by tbe angel in her distress. Yea, the saints have
given, and God has assumed to himself, new titles on this very
account. Abraham's Jehova-Jireh, and Gideon's Jehovah-
Shalom were ascribed to him for this reason.
Now there is a two-fold reflection on tbe providential works of
God. One is entire and full : This blessed sight is reserved for
the perfect state. The other is partial and imperfect in the way
to glory.
Betwixt these two there is the same difference as betwixt the
sight of the disjointed wheels and scattered pins of a watch, arid
the sight of the whole united in one frame, arid working in one
orderly motion.
O how ravishing a sight will that be, to behold, at one view,
the whole design of Providence, and the proper place arid use of
every single act, at which we are now sometimes so amazed,
nay, which we so unjustly censure and bitterly bewail.
Though our present view of Providence is so short and imper
fect, yet, under all its present disadvantages, how often have the
hearts of its observers been melted into tears of joy. How often
has ft convinced them, that if the Lord had left them to their owri
counsels, they would have been their own tormentors, if not their
own executioners.

PROOFS OF A SPECIAL PROVIDENCE.
I shall first undertake the proof and defence of this great
truth: That the affairs of the saints in this world are certainly
conducted, by the wisdom and care of a Special Providence.
There is a two-fold consideration of Providence, according to

576 divine conduct, or
it3 two-fold object and manner of dispensation ; the one is general,
excercised about all creatures, rational and irrational, animate
and inanimate ; the other is special and peculiar. Christ has an
universal empire over all things, Eph. i. 22. But the church is
his special care and charge ; he rules the world for her good.
The heathens generally denied a Providence. But if any sup
pose that the affairs of the world in general, and more especially
those of the saints, are not conducted by divine Providence, let
them rationally satisfy the following demands.
I . How comes it to pass that so many signal mercies and de
liverances have befallen the people of God, above the power and
against the course of natural causes.
It is most evident, that no natural effect can exceed the power
of its natural cause. And it is clear, that whatsoever acts natur
ally, acts necessarily ; fire burns to the utmost of its power ;
waters overflow and drown all that they can ; lions and other ra
pacious beasts, tear and devour their prey. And as for arbitrary
and rational agents, they also act according to the principles and
laws of their natures ; a wicked man, if he have power and oppor
tunity to execute his conceived mischief, will certainly give it
vent, and perpetrate the wicked devices of his heart. But if any
of thOse inanimate, brute, or rational agents, when there is no na
tural obstacle, have their power suspended, so tbat they cannot
hurt ; to what, think you, is this to be assigned and referred ?
Yet so it has often been. The sea divided itself in its own chan
nel, and made a wall of water on each side, to give God's
distressed Israel a safe passage. The fire when blown up to the
most intense and vehement flame, had no power to singe one
hair of God's faithful witnesses, when at the same instant it had
power to destroy their intended executioners at a great distance.
Dan. iii. 22. The hungry lions put off their natural fierceness and
became gentle and harmless, when Daniel was cast among them
for a prey. Are these things according to the course and law
of nature? To what secret and natural cause can they be
ascribed ?
In like manner, we find the vilest and fiercest of wicked men
have been withheld by an invisible hand from injuring the Lord's
people. 1 Kings xiii. 4.
2. If the saints' concerns are not ordered by a special divine
Providence, how is it that natural.causes unite for their relief and
benefit, in so strange a manner as tney do ?
It is undeniably evident, that there are marvellous coincidences
of Providence, confederating and agreeing, as it were, to meet
and unite themselves to bring about the good of God's chosen.
In the history of Joseph, there are twelve remarkable steps to
his advancement ; and if one had failed probably the event had
failed too. And yet they could no more occur of themselves,

the mystery of providence. 5yy
than the axe, saw, or chisel could cut or carve a rude log into a
beautiful figure, without the hand of a skilful artificer.
They hold no intelligence, communicate not their counsels to
each other, yet they meet together and work together as if they
did ; which is, as if ten men should meet together at one place,
and in one hour, about the same business, without any fore-ap
pointment betwixt themselves. Can any man question, but that
such a meeting of means and instruments is certainly, though
secretly, over-ruled by some wise invisible agent.
3. If the concerns of God's people are not governed by a spe
cial Providence, whence is it, that the most apt and powerful
means, employed to destroy them, are rendered ineffectual ; and
weak, contemptible means employed for their defence and com
fort, are crowned with success.
The heathen Roman emperors, who made the world tremble,
and subdued the nations under them, employed all their power
and policy against the poor defenceless church, to ruin it ; yet
they could not accomplish it, Rev. xii. 3, 4. O tbe seas of blood
that heathen Rome shed in the ten persecutions ! Yet the church
lives, and the gates, the powers and policies of hell cannot pre
vail against it. How manifest is the care and power of Provi
dence herein ! Had half tbe power been employed against any
other people, it had certainly swallowed them up ! or in the .
hundredth part of the time worn them out.
4. If all things are governed by the course of nature and the
force of natural causes, how then comes it to pass that men are
turned out ofthe way of evil, to which they were driving on with
full speed ?
See the case of Paul, Acts xxv. 3, 4. Possidonius, in the life
of Augustine, tells us, that the good father going to teach the
people of a certain town, took a guide with him, to show him the
way : the guide rhistook the usual road, and ignorantly fell into a
by-path, by which means he escaped ruin by the hands of a bloody
Donatist, who, knowing his intention, had way-laid him, to kill
him in the road.
5. If there is not an over-ruling Providence ordering all things
for the good of God's people, how comes it to pass, that the good
and evil which is done to them in this world, is repaid in the bo
soms of those who are instrumental therein ?
The Shunamite was hospitable and careful for Elisha, and God
recompensed it with the desirable enjoyment of a son, 2 Kings
iv. 9. Rahab hid toe spies, and was exempted from the common
destruction for it, Heb xi. 31. Publius, the chief man of the
island of Melita, courteously received and lodged Paul after his
shipwreck ; the Lord speedily paid him for that kindness, and
healed his father, who lay sick at the time of a dangerous fever,
Acts xxviii. 7, 8. »
In like manner, we find the evils done to God's people have
pp

578 divine conduct, or
been repaid, by a just retribution, to their enemies : as in toe
case of Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Haman and Ahithophel,
whose counsel, like a surcharged gun, recoils upon himself, and
procures his ruin, 2 Sam. xvii. 23.
The emperor Aurelian, when he was ready to subscribe the
edict for the persecution of the Christians, was suddenly .30
cramped in his fingers, that he could not write. Henry the se
cond of France, in a great rage against a Protestant counsellor,
declared that he would see him burnt with his own eyes ; but a
few days afterwards, a nobleman with a lance put into his hands
by the king, did at a tilting match, pierce the said king in one of
his eyes, whereof he died.
If these things are contingent, how is it that they fall out in
such remarkable junctures of time, which makes toem so striking
to all that consider them ?
We find a multitude of providences so timed to a minute, that
had they fallen out ever so little sooner or later, they had signi
fied but little. Certainly it cannot be casualty, but counsel, toat
so exactly seizes toe opportunity.
Gen. xxii. 10, II. A well of water is discovered to Hagar just
when she bad left the child, as not able io see his death, Gen.
xxix. 16, 19. Rabshakeh meets with a blasting providence, just
when ready to give the shock against Jerusalem, Isa. xxxvii. 7,
8. So when Haman's plot against the Jews was ripe, and all
things ready for execution, " on that night could not the king
sleep," Esther vi. 1. If these things fell out casually, how is
it they observed time so very exactly? and that in answer of
prayer. The sea divided itself on Israel's cry to heaven, Exod. xiv. 10.
A signal victory is given to Asa, immediately on his pathetical
cry, " Help us, Q Lord our God! " 2 Chron. xiv. 1 1, 12. Ha
man falls, and his plot is broken, just on toe fast kept by Mor-
decai and Esther, chap. iv. 16. Acts xii. 5, 12.
And now who can be dissatisfied in this point that wisely con
siders these things ? God's providence proves him to be a God
hearing prayer.

THE OPERATIONS OF PROVIDENCE.
Having proved, that the concerns of the saints are certainly
conducted by toe wisdom and care of a special Providence, my
next work is to show you, in what affairs and concerns of theirs
the Providence of God doth more especially appear.
I. Let us consider how well Providence has performed the
first work that ever it did for us in our formation. "I am won
derfully made ;" the vulgate renders, " painted as with a needle,"

THE MYSTERY OF PROVIDENCE. 579
richly embroidered with nerves and veins. There is a world qf
cost bestowed upon thy very body. And if all the angels had
studied to this day., they .could not have cast the body of man into
a more curious -mould.
And yetalltois>ishutithe enamelling of the case, or the polish
ing of the casket wherein toe jewel lies. Providence ha to not
only built the house, but, secondly, brought the inhabitant, the
soul, into the possession ;of ft ; a glorious piece that bears the
very image of iGod upon it. It is the wonder of earth, and toe
envy of hell.
Look then, but not proudly, on thy outside and inside. See
and admire what Providence has done for thee, and how well it
has performed the first service that ever it did for thee in this
world. II. The second great performance of Providence for the people
of ¦ God, xespects toe place and time in which it ordered their na
tivity to fall.
Ah, friends, can you think it an indifferent thing, on what spot
ofthe creation, or what, age ofthe world, your lot had fallen ?
This performance of Providence for you very much concerns
your comfort in this world. All the rooms in this great house
are not alike pleasant and commodious for the inhabitants of it.
How poor, miserable, and unprovided with earthly comforts are
many millions ofthe inhabitants of this world ! And why might
not your lot have fallen there as well as where it is ? Are not
they made of toe same clay and endowed with as good a nature
as yourselves ? O what a distinction has divine mercy made
where nature made none ! Consider ungrateful man, thou might
est have fallen into some of those regions, where a tainted air
frequently cloys the jaws of death ; where the inhabitants differ
very little from beasts, in the manner of their [living. O what has
Providence done for you.
But this is very inconsiderable in comparison with the spi
ritual mercies and advantages you here enjoy.
Suppose it had been your lot to have fallen into any of those
vast continents possessed by pagans and heathens at this day,
who bow down to the stock of a tree, and worship- the host of
heaven, O how deplorable had thy case been. Then, in all pro
bability, thou hadst been at this day worshipping devils, and
posting with full speed An the direct .road to damnation.
Or suppose your lot had fallen among Mahometans, who, next
to pagans, spread over the greatest tract of earth. O what un
happy men had you been ! You had then adqred a grand impostor
and died in a fool's paradise.
Or if neither of these had been your lot, you might have fallen
into the same land in which your habitation now is, and yet have
had no advantage by it as to salvation. For suppose your lot had
fallen where ft is during the Pagan state of England. Thick
pp2

580 DIVINE CONDUCT, OR
darkness overspread the people, and here, the .devil was wor
shipped, and his lying oracles zealously attended upon. Or
suppose our lot had fallen in those later miserable days, in which
queen Mary sent so many hundreds to heaven in a fiery chariot.
But such has the special care of Providence towards us been, that
we are not only furnished with the best room in this great bouse,
but before we were put into it, it was swept with the besom of
national reformation from idolatry, yea, and washed by the blood
of martyrs from Popish filthiness, and adorned with gospel-lights
shining in as great lustre as ever they did since [the apostle's
days. So that if Plato, when he was near his death, could bless God
for three things, that he was a man, and not a beast, that he was
born in Greece, and brought up in the time of Socrates ; much
more cause have you to admire Providence, toat you are men
and not beasts, that you are born in England and brought up in
gospel-days. III. The next remarkable performance of Providence to be
heedfully weighed, is the designation ofthe stock and family out
of which we should rise.
" The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked, but he
blesseth the habitation of the just."
It was no small mercy to Timothy to be descended from such
progenitors, nor to Augustine that he had such a mother as Monica,
who planted in his mind the precepts of life with her words
watered them with her tears, and nourished them with her ex
ample. What a mercy is it if we have parents that prayed for us in our
infancy when we could not pray for ourselves! Thus did Abra
ham, Geh. xv. 2; and Hannah, 1 Sam. i. 10, 11. It is agreater
mercy to descend from praying parents than from the loins of
nobles. What a special mercy to have the excrescences of corruption
nipt in the bud by the pious and careful discipline of our parents.
Was it not a special favour to us, to have parents who went
before us as patterns of holiness, who could say, " Be ye follow
ers of us, as we are of Christ ? " The parents' life is the child's
copy. O ray friends, let me beg toat you will set a special value
upon this providence 5 and that you may compare your condition
with others. How many children there are amongst us, who are
drawn headlong to hell by their cruel and ungodly parents, who
teach them to curse and swear as soon as they can speak! Many
families there are, wherein little other lauguage is heard, but
what is the dialect of hell. Ah sirs, ye little know what a mercy
ye have enjoyed in godly parents.
Seeing such a train of blessings follows upon a holy education
of children, let me beseech you who are parents to remember

THE MYSTERY OF PROVIDENCE. 581
how heavy a duty lies on you. Consider how neaT the relation
is betwixt you and your children, and therefore how much you
are concerned in their happiness or misery. Consider that God
has charged you with their souls as well as their bodies. What
shall comfort you at the parting time, if they die through your
neglect, in a Christless condition ? O ! this is a cutting consi
deration, My child is in hell, and I did nothing to prevent it ; I
helped him thither.
If you neglect to instruct your children in toe way of holiness,
will the devil neglect to instruct them in the way of wickedness ?
No. If you will not teach them to pray, he will teach them to
curse, swear, and lie. If ground be uncultivated, weeds will
spring. If the season of their youth is neglected, how little pro
bability is there of any good fruit afterwards ! How few are con
verted in old age.
And you children, who are sprung from religious parents, I
beseech you obey their counsels, and tread in the steps of their
pious example. Your disobedience to them, is a resisting of
God's authority. " Children obey your parents in the Lord."
There is tbe command. Your rebellion therefore runs higher
than you think. It is not man, but God toat you disobey ; and
for your disobedience God will punish you. Your sin is greater
than the sin of young heathens and infidels ; and so will your ac
count be also.
IV. The next remarkable .performance of Providence for the
people of God, which I will instance, shall be with respect to its
ordering the instruments and means of their conversion.
This, O this, is the most excellent benefit you ever received
from its hand. This is a subject which every gracious heart loves
to steep its thoughts in. The places Where and instruments by
whom this work was wrought, are exceedingly endeared to them
for the word's sake. As no doubt, Jacob's Bethel was ever after
the night he slept there sweet to his thoughts, so other saints have
had their Bethels as well as he. O blessed places, times and
instruments ! O toe deep impressions, never to be razed out of
the memory or heart.
There are many things in the providences connected with this
work, the memory of which is pleasant. Acts viii. 26.
A scrap of paper, accidentally coming to view, has been used
as a means of conversion. The reading of a good book has been
the means of bringing others to Christ. Thus we find many of
the German divines converted by reading Luther's books ; yea,
and what is more strange, Vergerius, though he had been an eye
witness to toe doleful case of Spira, which one would think should
move a stone, yet still continued firm to the Pope's interest, re
solved on writing a book against the German apostates ; but
whilst he read the protestant books, with no other design than to
confute them, was himself convinced and brought to Christ. He

582 DIVINE CONDUCT, OR
finding himself thus overcome By the truth, imparts his conviction
to his brother a zealous papist also. This brother deplores the
misery of his case, and seeks to reclaim him. But Vergerius
entreating film to1 weigh well the protestant arguments, he' also
yields; and so both immediately" betook themselves to preach
justification by the free grace of God through the blood of Christ.
So the very mistake or forgetfulness of a minister has been? im
proved by Providence for this end and purpose. Augustine once
preaching to his congregation;, forgot the argument which he first
proposed, and fell on the errors of the Manichees, contrary to his
first intention ; by which discourse he converted one Firmus his
auditor, who fell down at his feet, weeping and confessing he had
lived a Manichee many years.
The committing of a godly man to prison has been the method
of Providence to save the soul of a poor keeper. Acts xvi. 27.
The like success had Dr. Bams, in Queen Mary's days, who
afterwards celebrated the Lord?s supper in prison with his con
verted keeper.
Going to hear a sermon in jest has proved some men's con
version in earnest. The dropping of some grave and weighty
Word accidentally, in the presence of vain carnal persons, the
death of a husband, wife, or child, a fit of sickness, with a thou
sand other such like circumstances, have been thus improved by
Providence to the conversion of souls.
And no less remarkable and wonderful are the designs of Pro
vidence in ordering the removals, and governing the motions of
ministers from place to place in order to the conversion of souls.
And as Providence orders very strange causes to awaken and
rouse our souls at first, so it works- no less wonderfully in carry
ing on the work to perfection.
And this it doth, first by quickening and reviving dying con
victions and troubles for sin.
Providence gives also great assistance to the work of the Spirit,
by ordering means to comfort the soul, when it is overburdened
and ready to sink in the depth of troubles. 1 remember a mira
culous work of Providence which was wrought for that excellent
Woman, Mrs. Honeywood, who under a deep and sad desertion,
seemed to despair utterly of the grace and mercy of God. A
minister being one day with her, and reasoning against her des
perate conclusions, she took a glass from the table, and said, " Sir,
I am as sure to be damned as this glass is to be broken ;" and
therewith she threw it forcibly to toe ground : but to the asto
nishment of both, the glass remained whole and sound. The
minister taking it up, rebuked her presumption, and showed her
what a wonder Providence had wrought for her satisfaction ; and
it greatly altered the temper of her mind. O how unsearchable
are his ways, and his paths past finding out ! Lo these are part
of his ways ; but how small a portion do we know of him !

THE MYSTERY OF PROVIDENCE. 583
And now, reader, hast thou been duly sensible of thy obligation
to Providence for this inestimable favour ? O what has he done
for thee ! Look over all the before-mentioned examples, and you
will see toe blessed work of redemption begun in those souls,
when they thought of it no more than Saul' thought of a kingdom
in the morning when he went out to seek his father's asses, 1
Sam. ix. 3.
As little did some of you think what the aim of Providence
was when you went, some out of custom, others out of curiosity,
if not out of worse ends, to hear a sermon. O how stupendous
are the ways of God !
V. Let us now take into consideration another excellent
performance of Providence, in respect of that employment and
calling, it ordered for you in this world.
In directing you to an employment in your youth, and not
suffering you to live an idle, useless, and sinful life, as many do
who are burdens to the earth.
In ordering you to such employments in the world, as are not
only lawful in themselves but most suitable to you.
In making your calling sufficient for you, Deut. xxxiii. J. If
God bless your labours, so as to giVe you and yours necessary
supports and comforts in the world, it is a providence to be ac
knowledged with all thankfulness.
Object. I am kept short and low to what others are ; and tois
is a sad affliction.
Answer. Providence has ordered that condition for you which
is, really best for your eternal good. A small boat must have but
a narrow sail. You have not wanted hitherto the necessaries of
life, and are commanded, " having food and raiment to be there
with content."
Beware you lose not your God irt the crowd and hurry of your
earthly business. Mind that solemn warning in 1 Tim. vi. 9.
Recommend your affairs to God by prayer. Be well satisfied in
that station and employment in which Providence hath placed
you, and do not so much as wish yourselves- in another. Provi
dence is wiser than you, and has suited all things better to your
eternal good than you could have done.
VI. We will, in the next place, consider it as the guide and
the orderer of our relations for Us, Prov. xix. 14.
There is much of Providence seen in appointing the parties in
marriage each for the other. In this, the Lord goes oftentimes
beyond our thoughts ; yea, and oftentimes crosses men's desires
and designs...© their great advantage.
But Providence is especially remarkable in making one instru
mental to the eternal good of the other. " How knowest thou,
0 wife, whether thou mayest save thy husband ? Or how knowest
thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife ?" 1 Cor. vii. 16.
Or if both are gracious, then what mutual help is hereby gained

584 DIVINE CONDUCT, OR
to the furtherance of their eternal good. O bleseed Providence,
that directed such into so intimate relation on earth, who shall
inherit together toe common salvation in heaven.
How much of Providence is seen in children. Look abroad, and
you will .find it is no unusual thing to see children the greatest
instruments of affliction to their parents. O how many have com
plained, with toe tree in toe fable, that their very hearts have
been torn, asunder with those wedges that were cut out of their
own bodies ! What a grief was Esau ^o Isaac and Rebekah !
What a scourge were Absalom and Amnon to David ! If, then,
God has given you relations and children who are a daily comfort
to you, abuse not the effects of so much mercy and love. The
Lord expects praise, wherever you have comfort. Improve rela
tions to the end Providence designed them. So walk, that
the parting day may be sweet. Death will shortly break up the
family ; and then nothing but the sense of duty discharged, or the
neglects of it pardoned, will give comfort.
VII. Let us, in tbe next place, view another gracious perform
ance of Providence for us, in making provision from time to time
for us and our families.
Consider the assiduity and constancy of the care of Providence
for the saints. " His mercies are new every morning," from day'
to day through all your days, Gen. xlviii. 15. The care of Pro
vidence runs parallel with tbe line of life. It may suffer wants to
pinch hard, and many fears to arise, with the design of magnifying
the care and love of God, but so orders the case, that faith and
prayer coming betwixt our wants and supplies, the goodness of
God may be the more magnified.
O that you would be well pleased and satisfied with all its ap
pointments ! Surely that is best for you which Providence has
appointed, and you will one day judge it so to be.
VIII. The next great advantage and mercy toe saints receive
from the hand of Providence, is, in their preservation from the
snares and temptations of sin.
That Providence wards off many a dreadful stroke of tempta
tion, and puts by many a mortal thrust which Satan makes at our
souls, is a truth as manifest as the light that shineth, >1 Cor. x.
13. God will " with the temptation make a way to escape."
Providence gives an out-let for the soul's escape, when it is shut
up in the dangerous straits of temptation. Sometimes by hinder
ing the means and instruments, "whereby the evil itself is pre
vented. Thus, when good Jehoshaphat had joined himself with
that wicked king, Ahaziah, to build ships to go to Tarshish, God
prevents the design, by breaking the ships in a storm, 2 Chron.
xx. 37. Sometimes by laying some strong afflictions on the
body, to prevent a worse evil. And this is the meaning of Hos.
ii. 6. " I will hedge up her way with thorns." And Sometimes
the providence of God prevents the sins of his people, by removing

THE MYSTERY OF PROVIDENCE. 585
them out of the way of temptation by death. " 1'he righteous is
taken away from the evil to come," the evil of sin as well as suf
ferings. IX. In the next place, I will show you, that Providence has
been no less careful for your bodies than it has for your souls,
and has carried them in its arms through innumerable hazards
and dangers. -
Have not some of us fallen, and that often, into very danger
ous sicknesses and diseases, in which we have approached to the
very brink of the grave, and have said, with Hezekiah, " I said
in the cutting off of my days I shall go to the gates of the grave : I
am deprived of the residue of my years." Have we not often had
the sentence of death in ourselves ? O what a wonder is it that so
crazy a body should be preserved for so many years and survive
so many dangers ! Many thousands of these dangers we never
saw, nor were made sensible of; but though we saw them not,
our God did, and brought us out of danger before he brought us
into fear. Some bave been evident to us, and those so remark
able, toat we cannot think of them to this day, but our souls are
deeply affected.
X. You have heard of many great things performed for you by
divipe Providence, in the former particulars ; but there is an emi
nent favour it bestows on the saints, and that is, the aid and as
sistance it gives them in tbe work of mortification.
The mortification of our sinful affections and passions, is the
one half of our sanctification ; '" Dead indeed unto sin, but alive
unto God," Rom. v. 11. It is our safety in the hour of temp
tation. Our fitness for service depends much upon it, 2 Tim.
ii. 21. John xv. 2. How great a service to our souls therefore
must that be by which this blessed work is carried on upon
them! Now there are two means or instruments employed in this
work. The Spirit who effects it internally, and Providence which
assists it externally. God has made a hedge about us, and
fenced us against sin by his laws ; but there is a proneness in
nature to break over the hedge, and thwart the very strivings of
the Spiritof God in us. Now see in this case, the concurrence
and assistance of Providence for the prevention of -sin. As the
Spirit internally resists, those sinful inclinations, so Providence
externally, lays bars and blocks in our way to hinder and prevent
sin. The design of afflictive Providence is to take away sin, Ps.
cxix. 67. " Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I
kept thy word." So Paul, 2 Cor. xii. 7.
And now let us consider and admire, that ever this great and
blessed God should be so much concerned as you have heard he
is in all his providences, about such vile, despicable worms as
we are ! How ancient, how free, and how astonishing is his

586 DIVINE CONDUCT, OR
grace ! Does not the assiduity of his providential care for us,
speak his esteem of us? " He withdraweth not his- eyes from the
righteous," Job xxxvi. 7, no, not a moment all their days ; for
were he to do so, a thousand mischiefs in that moment would
rush in upon them,, and ruin them.

THE DUTY OF REFLECTING ON THE OPERATIONS
OF PROVIDENCE.
1. This is our duty, because God has expressly commanded
it. When that most dreadful of all judgments was executed upon
his professing people, for their apostacy from God, the rest are
" bid to go," by their meditations, to send at least their thoughts
" to Shiloh," and " see what God did to it," Jer. vii. 12.
2. It is plain, that it is our duty, because the neglect of it is
everywhere condemned as a sin. To be of a heedless unob
servant tempers very displeasing to God ; nay, it is a sin which
he threatens and denounces woe against in his word, Psal. xxviii.
4, 5. •
3. Without due observation oi the works of Providence, no
praise can be rendered to God for any of them. Psalm cvii. is
spent in narratives of God's, providential care of men ; to his
people in straits ; to prisoners in- their bonds ; to men that lie
languishing on beds of sickness ; to seamen on the stormy ocean ;
to men in times of famine, and at every paragraph men are still
called upon to praise God for eaeh of these providences.
4. Without this,, we lose the usefulness and benefit of all the
works of God for us- or others, which would be an unspeakable
loss indeed to us. This is the food our faith lives upon in days
of distress. From providences past, saints argue fresh and new
ones to come. Thus David, 1 Sam. xvii. 37. and thus Paul, 2
Cor. i. 10.
5. It is a vile slighting of God, not to observe what of himself
he manifests in his providences. You would not do so by a man
for whom you have any respect. It is the character of the wicked
not to regard God's favours, Isa. xxvi. 10 ; or frowns, Jer. v. 3.
6. In a word, men can never order their addresses fo God
in prayer, suitably to their conditions, without due observation of
his Providences; Your prayers are to be suitable to your condi
tions ; sometimes we are called to praise, sometimes to humilia
tion. Thus you find the matter of David's Psalms still varied,
according to the providences that befel him ; but an unobservant,
heedless spirit, can never do this.

thb mystery of providence. 587
DIRECTIONS FOR REFLECTING ON THE DISPEN
SATIONS OF PROVIDENCE.
I. Let us proceed to show in what manner we are to reflect on
the performances of Providence for us. And certainly it is not
every slight and transient glance, nor every cold,, unaffecting re
hearsal of his providences towards you, that will pass with God
for a discharge of this great duty. O that we were but acquainted
with this- heavenly, spiritual exercise! how sweet would it make
our lives ! how light would it make our burdens ! O sirs, let me
tell you, that there is not such a pleasant history for you to read in
all the world, as tbe history of your own lives, if you would but
sit down and record to yourselves what God has been to you and
done for you. If your hearts do not melt before you have gone
half through that history, they are hard hearts indeed.
Let your reflections be as intensively full as may be. Let not
your thoughts swim like feathers on the surface of the waters, but
sink like lead to the bottom. Not that I think ft practicable to
sound the depth of Providence by our short line. " Thy way is
in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are
not known ;" but it is our duty to dive as far as we can, and to ad
mire the depth when we cannot touch the bottom. It is in view
ing providences as it was with Elijah's servant when he looked
out for rain ; he saw nothing at first but the prophet bids him go
again seven times ; and when he had done so, " What now ?" says
the prophet, "O now," says, he, " I see a cloud rising like a man's
hand," and then keeping his eye on it intently, he sees toe whole
face of heaven covered with clouds." Thus you may look on
some providences and see little or nothing in them, but look
seven times, raedidate often upon them, and you will see their
glory increasing like toat increasing cloud.
There are leading providences Which justly challenge the first
rank among providential favours to us, beeause they usher in
a multitude of other mercies, and draw a blessed train of happy
consequences after them. The Instruments employed by Provi
dence for you, are also of special consideration, for sometimes
great mercies are conveyed to us by very improbable means, and
more probable ones are laid aside. A stranger shall be stirred
up to do that for you, which your near relations in nature had no
power or will to do for you. Ministers have found more kindness
and respect frorn strangers than from their own people who are
more obliged to them. Sometimes, too, mercies are conveyed by
the hands of enemies, as well as strangers. The design and
scope of Providence must not escape our thorough consideration.
" We know that all things work together for good to them that
love God." A thousand friendly hands are at work for them to
promote and bring about their happiness. O this is enough to
sweeten the bitterness of Providence to us, that we know it shall

divine conduct, or
turn to our salvation. The respect and relation that Providence
bears to our prayers, is of singular consideration, and a most
sweet meditation. Prayer honours Providence, and Providence
honours prayer.
II. In all your observations of Providence, have special respect
to that word of God which is fulfilled and made good to you
thereby. This will greatly confirm to us the truth ofthe scripture. Cer
tainly had scripture no other seal or attestation, this alone would
be an unanswerable argument of its divinity.
The word tells you, that the duties it prescribes, or the way of
holiness, is the wisest way. -
Now let the events of Providence say whether this be true or
not. Let the question be asked ofthe drunkard, adulterer, and
profane swearer, when by sin they have ruined body, soul, estate,
and name, whether it be wisdom to walk in those forbidden
paths, and they cannot but confess, that " this their way is their
folly." The word tells you, that your departure from the way of inte
grity to make use of sinful means, shall never profit you, 1 Sam.
xii. 21. Prov. iii. 5. and did you ever leave the way of simplicity
and integrity, and use sinful shifts to bring about your designs,
and prosper in that way ? God has cursed all the ways of sin ;
and whoever thrives in them, his people shall not.
The word prohibits our trust and confidence in the creature,
even in toe greatest and most powerful among creatures, Psal.
cxlvi. 3.
Consult toe events of Providence in this case, and see whether
the word be not verified therein. Whatever we have over-loved,
idolized, and leaned upon, God has broken, and made us see its
vanity ; so that we find that the readiest course to be rid of our
comforts, is to set our hearts inordinately or immoderately upon
them ; for our God is a jealous God, and will not part with his
glory to another. If Jonah be overjoyed in his gourd, a worm
is presently prepared to smite it. Hence it is that so many
graves are opened for the burying of our idols out of our sight.
Inquire now whether this be indeed so. When did you grow
into a secure, vain, carnal frame, but you found some rousing,
startling providence sent to awaken you ? When did you wound
your consciences with guilt, and God did not wound you for it,
in some one or other of your beloved enjoyments ?
I do not say that God follows every sin with a rod ; for who
then should stand before him ? But this I say, that it is God's
usual way, to visit the sins of his people with rods of affliction,
and this in mercy to their souls.
Consider, how great security God has given to his people in
the promise, that no man shall lose any thing by self-denial, for
his sake, Mark x. 29, 30.

the mystery of providence. 589
The word of promise assures us, that whatever wants and
straits the saints fall into, their God " will never leave them nor
forsake them."
Consult toe various events of your life to this point, doubtless,
you may observe that you have experienced difficulties, wherein
you could see no way of escape ; difficulties that have staggered
your faith, and made you doubt whether the Fountain of all-suf
ficiency would let out itself for your relief ; but yet you see he
uid not forsake you. He has either strengthened your back to
bear your trouble, or lightened your burden, or opened an unex
pected door of escape.
You read that the word of God is the only support and relief
to a gracious soul in the dark day of affliction, that for this very
purpose it was written, Bom. xv. 4.
And is not this a sealed truth, attested by a thousand undeni
able experiences ? One word of God can do more than ten thou
sand words of men, to relieve a distressed soul. If Providence
has at any time directed you to such promises, O what sensible
ease and relief ensue ! How light is your burden, compared with
what it was before !
The word tells us, that there is no such way to improve our
estates as to lay them out with a cheerful liberality for God.
O how true, is the scripture-testimony herein ! What men save
with one hand, Providence scatters by another hand ; and what
they scatter abroad with a liberal hand,, and a single eye for God,
is surely repaid to them or theirs.
The word assures us that the best expedient for a man to settle
his own interest in the consciences and affections of men, is to
direct his ways so as to please tbe Lord.
This the three Jews found by experience, Dan. iii. 29 ; and so
did Daniel. This kept up John's reputation in the conscience of
Herod. The written word tells us, that the best expedient to inward
peace, under distracting troubles, is to commit ourselves and our
case to the Lord, Psalm xxxvii. 5, J.
And as you have read in the word, so you have found it in
your own own experience. O what a burden is off your shoulders
when you have resigned the case to God !
III. In all your reviews and observations of Providence, be
sure that you eye God as toe author and orderer of them all,
Prov. iii. 6.
Eye the free grace of God in them, see yourselves over-topped
by the least of all mercies ; "lam not worthy of the least," said
Jacob. Eye the way and method in which your mercies are con
veyed to you. They all flow to you through the blood of Christ
and toe covenant of grace. Mercies derive their sweetness from
the channel through which they run to us. Eye he distinguish
ing goodness of God in all the comfortable enjoyments of your

590 DIVINE conduct, or
lives. How many thousands, better than you, are denied those
comforts? O if we consider what temporal mercies are yet spared, ,and
what spiritual mercies are still bestowed and continued to us, we
shall find cause to admiremercy, rather than complain of severity.
Look on all these, and then ask toy heart toat question -which
God asked Jonah, u Doest thou well to be angry?" Surely when
you consider all, you will see great reason to be quiet and well
satisfied under the hand of God.
IV. Work up your hearts to those :affections, .which the several
providences of God call for.
I. When toe providenees of God are sad and afflictive, then it
is seasonable for you to exercise godly sorrow and humility of
spirit ; Isa. xxii. 12. Micah. vi. 9.
If there be a filial spirit in us, we cannot be light and vain,
when our lather is angry ; or if any real sense of the evil of sin
which provokes God's anger, we must be heavy-hearted when
God is smiting for it.
2. How sad soever the face of Providence may be, yet still
maintain spiritual joy and comfort in God under all. Habakkuk,
iii. 17, 1 will joy in toe God of my salvation.
There are two sorts of comforts, natural and spiritual. There
is a time when it becomes Christians to exercise both, Esther ix.
22 ; and there is a time when the former is to be suspended and
laid by, Psalm .cxxxvii. 2. But there is no season wherein spi
ritual joy and comfort in God is unseasonable, 1 Thess. v. 16:;
Phil. iv. 4. This spiritual joy or comfort is nothing else but the
cheerfulness of our heart in God, and the sense of our interest
in him and in his promises. And.no providence can render this
unseasonable to a Christian.
Why should we lay by our joy in God, on account of sad .pro
vidences without, when at the very worst and lowest ebb, the
saints have infinitely more cause to rejoice, than to be cast down ?
There is more in one of their mercies to comfort them than in all
their troubles to deject them.
Why should we lay by our joy in God when the change of our
condition is so nigh ? it is but a little while, and sorrow shall
flee away. You shall never suffer more. " God will wipe away
all tears."
3. Exercise heavenly-mindedness and keep your hearts on
things eternal, under all the providences with which toe Lord ex
ercises you in this world.
If we were more deeply sanctified, and the tendencies of our
hearts heaven-ward, more ardent and vigorous; our outward
condition would not so much draw forth and exercise our inward
corruptions, nor should we hazard tbe loss of so sweet an enjoy
ment as our fellowship with God, for the sake of any concern our
bodies have on earth.

the mystery of providence. 591
4. Under all providences maintain a contented heart with what
the Lord allots you, be ft more or less of the things of this
world. In this duty all men are concerned.
Let toe unregenerate consider, hell and eternal damnation are
the portion of your cup according to the tenor of the law, and the
threatenings of the gospel. And if so, surely there are other
matters to exercise your thoughts, desires, fears, and cares about,
than these earthly things. Alas ! if you cannot bear a frown of
providence, how will you bear everlasting burnings ! A man who
is to lose his head to-morrow, is not very solicitous what bed he
lies on, or how his table is furnished the night before.
Consider, that though you are condemned persons yet there
are very many mercies in your possession at tois day. Be your
condition as afflictive as it will, is life nothing ? is thegespel and
are the precious means of salvation nothing, by which you yet
are in a capacity of escaping the damnation of hell ? O what
would toe damned say, if they were put into your condition once
more ?
Consider, that if ever you are rescued out of toe -miserable con
dition you are in, such cross providences as those you complain
of, are the most probable means to do it. Alas! prosperity is
not the way to save, but destroy you. Job xxxvi. 8, 9, 10.
Consider, that all your troubles under which you complain, are
pulled down on your beads by your sins. You turn God's mer
cies into sin, and then fret against God, because he turns your
sins into sorrow.
And now I must turn to the Lord's people.
Consider your spiritual mercies and privileges, and repine at
your earthly lot if you can. One of these mercies alone, has
enough in it to sweeten all your troubles in this world.
Consider yojir sins, and that consideration will make you con
tented with your lot. Consider what sin deserves from God, and
what it requires to mortify it.
Consider how near you are to a change in your condition.
Have but a little patience, and all will be as well with you as
your hearts can desire. Tbis world is the worst plaee that you
ever shall be in. If the traveller have spent all his money, yet it
doth not much trouble him if he he know himself within a few
miles of his own home. " Your salvation is nearer than when
you believed."
I have now done with the directive part of this discourse, but
before I pass to toe fifth head, I judge it necessary to add a few
cautions. If providence delays the performance of any mercy to you,
that you have long waited and prayed for ; yet see that you des
pond not, nor grow weary of waiting upon God.
The more prayers and searchings of heart come between our
wants and supplies, our afflictions and reliefs, the sweeter are our

592 divine conduct, or
reliefs and supplies thereby made to us. God's heart may h
towards us, whilst the hand of his Providence seems to be agains
us. The delay of your mercies is really for your advantage
Isa. xxx. 18.
The foolish child would pluck toe apple whilst it is green ; bui
when it is ripe, it drops of its own accord, and is more pleasanl
and wholesome. It is a greater mercy to have a heart willing tc
refer all to God, than to enjoy presently the mercy we are most
eager and impatient for. In that God pleases you, in this you
please God.
Consider how many millions of men, as good as you by nature,
are cut off from all hope and expectation of mercy for ever, and
there remains to them nothing but a fearful expectation of wrath.
This might have been your case, and therefore be not of an im
patient spirit under toe expectations of mercy.
Pry not too curiously into the secrets of Providence, nor
suffer your shallow reason arrogantly to judge and- censure its
designs. There are hard texts in the works, as well as in the word of
God. " When I thought to know tbis, (saith Asaph,) it was too
wonderful for me." There was the arrogant attempt of reason,
he pryed into the arcana of Providence ; but it was a useless la
bour. It begat envy towards others and despondency in himself:
and this was all he got by summoning Providence to the bar of
reason, Psalm lxxiii.
Beware, therefore, that you lean not too much to your own
reason and understanding. Nothing is more plausible, nothing
more dangerous.

MOTIVES TO A DUE OBSERVANCE OF
PROVIDENCE.
I. Let me offer this as a moving argument to this duty, that by
this means you will maintain sweet communion with God from
day to day.
It is usually found in the experience of the saints, that in what
ever ordinance or duty they have any communion with God, it
produces in their spirits a deep abasement and humiliation. Can
you not remember when God lifted you up by his Providence,
how you cast down yourselves before bim, and were viler in your
own eyes than ever ? what were your words then ? O that ever
so great and holy a God should be thus concerned for so vile and
sinful a worm ! Every man loves the mercies of God, but a saint
loves the God of his mercies.
II. A great part of the pleasure and delight ofthe Christian
life is the observation of Providence.
How pleasant is it to a well-tempered soul to observe the

THE MYSTERY OF PROVIDENCE. 593
sweet harmony and consent of the divine attributes in the issues of
Providence ! This is the very joy of the angels and saints in
heaven, to see God's ends wrought out, and his attributes glori
fied in the mercy and peace of the church, Rev. xiv. 1 . 8.
And as it is a pleasant sight to see the harmony of God's at
tributes, so it is exceedingly pleasant to behold the resurrection
ofour own prayers and hopes as from the dead. O how sweet
is it to see these prayers fulfilled, after we have given up all ex
pectation of their fulfilment ! May we not say of them,*as the
scripture speaks of the restoration of the Jews, it is even " life
from the dead."
What a transporting pleasure is it, to behold great blessings
wrought for us by Providence out of those very things that seemed
to threaten our ruin. O what a difference have we seen betwixt
our afflictions at our first meeting with them, and at our parting
from tbem ! We have entertained them with sighs and tears,
but parted from them with joy, blessing God for them, as the
happy instrument of our good.
What unspeaakable comfort is it for a poor soul, toat sees no
thing but sin and vileness in itself, to see at toe same time what
a high esteem and value the great God has for it ! Other men
prosecute good, but it flies from them, and they can never over
take it ; but goodness and mercy follow the people of God and
they cannot avoid or escape them.
What is there, that can give a soul such comfort, as to find it
self by every thing furthered in its way to heaven ? and how has
God blessed crosses to mortify corruption, wants to kill our wan
tonness, disappointments to wean us from toe world ! O we little
think how comfortable those things will be in the review, which
are so burdensome to present sense !
III. Consider what an effectual means toe due observation of
Providence will be to overpower and suppress the natural athe
ism that is in your hearts.
" The Lord is known by the judgments that he executeth."
And on toe contrary, how convincingly clear are those provi
dences that demonstrate the being, wisdom, power, love and faith
fulness of God, in the supporting, preserving, and delivering of the
righteous in all their dangers, fears, and difficulties ! O do but
reflect upon your own experiences, have you never seen the all-
sufficient God in the provisions he has made for you and yours,
throughout- all the way that you have gone?
IV. The recording and recognising of the performances of
Providence will be a most singular support to faith in future exi
gences. It is much easier for faith to travel in a path that is well known
to it, than to beat out a new one which it has never trod, and in
which it . cannot see one step before it. To trust God without
any trial or experience, is a more noble act of faith ; but to trust
Q Q

594 DIVINE CONDUCT, OR
him after we have often tried him, is known to be more easy.
Christ stirred up his disciples' memories with what providence
had formerly wrought for them ; " O ye of little faith, why rea
son ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread ?"
Were ye never under any strait for bread before ? Is this the
first difficulty that ever your faith combated with ? No ; you have
felt straits and experienced the power and care of God in supply
ing them, before now ; and therefore I cannot but call you men
of little faith. God has helped, therefore he can help ; and after
so many experiences of his readiness to help, what room for
doubting remains ?
V. The recognition of former providences will minister to your
souls continual matter of praise and thanksgiving, which is the
very employment ofthe angels in heaven, and the sweetest part
of our lives on earth.
The goodness of God is let out upon his people in his provi
dences about them ; and this is the very root of praise. It is not
so much the possession that Providence gives us of such or such
comforts as the goodness and kindness of God in the dispensing
of them, that engages a gracious soul to praise. " Because thy
loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee."
Hence it is that the prayers of the saints are so full of thanks
giving. It is sweet to recount them to the Lord in prayer, to lie
at his feet in a holy astonishment at his gracious condescensions
to poor worms.
VI. The due observance of Providence will endear Jesus
Christ more and more to our souls.
Christ is the channel of grace and mercy ; through him are all
the streams of mercy that flow from God to us, and all the returns
of praise from us to God.
Whatever good we receive from the hand of Providence, we
must trace it to Christ, and when we receive it, we must say, It
is the price of blood.
The continuation of all your mercies and comforts outward as
well as inward, is the fruit of his intercession in heaven for you.
By his intercession, our peace and comforts are prolonged to us.
Every sin we commit would put an end to the mercies we pos
sess, were ft not for this. The answers of all your prayers to
heaven for the removing of your afflictions, or the supply of your
wants, are all procured and obtained for you by Jesus Christ.
It is his name that gives your prayers their acceptance, John xv.
16. The covenant of grace, in which all your enjoyments are com
prised, and by which they are secured, sanctified and sweetened
to you, is made in Christ and ratified by him. And this it is
which sanctifies them, and gives them the nature of special and
peculiar mercies. One such mercy is worth a thousand common
mercies.

THE MYSTERY OF PROVIDENCE. 595
Put all these ibbings together, and then think how such con
siderations ought to endear Christ to your souls !
VII. The due observation of Providence has a marvellous
efficacy to melt the heart, and make it relent ingenuously before
the Lp.d. £
Reader, go back with toy serious thoughts, to the beginning
of the ways of God with thee, the mercies that broke out early
in toy youth, and thou wilt say, What need I to go farther ?
Here is enough, not onlyto move, but overwhelm my heart.
Observe the springs and autumns of Providence, in what order
they have flourished and faded with thee ; and thou wilt find thy
self overpowered with the sense of divine wisdom and .goodness.
O the matchless tenderness of God to his people !
Compare the carriage of Providence towards you, with your
carriage towards the Lord. What place did you ever live in,
where you cannot remember great provocations committed against
manifold mercies received. In every place God hath left the
marks of his goodness, and you the remembrance of your sinful
ness. Compare your dangers with your fears, and both with the
strange outlets and doors of escape Providence has opened.
O Christian, is your life such a continued throng, such a dis
tracted hurry, tbat there is no room to be found to sit alone and
think of these things, and press these marvellous discoveries of
God in his providences upon your hearts ?
VIII. A due observation of Providence will both beget and se
cure inward tranquillity in our minds, amidst the vicissitudes and
revolutions of things in this unstable world.
" I will both fay me down in peace and sleep," says David,
" for the Lord only maketh me to dwell in safety." He resolves
that toe sinful fears of events shall not rob him of his inward
quiet, nor torture his thoughts with anxious presages. He com
mits all his concerns into that faithful, fatherly hand, that had
hitherto wrought all things for him, and he means not to lose the
comfort of one night's rest, but wisely enjoys the sweet felicity
of a resigned will.
And it must surely quiet us when we consider what the Lord
did for us in tbe way of his Providence, when we ourselves were
in the state of nature and enmity against God. And will he now
do less for us since we are reconciled and become bis children?
IX. A due observation of the ways of God in his .providence
will have an excellent usefulness and aptitude to advance and
improve holiness in our hearts and lives.
O if men would but mark the designs of God in his preventive
¦providences. Why does he clog Us but to prevent our sfiraying
from him ? O it is good to attend to these works of God, and
'study toe meaning of them ! Q Q 2

596 DIVINE CONDUCT, OR
Holiness is promoted in the soul by cautioning and warning
the soul against sin for time to come. " I have borne chastise
ments, I will not offend any more." O happy providences, how
severe soever, that make the soul for ever afraid of sin ! If a man
has been under a sanctified rod, and a temptation sjjpuld again
solicit bim, Why, thinks he, what madness is it for me to buy re
pentance at so dear a rate ! Have I not smarted enough already ?
You may as well ask me, whether I will run again into the fire,
after I have been already scorched in it ?
X. The considersation and study of Providence will be of sin
gular use to us in a dying hour.
You find when Jacob died, what reflections he had upon the
dealings of God with him in the various providences of his life,
Gen. xlviii. 3, 16.
In like manner, you find Joshua recording the providences of
God, when at the brink of the grave, Joshua xxiv. And I can
not but think it a sweet close to the life of a Christian. It must
needs sweeten a death-bed to reflect upon the mercies that went
along with us all the way, when we are come to the end of it.
" This God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide
even unto death."
How would this encourage weak Christians, and convince the
atheistical world, that verily there is a reality and an excellency
in the ways of God !
At death we begin the angelical life of praise and thanksgiv
ing. We then enter upon that everlasting sweet employment ;
and it will become us to tune our hearts and tongues for it whilst
we are here, and especially when we are ready to enter upon that
blessed state, and this I dare presume to say, that whoever finds
a careful and a thankful heart to record the daily experiences of
God's mercy to him, shall never want new mercies to record to
his dying day.

APPLICATION.
Thus, by the aid of Providence, I have dispatched the main
design I aimed at. All that remains will now be speedily
finished in some few inferences to be briefly drawn from the whole,
and three or four practical cases to be stated.
Inferences.
1. If God performs all things for you, learn that God is to be
owned by you in all that befals you in this world, whether it be
in a way of success and comfort, or of trouble and affliction. O

THE MYSTERY OF PROVIDENCE. 597
look to the hand of God in all, and know, that neither your com
forts nor afflictions arise out of the dust, or spring up out of the
ground. 2. Learn hence, how you are obliged to perform all duties and
services for God ; he performeth all things for you, and will you
do nothing for God? Is Providence every moment at work'for
you, and will you be idle ? To what purpose then is all that God
has done for you ?
3. Does God perform all things for his people ? Do not dis
trust him then, as often as new and great difficulties arise. Why
should you think toat he who has done so man)^ things for you,
will now do no more ? If a thousand and ten thousand experi
ences of his tender care, faithfulness and love, will cure this dis
temper in you, you have them at hand to do it. O that you would
once learn this great truth, that no man ever wanted that mercy,
which he wanted not a heart to trust and wait quietly upon God
for. 4. Does God perform all things for you ? Then seek God for
all by prayer, and never undertake any design without him. I
reckon that business as good as done, that mercy as good as if it
were in hand, that trouble as good as over, for the doing, enjoy
ing, or removing whereof we haye engaged God by prayer. O
let him that performs all, be owned and acknowledged in all.
5. If God performs all things for us, then it is our great inter
est and concern in all things to study to please him, on whom we
depend for all things.
If is a weighty observation of Chrysostom, that " nothing
should be grievous and bitter to a Christian, but to provoke the
displeasure of God." Avoid that, and no affliction or trouble
whatever can cast you down. Fear nothing but sin. Study
nothing so much as how to please God. Turn not from your in
tegrity under any temptation. Trust God in the way of your
duty. These are sure rules to secure yourselves and your inter
est in fill the vicissitudes of life. Cases. .
1. How may a Christian discover the will of God and his own
duty, under dark and doubtful providences ?
The manner of God's revealing his will to men is very differ
ent. Some in ancient times have had special, personal, and pe
culiar discoveries of it made to them. But now all are tied up to
the ordinary standing rule of the written word, and must not ex
pect any such extraordinary revelations from God.
The most signal demonstrations of providence are not to be
excepted against a scripture-rule. If scripture and conscience
tell you, such a way is sinful, yon must not venture upon it, how
many opportunities and encouragements soever Providence may

598 DIVINE CONDUCT, OR
suffer to offer themselves to you, for they are only permitted for
your trial, not your encouragement. Take this therefore as a
sure rule, that no Providence can justify any moral evil ; nor will
it be a plea before God for any man to say, The Providence of
God gave me encouragement to do it. Pray for illumination and
direction in the way you should go. And this being done, follow
Providence so far as it agrees with the word, and no farther.
2. How may a Christian be supported in waiting upon God
whilst Providence delays the performance of the mercies to him
for which he has long prayed and Waited ?
During this delay of Providence, the hearts and hopes of tbe
people of God may be very low, and much discouraged.
A child of light may walk in darkness. He lives by faith and
not by feeling. You complain, that Providence delays to per
form to you tbe mercies you have" prayed and waited for ; but
have you right ends in your desires after these mercies ? You
wait for good, and it comes not; but is your will brought to a
due submission to the will of God about it ? Certainly God will
have you come to this before you enjoy your desires. You haVe
made God waft long for your reformation and obedience ; and
therefore have no reason to think it much, if God makes yoU
wait long for your consolation.
3. How may a Christian discern when a Providence is sancti
fied, and comes from the love of God to him ?
We cannot understand the mind and heart of God, by the
things he dispenses with his hand. But it is a good sign our
troubles are sanctified to us, when they turn our hearts against
sin, and not against God.
If God afflicts his own people with a sanctified rod, it awakens
them to a more earnest seeking of God ; it makes them pray
more frequently, spiritually, and fervently than ever. When
Paul was buffetted by Satan, he " besought the Lord thrice."
We may. conclude our afflictions to be sanctified, and to come
from the love of God to us when they do not aleniate our hearts
from God, but inflame our love to him. This is a sure rule,
whatever tends to the increase ofour love to God, proceeds from
the love of God to us. ,
It is a sign that comfort is not sanctified to us, which comes
not ordinarily in the way of prayer. Then the gifts of Providence
are only such as are bestowed on the worst of men, and are not
the fruits of love.
Whatever success, prosperity, or comfort men acquire by sin
ful means and indirect courses, are riot sanctified mercies to them.
God has cursed the ways of sin, and no blessing can follow them.
Whatever prosperity or success makes men forget God, and cast
off the care of duty, is not sanctified to them. When prosperity
is abused to sensuality, and merely serves as fuel to maintain
fleshly lusts, it is not sanctified. It is a sign that prosperity is

THE MYSTERY OF PROVIDENCE. 599
not sanctified to men, when it swells the heart with pride and
self-conceftedness. That success is not sanctified to men whieh
takes them off from their duty, and makes them wholly negligent,
or very much indisposed to it, Jer. ii. 31.
But, on the other hand, those mercies and comforts are un
doubtedly sanctified to men, which humble their souls before God
in the sense of their own vileness and unworthiness of them, Gen.
xxxii. 10. Sanctified mercies are commonly turned into cautions
against sin, Ezra ix. 13. They will engage a man's heart in love
to the God of his mercies. That which is obtained by prayer,
and returned to God again in due praise, carries its own testimo
nials with it, that it came from the love of God, and is a sancti
fied mercy to the soul.
4. How may we attain to an evenness and steadiness of spi
rit under the changes and the contrary aspects of Providence
upon us ?
The vicissitudes of providence commonly cause great disorders
of spirit in the best of men. Hezekiah was a good man, but yet
his weakness and corruption were betrayed by the alterations
Providence made in his condition. David had more than a com
mon stock of inherent grace, yet not enough to keep him in a
holy temper of spirit under great alterations, Psal. xyx. 6, 7-
This is a great discovery of the carnality and corruption that
are in the heart.
Consider, that afflictive providences are of great use to the
people of God ; they cannot live without them. The earth does
not more need chastening frost and mellowing snows than our
hearts do nipping providences. Let the best Christian be but a
few years without them, and he will be sensible of the want of
them. Let us consider also what may be useful to support and quiet
our hearts under doubtful providences, when our dear concerns
hang in a doubtful suspense before us, and we know not which
way the providence of God will cast and determine them.
The best hearts are apt now to grow solicitous and pensive,
distracted with tooughtfulness about the event and issue. To re
lieve us in tois case, let us consider the vanity and inutility of
such a solicitude, Mat. vi. 27- We may break our peace, and
waste our spirits, but not alter the case.
How great ground of quietness is it that the whole manage
ment of all our affairs is in the hand ofour own God and Father !
tbat tbe faithfulness of God stands engaged for every line and
syllable found in toe promises, and not only your eternal salva
tion, but your temporal interests are there secured.
5. How may a Christian become resigned to the will of
God, when sad providences approach him, and presage great
troubles ? ... ,
The case before us supposes, that some premonitions and

600 DIVINE CONDUCT, OR
forerunners of affliction, do usually very much disturb the order,
and break the peace of our souls. And tois arises partly from
the remains of corruption in the best souls ; and partly from the
advantage Satan makes at the season to iiritate our corruptions.
The thoughts are disordered, duty cannot be duly performed, and
the soul is really weakened and disabled to bear its trial when it
comes ; just as if a man should be kept waking and restless all
night with the thoughts of his hard journey to-morrow, and so,
when to-morrow is come, he faints, for want of rest, in his jour
ney. Labour to work into your hearts a deep and fixed sense of the
infinite wisdom of God, and your own folly and ignorance.
Deeply consider the sinfulness and vanity of torturing your owri
thoughts about the issues of doubtful providences. There is much
sin in so doing, for what are all our anxious and solicitous emo
tions, but the immediate issues of pride and unbelief? There is ,
not a greater discovery of pride in the world than in the contests
of our wills with the will of God. It is a presumptuous invading
of God's prerogative to dictate to his Providence, and prescribe
to his wisdom. And there is also a great deal of vanity in it.
All the thoughtfulness in the world will not make one hair white
or black ; all our discontents will not prevail with God to call
back and make void his word, Isa. xxxi. 2.
Set before you the scripture-patterns of submission to the
Lord's will, in much deeper points of self-denial than this before
you, and shame yourselves out of this quarrelling temper with
Providence. You know what a close trial that providence was to
Abraham, which called him from his native country and his father's
house, to go he knew not whither ; and yet it is said he went.
Paul, when he could expect nothing but bonds and prisons, yet
resigns up his will to God's. But what an example has our dear
Lord Jesus set before us in the deepest point of self-denial that
ever was in the world. When the Father gave the cup of suffer
ings into his hand in the garden, a cup of wrath, the wrath of the
great and terrible God, and that without mixture ; the very taste
whereof, put nature into an agony, a sore amazement, a bloody
sweat, and forced from him toat vehement and sad cry, " Father,
if it be possible, let this cup pass ; " yet still with submission,
he said, " Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done." O
blessed pattern of obedience and resignation to the pleasure of
God ! What is your case to this ? Study the singular benefits
and advantages of a will resigned up, and melted into the will of
God. Such a spirit has a continual sabbath within itself: the
thoughts are established, Prov. xvi. 3. And truly, till a man
come to this, he doth but too much resemble the devil, who is a
restless spirit seeking rest, but finding none. Think how repug
nant and unsubmissive such a temper is, both to your prayers
and professions.

THE MYSTERY OF PROVIDENCE. 601
You pray that the will of God may be done on earth as it is in
heaven ; and yet when it seems to cross your will or interest,
you struggle against it. You profess to have committed your
souls to his keeping, and to leave your eternal concerns in his
hands ; and yet cannot commit things infinitely less valuable unto
him. How contradictory are these things ! Your profession, as
Christians, bespeaks you to be led by the spirit, but this practice
bespeaks you to follow the perverse counsels of your own spirits.
O then, regret no more, dispute no more, but lie down meekly at
your Father's feet, and say, in all cases, and at all times, " The
will of the Lord be done."

TOK^N FOR MOURNERS.
Luke vii. 13. — And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion
on her, and said unto her, Weep not.
To be above the stroke of passion, is a condition equal to an
gels : to be in a state of sorrow without the sense of sorrow, is
a disposition beneath beasts ; but duly to regulate our sorrows,
and bound our passions under the rod, is the wisdom, duty, and
excellency of a Christian.
The lamentations and wailings of this distressed mother moved
the tender compassion of the Lord in beholding them, and stirred
up more pity in his heart for her, than could be in her heart for her
dear and only son.
Here you find many aggravations of sorrow meeting together ;
a son, an only son, is carrying to the grave ; yet Christ commands
toe pensive mother not to mourn. Hence we deduce this doc
trine — that Christians ought to moderate their sorrows for their
dead relations, how many afflicting circumstances and aggrava
tions soever meet together in their death.
lt is grave advice which the apostle delivers in 1 Cor. vii. 29,
30. As if be had said, the floating world is near its port ; God
has contracted the sails of man's life ; it is but a point of time we
have to live, and shortly it will not be a point to choose whether
we had wives or not, children or not. It is therefore a high point
of wisdom to look upon things which shortly will not be, as if
already they were not. We ought to be sensible of the stroke of
God upon our dear relations ; but yet still we must weep, as if
we wept not ; that is, we must keep due bounds and moderation
in our sorrows, and not be too deeply concerned for these dying,
short-lived things.
Now toe method in which I propose to proceed, shall be to
discover the signs, to dissuade from the sin, to remove the pleas,
and to propose the cure of immoderate sorrow. But observe,
1. How much soever we censure and condemn immoderate
sorrow, yet the afflicted must be allowed an awakened and tender
sense of the Lord's afflicting hand upon them.
It is no virtue to bear what we do not feel ; yea, ft is a most
unbecoming temper not to tremble when God is smiting.
It is not magnanimity, but stupidity, to make light of God's

A TOKEN FOR MOURNERS. 603
corrections : and for this the afflicted are smartly taxed ; " I
have smitten them, but they bave not grieved."
2. We must allow the mourning, afflicted soul, a due and
comely expression of his grief and sorrow in his complaints both
to God and men.
There is no sin in complaining to God, but much wickedness
in complaining of him. Psalm cxiii. 2, 3. To whom should
children go, but to their father, to make their moan ? Whence
may they expect relief and comfort, but from him ?
Did we complain more to God, he would complain less of us,
and quickly abate the matters of our complaint.
We may also make our complaint to men. So did Job ;
" Have pity, have pity on me, O ye my friends, for the band of
God hath touched me." And it is a mercy if we have any friends
that are wise, faithful, and experienced : they are bora for such a
time as this, Prov. xvii. 17.
3. The afflicted person may ordinarily accuse, judge, and
condemn himself, for being the cause and procurer of his own
troubles. Yea, in the day of affliction, a gracious soul is inquisitive about
nothing more, than about the procuring and provoking cause of
its troubles. " Show me wherefore thou contendest with me."
Lord, what special corruption is it that this rod is sent to rebuke ?
0 discover it now to me, and recover me now from it.
It is true, God may afflict from prerogative or for trial ; but we
may always see cause enough in ourselves, and it is safest to
charge ft upon our own folly.
4. The afflicted Christian may, in an humble, submissive man
ner, plead with God, and be earnest for the removal of his
affliction. When affliction presses us above strength, when it disables us
for duty, or when it gives advantage to temptation, then we may
say with David, " Remove thy stroke from me, I am consumed by
the blow of thine hand," Psal. xxxix. 10. Even our Lord Jesus
Christ, in the day of his troubles, poured out his soul with strong
cries and many tears, saying, " Father, if thou be willing, let this
cup pass from me."
1. Thus far we may safely go ; but sorrow then becomes sin
ful and excessive ; when it causes us to slight and despise all
our other mercies and enjoyments as small things, in comparison
of what we have lost.
It often falls out, that the setting of one comfort clouds and
benights all the rest. Our tears for our lost enjoyments so blind
our eyes, tbat we cannot see the many other mercies which yet
remain. But this is very sinful, for it involves in ft ignorance,
ingratitude, and great provocation.
It is a sin springing from ignorance. Did we know the desert
of our sins, we should rather wonder to see one mercy left, than

604 A TOKEN FOR MOURNERS.
that twenty are cut off. They who know that they have forfeited
every mercy, should be thankful that they enjoy any, and patient
when they lose any of their comforts.
Besides, what vile ingratitude is in this ! You have buried a
child, a friend ; well ; but still you have a husband, a wife, other
children ; or if not you have comfortable accommodations for
yourselves, with health to enjoy them, and must Ichabod be writen
upon your best mercies, because mortality is written upon one ?
What shameful ingratitude is here !
And really, friend, such a carriage as tois under the rod is no
small provocation to the Lord to go on in judgment, and make a
full end of all that remains, so that affliction shall not rise up the
second time. What, if God should say, Well, if thou thinkest
them not worth the owning, Go, death ; there is a husband, a
wife, other children yet left ; smite them all. Is it nothing that
I have spared thee thus long in thy sins and rebellions ? Well,
then, I will stretch out my hand upon thy life, and cut off that
thread which has kept thee so many years from dropping into
hell. It is a dangerous thing to provoke God, when he is already
in a way of judgment..
2. And no less sinful are our sorrows, when they so wholly in
gulf our hearts, toat we either mind not at all, or are little sensi
ble of the calamities which lie upon the church and {people of
God. Melancthon seemed to take little notice of the death of his child
which he dearly loved, being almost overwhelmed with the mise
ries lying on the church. So Eli, 1 Sam. iv. 17, 18.
But how few such public spirits appear even among professors
in this selfish generation ? If a child die, we are ready to die too,
but public calamities pierce us not. How few suffer either their
domestic comforts to be swallowed up in the church's troubles,
or their domestic troubles to be swallowed up by the church's
mercies !
3. Our sorrows then become sinful and exorbitant, when they
divert us from or distract us in our duties, so that our intercourse
with heaven is stopped and interrupted by them.
How long can we sit alone musing upon a dead creature ! Here
our thoughts easily flow ; but how hard is it to fix them upon the
living God ! When our hearts should be in heaven with our
Christ, they are in toe grave with our dead. Poor creature,
cease to weep any longer for thy dead relation, and weep rather
for thy dead heart.
What, did thy love to God expire when thy friend expired ? Is
thy heart as cold in duty, as his body is in the grave ? Has na
tural death seized him, and spiritual deadness seized thee at the
same time ?
4. Then you may also conclude your sorrows to be excessive
and sinful, when they so overload and oppress your bodies, as to

A TOKEN FOR MOURNERS. 605
endanger your lives, or render them useless and unfit for service.
" Worldly sorrow worketh death ;" toat is, sorrows after the
manner of worldly men. *¦ The stoutest body must stoop under
heart-pressures. Many a man's soul is to his body, as a sharp knife to a thin
sheath, which easily cuts it through ; and what do we by poring
and pondering upon our troubles, but Whet the knife that it may
cut tbe quicker ? Of all the creatures that ever God made, the
devils only excepted, man is toe most able and apt to be his own
tormentor. 5. When affliction sours the spirit with discontent, and makes
it inwardly repine at the hand of God, then our trouble is full of
sin, and we ought to be humbled for it before the Lord.
And such is the comfort that has resulted to some from such
discoveries of their own hearts by close smarting afflictions, that
they would not part with it to have their comforts given back in
lieu of ft.
But to swell with secret discontent, and have hard thoughts of
God, as if he had done us wrong or dealt more severely with us
than any ; O this is a vile temper ; cursed fruit springing from an
evil root.
" Surely, it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastise
ment, I will not offend any more," Job xxxiv. 31 . Whatever
God does with you, speak well and think well of him and his
works. 6. Our sorrows exceed due bounds when we continually excite
and provoke them by irritations.
Grief, like a lion, likes to play with us before it destroy us.
And strange it is that we should find some kind of pleasure in
rousing our sorrows.
Thus we delight to look upon the relics of our deceased friends,
and often to mention their actions and sayings, piercing ourselves
with some little trivial, yet wounding circumstances.
I am far from commending a brutish oblivion of our dear rela
tions, but we have other things to do under the rod, than these.
Were it not better to be searching our hearts, when God's rod is
upon us, and studying how to answer the end of it, by mortifying
those corruptions which provoke it ?
7- Our sorrows may then be pronounced sinful, when they
deafen our ears to all the wholesome and seasonable words of
counsel and comfort, offered us for our relief and support. Rachel
weeping for her children, would not be comforted, because they
were not. Thus it was with Israel in their cruel bondage in
Egypt. Moses brings them the glad tidings of deliverance, but
they hearkened not to him, because of the anguish of spirit.
Thus David says, in Psal. lxxvii. " My soul refused to be com
forted." It is a thousand pities that the wormwood and gall of affliction

606 A TOKEN FOR MOURNERS.
should so disgust a Christian that he should not at any time' be
able to relish the sweetness that is in Christ and in the promises.
II. My way is now prepared to the second thing proposed,
namely, to dissuade mourners from these sinful excesses of sor
row, and keep the bridle of moderation upon their passions in
times of affliction,.
Here, therefore, I must have respect to two sorts of persons,
whom I find in tears on the same account, the loss of their dear
relations ; the regenerate and the unregenerate.
I confess, uses of comfort to the unregenerate are not ordinarily
in use among us, and ft may seem strange whence any thing cf
support should be drawn for them who have no special interest
in Christ or the promises.
But to the unregenerate man I would say,
1. That of all persons in the world, thou hast most reason to
be tender over thy life and health ; for if thy trouble destroy thee
thou art assuredly undone for ever ; if it works toy death, it works
thy damnation also ; for hell follows that pale horse. Beware,
therefore, what thou dost against thy health and life. Do not put
toe candle of sorrow too near that thread by which thou hangest
over the mouth of hell. O it is far better to be childless or
friendless on earth, than hopeless in hell. And is it not easier
to go to the grave with thy dead friend, and weep there, than go
to hell, among the damned, where there is weeping and wailing,
and gnashing of teeth ?
2. Own and admire the goodness of God to thee in this afflic-
tiori ; toat when death came into thy family to carry off one, it
had not fallen to thy lot to be the person.
3. This affliction for which thou mournest, may be the greatest
mercy that ever yet befel thee in this world. God has now made
thy heart soft by trouble, showed thee the vanity of this world,
and what a poo. trifle it is which thou madest toy happiness : and
O now, if he strike in with this affliction, and take off thy heart
for ever from the vain world, and cause thee to choose Christ, the
only abiding good for thy portion ; then tois day is certainly a
day of the greatest mercy that ever yet thou sawest. O happy
death, that shall prove life to thy soul.
If God will but bless this rod, toou wilt have cause to keep
many a thanksgiving day for this day.
I pray let these three things be pondered by you. I can bestow
no more comforts upon you. Your oondition bars toe best com
forts from you.
And here I do, with much more freedom and hope of success,
apply myself to toe work of counselling and comforting the af
flicted saints. You are the fearers of the Lord and tremble at
his word.
1 . Consider, in this day of sorrow, who is toe framer and au
thor of this rod by which you now smart. Is it not the Lord ?

A TOKEN FOR MOURNERS. 607
And if toe Lord has done it, it becomes you meekly to submit.
" Be still, and know that I am God."
Man and man stand upon even ground. The Supreme Being
must needs be an unaccountable and uncontrollable Being. It
is a shame for a child to strive with his father ; a shame for a
servant to contend with his master ; but for a creature to quarrel
and strive with the God that made him, O how shameful is this !
If we pluck a rose in the bud as we walk in our gardens, who
shall blame us for it ? It is our own, and we may crop it off when
we please : is not this the case ? Thy sweet bud, was cropt
off by him that owned it, yea by him that formed it.
" The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away ; blessed be
the name ofthe Lord."
2. Ponder well the quality of the comfort you are deprived of,
and remember, that when you had it, it stood but in the rank and
order of common and inferior comforts.
Children and all other relations are but common blessings
which God bestows indifferently upon his friends and enemies :
and by the having or losing of them no man knows either love or
hatred. We think there is so necessary a connection betwixt
these creatures and our happiness, that we are utterly undone
when they fail us.
But as long as your best mercies are all safe, as long as the
things that have salvation in them remain, and only toe things
that have vanity in them are removed, you are not prejudiced or
much hindered as to the attainment of your last end.
You have really lost nothing, if these things wherein your eter
nal happiness consists be yet safe.
3. Always remember, toat how soon and unexpected soever
your parting with your relations was, yet your lease was expired
before you lost them, and you enjoyed them every moment of the
time that God intended them for you.
Before this relation, whose loss you lament, was born, the
time of your enjoyment and separation was unalterably fixed and
limited in heaven by the God of the spirits of all flesh ; and al
though it was a secret to you whilst your friend was with you,
yet now it is a plain and evident thing that this was the time of
separation before appointed ; and that the life of your friend could
by no means be protracted or abbreviated, but must keep you
company just so far, and then part with you. Say not, O if this
had been done, or that omitted, my dear husband, wife, or child,
had been alive at this day ! No, the Lord's time was fully come,
and all tilings concurred and fell in together to bring about the
pleasure of his will ; let that satisfy you. Had the ablest physi
cians in the world been there, or had they who were there pre
scribed another course, as it is now, so ft would bave been when
they had done all.
And let none say the death of children is a premature death.

608 A TOKEN FOR MOURNERS.
God has ways to ripen them for heaven, whom he intends to
gather thither betimes, which we know not. In respect of fitness,
they die in a full age, though they be cut off in the bud.
4. Has God smitten your darling, and taken away the delight
of your eyes with this stroke ? Bear this stroke with patience and-
quiet submission ; for how know you but your trouble might have
been greater from the life, than it now is from the death of your
children ?
Sad experience made a holy man once say, " It is better jto
weep for ten dead children, than for one living child." A living
child may prove a continual dropping, yea, a continual dying to
the parent's heart.
How much more common is it for parents to see tbe vices and
evils of their children, than their virtues and graces ! Where one
parent lives to rejoice in beholding the grace of God shining forth
in the life of his child, there are twenty, it may be 'a hundred,
who live to behold to their vexation and grief, the workings of cor
ruption in them.
But admit that they should prove moral and hopeful children,
yet mightest thou not live to see more misery come upon them
than thou couldst endure to see ? 0 think what a sad and doleful
sight was that to Zedekiah, " The king of Babylon brought his
children, and slew them before his eyes." Horrid spectacle !
5. And how know you, but by this stroke which you so lament,
God has taken them away from the evil to come ?
It is God's way, when some extraordinary calamities are
coming upon the world, to hide some of his weak and tender ones
out of the way by death, Isa. lvii. 1, 2. God sees it better for
them to be under ground than above ground in such evil days ;
just as a tender father, who has a son abroad at school, hearing
the plague is broke out near the place, sends his horse to fetch
home his son before the danger and difficulty be greater. Death
is our Father's pale horse which he sends to fetch home his ten
der children, and carry them out of harm's way.
And now if troubles come, thy cares and fears will be so much
the less, and thy own death so much the easier to thee, when so
much of thee is in heaven already.
6. A parting time must needs come, and why is not this as
good as another ?
You knew before-hand that your child or friend was mortal,
and that the thread which linked you together must be cut. " If
any one," says Basil, " had asked you when your child was
born, What is that which is born ? Would you not have said, It
is a man ? And if a man, then a mortal, vanishing thing. And
why then are you surprised with wonder to see a dying thing
dead ?" He," says Seneca," " who complains that one is dead,
complains that he was a man." All men are under the same con
dition ; to whose share it falls to be born, to him it remains to die.

A TOKEN FOR MOURNERS. 609
We are indeed distinguished by the intervals, but equalized in th«
issue. " It is appointed to all men once to die." There is a
statute law of heaven in the case.
7. Call to mind, in this day of trouble, the covenant you have
with God, and what you solemnly promised him in the day you
took him for your God.
Was not this thy cry in that day, Lord, give me Christ, and
deny me whatever else thou pleasest ? Pardon my sin, save my
soul, and, in order to both, unite me to Christ, and I will never
repine or open my mouth. Let me be childless, let me be poor,
let me be any thing, rather than a Christless, graceless, hopeless
soul. I do give myself to thee this day, to be thine. All I am, all
I have, shall be thine, thine to serve thee, and thine to be dis
posed of at thy pleasure. Thou shalt henceforth be my highest
Lord, my chiefest good, my last end.
Now, Christian, make good to Christ what thou didst solemnly
promise him. He has been faithful on his part, O be thou so on
thine. This day thou art put to the proof. Remember what
thou hast promised him.
8. But if thy covenant with God will not quiet thee, yet me
thinks God's covenant with thee might be presumed to do it.
Is thy family, which was lately hopeful and flourishing, now
broken up and scattered ? Dost thou sit alone, and mourn to
think whitherto thy hopes and comforts are now come ? Dost
thou read over these words of Job, and comment upon them with
many tears ? " O that I were as in months past, as I was in the
days of my youth, when the Almighty was yet with me, when
my children were about me !" Yet let the covenant God has made
with thee, comfort thee in this thy desolate condition. You
know what domestic troubles holy David met with in a sad suc
cession, from the wicked lives of his children. There was incest,
murder, and rebellion in his family ; a far sorer trial than death
in their infancy could have been. And yet see how sweetly he
relieves himself from the covenant of grace. " Although my
house be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an ever
lasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, for this is all
my salvation and all my desire."
And as it comforted him, so it may abundantly comfort you
also ; for if you are God's covenant people, you are as much upon
his heart in your deepest afflictions, as in the greatest flourish of
your prosperity.
There is so much support contained in this one consideration,
that could but ybur faith apply it, I might lay down my pen at
this period, and say, The work is done ; there needs no more.
9. The hope of the resurrection should powerfully restrain all
excesses of sorrow in those who profess it.
Let them only mourn without measure, who mourn without
hope. The husbandman does not mourn when he casts his seed-
R R

610 A TOKEN FOR MOURNERS.
corn into the earth, because he sows in hope, commits it to the
ground with an expectation to receive it again with improvement.
You do not make out-cries and lamentations for your children and
friends, when you find them asleep upon their beds. Why death
is but a longer sleep, out of which they shall as surely awake, as
ever they did in the morning in this world.
I beseech thee, reader, if thy deceased friend have left thee any
ground of hope toat he died interested in Christ and the covenant,
that thou wilt distinctly ponder these adriiirable supports which
the doctrine of the resurrection affords. The very same body
you laid, or are now about to lay in the grave, shall be restored
again. Thoii shalt find thine own husband, wife, or child, or
friend again ; 1 say, the self-same and not another.
And, farther, this is supporting, that as you shall see the same
persons that were so dear to you, so you shall know them to be
the same who were once endeared to you on earth in so near a
tie of relation.
Paul comforted himself, that the Thessalonians whom he had
converted to Christ, should be " his joy and crown of rejoicing,
in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ at his eoming ;" which
must needs imply his distinct knowledge of them in that day,
which must be many years after death had separated them from
each other. And O what lovely creatures will they appear to you
then, when that which is now sown in dishonour, shall be raised
in glory !
And then, to crown all, you shall have an everlasting enjoy
ment of them in heaven, never to part again. The children of
the resurrection can die no more. And this the apostle thought
an effectual cordial in this case when he exhorted the Thessalo
nians to " comfort one another with these words."
10. The present felicity into which all who die in Christ are
admitted, should abundantly comfort Christians over the death
of such as either carried a lively hope oat of the world with them,
or have left good grounds of such a hope behind them.
There is no Christian parent in the world, but would rejoice to
see his child outstrip and get before him in grace, that he may be
more eminent in parts and services than ever he was. And what
reason can be given, why we should not as much rejoice to see
our children get before us in glory, as in grace ? They are got to
heaven a few years before you, and is that matter of mourning ?
Alas ! though you want your friend's company, he wants
not yours. Your care was to provide for this child, but Jesus
Christ has provided infinitely better for it than we could. You
intended an estate, but he a kingdom for ft. O think arid think
again, what an honour it is to you, that Christ has taken your
friends out of your bosom, and laid them in his own ; stripped
them out of those garments you provided, and clothed them in
white robes, washed in the blood of the Lamb. Let riot your

A TOKEN FOR MOURNERS. 611
hearts be troubled ; rather rejoice exceedingly, that God made
you instruments to replenish heaven, and bring forth an heir for
the kingdom of God.
11. Consider how vain a thing all your trouble and self-vexa
tion is ; it no way betters your case, nor eases your burden.
As a bullock, by wrestling and sweating in the furrow, makes
his yoke to be more heavy, and galls his neck and spends his
strength the sooner ; thus stands the case with thee, if thou be
as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke. Our sorrows may sooner
break our hearts, than the yoke God has laid on us. Alas ! what
is all this but as the fluttering of a bird in the net, which, instead
of freeing, does but the more entangle itself.
12. The Lord is able to restore all your lost comforts in rela
tions double to you, if you meekly submit to him, and patiently
waft upon him under the rod. He can beget and create as many
mercies for you as he pleases. Relations, and the comforts of
them, are at his command.
O say not, What shall I do for friends and relations ? Death
has robbed me of all comfort in them. The Lord is able to give
you much more.
God took away all Job's Children, and that at one stroke, and
that stroke immediate and extraordinary, and that when they were
grown up, and planted, at least some of them, in distinct families ;
yea, whilst they were endearing each other by mutual expressions
ofuffection. Tbis must be granted to be an extraordinary trial,
yet he meekly receives and patiently bears it from the hand ofthe
Lord. But mark the happy end and issue, Job xlii. 10 ; " The
Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before." There is nothing
lost by waiting patiently, and submitting willingly to the Lord's
disposal. 13. Consider, though God should deny you any more comforts
of this kind, yet he hath far better to bestow upon you, such as
these deserve not to be named with.
You have an excellent scripture to this purpose in Isa. lvi.
4,5. The gracious and tender Lord bas his divine cordials reserved
on purpose for such sad hours. These are sometimes given be
fore some sharp trial, to prepare us for it, and sometimes after, to
support us under it.
A husband, a wife, a child, are very great things, as they stand
by other creatures ; but surely they will seem little things, and
next to nothing, when the Lord shall set himself by them before
the soul. And how know you, but that God has bidden these
earthly comforts stand aside this day to make way for heavenly
ones? 14. Be careful that you exceed not in your grief for the loss of
earthly things, considering tbat Satan takes the advantage of all
r R 2

612 A TOKEN FOR MOURNERS.
our extremes. When it is a dark hour of trouble with us, then is
his fittest season to tempt us.
When it is dark night with men, it is noon-day with Satan ;
tbat is, our suffering-time is his busiest working-time. Many a
dismal suggestion he then plants, and grafts upon our affliction,
which are much more dangerous to us than the affliction itself.
Sometimes he injects desponding thoughts, "My hope has perished
from the Lord." Sometimes he suggests hard thoughts of God,
" The Lord hath dealt very bitterly with me." And sometimes
he suggests murmuring and repining thoughts, Jonah said, " I
do well to be angry, even unto deatb." What dismal thoughts
are these, [and how much more afflictive to a gracious soul, than
the loss of any outward enjoyment.
15. Give not way to excessive sorrows on account of affliction,
if you have any regard to the honour of God and religion, which
will hereby be exposed to reproach.
O beware what you do before the world. They have eyes to
see, as well as ears to hear, and as long as your carriage under
trouble is so much like their own, they 'will never think your
principles better than theirs. Carnal worldlings will be drawn to
think, that whatever fine talk you may have about Gpd and hea
ven, your hearts were most upon the same things that theirs
were, since your grief for their removal is quite as great as
theirs. O what a shame it is toat religion should, in this case, make
no more difference betwixt man and man. I beseech you, there
fore, be tender of the name of God, if you will not be so of your
own peace and comfort.
16. Be quiet and hold your peace ; you little know how many
mercies lie in the womb of this affliction.
Great are the benefits of a sharp, rousing affliction to the peo
ple of God at some times ; and all the afflicted might have them
at all times, were they more careful to improve them. Holy Da
vid thankfullly acknowledges : " It is good for me toat I have
been afflicted."
Such a smarting rod as this you are suffering under came not
before there was need enough of it, nor possibly before you saw
the need of some awakening providence yourselves.
Is not this really better'for you than if he should say, Sleep
on. He is joined to idols, let him alone. He is departing from
me, the fountain, to a broken cistern ; let him go.
But what if by this rod your wandering, gadding heart shall be
whipped home to God? your neglected duties revived ? a spi
ritual, heavenly frame of heart recovered ? What will you then
say ? Surely you will bless that merciful hand which removed
these obstructions, and adore the divinewisdom and goodness.
] 7. Suffer not yourselves to be transported by impatience and

A TOKEN FOR MOURNERS. 613
swallowed up of grief, because God has excercised you under a
smart rod ; for, smarting as it is, it is comparatively a gentle
stroke to what others, as good as yourselves, have felt.
Yoursdear relation is dead ; be it so ; here is but a single death
before you, but others have seen many deaths contrived into one
upon their relations, to which yours is nothing. Zedekiah saw
his children murdered before his eyes, and then had those eyes
(alas, too late,) put out.
How many parents, yea, some godly ones too, have lived to
see their children dying in profaneness, and some by the hand
of justice, lamenting their rebellions, with a rope about their
necks !
18. If God be your God, you have really lost nothing by the
removal of any creature-comfort.
Is tbe fullness of the fountain yours ? and yet do you cast down
yourselves because the broken cistern is removed ? " The best
creatures are no better than cisterns." Cisterns have nothing
but what they receive, and broken ones cannot hold what is put
into them. Why then do you inouni, as if your life were bound
up in the creature ? If the stream fail, repair to the fountain ;
there is enough still : God is where he was, and what he was,
though the creature be not.
1 9. Though you may want a litttle comfort in your life, yet
surely it may be recompenced to you, by a much more easy
death. The removal of your friends before you may turn to your
great advantage, when your hour is come that you must follow
them. Your love to them might have proved a snare to you, and
caused you to hang back, as loth to go hence ; for these are the
things that make men loth to die.
Who knows what cares and distracting thoughts you might
then have been distracted with on their account ? What shall
become of these when I am gone ? I am now to leave them,
God knows to what wants, miseries, temptations, and afflictions
in the midst of a deceitful, defiling, dangerous world.
But now, if God has sent all yours before you, you bave so
much the less to do ; death may be easier to you than many
others. 20. But if nothing that has been yet said will prevail with
you, then, lastly, remember that you are near that state and place
which admits no sorrows nor sad reflections, on any such accounts
as these.
Yet a little while, and you shall not miss your friends, you
shall not need them ; but you shall live as toe angels of God.
We now live partly by faith, partly by sense, partly upon God
and partly upon the creature ; our state is mixed, therefore our

614 A TOKEN FOR MOURNERS.
comforts are so too. But when God shall be all in all, and we
shall be as the angels of God in the manner of our Jiving ; how
much will the case be altered with us then, from what it is now ?
When the days of our sinning are ended, the days of our mourn
ing shall be so too. No graves were opened till sin entered,
and no more shall be opened when sin is excluded. Our glori
fied relations shall live with us for ever ; they shall complain no
more, die no more.
It is but a little while, and tbe end of all these things will come.
O therefore bear up, as persons who expect such a day of jubilee
at hand.
And thus I have finished the second general head of this dis
course, which is a dissuasive from the sin of immoderate sor
row. III. I now proceed to the third thing proposed — to remove the
pleas and excuses for this immoderate grief.
1. You press me by many considerations to meekness and
quiet submission under this heavy stroke of God ; but you little
know what stings my soul feels now in it. The child was a child
of many prayers ; and I concluded, when I had it, that it brought
with it the answers of many prayers. But now I. see it was
nothing ofthe kind. My child is not only dead, but my prayers
in the same day shut out and denied.
If you prayed conditionally and submissively, referring both
the mercy asked and continuance of it to the will of God, as you
ought to do ; then there is nothing in tbe death of your child that
crosses the true scope and intent of your prayer. Again your
prayers may be an swered, though the thing prayed for be withheld,
yea, or though it should he given for a little while, and snatched
away from you again. If the Lord has taken away your child or
friend, and in lieu thereof given you a meek, quiet, submissive
heart to his will, you need not say he has shut out your cry.
2. But I have lost a lovely, obliging, and most endearing child ;
one that was beautiful and sweet. It is a stony heart that would
not dissolve into tears for the loss of one so desirable, so en
gaging. The more lovely and engaging our relation was, the more
excellent will your patience and contentment wito tlie will of
God at its death be : the more loveliness, the more self-denial,
the more grace. Had ft been a thousand times more endearingly
sweet than it was, it was not too good to be given up for God.
The loveliness of our children and relations, is but a common
gift, and often becomes a snare. The souls of some had been
more beautiful and lovely, if their bodies had been less so. Be
sides^ it is but a flower which flourishes its month, and then
fades. But if your relation sleep in Jesus, he will appear ten thousand

A TOKEN FOR MOURNERS. 61 A
times more lovely in the morning of the resurrection, than ever he
was in the world. " Then shall the righteous shine forth as the
sun in the kingdom of their Father."
3. O but my child was nipped off by death in the very bud ! I
did but see, and love, and part ; its months and years with me
were so few, that they only served to raise an expectation which
was quickly, and therefore the more sadly disappointed.
It is truly said, that he has sailed long enough who has won
the harbour ; he has fought long enough who has obtained the
victory ; he has run long enough who has touched the goal ; and
he has lived long enough upon the earth who has won heaven, be
his days here never so few.
The sooner your relation died, the less sin has been committed
and the less sorrow felt. What can you see in this world but sin
and sorrow ? A quick passage through it to glory is a special
privilege. However, this should satisfy you, that God's time is
the best time.
4. O but I have lost all in one; it is my only one ; I have
none left in its room to repair the breach and make up for the
loss. It is no fit expression to say you have lost all in one, except
that one be Christ ; and he being once yours can never be lost.
Doubtless your meaning is, that you have lost all comfort ofthat
kind ; and what though you have ? Are there not multitudes of
comforts yet remaining of a higher kind, and of a more precious
and durable nature ? If you have no more of that sort, yet
so long as you have better, what great cause have you to re
joice !
5. O but my only one is not only taken away, but there re
mains no expectation or probability of any more.
If God will not have your comforts to lie any more in children,
then resolve to place them in himself, and you shall never find
cause to complain of loss by such an exchange. You will find
that in God which is not to be had in the creature. One hour's
communion with bim shall give you tbat which the happiest pa
rent never yet had from his children ; you will exchange brass for
gold, perishing vanity for solid and abiding excellency.
6. But the suddenness of the stroke is amazing. God gave
little or no warning to prepare for this trial. Death executed its
commission as soon as it was opened.
That the death of your relation was so surprising, was much
your own fault. You knew it to be a dying comfort in its best
estate, and it is no such wonderful thing to see that dead, which
you knew before to be dying. Besides, you frequently saw other
parents, husbands, and wives, carrying forth their dead : and
what were all these but warnings given to you to prepare for the
like trials ?

616 A TOKEN FOR MOURNERS.
You complain ofthe suddenness ofthe stroke; but how many
tender parents and other relations, have been forced to their knees
on no other errand than this, to beg the Lord to hasten the sepa
ration, and put an end to that sorrow, which to them was much
greater than mourning for the dead !
7. You press me to moderation of sorrows, and I know I
ought to show it ; but you do not know how the case stands with
me. I neglected proper means in season to preserve life, or mis
carried in the use of them, as I cannot but judge greatly to con
tribute to that sad loss which I now, too late, lament. O my neg
ligence, my rashness, my inconsiderateness ! How does my
conscience now smite me for my folly, and aggravate my burden
beyond what is usually felt by others ! Had I seasonably applied
myself to the use of proper means, and kept strictly to such coun
sels as those that are able and skilful might have prescribed, I
might now have had a living husband, wife, or child : whereas I.
am now not only bereaved, but am apt to think I have bereaved
myself of them. Surely there is no sorrow like unto my sor
row. Though it is an evil to neglect and slight the means ordained
by God for recovery of health, yet it is no less evil to ascribe too
much to them, or rely too much on them. The best means in
the world are weak and ineffectual, without God's assistance and
concurrence, and they never have his assistance or concurrence,
when his time is come ; and toat it was fully come in your
friend's case, is manifest now by the event. So that if your
friend had had the most excellent helps the world affords, they
would have availed nothing. This consideration takes place
only in your case, who see what the will of God is by the issue,
and may not be pleaded by any whilst it remains dubious and un
certain, as it generally does in time of sickness.
Do you not unjustly charge and blame yourselves for that which
is not your fault or neglect ? How far you are chargeable in this
case, will best appear by comparing the circumstances you are
now in, with those you were in when your relation was only ar
rested by sickness ; and it was dubious to you what was your
duty, and best course to take. Possibly you had observed so
many to perish in physicians' hands, and so many to recover
without them, that you judged it safer for your friend to be without
those means, than to-be hazarded by them. Or if divers methods
and courses were prescribed and pursuaded to, and you now see
your error in preferring that which was most, improper and neg
lecting what was more safe and probable, yet as long as it did not
so appear to your understanding at that time, but you followed
tbe best light you had to guide you, it were most unjust to charge
the fault upon yourselves, for choosing that course that then

A TOKEN FOR MOURNERS. 617
seemed best to you ,whether it were so in itself or not. To be angry *
with yourselves for doing or omitting what was then done or
omitted according to your best discretion and judgement, is to
be troubled that you are but men, or that you are not as God,
who fonly, can foresee issues and events ; and that you acted
as all rational creatures are bound to do, according to the
light they have, at the time and season of action.
8. But riiy troubles are upon a higher score and account. My
child or friend is passed into eternity, and I know not how it is
with his soul. Were I sure that my relation is with Christ, I
should be quiet ; but my fears of the contrary are overwhelm
ing. O it is terrible to think of the damnation of one so dear
to me.
Admit what the objection supposes, that you have real
grounds to fear, yet it is utterly unbeseeming you, even in such a
case, to dispute with or repine against the Lord. I do confess
that it is a sore and heavy trial, and that there is no cause more
sad and sinking to the spirit of a gracious person. Their death
is but a trifle to this ; but yet if you are such as fear the Lord,
methinks his indisputable sovereignty over them, and his dis
tinguishing love and mercy to you, should at least silence you,
in this matter. Consider his indisputable sovereignty over them
" Who art tbou, O man, who repliest against God ? " Hespeaks
in the matter of eternal election. What, if the Lord will not be
gracious to those that are so dear to us, is there any wrong done
to them or us thereby ? Aaron's two sons were cut off in toe act
of sin, by the Lord's immediate hand, and yet he held his peace,
Lev. x. 3. God told Abraham plainly, that the covenant should
not be established with Ishmael, for whom he so earnestly prayed,
" 0 let Ishmael live before thee ! " and he knew that there was
no salvation out ofthe covenant ; and yet he sits down silent un
der the word of the Lord.
But if this do not quiet you, yet methinks God's distinguishing
love and mercy to you should do it. O what do you owe to God,
that root and branch have not been cast together into the fire !
tbat the Lord has given you good hope, through grace, that it
shall be well wito you for ever! Let this stop your mouth
and quiet your spirit, though you should have ground for this
fear. But examine the grounds of your fear, whether it may not pro
ceed from the strength of your affections to the eternal welfare
of your friend, or from the subtlety of Satan, designing hereby to
overwhelm and swallow you up.
As for the case of infants in general, and especially those who
spring from covenanted parents, it becomes us to exercise
charity towards them : the scripture speaks very favourably of
them. And as for toe more adult, God might see that in them, which

618 A TOKEN FOR MOURNERS.
you never saw. However this be, your child is now out of your
reach. Your concern rather is to improve the affliction to your
own good, than to judge and determine his condition, which be
longs not to you, but to God.
9. O but I have sinned in this relation, and God has punished
my sin in dissolving ft ; my heart was set too much upon my
child ; I even idolized it ; that was my sin.
There is no man so thoroughly sanctified as not to fail and
come short in many things pertaining to his relative duties ; and
to speak as the thing is, the corruptions of the holiest persons are
as much discovered in this, as in any other thing whatsoever ; and
it is a very common thing for conscience, not only to charge these
failures upon us, but to aggravate them to the utmost when God
bas made the separation. So that this is no more than what is
usual and very common with persons.
Admit toat which the objection supposes, that God has afflicted
you for your sin, and removed that comfort from you, which you
idolized, yer there is no reason you should be so cast down under
your affliction ; for all this may be, and probably is the fruit of
his love to your soul. He tells the afflicted, for their comfort,
" Whom I love I rebuke and chasten."
10. God has blessed me with an estate and outward comforts
in the world, which I reckoned to have left to my posterity ; and
now I have none to leave it to, nor have I any comfort in think
ing of it. How are the pains and cares of many years per
ished !
How many are there in the world, yea, of our own acquaint
ance, whom God has either denied or deprived both of the com
forts of children and estates too ! If he have left you those
outward comforts, you ought to acknowledge his goodness
therein, and not to slight these because he has deprived you of
the other.
1 1 . O but the remembrance of the witty words and pretty
actions of my child is wounding.
These are but small circumstances, and trivial things in them
selves ; but by these little things Satan manages a great design
against your soul, to deject or exasperate it. And surely you
have greater things than the words or actions of children to mind ;
to search out God's ends in the affliction, to mortify the corrup
tion it is sent to rebuke, to quiet your hearts in the will of God ;
this is your work.
12. O but Gpd hides his face from me in my affliction; it is
dark within, as well as without ; and this makes my case more
deplorable, greatly afflicted and sadly deserted.
Though you want at present sensible comfort, yet you have
reason to be thankful for gracious supports. The care of God
works for you, when the consolations of God are withdrawn from
you.

A TOKEN FOR MOURNERS. 619
To have God hide his face in the time of trouble, is no new
thing. God's dearest saints, yea, his own Son experienced it.
If Christ cry in extremity, '« My God, my God, why hast thou
forsaken me ! " then surely we need not wonder, as if some
strange thing had happened to us.
May not your unsubmissive carriage under the rod provoke
God to hide his face from you ? Pray consider it well ; nothing
is more probable than for this to be tbe cause of God's withdraw-
ment from you. Could you in meekness and quietness, receive
toat Cup your Father hath given you to drink, accept the punish
ment of your iniquities, say, Good is the word of the Lord ; it is
the Lord, let him do what he will ; you would soon find toe case
altered with you : but the comforting Spirit finds no delight or
rest in a turbulent and tumultuous breast.
And thus I have satisfied the most considerable pleas UTged,
in justification ofour excesses.
IV. I come now to toe last thing proposed, the means of curing
and preventing these sinful excesses of sorrow for the death of
our dear relations.
1. If you would not mourn excessively for the loss of creature-
comforts, then beware that you set not your delight and love ex-^
cessively or inordinately upon them.
Strong affections make strong afflictions ; toe higher the tide
the lower the ebb. According to the measure of our delight in
the enjoyment, is our grief in the loss of these things. O there
fore let your moderation be known to all men, in your delight and
sorrows about; earthly things ; for ordinarily the proportion of the
one is answerable to the other.
2. If you would not be overwhelmed with grief for the loss of
your relations, be exact and careful in discharging your duties to
them while you bave them.
O what a terrible thing it is to look upon our dead friends,
whilst conscience is accusing and upbraiding us for our duties
neglected, and such or such sins committed. O, therefore, as
ever you would provide for a comfortable parting at death, or
meeting again at judgment, be exact, punctual, and circumspect
in all your relative duties.
3. If you would not be overwhelmed with trouble for the loss
of your dear relations, then turn to God under your trouble, and
pour out your sorrows, by prayer, into his bosom.
This will ease and allay your troubles. Blessed be God for
the ordinance of prayer ! It is some relief, when, in distress, we
can pour out our trouble into the bosom of a wife or faithful friend;
how much more when we leave our complaint before the gracious,
wise, and faithful God ! I told you before ofthat holy man, who
having lost his dear and only son, got to his closet, there poured
out his soul freely to the Lord ; and when he came down to his

III

620 A TOKEN FOR MOURNERS.
friends that were waiting below to comfort him, and fearing how
he would bear the stroke, he came from his duty with a cheerful
countenance, telling them he would be content to bury a son, if
it were possible, every day, provided he might enjoy such comfort
as his soul had found in that private hour.
Go thy way, Christian, to thy God ; get thee to thy knees in
the cloudy and dark day. Judge thyself worthy of hell, as well
as of this trouble. Justify God in his smartest strokes. Beg
him, in this distress, to put under the everlasting arms.
4. If you would bear the loss of your dear relations with mo
deration, eye God in the whole process of the affliction more,
and secondary causes less.
Consider it as a father's hand correcting thee in love and faith
fulness. " Whom the Lord loveth he correcteto, as a father the
son in whom he delighteth." And if upends in your love to God ;
doubt not but it comes from God's love to you. Consider it as
a just and righteous hand. Hast not thou procured this to thyself
by thy own folly ? Yea, the Lord is just in all that is come upon
thee. Whatever he has done, he has done thee no wrong. —
Consider it as a moderate and merciful hand, one that has
punished thee less than thine iniquities deserve. He who cast
thee into affliction, might justly have cast thee into hell. It is of
the Lord's mercy that thou art not consumed.
5. If you will bear your affliction with moderation, compare it
with the afflictions of other men ; and that will greatly quiet your
spirits. Look round about you, and impartially consider the condition
that others are in ; and they nothing inferior to you in any res
pect. You had one dear child taken from you ; Aaron had two
at a stroke ; Job all at one stroke ; and both these by an imme
diate stroke from the hand of God. O you little know what a
bitter cup others have had to drink !
6. Carefully shun and avoid whatsoever may renew your sor
row or provoke you to impatience.
Increase not your sorrow by discourses about sad objects ; and
labour to avoid them, as occasions presented by the enemy of
your souls to draw forth the corruptions of your heart.
Your impatience is like tinder, or gunpowder ; so long as you
can prevent the sparks from falling on it, there is no great dan
ger ; but you cannot be too careful to prevent them.
7. In the day of your murmuring for the death of your friends,
seriously consider your own death as approaching, and that you
and your dead friend are separated only by a small interval and
point of time.
We are apt to expect a long life in the world, and then the
loss of those comforts from which we promised ourselves so
much of the sweetness and comfort ofour lives is an intolerable

A TOKEN FOR MOURNERS. 621
thing ; but would you realize your own deato more, you would
not be so deeply concerned for the death of others as you are;
Could you but look into your own grave more seriously, you
would be able to look into your friend's grave more composedly.
And thus I have finished what I designed from this scripture.
The Father of mercies and God of all comfort, whose 3ole pre
rogative it is to comfort them that are cast down, write all his
truths upon your hearts, that they may reduce your disordered
affections to toat frame which best suits the will of God, and the
profession you make of subjection and resignation to him.
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above
all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in
us, unto him be glory in the Church, by Christ Jesus, through
out all ages, world without end. Amen.

THE END.

Baxter, Printer, Lewes.

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