^*k|^ >i«i«-'^ K,^ ^'•^Sa f' ¦¦-m V, / THE WHOLE WORKS LATE REVEREND THOMAS BOSTON OF ETTEICK; NQ-W FIHST COLLECTED, AND EEPMNTED -WITHOUT ABEIDGMEN-T; INOLTJDING HIS MEMOIRS, WRITTE:N BY HIMSELF. EDITED BY THE REV. SAMUEL M'MILLAN. VOL, X. ABERDEEN: GEORGE AND ROBERT KING, ST. NICHOLAS STREET. M.DCCCLI. SERIES OF SERMONS, INCLUDING THOSE PREACHED ON THE NAMES AND ATTRIBUTES OF CHRIST : THE CHRISTIAN LIFE DELINEATED, SEVERAL PRACTICAL DISCOURSES. REV THOMAS BOSTON, OP ETTEICK. ABERDEEN: GEORGE AND ROBERT KING, ST. NICHOLAS STREET. 1851. CONTENTS OF VOL. X. Page. SERMON I. .DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY THE DUTY OF ALL WHO NAME THE NAME OF JESUS, 2 Tim. ii. 19 — And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity, ... ... .,, .,, ... ,., ... ... ... g SERMON II. THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED, J9 SERMON III. THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED 29 SERMON IV. THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED 39 SERMON V. THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. Deut. v. 29. — O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever. ... ... ... ... .,, ,,, 56 SERMON V. CONTINUED, 65 SERMON VI. THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED 76 SERMON VII- A RICH FEAST PREPARED FOR HUNGRY SOULS. TsA. xxv. 6. — And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined, ,,, ,,, ., ... ,,, 87 SERMON VIII. THE DISTINGUISHING PRIVILEGE OF GOD'S FAITHFUL SERVANTS. Exos. xxiv. 11. — And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand ; also they saw God, and did eat and drink. ... ... ... 99 VI. CONTENTS. Page. SERMON IX. GOSPEL PRIVILEGES WONDERS OF GRACE. ExoD. xxiv. 11. — And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his band; also they saw God, and did eat and drink. ... ... ... 112 SERMON X. GOD NOT ASHAMED TO BE CALLED HIS PEOPLE'S GOD. Heb. xi. 16.— Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he bath prepared for them a city, ... ... ... ... ... ... 120 SERIES OF SERMONS, INCLUDING THOSE PREACHED ON THE NAMES AND ATTRIBUTES OF CHRIST. THE BEST SECURITY AGAINST THE DAY OF WRATH, Heb, xi, 28, — Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the first-born should touch them. ... ,,, 133 THE SIN OF PEOPLE'S FORSAKING GOD, AND BETAKING THEMSELVES TO THE CREATURE IN HIS STEAD. Jer. ii. 13. — For my people have committed two evils : they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water, ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 145 THE BIRTH, GIFT, GOVERNMENT, AND GLORIOUS NAMES OF JESUS CHRIST, AS SAVIOUR OF SINNERS. IsA. ix. 6.- — For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the govern ment shall be upon his shoulder ; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, 178 CHRIST PRESENTED TO MANKIND SINNERS. IsA. ix. 6. — Unto us a child is born. ... ... .. ... ... ... 182 CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD, GIFTED TO SINNERS. IsA. ix. 6. — Unto us a son is given. ... ... ... ... ... ... 188 THE GOVERNMENT ON CHRIST'S SHOULDER. IsA. ix. 6. — And the government shall be upon his shoulder, ... ,,. 203 CHRIST'S NAME ABOVE EVERY NAME, IsA ix. 6 And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, .,, ... ... 214 CHRIST'S NAME WONDERFUL. IsA. ix. 6. — His name shall be called Wonderful. ... ... ... ... 215 CHRIST THE COUNSELLOR. IsA. ix, 6. — His name shall be called — Counsellor. ... .,, ,,, ,., 231 CONTKNl'S, Vil. Page. CHRIST THE MIGHTY GOD, IsA, i.'c, 6 — His name shall be called — The Mighty God 250 CHRIST THE EVERLASTING FATHER, IsA. ix. 6. — His name shall he called — The Everlasting Father. ... ,,, 264 CHRIST THE PRINCE OF PEACE, IsA, ix, 6, — His name shall be called — The Prince of Peace, ,., ,,, 259 THE UNSUCCESSFULNESS OF THE GOSPEL, THE NATURE OF THE GOSPEL-REPORT, THE RARITY OF BELIEVING IT, AND THE NECESSITY OF DIVINE POWER IN ORDER TO FAITH, IsA. liii, 1. — Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of ibe Lord revealed ? ... ,,. ... ,,, ... ,,, ,,, ... ... 267 THE WAY TO LIFE, AND THE WAY TO DESTRUCTION UNFOLDED. Matth, vii. 13, 14. — Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that Uadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. ... ... ... ... ... 308 THE DUTY AND ADVANTAGE OF CLEAVING TO THE LORD AND HIS WAY, IN A DECLINING TIME, Gen. vi, 9. — Noah was a just man, and perfect iu his generations. ... ... 397 PERILOUS TIMES IN THE LAST DAYS, 2 Tim. iii. I This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 417 THE END OF TIME, AND THE MYSTERY OF GOD FINISHED WITH IT. Rev. X. 6, 7, — And swear that there shall be time no longer ; but the mystery of God should be finished, ... ... ... ... ... ... ,,, 423 WALKING BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT. 2 CoR. V. 7. — For we walk by faith, not by sight. ... ,,, ... ,,, 465 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE DELINEATED, IN several PRACTICAL DISCOURSES, CHRIST TO BE FOUND IN THE ORDINANCES, WITH THE IMPORT AND HAPPY EFFECTS OF FINDING HIM, Prov. viii. 35. For whoso findeth me, findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord 489 Vm. CONTENTS. Page. SINNERS INTERESTED IN CHRIST, OBTAINING FAVOUR OF THE LORD. pROT. viii. 35. — Whoso findeth me, shall obtain favour of the Lord. ... 521 UNBELIEF THE SIN AGAINST CHRIST BY WAY OF EMINENCE, AND THE WRONG DONE TO THE SOUL THEREBY. Prov. viii. 36 rBut he that sinneth against me, wrongeth his own soul ; all they that hate me love death. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 533 BELIEVERS A MYSTERY, WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THEIR TRA VELS FROM THE WILDERNESS OF THIS WORLD, TO THE HEAVENLY CANAAN, LEANING UPON CHRIST. Song viii. 5 — Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? 560 ENOCH'S CHARACTER AND TRANSLATION EXPLAINED, WITH A DESCRIPTION OF WALKING WITH GOD, AS THAT IN WHICH THE LIFE OF RELIGION LIES. Gen. v. 24.. — And Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. 580 SERMONS DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY THE DUTY OF ALL WHO NAME THE NAME OF JESUS,* SERMON I. 2 Tim. ii. 19, And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. A SOLEMN occasion of renewing our covenant with God being before ns, it is necessary that we count the cost ere we begin to build. A Christian profession is easy, a Christian practice not so. It is me lancholy to see how many in their practice do yoTie together the name of Christ, and the working of iniquity, as if they had found out that secret of conjoining light aud darkness, Christ and Belial, which is hid from all saints. Our text confounds this mystery of iniquity, shewing that men must either part with Christ, or depart from iniquity : And, says the apostle, " let every one that nameth the name of Christ, depart from iniquity." In this verse, the apostle obviates that scandal, and that shaking discouragement, wiich arose to the saints, from the apostacy of Hy- meneus and Philetus, mentioned in verse 17. Satan could stand on the ruins of these men, and affright the saints with this temptation, Behold ! what loose ground yon stand upon ! these who are now shipwrecked stood once as fair for the harbour as you. To drive the bottom out of this temptation, the apostle tells them, that for all this the foundation of the perseverance of real saints stands firm, as in ver. 19, " Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal. The Lord fcnoweth them that are his." As if he had said, The devil has got but his own, he has got none of Christ's. They were among Christ's sheep indeed ; they were, however, nothing but the devil's goats, of whom he ever had a sure hold by some iniquity or other, one lust or other ; and now by this bond of iniquity he has drawn them out from among the sheep of Christ : 1 John ii. 19, * This and the following diicourpes on this text were delivered in May and June 1719. YOL. X. B 10 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY " They went out from us, but they w'ere not of us ; for if they had been of ns, they would no doubt have continued with us ; but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of ns." But the foundation upon which every real saint is built is sure, and can never be overturned. This is the decree of election ; (1.) A foundation of God's own laying ; (2.) A sealed foundation of God's own sealing ; and therefore affording the most ample security. A seal is for confirming and ratifying a decree and purpose ; the decree of election including the perseverance of the saints, as the means to the end, is sealed for this end, and that with a twofold seal ; having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his," and, " Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from ini quity." First, It is sealed with God's knowledge, " The Lord knoweth them that are his." Amongst the mixed multitude in the church, the Lord knows his own. He knows those whom he has chosen, he cannot mistake them, though men may, and sometimes do, take others for them. He knows them practically, that is, he knows them, to distinguish them from others, he will take care of them, that they be not lost, as one does with what he knows to be his own; and this secures them. Secondly, It is sealed with effectual sanctification ; Eph. iv. 30, " And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." " Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." He sees to the sanctification of his own, causing them to depart from iniquity, which is the only thing which can ruin them ; and thus again they are secured. For understanding this, consider, that the apostle here has an eye to the history of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, Num. xvi. these Old Testament apostates who perished in their sin. There was a dispute betwixt them and Moses and Aaron for the priesthood ; the congregation at length thought the former as much the Lord's as the latter, ver. 19 ; though at first it seems they knew not in whose favour to decide. Moses refers it to God's judgment, ver. 5, " The Lord will shew (Heb. make known) who are his, and who are holy;" importing, that the Lord knew who were his. This was the security of Moses and Aaron when the stroke came. When the earth was to swallow up Korah and his company, as in a spiritual sense it does all apostates, the congregation was, by God's appointment, charged to depart from the tents of these wicked men, and to touch nothing that was theirs, ver. 26. This charge was effectual to the congrega tion, but not to these men's wives and their children, ver. 27 ; so the latter perished, and the former were secured. It seems this was a TUB DUTT OF ALL, &C. 11 typical event, an emblem of the sure standing of the saints, while hypocrites fall away and perish. This double seal answers to the two parts of the covenant ; Jer. xxxii. 40, " And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good ; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me." This covenant shall not fail on God's part, for it hath this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his ;" nor on the part of the saints, for it hath this seal, " Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." Let us attend, 1. To the seal itself, which, in its general nature, is a command of sanctification ; in which consider, to whom it is directed, upon whom this awful charge is laid. They are the Lord's own words, directed to every one that nameth the name of his Son, that is, to all who profess Christ. And this character of professors serves not only to distinguish them from those without the church, who are in capable of apostacy ; but also shows the obligation laid on them to holiness by their profession, the holy name named by them binding them to a holy life. The inconsistency between the holy profession and an unholy life, which, though men join together, God will have separated, sooner or later, for he will strip them either of their fair name, or their foul heart and life, in time or in eternity. Consider, the duty commanded, "to depart from iniquity," as from a thing one formerly stood to and followed. Iniquity is that thing which we all naturally follow as a master and leader ; but there must be a falling off from it, an apostacy, or falling away from sin, as the word imports. And this is the way to prevent apostacy from the Lord ; for this does import, that it is some one iniquity or other in dulged, and left to reign in the heart, which betrays professors into apostacy, as Judas, Demas, &c. Consider, 2. How this can be a seal to secure the saints and elect ones from apostacy, since it is but a commandment ? To this I answer, that the nature of the preceding seal wonld seem to have required this expression, "And they that are his depart from iniquity." But it is in form of a command, to show that the saints depart from ini qnity by choice, and that they are by the Lord himself powerfully determined to this choice ; so that their perseverance is both rational and gracious. It is a command, at the same time it is a powerful and efllcacions command of God, like that in Gen. i. 3, " And God said, Let there be light, and there was light ;" a command which effects what it requires in all who are his. It is such a command as that in Num. xvi. 26, (quoted above), which brought away from the tents of Dathan and Abiram, all who were not to be swallowed up b2 12 DEPARTING FKOM INIQUITT with them. And this command is going through wherever ihe gos pel is preached, and will go till the last day ; like a brisk wind se parating the corn from the chaff, carrying away from the tents of sin all who are ordained to eternal life, though others dwell on in thera still. Thus, though the profane and hypocritical, and all who are not the Lord's, are still held by some one bond of sin or other which is never broken : yet this powerful word looses the bands of all sin, sets them and their sins asunder, and keeps them asunder, who, being sealed with the first seal, are his. And all this God's efficacious word can do, as well as keep the world from returning into its primitive mass of confusionj Heb. i. 3, " Upholding all things by the word of his power." And so it is a seal securing them from apostacy. From this subject two general doctrines may be proposed : DooTKiNE I. That God doth charge all who name the name of Christ to depart from iniquity. Doctrine II. That God's charge to depart from iniquity becomes infallibly effectual in all who are his, so as that they do truly de part from iniquity, while others hold it fast to their utter ruin. I begin with the First, That God doth charge all that name the name of Christ to depart from iniquity. In illustrating this point, I shall shew, I. Who they are whom the Lord charges to depart from iniquity. II. What is implied in departing from iniquity, which God charg- eth these to do. III. How he charges these who name the name of Christ to depart from iniquity. IV. Why these particularly who name the name of Christ are charged to do so. And then add the practical improvement. We are, I. To shew who they are whom the Lord charges to depart from iniquity. The text tells you it is every one who names the name of Christ. Thus, it is every one of you, whatever your character be. The poor pagans, amongst whom Christ is not named, God winks at them; but he charges you, and every one of you, to depart from iniquity. This charge is to you, 1. Baptized persons, capable to discern betwixt good and evil • the name of Christ is called upon you, and you name him ; God charges you to depart from iniquity. You are engaged to be the Lord's, to fight against the devil, the world, and the flesh. Tou THE DUTY OF ALL, &C. 13 have no liberty to follow your lusts, and the vanity of your minds. Tou are charged, as God's subjects, to have no more converse with his enemies ; since you have given up your names to Christ, you are to dwell no more iu the tents of sin. There is no exception of the young more than the old, but every one who nameth the name of Christ ia to depart from iniquity. The charge is to you, 2. Who profess faith in Christ, aud hope of salvation through him. Tou name his name, and therefore you are charged. Al though, perhaps, you will not so much as bow a knee to God, nor have so much as a form of godliness, yet you have not renounced the faith, nor your part in Christ; therefore, since you retain his name, and will be called Christians, depart from iniquity ; live like Christians, and not like those who never heard of Christ. — The charge is to yon, 3. Who pray to God through Christ. Tou name the name of Christ, and therefore are charged to depart from iniquity. Some of you, perhaps, pray only sometimes, as if you had more necessary business than serving the Lord ; some pray ordinarily, yet go on in some sinful course or other ; as if God was only to be served with fair words, and your lusts with the whole course of your life. But though this be your situation, this charge God lays on you notwith standing, Depart from iniquity. — This charge is to you, 4. Who profess faith in Christ, and holiness of life also. Tou name the name of Christ, and therefore you should depart from in iquity. Are there not many such, whose lives are miserably stained in points of immorality, who walk most unsuitably to their charac ter, by reason of whom the way of truth is evil spoken of? Rom. ii. 23, " Thou that makest thy boast of the law through breaking the law, dishonourest thou God ?" God charges yon to walk up to your character,' to your profession, and to depart from iniquity. — This charge is. Lastly, To communicants who name the name of Christ in a most solemn manner, by sitting down at his table, before God, angels, and men. This charge is to you. Tou have named this name, and gone back to those iniquities of which you were convinced. Are there not some who have adventured to stretch forth their hand to the Lord at his table, and have quickly again stretched it out to their lusts ? To you the Lord is saying. Quit your communicating, or your iniquity ; join no more an unholy life to such a fair and flam ing profession. We are now, II. To shew what is implied in this departing from iniquity which God chargeth us to aim at. — Here, 14 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY 1st, Let us inquire in what this departure, this happy apostacy lies. And, 2dly, What of iniquity God charges us to depart from.— We are 1st, To inquire in what this departure, this happy apostacy lies. There are five things which belong to it. — There is, 1. A giving up with onr rest in sin. God says of sin to all who name Christ, "Arise ye, and depart for this is not your rest; be cause it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruc tion." Sinners, ye are settled on your lees, as wine on the dregs, but there must be a separation ; you are dwelling in a dangerous place, like Lot in Sodom ; lying among the pots, as the Israelites in Egypt ; sleeping securely like the sluggard on his bed, " while his poverty cometh as one that travaileth, and his want as an armed man." God chargeth you to awake and bestir yourself, to spring to your feet, and prepare to make progress in the ways of holiness. — There is, 2. A going off from sin, and giving np with it : Job xxxiv. 32, " If I have done iniquity, I will do no more." God is saying to you of sin's dominion, as he said to the Israelites at Horeb, " Te have dwelt long enough in this mount; therefore up and be gone from the tents of wickedness ; ye have dwelt too long in the tents of Mesech and Kedar." May not the time past suffice to have done the will of the flesh ? 1 Pet. iv. 3, Te " have long wandered on the mountains of vanity, come away from them now : Song iv. 8, " Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon." Bid a long farewell now, and turn your backs on the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. — There is, 3. A standing off from sin, as the word properly signifies : Prov. iv. 15, " Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away." Keep yourselves at a distance. Stand off from it as from a fire that will consume you, as from a leprosy that will infect you, as from an unclean thing that will defile you, as from a sword and arrow which will pierce and wound you to death, as from a serpent whose biting and stinging is poisonous, painful, and deadly. — There is, 4. A going off to the other side, namely, to Christ and holiness ; Isa. Iv. 7, " Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." There can be no neutrality in the matter betwixt sin and holiness, no standing between the two : " He that is not with me is against me," saith Jesus ; " and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth abroad," Matth. xii. 30. Sin and holiness are such opposites, that one of them must be predominant in every subject capable of either. Apostates THE DUTY OF ALL, &C. 15 from religion betake themselves to the other side, aud they who run away from Christ, they list themselves under Satan's banner ; and so do those who fall away from sin, fall in with Christ and new ness of life. — There is. Lastly, A going farther and farther from sin. Even the saints must always be departing from it : Job, xi. 14, " If iniquity be in thine Land, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles." The first departure of the saints in conversion, though it be sincere, is not perfect ; but what is then begun, must be held on in the progress of sanctification, as a spring, when opened, runs and runs on, till the mud be wholly removed out of the fountain. Prov. iv. 18, " The path of the just is as the shining light, that shin- eth more and more unto the perfect day." They, having this hope, purify themselves, even as God is pure, 1 John iii. 3. And hence their departing from sin consists in daily mortiflcation, and living more and more to righteousness. Secondly, Let us inquire what of iniquity God charges us to de part from. It is the accursed thing, with which we have nothing to do. We must depart from all sin, from the whole of it. — We must depart, 1. From under the dominion of sin : Rom. vi. 12, " Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof." Sin has a dominion over all who are out of Christ. It commands their whole man. The motions of it are the laws they obey. It is a dominion which is opposed to Christ's; in the one, grace reigns unto life; but in the other, sin reigns unto death. Christ offers to break the bands of your yoke ; come then to him, and shake off the yoke of your sins, renounce your allegiance, withdraw and refuse obedience [to your old masters ; say, " What have I any more to do with idols ?" — We must depart, 2. From the practice of sin, Isa. Iv. 7, quoted above. Give up with and pnt an end to your sinful courses ; be no longer workers of iniquity, for such workers will get a sad reward of their work, Matth. vii. 23, " Depart from me, ye that work iniquity." To what purpose do men pretend to believe in Christ, while they are the servants of sin ? How can one serve two such contrary masters ? What avails the pretended belief of the truth, which purges not the heart and life of ungodliness and unrighteousness ; Rom. i. 18, " For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness." Depart then from the practice of sin, — in your outward man, your life aud conversation. God is saying to you this day, James, iv. 8, " Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double- 16 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY minded." Reform your lives, if ever you would have communion with God here or hereafter. Psalm xxiv. 3, 4, Isa. i. 16, " Wash you, make you clean ; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes ; cease to do evil." Look to your conversation, see what is in it offensive to God, and dishonouring to his name, and depart from all this; Lam. iii. 40, " Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord." — Turn from gross pollutions of the outward man, and live the Christian life, or give over the Christian name, Jer. vii. 9, — 11. There have been sober Heathens, who were re markable for their temperance, their justice in dealings, and, in a word, regular lives according to the precepts of morality. But how many Christians are there, whose lives are stained with profane swearing and cursing, drunkenness, injustice, dishonesty, filthiness, and other gross pollutions, by reason of which the way of truth is evil spoken of ! God charges you, since ye name the name of Christ, to depart from these, upon the pain of eternal exclusion from his presence, 1 Cor. vi, 9, 10, Gal. v. 19 — 21. Wherefore, let him that did these things do so no more. Turn from the lesser pollutions of the outward man; Acts, xxiv. 16, "And herein do I exercise my self, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and to ward men." A person may be drowned in a rivulet, as well as in the deep sea, if they take not heed to themselves. Yain and idle words, as well as vile and wicked ones, may ruin a man : Matth. xii. 36, 37, " But I say unto you, that every idle word that a man shall speak, they shall give acconnt thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." There is a careless way of living, though not the way of open profanity, which yet is offensive to tender Christians, in which men swim to destruction in a stream of sins that few in the world make any account of, and they go to hell without making the sound of their feet to be heard by the way. Hear their doom. Psalm cxxv. 5, " As for such that turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity." " This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind," Eph. iv. 17. Look to the law and to the testimony ; cleanse your way by these, Psalm cxix. 9. If the word of God condemn your pracdce, though all the world justify it, God charges you to depart from it. Depart from the practice of sin in the inner man, James iv. 8, (quoted above), Psal. xxiv. 3. 4. Sin may be beaten from the outworks, while it has retired in safety to the heart : there may in appearance be a clean life, while the heart is foul all over, and wickedness is practised at ease in the secret chambers of imagery. THE DOTY OF ALL, &C. 17 Therefore God charges you, as Jer. iv. 14, " 0 Jerusalem ! wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved ; how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee ?" Turn, then, from heart vileness. Since the heart is as open to God as the life, it is of little use to be as a whited sepulchre, while within we are full of rot tenness, to clean the outside of the cup while the inside is full of ra vening. Purge your hearts of speculative filthiness; away with filthy imaginations, impure thoughts, envy, covetousness, malice, 1 Pet. ii. 1, 2. Be as much concerned to crush these vipers in the shell, as to resist external actions. Turn from heart-vanity, Eph iv. 17 (quoted above). Vain thoughts are like idle words, offensive to God, and therefore hated and resisted by the godly ; Psalm cxix. 113, " I hate vain thoughts." Vanity of heart is the next step to, and paves the way for vileness of heart and life. It is the house swept and garnished, to which the devil returns with seven other spirits worse than himself. Therefore labour to get your hearts filled with good motions and holy desires, regulated by the fear of God, warmed with his love, guarded by watchfulness, and so busied as that ye may not feed on wind, but may be taken up about what may be of good use, both profitable and pleasing. 3. Depart from the devising and contriving of sin. A good man may be surprised into sin, but for a man to sit down and contrive sinful actions, is to make his heart a forge to Satan. To sleep and wake in pursuing the contrivance of sin, is the character of a wicked man ; Psalm xxxvi. 4, " He deviseth mischief upon his bed, he set- teth himself in a way that is not good ; he abhorreth not evil." Thus men set themselves wilfully in an ill way, which grieves the Spirit, extinguishes his motions, and wastes the conscience. Men may show their worldly wit in this way, that they are wise to do evil ; and they may, for a time, prosper in their ways, and bring their wicked devices to pass. Psalm xxxvii. 7- But such a habitual practice will prove a man graceless, 1 John iii. 8, 9, and will be bitterness in the end, for evil doers shall be cut off. Psalm xxxvii. 9. Depart, then, from the devising of sin, or quit the name of Chris tians. 4. Depart from the love of sin ; Ezek. xvi. 6, " Thus saith the Lord God, Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations," 1 John ii. 15, 16. While the love of sin reigns in the heart, though they may seem to depart from it, the devil has a pledge of them that they will not go far away, but that they will come again back to him. This is that which makes so many communicants a scandal to their profession ; so many who put their hand to the plough, to look back. They still 18 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY love sinful liberty, their hearts are not divorced from their lusts, and so they return to their idols. If you name the name of Christ, and profess love to him, God charges you — to turn your esteem of sin into disdain and contempt of it, Isa. ii. 20, " Cast your idols to the moles and to the bats." Let grace and holiness have the as cendant of sin and wickedness iu your esteem. Account them no more the happy men who take to themselves a liberty in sinful courses, but as men who are most miserable, vile, and pitiful, as slaves to sin, and in the road to destruction. Psalm xv. 4. Tou are charged to turn your love of sin into hatred and abhorrence of it. Psalm xcvii. 10, " Te that love the Lord, hate evil." Hate it as evil, as the worst of evils, worse than any sufferings ; hate it as hell ; Rom. xii. 19, " Abhor that which is evil." Hate it as destrnctive to the soul, as dishonouring and displeasing to God. Abhor it as you would do a cup of poison, though a golden cup. Tour love of it must be turned into loathing. Look not only upon it as an ill thing, but as a filthy and a loathsome thing, at which one's heart is apt to stand, Isa. xxx. 22 ; Ezek. xviii. 31. Tou have long kept at it as a sweet morsel. Let your soul apprehend its real filthiness, so as that you may vomit it up again. Tour former cleaving unto sin must be turned into longing to get rid of it, Rom. vii. 24, " 0 ! wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death ?" Long to be free of it, as a prisoner longs for the opening of the prison- doors, as a captive for his liberty. Look on it as a bur den on your back, which makes you stoop ; as a burden on your Lead, which perplexes yon how to get free of it ; as a burden on your stomach, which you will endeavour to cast up. This is the heart's departing from sin, without which all other departures from it will be to little purpose. 5. Depart from the enjoyment of the fruits of sin. The righteous man is one who despises the gain of oppression, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing of evil. When lovers part, they give back their tokens ; and when a sinner parts with his sin in earnest, he will part with its fruits, whatever advantages he has by them. This is so evident even to a natural conscience awaken ed, that Judas, repenting of his betraying of Christ, could no longer bruik the thirty pieces he had made by his sin ; and Zaccheus, sin cerely repenting, is ready to make restitution, Luke, xix. 8. It was Balaam's character, he loved the wages of unrighteousness. And he who wilfully keeps the fruit of his sin, thereby nails down his own soul in a state of impenitency, so that he cannot repent of that sin ; he binds the guilt of it on himself as with bands of iron and brass, THE DUTY OF ALL, &C. 19 SO that it cannot be forgiven while this disposition remains. Where fore purge out this leaven, and cast away the fruits with the tree. 6. Depart from the occasions of sin, and all temptations to it, Ezek. xiv. 6, (quoted above) : It is vain to pretend to depart from sin, when men do not watch against the occasions to it. They who in a siege resolve really not to give up the town, will defend the out works as long as they can. These do not depart from, but run into sin, who cast themselves into the way of temptations. Therefore says Solomon ; Prov. iv. 14. 15, " Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass over it, turn from it, and pass away." Mind the apostle's advice, 1 Thes. v. 22, " Abstain from all appearance of evil." Occasions and tempta tions will seek us out while in this evil world ; but let every one who nameth the name of Christ be upon his guard against them. Lastly, Depart from the workers of iniquity; 2 Cor. vi. 17, Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you." Let birds of a feather flock together ; but if ye name the name of Christ, depart from the tents of wicked men. True, we cannot alto gether shun them while we are in the world ; but to make choice of ungodly persons for our companions, is the way to ruin ; Prov. xiii. 20, " He that walketh with wise men shall be wise ; but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." Wherefore, if you be setting your faces heavenward, depart from those whose faces are towards hell ; Acts, ii. 40, " With many words did Peter testify and exhort them, say ing, save yourselves from this untoward generation." Psalm xii. 7, " Thou shall keep them, 0 Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever." THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED. SERMON II. 2 Tim. ii. 19, And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. Having, in the preceding discourse, considered to whom the charge is addressed, and what is imported in the charge, " depart from iniquity," We now proceed, IIL To explain the nature of this charge, or to shew how the 20 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY Lord charges those who name the name of Christ to depart from iniquity. Tou may know the nature of this charge given to them in the text, by these following properties. It is, 1. An universal charge, and this in two respects. 1st, In respect of the persons naming. " Every one," says the text; " who nameth the name of Christ :" there is no exception in the charge, it is di rected to all and sundry who profess Christ, or who are called Christians, whether ye be communicants or not. Since you are Christians by name, you are charged by the God who made you, to betake yourselves to the Christian life, and depart from iniquity. Whether you be high and honourable, or low and mean in the world, whatever difference is betwixt you and others, God makes none in this charge. But whether young or old, you are included in the charge, and you cannot resist it, but at your highest peril. — 2dly, The charge is universal in respect of the sins which you are to depart from ; Ezek. xviii. 31, " Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby you have transgressed, and make you a new heart and a new spirit ; for why will ye die, 0 house of Israel ?" They are all and every one of them dishonouring to God, displeas ing to him, disagreeable to the holy name by which ye are called, and therefore all of them are to be departed from. — Tou must part with your fashionable sins, (with which, to be neighbour-like, you comply, though you should be a wonder to many), as well as with unfashionable ones, to which you have no temptation ; Rom. xii. 2, " And be not conformed to this world." Tou must depart from your gainful sins, as well as those by which you make no profit : Matth. xvi. 26, " For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul 1 or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?" Tou must part with the sins of your call ing and station in the world, as well as those which lie out of your road. This is an ordinary screen for sin ; but see Luke iii. 12, 13, 14. Tou must part with little sins, as well as with great sins ; with your darling sin, your bosom-idol, as with others less beloved ; with the sins of your constitution, that sin which most easily besets you, Heb. xii. 1 ; in one word, with all your sins of heart and life. It is, 2. A peremptory charge ; Acts xvii. 30, " And the times of this ignorance God winked at : but now commandeth all men every where to repent." There are no ifs or ands for your keeping your sins, or any of them. Many go about to compound the matter with God. They will part with such and such a sin, they will only har bour this and that, which is but a little one, a right eye, &c. ; but in vain, you must part with all. If yon would give rivers of oil, or THE DUTY OP ALL, &C. 21 the fruit of your body for your sins, you cannot be allowed to keep any one of these accursed things. It is, 3. A charge for the present time; Psalm xcv. 7, " To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart." It requires obedience upon hearing of it, a speedy and quick compliance, like that. Psalm cxix. 60, " I made haste, and delayed not, to keep thy command ments." Ton are not allowed to advise another day, whether you will depart from iniquity or not. For ought you know, it is now or never with you ; 2 Cor. vi. 2, " Behold, now is the accepted time ; behold, now is the day of salvation." And if you refuse this once more, God may take you at your refusal, and determine your eter nal state by it, Prov. i. 24, and downwards. Often refusals are most dangerous ; Prov. xxix. 1, " He that, being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." It is, 4. A charge with certification, a charge upon yopr highest peril : Heb. xii. 25, " See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven." Tou are charged to depart from iniquity, as you will answer it before the Judge of the quick and dead. There is in this instance a fivefold certification. There is this certification, (1.) That if you do it not, you shall incur the high displeasure of God : Rom. i. 18, " For the wrath of God is revealed from hea ven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness." Who knows the power of His wrath who is able to frown the creature into the lowest abyss of misery? His anger makes the hills to tremble, the mountains to smoke ; alas ! how can worm man bear it ? — There is this certification, (2.) That if you do it not, you shall have no communion with God in duties : Amos iii. 3, " Can two walk together except they be agreed?" Tou may go to your prayers, but God will not be found of you : he will turn the back and not the face to you : Psalm Ixvi. 18, " If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." Tou shall find a separation-wall built up between God and you: Isa. lix. 2. " But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." Tou may come to a communion-table, but your har boured lusts shall separate betwixt God and you ; this will make it a sapless meal to you. There is this certification, (3.) That if you do it not, your best services and duties will not be accepted, but rejected as an abomination. Remember that God requires obedience rather than sacrifices ; and it is in vain for men 22 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY to think to please God in the external acts of devotion, while they do not make conscience of obeying his commandments in holiness of life ; Prov. xxviii. 9, " He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination." Will men dare to go over the belly of their duty enjoined them from the Lord's word, without ever aiming to comply with it, and yet think to com municate acceptably ? There is this certification, (4,) That if you do it not, yoa will get a curse instead of a blessing in your approaches to God, Mai. ii. 2, 3. God has made some monuments of his vengeance, who have presumed in their sins unrepented of to approach his presence in a solemn manner. Lev. X. 1, 3. But because God does not strike men often this way, there are found those who, living in secret wickedness, come to the Lord's table to cloak their wickedness, little considering the blasting curse to which they expose their souls. There is this certification, (5.) That if you do it not, you shall perish in your iniquity ; Heb. xii. 14, " Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." True holiness is in all manner of con versation. One thing lacking will ruin and sink the ship of your souls, as well as a thousand. We are now, IV. To show why those particularly who name the name of Christ, are charged to depart from iniquity. All to whom the gos pel comes are so charged, but those who profess Christ are in a special manner thus charged. For, 1. The practice of iniquity is a contradiction to their profession ; so that they cannot have this practice, but they give the lie to their profession. An holy profession, and an unholy practice, are such inconsistencies, as that the one overthrows the other ; " for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness ? and what com munion hath light with darkness ? and what concord hath Christ with Belial ? 2 Cor. vi. 14, 15. By their profession they are friends of God, by their practice they are enemies ; by the one they carry Christ's yoke, by the other sin and Satan's. Thus the life is woven into one practical lie. 2. Whosoever partakes of Christ's salvation, departs from ini quity ; for salvation from sin is the leading and chief part of Christ's salvation ; " Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins." Therefore none can justly claim Christ as his Saviour, who still lives in sin. Hence we are told, James ii. 17, " That faith without works is dead." And a holy life is just as necessary to evidence onr interest in Christ, as light is necessary to evidence that the sun is risen. TUB DUTY OF ALL, &C. 23 3. The practice of iniquity in such, is in a peculiar manner offen sive to God, and grieving to his Spirit. Sin is offensive to his holi ness, wherever it is found ; but the offence is doubled in those who name the name of Christ ; Amos iii. 2, " Tou only have I known of all the families of the earth : therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities." Friends wounds pierce deepest ; and the nearer that the relation is betwixt the offender and the offended, the offence is the worse taken. Psalm xli. 9, and Iv. 12, 13. The treachery of a traitor is more grievous than the enmity of an open enemy, and more severely punished ; and accordingly the impiety of those who name the name of Christ, is more heinous than that of others who do not ; Matth. xi. 22, " But I say unto you, it shall be more toler able for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you." The breaking of a covenant, which all the baptized as well as com municants have entered into, is most aggravating, both in respect of sin and punishment. See Matth. xxiv. 51. Compare Jer. xviii. 34. Lastly, It reflects a peculiar dishonour upon God ; such sins bring a scandal upon that holy name and religion which they profess ; Rom. ii. 24, " For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you." The loose lives of professors expose religion to the ridicule and reproach of its enemies ; so that they are the Judases by whom the Son of man was betrayed. Religion is the worse of them ; and it meets with worse entertainment in the world, that workers of iniquity do profess it. We are now, V. To make some practical improvement ; and this. First, In a use of information. This doctrine shews us, 1. That all and every one amongst us, by the authority of God who made us, and in whose name we were baptised, are obliged to depart from iniquity, Tou cannot keep it without rebellion against your sovereign Lord, without treachery and breach of your covenant. 0 that men would seriously reflect on the authority they are under ! consider the charge given them from heaven, and how they will answer for their disobedience to it, when God rises up to judgment. This shews us, 2. That for men to abstain from the sacrament of the supper, to this end that they may not be abridged of their liberty in sinful courses, is not only impious, but childish and foolish. It is impious, as it is a determined disobedience to God's express charge. It is foolish, because this liberty is already cut off from them, and re nounced by them, by their taking on the possession and badge of Christianity. Their abstaining from the sacrament of the supper, unless they also renounce their baptism, and all their part in Christ, 24 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY will not take their name out of this charge from heaven. We are instructed, 3. That they are bold adventurers, and run a dreadful risk, who come in their sins, unrepented of, and not sincerely resolved against, and sit down at the Lord's table ; 1 Cor. xi. 29, " For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body." It is one of the most solemn ways of naming the name of Christ, to communicate at his table. Whoso partakes of this bread and cnp do solemnly and practically confess, before God, angels, and men, that they take Christ, and part with their lusts, that they proclaim an irreconcileable war against the devil, the world, and the flesh, according to this charge. And for such to be still in the enemy's camp, or to return after the sacrament to their former known sinful courses, is solemnly to lie, and to mock God, the consequences of which will be most terrible : Gal. vi. 7, " Be not deceived ; God is not mocked ; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." 4. Behold here how the Lord's table is fenced, by a fence of God's own making : " Let every one that nameth the name of Christ de part from iniquity." There is a great privilege before us, the mak ing a most solemn profession of the name of Christ, and our com munion with him. Here in the text are God's terms of admission to the privileges, and these are most reasonable ; which are, that those who shall profess their coming over to Christ's side, shall de sert the enemy's camp ; if they be for the light, they must renounce the works of darkness ; if they take Christ, they must let these go. Tou hear the terms ; lay your hand to your heart, and see what you will do. If men will not depart from iniquity, let them not take Christ's name in vain. Our text debars from this holy table, whosoever will indulge themselves in, and will not part with, any known sin whatsoever ; particularly, (1.) All neglectors of the duties of piety towards God. Surely prayerless persons, and such as only call on God now and then, slighters of God's ordinances, his word, his Sabbaths, depart not from iniquity, but live in it, and cannot with a good conscience sit down at his table. Though they may deceive men, they cannot de ceive God, who says to them. Psalm 1. 16, 17, " What hast thou to do, to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth ? seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee." Depart from these, then, or presume not to sit down at the Lord's table. (2.) All who make not conscience of their duty towards men, righteousness, mercy, and charity. Those who can wrong their THE DUTY or ALL, &C. 25 neighbours, by undermining and cheating them, picking and stealing from them, by unfaithfulness of what they have of other men's among their hands, are fitter to join a society of robbers, than to sit down at a communion-table ; Jer. vii. 11, " Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes ? be hold, I have seen it, saith the Lord." See 1 Cor. vi. 9. Those who shut up their bowels from the poor and needy, who oppress and grind the faces of others, are utterly unfit for this seal of God's mercy. Those who live in hatred of their neighbours, in malice and envy, and who cannot be reconciled to, nor forgive those who have done them a wrong, are unfit for this seal of God's pardon ; Matth. vi. 15, " But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Depart from these, or presume not to go to the table of the Lord ; for with a good con science you cannot come there, unless you be resolved from the heart to be conscientious in all your relations, conscientious neighbours, parents, children, masters, servants, &c. 3. All those who are not sober in their lives ; Tit. ii. 12. The gospel " teaches, that we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world." Can a man who will not quit the table of drunkenness, be fit for the Lord's table. Do but imagine, a person sitting at the Lord's table one day, and getting drunk another day ; what a monstrous and horrible thing is this ! Cor. x. 21, " Te can not drink of the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils." Those who are wedded to the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, will but get a stroke to their souls by such a solemn approach. Depart from intemperance, then, and from the vain way of the world, or presume not to approach this holy table. 4. All those who suffer their tongues to go at random, and make no conscience of their words. It is the character of persons very different from the people of God, which you have : Psalm xii. 2, 3, 4, " They speak vanity every one with his neighbour : with flatter ing lips, and with a double heart do they speak : the Lord will cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things ; who have said. With our tongue will we prevail, our lips are our own : who is lord over us ?" Let swearers and cursors take heed to this, and let them not deceive themselves with this, that they do it only in a passion ; let them soberly consider what agreement there is betwixt a solemn profession of the holy name one day, and a profaning it another ; betwixt their professing faith in Christ, bring ing their consciences to his blood, and their endeavours for God's blessing one day, and another day swearing by their faith, their conscience, and cursing themselves or others. Let liars, filthy Vol. X. c 26 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY speakers, slanderers, and backbiters, who use their tongues so busily in the service of the devil, know what they have to expect, if they approach the table of the Lord, Psalm 1. 16—23. And let all know, that a loose unbridled tongue will prove a man's religion vain ; and this vain religion will leave him in the lurch at length ; Jam. i. 26, " If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart ; this man's religion is vain." Depart therefore from all these, or presume not to approach the Lord's table. 5. All those who make no conscience of inward purity, the keep ing of the heart ; Matth. v. 8, " Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Outside religion may give yon outward pri vileges, but it will leave you to break your teeth on the shell, with out ever enjoying the kernel of them. Speculative impurities and sins entertained in the heart, will exclude you from heaven ; and, before the Lord, will exclude you from his table, if you are not re penting of thera, and resolving, through grace, to wrestle against them. Depart also from these, or venture not to approach his holy table. 6. All those who entertain and indulge themselves in any known sin, or in the neglect of any known duty, or are not content to have their sin and duty discovered to thera ; Psalm Ixvi. 18, " If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." One thing may mar all in the bargain betwixt Christ and your souls. If one lust be reserved and excepted, it is no bargain; Mark x. 21, 22, " Then Jesus beholding him, loved him, and said unto him. One thing thou lackest ; go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven ; and come, take up thy cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved, for he had great possessions." Men, then, should soberly consider, with what conscience they can sit down at the Lord's table, while they are living in sin, in that which they are onvinced to be sin, and yet are never endeavouring to amend. 5. Behold how the door of access to the Lord's table is opened to all true penitents, whose hearts are loosed from, and set against, all sin. Those who would now sincerely depart from their iniquity, and turn from it without reserve to the Lord, are welcome to name the name of Christ, they have his Father's allowance for it : Isa. iv. 7, " Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.'* He saith not, that they who will name the name of Christ must be without iniquity ; there are none such in this lower world ; bnt they THE DUTY OF ALL, &C. 27 must depart from it, they must turn their backs on it, though it may tempt them ; they are to flee from it though it may follow ; they are to resist it, nay even though it attack thom. Whosoever, then, is brought to be weary of their former sinful courses, are sincerely de sirous of, and are resolving through grace to be the Lord's only wholly, and for ever, to take Christ for their Saviour from sin and wrath, to take holiness for their way, and God's word for their rule, they have access to the covenant, and to the seal of the covenant, in a comfortable way. Lastly, This shews us the necessity of self-searching, examining ourselves on this occasion. 1 Cor. xi. 28. Communicants should examine themselves beforehand as to their sins, as well as with res pect to their graces, since God has commanded everyone that nameth the name of Christ to depart from iniquity. Make not superficial work of communicating, but examine your heart and life for the time past, that ye may discover what has been, and what is your ini quity or iniquities, from which you are now to depart : Lam. iii. 40, " Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord." One reason why there is so little reformation on the back of com munions is, that people do not beforehand take a view of what is wrong, they do not consider what they are to endeavour the reforma tion of. Now, if a person do not know what he should depart from, how can he depart from it ? Wherefore the same authority which charges you to depart from iniquity, charges you to take a view of what has been amiss in your ways. Take some time for this, and be as particular as you can, to search out the old leaven, and devote to a curse what you find out. Examine how your hearts stand affected to your sins for the time present, whether you really repent of them or not, whether you be ashamed of them before the Lord, are hearti ly grieved for them, hate them, and are longing to be rid of them, to be delivered from the guilt, the stain, the power, and the indwelling of them, or not. If you have not attained to this, you are, while in this case, utterly unfit for a communion table. If you have, the master of the feast makes you welcome. If your repentance be real it will reach to all your known sins whatsoever, without exception, both the root and the branches, Rom. vii. 24, " 0 wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death ?" Examine how your hearts stand affected to them for the time to come ; if yon be sincerely resolved through grace, on newness of life. Surely it is meet at all times, but especially before a communion occasion, to be thus resolved : Job xxxiv. 31, 32, " Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more. That which I see not, teach thou me ; if I have done iniquity, I will do 0 2 28 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY no more." If you cannot think to give up with your sinful courses, or to live without them, do not mock God, and bring more guilt upon your souls, by sitting down at his table : but if you would wish to be holy as God is holy, and, under a sense of your inability to subdue sin, desire to betake yourself to Christ for his sanctifying Spirit, resolving through grace to watch against sin, and resist the motions of it, ye are welcome guests to the Lord's table.— We shall only add. Secondly, An use of exhortation. We exhort you to depart from iniquity, turn from your sins, since you name the name of Christ. Let none think to flK4 shelter for their sins under this, namely that they intend not to take the sacrament. Tou have taken a sacra ment already, which obliges you to do this, aud therefore I charge one and all of you to depart from your iniquity this day. If you will not, know the name Christ, whose name you name, while you will not depart from iniquity ; it will be your great enemy : Luke xix. 27, "But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither and slay before me." Sin is the great make-bait betwixt God and the sinner, and the friendship with your lusts will be enmity with the Lord. Hereupon I would ask you. How think ye to live on God's ground, amongst the midst of his creatures, while God is your enemy ? Know ye not that all the creatures are banded together against him to whom God is an enemy ? Does not the meat thou eatest say. Lord if thou wilt allow me, I will choke this rebel ? The earth, I will swallow him up who will not depart from iniquity? Again, let me ask you, how will you look the king of terrors in the face ? What comfort will these sins which thou now boldest fast leave thee, wheu the old sinful tabernacle begins to fall down, the soul to flee away, and the carcase is brought down to a grave, both to be imprisoned, the former in hell, the latter in the grave, till the resurrection ? How will you bear to be raised up and sisted before the great tribunal, to answer for all those sins you will not now de part from, aud to receive the eternal reward of your works ? Particularly, 0 communicants ! presume not to sit down at the Lord's table, without departing from iniquity. Purge out the old leaven, that ye may keep the feast. — 0 communicants! will ye be tray the Son of man with a kiss ? When sitting down at his table, you profess yourselves to be his friends, members of his family. But if you depart not from iniquity, you will betray him as sure as Judas did, for you are in league with his enemies. And your vows at the communion-table will become like Samson's green withs, which were broken at the first onset, and you will return back again with more eagerness to these sins from which you never really departed ; THE DUTY OF ALL, &C. 29 you know what will be the end of such conduct.— Will ye go out against Christ as against a thief with swords and staves ? Tou do it by going in your sins unrepented of to his table. We are to com memorate his love in dying for our sins, sins which furnished a Judas to betray him, nails to pierce him, and a spear to enter into his side. And will you presume on this exercise, holding fast these sins, and refusing to let them go? If yoa would proclaim war against Christ, instead of sitting down at his table, you could reach him no other way, than you will do by holding fast iniquity. It is the day of his espousals, of his coronation ; let us not make it a day of crucifying him afresh. — Would, you see Jesus, and in him God reconciled to your souls, blessing you with the seal of your pardon, peace, and right to eternal life ? Come away to Christ freely from your sins, make your most beloved lusts stepping-stones, over the belly of which yon will come to his table, putting a bill of divorce into the hand of them all, with a sincere resolution, through grace, never to entertain them willingly again. In this event, I know no thing to make the separation betwixt him and you : Isa. lix. 1, " Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save ; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear." But, alas ! some say, I cannot get rid of my sins. To this I answer. Is thine iniquity thy burden, which thou wouldst as fain be rid of, as of an oppressing weight ? Then thy heart is away from it, and God accepts thee in this case, sincerely, though not perfectly, to be departed from it. It is one thing to be sitting still in a house, willingly entertaining a guest ; another, to bo labouring to get away, though the troublesome guest will not part with us. If the latter be thy case, you may come to the Lord at his table, with hopes of welcome, you will then be strengthened for the struggle, and shall get the seal of complete victory in due time. Amen. THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED. SERMON III. 2 Tim. ii. 19, And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. Having, in the preceding discourses, offered all that was intended on the first doctrine taken from this subject, I now proceed to a con sideration of DocT. II. That God's charge to depart from iniquity is infallibly 30 departing from iniquity effectual in all who are his, so as that they do truly depart from ini quity, while others hold it fast to their own ruin. Acts xiii. 48 ; Matth. i. 21 ; or briefly thus, that all the elect of God shall depart from iniquity. In explaining this, I shall , I, Shew when and how far this charge is effectual in all who are his. II. Evince the truth of this doctrine that the charge is effectual in all who belong to God. III. We shall, in the conclusion, make some practical improve ment. We are, I. To shew when and how far this charge is effectual in all who are his. I shewed before, from what of sin we are to depart. And, in general, this charge is effectual, in all the parts of it, in them who are the Lord's. But more particularly, 1. It is effectual in them who are his, in this life. Here the work is truly and happily begun ; they all become saints on earth, who shall be saints in heaven. Psalm xvi. 3. Though by nature they are wild olives, growing in the forest of the world lying in wickedness, they are plucked up and planted in the nursery of grace, where they grow till transplanted into paradise ; while their fellows stand still in that forest till cut down for the fire. It is effectual in this life, in a gospel-sense, though not in a law-sense, in respect of a per fection of parts, though not of degrees. And this in three respects : (1.) It is effectual in all who belong to God, in so far as they come freely away from sin in conversion. Some may be longer in coming away than others, they may abide in the tents of wickedness, after other sealed ones are gone, but they shall infallibly follow sooner or later ; For, says Jehovah, Joel iii. 21, " I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed, for the Lord dwelleth in Zion." This one and the other may often be passed by ; while others are taken, who shall certainly have a place in the building of mercy. Here consider the following things : — That all mankind by nature lie in wickedness : They are dead in trespasses and sins, Eph. ii. 1. They are in the devil's camp, they are bound with the bands of wickedness, estranged from God and all that is truly good. They will not leave it, because it is their element. — Consider also, that yet among them God has some which he has chosen to life, and whom in his eternal purpose of love to their souls, he has sealed as his own, to bring them away, and to make them partakers of his glory. — Consider farther, that the alarm of the gospel comes indefinitely to all, whether they be the Lord's or not. It comes to the devil's THE DUTY OF ALL, &0. 31 camp, and says, 2 Cor. vi. 17, " Wherefore come out from among thera, and be ye separated, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you." It says as Moses to Israel, in re spect of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, " Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men." Or as the angel to Lot, " Escape for thy life ; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain," Gen. xix. 17. Consider, that as God knows who among them are his, so he infallibly brings them away from the rest, in obedience to the gospel-alarm ; " As many as were ordained to eternal life believed," Acts xiii. 48. This march out of the devil's camp, was begun at the first preaching of the gospel in paradise, and is continued to this day, though sometimes more, sometime fewer go off together. And it will be continued until there be not one of them that belong to God left among them ; and then comes the end. Now, in conversion, the Spirit sounding the alarm. Depart ye, depart ye ; they that are the Lord's are impressed by it ; so the dead soul awakes, the impenitent heart melts, they spring to their feet, resolved and determined to depart from the tents of sin. The devil and those who are his, do what they can, by allurements and threats, to hold them still ; but under the conduct of the Captain of the Lord's host, they march out with banners displayed, and depart freely from iniquity ; the trumpet still sounding, " Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." As to the nature of their departure, we observe the following things : — [1.] They depart from sin sincerely. They depart from it, bo- cause it is a departing from God, contrary to his holy nature and law ; they depart from it as sin, Luke xv. 18. They who belong to God, leaving their sins, leave them not from the inferior motives only of danger to themselves, here or hereafter ; but from higher mo tives also, because they are offensive to God, they dishonour his Son, grieve his Spirit, transgress his law, and deface his image. Thus the worthy communicant reforms, and departs from iniquity. Here, however, there may be proposed this Question, How do they with those sins from which they formerly departed from lower motives only, or which left them ere they left them ? To this I answer. That they do with them as men used to do with those who die by their own hands. They bury them disgrace fully, and throw stones upon their graves. They look back to them, and loathe them. They left them at first for their own sake ; they go farther away from them for God's sake. They neglected them before, as having no use for them ; they abhor them now for their intrinsic loathsomeness. They were hanging before betwixt heaven and earth, like Absalom on the oak ; now they thurst the darts into their hearts, and throw them into a pit. 32 departing from iniquity [2.] They depart from iniquity voluntarily ; not out of constraint, but choice; Psalmcxix.30," I have chosen the way of truth; thy judg ments have I laid before me." They do not cast away sin only as one would do a live coal out of his bosom, because it will burn him ; or a serpent, because it will sting him ; but as a loathsome, unclean thing because it will defile him. Some depart from their iniquity against their will. They part with it as Phaltiel with his undutiful wife, 2 Sam. iii. 16. They dwell in the tents of sin, and will not move hence, till there is no abiding longer there for them ; as the covetous man parts with the world at death, or when it is violently taken from him j whether he will or not, he must let it go. But this departure is not lasting, such will go back again, Psalm Ixxviii. 34 — 37- And so hence there occurs a Question, May not a person be driven from his iniquity by ter ror of God ? To this I answer, I conceive that when the time comes, at which a person who belongs to God is to depart from iniquity, there are two trumpets which sound in his ears. The first trumpet is that of the law, which is so terrible, that it makes the man's soul quake within him, and makes an earthquake in the devil's camp to him, so that he finds no more firm footing there, nor rest as be fore, but he must flee for his life in consternation. But if there be no more, he may flee from one part of it to another, but he will still abide within the trenches. The second trumpet is that of the gospel, the still small voice, sounding pardon, peace, welcome, to Christ's camp, and to the feast of fat things, to all those who will depart from iniquity. This takes the trembling sinner by the heart, and makes him come away freely and voluntarily from iniquity ; so that, al though the trumpet of the law shall cease, this charms him so as he can stay no longer in the tents of sin, Hos. ii. 14, and iii. 5. [3.] They depart from iniquity resolutely, absolutely, and uncon ditionally, cost what it will ; they cannot, they will not, they must not stay. Others may do as they please ; but, with Joshua, they peremptorily say, " We will serve the Lord," Josh. xxiv. 15. If all the world should sit still, they will go, though they should go alone. Satan may frame many objections against their departure, and enter into terms for their staying, as Pharaoh with the Israelites, about their departure from Egypt. But converting grace makes their ears deaf to all proposals of this nature. If they should leave all they have in the world, they must leave sin, Luke xiv, 26, if it should be never so much to their loss as to their temporal interest, they will depart; if they must go through fire and water, make their way out of it through briars and thorns,' — any thing but sin ; Rev. xiv. 4, " These are they who follow the lamb whithersoever he goeth." These were redeemed from among men, being the flrst-fruits unto THE DUTY OF ALL, &C. 33 God and to the Lamb. He whose departing from iniquity depends on ifs and ands, effectual grace has not yet reached his heart. [4.] They depart from iniquity speedily, without delays ; Psalm cxix. 60, " I made haste, and delayed not, to keep thy command ments." Many good purposes come to nothing by delays. The man intends to part with such and such a sin, to comply with such and such a duty, only he cannot do it yet. And whereas there is one hinderance in his way at present, there are two after ; and so the project flies up for good and all. But they who belong to God are snatched away as brands out of the burning. They will delay no longer to depart from sin, than one delays to fling a burning coal out of his bosom, or a stinging serpent. Being determined to depart, they are determined to depart without delay, because a mo ment's delay in this matter may be an eternal loss. [5.] They depart from it universally ; Psalm cxix. 104, " Through thy precepts I get understanding : therefore I hate every false way." Ezek. xviii. 31, " Cast away from you all your transgres sions whereby you have transgressed, aud make you a new heart and a new spirit ; for why will ye die, 0 house of Israel ?" Whoso departs from one sin sincerely, and as sin, departs from all sin known to them to be such ; because the reason moving him to de part from one, is to be found in all. Every sin is a deadly wound to the soul ; and therefore, if bnt one remain uncured, the man is a dead man ; Matth. v. 29, " If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee ; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell." One sin retained will make all our reformation naught, as Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal's concubine, was the death of his seventy sons by his wives, excepting one, Jud. ix. 5. Hence those who belong to God depart from all sin without exception, however others may have their reserved idols. Thus they depart from that sin which is the sin of their constitution, that sin which attends their calling in the world, that sin to which they have the strongest and most frequent temptations ; Psalm xviii. 23, " I was also up right before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity." That sin which most easily besets us, Heb. xii. 1, is the piedominant evil the heart must be loosed from, the right hand, and right eye, the one thing lacking, which mars all other things ; from which, however loath they be to part, they will be made willing to part with it in the day of power. Thus, all who belong to God do come freely away from sin in conversion ; and so the charge is effectual. (2.) It is effectual in all who belong to God, in so far as they never again return to it as formerly, but persevere in that course of 34 DEPARTING PROM INIQUITY holiness which is once begun. They who have once freely departed from the tents of wickedness, shall never again come back to them, they shall never mix again with the ungodly world, from among whom they have come out; Psalm xii. 7, " Thou shalt keep them, 0 Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever." Con verting grace fixes a gulf betwixt the two, which they shall never repass. I own a gracious soul may fall from its first love, to carnal sluggishness, remissness, and indisposition for duties. Thus it was with the church of Ephesus, Rev. ii. 4. Tea, they may fall into some enormous offences and gross transgressions of the law, as Peter did, and they may for some time lie in these unrepented of, as David and Solomon did ; and they may relapse into the same sins formerly mourned over. Rev. xxii. 8 ; compare chap. xix. 10. Thus, Abra ham denied his wife twice. They may thus fall after solemn en gagements to the Lord, as Peter did, after the first communion, and after gracious manifestations. Song v. 1 — 3. To be more particular, [l.J They shall never fall back to sin, with the same heart and good-will which they had to it before ; not with a full consent, but with reluctance; Rom. vii. 19, " For the good that I would, I do not ; but the evil which I would not, that do I." They may be sin's captives while they are here, driven back to some iniquity or other by the force of temptation ; but sin's ready subjects they shall never more be. There is a principle of grace within them, which, at the lowest ebb, will check that full spring-tide of sin which they were wont to have before they departed trom it. Song v. 2. [2.] They shall not lie still in sin, but sooner or later rise again to repentance. So did Peter, David, and Solomon. They shall not live in the habitual practice of any known sin. Hypocrites, after solemn engagements to God, may return and live in the habitual practice of their former lusts ; like the mixed multitude sounding a retreat into Egypt, they may fall away and never recover. But though a straying slave never be sought after, a straying son will be. Those who belong to God may fall in the way, but they shall never fall out of God's way of holiness ; Job xvii. 9, " The righte ous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger." Having once departed from iniquity, they shall hold on their way ; for he that set them on the way shall keep them in it ; 2 Thess. iii. 3, " The Lord is faithful, who shall stab- lish you, and keep you from evil." The Lord is the keeper of all those who have departed from iniquity, and he watches night and day, Isa. xxvii. 2. They are kept by the word of God, which is a sufficient defence against the powers of darkness. Their keeper never leaves them, nor forsakes them, Heb. xiii. 5. When once TIIE DUTY OF ALL, &C. 35 Christ takes hold of a soul, he will never part with it again, however low the pass to which they may be brought ; Psalm Ixxiii. 23, " Nevertheless, I am continually with thee ; thou hast holden me by my right hand." None can loose his hold, nor pluck them out of his hand, John x. 28. Again, they have an immortal principle within them for carrying them forward. The Spirit of Christ dwells in them for ever, John xiv. 16. Grace is a never-dying seed, which remaineth in them, 1 John iii. 9. This, by virtue of the covenant, secures the continuance of their departure from iniquity, Jer. xxxii. 40. Hence, when the believer steps aside from the Lord, there is still in him a restlessness, more or less, until he return, like the dove into the ark. Song v. 2. Farther, sin can never recover that dominion over him which it has lost, and that irrecoverably ; Rom. vi. 14, " For sin shall not have dominion over you." And though, in the war with sin, corruption may sometimes get the upper hand, yet grace shall overcome at length ; Gen. xlix. 19, " Gad, a troop shall overcome him ; but he shall overcome at the last." 3. It is effectual, in so far as they go farther and farther from it in the progress of sanctification Prov. iv. 18, " But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day ;"Isa. xl. 31, " But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength," &c. Grace is of a growing nature ; and though it grows not at all times, yet it does grow. The life of a saint is a going up out ofthe wilderness of this world ; and the farther he goes, he is the nearer his journey's end. And thus a gracious soul is still de parting from iniquity, and shall depart. He departs, by watching against it ; and always the more watchful, the farther from it ; Psalm xxxix. 1. " I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue ; I will keep ray mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is be fore me." Any distance we can be at from sin while here, is a dis tance of opposition ; and the more the Christian has his eyes in his head, to observe the motions of the enemy, to avoid occasions and temptations to sin, he is set at the greater distance from it. Un- watchfulness is the ruin of many. They who belong to God shall be made to watch ; and if they be at a time taken nodding, it shall serve to make them more awake afterwards. Again they shall de part, by keeping up a struggle against sin ; Gal. v. 17, " For the flesh Insteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh." Sin may get quiet harbour in the breast of a hypocrite, but in those who are the Lord's it can get no more ease than mud in a spring-well, where there will be a working it out ; John, iv. 14, " The water that I shall give him," saith Jesus, " shall be in him a well of living water, springing up to everlasting life." And this struggle will con- 36 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY tinne as long as there is a Canaanite in the land; for it is not, as in the hypocrite, against some kind of sins only, but against the whole kind of them. And the gracious soul will be groaning, longing, wrestl ing for the perfect delivery, no truce being to be made here, but the war undertaken for extirpation, Rom. vii. 24. Phil. iii. 13, 14. Finally, he departs, by growing in grace : Psalm, xcii. 12, " The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree; he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon." Many go back to their old lusts again, because, though they seem to depart from some sins, yet, being destitute of grace, they cannot grow in the opposite graces, and therefore it fares with them, as in Matth. xii. 44, 45, " Thus their last state is worse than the first." But as a man is always the farther from his disease, the more that nature is strengthened ; so the gracious soul is set the farther from sin, the more that the contrary graces are made to grow in him. From this part of the subject, we may learn, 1. That if ye be the Lord's people by sincere dedication, his cove nant-people, ye have come away freely from all your lusts, unto himself. Tou have been at his table solemnly devoting yourselves to him ; if you have dealt honestly with him, and have not eaten and drunk unworthily, your hearts are loosed from all your idols, you have with heart and good-will turned your back on the Sodom of sinful courses, with sincere resolutions not to look back. How ever little influence this charge has had on others, it is effectual on you ; you have taken the alarm, and have begun your march out of the tents of sin, you dare no more be disobedient to the heavenly vision. If so, it is well ; if otherwise, you have but mocked God, and wronged your own souls. Tou may learn, 2. That if you be indeed the Lord's people by covenant savingly, you will not go back to your former lusts : Luke, ix. 62, " And Jesus said unto him. No man, having put his hand to the plough, and look ing back, is fit for the kingdom of God." Tou are not to return to your vain conversation. Tou have lifted up your hand to the Lord, and you cannot go back in point of right ; and unless you have been dealing deceitfully with God, you will not go back. Apostacy and backsliding take the mask of hypocrites ; and fearful is their con dition, for fallen stars were never genuine stars, but stars only in appearance : 1 John, ii. 19, " They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have con tinued with us ; but they went out, that they might be made mani fest that they were not of us." Think on this when temptations come, that to return into the tents of sin, is to prove yourselves not to be the Lord's. We may learn, Lastly, That if you be the Lord's by election you, shall part with THE DUTY OF ALL, &C. 37 those sins which now part betwixt the Lord Christ and you. For though you hide yourselves from him who came to seek you, he notwithstand ing will find you out ; and as fast as your lusts hold you, and you them, the Lord will make you fain to cast them as fire out of your bosom, if he has any thoughts of eternal love to you. If he has not, you will get them kept, and yon may embrace and hug them during life and through eternity ; they shall clasp about you like serpents, stinging with endless despair. But it looks fearfully ill, while the trumpet of the gospel, day after day, and year after year, is sounding an alarm to depart from sin, and others are marching away in your sight, that you are still staying behind. The life of a saint is a departing from iniquity, and this is their work while here ; so that although it still cleaves unto them, yet they are not sitting down contented in it, bnt endeavouring the sepa ration for altogether. Thus the charge is effectual, in so far as they go farther and farther from it. Here there is another. Question, But is it not often seen, that Christians are farther from iniquity at first than ever they are afterwards ? hence many com plain that their days, after a long standing in religion, are not found to be by far so good as when they were but young Christians. In answer to this, I observe, 1. That there are not a few who, though never found converts, yet had awakening grace at their first setting out in a profession, mak ing a mighty reel among their affections, and a great change on their life ; which wearing away by degrees, they settled on a lifeless empty form of godliness, and so were farther from iniquity then than ever before. But this will not prove it to be so with the truly godly. I observe, 2. That Christians of a long standing in religion have their sleep ing and decaying times, and young Christians also have theirs. In Song, V. 2, we find the spouse asleep after great manifestations ; and in Matth. xxv. 5, we find the wise, as well as the foolish virgins, slumbering and sleeping. And if we compare the sleeping days of aged Christians with the waking days of those who are only young, no doubt the latter has the advantage of the former, even as a wor king boy is in less danger of the enemy's surprise, than a sleeping man. But since the power of grace effectually stirs up both from their spiritual slumbers, it is but just the comparison pass betwixt them, in the waking frame. I observe, 3. That there is a difference betwixt the bulk of religion, and the solidity and weight of it ; the vehement commotions, and its firmness and rootedness. Toung Christians may be of more bulk than the old in respect of many glistering affections, arising from the new- 38 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY ness of the thing, which are mixed with it, and afterwards go off. But with old Christians, though there be less bulk, it is more solid and weighty ; as the gold, the oftener it is in the fire, is the more re fined, though not so bulky^ Toung Christians have more vehement affections, but the old have them more regular, rooted, and firm ; thus the old is better. The longer one stands in Christianity, cer tainly he has the more experience of the goodness of God, and of the corruption of his own heart, and of the danger from spiritual enemies. Hence he must be more resolute in solid serious depen dence upon the Lord of all ; more humble, self-denied, and more firm against temptation ; and, in one word, have more of a regular com posed tenderness, with respect to sin and duty. And herein lies the stress of departing from iniquity : 1 John, v. 3, " For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous." Toung soldiers may rush upon the enemy with greater briskness, but the old ones stand the ground best, and abide the shock more firmly. Wherefore, let no Christians of long standing in religion be discouraged as if they were not departing from iniquity, because they do not make such visible progress as when religion was new to them, if there remain with them a rooted tenderness- with respect to anything that may be displeasing to God, with a sincere purpose and endeavour to keep a conscience avoid of offence towards God and towards man : 2 Cor. i. 12, " For our rejoicing is this, the testi- timony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our con versation in the world." Add to this, a serious longing to be freeff from the body of death, Rom. vii. 24. ; and to be perfected in holi ness, Phil. iii. 13. 14. For as the progress of the ship in the main ocean is not so discernible as when it was coming off from the shore, tho' it may move as fast ; so it is no wonder that the progress of the Christian of long standing be not so visible as at the first; or as the growth of a tree the first year is more discerned than after, so it may be with the Christian. Having thus shown how far the charge is effectual in this life, we add upon this head. That it is effectual in all who are the Lord's people, at death ; and this in so far as that then they perfectly depart from sin, and sin from them. They come then to the spirits of just men made perfect, Heb. xii. 23. There is a great difference betwixt the godly and the wicked in life, and a still greater at death. As the wicked do in life hold fast their iniquities amidst all the means of justifica tion and sanctification offered thera ; so at death all these means are THE DUTY OP ALL, &C. 39 removed for ever out of their sight ; aud thus their iniquities meet upon them, to prey on their souls for ever. Then sin is settled in its full power in their souls, as on its own base. No more hopes nor possibility of sanctification ; and the several pieces of guilt, as cords of death, are twisted about them for ever. As sin in the god ly is in their life loosed at the root, so at their death it is rooted up ; as in life they depart from it sincerely, so at death perfectly. The body of death goes with the death of the body, that as death came in by sin, so sin may go out by death. Now, sin is in the god ly as the leprosy in the walls of the house, which, therefore, being taken dof^n, the leprosy is removed ; when the gracious soul drops the mantle of the body, it will, at the same instant drop all the un- cleanness cleaving to it. Amen. THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED. SERMON IV. 2 Tim. ii. 19, And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. Having, in the preceding discourse, shown that this charge is effec tual with all who are the Lord's, both in this life and at death, we now proceed, as was proposed, II. To evince the truth of the doctrine, that the charge is effectual in all who belong to God. With this view I would have you to consider the following things. 1. Consider that it was for this purpose that they were elected; Eph. i. 4, " According as he hath chosen us in him, before the foun dation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame, be fore him in love." All whom God has chosen to life, are chosen to holiness ; so that the decree of election in their favour, secures their departure from iniquity. If a person had determined to save a cer tain number of madmen, going about to kill themselves, with knives in their hands, the resolution to save them would import the taking the knives out of their hands ; so here, reprobates may get their lusts kept, but the elect shall not. Wherefore, as sure as the elect cannot perish, and the Lord will lose none who are his, so sure shall all who are his depart from iniquity. There is no separating of the means and the end, which, in God's decree, are firmly joined toge ther. Life is the end, departing from iniquity the means ; there- 40 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY fore, they who are ordained to life shall infallibly depart from it. As sure as the purpose of God cannot be broken or disappointed, so sure shall they who are his depart from iniquity. It is God's pur pose in election, to bring them out of their sin, to everlasting life : Eph. i. 4, " According as he hath chosen us in him, before the foun dation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame, be fore him in love." This purpose cannot be broken, for says God, " My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure," Isa. xlvi. 10. Therefore, they shall depart from iniquity ; and whoever holds it fast, are strangers to the grace of God. Consider that, * 2. It is the end of their redemption by Christ. Why did Christ give himself for those who are his ? It was that he might redeem them from all iniquity, and purify them unto himself, a peculiar people, zealous of good works," Tit. ii. 14. Why gave he himself for his church ? It was that " he might sanctify and cleanse it, with the washing of water, by the word," Eph. v. 26. He came to save them, but from what? From their sins, Matth. i. 21. Sin had a double hold of those who were his ; it held their consciences, by the cords of guilt ; and held their heart, will, and affections, by the in terest it had got there. Christ shed his blood, by the efficacy there of to loose the former, and procured the influences of his Spirit, who, by his indwelling might loose the latter. Those for whom Christ did not die will continue in their sins, and perish in them. They are not willing to part with them, and the in fluences of the Spirit are not procured for them to make them will ing. Had Christ been to save sinners in their sins, then those who will not be saved from their sins, might have been saved from death. Bnt it is not so. Those for whom Christ died, shall infallibly depart from iniquity ; and such are all those who are the Lord's ; John x. 15, " I lay down my life for the sheep." Otherwise, the design of Christ's death is frustrated ; he died in vain, and all the promises of a seed, made by the Father to his Son, in the covenant, turn to no thing ; to imagine which, is blasphemous. Christ bare a good will to those who were his from eternity, and and would have them made happy. But they were unholy, there fore he must redeem them from thejr iniquity, by his blood ; other wise, the gates of the city would have remained closed for ever on them. And now, that the ransom of the blood of the Son of God is paid, is it possible that the prisoners can remain undelivered ? Some may be apt to say, 0 ! will ever Christ sanctify such an unholy creature as I am ? I will surely perish by the hand of my lusts, and will never get free of them. Why, poor soul, if this be thy ex- THE DUTY OP ALL, &C. 41 ercise, to depart from thy iniquity, it is an evidence thou art his ; and it is his honour and interest to make thee holy, and deliver thee from the dominion and power of thy powerful lusts, in so far as he shed his blood for this end. And, however worthless thou art in thy self, thou art dear bought, and therefore must not, canst not, be lost. 3. Consider, that it is the end of their effectual calling. They are called to be saints, Rom. i. 7. The world lies in wickedness. Those who are the Lord's by election, lie among thera, till the effectual call come, which brings them out from araong them ; " Wherefore come out from among thera, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you," 2 Cor. vi. 17. This call is necessarily connected with election, and it can never be effec tual without the soul's being brought to depart from iniquity; " Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called," Rom. viii. 30. The conversion of all the elect, their regeneration, their translation from the power of darkness, are infallibly secured, and consequently their departing from iniquity. For what is conversion, bnt turning from sin unto God ? and regeneration, but arising from the death in sin ? 4. Consider that it is the end of all providences. Providence has an eye on all the children of men, but has a special eye on those who are the Lord's people. Favourable dispensations are cords of a man, to draw sinners from their iniquity : Luke i. 74, 75, " That he would grant us, that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might ser^e him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life." Afflictive dispensations are scourges, to drive them from their iniquity ; Isa. xxvii. 9, " By this therefore, shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged ; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin :" Heb. xii. 10, " He chasteneth for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness." True, they are not effectual on many ; mercies do not allure thera, judg ments do not affright them. Bnt wisdom is justified of her children. And can it be imagined that they shall not be effectual to them ? 5. Consider, that it is the end of all ordinances. Wherefore does the Lord send the gospel to sinners, but that they may depart from iniquity ? Titus ii. 11, 12, " For the grace of God, that bringeth sal vation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodli ness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and god ly, in this present world." The word is designed for the sanctifica tion of souls ; John xvii. 17, " Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth." The promises, the threatenings, the doctrines, all lead away from sin. The sacraments of the New Testament are also appointed for this same end. In a word, all gospel ordinances Vol. X. D 42 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY whatever, Eph. iv. 12. They are all " for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." These will have their effect on those who are his, however they be in vain to others. Lastly, Consider, that since all who shall be saved shall depart from iniquity, and all who are the Lord's shall be saved, it is evident, that all who are his shall depart from iniquity. Such as continue in their sin can have no comraunion with God here, much less here after. Psalm V. 4 — 6, and Psalm xv. throughout. No sooner did the reprobate angels depart from holiness to sin, but God thrust them down to hell, 2 Peter ii. 4. Adam was driven from the tree of life, on his sinning. Gen. iii. 22. Who then can expect to see the face of God in heaven, without departing from iniquity? We now come, III. To make a practical improvement of the whole ; — and this, First, In an use of information. — This subject informs us, 1. Whence the success of the Gospel is derived. We see it has its effect on some, in turning them from their sins unto God, while others, having the same means of grace, are untouched by them. Trace, this to the spring-head, and it must fee ascribed, neither to the free-will of the party, the piety or parts of the preacher, but to the eternal love of God terminating on some. There is a time of loves set in the counsel of God, respecting all the elect ; and when this time comes, they shall infallibly answer the call. — We may see, 2. That the unsuccessfulness of the gospel, barrenness and impeni tency under the means of grace, are matters which draw very deep. Men think little of disobeying God's charge, sounded continually in their ears, by the gospel ; think little of going on in sins, from which they are charged to part ; but did they consider that the charge must be infallibly complied with, by all who are the Lord's, their own sitting of it would be a terror to themselves. For, in so far as they comply not with it, so far they show themselves not to belong to God. Where God has much people, the gospel will have much success. — We may learn, 3. That iniquity is that abominable thing which God hates. It is the greatest of all evils, and therefore, as it is that thing which God sets himself particularly against, so we in a special manner should set ourselves against it. Poverty, meanness, and contempt in the world, God suffers in those who are dear to him ; but he will not suffer sin to have dominion over thera, and at length will quite expel it from those who are his. He will not bear with it in his own, as he hates it for itself. — We are informed, 4. That there is a divine power comes along with the charge, to THE DUTY OF ALL, &C. 43 all who are the Lord's people, when once the time of love is come. This is that which makes thera depart, while others hold fast their iniquity : Isa. liii. 1, " Who hath believed our report ? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ?" The elect of God are as much dead in trespasses and sins as others are ; sin has the same domi nion over thera as over others. But with the word the Spirit enters into them, and brings them away from the tents of sin, causes them to rise up out of their graves, while others lie still in them. — We may learn. Lastly, That departing from iniquity is absolutely necessary to evince that we belong to God, because all such do depart from iniquity. It is the fruit of election and conversion ; and so the great evidence of interest in God's eternal love, and his present favour. — For under standing this, three things are to be noticed. (1.) That a person's being in his sin, still under the dominion of it, unsanctified, unholy, is a certain evidence of his being in a state of enmity with God, in a state of wrath, and that he does not ac tually belong to God, but to Satan. One may pretend faith in Christ, and a covenant interest in God, while he is going on in a course of sin. But his pretences are vain, his works disprove his faith, his unholy life discovers his graceless state : James ii. 17, " Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." (2.) That a person's being still in his sin, under its dominion, will not, while he lives, prove him to be none of God's elect, excepting only in the case of the unpardonable sin, which is most rare. The reason is, that the charge is effectual in all the elect, yet it may be long in taking its effect on some, as in the case of the thief on the cross. So that while there is life, there is hope. This I note, to baffle that temptation, with which Satan attacks some, namely. That they are not elected, and therefore they need not set their minds towards religion, for it will not do with them. This is barefaced reasoning from hell ; for be your case never so hopeless, though ye be quite graceless, and this never so long continued in, while you do not obstinately, and altogether maliciously, reject salvation by Christ, it cannot prove you to be none of God's elect; for at the eleventh hour you may be called. Tet, (3.) Without departing from iniquity, no person can certainly know he is elected, or that he belongs to God. By this, indeed, a person may know it, 2 Peter i. 10 : but without it, no man can ; for God does not allow us, nor can we at first hand go and read our names in the book of life. We must learn it by sanctification, which is the fruit of election, by which we come to know both our election and our effectual calling. — We may improve the subject, d2 44 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY Secondly, In an use of trial. Hereby you may try whether you be the Lord's covenanted peo ple or not. This may be known by your departing from iniquity, or your not departing. Here, to assist you, we shall mention the two following marks : — Mark 1. If you are departing from iniquity, there will be a sin cere endeavour after universal obedience. Psalm cxix. 6 ; aiming to please God in all things, and not indulging yourself in any known sin, being content to know, in all cases, what is sin and what is duty. The truly godly will set themselves against the first motions of sin, Rom. vii. 7 ; against secret sins. Psalm xix. 12 ; even against that sin which most easily besets them, Psalra xviii. 23 ; and will witness against self, in various shapes, Matth. v. 3. Mark 2. If you are departing from iniquity,you will be weary ing and groaning under the remains of sin, Rora. vii. 26. However much the hypocrite may content himself with as much grace as seems nocessary to secure heaven to him, yet the godly man is going on, and pressing forwards towards perfection, though he cannot reach it ; and looks on the remains of sin as iron fetters, which he would fain be quit of, that he may be holy, as God is holy ; and perfect, as his Father in heaven is perfect. — We may improve the subject. Lastly, In an use of exhortation. We beseech you, 0 sinners ! to depart from iniquity. Tou have dwelt too long in the tents of sin. Tou are called now to arise and depart from all your sins, freely to part with them, never to return to them, but to be still departing farther and farther from thera. The exhortation concerns both saints and sinners. There are three motives, which the text affords us to prevail with sinners in drawing them from their sins. These are, — the evil of sin, — the necessary connection betwixt a person's departing from it and their belonging to God, and the obligation lying on sinners to part with it, from their naming the name of Christ. We shall con sider these separately, as in their nature important and weighty; and 0 that we could improve them, so as to draw you all from your sins. We begin with. Mot. 1. Sin is an evil, a great evil, from which you are called to depart. Sinners are deceived with an appearance of goodness, of profit, or of pleasure in their sins. But, God knows, it is the worst of evils, and therefore from it by all means God will have his own to depart. 0 that I could draw the raonstrous evil in its own colours, to bring you all from it to holiness 1 Could you get a genuine sight of it, you wonld run from it as from a fire, as from hell fire ; Rom. xii. 9. " Abhor that which is evil." Sin is the greatest evil. This will appear, if the following things are attended to. Sin is an evil. THE DUTY OF ALL, &C. 45 1. In the eyes of God : Jer. xliv. 4, " Oh ! do not this abominable thing that I hate." God, who knows all things, and cannot be de ceived with fair appearances, looks on this, which men naturally set their hearts on, as the worst of ills. Oh ! shall Ave not think of it as God does ? Consider, (1.) It is the only thing which he condemns, and he everywhere condemns it iu his word. The world cries out on many things which are not sin, but God on nothing else. Many would persuade themselves, that God looks on their sins as they do. But this he takes as an affront to his holiness: Psalm 1. 21, " These things hast thou done, and I kept silence ; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself; but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes." Look to his word, which is the indication of his his mind ; and there yon will see he never speaks good of sin. (2.) It is the only thing which he pursues with his wrath, and he does this wherever it is found. It is the enemy he pursues through the whole creation, wherever it appears. It entered in among the angels, and fixed itself in the reprobate ones ; wrath immediately pursued it, aud tumbled them down to the pit ; " God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto the judgment," 2 Pet. ii. 4. It got place with mankind in paradise ; and wrath was at his heels there ; Adam's prosperous state was quickly turned into misery. The very ground on which the sinner treads, is cursed for its sake. The sinner, in his sinful state, is in a state of wrath. It abides on him, John iii. 36. The sky never clears on him, while he is a sinner. Even with his own children, God writes his indignation on it ; John xii. 24, " Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers ? — Did not the Lord, he against whom we have sinned ?" The earth is made to groan under it ; and when the end comes, the defiled creation has to go through the fire to purge it. But above all, see how he pursued sin in his own Son, though it was only on him by imputation ; Rom. viii. 32, " He spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all." The sins of the elect met on him, and therefore the sorrows of wrath met in him, and left him not, till they brought him to the dust of death. (3 ) Departing from it is the only testimony of his creatures' love to him which he requires, and nothing less can be accepted. He does not seek rivers of oil, nor other costly sacrifices : " But he hath shewed thee, 0 man ! what is good ; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God ?" If he call them to lay down their lives for him, it is only in the way of their standing off from sin ; otherwise it is not 46 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITT acceptable, nor required, but his law is. Suffer any thing rather than sin. Behold it in one word, " Te that love the Lord, hate evil," Psalm xcvii. 10. 2. Sin is an evil, and a great evil, in the eyes of the truly godly. Whenever the eyes of any person are opened by grace, then imme diately they are of this mind ; while the rest of the deluded world hug the serpent in their bosom, they are for flyiug from it at any rate. If they lose this opinion of it at any tirae, it is owing to the loss of their light, their falling asleep. But in their settled judg ment, it is the worst of evils. For, (1.) Of all evils it has lain nearest their hearts, and produced the heaviest complaints and groans. Psalm li. 3; Lam. xiv. 17. Hear Paul's complaint ; Rom. vii. 24, " 0 wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death ?" Did ever persecu tions, prisons, reproaches, or all the ills he suffered, draw such a complaint from him ? In tribulations he rejoiced, in a prison he sang; but in the fetters of the body of death, he groans like a dying man. (2.) Sin or suffer being put to their choice, they have always, when themselves, choosed to suffer rather than sin : Acts xx. 24, " But none of these things move me ; neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might flnish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gos pel of the grace of God." It is true, a godly man may sometimes be bemisted, so as not to see a thing to be sin which is sin ; nay, sometimes, in a hurry of temptation, to avoid suffering, he may fall into sin against light; but otherwise, by divine grace, they will choose poverty, imprisonment, banishment, death, rather than sin ; even the greatest temporal evil, rather than the least sin. Thus the cloud of witnesses gave their testimony. From these they did not " accept deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection," Heb. xi. 35. 3. Sin is indeed in its own nature and properties the greatest of all evils. — To make this evident, consider, (1.) That of all things sin is most contrary to the nature of God, who is the chief good, and therefore it is the chief evil, Lev. xxvi. It is walking contrary to God ; it is worse than all penal evils ; these met in Jesus Christ, who was God as well as man, but sin was not found in him ; Heb. vii. 26, " For such an High-Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners." God owns himself the author of penal evils, but it is blasphemy to father sin upon him. This fights against God ; and, as one says, the sin ner, so far as in him lies, destroys the nature of God, dethrones him. TUE DUTY OF ALL, &C. 47 and strikes at his very being. God, swearing by his holiness swears by himself; but nothing is so opposite to holiness as sin is nothing can be more or as much so : nay, it is the very thing which makes the devil evil, and therefore it is more evil itself than even the devil. Consider, (2.) That sin is most contrary to the rational nature. Right rea son condemns it ; and no reason approves it, but as blinded and pre judiced. It degrades men, and makes them like beasts, the filthiest of beasts, dogs and swine, 2 Pet. ii. 22; more beastly than the beasts themselves ; Isa. i. 3, " The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib ; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider." Thus the wicked man is a vile man, though never so honourable. Psalm xv. 4. Hence it is, that although there are some who glory in their shame, yet sin is such a work of darkness, that no person ordinarily is disposed to father the monstrous brat. Con sider, (3.) That sin is the deformity of the soul. That is the seat of sin, which is the noblest part of man. But it is the deformity of that part; and the corruption of what is the best is certainly the worst evil. Even a deformity in the face is worse than in another part ; a bloody man on a throne is worse than such a person on a dunghill. Thus the ill of sin appears in what it does to the soul ; it defaces God's image there, and so mars its beauty ; Psalra xiv. 3, " They are all gone aside, they are altogether become filthy ; there is none that doth good, no not one." No running sore, canker, or gangrene, is comparable to it, for these do but prey on the body, sin on the soul. It makes men unlike God, and like the devil. God is holy, just, and good; the devil is unholy and wicked; and so is the sinner going on in his sin. It makes a person like the devil, as a child is to his father, John viii. 44, therefore both go to one place in the end ; Matth. xxv. 41, " Then shall he say also unto them on his left hand. Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, pre pared for the devil and his angels." Consider, (4.) That sin is a hereditary evil, and these are the worst of evils, the hardest to be cured. We were born with it ; Psalm li. 5, " Be hold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." It is woven into our very natures, it cannot be taken away without a miracle of grace ; even such a power is necessary as is required in raising the dead, and quickening them. The whole man must be born again, new moulded, new framed, ere the person can depart from iniquity. Consider, (5.) That sin is the mother of all those evils- which ever were, are, or shall be; the teeming womb of all mischief. What cast the 48 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY. angels out of heaven, Adam out of Paradise ? What deluged the old world, and burned Sodom ? It was sin. Of all the evils on soul and body to which man is liable, sin leads the van. Behold how death, in numberless shapes, has overflowed the world ! What a flood of miseries is overflowing mankind, kingdoms, churches, fa milies, persons, souls, bodies ! What has opened the sluice of these ? Rom. V. 12, affords the answer, " Wherefore as by one man sin en tered into the world, and death by sin ; so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." There is never a sigh nor a groan in this world, under any hardship whatsoever, but it rises from the sting of this serpent ; and it has filled hell with groans which will last for ever. Consider, (6.) That where sin is removed in its guilt and power, the great est evils cannot harm us; 2 Pet. iii. 13, "And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good ?" Diseases, crosses, death itself, without it, is like a serpent without a sting, 1 Cor. XV. 55, 56. The severe lashes of the just judge of heaven and earth, are turned into the rods of a loving father. Psalm Ixxxix. 31, 32. Death is but the falling asleep, and dying only the shadow of death. Nay, they shall do us good ; Rom. viii. 28, " And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Out of the most dark, troubled, and confounding case, God will raise a beauti ful frame. Every stone cast at them shall be a precious stone, sanctified for their good. Consider, (7.) That whatever sin is in force, it not only strengthens othef evils, but blasts and poisons all that good which a person enjoys. It not only arms diseases, death, and hell, against a man, but turns his very blessings into curses ; Mai. ii. 2, " If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings; yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart." In all the enjoyments and comforts of a sinner out of Christ, there is death in the pot. One man's crosses ruin him, another man's prosperity ensnares him, and proves his ruin Prov. xxx. 8, 9. Kay, the very means of grace are a savour of death unto death unto some, 2 Cor. ii. 16. What is the reason why sin poisons the fountain ? Thus, be the waters sweet or bitter, they are killing. Consider, (8,) That sin is the most painful aud tormenting evil, when once the pain of it is raised, and the poison begins sensibly to operate ; Prov. xviii. 14, " The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity ; but a wounded spirit who can bear ?" It is true, that it is so long in THE DUTY OF ALL, iStC. 49 working with some, that it may never thus work till in hell they lift up their eyes ; but 0 how dreadful must it then be I Conscience is a tender part ; and this, sin torments. What torment was Cain in, when his conscience got upon him ! It made Felix tremble, Belshazzar's knees to smite one against another ; it involved Judas in utter despair, so as to make away with himself. See Job xx. 12 — 16. Consider, (9.) That sin is a most deadly evil ; Rom. vi, 23, " The wages of sin is death." It brought temporal death into the world ; and the body of man, which by its creation was not liable to death, it made mortal. But more than this, it is the cause of spiritual death. It kills the soul, separating it from God and communion, with him, and makes many a man dead while he lives, so that his living body is but a coffin to a dead soul, Eph. ii. 1. And, finally, it brings on eternal death. Consider, (10.) That sin is a most infectious evil. No plague nor pestilence is so dangerous. Many persons, in times of a raging plague, have been preserved. But as for the plague of sin, when once it seized Eve, she infected Adam, and he all his posterity. And now the world is a pest-house, where not one is quite free. Some are under the cure of grace, and in the way of recovery; but the most part are pining away in their iniquity, and every one of thera infecting another more and more; Eccl. ix. 18, " One sinner destroys much good." This one sinner may have the blood of many at his door, whom he has ruined by his advice, carelessness, and evil example. Consider, (11.) That the giving up of a sinner to sin, is the concluding stroke which God gives him, so that it is the worst thing a person can meet with. Here I would have you more particularly to con sider, — that when God in wrath gives a man over in this life, he leaves him, and gives him up to his sin. God deals with sinners to part with their sins, they will not ; God's offers are slighted, then, as in Psalm Ixxxi. 12, " He gives them up to their own hearts' lust ; and they walk in their own counsels." He is at much pains with them by providences and ordinances, but nothing does with them ; then in anger he gives them over : Ezek. xxiv. 13, " In thy filthi ness is lewdness ; because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest on thee." Thus, " Ephraim is joined to his idols, let hira alone," Hos. iv. 17. Of the heathen world it is said, " For this cause God gave thera up to vile affections," Rom. i. 26. We read of one who was given up to the devil, that he was again recovered. But where flnd ye a man given up to himself, to his lusts, reclaimed? Wherefore better be given up to the devil, 50 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITY than to sin. Fearful sentence ! " Let him that is filthy be filthy still." Consider, when at death the impenitent sinner is carried out of the world into the pit, there is no more endeavours to sepa rate betwixt him and his sin. In life he would depart from God, and so his doom is, " Depart from me, ye cursed." Then his sins are left to prey upon his soul for ever ; no more pardon, no more sanctification ; Prov. xiv. 32, " The wicked is driven away in his wickedness." God strives with the man in life to part hira and his sins, but he will not part from them ; so the whirlwind of death rises, and carries both away together to the pit. Consider, (12.) When God has brought in all his elect to himself, and the last man of them has left the tents of sin, then shall the world be at an end. The sheep shall be separated from the goats, the sinners driven away in their wickedness to hell; this world defiled by sin shall be burnt up ; and they, and sin, with all its effects, shut up in hell for ever. Rev. xx. 14, 15. Then shall there be new heavens and a new earth, but no sin there, 2 Pet. iii. 13. It shall be settled in hell for ever, as on its own base. Sin must be an evil, a great evil : For, 4. If you will continue in sin, of all things Satan loves most to have it so. It gratifies the enemy of mankind most ; and this in two things, on which he is most particularly set. (1.) The dishonour of God. Satan is a rebel against God, who has not the smallest hopes of peace, and is utterly desperate, there fore rages and maliciously sets himself against God, sinning against God himself, and tempting men to sin and continue in it, that he may have the satisfaction of their dishonouring God, and despising his Son ; thus grieving his Spirit, and trampling ou his laws. Satan is set upon, (2,) The ruin of souls; 1 Pet. v. 8, "Be sober, be vigilant; be cause your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." He loves to keep them in subjection to himself, that he may reign freely in their hearts, which will be as long as they are under the dominion of sin; and to have them com panions with him in eternal misery ; which he is sure to accomplish if he can keep them in their sins. I come now to Mot. 2. To prevail with you in departing from iniquity, observe this is necessary from your belonging to God, your departing from sin. Whoso are his, infallibly do depart from iniquity, whatever others do. This has been proved before. — Now, upon this consider, the weight that lies here, whether a person belongs to God or not. Ton need to have this cleared, whose you are, whether the Lord's people or not. For consider. THE DUTY OF ALL, &C. 51 (1.) Tour state for time turns upon this point. All the world is divided into two parties ; one belonging to God by covenant and de dication, Heb. viii. 10 ; another to Satan, the god of this world, 2 Cor. iv. 4. See them distinguished, 1 John v. 19, " And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness." The one is the family of heaven, the other Satan's family. If you be long to the former, yon are justified, adopted, all is yours, and ye are Christ's. If to the latter, ye are in a state of wrath and en mity against God. Consider, (2.) Tour state for eternity turns upon this point. If ye be the Lord's, ye shall be for ever happy with him. Tour names will be found written in the book of life. If not, your names will not be found there ; and see the doom of such ; Rev. xx. 15, " And whoso ever was not found written in the book of life, was cast into the lake of fire." Tou shall infallibly evidence, by your departing from iniquity, that you are the Lord's, Rev. xiv. 1 — 5. Sanctifica tion is an infallible proof of election and justification, and an in fallible pledge of glorification. It is a middle link of the indis soluble chain which begins with election and ends with glorification, Rom. viii. 29, 30 ; Thess. ii. 13. The spirit of holiness is God's seal upon them that are his, by which they come to be owned and discerned to be his ; Eph. i. 13, " In whom also, after that ye be lieved, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." But as long as you depart not from sin, it is a positive evidence that you be long not to God by accepting of the covenant, Jer. xxxii. 30. Tour cleaving to sin is an evidence you are not united to Christ, and you can have no positive concluding evidence that you belong to God by election. It is but at best a peradventure it may be. And as always the longer that a person continues in sin, there are less the hopes of his recovery, so there is the less probability of his belonging to the elec tion of grace. And if you die in your sin, it will be beyond dispute, that you do not belong to God at all. Depart, then, from iniquity, as ever you would have any concern for shewing yourselves to be the Lord's. Upon this let me ask you. Is it a matter of indifference to you whether you be the Lord's or not ? Truly this is the language of souls careless about their salva tion, and particularly about their sanctification. It is declared to you, that all who are the Lord's depart from iniquity. Tet you are careless about your departing from it. This speaks your indifference. I would further ask you, can you ever be happy if you be not the Lord's ? How can you live without his favour, living on his ground, and at his cost ? Acts xvii. 25, " He giveth to all, life and breath, and all things." How can you think to look the king of terrors in 52 DEPARTING PROM INIQUITY the face,witbout the favour ofthe King of heaven, which you can never have, while you do not depart from iniquity ? Rom. i. 18, " For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness." I would ask you, lastly. Is it not a miserable offence against your own souls, to dispute away any saving relation betwixt God and you ? Every new disobedience to this heavenly charge, is a new argument against yourselves, that you are not his. This charge in the gospel is addressed to all to whom the gospel comes ; it is like a fanning wind separating the Avheat from the chaff. By it the grace of God brings away the elect out of the tents of sin, leaving others to perish there. What a dismal thought, then, is it to be left, time after time, in iniquity I I come now to urge the 3. And last motive, which is, that obligation which is lying on those who name the name of Christ to depart from iniquity. The Christian profession obliges all who make it to be holy, and to walk as Christians. And here I would consider, 1st, The obligation which lies on all to depart from sin who name the name of Christ, who are Christians by profession, as we all are. 2dfe/, The obligation which specially lies on communicants. I would consider, 1st, The obligation which lies on all to depart from sin who name the name of Christ, who are Christians by profession, as we all are. Here consider, 1. That your baptism in the name of the Holy Trinity, by which you were to be engaged to renounce the devil, the world, and the flesh, and to obey the Lord Jesus, Matth. xxviii. 19, 20. This is a seal of God's covenant, to which you have thereby consented. And since you bear the badge of Christianity, you ought to live Christian and holy lives. And God will treat you as covenant-breakers if you do not. Consider, 2. The author of your profession, from whom you take your name ; Acts xi. 26, " And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch." From Christ we are called Christians. And pity it is that ever those who profess Christ should be called by the names of sin ful and wicked raen. Tou know those who are named for men, are so named, because they are followers of them. And so the name Christian signifies a follower of Christ, one who follows that way which Christ taught. Now, consider him, the Apostle and High- Priest of our profession Jesus Christ, Heb. iii. 1. What was the author of your profession ? He was holy, Heb. vii. 26. His name is a name of holiness : anointed of God, for a Prophet, Priest, and King. A Christian indeed partakes of the anointing of the Holy THE DUTY OP ALL, &C. 53 Spirit : " Te have an unction from the Holy One," 1 John ii. 20. They are made kings and priests unto God and his Father, Rev. i. 6. Now, how does a sinful life agree Avith the holy name, example and doctrine of Christ ? Cotisider, 3. The faith and religion you profess. Surely the principles of our religion are holy, and teach ns to depart from iniquity, and give no allowance to live in sin. Even reason says, raen ought not to give, nor can they rationally live, in contradiction to their profession and its principles. Other religions allow something sinful, but the Christian religion, proceeding from him who is holiness and truth itself, condemns every even the least evil ; and therefore Christians by their profession are obliged to depart from iniquity. Consider, Lastly, The end of your faith and profession, the way to which it directs, namely, heaven, which is a holy place. The gospel has dis covered life and immortality, 2 Tim. i. 10. A happy state after this life, where holiness is perfected, Heb. xii. 23. And meanwhile it directs to a life agreeable to this holy and happy state ; for it " teaches to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world," Tit. ii. 12. Have you no hopes, no expectations of heaven ? If you have, surely you ought to depart from iniquity ; for it cannot be expected that that holy place is for dogs and swine, for such as are strangers to holi ness here. ^dly, I would consider the obligations to depart from iniquity which lie on communicants in a special manner. Tou have in a very solemn manner named the holy name of Jesus, by partaking of the sacrament of our Lord's body and blood. Let this then engage you to depart from iniquity. Consider, 1. That these additional vows of God are upon you to depart from iniquity. Tou have lifted up your hand to God, and you cannot go back. The terms of the Christian life were told you, and you have, after deliberation, engaged yourselves to the Lord. Beware that after vows you begin to make inquiry, Luke ix. 62. Consider, 2. That religion will be wounded by you if you do not depart from iniquity ; Rom. ii. 24, " For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you." Tou will be accounted betrayers of Christ, for you will give false testimony against his way in favour of sin, as if you had tried the way of religion, and after trial found cause to cast it off. And therefore, as you would not more than ever dishonour the Lord and his way, depart from iniquity. Con sider, 3. That yon will be great losers if you do not depart from iniquity. Tou will lose all the pains which you have been at in religion : 2 54 DEPARTING FROM INIQUITT John 8, " Look to yourselves that we lose not those things which we have wrought." It may be, you have been at some pains to get something, and have done much in the way of God, bnt one thing lacking will mar all. Tou will lose your souls, for it is only they who depart from iniquity, so as never to return to it, that are saved : " He that endureth to the end shall be saved." Backsliding is most dangerous : Heb. x. 48, " If any man draw back, my soul," says God, " shall have no pleasure in him." The very setting off once in the Lord's way obliges to hold forward. They can never sin at such a cheap rate as before ; heavier vengeance abides backsliders, and a fall from heaven's threshold is worst of all. Now, the Lord is saying to the sinners in Zion, as Jerem. vi. 8, " Be thou instructed, 0 Jerusalem ! lest my soul depart from thee ; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited." He is threatening to depart from the generation, since they will not depart from ini quity ; and sad will the departure be : Hosea ix. 12, " Woe also be to them when I depart from them." There are three sad conse quences of God's departure when provoked to it, with which we are threatened this day. — There is, (1.) Confusion in the church, the breaking of the staves of beauty and bands. There is a melancholy account of this consequence of the Lord's departure. Rev. viii. 7, 8. We have already felt the for mer, and were threatened with the Lord's making, in his wrath, the whole mountain of his house, a burning mountain with the fire of di vision. A sad sight it will be, come when it will, however fond of it many have appeared. Zion's work will be heavy work, when Zion's builders are, by the Lord's anger, made like Babel builders. — There is, (2.) Calamity in the state. Many perhaps would little value what should become of the church, if they might otherwise live at ease. But God's departure from a generation often brings nations into the deepest perplexity and distress, 2 Chron. xv. 3 — 6. When God departs from a generation to see what their end will be, it will be a sad end, Deut. xxii. 19, 20. There is, (3.) The ruin of many souls and bodies also. When God so leaves a generation, there are many snares for the soul. Confusion in the church brings deadness and darkness on, and makes havoc of the case of many sonls. Calamity in the state, which removes peace far away, tends always to the ruining of temporal concerns, and often of men's souls concerns also. 0 then depart from iniquity, as ever you would that God should not depart from you, nor from the generation ! Our iniquities are the Achans in the camp which trouble us ; the Jonah in our ship THE DUTY OP ALL, &0. 55 which threatens to raise the storm. God has been long calling by hia word and providence to us to depart from iniquity, and reform. But, instead of this, the generation has been filling up the cup of their iniquity, and want by some one thing or other to make it rnn over. But whatever befal us, departing from sin will be your secu rity ; Isaiah iii. 10, " Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him ; for they shall eat the fruit of their doings." God's way is the only way of safety ; Prov. x. 9, " He that walketh uprightly walketh surely, but he that perverteth his ways shall be known." And a good conscience will be a feast in midst of trouble, 2 Cor. i. 12. Whereas an evil conscience, made such by continuing in sin, will be a bad companion at any time, more especially in the evil day. If any should propose this Question, What shall we do that we may depart from iniquity ? I answer. Impress your spirits with your own sinfulness. Consider your sinful nature. Psalm li. 5, " Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." Observe how it spreads itself through the whole of your hearts and lives ; Isaiah Ixiv. 6, " But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags ; and we do all fade as a leaf ; and our iniquities as the whirlwind have taken us away." How contrary is it to God's nature and law, how inconsistent with your interests for time and eternity ! Make application to Christ by faith for its removal. To his blood to remove the guilt of sin, 1 John i. 7. To his Spirit to break the power of it, and to sanctify you. Faith is the great mean of sanctification ; " Purifying their hearts by faith," Acts xv. 9. We exhort you. Lastly, To watch. Be ever on your watch-tower. Tour spiritual enemies are still about your hands. Watch, therefore, against all occasions, temptations, and appearances of evil. Improve the sea son of duties. Study to be always doing good, and so your hand will be filled with other work. When departing from evil you will do good, you will seek peace, and pursue it earnestly. Amen. 56 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION.* SERMON V . Deut. v. 29, 0 that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them and with their children for ever. That dreadful appearance which God made on mount Sinai, in the giving of the law, and that effect it had upon the Israelites, Moses here puts them in mind of. When the Lord spoke with a great and terrible voice out of the darkness and fire, the people were affrighted, and they see their absolute need of a mediator, and therefore desire Moses Avould mediate betwixt God and them ; and in this event they promise all obedience. The Lord gives his verdict concerning this, which consists of two parts. 1. That the words were very good. If words could have proved them saints, they would have been among the foremost. If promises could have passed for performances, they had wanted neither faith nor good works ; ver. 28, " They have well said all that they have spoken." They have said two things ; (1.) They had desired a mediator, ver. 27, " Go thou near," said they to Moses, " and hear all that the Lord our God shall say ; and speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee, and we will hear it and do it." They saw so much of the majesty of God, and of their own sinfulness, that they beg of God he would not deal with them immediately, but by a mediator ; and this was the great end in giving the law on mount Sinai, and that with so much terror, Deut, xviii. 15. — 18. (2.) They promised obedience, that they would take the law out of Moses' mouth, and perform it ; that they would no less highly esteem it as coming by his hand, than if God should thunder it with the greatest terror into their ears. What could look liker faith and obedience, according to the Old Testament dispensation ? What could look liker accepting of the great Mediator in all his offices, according to that dispensation of the covenant, wherein types and figures of him who was to come did so much abound ? How ready seem they to sit down at the feet of a prophet and learn ? * This and the following discourses were delivered in 1709. WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 57 So that upon this the Lord promised Christ under that very notion, Deut. xviii. 18. How plainly do they take with guilt, and stand as criminals who have nothing to say on their own defence, acknow ledge their need, and profess their desire of an intercessor, being unable to stand before the Lord without a shelter, or on their own legs. How readily do they subject themselves to the laws of their King, and stoop to take on his yoke without any exception whatso ever ? Bnt all is not gold that glitters, the heart of man seldom holds foot with the tongue. 2. The other part of the verdict follows in the text ; " 0 that there were such an heart in them!" By which he discovers their hypocrisy, and precipitancy, their tongues running before their hearts in their engaging themselves to the Lord. The Lord speaks thus after the manner of men, so that they who would hence conclude, that man's will by nature is such, as that it is of himself flexible, either to spiritual good or evil, while the Lord stands by as an idle spectator, and puts to no hand of power, may as well conclude, that God hath eyes and hands of flesh, and that he who is not the son of Man that he should repent, and with whom there is no variableness, may even with propriety repent as to what he has done. Inefficacious wishing, properly understood, argues imperfection. (Hebrew, who will give their heart to be such in them ?) Now, it is certain, God can give such a heart; Ezek. xxxvi. 26, " A new heart also will I give you." And if he will do it, Avho can hinder him ? Job xi. 10. — This declaration therefore imports, (1.) That such an heart was not in them, for all their fair words and high pretences ; that though they looked well out wardly, yet within they were naught. They had learned to speak better than they were wont ; but though they had got the new tongue, they had but the old heart still; Deut. xxix. 4, "Tet the Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, uuto this day." When they Avere in Egypt, they were sunk into stupidity, the instructions of the patriarchs had worn out of their minds, they had almost forgotten their fall in Adam, and what sin was ; and though God had made the promise to Abraham, yet they were now grown proud and secure. And though sin, and also death, were reigning over them, yet being without the law, to evidence sin and death to their consciences, they would not charge themselves with it, and so found no need of a Mediator, Rom. V. 13 — 20. But now the law being proolaimed with so great terror, laid their peacock-feathers a little; bnt though they had more knowledge of their sin and misery than before, yet they had still the old heart. This declaration imports. Vol. X. E 58 the inward frame should correspond (2.) That such an heart should have been in thera, it was their duty to have it, God required it of them: "Make to yourselves a new heart." God requires the conformity of the heart, as well as of the conversation, to his will. It imports, (3.) That the want of such an heart was a dead fly in all their en gagements, which made all the ointment to stink ; " 0 that there were such an heart in them !" The chief thing is wanting still, they have not yet brought up their heart to their work. It imports, (4.) The great excellency and worth of such an heart. The Lord speaks honourably of it, as that which would bear weight in the ba lance of the sanctuary. It is pleasing to the Lord, it is God's de light; they want only this to make them happy. For illustrating this subject, we shall propose and consider the following doctrines. Doctrine I. That men often make what ought to be the most so lemn transactions with the Lord about their souls' concerns, but solemn trifling with him. Doctrine II. That a heart sincerely and suitably corresponding with the profession of a covenanting people, is a most valuable and excellent thing. Doctrine III. That the work of covenanting with the Lord is slight work, when it is not heart work. Or, in other words, solemn covenanting with the Lord is but solemn trifling with him, when the work of covenanting is not heart work. We begin with Doctrine I. That men often make what ought to be the most so lemn transactions with the Lord about their souls' concerns, but solemn trifling with him. Never was there a more solemn transaction which men had with God than what was here. Their ears were filled with the noise of the thunder, the lightnings flashed in their eyes, they heard God hiraself speak, they were most express in covenanting with God ; all this time their hearts were not right with him, nor sound in his sta tutes. In discoursing from this doctrine, we propose, I. To shew how far a raan may go in transacting with, and engag ing himself to the Lord, and yet after all he may be bnt trifling. II. Shew wherein this trifling and slight work in such a weighty business doth appear. III. Point out how people come to turn such solemn work into mere trifling. IV. Apply the subject. We are, then, I. To shew how far a man may go in transacting with, and engag- WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 59 ing himself to the Lord, and yet after all he may be but trifling. Upon this head we observe, 1. That a person may formally and expressly covenant with God, to be the Lord's, and yet after all be but trifling with God. So did this people, ver. 27, (quoted above). A person may make a cove nant with God, both by word and writ, Avhen there is no such heart in hira, and the heart goes not along either with tongue or pen. It is an easy thing to say unto the Lord, that he shall be our God, but not easy to say it with the heart. The tongue is not always a faith ful interpreter of the heart, especially in these things. — We ob serve, 2. That a person may make a very full covenant with the Lord, and yet after all be but trifling. What exception was there in this, ver. 27, " All that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee, we will hear it and do it." How large a promise was this, Matth. viii. 19, " Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest." No doubt, had their hearts kept pace with their words, they had engaged to purpose. Had there been as few secret as there were open reserves, they had dealt honestly. — We observe, 3. That persons may even be morally serious in all this, thinking and resolving in the time to do as they say. It was not a season for gross dissimulation, nor to make a jest of transacting with the Lord anent soul-concerns, when the Lord was speaking out of the darkness and fire to them. Persons in this case are like those Avho trifle with merchants, in offering to bargain for their wares, out of mere simplicity and ignorance as to the worth of these wares, who, if they had matters set in their due light, would never once propose again so to bid for them. The foolish virgins saw not their lamps out till it was past time. — We observe, 4. That persons may do all this from a sense of their need of a Mediator. Thus did they in the text. What was it that brought this people to this ? Why, they had formerly engaged with a whole heart to be the Lord's : Exod. xix. 8, " And all the people answered together, and said. All that the Lord hath spoken, we will do." But now they fall more solemnly and seriously to work. God sets the mountain on flre for a tribunal of justice ; there is a trumpet whose voice waxes louder and louder ; by all which God doth, as it were, summon them to compear before him. There are dreadful thunder claps to carry the sentence of death to their hearts ; there are light nings, by the glancings of which they read the wrath of God against sinners. Tet they must not touch the mountain, lest they be con sumed, to teach them how sin had laid the bar as to access to God. This fills them with terror and fear of death, and now they feel E 2 60 the INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND the necessity of a mediator ; Exod. xx. 19, " And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear; bnt let not God speak with us, lest we die." And yet, after all, " 0 that there were such an heart in them !" We are now, II. To shew wherein this trifling and slight trork in such a weighty business does appear. (1.) It appears in persons engaging themselves to the Lord, Avith- out being at pains to prepare themselves, and bring up their hearts to the duty. 0 what a light thing do most people make of cove nanting with God ! It is but the saying of a word in prayer ; and this is soon said. It is but taking the sacrament ; and this is soon done. In the meantime, the heart, like Abraham's ass, is left at the foot of the hill ; Gen. xxii. 5, Matt. xv. 8, " This people draAveth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honour- eth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." They are strangers to God who are strangers to heart-work. They who find no difficulty in bringing their hearts to duties, do not bring them to them at all. The true Christian finds much difficulty in this. " I find," says Paul, " a law that when I would do good, evil is present with me." It is but trifling to give the hand to the Lord, while the heart is far from any due concern about the business, and from that solemn seriousness requisite to get it rightly managed. This appears, (2.) When people engage themselves to the service of the Lord, but do not give their hearts to hira. Many engage with the Lord, as a married servant with a master ; the master is to get his service, but another has his heart; Jer. xii. 2, "Thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins." The heart may remain glued to lusts, while tho soul pretends to be engaging itself to the Lord ; and if it Avere not so, there wonld not be such a sad account of many who covenant Ayith God. This is but to trifle with God, who requires the heart, or nothing; Prov xxiii. 26, " My sou, give me thine heart." Jer. xxx. 21, " For who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me ? saith the Lord." It is an ill-made second marriage, when there is neither the death of, nor a divorce from the flrst hus band. There is no right engaging with the Lord, but where the soul forsakes all others for him, and the heart takes up its eternal rest in Christ. This trifling appears, (3.) When people have any secret reserves in their closing with Christ, as is the case when the heart is not well content to take Christ with whatsoever may follow this choice : Luke xiv. 26, " If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife. WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 61 and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." There is none make right work here, but those who, weighing all things, are content to put a blank in Christ's hand, saying, " Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do?" Acts ix. 6. They do but trifle Avho have their right hand sins which they wish not cut off, for they will in this case mar the bargain ; and also those who cannot digest that tribulation which is in the way to the kingdom. No cross, no crown. That heart Avhich is not reconciled to the cross, is not such an heart as is required. This trifling ap pears, (4.) When people overlook the Mediator in their covenant of peace with God, but transact with God for peace and pardon without respect to the atoning blood of Christ. It is natural to all raen to come immediately to God without a Mediator ; Exod. xix. 8, " And all the people answered together, and said. All that the Lord hath spoken, we will do." They are thus for coming without a Mediator, till the terror of God correct their rashness, and they see what a consuming fire God is, and that, if they would be safe, they must come to him under the covert of Christ's wings. If a soul sincerely desires to come to God, the first person to which they must go, is to Christ, the secretary of heaven. For " by him we have access into . that grace wherein we stand," Rom. v. 2. And he is " the Mediator of the new covenant," Heb, xii. 24. God out of Christ is a consum ing fire. But there are beasts that will touch the mountain, though they be thrust through with a dart. Would you transact with God a covenant of reconciliation? then go to him on the mercy-seat? not the seat of mercy merely for mercy's sake, such a mercy-seat has no being in heaven, but only in the vain imaginations of men on earth ; but to the mercy-seat for Christ's sake, where mercy is abundantly distributed with the cordial consent of justice : 2 Cor. v. 19. " To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." It is to God as vailed with flesh, that the guilty can only approach ; otherwise it is but trifling. For Jesus is " the way, and no man cometh to the Father but by him," John xiv. 6. (5.) This is turned into solemn trifling with God, by people's not taking Christ for all, but only for making up that of which they may come short ; thus endeavouring to patch up a garment of their own righteousness and of his together. Thus many think to please God^ by doing what they can to fulfil the law, and looking to Christ to make up that of which they come short. It was forbidden, under the law, to wear a garment of divers sorts of woollen and linen together And they will find themselves befooled, who will adventure their 62 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND salvation on this party-coloured garment : Gal. iii. 12, " And the law is not of faith ; but the man that doth them shall live in them." A garment pieced up of sundry sorts of righteousness, is not meet for the court of heaven. That heart which would share the glory betwixt Christ and the man himself, is not right with God, and will be left to its own weight. — This trifling appears, (6.) By persons making a covenant of works with Christ; the tenor thereof is, that if Christ will save their souls, they shall serve him as long as they live. If Christ will give them wages, they will give him work. If he will pay their debt, they shall be his servants, while they have breath in them. And upon this, men may take the sacrament to bind them the faster. And thus, I fear, many make sad work at sacraments and other ordinances. That this is but solemn trifling with God, appears, if ye consider, that this is a cove nant^ which hath no warrant in the word of God, and therefore Christ will never set his seal to it, though we should seal it with our blood. It is quite opposite to the covenant of grace ; the design of which is to draw the sinner into the debt of free grace, and to set the crown only on Christ's head, Rom. iv. 14 — 16, and xi. 6. The coA'enant of grace, is an everlasting covenant ; once in, never out : Isa. , Iv. 3, " I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David." Bnt this is a tottering covenant, broken every day. This is a servile coA'enant, to give Christ service for salvation. The other is a filial covenant, where the soul takes Christ and salva tion freely offered, and so is a son : " For to as many as believed on him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, John, i. 11. Therefore, they do not serve, that they may get the inheri tance ; but because the inheritance is theirs, therefore they serve. Gal. iv. 24. and downwards. To take hold of God's covenant, is for a poor empty-handed sinner to come and live freely on Christ ; this is to come and buy from hira. In order to bring this charge home, I shall mention some evidences of the above practice. — Such as, (1.) Persons looking upon, and making use of the sacrament only as seals of their vows, and not as seals of God's promises. I do not say but the sacrament is a seal, to seal our engagement to be the Lord's; but this is but the one half, and even the least half as I take it, 1 Cor. x. 16. Why then do people so overlook this, bujj because, not being shaken out of themselves, they look more to the confirming of their resolutions, than their faith and communion with Christ in his fulness ? (2,) A second evidence is, persons^coming to the Lord in this ordi nance, rather to engage themselves to duties, than to get strength for the performance of them. WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 63 (3.) A third evidence is, persons drawing their peace and comfort rather from their duties, and the performance of that to which they have engaged, than what Christ makes over to sinners in the cove nant of grace. It was not so with David, for the covenant itself was all his salvation, and all his desire, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. But when the other works, he expects his wages ; when he fails, he has no hope, as one who has broken covenant with Christ. But, when the true covenanter fails in his duty, yet all that his soul depended upon still remains a covenanted righteousness ; all that he trusted to for his duties also remains, to wit, covenanted strength, Rom. vii. 24, 25, and viii. 1. And so there is new application for covenant-bene fits ; whereas when many fail in their covenant, all is gone, and it must be made over again, ere he can have any new footing. This trifling appears, when, 7. Persons lay hold on Christ with a faith of which the mighty power of God was not at the forming, Eph. i. 19 ; but is merely the product of a person's natural faculties. Most men's faith is like wild oats, that grow up without the labour ofthe husbandman. They come too easily to it to make any sure work by it. The evil heart of un belief is not so easily shaken off as raen imagine. Those who flnd no difficulty, do but trifle and beat the air ; if the work were heartily plied, it would not be so easy. We now proceed, III. To inquire how people come to turn such solemn work into trifling. They do so, 1. Because they have no due consideration of the worth and pre- ciousness of their souls, they do not suitably value the great salva tion ; Matth. xxii. 5, " But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, and another to his merchandise." Men will not trifle in matters which appear to them of great concern. But men who do not duly value their souls will venture them on they know not what. But who considers eternity, and the weight which lies on the soul's transacting with God ? If men had eternity in their eye, and were transacting as for eternity, communicating for eternity, they would act in another manner, and not thus trifle in so important a business. They do so, 2. Because they know not what a God they have to do with, they think that he is altogether such a one as themselves. Psalm 1. 21. Men transact in their duties with they know not whom, and there fore they know not what ; Joshua xxiv. 19, " And Joshua said unto the people, Te cannot serve the Lord ; for he is an holy God, he is a jealous God, he will not forgive your transgressions, nor your sins." When people have mean thoughts of God, they are ready to think any little thing may serve him. They thus trifle. 64 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND 3. Because they know not their own hearts, and their deceits; Jer. xvii. 9, " The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked ; who can know it ? There are many secret biases there, to which they do not advert. Men may be hypocrites, aud not know themselves to be such. The heart has a depth of deceit, which is not easy to fathom, which will make men say, with Saul, I have per formed the commandment of the Lord, while, after all, the bleating of the sheep will discover the deceit. They thus trifle, 4. Because sin has never been made bitter enough to them. It is hard to wean us from the love of lusts, if the breasts of them be not laid over with gall and wormwood. We must dig deep, and build upon the rock. Where the fallow ground is not plowed up, there will be a sowing among thorns, Jer. iv. 3. The consent of many to take Christ, such as it is, is too lightly win to be solid. — They thus trifle, 5. Because they are hasty and indeliberate in their engaging. They fall a-bnilding ere they count the cost, Matth. xiv. 25. ; what is rashly done, is but slightly done in this matter. He that would make sure work, must lay his account beforehand with what he may meet with in the Lord's way. Then, meet with what they will, they will not be offended. — They thus trifle, 6. Because they have never got a sufficient discovery of their own utter weakness and insufficiency. They think they have a stock, and therefore may trade with it, and are very ready to undertake, though their heart will certainly misgive in the performance. This is build ing ou the old foundation of nature ; whereas, there will never be sure work, till this foundation be razed. If any man will come after Jesus, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow him. It only remains that, IV. We make some application. This doctrine may help us to see the reason why so many return with the dog to his vomit. There is an error in the first concoction. That you may beware of this, Ave would exhort you, to make sure work in your transacting with the Lord. 0 do not trifle in so importaDt a concern I To guard you ef fectually against this, consider the following things. Consider, this is to put, so far as you can, a solemn cheat on the great God : Gal. vi. 7, " Be not deceived, God is not mocked ; for whatsoever a man soAveth, that shall he also reap- " It is a danger ous thing to mock God. His all-seeing eye knows how you deal with him, and can penetrate through all your pretences. Consider. 2. It is to put a solemn cheat on your own souls ; you thus deceive your own souls. If you trifle with God, you will find at length a sad disappointment; Isa. .1 11, " Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 65 compass yourselves about with sparks ; walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand ; ye shall lie down in sorrow." As ye sow, ye will reap. Sow the wind of hypocrisy, and you will reap the whirlwind of wrath. 3. Consider the weight ofthe matter; the salvation or damnation of the soul is no small business; if you manage it right, you may get your salvation sealed ; if not, see Luke xiv. 24, " For I say unto you, that none of those men which were bidden, shall taste of my supper." 4. Consider, if you thus trifle with God in this matter, you will be discovered. The man without the wedding-garment was soon found out. Tou will not hold right to the end ; you will return to the vomit ; your latter end will be worse than your beginning. Consider, 5. That you have a deceitful heart ; it is necessary to be sure with it ; it will soon give you the slip, and break the bonds, if they be slightly put on. Consider, Lastly, If you make sure work, you will find the eternal advan tage of it. All the blessings of the covenant will be your portion. Tou may get a feast ; " To this man will I look, saith the Lord, who is of an humble and contrite spirit, and who trembleth at my word.'' I shall close with the following short Directions : — Set about the work of self-examination. Inquire particularly at your hearts, whether they be willing to take Christ, and renounce all other lovers, and to take him wholly, only, and everlastingly. Pray that God may examine you, and discover yourselves to your selves ; lay yourselves open to self-searching. Lastly, Put your hearts into the Lord's hand, as sensible that in yours they will mis carry. " Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass." THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED. SERMON V. Deut. v. 29, 0 that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might he well with them, arid with their children for ever. Tou have been this day avouching the Lord to be your God. Tou have all had an offer of Christ, and there was none heard tell of 66 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND protesting against him ; nay, did not your hearts say within you. Even so I take him ? Many of you have, before angels and men, sealed a covenant with him this day, and we may report to the Lord, that you have said you are content to be his. 0 that there were such an heart in you, all would be well ! Having, in the preceding discourse, offered all that we intend from the first doctrine, Ave now proceed to Doctrine II. That a heart sincerely and suitably correspondingwith the profession of a covenanting people, is a most valuable and ex cellent thing. Here I shall, I. Shew what a heart such a heart is. II, Make it appear, that such a heart is a most valuable thing. I. We are to shew what a heart such a heart is ; and on this head, the particulars shall be mostly taken out of the context. We observe, 1. That such an heart is a heart that has got a view of the majesty and glorious perfections of that God with whom we have to do : Deut. v. 24, " And he said, Behold the Lord our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire ; we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth." The eye saw this ; all would have been right, if the glory of the Lord had thus "shined in their hearts. An unenlightened heart in the knowledge of the Lord looks so like hell, and unlike heaven, that it cannot be such a heart. A dark heart will make a dark confused conversation. There is no right worshipping of an unknown God. This view of the Lord's glory is necessary. Moses desired it, Exod. xxxiii. ; and all get it in a greater or less degree : 2 Cor. iii. 18, " But we all beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." If ye have seen the King in his glory, and his train filling the temple, it is a token of good. But, alas ! many see the chair of state, who be hold not the King sitting in it. 2. It is a heart filled with the fear of God. " 0 that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me." Indeed they pro fessed it, and they had a tolerably sufficient measure of it, had it been but of the right stamp, and had it got leave to have soaked kindly into their hearts. But, alas ! it was only like a scud of rain, violent in the time, but wetting only the surface of the ground, and soon dried up. But 0 for such a heart as would fear always! notwith- a slavish distrustful fear, but a filial reverential fear, a fear of cir cumspection. Such a heart as would keep the eye upon the majesty of AVITH TIIE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 67 the Lord, Avould promise to keep right : Heb. xii. 28, " Wherefore, we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear." A heart wanting this, will be like an unruly horse without a bridle ; Prov. xxv. 28, " He that hath no rule over his own spirit, is like a city that is broken down, and without walls." 3. It is a humble heart. 0 how humble did they seem to be now under the sense of their own sinfulness, and the holiness of that God with whom they had to do ! A heart humbled indeed is a va luable blessing. When Christ lances the swelling of the heart, and lets out the filthy stuff of pride and self-conceit, makes the man low in his own eyes, he is even preparing a house for himself on earth ; for the Lord " dwells with hira who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the heart of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones," Isa. Ivii. 15. They durst not go near the moun tain to touch it, they looked as they would rather have rolled them selves among the dust of the Lord's feet. " 0 that there were such an heart in them !" The honest heart is shaken out of self-confidence, for a right sight of the Lord in his glory, and of our own vileness, go always together ; Isa. vi. 5, " Then said I, Woe is me, for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips ; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." 4. It is a heart filled with wonder at the goodness of God, his con descension and patience towards sinners, vers. 24 and 26. That soul will wonder that God should ever have come in speaking- terras with vile man ; that ever anything should have proceeded out of his mouth, but arrows dipped in the vinegar of the curse, to have slain the traitors outright. And will God thus indeed deal with man ? It will be the wonder of that soul, that God hath not consumed it, mingled its blood with its sacrifices, struck it dead at the communion-table. 0 how wonderful that they should have spoke with the Lord, and are yet alive ! .5 It is a heart convinced of the need of a Mediator, and resolved to employ him in all causes betwixt God and them, ver. 27- It is not every one that sees their need of Christ, and their need of an Advocate to go betwixt God and them. But he who has such a heart will look on hiraself, in himself, as dry stubble, as he looks on God as a consuming fire ; and all his own duties and attainments as a wall of dry boards which will not keep the fire from him, but increase it, and desire to have Christ betwixt them and a holy God, as a crystal wall, which may let through the light, but not the flames of that fire. His very name will be precious to that heart, 68 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND for it is " as ointment poured forth," Song i. 3. How sweet is the name of a Redeemer to a captive, and to a humbled sinner, one who may lay his hands on both ! 6. It is a heart taking the Lord only for their God. They pro fessed they would have no more to do with idols, though it was not long ere their hearts turned to their old bias : Exod. xxxii. 8, " They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them, they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, 0 Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." But such a heart renounces all other lovers, gives Christ's rivals their leave, and halts no more betwixt two opinions. If thou wouldst be perfect, sell all, that is, part with all but Christ. When a man gets such a heart, there is an extraordinary uproar made in the soul ; when it enters the man's breast, Satan cries as these, " They that turn the world up-side down, are come hither also." There is a strange over turning of thrones there. As when Christ and the gospel came into the world, the world, which before was wholly given to idolatry, then made great reformation ; oracles were struck dumb, idols were cast to the moles and to the bats ; so when the man gets such a heart, down goes the clay-god, the world, and Christ mounts the throne ; neither back nor belly must be gods longer to the man, king self loses his crown, which is put upon the head of Christ, and free grace. The heart, which was divided among many lusts before, enters now on Jesus, the beauty of the Upper house. 7- It is a heart for the Lord's work, ver. 27. It is a heart which inclines the man who has taken Christ's enlisting money to fight his battles; which willingly stoops to the yoke of Christ's command ments, and is set to walk in the way of obedience. It is a heart re conciled to the law of God ; the soul being married to Christ, may not be barren, but must bring forth fruit unto God. When the Lord charges the heart, the bullock is tamed, and accustomed to the yoke. To be more particular here, we observe, (1.) That it is a heart for universal obedience, ver. 27. It wishes to neglect none of God's commands, but to have respect to them all. Psalm cxix. 6. When the heart is straight, it makes the conversa tion uniform. The Lord's stamp on every duty recommends it to the care of such a heart. The heart naturally is like some servants who promise to do all at the bargain-making, but fail in the accom plishment, like the sluggard who will not plow because of ihe cold. But such a heart puts a blank in the Lord's hand, and makes no exceptions. Some sins lie nearer the heart than others, some a right eye, some but a left toe. The right eye must be plucked out ; WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION.' 69 thou must put to thine own hand to this hard work, it must be with thine OAvn consent. Amen, says such a heart ; let bosom-lusts yield to Christ. (2,) It is a heart for coustant obedience. They limit no time. Compare the text with John viii. 31, "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him. If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed." We have a sad account of Rehoboam, 2 Chron. xii. 1, " When he was established in the kingdom, and had strengthened hiraself, he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him." He Avas like many men, Avho make use of religion like a net, who, when they have catched their prey, fold np and lay by their net. But see the fountain of his apostacy, ver. 14, " And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord ;" pre pared or fixed, or established not his heart. But such an heart is for following the Lamb whithersoever he goeth, in foul and fair weather, and will abide with Christ in a storm when the summer vermin is not to be seen : Psalra xix. 9, " The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever." Trees planted in God's vineyard, watered by his grace, having such a heart, are not like common trees, green only one while of the year, but those are ever green, and are yield ing their fruit in their season, Psalra vii. 3. Such an heart takes with the stock, and so lives by its sap. (3.) It is a heart resolute in obedience. We will do it, say they, stand in the way what will. See the portraiture of such a heart, Micah iv. 5, " For all people will walk every one in the name of his God, and we will walk in the name ofthe Lord our God for ever and ever." Suchaheart had Caleband Joshua, theyfollowed the Lord fully. It made them row against the stream. It gives the man courage for the arduous enterprise. Heaven is sweet in the eyes of all ; why then do so many go to hell ? why, they have not such a heart. There are difficulties in the way to heaven, they have no courage to grapple with these. They see heaven afar, but there is a great gulph betwixt them and it, and they have not such a resolute heart as to venture on it, and heaven will not drop into their mouths. (4.) It is a heart that is content to know what is duty and what is sin : " Speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee, and we will hear it and do it." And indeed that is a very rare heart; for most people are glad to lodge lust; as some lodged intercommuned people, they are willing they should get house-room, but are desirous that they themselves should not see them, so as to know that they are there. But such a heart loves to know the whole counsel of God : John iii. 20, " But he that doth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that 70 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND they are wrought in God." It is a nonsuch heart, which is con tent to have all anatomized and searched out ; which in every case is ready to say, " Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth ;" which is content to sit down at Christ's feet and learn all; while others lodge their lusts under disguise, and loathe the discovery of them, rebel against the light, and shut their eyes, till God judicially blind them, so as that they at last come to believe lies. (5.) It is a heart to which God's bare Avill is a sufficient reason both for faith and practice. Such a heart receives the speaker for the word's sake, and not the word for his, but for God's sake. Such a heart receives the kingdom as a little child, who has authority enough if father or mother say it. Such a heart had Abraham ; he gets a strange commandment, for which he could see no reason but the will of God, Gen. xxii. Father and son must part, not to see other more in this world, though the son of the promise. The Fa ther himself must do the deed. Here were many deaths both to the father and to the son ; but God's will was revealed, and they were about fully to obey ; then says the Lord, ver. 12, " Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him, for now I know that thou fearest God ;" that thou hast such a heart. We go on to observe, 8, It is a heart that has high and honourable thoughts of God, ver. 24, " Behold the Lord our God hath shewed us his glory, and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire ; we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liv eth." His greatness ; " 0 that there were such a heart in them !" They professed this. High and honourable thoughts of the husband is necessary to the comfort of the married state, and to the performance of duties. The queen stands upon the right hand. Psalm xlv. 9. Mean thoughts of God are the neck-break of right obedience to him. They think hira such an one as themselves, Psalm 1. 31. Hence mean, pitiful services are thought sufficient. They forget that he '' will be sanctified in them that come nigh him, and before all the people will he be glorified. Lev. x. 3. Such a heart is let into the view of his greatness in some measure, so that its conclusions will be. Psalm xcv. 3, " The Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods." So that the soul's familiarity with God will yet be managed with a due regard to the awful greatness and infinite distance betwixt God and the creature. And this may serve as a help to distinguish true communion with God from delu sions, Hebrews xii. 28, 29. John xx. 28. It is a heart which the voice of God has reached, ver. 24, (quoted above.) 0 that this voice had had as much access to their hearts as WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 71 to their ears 1 Paul spoke, and God spoke, and Lydia's heart was opened. "My sheep," said Jesus, "hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me," John x. 27. To honest covenanters there is something more in preaching than a bare sound, something more in sacraments than bread and wine : these are bat the vehicles of the Lord's voice to the soul, and the ordinances are empty things when there is no divine fire infolded in them. There is a voice of the Lord in our mother's house ; in the public ordinances there is a good report of Christ. Sinners are invited, obtested, commanded to hear and be lieve. But Christ comes into the inner chamber of the elect's hearts, and there he gives his voice, which is a majestic voice, a heart-melting sound ; Jer. xxiii. 29, " Is not my word like as a fire ? saith the Lord ; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces ?" It thaws the frozen affections. A quickening voice that puts activity in the soul ; it puts the spirit in motion, so as that it rests not till it has taken up its rest in God ; John vi. 63, "Itis the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh proflteth nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." 10. It is a heart which takes up with the Lord for its God, even when he appears in the glorious robes of his perfect holiness. This they professed ; but " 0 that there were such a heart in them !" The truth is, the carnal mind is enmity against God ; and none but saints indeed can give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness, Psalm xxx. 4. God is glorious in his holiness indeed ; but none will love him for that glory, but such as are partakers of his divine nature. Those who love hira for this, love him for himself. And indeed such a heart, being a holy heart, will cleave to the fountain of holiness, to the end that they may be transformed into the sarae image. To take God iu the robes of mercy, is not strange; but God's holiness chaseth unholy hearts away from him. 11. It is a heart sensible of that vast distance which sin has made betwixt God and the soul, which has got such a sight of his own sin fulness, and God's holiness, that it sees there is no transacting with God but by a Mediator, ver. 27. Such a heart will say as Luther, " I will have nothing to do with an absolute God." Such will not offer to come into the presence of God but as introduced by the King's Son, nor will desire to look on God but as vailed with flesh, knowing that a sight of unvailed majesty is enough to confound a sinner. And truly, till the Lord touch the heart, it will not be such a heart, but, like a fearless beast, will touch the fiery mountain. Such a heart will highly prize Christ, and come to the Lord under the vail of Christ's flesh, and will have no boldness of access but what flows from the blood of Christ, Heb. x. 19, 20. 72 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND 12. It is a heart reconciled to the whole law of God, ver. 27. It is not every heart which is such. They only have it, " who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit," Rom. viii. 1. Hypocrites' hearts are never reconciled to the whole law of God. They cannot say they are not ashamed in having respect to all God's command ments, Psalm cxix. 6. There are always some parts of the Bible, which hypocrites would spend their blood on to blot them out, if that would do. Here, there is a raging lust says, yea ; there, there is a holy law says, nay; the heart cannot be reconciled to both at once. Both may be in the experience both of the sincere Christian and the hypocrite. What is the difference ? why, the hypocrite would fain have the law bow to his lusts, the sincere soul would have his lusts bow to the law. For he "delights in the law of the Lord after the inward man," Rora. vii. 22. And his heart will approve the law, when it forbids, accuses, and conderans his corruptions, ver. 16, " If then I do that which I would not, I consent to the law, that it is good." 13. It is a heart which is for taking the law only out of Christ's hand as Mediator, ver 27. The Mediator flrst raakes the peace between God and the sinner, then bids the man work. Bnt the law of itself first bids sinners work, and tells them they shall have their peace according to their work ; which would be dreadful news to such a heart. Under the law to Christ, 1 Cor. ix. 21. The law, cast into a gospel-mould, is the only law such a heart de sires to meddle with, that, " being married to Christ, they may bring forth fruit to God," Rom. vii. 4. ; that being by Christ made par takers of the adoption, they may serve as sons, not as hired servants or slaves. Lastly, It is a heart ready for obedience, ver. 27. The soul then stands at Mount Zion, and says, " Speak, Lord, thy servant hear eth." They have had Christ's banner in the bauqneting-house, as being ready to rise up and fight his battles, under the conduct and influence of their glorious leader. Such a heart has eaten the pass- over with its loins girt, and with a staff in its hand, ready for the journey. The heart that is for obedience, but not yet, is not such a heart ; it is but a shifting heart, which will end in a refusal. It is but a civil way of putting off for altogether ; Psalm cxix. 5, " 0 that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes !" We now proceed, II. To shew that such a heart is a most valuable thing. — It must be so ; For, 1. Such a heart is God's delight ; " 0 that there were such an heart in them !" This would give content to the heart of Christ. WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 73 This is his rest. The very prayer of tho upright is his delight ; Psalm xi. 7, " For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness, his countenance doth behold the upright." Such a heart is pleasing to God; and it cannot be otherwise, for it is shapen out according to his mind. The person who has such a heart is another David, a man according to God's own heart. It is a heart which, as believing, pleaseth God ; a heart well pleased with him, in which God is well pleased. 2. It is that heart without which the largest profession, and the most express covenanting with God, is little worth. Without this heart men do but as the Lord's enemies, they lie unto hira. And it is a dangerous thing to lie unto the Lord, like Ananias and Sapphira, who died with a lie in their mouth. They take God's name in vain. The voice indeed is Jacob's, but the hands are Esau's. It is but mocking God, and juggling with the Holy One. It is but doing the work of the Lord deceitfully, and offering the blind and the lame for sacriflce, which will bring down a curse instead of a bless ing. Let a man be at never so much pains in duties, yet still the one thing is lacking while they have not such a heart. 3. The want of this heart is very grievous to the spirit of Christ. The Lord doth thus, in the text, lament their want of it. If anything pierce the heart of God, it is when, with a covenanting people, there is wanting such a heart. What can be more grievous in a married lot than when the husband has not the wife's heart ? Ezek. vi. 9 " I am broken, says God, with their whorish heart, which hath de parted from me, and with their eyes, which go a-whoring after their idols." There can be no contentment in that condition, as Haman said, " Tet all this availeth me nothing," Esth. v. 13. And a soul's grieving the Lord's Spirit, is a forerunner of the Lord's grieving them; Psalm xvi. 4, " Their sorrow shall be multiplied that hastens after another god." 4. God accepts of the duty, and is well pleased with the bargain, where there is such a heart ; " 0 that there were such anheart in them !" There wants no more to complete the bargain betwixt them and me. Then, as they call me their God, so would I call them mypeople by a saving relation. But where such is not, the contract betwixt Christ and the soul is written indeed, but it is not signed. Would you know, then, if Christ be yours, with all the benefits of the everlasting cove nant ; why, if you have such a heart, you have Christ's heart, you are married to the Lord, and shall never be put away. A voice of the word without, and an echo to it of the heart within, closes the bargain ; Psalm xxvii. 8, " When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek." See also Jer, iii, 22. Vol. X. p 74 THE INWARD PRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND 5. Where there is such a heart God will be well pleased with the person, and accept the duty, though it have many defects ; albeit he be not pleased with these defects, yet in mercy he will overlook them ; " 0 that there were such an heart in them !" As if he had said, 0 if they were but honest in the main, I would not be severe on thera for every escape. The Lord will use the indulgence of a father for such infirmities; Song v. 1, " I have drunk my wine with my milk." Milk, that is, he accepts the meanest work where there is such an heart. A groan, a tear, a breathing after the Lord, is accepted ; as the father loves more the lisping child's expression of its affection to him, than all the towering compliments of a flatter ing tongue, 2 Chron. xv. 17; the eye of their faith, though, like a bleared eye. Song iv. 9 ; the flre of their love, though weak, ver. 10 ; the hand of their confldence, though a trembling hand ; the anchor of their hope, though feeble. Psalm xlvii- 11 ; their feet of obedience, though lame, like Mephibosheth, yet shall they be set at the king's table ; though their very sincerity be not without a mix ture of hypocrisy. Gal. ii, 13, yet it holds weight in the balance ; Christ takes their petitions, though not every way well drawn, blots out some, fills up other things in them, and gets them answered. Their will is accepted for the deed ; their grief for want of will, for the will itself; all this where there is such a heart. 6. They will never prove stedfast in the Lord's covenant without such a heart; " 0 that there were such an heart in them !" They have spoke fair, but they will never keep a word they say, for they have not such a heart ; Psalm Ixxviii. 37, " For their heart was not right with hira, neither were they stedfast in his covenant." The heart is the principle of actions ; such a heart is the principle of perseverance ; and there can be no stedfastness without a princi ple ; Matth. xiii. 6, " And when the sun was up, they were scorched, and because they had not root they withered away." The tree which is set in the ground bnt does not take root in it, will be easily blown over. The house without a foundation cannot withstand the storm, Matth. vi. 23. They who have covenanted with God without such a heart, will make foul work, it will appear that the devil has gone down with the sop, their former lusts will be swallowed over again, 2 Pet. ii. 20 — 22. Their last state will be worse than the first. Their vows will be no stronger than Samson's withs ; their resolutions, like the walls of Jericho, will fall down at the sound of the horn of temptation. 7. Such an heart will fence the man against apostacy ; " 0 that there were such an heart in them !" They would not then turn away from me; they would keep by their covenant: Luke vii. 15, "But WITH TIIE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 75 that on the good ground are they which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. Cleaving to Christ with constancy, without apostacy, is the very es sence of such a heart. Gold is not gold but dross, if it do not continue in the fire. Men's hearts may get some light strokes of the Spirit, some fleeting motions of the same, and the heart still unsound as the stony ground. But the Spirit of God and of glory rest not on the heart, it is not such an heart : 2 John, ii. 27. " But the anointing which ye have received of him, abideth in you ;" the fire of true love will be preserved, though it flame not, whatever cools there may be tak ing place. Such an heart has learned so much of the grace of God as to deny worldly lusts, and all forsaken lovers, when they come to court the soul. Where such a heart is, there is the root of the mat ter in the man. Job, xix. 28. ; and there is sap enough to keep in the life of it, Prov. xii. 3. " The root of the righteous shall not be mov ed. Tea, the Root of Jesse has engaged that this root shall not fail," John iv. 14. They are kept through the power of God. God is careful of the leaves of Christianity, Psalm i. 3. much more of real Christians themselves ; therefore says Job chap. xvii. 9, " The right eous shall hold on his way ; and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger." Be their light never so weak, it will last, yea it will grow, and shine more and more unto the perfect day. It is the abiding seed of God. Lastly, Such a heart enriches the man who has it ; "0 that there were such an heart in them !" they want no more to make them happy here and hereafter. Grace and glory, and all good, is the portion of those who have such an heart. Such an heart has taken Christ, is married and knit to him, and then Christ is yours, all is yours ; pardon, peace, and every blessing ; as he who gets a hold of the main link of a chain, draws all after him ; " There the Lord commands the blessing, even life which never ends." We shall conclude this discourse with beseeching you to be in ear nest that you have such a heart. This is that which you all need, that without which you must be miserable for ever. — It is a most invalu able blessing, what you should highly prize; what is precious in God's esteem, and what he is urgent with you that you may possess : " 0 that there were such an heart in them !" F 2 76 THE INAVARD PRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED. SERMON VI. Deut. v. 29, 0 that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might he well with them, and with their children for ever. Having considered, in the two preceding discourses, the first and se cond doctrines proposed from this subject, we now go on to Doctrine III. and last, That the work of covenanting with the Lord is slight work, when it is not heart-work ; or. That solemn covenanting with the Lord is but solemn trifling with him, when the work of covenanting is not heart-work. In treating this point, we shall, I. Produce some evidences, that solemn covenanting is often no thing but solemn trifling, and not heart- work. II. Shew when solemn covenanting is not heart-work. III. Shew how people come to make solemn covenanting but a trifling business. IV. Shew the danger of trifling, and not making heart-work of this weighty business. And then, V. Apply the whole. We are, I. To produce some evidences, that solemn covenanting is often nothing but solemn trifling, and not heart-work. It is of import ance that you may be stirred up to take heed to the deceits which we may discover in this weighty business. With this view, we ob serve, 1. That apostacy and defection from the good ways of the Lord, persons returning again openly to the same courses which they pur sued before. This is an evidence, 2 Peter ii. 19 — 22 ; Matth. xii. 45, " Then the evil spirit goeth, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more Avicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there, and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation." They who have no root soon wither away, Matth. xiii. 6. There are many who, since the revolution, have solemnly covenanted with the Lord at sacraments, and many who have done it, when they durst not so well avow it as now, who have given a sad account of themselves since that time, WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 77 having returned to their former courses of wickedness and profanity. Fallen stars were stars never but in appearance. To lose both life and leaf is a dreadful symptom ; John xv. 6, " If a man abide not in me, he is oast forth as a branch, and is withered ; and men gather thera, and cast thera into the fire, and they are burned." Another evidence is, 2. When some lusts are maintained in Christ's room, as when an adulterous woman takes another man instead of her husband. There are some lusts from which the heart is never loosed, right eyes they cannot part with ; this is secret apostacy from the Lord : Heb. iii. 12, " Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." When the Lord offers himself to sinners, he says, if you Avill take me, let these go their way. Some enter into a marriage-covenant with the Lord, but they give their hearts to other lovers, Psalm xiv. 4, (quoted before). This is hypocritical dealing with God, which is a disease in the vi tals of religion. Psalm Ixxviii. 37, (quoted above). Another evi dence is, 3. Persons making their covenant with the Lord, a cover to their sloth, and a pander to their lusts. It is sad work Avhich persons make of covenanting, when it serves only to conjure their con sciences, who hence can sleep more securely in their sins. Many are never more light, vain, and frothy, than after such a Avork ; a most shrewd sign of a whorish disposition : Prov. vii. 14, " I have peace- offerings with me. This day have I paid my vows. Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face." The covenant of God is a covenant of peace and war, Avhich inclines the sinner to be at peace with the Lord's friends, and at war with his enemies. It makes the soul to say to former lusts, I have learned from the gos pel, to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world," Tit. ii. 12. Hence, Christ no sooner enters the heart, but he comes as Captain of the Lord's host ; and the person's heart thus becomes the seat of war : Gal. V. 17, " For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh ; and these two are contrary the one to the other." And these lusts which were formerly gold chains, are now turned into heavy iron fetters: Rora. vii. 24, " 0 wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death ?"— Another evi dence is, 4. The barrenness of the lives of professors, nothing of tho fruits of holiness appearing in their lives. We are, Rachel-like, barren, having no more but the leaves of a profession, the performance of external duties, to give us the name of Christians. Alas I fire from 78 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND heaven seems to have blasted many of us, and the curse of the Lord is as a worm at our root. Married to the Lord, and yet barren, is a contradiction, Rom. vii. 4. For the very end of this marriage is, that we may bring forth fruit unto God. Where the soul is joined to the Lord, it is made the habitation of the Spirit : and this is that which produces the fruits of holiness , Eph. v. 9, " For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth." Here some may say, Alas ! this speaks death to me, for do what I will, the weeds in the cursed soil of my heart suffers no fruit to appear there. To such I answer. — There is no fruit which grows in the heart of a believer in the world, but it has a weed of corruption by the side of it ; their faith is marked with unbelief, their hope with diffidence, their very sincerity with hypocrisy. But are you at pains to pluck up these ? If you should look into a garden, and saw nothing but weeds in it, yet if ye saw the gardener weeding it, you would conclude there must be something else there ; so in this case. Will you see if there be any thriving of undergrowth in your hearts, if you be growing downwards in humility, self-loathing, self-denial, depending and cleaving more from a sense of need to the Lord ? Eph. iv. 15, 16. Barren trees use not to have their branches hang ing down to salute the ground, unless they be broken off by a violent wind. — Another evidence is, 5. The having no comraunication of the life of grace from Christ to the soul ; John xiv. 19, " Because I live, ye shall live also." Food and rairaent are what every soul married to the Lord get from hira. If the soul be truly united to Christ, it will partake of the root and sap of the vine : John vi. 57, " He that eateth me, saith Jesus, even he shall live by me." True faith opens a way for a streara of blood to run through the heart, by which the soul is purged and quickened. The blood of Jesus " purges tho conscience from dead works, to serve the living God," Heb. ix. 14. But, alas ! the faith of many is like a pipe laid short of the fountain, and so brings none of the wa ter of life into the soul. Many covenant with the Lord as the seven women, Isa. iv. 1, who take hold of one man, as it is there said, they will be called by his name ; for so is Christ's spouse, in token of her marriage-relation, she loseth her name, and takes her husband's, Isa. xliv. 5, " One shall say, I am the Lord's ; and another shall call hiraself by the name of Jacob." This will take away their reproach before the world, and it will do much to silence the blustering tongue of an ill-natured conscience. Tea, but after all this, they will cat thei*- own bread, Isa. iv. 1, They will live upon their own stock of natural and acquired abilities, for they are not, as in Matth. iii. 5, " poor in spirit." They come not, as true believers, with a AVITH TIIE OUTAVARD PROFESSION. 79 weak soul to a strong God, an empty vessel to a full fountain. Thus does the true believer, who says. Gal. ii. 20, " I am crucified with Christ ; nevertheless I live ; yet not I, but Christ liveth in rae : and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." But the other will live on their lusts ; Christ gives rest to their consciences, and their lusts give rest to their hearts ; he shall bear up their hopes, and their lusts shall satisfy their desires. — They will wear their own apparel . Rom. x. 3, " For they being ignorant of God's righte ousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God." Their duties make a great figure in their own eyes, and therefore are cyphers in God's account. Hence the more they do and the better they do, the more they are in conceit with themselves, and the further from Christ. It is quite contrary with true covenanters ; Phil. iii. 3, " They rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confldence in the flesh :" Rev. ii. 14, " They wash their robes, and make them white in the blood of the Lamb." — We shall only add as an evidence. Lastly, The having no contentment in Christ alone. Where the soul heartily closes with Christ, he is to the soul a covering to the eyes : Psalm Ixxiii. 25, " Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee." Hence the triumph of faith, even when all external things fail ; Hab. iii. 17, " I will rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of my salvation." But, alas ! how many of ns have no comfort, but when the cisterns of creature-comforts are running full ! how few arrive at the height of rejoicing in the Lord, when these cisterns are dried up ! Matth. xiii. 45, 46. Every person's house stands upon two props, Christ and the creature, but the weight lies only upon one of them. Take away the world from the believer, he stands firm on the rock Christ; take away the world from the hypocrite, and all falls down together. A person may bear to have some branch of his comforts cut off; but when God strikes at the root of creature-comforts, then may the hypocrite say. Thou hast taken away my gods, and what have I more ? Some can endure any thing but poverty, for covetousness reigns in them ; others any thing but disrespect, for pride is their idol. Here again some may say. If this be an evidence, we know not who will make sure work, for many time gracious persons are as much, if not more, cast down with the loss of creature-comforts, than others ; To this I answer. No doubt gracious souls will sorae- tiraes be more joyful on the receipt of a temporal mercy, and more cast down on the loss of them, than others : for the chief thing 80 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND which affects him is the face of God appearing in it, either as favour able or frowning; so that they will be ready to say on such an oc casion, as in Gen. xxxiii. 10, "For therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me." And this will make a mole-hill mercy or cross appear like a mountain. The godly in this case fetch their comfort from the Lord, others fetch theirs from something else in the world ; when one stream runs dry, they go to another, like the prodigal before he came home. The drying up of the streams sends the gracious soul to the fountain. We now proceed, II. To shew when covenanting is not heart-work, but a trifling business. — It is so, 1. When the soul is not divorced from sin. The heart is na turally glewed to sin, and it is impossible that the heart can at once be both for the Lord and lusts, Matth. vi. 24. The first mar riage must be made void before a second can be made sure. They must have their covenant with their lusts broken, who will have their covenant with the Lord sure ; Hos. xiv. 8, " Ephraim shall say. What have I to do any more with idols ?" Living lusts and the living Lord will not both get the throne of the heart. In the day of espousals, when Christ gets the crown, lusts get the cross. Many will be in suit of the heart, and the heart for a time may be halting betwixt two ; but in a covenanting day with the Lord, all others must be discharged ; Psalm xlv. 10, " Hearken, 0 daughter ! and consider, and incline thine ear ; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house." Here some may inquire. How may a per son know if their heart be divorced from sin ? Answ. That which makes the man and his lusts one, is the greedy grip which the heart takes of sin, it is the heart cleaving to its lusts : Jer. viii. 5, " Why then is the people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual back sliding ? They hold fast deceit, they refuse to return." The heart and affections in sin are like the hot iron, where the iron and the fire are very close together. The man's lusts are to him like a leg or an arm which is knit to the body with joints and bands. Now, where the heart is divorced, it loaths that sin which before it loved. Though sin cleaves to the man, yet he cleaves not to it, Rom. vii. 17 — 22. Never was the captive more desirous to be loosed of his bands, than that soul to be free from sin. Like a weak honest vir gin, though it cannot shake itself loose of its grips, yet it would be content if one would set it free. Solemn covenanting is trifling, 2. When the soul is not divorced from the law, Rora. viii. 4, *• Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 81 body of Christ ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit to God." Legal professors do but trifle with the Lord, and never make heart- work of covenanting with hira. They may bind themselves faster and faster to duties, but there is no engaging their heart to the Lord of duties ; they are as they who would draw up with the hand maid instead of the mistress ; and do but bind themselves to the work of spinning out their own ruin out of their own bowels. There is a generation who get some convictions of their misery by sin, the law comes and takes them by the throat, and then they cry. Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Hence they bestir them selves, and fall a trading to gain something for heaven and eternal life ; they set about secret duties, attending public ordinances, and take the sacrament, and the effect of all is but to wreath their necks faster in the yoke of law-bondage, and to remove themselves far ther from Christ. This is but trifling. — If it be inquired, How may one know if they be divorced from the law ? you have the word. Gal. ii. 19, " For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God." The law comes home to the soul with such force and power, that it cuts off all hopes of the soul's ever mending itself by its works ; makes the soul see its utter emptiness and weakness ; and hence it dies off, and lies at the foot of free grace, with that prayer in its mouth, Jer. xxxi. 18, " Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke : turn thou me, and I shall be turned ; for thou art the Lord my God." Then Christ's blood is the soul's only refuge for guilt, Christ's Spirit for holiness ; and the soul will have no peace but what comes frora this blood; while many instead of this, lick themselves whole of their wounds by confession, mourning, prayer for pardon, and engaging not to do so any more. But it is quite different from this, when, as above, the Spirit of Christ leads his divorced bride out of the house of her former husband to Jesns hiraself. — It is so, 3. When the soul comes not heartily and freely to the Lord in his covenant. Psalm Ixxviii. 34 — 37. The Lord will not meet that soul. He cares not for persons giving the hand, when they do not give him their hearts. Indeed this is a covenant which speaks out the extreme naughtiness of men's hearts, by their coming into it grudgingly and per force. The sacriflce that is dragged to the altar, will not be accepted, it will run away from it again. It will be like the strong bough which is forcibly bowed, which will soon fly back. When the Lord comes to a soul, he deals with the heart. He touches the heart, as he touched the hearts of Saul's companions, 1 Sam. X. 26 ; Jer. xxxi. 3, " The Lord hath appeared to me of old, 82 THE INWARD FRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND saying. Tea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love : therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee." There is grace in the Lord's lips, heavenly rhetoric to catch a sinner's affections, Psalm xlv. 2. When the Spirit of the Lord pours in overcoming grace, then the man pours out his heart before him. Psalm Ixii. 8. Thus the people become willing in the day of his power. Psalm ex. 3. Here we may shortly state and consider two cases : — Case 1. What shall become of those, then, who are driven to the Lord by terror ? I answer. Those who are only driven by terror, they will even leave him again when the terror is over, for ter rors will break a heart of stone, but will not melt it. At the same time, terror may begin the work, which love will crown : Hos. ii. 14, " Therefore, behold I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her." When the Lord is to match with sinners, they are bold and perverse, they will not speak to him, till he has shot an arrow into their flesh, till he has made them prisoners of war ; and then, when he has them in chains, he makes love to them. He first drives the sinner, and then he draws him like Noah's dove into the ark. Gen. viii. 9. The Lord sets the avenger of blood in pursuit of the poor criminal, he with a heavy heart leaves his own city, and his old acquaintances, and flees for his bare life to the city of refuge, to which he has no inclination, but must do is a great thing. When he comes to the gates, and sees the beauty of the place, the excellencies and loveliness of the city charm him; then he says. This is my rest, here will I dwell. Case 2. I often find, when I am to go to the Lord's table, a great backwardness to the duty. What should be done in this case ? I answer. There is a great difference betwixt a man's turning his back and running away from his friend, and a sickly man's coming slowly to hira. And if I might be allowed so to speak, I should distinguish between a backward heart, and a backwardness upon the heart ; Matth. xxvi. 41, " Watch and pray, that ye enter not in to temptation ; the spirit indeed is willing, but the fiesh is weak." A backward heart is a foolish heart, and will make sad work of a communion ; Prov. xvii. 16, " Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?" I wish the Lord may turn this people from the Lord's table, till he has turned their hearts back to himself; or else, when they have pnt their hands to the plough, they will after all leave it, and injure re ligion more than if they had never meddled with it. But for others, our Master allows you to come as you are able, with your burden upon your back, and lay it down at his feet ; Matth. xi. 28, " Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give AVITH THE OUTAVARD PROFESSION. 83 you rest. Psalra. Ixv. 3, " Iniquities prevail against me ; as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge thera away." The great Physician knows very well his patient ooraes with heart and good will, though his sickness and indisposition makes hira come with a slow pace. It is trifling, 4. When the soul comes to the Lord in his covenant for peace to their consciences, but not for victory over their lusts. Many come to the Lord, as a sick man to the physician, to cure him of his wounds, but not to live upon his charges; Psalm Ixxviii. 34, "When he slew them, then they sought him ; and tjiey returned and inquired early after God." They have use for the blood, not for the water, which came from the side of Jesus. This is but half-work, not heart-work. Enemies to the spirit of holiness are enemies to Christ. I never think it the best frame for a communion table when people sit down at the Lord's table chiefly for peace and comfort. A view of the King, a transforming sight which might strengthen the soul, to have this before our eyes sitting down at the feast, would certain ly be most safe. To get a touch of the hem of Christ's garment, for stopping the issue of sin, will be salutary indeed. It is so, 5. Wlien the soul accepts of conditional promises, but does not ac cept of and receive the Lord himself in absolute promises. This is to agree upon the less points of the covenant, and to neglect the main point, Heb. viii. 10. The great thing God offers in the gospel is Christ. He is a foolish man that would claim the benefit of the contract, while he neglects to marry the woman. It is a dreadful thing to turn the covenant of grace into a mere servile or mere social covenant, as passes betwixt neighbouring independent states. It is most properly a mar riage-covenant, where the soul first takes the Lord himself, and then looks for the benefits accruing to it by the happy match. Na tural men fancy a very easy covenant in, — " He that confesseth his sins, shall find mercy. — Call on me, and I will answer thee. — What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God ?" — He will accept the will for the deed ; not considering that all the promises are yea and amen in Christ ; and suppose they could perform the condition of these pro mises, yet they could not have benefit by them while they have not the Lord Christ, dwelling, living, and reigning in thera. — It is so lemn trifling, Lastly, When there is not an absolute resignation of the will to the will of the Lord. This is to have reserves in our covenanting with the Lord. Man's will is the great rebel against the Lord, and must, if we make sure work, be bound hand and foot in a covenant ing day. There must be a double resignation, (1.) To the precep- 84 THE INWARD PRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND tive will : Rom. vi. 17, " Te have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered unto you." The soul must no more snarl with duty, but be content to take on the yoke of Christ's com mands. And they who are not content to stand and receive the same commands from mount Zion, which were thundered into their hearts from mount Sinai before, their hearts are not for this work. (2.) There must be resignation to the providential will of God. It has been long a question between the Lord and you, who shall be master of your process, who shall carve out your lot ? Are you come to a point now ? Sven to that point ? Psalm xlvii. 4. " He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved." It is well, you are wise ; for our own will, and nothing else, is our wreck. We should now, III. Shew how people come to make solemn covenanting but a trifling business. But for this, see the third head of doctrine flrst. We proceed, then, IV. To shew the danger of trifling, and not making heart-work of this weighty business. — This will appear if we consider, 1. That the Lord rejects the work : Mai. i. 13, " Te said also. Behold what a weariness is it, and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts, and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick ; thus ye brought an offering ; should I accept this of your hands? saith the Lord." Whatever pains persons maybe at about covenanting, the Lord has no regard to it while it is not heart-work, Isa. i. 11. It is true, you may even sign the contract, but the Lord will not subscribe it, seeing it has not the upright con sent of your hearts. Psalm 1. 16, 17. Tou may expect the enter tainment recorded, Matth. xxii, 12, " Friend, how camest thou in thither, not having a wedding-garment ? And he was speechless." — Consider, 2. That it puts men more securely in Satan's grips than before. In this sense that holds true which you have in Isa. xxviii. 22, " Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong." Publicans and sinners will enter before these. Such are twice dead, where the devil goes out and returns with seven other spirits worse than himself. The last end of such a person is worse than his be ginning. — Consider, 3. That it exposes men to spiritual strokes ; Jer. xlviii. 10, " Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully." Dead ening strokes. These are silent arrows which fly from the hand of God into the soul without noise ; Isa. vi. 10, " Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes • WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 85 lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and under stand with their heart, and convert, and be healed." Sometimes men are like Saul among the prophets, but afterwards they are knocked in the head by the secret judgment of God, because of their hypocritical dealing with him, it may be at a communion table, in so much that they have never a day to do well after ; and from that time God answers them not, but they live and rot above the ground; their hearts are deadened, their affections dozened, their gifts withered, and their souls blasted ; John xv. 6, " If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered ; and men gather them and cast thera into the flre, and they are burned." Quickening strokes, whereby the man is dreadfully alarmed, the conscience is awakened, and made like Mount Sinai, where nothing but fire and smoke appear. God takes the filthy rags of their mock covenanting, wraps them in brimstone, and sets them in fire about the sinner's ears. Their wounds which were scurfed over bleed more dreadfully, while the plaster they made will not stick. Besides these, there are strokes upon their bodies. As Nadab and Abihu, Lev. x. 1, 2. A wrong look into the ark cost the men of Bethshemesh dear, 1 Sara. vi. 19. God smote Uzzah,and he died by the ark, 2 Sam. vi. 7. And the apostle tells us, 1 Cor. xi. 30, " For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep." Consider, Lastly, That however qnietiy people may get it carried in life, it will bring them a sad disappointment at death. The house built on the sand fell by the storm, and great was its fall. A great fall from high hopes into deep despair ; like the foolish virgins, who were unexpectedly shut out. We are now, V. To apply the subject. Which we shall do only in an use of exhortation. I would then exhort one and all of you to make heart-work and sure work in your covenanting with the Lord, and not to trifle in so solemn a business. Tou have heard the danger you incur by trifling with it. But perhaps some will say with a whole heart, that as they are resolved to keep themselves out of harm's way, they will not come to the Lord's table. To this I would answer. Well, will you not enter into covenant with the Lord ? if not, then you will never see heaven ; Eph. ii. 12, " Strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world." Where will you appear at the great day ? Psalm I. 1 — 5. Tou must take hold of the Lord's covenant, or be damned. Sirs, if ye enter at all into this work, my exhortation reaches you. Tou may trifle with God upon your knees, as well as at his table. And if you be not 86 THE INWARD PRAME SHOULD CORRESPOND minded to refuse this corenant, why stand you back from the seals of it? why do you not prepare yourselves for it ? why slight you this love token of our dying Lord ? I would think if you were in ear nest for the covenant, you wonld not slight the seal of it. Make sure work then. To induce you to be serious in this weighty work, I would mention and urge the following motives. Mot. 1. Ton have need to make sure work, for you have deceitful hearts to deal with, Jer. xvii. 19. Let not the bands be put on slightly, or it will soon slip them all. Therefore dig deep, by serious solemn examination of your consciences before the Lord, that yon may build as on a rock. Mot. 2. Consider the weight of the business ; the business of sal vation, or damnation, is not a matter to trifle with. Sirs, life and death are before you. Tour eternal state, lies at the stake. I be seech you then, by all that weight of glory that awaits the saints, as you would not ruin your souls which a thousand worlds cannot re pair, for the loss of the soul cannot be made np, that you seriously consider the business. Mot. 3. Consider the Lord is not trifling, but is in good earnest with you ; " 0 that there were such a heart in them !" There is a match proposed betwixt the King of glory and the daughter of Zion, the bridegroom is willing ; Rev. iii. 20, " Behold I stand at the door and knock." There is nothing wanting on his part ; Matt. xxii. 4, " All things are ready, come unto the marriage." How passion ately does he call for her consent in the text : And now, when the Lord is thuii offering himself to you, why will you refuse or trifle with him ? Here some may propose this. Objection. This is a flourish which may pass well enough in a pulpit. But, 0 ! if the Lord were really offering himself to me, I would never refuse. To this I answer. The offer is real, though ministerial. We have our commission from our Lord to bear us out in it, and he would do the same if he were here bodily present ; 2 Cor. V. 10, " 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 io God." Hence, in the days of his flesh, he offered him self both to those that did, and those that did not receive him. Consider, he said to his disciples, " He that heareth you, heareth me." We are the friends of the Bridegroom ; as Abraham's ser vants, we are come to bring yon to our Master's son. What would you have to make the offer real, if you may not take it as such from the mouth of his messengers ? Would you have him leave his glory a second time, and come in person to make the offer ? Or would you have him come down in his glory ? If so, you know not WITH THE OUTWARD PROFESSION. 87 what you ask. It would set you better to do as Abigail, bow your self to the earth, and humbly accept of the offer, 1 Sara. xxv. 40, 41. So real is the offer, that if you refuse, ye will be daraned for the refusal ; Mark xvi. 15, 16, " And he said unto them, go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that be- lieveth and is baptized, shall be saved ; but he that believeth not, shall be damned." John xvii. 20, " Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word." See then what ye do. It is a serious business on the Lord's part, and there is a prize in your hands, which you would do well di ligently to improve. Does he indeed offer himself to me? do you say ? notwithstanding my unworthiness. Tea, to you, we make no scruple to offer him particularly to every one of you, the vilest of you all ; Rev. iii. 20, " Behold I stand at the door and knock : if any man hear ray voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me." It is not unworthiness, but unwillingness, that will mar the bargain ; " The Spirit and the bride say. Come, and let him that heareth say, Come, and let hira that is athirst say. Come, and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely.' ' A RICH FEAST PREPARED FOR HUNGRY SOULS.* SERMON VII. Isa. xxv. 6, And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. The prophets of old prophesied of the grace of Christ which should come unto us, 1 Pet. i. 10 ; and of these none more than our evange lical prophet, who, in the verse before us, foretells a rich spiritual entertainment which should be made by the Saviour Jesus Christ unto a starving world of prodigal sinners, reduced by their extrava gance into extreme want. Here there is to be observed, 1. The Maker and Master of the feast, the Lord himself; it is a royal feast, with which the King of Zion entertains his own subjects. Particularly, it is the Lord Christ, the Son of God, who, pitying the * An action-sermon, delivered June 1 , 1719. 88 A RICH FEAST, famished condition of poor sinners, was at the expense of this costly feast for them ; for the maker of it is the same who swallows up death and victory, ver. 8. A warlike title is ascribed to him, the " Lord of hosts," for there is a banner in Christ's banqueting-house ; and this feast looks both backward and forward to a war. Tou will observe, 2. The guests for whom this feast is provided : it is made for " all people." Not that every person does actually partake of it, nor that every person without exception is invited to it ; the event shows the contrary, there being many to whom the sound of the gospel never comes ; but intimating, that the invitation is given to all who come in its way, without distinction, or exception of any sort of persons ; Matth. xxii. 9, " Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage." The invitation is to the Gentiles, as well as to the Jews, to those in the highways and hedges, as well as those in the city. All who will come are welcome. Tou may observe, 3. The guest-chamber where this feast is held; " In this moun tain," namely, mount Zion, that is, the church. To that society all must join who would partake of this feast. And as mount Zion re presents both the church militant and the church triumphant, so these are one church, one body; and it is one feast, as to its sub stance, Heb. xii. 22 — 24. Tou will observe, 4. The matter of the feast : a feast imports abundance and va riety of good entertainment ; and here nothing is wanting which is suitable for hungry souls. This is held forth under the notion of the best meat and drink, because what these are to the body, the same is the gospel-feast to the soul. In this valley of the world lying in wickedness, there is nothing for the soul to feed on but car rion, nothing but what would be loathed, except by those who were never used to better : but in this mountain, there is a " feast of fat things," things most relishing to those who taste them, most nourish ing to those who feed on them ; and these are " full of marrow," most satisfying to the soul. — In this valley of the tyorld, there is nothing but muddy waters, which can never quench the thirst of the soul, but must ruin it with the dregs ever cleaving to them ; but here, on this mountain, are " wines on the lees," that is, the best of wines, which having been kept long upon the lees, are there fore strong and nourishing. And these wines are well refined, being carefully drawn off, and quite separated from the lees or dregs, and therefore clear and fine. They are undreggy comforts ; they afford the most refined satisfaction and delight. From this subject we take the following PREPARED FOR HUNGRY SOULS, 89 Doctrine, That Jesus Christ has prepared a most rich and deli cious feast for the souls of all those who will come to him, and par take of it as presented to them. In speaking upon this pleasant and interesting subject, it is in tended, I. To shew the absolute need that there is of this provision. II. To explain what the provision is Avhich Christ has prepared for the souls of a famished world. III. To consider what sort of a feast it is, IV. To confirm, that all people who will come, may come, and partake of this feast. And then, V. Conclude with a practical improvement of the subject. We are then, I. To show the absolute need that there is of this provision. The distinguishing need for this provision was the extreme neces sity of a lost world, which, by Adam's fall, the great prodigal, was reduced to a starving and famishing condition. The King of heaven set down Adam, and his posterity in hira, to a well-covered table in paradise, in this lower world, making a covenant of friendship with him, and with them in him. Man consists of an earthly part and a heavenly part, a body, and a soul : and as every thing must have nourishment suitable to its nature, so, although the body might, yet the soul could never be nourished by the best produce of the earth. Therefore, by virtue of that covenant, it was concluded, that, upon condition of perfect obedience to it, they should have provision for their souls from the King's country. But man being drawn into re bellion against God, this prospect was lost, and their table is drawn ; Adam and all his posterity in his loins were driven out of the gui st- chamber, the family was ruined, broken, and scattered, having no thing left them. — To impress this the more upon us, let us view how our first father left us. 1. In point of need, he left us with hungry hearts, like the pro digal ; Luke xv. 16, " And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks which the swine did eat ; and no man gave unto him." Every man and woman naturally has a gnawing appetite after hap piness and satisfaction. This is so interwoven with man's nature, that it never leaves him in any state whatever, and so will make a part of the torment of the damned : Isa. viii. 21, " And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry ; and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their King and their God, and look upward." Every one finds himself not self-sufficient, and therefore his soul cleaves to something without itself to satisfy it. Listen, 0 Christless sinner ! Vol. X. G 90 A RICH FEAST Avho art destitute of holy desires, and thou shalt hear a voice within thine own breast, saying. Give, give, a continual noise. Look into thine own heart, and thou wilt see it, in respect of desires, like a nest of young birds, all gaping for a fill, but never satisfied, still gaping, after all that is pnt in their months. — He left us also with thirsty consciences, scorched and burned up with heat, so that most of thera are in the dead-thraw, and raany of them quite seared. Hence the gospel-invitation is, Isa. Iv. 1, " Ho ! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters." In a natural state there can be no conscience but an evil conscience, the thorn of guilt is not pulled out of it ; it is a defiled conscience which needs to be sprinkled, Heb. X. 22. And though a sleeping conscience in many, yet such is the thirst of it in all the sons of Adam, that, when awakened, they cry out. We die, we perish, we all perish, Luke xv. 17. 2. In point of supply, he left us without any prospect, for all com raunication with heaven was stopped. War was declared against the rebels, so that there could be no transportation of provisions from thence, Gen. iii. 24. Truth had said. Gen. ii. 17, " But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it ; for in the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." And therefore, though mercy might incline to supply a starving world, justice inter poses, and pleads that there could be no comraunication betwixt God and the sinners, without a satisfaction, which they nor angels could not raake; and therefore, without satisfaction, they must be famish ed for ever. Thus heaven's doors were closed on a starving world. — Now, there was a mighty famine upon the earth, such as was with the prodigal, Luke xv. 14, " And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land ; and he began to be in want." Adam's sons, abandoned of Heaven, fell a-begging at the world's door, if so be they might find rest and satisfaction in the creature. They go after a law-righteousness, if so be they might find a rest to their consciences. But it fares with them in this search, as with the un clean spirit gone out of a man. He goes through dry places seeking rest, and finding none returns disappointed. When they have tra versed all the mountains of vanity for something to satisfy their hungry hearts, they find nothing but husks to feed on with the swine ; which are the empty and unsatisfying things of the world, that can never feed their soulsj Luke xv. 16. The poor sinner out of Christ, is like the hungry infant, which sucks at every thing to which its mouth comes near, and shifting about, and getting nothing, falls a-weeping ; but the appetite continuing, the infant falls a-suck- ing again, where formerly it was disappointed. Such is the life of every natural man, a continued tract of lustings after, and disap- PREPARED FOR HUNGRY SOULS. 91 pointmeuts frora the creature. So that he is born weeping, lives seeking, and will die disappointed, if not brought to the feast of fat things. Again, they find but dust to feed on with the serpent ; Isa. Ixv. 25, " And dust shall be the serpent's meat ;" that is, they suck at the defiled breasts of their lusts, which can never satisfy, but poison the soul. They cannot find their satisfaction in lawful worldly comforts ; and therefore, like hungry beasts, they break over into forbidden ground, and all to satisfy a gnawing appetite after happiness. But there they are as far frora their mark as ever. For, though the enjoyment of a lust may please them for a while ; yet it is but like a man, eating or drinking in a dream, he awaketh, and behold he is faint, and his soul has appetite, Isa. xxiv. 8. There is a bitter dreg remaining behind. Striking at this rock for water, they cause fire to flash out on their faces ; and sucking at these breasts, draw out blood instead of milk. Travelling through the barren region of the law for something to satisfy their scorched consciences, they can find nothing bnt muddy and salt waters, which can give no ease truly satisfying, bnt raises the thirst again. For the purging of the conscience is what the law cannot do, Rom. vi. 3 ; compared with Heb. ix. 14. What can duties do to the purging of the conscience ; Isa. Ixiv. 6, " But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags ; and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." Will mud wash out mud ? What can tears do for this end ? Without shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins. Even our tears must be washed in the Mediator's blood, or they will defile the con science, and leave a new stain in it. What can trusting to unco- venanted mercy do ? and such is the mercy of God in respect of all who are not in Christ, Acts iv. 12; 2 Cor. v. 19. They may make a plaster for their wounded consciences of these, they may lay it on, but all their art can never make it stick, it will fall off before the wound heal. We come now, II. To explain what the provision is which Christ has prepared for the souls of such a famished world. — This, in a Avord, is his pre cious self ; the Maker of the feast is the matter of it, even Christ crucified ; his body broken for us, is that feast to which hungry souls are called, and which they are to feed upon : " Take, eat, this is my body broken for you." Gal. ii. 20, " I am crucified with Christ : nevertheless I live ; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me : and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved ine, and gave himself for me." We have heard of mo thers who have eaten their own children, but who ever gave them- G 2 92 A RICH BEAST selves to be meat unto them ? But Jesus died that we might live, gave hiraself to enliven and nourish our souls. — Let us consider, 1. The meat which is served up in this feast for the hungry heart. This is Christ's body ; John vi. 55, " For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed." Never was there such a costly feast in the world as this, Christ's body broken and bruised by justice, that it might be food to us. This is the provision offered to you all in the word, exhibited to you, 0 believers ! in the sacrament. And ye may eat, and must eat of it, or you will perish : John vi. 53, " Then Jesus said unto them. Verily, verily, I say unto you. Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you." Take him by faith, receive him with a faith of appli cation, and unite with him in the covenant; relish the sweetness of Christ, improve every part of Christ, his low birth, his sorrowful life, his bitter death, his burial, resurrection, and ascension to hea ven. — Christ's body is the fat things of this feast, which will com pletely satisfy the hungry heart ; so that thy soul feeding upon it by faith, shall be flUed and satisfied, like the hungry infant, when it is set to its mother's full breasts : Psalm Ixxxi. 10, " Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it." How can these things be ? will an unbelieving world say. We answer, in two things, (1.) There is a fulness of the spirit of sanctification in him, which is communicated unto all who receive hira : John i. 16, " And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace." And the more eagerly that the soul feeds on him, the more of that spirit they re ceive. The first entering of his spirit into the soul gives life ; the further measure of the spirit, gives life more abundantly. And there is a double effect of the spirit of sanctification received from Christ. — [1.] The .spirit of Christ in the soul dries up the devouring deeps of unmortified desires after the world of lusts, stops their mouths by stabbing them to the heart, that the soul may live spiri tually : John iv. 14, "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst ; but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life." Never thirst, that is, at the rate he did in his natural state. Gasp they may, as a thief upon the cross, but they shall never gape 60 wide and so incessantly as before, the soul being determined to starve them, — [2,] The spirit of Christ in the soul stirs up holy de sires in the heart, which are the predominant motions and affections there : Psalm xxvii. 4, " One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple." The [man's choice is altered, his desires run in PREPARED FOR HUNGRY SOULS. 93 another channel. Sometimes it was. Who will shew us any good ? but now it is. Lord, lift upon us the light of thy countenance, Psalm iv. 6. Now his longings are after the Lord, Psalm xlii. 1, and Ixiii. 1. His sorrowings are for the want of his presence ; his comfort is enjoying the light of his countenance. If he has a God in Christ to be his God, you may take from him what ye will ; Psalm Ixxiii. 25, " Whom havOgl in heaven ;but thee ? and there is none in all the earth that I desire besides thee." Let these desires be satisfied, and he is filled as with marrow and fatness. (2.) The fulness of the Godhead is in Christ : Col. ii. 9, " For in hira dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." The taberna cle of raeeting betwixt God and the sinner is the flesh of Christ ; in him they have the enjoyment of God as their God. Taking Christ by faith, God is theirs, for he and the Father are one : thus in Christ they are complete. Col. ii. 10. They are at the utmost stretch of their desires as to the substance of them ; for having God to be their God, they have all. And thus the soul may feed on all the perfections of God : on his power, as theirs to protect them ; his wisdom, as theirs to guide, &c, ; on his word and all the promises of it, which are theirs. Here there is both plenty and variety. — Let us consider, 2. The drink which is afforded at this feast for the thirsty con science. This is the precious blood of Christ : John vi. 55, " My blood is drink indeed." This is that spiritual drink which is offer ed in the word, and exhibited in the sacrament : " This cup is the New Testament in my blood." If ever you wonld have life, you must all drink of this blood, by a believing application of it to your own souls : Rom. iii. 25, " Whom God hath set forth to be a pro pitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness, for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God." — This is " wines on the lees, well refined," effectual for purging the conscience of the most guilty creature, when it is believingly ap plied to the soul : Heb. ix. 14, " How much more shall the blood of Christ, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God ?" This blood is atoning blood, it answers all the demands of justice, affords a covert under which a guilty creature may stand before God, and not be condemned : Rom. viii. 1, " There is there fore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus." — It is sin-expiating blood, " shed for reraission of sins unto many." Lay all your guilt over on this blood. It will blot out all the iteras out of the debt-book of justice ; it will draw the sting out of your con science, for which all other persons and' things have been physicians 94 A RICH FEAST of no value. — It is peace-making blood. Lay the weight of your peace with God on it : " Christ is our peace," Eph. ii. 14. — It is justifying blood ; by it is brought in an everlasting righteousness — It is hea ven-opening blood, for time, in access to God and communion with him on earth ; and for eternity, that believers in it may be ever with the Lord, Heb. x. 19, 20. How can these things be ? Why, in one word, this wine is the juice of the choice vine of heaven, it is the blood of the Son of God, and therefore of infinite value, 1 John i. 16. When the blood of bulls and of goats could avail no thing to cool the heat of scorched consciences, when rivers of oil, and the fruit of one's body, could avail nothing for the sin of the soul ; the Son of God took on him man's nature, and in that nature died, shed his precious blood, to be a ransom for elect sinners, to deliver them from the pit. Job xxxiii. 22 — 30. We are now, III. To consider what sort of a feast it is. — Upon this we observe, 1. That it is a feast upon a sacrifice : 1 Cor. v. 7, 8, " For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us : therefore, let us keep the feast." Justice was provoked by the conduct of self-destroying sin ners. God's anger was incensed against us, and the fire of his wrath has burned up many. And when wrath was gone out against the world, the great High Priest stept in, and offered up himself a sa crifice to atone for sin, and turn away divine wrath. Here we are called to a feast on that sacrifice, to partake of its virtue and effi cacy. 2. It is a covenant-feast, Heb. xiii. 20, 21. When Jacob made the covenant with Laban, they feasted together on the mount, Gen. xxxi. 44 — 54. There is no partaking of this feast, but by the way of the covenant. All the guests must be covenanters, and they who are not pleased with the covenant of friendship and peace with God, as held forth in the gospel, cannot taste of this supper. But those who are well pleased with it, and sincerely consent to it, Christ says to them, " Eat, 0 friends ! drink, yea, drink abundantly, 0 beloved !" 3. It is a marriage-feast, a marriage-supper, Matth. xxii. 1 — 4. The Lord Christ is the Bridegroom, and the captive daughter of Zion the bride. He offers hiraself to each of you to whom the gos pel comes, to be yours in a marriage' relation. Consent then to the match, and ye shall eat of this bread, and drink of this wine which he hath mingled. He is yours, and you have all, which he hath pur chased, to feed on for time and for eternity. 4. It is a feast which has a respect to war. The Lord of hosts made it. It looks backward to that terrible encounter which Christ had with the law, with death, with hell, and the grave, upon the ac- PREPARED FOR HUNGRY SOULS. 95 count of his ransomed ones, and that glorious victory which he ob tained over thera, by which he wrought the deliverance of his peo ple. The gospel-feast, is a feast upon the back of that victory, and the Lord's supper is particularly a feast in comraemoration of that bat tle and victory. It looks forward to a Avar : Song ii. 4, " He brought me to the banqueting-house, and his banner over me was love." It is provided for and presented to his people to animate and strengthen them for the spiritual warfare against the devil, the world, and the flesh ; and none can truly partake of it, but those who are resolved on that battle, and are determined to pursue it, till they obtain the complete victory at death. Lastly, It is a weaning feast. Gen. xxiii. 8. There is a time pre fixed in the decree of God, at which all who are his shall, by con verting grace, be weaned from their natural food. And with this their sitting down to this feast agrees. Where is the soul which is now weaned from their sucking so long at the dry breasts of the world ? that soul shall have the sweet enjoyment of this feast ; and the more that they feed, the more they will be weaned. We now proceed, IV. To confirm, that all people who will come, may come, and partake of this feast. Not that all may immediately partake of the sacrament, but that all may and should receive Christ, with his benefits, offered to them in the gospel ; they are made most heartily welcome. — To make this appear, consider, 1. Christ invites all without distinction, even the Avorst of sinners, to this spiritual feast : Isa. Iv. 1, " Ho every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters." John vii. 37, " If any man thirst," said Jesus, " let him come to me and drink," Rev. xxii. 17, " And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely." These are gospel- invitations, clogged with no conditions, comprehending all who are willing to receive Christ, whatever their case is or has been. — Con sider, 2. For what end does Jesus send out his messengers with a com mission to invite all to come, if they were not welcome? Matth. xxii. 9, " Go ye, therefore, into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage." Nay, the Lord is very express in the welcome given to the worst of sinners, Jer. iii. 1 ; Isa. i. 18 ; and directs his messengers to invite the most unworthy and un sightly persons to this feast : Lnke xiv. 21 — 33, " Go out quickly," says he, " into the streets apd lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled." — Consider, 96 A RICH FEAST Lastly, That he takes it heinously amiss when any refuse to corae : Luke xiv. 21, " He was angry ;" angry, because those who were in vited would not come. He not only invites ¦ you, but you are com manded on your peril to comply with the invitation : 1 John iii. 23, " And this is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ." And do what ye will, if ye slight the offer, ye cannot please him ; for without faith it is impossible to please God. — It only remains, that, V. We make some practical improvement ; and this shall be con fined for the present to a use of exhortation. 1. We would exhort all hungry hearts who are suing for satis faction in the world and their lusts, and whose consciences have no solid resting-place, 0 ! come to Jesus Christ in his covenant, and sit down to this feast prepared for you and the like of you. — To pre vail with you, I would mention the following Motives : — Mot. 1. While ye corae not to Christ, you have nothing coramen- surable nor suitable to the cravings of an immortal soul. All other things are but as stones or ashes, they are not bread ; Isa. Iv. 2," Where fore do ye spend money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not ?" The man was a fool, who bid his soul take ease from what he had in his barns. Nothing less than a God in Christ can ever satisfy the cravings of an immortal soul, a soul which was created capable of enjoying an infinite good. And no thing but the blood of the Redeemer will ever give solid peace to your consciences. Mot. 2. Should not the continued tract of disappointments ye have met with at other doors, engage you to come to Christ's ban queting-house ? Jer. iii. 23, " Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains : truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel." Have you not always found creature-comforts greater in expectation than in fruition ? How often have ye looked for mnch comfort, where you got little ? And has not your greatest crosses arisen sometimes from those quarters whence ye expected your greatest comfort ? Mot. 3. In what ye are now pursuing, consider that there is not only vanity and emptiness, which will disappoint you, but there is death in the pot, which will destroy your souls. There needs no more to ruin you, but that you be left to your own heart's lusts, and take your swing. Fearful will the reckoning be, when so much time, pains, and labour, are laid out on the pursuit of the world, and the immortal soul is quite neglected as to its eternal welfare, Eccl. xi. 9. Mot. 4. If you will come to Christ, ye shall get true rest ; rest PREPARED FOR HUNGRY SOULS. 97 to your hearts, rest to your consciences, Matth. xi. 28. Whatever your wants be, there is a suitable fulness in him ; a fulness of merit, to carry off your guilt ; a fountain, even the depth of the sea, to wash it away ; a fulness of the Spirit to kill your corruptions ; of righteousness to cover your unrighteousness ; of light for your dark ness ; of strength for your weakness. Lastly, Consider, if you will come, you shall be happy for time and eternity. When the lower table is drawn, you shall sit down at the upper. If not, you shall never know satisfaction, nor find rest to your souls. — I would exhort, 2. Comraunicants to feed on Christ at his table. Let not the feast be in vain to you. Dead sinners, those destitute of spiritual life, are not fit guests for the Lord's table, for they cannot feed. Such will eat and drink judgment to themselves, not discerning the Lord's body. — Here it may be inquired. How may one know if he has any spiritual life ? To this we answer. Whosoever has spiritual life will be sincerely longing to be rid of the grave-chathes of sin ; Matth. V. 6, " Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righte ousness, for they shall be filled." They will be, content to part with all sin, and resolved henceforth to oppose every lust, as a limb of the body of death ; not only sin in general, but the iniquity which is in their hearts, and with which they are most easily beset. They are willing also to lay aside the grave-clothes of self; Matth. V. 3, " Blessed are the poor in spirit." They will look on the rags of their own righteousness but as grave-clothes also, and set them selves against all motions of this tendency. In a word, they are for doing all as if they were to win heaven this way ; at the same time, overlooking all as if they were doing nothing. Now, to yon living and believing communicants, we acquaint you with Christ's welcome : Song v. 1, " Eat, 0 friends ! drink, yea, drink abundantly, 0 beloved !" Take it and use freedom in his house. Eat, drink abundantly. Let your souls feast indeed at this gospel-feast, and miss not the opportunity. — I will only say to you, as the angel to Elijah, 1 Kings xix. 7, " And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said. Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for thee." Tou have a great journey to go, and it is a question if you get such another meal set before you, ere you be at the end of it. Tou have a twofold jour ney, each of which requires you to eat. — Tou have, 1. Tour journey through the world, towards the Canaan above. It is difficult at all times ; so as that many never dare venture on it others never make it out, for it lies through many difficulties. The devil, the world, and the flesh, will struggle with you, to give over this 98 A RICH FEAST journey, of living well through the world. It is like to be more than ordinarily difficult in our times. A spirit of delusion threatens a dark and misty day. Labour to taste the power of truth, if you would be established in it. A Popish and malignant spirit threatens with darkness, blood, aud confusion. This is evident, if we consider the apostacy in these nations from the once covenanted work of refor mation, the blood of the saints yet lying at their doors, with the profanity and irreligion which is abounding among all ranks. As we have reason to think the Popish and malignant party in these nations, setting up for a Popish pretender, are infatuated of God to their own ruin, that they may get blood to drink; so we have ground to fear God may make them a scourge to the nations, and perhaps by them he may drive them to reformation. Whatever, then, the clouds may turn to, eat for a wilderness-journey. — Tou have, 2. Tour journey out of the world, that is, to die well. It is a weighty journey from tirae to eternity. Eat for it this day, and do as you will wish to have done when yon come to a dying-hour. It may be seme will not have as much time to think on it when it comes, as they will have this day at a communion table. And that at a communion-table you may eat, — labour to have your ap petite after Christ sharpened. Open your mouths wide, and he will fill them. Consider well your own needs, and his fullness. — Adore the wonderful condescension of the great God. Reverence his great ness; but beware of slavish fear and amazement. Look to God through the veil of Christ's flesh. — In a word, beware of unbelief. Rest not in a general faith, but exercise a faith of application : Gal. ii. 20 " I am crucified with Christ ; nevertheless I live ; and yet not I, but Christ liveth in me : and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for m«. Amen. THE DISTINGUISHING PRIVILEGE, &0. 99 THE DISTINGUISHING PRIVILEGE OF GOD'S FAITHFUL SERVANTS,* SERMON VIII. ExoD. xxiv. 11, And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand : also they saw God, and did eat and drink. The Lord is calling us to come up to him into the mount of solemn ordinances; and though there be some who will abide at the foot of the hill, unconcerned and stupid, like Abraham's ser vant and the ass, I hope there are others who will desire to go forward, though it is likely there may be a struggle betwixt hope and fear about their entertainment there. How are your hearts affected upon this awful approach ? are they saying within you, as these Greeks, " We would see Jesus ?" Or, as the prodigal Jew, Luke xv. 17, " We perish with hunger." And at the same time with the men of Bethshemesh, 1. Sam. vi. 19, " Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God ?" Our text gives you encouragement from this instance of the nobles of Israel. Upon God's call they came up to the mount ; and (which divides the text into two parts), ^rs«. They were safe : "And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand ;" Secondly, They were kindly entertained : " Also they saw God, and did eat and drink." — We shall attend to these separately. The f,rst part is, they were safe in their approach. Moses re marks this, to the praise of the divine clemency in a Mediator, through whom sinners may see God, and not die. Sin has set man at such a distance from God, and put his body into such a weak and mouldering condition, that consciousness of guilt and a sight of the divine glory meeting together, is more than enough to exanimate and make him faint away, to break to pieces the corrupt earthen pitcher the soul dwells in. Hence it was a common opinion, that such a sight was deadly. — Consider here, 1. The parties whose safety is particularly remarked, the nobles of the children of Israel. Some reckon Nadab and Abihu among these ; but if so, why not Moses and Aaron ? It is plain they were all there, ver. 9, and 10. I think, however, it is only the seventy elders who are meant ; and therefore it is expressed emphatically in the Hebrew, intimating, that not only was Moses, the typical Media- * This and the following discourse were delivered at Maxton, August 11 and 12, 1716. 100 THE DISTINGUISHING PRIVILEGE tor, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, who were designed to be priests, preserved ; but even the elders, the representatives of the people, these also were safe. — Tou will accordingly observe, that the people are as welcome to the divine favour, and to gracious manifestations of God, as ministers. Tho' ministers be employed to open the doors of the temple, the people stand as fair for a sight of the glory with in as they do. Though Moses, &c. went up foremost to the mount ; yet no man should either value himself before the Lord, or be dis couraged upon the character which he bears. Ordinarily, people will pray that ministers may be helped in their public ministrations, to preach, &c. ; but they should even also be concerned, that they may be helped to believe, taste, feel, and feed, with the rest of the children. They were nobles, great men, rulers of the people ; yet they went up to the mount with Aaron, and sat down to the sacred feast there, after they had taken the national covenant of Israel with the rest of the people, ver. 8 9. — -Tou will thence observe, that it is the honour of the nobles of a land to see God, and to be seen upon the mount with God, at the sacred feast, as covenanters with him. This was some time the honour of Scotland's nobility and gentry ; they were forward in the national covenant with God ; and we have heard the days have been, when scarlet-cloaks and velvet-hoods bare great bulk in such meetings as this. But, ah ! how is our gold become dross ! they leave these things now mostly to the comraon people, with contempt of both. What wonder is it that they have been left to make themselves the tail, and not the head ! to row us into deep waters, where the state is sunk, and the church is broken : to turn Babel-builders, so that for once the scaffolding is broken, and the builders, with many others, heavily crushed. For, " these that ho nour God, he will honour ; but they that despise him, shall be lightly esteemed." There were seventy of these nobles, the number of the children of Israel when they went down to Egypt, and so a fit number to re present the body of the people, who were now solemnly taken into covenant with God. God saw it not meet to give this sight of the divine glory to the multitude, and to set all down to the sacred feast on the mount; but, since it was covenant-entertainment, the se venty were brought to it, as the representatives of the people. Thus also the New-Testament church is represented by twenty-four elders about the throne. Rev. iv. 4 — From this you may learn, that safe com munion andfellowship with God is the privilege ofthe church of believ ers, the Israelites indeed. — That all the people of God have not alike nearness of access to God ; some come farther forward than others. OF god's faithful servants. 101 Peter, James, and John, were taken up to the mount of transfigura tion, and not the rest of the apostles. — That it is a mercy to have an interest in, and relation to, these who are brought near to God, especial ly such as will act for us in the mount with God. There may be some young ones here, whose fathers or mothers are to approach the table of the Lord. I would advise them to tell them to mind them there. Say, " I cannot go, but, 0 ! give up my name to Christ, consent you in my name to the covenant, and tell your covenanted God, I am also content to be his." Or, if you have not father or mother, tell any other godly person ye know. And so may one distressed Chris tian do with another : Song, v. 8. " I charge you, 0 daughters of Jerusalera ! if ye find my Beloved, that ye tell him that I am sick of love." We may observe, (2.) How their safety is expressed : " He laid not his hand upon them," that is, did not hurt or destroy them. Gen xxxvii. 22. Though they saw God, (ver. 10.) yet they died not, their lives were preserved. This imports, that he might in point of justice have laid his hand on them. They were sinful creatures ; and though they were on the mount of God, yet they had a sinful nature with them, which did leave the marks of it even upon what they did there. But he over looked their weakness, and in mercy spared thera. This instructs us, that when we are at our best, if God should mark our iniquity, we could not stand before him. We are ever in mercy's debt, and cannot be one moment safe without being under the covert of blood. Even in heaven, it is under that canopy the saints will feast for ever, Heb. vii. 25. — It also imports, that the weight of his hand would have crushed them. If he had but laid it on them, it would have done their business. If he had but put forth his hand and touched thera in wrath, they would have gone like a moth with a touch of the hand. — From this we may learn the utter weakness and nothingness of the creature before the Lord. He can touch it to destruction, and can frown it back, when he will, into the womb of nothing. Why, then, should we strive with our Maker? — More particularly, that the greatest of men are nothing before the great God ; Upon the nohles he laid not his hand. Though they caused terror to their inferior fellow-creatures, they were as unable to bear the terror of God as the meanest in the camp of Israel. All flesh is alike before God. Tou will observe, (3.) How they came to be safe. The word nohles signifies select, separate ones, who had been set apart. They were selected out of the covenanted body of the people, to come up into the mount to the Lord, at his call. Moses gets an order for so many to come up with him ver. 1. Having that order, he first proposes a covenant 102 THE distinguishing privilege to the people, and they declare their acceptance, ver. 3. ; then he writes the words ofthe covenant, and the covenant is most solemnly entered into, ratified, and sealed ; there is an altar built to re present God in Christ, ver. 4, and twelve pillars to represent the twelve tribes. Thus these were the parties. Sacrifices were of fered, ver. 5, shewing the covenant to be founded on the blood of a Mediator. The half of the blood was sprinkled on the altar, ver. 6, shewing it was not an absolute God with whom they were to covenant, but a God atoned by the blood of a cruci fied Saviour. Then he read the book of the covenant ; thus pro posing it to the people ; and their second thoughts are as their first, they solemnly consent to it, ver. 7- ; and he sprinkles the rest of the blood on them, and so it was sealed and ratified. Then, after all this, he and these selected elders go up to the mount, in obe dience to the call formerly given ; and,there they saw God, and were safe notwithstanding. Thus, their separation was their security. From which you may observe. That there is safety in following God's call, be the calling never so high. Had any of the people at tempted to have gone whither they went, they had smarted for it ; but being called, they were safe. Some, who measure reverence of God more by their own carnal wisdom than by God's word, cry out on us for not kneeling, but sitting, at the Lord's table. But though sitting be a gesture of more familiarity than kneeling, yet seeing it is instituted,we may expect more safety in it than in their kneeling, which at the Lord's table, wants both precept and example, — We now come to the Second part of the verse. They were kindly entertained in their approach : Also (or but) they saw God, and did eat and drink. — Here observe, 1. A glorious sight which they got. — Where consider, (1.) The object, God more largely expressed, ver. 10, " The God of Israel." Not any visible resemblance of the divine nature, but some glorious appearance and token of God's special presence. Our Lord Jesus Christ was known to the Old Testament church by this name, the God of Israel. And that this was the Son of God, seems very plain frora that word, ver. 1, " He said. Come up unto the Lord." Compare ch. xxiii. 20 — 23, with Exod. iii. 2 — 8. Now, he who sends is the Father, and it is the same who speaks here ; and he speaks of another person, who also is the Lord. And, seeing we read of his feet, ver 10, he seems to have appeared in a glorious human shape, as a pledge of his future incarnation. This, then was a most glori ous sight of Jesus Christ. Nothing is here described but what was under his feet ; though the text seems to intimate they saw more, an OP god's faithful servants. 103 inconceivable glory which mortals cannot make words of. — Consider, (2.) The act, " they saw." This seeing imports something mora.. than in ver. 10, for it is evident that the first part of the verse relates to that seeing, ver. 10. And so the sense requires some thing more to be in this. Accordingly, they are different words in the original; this here signifies to contemplate and fixedly be hold ; from it onr word gaze seems to be derived. It might bo read, " They beheld God ;" importing, not a transient glance, but a fixed view : John i. 14, " And the word Avas made flesh, and dwelt among us ; and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth ;" which is still more admirable condescension, and accordingly it is emphatically expressed. Now, consider this as following upon the solemn transaction of the covenant made by sacrifice. — It holds out to us, (1.) That the great end of the covenant, next to the divine glory, is the happiness of the covenanters in seeing and enjoying God. There it is completed. And beyond this the creature cannot go. — (2.) That not the sight of an absolute God, but of a God in Christ, is the cove nanters happiness. None can see God in mercy but they, for there is no other way but that of the covenant ; and their happy sight is no thing other than a sight of God in Christ. In Christ, all the lines of our hope meet for time and eternity. Observe, 2. A blessed feast of which they were partakers : " They did eat and drink." — Here consider, (1.) What they did, "they did eat and drink" upon the mount. They feasted upon the remains of the sacrifices of the peace-offer ings, ver. 5. And this in token of their hearty satisfaction with the covenant now made, their ready acceptance of the benefits of it, and their communion with God in pursuance of it. Thus the believers feeding on Christ and gospel-dainties is expressed in scripture : Psalm xxii. 25, 26, " My praise shall be of thee in the great con gregation ; I will pay my vows before them that fear him ; the meek shall eat, and be satisfled." Thus they were admitted to a holy familiarity with God, to eat and drink in his presence : " They saw him, and they did eat and drink." — Consider, (2.) How they did it, with holy joy and comfort. This is im plied in the connection, or opposition betwixt the parts of the text. They were so far frora being slain with the sight, that they were not faithlessly frightened at it ; but with a holy composure of spirit, they did eat and drink. What they saw was not like a cloudy sky to damp them, but as a clear one to refresh thera. Holy reverence is necessary, but faithless fears in solemn approaches to God, are dis pleasing to him, and hurtful to our own souls, for they hinder us 104 THE distinguishing privilege from eating. Happy they who can believe and fear. — From this subject, we may take the following Doctrines, viz. Doctrine I. That a sight of God in Christ, and a holy familiarity with him, with all safety, is the privilege of God's covenant-people, especially in these solemn approaches to which he calls them. II. That it is a wonder of grace that sinful creatures, in their solemn approaches to God, see God, and are familiar with hira, and yet come off safe. We begin with Doctrine 1. That a sight of God in Christ, and a holy familiarity with him, with all safety, is the privilege of God's covenant-people, especially in these solemn approaches to which he calls them. In handling this doctrine, we shall, I. Shew what is that sight of God in Christ, which is the privilege of his people in their solemn approaches to hira. II. What is that holy farailiarity which is their privilege in their Boleran approaches to him. And then, III. Improve the subject. We are then, I. To shew what is that sight of God in Christ, which is the pri vilege of his people in their solemn approaches to him. — There is a twofold solemn approach of God's people to him. — There is a right approach, 1. When God calls them up to the mount of myrrh, where our Lord ^.bides till the day break. Song iv. 6 ; when he calls them to come pp to the hill of God in Immanuel's land, where stands the King's palace, namely heaven. This call comes to the believing soul at death. Then, as Rev. iv. 1, there is a door opened in heaven to the heaven-born soul, which is now, as it were, wrestling in a mire of corrupt flesh aud blood in the body, and the voice is heard, Corae up hither. This will be a solemn approach when the soul of the meanest believer shall go up thither, attended with a corapany of holy angels, and, like Lazarus, be carried by them into Abra ham's bosom, Luke xvi. 22. — It will corae to both souls and bodies of believers at the last day : Psalm I. 5, " Gather my saints to gether unto rae ; those that have made a covenant with me by sa criflce." And then God's covenant-people, who dwell in the di^st, shall awake from their sleep, come out of the lowly darksome hoiise of the grave, and enter into the King's palace. Psalm Ixv. — Then they_ shall see God in Christ to the completing their happiness for ever. Then they shall be like hira, for they shall see hira as he is. 1 John iii. 2. We know little now of this sight in glory, 1 Cor. ii, 9 ; but it vastly transcends all sights got of him here. — There it OF GOD S faithful SERVANTS. 105 will be immediate, they shall see hira face to face, 1 Cor. xiii. 12 Perfectly transforming, 1 John i. 2. — Everlasting, without inter ruption, without intermission. They shall be ever with tho Lord. But on this we insist not. There is a right approach, 2. When God calls them to come up to the mount of ordinances, to meet hira at the sacred feast, as the nobles of Israel in the text, and as we at this time are called, to feast on the great sacriflce in the sacrament. This is a solemn approach. Now, what is the sight of God in Christ which is the privilege here ? As to this we ob serve, (1.) That it is a believing sight of God in their nature, John i. 14, (above). The nobles saw the Son of God in human shape, with their bodily eyes. But the great design of it was to shew the pri vilege of the saints by faith. 0 glorious sight ! to see God in our na ture, the divine nature, in the person of the Son, united to our na ture ? 0 high privilege ! to sit at his table, and under the teaching of his Spirit, to spell the glorious name Immanuel, God with us. 0 the sweetness of every letter and syllable ! God the fountain of all holiness and happiness, we, the sink of all sin and misery : yet God with us. The personal union, the foundation of the mystical union ; and so an holy God and sinful creatures are united through Christ. We observe, (2.) That it is a sight of this God in the place of his special residence ; on the mount to which they were invited, where he stood, as it were, on a pavement of sapphire. It is their privilege to see him on the mount of ordinances, at his table, the glorious place of his feet, Isa, xxv. 6, 7. 0 the high privilege of the saints ! We were all born under a sentence of death, to see the Lord no more in the land of the living, and (as in Haman's case, Esth. vii. 8.) as the word goes out of the King's mouth, our face is covered. Some live all their days in this case, corae to communion-tables, and go away in it. But the believer laying hold on the covenant, Christ draws off the face-covering, and then, with open face beholding, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, they are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. They see the bread, the Lord. (3 ) It is a sight of the glory of the place of his feet, ver. 10. It is a promise relating to gospel-days : Isa. Ix. 13, " The glory of Le banon shall come unto thee, the flr-tree, the pine-tree, and the box together, to beautify the face of my sanctuary ; and I will make the place of my feet glorious." The ark in the temple, and gospel-or dinances in the gospel-church. It is their privilege to see a glory there, where the world see none ; to see a majesty in the sacrament. Vol. X. H 106 THE DISTINGUISHING PRIVILEGE a spiritual glory and heavenly lustre in the bread and wine at the Lord's table, as sacred symbols of the body and blood of Christ, 1 Cor. xi. 29. This glory and majesty in the ordinances, must be discerned by faith ; and because it is beyond the stretch of the na tural eye, therefore carnal wisdom in Rome, and the church of Eng land, has gone about to supply its place with a great deal of ex ternal pomp, that may work upon the senses, defacing the simplicity of the institution. But after all, to a spiritual discerner, the external glory is as far below the spiritual glory, as artiflcial painting would in the eyes of the nobles have been below the natural clearness ot the body of heaven. (4.) It is a sight of God as reconciled in Christ. They saw God, and did eat and drink as in the house of their friend. This is the sight to be seen in the gospel-glass, 2 Cor. v. 18 — 20. A refreshful sight to a soul pained with the sting of guilt. Christ has died, and his blood has quenched the fire of God's wrath against the sinner ; so that when on the mount he looks to the Lord, he sees as it were a clear sky under his feet : a sure token, that the storm is blown over, that there is peace from heaven, and an offended God is reconciled to us through his own Son. (5 ) It is a sight of God as their God. They saw the God of Israel. Here lay the surpassing sweetness of their sight. Such a sight got Thomas, when his faith got up above his unbelief: John XX. 28, " My Lord, and my God." And for this sight is the sacra ment especially appointed, that the child of God may say, " I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me," Gal. ii. 20. The nature of the ordinance leads to it, which brings the word preached in the general to every believing commu nicant in particular : " This is my body broken for you." Lastly, It is a sight of transcendent glory in him. Nothing is de scribed but what was under his feet. For, search the universe, there is no person, no thing like him. .Even what was under his feet, is described to have been a sapphire stone. But the best things on earth are not sufficient to set forth the glory even of this, and there fore it is added, " as if it were the body of heaven in his clearness." They who see him, see that of which they can never see the like. We are now, II. To shew what is that holy familiarity which is the privilege of God's people in their solemn approaches to him. — It is a believ ing, holy, humble freedom before their Lord ! Eph. iii. 12, " In whom we have boldness and access, with confldence, by the faith of him." In the sight before us, the sense of their own unworthiness, and a sight of his glory, did not mar their faith, nor put them in an OP god's FAITHFUL SERVANTS. 107 unbelieving frame. They did eat and drink ; neither did the fami liarity of faith mar their holy fear, or make them forget their dis tance : compare v. 1, where they were comraanded to worship afar off, which no doubt they did. I will mention some instances of fa miliarity allowed them, 1. They were allowed to come forward to God, when others must stand back, Isa. Ivi. 6, 7 ; when others must abide at the foot of the hill, (and it is at their peril if they venture forward), believers may come up to the mount, and are welcome. They have a token from the Master himself : Song v. 1, " Eat, 0 friends ! drink, yea drink abundantly, 0 beloved !" 2. They were allowed to feast on the sacrifice set before them. Christ the sacriflce typically slain, and believers are allowed to feast on this sacrifice, to eat his flesh and drink his blood ; to make a believing application of a whole Christ to their own souls for their spiritual nourishment : " Take, eat, this is my body, broken for you." Tou know what it is to feed your eyes on some pleasant object that is your own. The covetous man can feed his eyes on his bags of money. So believers are allowed to feed their eyes on Christ ; be holding, and delighting in Christ ; solacing themselves with his sweetness, and the sweetness of every part of the mystery of Christ. 3. They were allowed to converse with God freely, as one at the table of his friend. The peace being made by accepting of the co venant, the nobles were, and all believers are, set down to the feast in token of their communion with him : 1 John i. 3, " And truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." The believer has liberty to tell the Lord all his mind, Eph. iii. 12, (quoted above) ; to unbosom himself to a gracious God, and point particularly at what he would have, what he would be quit of. " What is thy petition ?" says the King at the feast. 4. They were allowed to be in his secrets, to see what others have no access to. They saw God. Believers are allowed to see the glory of his person, John i. 14, (above.) The glory of his covenant : Psalm xxv. 14, " The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his covenant." — The glory of his redeeming, his everlasting love to them : Jer. xxxi. 3, " I have loved thee with an everlasting love." — The hidden glory of his word ; Luke xxiv. 32, " And they said one to another. Did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures ?" Hence, Lastly, They were allowed to lay all their wants on him. When believers come to the mount, in his light they see light clearly, and at his table they are fed. Christ says to his guests, as Judges xix. H 2 108 THE DISTINGUISHING PRIVILEGE 20, " Peace be on thee ; howsoever, let all thy wants lie upon me." Psalm Iv. 22, " Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sus tain thee." The Lord allows his people to lay all their burdens upon him ; — the burden of their debt, the guilt of sin, he will answer for it ; — the burden of the strength of sin : Micah vii. 19, " He will subdue our iniquities." — The burden of our duties, and through- bearing in the way of God : 2 Cor. xii. 9, " My grace is sufficient for thee : for my strength is made perfect in weakness." — The burden of afflictions, crosses, trials ; Isa. xliii. 2, " When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee," &c. — The burden of their families; Jer. xlix. 11, " Leave thy fatherless children, I will pre serve them alive ; and let thy widows trust in rae." — The burden of their souls for time and for eternity : Isa. xlvi. 4, " And even to your old age, I am he ; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you : I have made, and I will bear : even I will carry and will deliver you." We now come, III. And last place, to make some practical improvement. — And as a suitable improveraent, we raay observe, that this doctrine, like the cloudy pillar, has a dark and a bright side. — Dark to those that are not in the covenant. — Bright to all God's covenanted people. 1. It has a dark side to all natural men, strangers to the co venant, who are none of God's covenant-people. — Such are these, (1.) Who are grossly ignorant of the doctrine of the covenant. It is a promise of the covenant : John vi. 45, " It is written in the prophets, and they shall be all taught of God. Every man, there fore, that has heard and has learned of the Father, cometh to rae." And therefore, such as are not thus taught, are not in it. No per son stumbles in the dark into this covenant. (2.) Those who never found the intolerable weight of the first co venant, the law. Te cannot be in both covenants at once, Rora. vii. 4. And if ye be brought into the second, ye have found the yoke of the flrst intolerable ; Gal. ii. 19, " For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God," Te have been awa kened to see your natural misery, and your utter inability to help yourselves by your doing or suffering; to despair of salvation in any other way, but through the obedience and death of a Redeemer. (3.) Those who were never yet pleased with the frame of the co venant as God made it, who in all their pretended closing with Christ, have still had some secret reserves as to some beloA'ed lust, or as to 'the cross. (4.) Those who are still in league with their lusts, their hearts never divorced from them : " If ye take me," says Christ, " let these go away." If Christ get the throne, the most beloved lusts will be OF god's FAITHFUL SERVANTS. 109 crucified. — It has a dark side to you as long as you continue in this state. It accordingly says to you. If you see God at all, it will be a dreadful sight you will get of him. It will be the sight of an absolute God out of Christ, breathing out fury and vengeance against you. And he that is a refreshing sun to others, will be a consuming flre to you. And how will you be able to abide this sight ? Isa. xxxiii. 14. — It says again. Though you come to his table, you cannot come in safety. Tou run a dread ful risk while you go thither, breaking up into the mount, without a warrant from the Lord. And it is a dangerous business for an un holy soul to be found in holy ground, 1 Cor. xi. 29.^ — It says also. Though ye sit down at the feast, ye cannot taste the sweetness of it, the sap and juice of it, naraely, a sight of God in Christ as your own God; and a holy familiarity with him as such will be denied you. For what have ye to do with the covenanted-feast, who are strangers to the covenant itself ? — It says, lastly. If ye snatch at the saints' familiarity with God, you put forth your hand to that to which you have no right, and go beyond God's allowance. Remera- ber, Matth. xv. 26, " It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs." Aud therefore you can expect no other than this entertainment: Matth. xxii. 12, " Friend, hoAV camest thou in hither, not having a wedding-garment ? and he was speechless." — Bnt as this text and doctrine has a dark side to those who are not in the covenant; 2. It has a bright side to all God's covenant-people. Here is your privilege, 0 covenanters ! you who are savingly in covenant. Te are come into covenant, ye are divorced frora the law ; Rora. vii. 4, " Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another, even to him who is risen from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." If divorced from the law, ye have given it fair count and reckoning at parting, and fallen on a way of payment to it ; for the covenant to which you now belong was not made but by sacri flce. Some are like an obstinate woman, who will not stir out of her husband's house, though he should slay her ; these are despe rate ones. Some like a foolish woman, who runs away from her husband, without suing out a divorce, or reckoning with him for the wrongs done to him ; these are the presumptuous, whom the law will bring back from the horns of the altar. But Christ's spouse, at parting with the law, acknowledged all its demands just ; but being sensible of utter inability to pay, goes to Christ as the great cau tioner and turns it over upon him for all. — If divorced frora the law the law also will be dead to you. Where one is divorced from 110 THE DISTINGUISHING PRIVILEGE the first husband, he is as dead to her. The stream of your com fort by the law will be dried up, and it will flow from Christ alone. Tou will rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Tou will not draw your comfort from your repentance, resolutions, vows, or reformation ; but from the application of the blood of the covenant. 2. If ye be come into the covenant, your league with your lusts is broken. Though sin cleaves close to you, your hearts are loosed from it, and turned against it, Rom. vii. 17- Ton will hate it for itself, for its contrariety to the holy nature and law of your covenanted God, and not for the grievous consequences of it on yourself only. It will be to you as the fetters on the captive, he cannot get loose of them ; but well he knows they are not his choice, though they were of gold — Tour hearts will be loosed from all sin, your hearts will hate it universally ; Psalm cxix. 128, " I hate every false way." Tou will have a special eye for evil on your iniquity, so that you will gladly yield the offending right eye to be plucked out, and give your consent to the cutting off of the right-hand idol. — In a word, you have taken Christ, not for a shelter to your sins, but for a des troyer to them, 1 Cor. i. 30. Tour business with the Mediator of the covenant will be as much for sanctiflcation as justification, to partake of his holiness as well as his righteousness, his Spirit as well as his blood, Matth. i. 21. Lastly, Te have come into the covenant, if ye have the covenant's mark. The beast has his mark, and many are fond of it this day. Christ has also his mark, which he sets on his covenant-people. — There is the ear -mark ; John x. 27, " My sheep," says he, " hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." See also Exod. xxiv. 7. Christ bores the ears of all that are his. They are taught of God, and have taken Christ for their teacher ; they have a cer tain sense suited to discern Christ's voice from that of others, agree able to their new nature : " A stranger they will not follow." They know the voice of their beloved, Song ii. 8. They look to him to be taught the way in which they should go ; their ears are open, and their hearts willing to know his will, that they may do it. They wish to have shown them his truths, his ways, and ordinances, that they may cleave to them, Acts ix. 6. — Again, There is a fire-mark : Luke xiv. 26, 27, " If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple." He reconciles all his to the cross ; and they are content to follow him at all hazards, and are fully resolved to follow the Lamb, OF god's faithful servants. Ill whithersoever he goeth. Rev. xiv. 4 ; to side with him whoever side against him, being determined neither to be bribed nor boasted from him. Now, this doctrine has a bright side to all such, and bespeaks them as from the holy mount in this manner : 1. Come up hither to the Lord. Rise, the master calleth you to the feast at his table. Come in, ye blessed of the Lord, to Christ's banqueting-house, why stand ye without? Tram|>Ie on all your doubts, whether they arise from the heaven above you, or from hell within you, and come forward to that God whose covenant you have laid hold on. 2. If you open your eyes, ye shall get a glorious sight of God in Christ. A sight which will be satisfying, and will darken all creat ed glory. Though but bread and wine appear at his table, a greater than Solomon is there. Only believe ; faith is the eye of the soul. Let us not have occasion to challenge your hearts after this commu nion with that which Christ said, John xi. 39, " Take ye away the stone." 3. Use a holy freedom in Christ's house, for he allows you. And do not reckon yourself a stranger at his table, seeing the feast is to confirm the covenant. Song v. 1. Make a believing application of all the benefits of his purchase. Say first of all. Song v. 16, " This is my beloved, and this is my friend ;" and then conclude, that with him all is yours. Lastly, Fear not, 0 trembling soul ! Entertain indeed a pro found reverence of God, but away with your faithless fears, which confuse and discompose the soul on the mount with God. Remem ber, upon the nobles he laid not his hand. Being in the covenant, you are under a covert of blood, and, by virtue of it, may assuredly expect, safety. — Here some may propose this question. How shall we manage that we get this sight ? To which I answer. Be exercised to take up the covenant in a suitable manner, ver. 4 — 1. Take some time this night by yourselves, and consider the co venant, — your undone state without it, — the suitableness of it to your case, — the absolute necessity of being in it. Labour to under stand it, and examine yourselves, as to your willingness to come into it. — Solemnly enter this night into the covenant, ver. 3. Though ye have done it before, do it again, and do it with more heartiness, ver. 7. Let this solemn transaction with God go before your so lemn approach, and do not venture to set God's seal to a blank, to sit down at his table, while ye have not honestly accepted of his co venant. — Again, sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice on your souls, be fore ye venture to go forward, ver. 8. Apply Christ's blood by faith to your own souls, laying the weight of all your guilt over upon it; 112 THE distinguishing PRIVILEGE believing firmly, that it is sufflcient to purge you frora all sin ; and in this way come forward to the Lord with holy boldness, under the covert of this blood. — Once more, shake off all worldly thoughts and affections : labour to be in a heavenly frame ; the nobles left the crowd at the foot of the hill, and went up into the mount. Put off your shoes, when you come on this holy ground. — Still farther, come forward under a due sense of the command of God ; they went up because they were called, and so must you frora conscience of Christ's command : " Do this in remembrance of me." Labour to have the sense of this command increased upon your spirits, as necessary to produce suitable obedience. — Lastly, open the eyes of faith, and look ; the mouth of faith and eat what is set before your soul there, a slain Saviour, with all his benefits. Amen. GOSPEL PRIVILEGES WONDERS OF GRACE SERMON IX. Exod. xxiv. 11, And upon the nohles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand : also they saw God, and did eat and drink. Having, in the preceding discourse, considered the first doctrine taken from these words, we go on to a short illustration of Doctrine II. That it is a wonder of grace, that sinful creatures, in their solemn approaches to God, are favoured with special sights of, and an holy familiarity with him, and yet come off safe. In speaking to this point, we shall, I. Shew that it is a wonder of grace, that sinful creatures are ad mitted to see God, and to be farailiar with hira. II. Shew that it is a wonder that in their solemn approaches, and when they are thus favoured, yet they come off safe. III. Explain how it comes to pass, that their safety, when thus favoured, is secured. — And then, IV. Make some short improvement. We are, I. To shew that it is a wonder of grace that sinful creatures are admitted to see God, and be farailiar with him. We think we need say little for proof of this. Only consider, 1. The infinite distance that there is between God and the crea ture in respect of perfection. The distance betwixt an angel and a GOSPEL PRIVILEGES, &0. 113 moth is but finite ; but betAvixt God and us the distance is infinite. And therefore, no wonder that beholding the glorious perfections of God, we dwindle into nothing in onr own eyes, and say with Abra ham, Gen. xviii. 27, " Behold now, we have taken upon us to speak unto the Lord, which are but dust and ashes ;" and cry out with Solomon, 1 Kings viii. 27, " But will God indeed dwell on the earth ? behold, the heaven, and heaven of heavens, cannot ^contain thee ; how much less this house that I have builded ?" Remember, ye saints that though God has laid by his enmity, he retains his so vereignty over us ; and therefore it is admirable condescension, that he is pleased to allow us to see him, and to enjoy holy familiarity with hira. Consider, 2. That it is the same God who is such a severe and dreadful aven ger of sin ; Psalm v. 5, " The foolish shall not stand in thy sight : thou hatest all workers of iniquity." Hab. i. 13, " Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity." This same God who allows his covenant-people a sight of his glory, and a holy familiarity with him on the mount of ordinances, is he who thurst Adam out of paradise, — drowned the old world, — rained fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah. He who gives sorae the cup of salvation at his table, is the same who makes others of their fel low-creatures drink the wine-cup of his fury. He who makes sorae feast in his presence, is the sarae from whose presence others shall be punished with everlasting destruction. We are, II. To show that it is a wonder of grace that sinful creatures, in their solemn approaches to God, and when they are thus favoured, come off safe. This will appear if we consider, 1. The infinite holiness and spotless purity of that God before whom the sinful creature appears. He is glorious in holiness, and fearful in praises, Exod. xv. 11. Even angelical purity is dim in his light, and is a sort of impurity, when compared with the infinite holiness of God, Job xv. 15. Even they are chargeable with folly in his sight ; potential folly, (though not actual), a kind of imper fection inseparable from the nature of the creature, in any state whatsoever ; Job iv. 18, " Behold, he put no trust in his servants ; and all his angels are charged with folly." {Hebrew, He puts, chargeth). And therefore, even the confirmed angels cover their feet with their wings, Isa. vi. 2, as if they would tell us that per fect created holiness is but a dark and smoky light before uncreated holiness. Shining holiness in some of the saints on earth, has a damping power with it. The very sight of one that convincingly walks close with God, is enough to strike a damp on the heart of a 114 GOSPEL PRIVILEGES loose professor or apostate. How much more may the sight of in finite holiness strike the most spiritual saints to the ground ! Con sider, 2. That the best carry a sinful nature even up into the mount with them. Paul, rapt np to the third heavens, brought a sinful na ture down with him again, an evidence he had carried it up, 2 Cor. xii. 7. Look on thyself, 0 saint ! in thy nearest approaches, and thou wilt see the humbling sight, a sinful heart, life, and lips, Isa, Ixiv. 6 ; sin woven into thy very nature, and mixed with thy flesh and blood, making a vile body, Phil. iii. 21 ; sunk into the marrow of thy spirit, and diffused through thy whole soul. And then canSt thou cease to say, as in Lam. iii. 22, " It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not." Is it not a wonder of grace, that hell, so near heaven, has not sunk with its own weight ? Consider, 3. That sinful creatures never miss to leave the marks of their foul feet, even when they are on holy ground . Rom. vii. 21 " I find then a law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me." Peter falls a-roving even on the mount, Luke ix. 33. Even in the greatest light which ever shone about the saints, they never wrote a line so fair, but there was a blot in it. The sacriflces were carried up to the mount with the nobles, for God knew they would need them even there. And if ye will look back to your carriage, when at a comraunion table, you will see such raismanagements, as may make you wonder that he laid not his hand upon you. Consider, 4. The particular jealousy which God has manifested about his worship. Therefore Joshua told the people, chap. xxiv. 19, " Te cannot serve the Lord : for he is an holy God : he is a jealous God : he will not forgive your transgressions, nor your sins." And he himself declared, " he would be sanctified in them that come nigh hira, and before all the people he will be glorified," Lev. x. 3. And upon this he wrote a coramentary, with flaming evidence, in the blood of Nadab and Abihu, even two of these on whom he laid not his hand at this time. A slip in the holy ground is most dangerous and provoking in its own nature. To affront a king in his palace, his presence-chamber, or on his throne, stirs up hia anger with a peculiar keenness. How dear did the men of Bethshemesh pay for a look, 1 Sam. vi. 19 ; Uzzah, for a touch, 2 Sam. vi. 6, 7; An- nanias and Sapphira, for a word, Acts v. Now, who is able to stand before the piercing eye of his jealousy ? Is it not a wonder of his grace, that the flre of his indignation burns not up sinful creatures in their solemn approaches to him ? Consider, 5, That there is a solemn awfulness about the very ordinances of wonders of grace, 115 grace, which the sinner could not bear if he were not supported, Dan. X, 8, 9—19. Psalm Ixviii. 35, " 0 God ! thou art terrible out of thy holy places," Jacob understood this when he had one of the most comfortable sights which ever mortal had : Gen. xxviii. 17, " And he was afraid, and said. How dreadful is this place ! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." The very throne of grace stands on justice and judgment, which are its habitation. Psalm Ixxxix. 14. {Hebrew, its base) ; the covenant founded on blood, the blood of his own Son. All our mercies from the throne are dyed red in the blood of a Mediator. Thou canst not have a gracious look from the throne, but through the Redeemer's wounds ; nor a pardon, but what is written with his blood. So that such sights are sufficient to make one faint away, if they are not supported by grace. Consider, Lastly, That the emanations of the divine glory would overwhelm sinners, burst the earthen vessels, if a gracious God did not graci ously support them. Some have felt this, when they have been made to cry to the Lord to hold his hand, for the earthen pitchers were able to hold no more. We know not what spirit we are of. It is our mercy we see but through a glass darkly, and not face to face now ; for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, 1 Cor. XV. 50. The flesh and blood of a giant would not be able to bear that glory now. And therefore, it is observed as an instance of his goodness. Job xxvi. 9, " He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it." We now go on, III. To explain how it comes to pass that the safety of God's people, when thus favoured, is secured. It is so, 1. Because they are God's covenant-people by marriage with his Son. They are married to Christ, and the Son of the Father's bo som is their husband. He has all freedom in his Father's house, and so it cannot be a strange house to them. Where he sits, his spouse may stand safely at his hand : Psalm xlv. 9, " Upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir." They have free dom in the house of God, in the right of their Husband. He has brought them up into his chariot of the covenant ; and this has ac cess to drive up into the mount, while it procures all safety to those who are in it, " being paved with love," Song iii. 9, 10. 2. Because they come up under the covert of the Redeemer's blood, Heb. xii. 22 — 24. By faith, they have the propitiation, whereby God is atoned, and becomes their friend, Rom. iii. 25. The flesh of a slain Saviour is a sufflcient screen from divine wrath, and his red garments from the canopy under which they may safely feast while on the mount. Their safety is secured. 116 GOSPEL PRIVILEGES 3. Because God looks on them as in his own Son, and not as in themselves ; and so after a sort he overlooks their inflrmities : Numb, xxiii. 21, " He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel." He looked on them in Adam, their flrst representative, and so drove them out of his presence ; bnt now he looks upon them in Christ as their head, and so brings them in again. And, 0 ! but they look fair in him, each one re sembles the son of a king. In Jesus they are complete. Col. ii. 10 ; Song iv. 7, " Thou art all fair, my love ; there is no spot in thee." They are safe, 4. Because, though they be unclean creatures, they corae up into the mount, to bathe in the fountain opened there, for sin and for uncleanness, Zech. xiii. 1. They come to the blood of sprinkling. A physician will not drive away his patient, because his running sores drop in his chamber. I will bear with this, says he, for the poor man has come to get himself healed. Their safety is secured. Lastly, Because it is the end of the covenant, to bring them to God. Jacob might well promise himself to see Joseph, when the waggons were come from him for that very end, to bring hira to him. Gen. xlv. 27, 28. The covenant looks very very low, as low as the earth, to secure the believer's daily bread, Isa. xxxiii. 16. Nay, in the bowels of the earth, to bring forth his dead body, mouldered in ashes : " I am the God of Abrahara." Nay, as low as hell : "jAnd thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell," Psalm Ixxxvi. 13. And it looks very high, to bring the believer up into the midst of the mount of enjoyment with God in ordinances, nay, to the top of the mount, to bring them to where the Lord of glory dwells, where they shall see him as he is : Isa. xxxiii. 17, " Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty : they shall behold the land that is very far off." It only remains, that, IV. We raake some improvement of this subject. 1. Let us, then, never more think lightly of solemn approaches to God, whether in private or in public ordinances. 0 ! it is sad to think of onr rashness in venturing on holy duties, not considering that in these we sist ourselves in the awful presence of God : Eccl. V. 1, " Keep thy foot when thou goest into the house of God, and be more ready to hear than to give the sacriflce of fools." Whenever we are to go to God, we should consider where we are going, put off our shoes, for the place is holy. Were we thus frequently exercised, we would have more access to God in our ordinary approaches. 2. Let this commend Christ and the covenant to us, especially to those who stand off frora hira and his covenant. It is in the Me diator the sinner raay meet with God in peace ; for Jesus is our WONDERS OF GRACE. 117 peace, Eph. ii. 14. It is within the bond of the covenant, he is safe from avenging wrath. There is no safety without it, God will be a consuming fire to all who live and die out of Christ and the co venant. , Hearken, ye careless spectators, and be wise at length. Are you resolved to have no part in Christ and the covenant, that ye keep so far from the place of his feet, and the seal of his covenant. Con sider, you also must come before God. Tou must die and come be fore the tribunal. Could you secure yourselves a place to be mere onlookers, when the rest of the world are dying about you ; and when the world shall stand before the judgraent-seat, then perhaps you might be allowed to be mere spectators on such an occasion as this. But it will not be so. Tou must take your part with the rest. And what will it be to get the first sight of your Judge then, with whom you might have been accepted, but would not ? Consider, if it be a matter of such awful solemnity to approach the throne of grace, what will it be to stand before the throne of avenging justice ? If it be so solemn to come up into mount Zion, where communion is to be had with God in Christ, what will it be to come to mount Sinai, where thdre is such blackness, darkness, and tempest, as will confound the adversaries of the Lord ? Bless not yourselves that you have not gone up into the mount, for monuraents of justice you shall be, if you be not thus monuments of grace. — Consider, what madness is it to lift up the heel against God, the weight of whose hand can crush you as a moth. Would it not be your wisdom to lie down among the dust of his feet, to approach him through his Son, and in the way of his covenant, trembling, if so be that he may be pleased to stretch out the golden sceptre, and save your life ? Nay, come forward yet, strive to take hold of an offered Christ and covenant. Let not his terrors deter you from him. As the lepers at the gate of Samaria did, so reason ye. 3. Let us praise him for this, that upon us he has not laid his hand ; that we have not left a name to the place, Perez, from the Lord's making a breach upon us ; but that we may set up a pillar here, and call it Ebenezer. There has been strange flre offered to the Lord here this day ; wrong touches given to the ark ; unworthy communicating, faithless, fearless, stupid, confused, and hypocriti cal managements ; Afho dare say they have made no stumble on the mount ? The bread and wine in the sacrament have as deep relative holiness as the ark had ; but had spectators and communicants been taken up as hot for their profane looking to the one, as the men of Bethshemesh were for their looking to the other, there had been a sad sight among us ere now. Glory be to our gracious God, that on us he hath not laid his hand. 118 GOSPEL PRIVILEGES 4. Let US long for that day which will put an end to our sinful ness, weakness, and imperfection, when we shall see him as he is, without any danger of sinning or suffering, which is far better, Phil. i. 23. It wonld be a token for good that we had seen the Lord, if we were now longing for that blessed day. Lastly, Let us apply ourselves to the duties which a gracious God calls for at our hands. — And, 1. Is there any among us who have been admitted to an holy fa miliarity with God ? Song i. 4. Then, — Wonder at the freeuess of grace, and be thankful that ever the like of you should have come so far forward ; 2 Sam. vii. 18, " Who am I, 0 Lord God ! and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto ?" — Double your watch, and walk very softly, being careful to keep your nearness, Song iii. 5 ; Isa. xxxviii. 15. — If there be any special errand to the throne for yourselves, or for the church of God, as no doubt there is, strike in with this golden opportunity, and lay it before the Lord, Exod, xxiv. 8, 9. — Beware of being proud of your attainments. There is a hazard here ; but when you see your peacock-feathers, remember they are borrowed, and look to your black feet, 2 Cor. xii. 7. — Lay your account with a storm, and be on your guard. If you have got a larger meal than ethers, it is not unlike you have more to do than they. But accept that kindly, and bless God who is be forehand with you, laying in the provision before he lays on the burden. 2, Is there any among us who have seen the God of Israel ? Then walk as becoraes those who have beheld his glory. Blessed are your eyes, for they see. But here some may say, Alas ! this sight has been withheld from my eyes. — In answer to such, I observe, that some saying this, no doubt speak true ; others belie the work ing of God's grace towards thera. Therefore we raust put it to the trial ; for one raay get a sight of Christ, and not know that it is he, John XX. 14 ; Luke xxiv. 16. I ask you, then, what effect on you has the sight which you have got this day ? — Has this day's sight humbled you more, made you more vile and loathsome in your own eyes, filled you with shame and blushing, and self-loathing ? It is a sign you have seen the Lord, Job xlii. 5, 6. — Has it weaned you more from the world, sunk the value of all created excellency with you, made you see through the bulky vanity of the wofld, that you are re solved you shall feed no more on these husks ? Matth. xiii. 45, 46. Rev. xii. 1. — Has it made the body of sin and death heavier than it used to be ? — May be some of you think, ye have been undone at this communion with an ill heart, that drew a vail between Christ and you ; and now ye are crying, Rom, vii, 24, " 0 wretched man WONDERS OP GRACE. 119 that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death ?" O to be quit of this burden at any rate ! 0 to be beyond a sinning condition ! welcome grim death, so that it would take off the burden. Truly, if it be so, it has been so thin a vail, that you have got a sight of Christ through it, Isa. vi. 5 ; Lnke ii. 29, 30. — Has it kindled a superlative love in your own heart to this unseen Lord ? Do ye love him more than all persons and things else ? Psalm Ixxiii. 25. If it be so, ye have seen him, Luke xxiv. 32. Sick of love, argues a blink of the face of the lovely one received. Therefore, bless God, and be thankful. It is bastard humility to belie the grace of God. Walk so as the world may take notice that you have seen what they never saw, and have been 'where their ungracious feet never carried them. And show this in personal and relative holiness. Acts iv. 13. Commend the way of God to others. Tell them it is good to be on the mount. Speak good of God's house, and give it your testimony, before despisers of Christ and ordinances ; especially before poor discouraged sinners, those who desert or dinances, alleging God not to be found in them. — Finally, quench not the Spirit, cherish his motions, and follow on to know the Lord. 3. Te who have made this solemn approach, but really have not seen the Lord, set ye about your proper duty. — Search out, mourn over the cause of this, and quickly flee to the blood of Christ for its removal. Tou have not seen the Lord ; and is there not a cause ? yes, sure he has a quarrel with you, and therefore has withdrawn himself. Seek it out. The fault has been either in your state, that you are yet in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity. This is a fundamental mistake. Or it has been in your frame. Either you have not been at pains to prepare, or have sat down on your preparation ; or some idol of jealousy has been nourished : — or it has been in your faithless raanageraent. Wonder ye in a special manner, that ye have come off safe, and that upon you the Lord has not laid his hand. Do not fret that you are come off with nothing ; but, 0 bless him that yon are come off at all ! Lastly, Go back to the throne with all speed. Though the com munion-table be drawn here, it is not yet drawn to you in heaven ; Joel iii. 21, " For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed; for the Lord dwelleth in Zion." Follow on to know the Lord. Be not like the mixed multitude, who, disappointed of the milk and honey of Canaan, would needs go back to the onions and the garlic in Egypt. If you do so, his soul will abhor you : Heb. x. 38, " If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." Say not, I will never see the Lord now : for, wherefore has he spared you, but that yon might have occasion to have your marred work amend- 120 GOD NOT ASHAMED TO BE ed ? And if ye wait on long, wonder not, it is a mercy ye have ac cess to wait on. Lay down the resolution in Lam. iii. 49, 50, " Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without intermission, till the Lord look down, and behold from heaven ;" and in Isa. viii. 17, " I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him." Amen. GOD NOT ASHAMED TO BE CALLED HIS PEOPLE'S GOD,» SERM-ON X. Heb. xi. 16, Wherefore God is not ashamed to he called their God : for he hath prepared for them a dty. God has a peculiar people in the world, though these are few in number. Satan is called the god of this world ; and indeed is so, in regard the greater part of the world, even the whole natives of the weary land, are his. But there is a select company, who are in, but not of the world ; a people of a peculiar character, who are strangers and pilgrims in the earth ; whose heads and hearts are towards the better country. — In the text we have their peculiar pri vilege, " God is not ashamed to be called their God." More is im plied than is here said. God, who is the God of the whole earth, is their God in a peculiar manner, by a special covenant-relation ; and he will own it before all the world, however they be despised by the world. They are savingly interested in him, and he is peculiarly interested in thera. As they are not ashamed to be called his peo ple, unless it be for this, that they do not look more like him ; so he is not ashamed to be called their God. {Greek, to be sirnamed,) There are two things which raake men ashamed to own a relation ; one upon the part of their relatives, another upon their own part. But neither are in this case. 1. He is not ashamed on their part, to be called their God. He is not asharaed of thera, (as the Greek text bears expressly), as raen sometiraes are of their relations because of their scandalous cha racter, as our Lord says he will be asharaed of some, so as that he will not own them, Mark viii. 38. The reason of this is intimated in the text, in the particle wherefore, which leads us back to the character of those who are indeed God's people, exemplified in Abra- * Delivered October, 1722, CALLED HIS people's GOD. 121 ham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob, ver. 13—16. The sum of it lies here : That upon the faith of God's promise of a better world, they forsook this world, and went through it even to the grave, as persons not come to the place where they expected and desired to settle. Where fore, since they forsook this world for God, and trusted hira for a better inheritance to themselves, and, upon the faith of his promise, were easy in all.their wanderings and hardships, God is not ashamed of them to be called their God : Exod. iii. 6, " I am," said he, " the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." In these steps all the true children of Abrahara walk. 2. He is not ashamed on his own part, to be called their God ; as men are ashamed, when they have no suitable entertainment to give to those who have left all others for them, and depend entirely upon thera. For he has prepared for them a city. These patriarchs dwelt in tents, and went from land to land at God's call ; but a city, even the New Jerusalem, heaven itself, was prepared for them by their God ; a city suitable to his dignity ; a city, the like of which all the world could not have furnished them. He is not ashamed to be called his people's God, whatever hardships they suffer for his sake ; for he has enough to make up their losses, ready for thera. He would reckon it a stain on bis honour, that any of them should be losers at his hand ; if he should not fully answer the trust they put in him ; if he did not give them as good, nay, better than the best thing which they ever were denied for his sake. — From this subject, we observe the following Doctrines, viz : — Doctrine I. That however mean and low those be who have for saken this world for God, looking for a better, God is not ashamed of them, or on their part, to be called their God. Doct. II. That whatever hardships they may suffer for his sake, he is not asharaed on his part to be called their God, having pre pared for thera a heavenly city, which will make up for all their losses. — These we shall shortly illustrate in their order. We begin with Doctrine I. That however mean and low those be who have for saken this world for God, looking for a better, God is not asharaed of them, or on their part, to be called their God. We shall here, I. Explain the import of this their privilege. II. Give the reasons of the point. And then, III. Improve it. We are then, Vol. X. 122 GOD NOT ASHAMED TO BE 1. To explain the import of this their privilege. — It imports, 1. That he is their God, how mean soever their lot be. What ever they want, they have him for their God : Heb. viii. 10, " And I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people." The patriarchs had a wandering life of it in the world, were always pil grims and strangers, they could never count themselves at home, while in the world. But whatever they wanted, they had a God in Christ for their own God. 0 ! ye who are coming away from Leba non, forsaking this world for God, breathing and panting for the better world, assure yourselves, he is your God, by this good token, that the heart of man will never in this case loose one foot till it has another fastened, never quit the present world till it be possess ed of a God to fill up its room. It will never let go the grip the one hand has of this world, till it has a believing grip of a God in Christ with the other. Hence believing is compared to buying, where the man will not part with his money, till the commodity) which for the time is better to him than money, is made over to him. So, though you were reduced to this, that ye could not tell carnal Israel's tale, Hos. ii. 5, " I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink :" yet ye may tell David's tale, a far better one : Psalm xviii. 2, " The Lord is my rock and my-^ortress, and my deliverer : my God, my strength, in whom I will trust : my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower." — Here some may propose this Question, But what can persons raake of this in the want of earthly enjoyments ? We answer. They may make all of it that is necessary to full satisfaction and contentment of heart, Hab. iii. 17, 18. Full protection, full provision, for time and eternity, there is nothing more can be needed : Psalm cxlii. 5, " I cried unto thee, 0 Lord : I said, thou art my refuge, and my portion in the land of the living." — It imports, 2. That he takes such a pleasure in them, and puts such au hon our on them, that though the world should cast out their name as evil, he sirnames himself by them, and brings their name into his. Hundreds of times, the expressions, " The Lord thy God," " The Lord your God," occur in scripture, applied to God with respect to his people. Tea, he bears up their name in his, when they are dead and gone out of the world, since they still live unto him : Matth. xvii. 32, " I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." This is a memorial of them that will last, when the monuments and marble tombs will not keep the memory of the wicked from rotting. — It imports. called HIS pboplh's GOD . 123 3. That he allows them to call him their own God : John xx, 28, " And Thomas answered, and said unto hira. My Lord, and my God," They can say this, how little soever they have in the world which they can call theirs. Why Should they not call him by his own name ? The Lord their God is the name he has taken to hiraself ; a plain indication of his being pleased to be called by this name. — It imports, 4. That he allows them to depend on him as their God, and to improve their relation to him for all which they need ; whoever easts them off, or refuses to help them, God will never put off his people with names, without the things signified by these names. If he is called their God, he will own his name in effect and reality ; and indeed be a God to them, to all the intents and purposes of the covenant: Gen. xvii. 7, " And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee in their generations, for an everlasting covenant ; to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee." They may look for all which they need from him, and are welcome to a fill of the fulness of God ; whatever their case re quires, this God will be all in all to them. Hence the expectation of faith ; Psalm xxvii. 10, " When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up." — It imports, 5. That he will own hiraself to be their God before the world, whoever disown them. He is content that strangers call him by this name, as Nebuchadnezzar did, Dan. iii. 29 ; and Darius, chap. vi. 16. He puts marks of his respect and relation to them upon them before the world, so that the world shall be obliged to take notice of his owning them. Rev. iii. 9, " Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, (which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie) ; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee." If their corruptions will not suffer them to acknowledge so much, yet their consciences shall not get it refused. Hence David prays. Psalm Ixxxvi. 17, " Shew me a token for good, that they which hate me may see and be ashamed, because thou. Lord, hast holpen me, and comforted me." — It imports, Lastly, That he reckons it his honour to be their God, even though men should be ashamed to rub shoulders with them. Accordingly we flnd him call them his glory : Isa. xlvi. 13, " And I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory." And in 2 Cor. viii. 23, they are called the glory of Christ. He glories in his special interest in them, and takes a pleasure to come over it : Song viii. 12, " My vineyard, which is mine, is before me : thou, 0 Solomon, must have i2 124 GOD NOT ASHAMED TO BE a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred." We are now, II. To give the reasons of the point. Among other reasons, there are the following : — 1. Because they have embraced him in the covenant, for their all, in opposition to the world, and all that is therein ; which shows a nobleness of spirit in them, the certain product of his own Spirit : Psalm iv. 6, " There be many that say, Whp will show us any good ? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us." Psalra .Ixxiii. 25, " Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none in earth that I desire besides thee." There are two offers made to every one of us : God says, " I will be thy God," the world says, " I will be thy God." Most raen fall in with the world's offer, and all men naturally incline this way. But these noble souls, as partakers of the divine nature, pour contempt on the clay idol, God's rival, refusing it; and honour him by believing and embracing his offer ; so that when the Lord says in the gospel to the man, " I will be thy God," his soul echoes back again, " Then thou art mine, my God, my portion ; I take possession upon the credit of thine own offer :" Psalm cxlii. 5, " I cried unto thee, 0 Lord ; I said. Thou art my re fuge, and my portion in the land of the living." Thus he is not ashamed to be called their God. 2. Because they quit the world's certainty for divine hope, and trust hira for an unseen portion to themselves, as preferable to all that the world can afford, believing he will glorify his all-sufficiency and his faithfulness in the promise, laying all their weight upon them ; Rom. iv. 20, 21, " He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief ; bnt was strong in faith giving glory to God ; and being fully persuaded, that what he had promised he was able to per form." Such a trust they have in God, else they would never for sake the world : for plain it is, according to the measure of the be lief of a better world to one's self, so is their forsaking the present world. And since they thus honourably trust him for their all, he is not ashamed to be called their Gcd. 3. Because they can take up with nothing less than a God for their portion, by which they discover a peculiar elevation of spirit, the effect of divine grace : Phil. iii. 8, " Tea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord ; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count thera but dung, that I may win Christ." They can no longer feed with the prodigal upon the husks of the empty creation. Their soul's cry is, " Give me a God in Christ, or else I die," All the world, nay, a thousand worlds, cannot flll up his room : CALLED HIS PEOPLE S GOD. 125 Song viii. 6, " Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm ; for love is strong as death : jealousy is cruel as the grave : the coals are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame." And so they press forward through temptations, and the greatest danger which the world can lay before them, to hold him as their portion, and to come to the full enjoyment of him. Song viii. 7, " Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it : if a man would give all the saibstance of his house for love, it would ut terly be contemned." So he is not ashamed to be called their God, because they thus love and desire him. 4. Because, in their way and walk, they are of a character dis tinguished from the raen of the world, Phil. iii. 18 — 21. They dare not take the way of the world, their souls hate it, as being opposite to the manners of the country to which they are going. Therefore they are nonconforraists to the world, in so far as it is disconformed to the way of the Lord. We shall now, III. Improve this point. — Hence see, 1. That carnal worldlings are none of those whose God the Lord is, Matth. vi. 24. Those whose hearts are not loosed frora the pre sent evil w^rld, are not brought within the bond of the covenant, aud have no right before the Lord to the sacraraent, which is the seal of it. He would be ashamed to be called their God, who make that clay idol their God. I offer two evidences of this disposition. — (1.) When it is the world, and not God himself, which has the chief room in men's hearts and affections; Matth. vi. 21, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Consider what it is, whether God or the world, which your hearts do most desire, and are most set upon. Psalm iv. 6, (quoted above). What it is your chief joy lies in, in the enjoyment of God, or the enjoyment of the world. Whether your chief sorrow arises from crosses in the world, or from sin that offends God, or from the hidings of his face ? — (2.) When the heart can never rest in God, but must still have its rest in the creature ; or no rest for it at all : and so the raan's life of comfort just depends on the smiles or frowns of the present world, not upon tho having or wanting the favour of God, his smiles or frowns. Per haps the raan might find a rest betwixt God and the world, but no rest of the heart in God alone, Luke xiv. 26. — Hence see, 2. That such as having weighed all things, have forsaken the world for God, and fixed their desires on him and the better world, intent to be there whatever their lot in this world be ; and to enjoy God in Christ as their God and portion, however small their por tion be of this world's good things : they raay be sure God is their 126 GOD NOT ASHAMED TO BE God, and he will own it, though, by reason of the weakness of their faith, they have much ado to plead it. They may come to the com munion-table, and fully assure their hearts of it, by the seal of the covenant, which he has provided for this purpose, to shew that he is not ashamed to be called their God. It is the pilgrim's table. — Learn, 3. That God is worthy to be chosen for our God in covenant ; and therefore I exhort you to make choice of him for your all, and give up with the world henceforth, that ye may be pilgrims and strangers in it. — To prevail with you as to this, consider, (1.) He is content to take in outcasts : Psalm cxlvii. 2, " The Lord doth build up Jerusalem.; he gathereth the outcasts of Israel." Never do any seek after a God in Christ for their God in earnest, till such time as they see there is no satisfaction for them to be had in the creature. Thus they find they need a God. The gospel dis covers God's offer to be their God, and grace determines them to choose him for their God. And they are not rejected, because they came not till their need drove them : but are welcome, since they came on the discovery of their need. (2.) Consider, he is a fast friend, and forsakes not on any emer gency whatever. If you take him for your God, and forsake the world, he will stand by you at all times, and own yon, though all the world should forsake and disown you. 0 ! have you not need of such a friend ? (3.) Does not the world reward your love with hatred in many in stances ? How often is your rest in it disturbed ! 0 take God for your God this day, and you thus make the best exchange, of a changeable world for the unchangeable God. Lastly, If you continue to forsake God for this world, the time will come when the world will fail you, and^ you will not have a God to own you, and so will be absolutely helpless. He offers himself to you in the covenant. Believe and embrace him this day. Give up with the world, and all things in it. Take him for all in time and through eternity, as an upmaking portion. We now go on to a short illustration of Doctrine II. That whatever hardships his people may suffer for his sake, he is not ashamed on his part to be called their God, having prepared for them the heavenly city, which will make up all losses. We are not here to launch out into the consideration of heaven under a notion of a city ; but only shall, I. Show in what respects the heavenly city is prepared for the pilgrims who have forsaken this wo-rld for God, loo^king for a better. called his people's god. 127 II. Lay before you the reasons of the point. Aud then, III. Make some improvement. We are then, I. To show in what respects the heavenly city is prepared for the pilgrims who have forsaken this world for God, looking for a better. It is prepared. 1. In respect of eternal destination in the decree of election before the world was made ; Matt. xxv. 34, " Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand. Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Their forsaking of the world in time, is an evidence and fruit of their election from eternity. Their being called out of, and separated from the world lying in wickedness, is owing to that eter nal free-love, which in the decree separated them from the rest of the corrupt mass of mankind. The seal of God upon them from everlasting, though undiscernible till the day of their conversion, is the cause of their departing from the tents of wickedness; 2 Tim. ii. 19, " Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal. The Lord knoweth them that are his. And let every one that nameth the name of Christ, depart from iniquity." It is pre pared, 2. In respect of purchase, by the sufferings and death of Christ. It is therefore called the purchased possession, Eph. i. 13. And the price of the purchase is his blood. Acts xx. 28, " To feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." Eternal hap piness is the proper reward of Christ's works, not of ours. It had been in vain for any of the children of Adam to have looked for a better country than this world, had not the Lord Jesus, by his obe dience and death, bought it for them. None of the pilgrims had ever got footing there, had it not become the land of our Immanuel by bis own purchase. It is prepared, 3. In respect of possession taken of it already in their name, by our Lord Jesns entering into it, as a public person, at his ascen sion : Heb. vi. 20, " Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec" As Christ died in their name, and so they died in him, the law hav ing them all legally on the cross, when it had him there ; therefore it is said, " They are crucified with Christ," Gal. ii. 20 ; so he rose again, and ascended into heaven, and took possession of it in their name. Thus they are actually and really, though not in their per sons but in the person of Christ, possessed ofthe city already : Eph. ii. 6 " And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." This Christ himself told to be his 128 GOD NOI ASHAMED TO BE errand in going away : John xiv. 2, " I go," said he, " to prepare a place for you." — It is prepared, 4. In respect of readiness to receive them in their own persons. They are made habitually ready for it, in respect of their state of justification and sanctification : Col. i. 12, '' Giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." And it is ready for thera, of which we have two evidences. (1.) A new gate is erected, and opened for their entry into the city. It may be called the pilgrims' gate, to distinguish it from that of the natives of the city. See it, Heb. x. 19, 20, " Having there fore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Je sus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh." All the pilgrims enter by it, and it was erected purposely for them. And it is always open, never shut : Rev. xxi. 25, " And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day; for there shall be no night there." (2.) The notice is already there before them, that they are coming. The King's sou has carried it thither: John xvii. 24, '! Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am ; that they may behold ray glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world." And this his efficacious intercession removes all lets or hindrances out of the way. We are now, II. To give the reasons of the point — I take thera up in these four. 1. Because the happiness of the city, if they were once come there, will more than balance all the hardships in their pilgrimage that they had to undergo for his sake. Why should he be ashamed to be called their God, be their lot in the world as bad as it can be ? The glory of the city will more than balance all the contempt, reproach, and disgrace cast on them for his sake. He will not be in their debt for lying araong the pots on his account. The glory of the city will make them whiter than ever the world could make thera black. Psalm Ixv iii. 13, " Though ye hav-e lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver and her feathers with yellow gold." The rest of the city will more than balance all that toil, pain, weary work, in doing or suffering which they had for God in the weary land. What though it cost thera many a weary step ere they get thither ? If they were there, it will all be forgotten. Then they will for ever rest frora all their labours. Rev. xiv. 13. Abraham's bosom will make the weary body and languid spirit fresh for evermore. The riches of the city will CALLED nis people's csod. 129 more than balance all their wants and losses in this world, even though they should lose their very lives in the cause. Whatever their wants are now, there is enough before them in the city above. And God has more, ten thousand times more to give them, than they can lose for him : Rev. xxi. 7. " He that overcometh shall in herit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son." The eternity of the city, and all that is in it, will more than balance the continuance of their hardships in this world, to whatever length holy Providence sees meet to spin them out : 2 Cor. iv. 17. " For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." However dark and long their night be, that morning cometh which will never be suc ceeded by another night. 2. Because they are not far from the city : They will soon be there : Psalm xc. 10, " The days of our years are threescore years and ten ; and if by reason of strength, they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow ; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away." They are within a hand-breadth of the city. Psalm xxxix. 5. It is but through the wilderness, over Jordan, and they are at it. And they cannot complain then, they are so near home, however harsh their entertainment be in the way. 3. Because in the meantime there is a communication betwixt them and this city, so that the whole of what they need may come from it. Pilgrims need never go to the world's door. They always may have provision from this city for their wilderness-journey. Though the Israelites could neither have provision and supply from Egypt, nor Canaan, while they were in the wilderness, they wanted not, they got it from heaven. Lastly, Because the very faith and hope which they entertain as to this city, is sufficient to support them under all their hardships, 2 Cor. iv. 17. 18. Faith believing the word of promise, and hope waiting for its accomplishment, bring down heaven to them till they go up to it ; Heb. ix. 1, " Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Rom. viii. 24, " For we are saved by hope." Thus there is no reason he should be ashamed on his part to be called their God. We now come, III. To improve this point. — It serves. First, To pour shame on the wisdom and way of the world. And this, 1. In that they reckon it wisdom not to quit a seen advantage for an unseen one, certainty (as they call it) for hope : Psal. iv. 6. " Who will shew us any good ?" Therefore they embrace the pre- 130 GOD NOT ASHAMED TO BE sent world, tack about, and sail with every wind ; making the way of the world, and their own ease, the mark by which to steer their compass, rather than the word and glory of God, and the dictates of conscience, according to the word. When they have done this, they reckon they have done wisely : Hosea xii. 7, 8. " He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand : he loveth to oppress. And Ephraim said, Tet I am become rich, I have found me out substance." But either this is brutish folly, or God may be asharaed to be called the God of pilgrims in this world, who take quite another way, and look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, 2 Cor. iv. 18. But God is not ashamed of pilgrims, there fore the men of the world are fools ; and they will be seen to be so with a witness ; for God's promise is better than the world's hand- payment. It pours shame upon the wisdom of the world, 2. In that they are ready to be asharaed of God's people, because of the hardships they are laid under in their pilgrimage through the world. This their way is their folly ; for whatever their lot be God is not their God and portion. The world's esteem is little worth, but heaven's esteem of the saints never alters, whatever altera tions may be in their outward condition. This point, Secondly, Serves to instruct in several duties, those who profess to be pilgrims in the world, and to have taken God for their God, look ing for a better world. Such as, 1. Be not asharaed of him, to be called his people ; Mark viii. 38, " Whosoever, therefore, shall be ashamed of me, and of mj words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels." Be not ashamed to own hira, and avouch him to be your God. Whatever bears his iraage and the stamp of his authority, cleave to it confldently. Be not ashamed of any of his truths, ways, ordinances, whatever may be thought of them by the world, for worldly men are not the proper judges of these things, and cannot discern their real worth. 2. Be not ye a shame and dishonour to him, by your cleaving to the world, and the way of the world ; Rom. ii. 24, " For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you." Remember it is they who forsake the world, whom God is not ashamed to be called their God. If you go back again to your former lusts, you blot out your name out of that number, and rank yourselves among those who have their portion in this life. If he be your God, cast not dishonour on hira, by hanging on about the door of the world, and your lusts, like them who have no other God to depend on. If you make as little conscience of your thoughts, your words, your CALLED HIS people's GOD. I3l actions, and dealings with God or man, as the men of the world do, for all your profession, God will do with you as a man with burs which stick to his clothes, he plucks them off, and casts them into the flre. 3. Do not decline the hardest piece of the doing-work of religion for him. Engage in the whole without exception. Have respect to all his commandments. Psalm cxix. 6. The internal duties of reli gion must by all means be done by you, at the same time leave not the external undone. Mortification of your lusts, and watchings against them, in the faith of the promise, should be your daily work, and stick not at cutting off right hands, and plucking out right-eye sins. All this is but a very small thing in comparison of what he has prepared for you : Rom viii. 13, " If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die ; but if ye, through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." 4. Shift not the cross of Christ, but be ready to suffer for him as he may call you ; 2 Tim. ii. 12, " If we suffer, we shall also reign with him ; if we deny him, he will also deny us." No Christian sufferers for him shall ever be losers by him, lose what they will in the world. Narrow not your notion of suffering for Christ, to suffering of violence by persecutors. But remember, that though it may come to this, that you must either sin or have to suffer some hardships to keep your conscience clean, (and this you may meet with in the most peaceable times of the church) ; yet then the Lord calls you to suffer for him. And suffering hardships for your adherence to any duty of the ten comraandments, out of love to God and his holy law, is as really suffering for Christ, as if you laid down your liberty or life in defence of the articles of your faith. 5. Walk like the expectants of heaven, citizens of the city above prepared for you by your God. This city will far more than compensate for your sufferings, for all the difficult and hard steps ye may have in your way thither. — Live by faith, and keep the pro mise in your eye ; — the promise respecting the end of your journey, the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory which awaits you, 2 Cor. iv. 17 ; — the promise respecting your through bearing by the Avay ; 2 Cor. xii. 9, " My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Carry meekly and patiently under all the hardships of the weary land, like the followers of Christ. Men do not fret and vex themselves, because the midges flee about them, when they travel in a hot summer-day. Chris tians need be as little surprised that they meet with one rub after another in the way through this wilderness ; and because they 132 GOD NOT ASHAMED, &C. may be of long continuance. Christians should arm themselves with patience in the faith of a better world ; Col. iii. 15, " And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body ; and be ye thankful." Be resolute to get through, and never to make truce with the world, come what will come, but press forward in the way of duty over all impedi ments, where the Lord points out your way ; Matth. xi. 12. " And from the days of John the baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." — Carry cheer fully and courageously, as knowing better times are coming : Heb. X. 34. " For ye had compassion on me in my bonds, and took joy fully the spoiling of your goods, knowing iu yourself that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance." Lastly, Spend the time of your sojourning in making ready and preparing for that city which the Lord has prepared for his people; Rev. xix. 7, " Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him ; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready." There was much cost and pains at preparing it for them ; no wonder that pains be necessary in them to make ready for it. All the Lord's people are habitually, in respect of their state, prepared for heaven ; but what they have to do is, to get theraselves prepared actually, in respect of their frarae ; therefore labour to be dying daily to this world, and to get your hearts more and more weaned from it ; that ye may be like ripe corn forsaking the ground. — Cherish quick and vigorous longings to be rid of the body of sin and death ; maintain the battle against heart-corruptions constantly ; and this will make you long for deliverance. Be watchful, as not knowing when your Lord cometh. — In a word, be much conversant in this city ; solace yourselves with believing prospects of it; and see that your, heart be there, for there unquestionably your heart must be where your treasure is. Col. iii. 1 — 5. Amen, THE BEST SECURITY AGAINST, &C. 133 A SERIES OF SERMONS, INCLUDING THOSE PREACHED ON THE NAMES AND ATTEIBUTES OF CHKIST, THE BEST SECURITY AGAINST THE DAY OF WRATH.* Heb. xi. 28, Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the first-horn, should touch them, Solomon tells us, Prov. xxii. 3, " A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself : bnt the siraple pass on and are punished." We may be sure there is a sad and trying time abiding the world. God will have his day when the world has got theirs. Of this there is no great ground to doubt, that there is a sad and trying time abid ing these nations. At the last occasion of this nature we had, the Lord seemed to be giving the word to cut up the cumber-ground fig- tree of the Church of Scotland ; yet, beyond hope, he has let it alone another year. But let us take heed ; there may be more depending on the effects of the digging and dunging this year than we are aware of. It has got deep, very deep snegs already, and the axe is still lying at the root. And therefore I think we have the duty of this day, this communion-day, in the text ; and that is, that we make it a hiding day under the covert of blood, for time and for eternity ; as Moses did in the like case. God had long sat still, and his enemies had been provoking him ; now he was risen up, and was begun to reckon with them ; and, after several lesser strokes, the warning is given, that the root-stroke was at hand. What does Moses, with other believing Israelites, in this trying time ? 1. He goes to his duty, in a sealing ordinance, and makes a co venant with God by sacrifice ; he " kept the passover," &c. He saw that he and his Israelites deserved the stroke, as well as the Egyptians ; that God would have a sacrifice off both their hands ; that the destroying angel should either find blood on their houses, or shed blood in them. Then says Moses, Let the Egyptians do as they will, the Lamb shall be our sacrifice this night ; we will sprinkle the blood on our houses. So he "kept the passover," (Crr. made); * A sermon preached immediately before the celebration of the Lord's supper, at Ettriek, June 7, 17 13, 134 THE BEST SECURITY AGAINST not that he gave a being to it, instituting it at the command of God, though that was true ; bnt it is an Old Testament expression, 2 Chron. xxxv. 1, well rendered, " he kept," i. e. celebrated this holy ordinance, whereof we have an account, Exod. xii. The passover was a Lamb slain and eaten by the Israelites, a sacrament of the old co venant of grace. The apostle speaks of " the sprinkling of blood," as a distinct thing ; for though it was the blood of the paschal lamb, yet it was not used in the after passovers, after they left Egypt. The lamb represented Christ ; and " the sprinkling of the blood," the believ ing application of his. 2. He managed this duty rightly. He had need ; for there was much depending on it. He did it believingly " through faith." I may not stand on the detail of the actings of Moses's faith in this matter. Only I will give an instance of it both these ways, ver. 1, " Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." The object of faith is twofold. (1.) Things that have a being, but fall not under our sense. So Moses's faith was to him " the evidence of things not seen ;" i. e. the spiritual instrument whereby he discerned and applied that in the ordinance which his eye could not see. He saw Christ in it, and the grand contrivance of salvation : and by the same raean he applied' hira. What else could give ease to a guilty sinner whose eyes were opened ? And there fore, notwithstanding of Pharaoh's rage against him, and that they were all to march the next day, and that there was to be such a dreadful stir in Egypt that night, he keeps his temper and goes about his duty. (2.) Things that have no being but in the promise. So his faith was to him " the substance of things hoped for ;" i. e. the spiritual instrument whereby he assured himself, that the deliver ance which was not yet done should certainly be performed ; and so the future deliverance was to him thereby as present. And our faith must act both these ways, if we manage this sacrament aright. 3. He had a particular view in his managing of it; " lest he that destroyed the first-born, should touch them." He saw there was a bloody time at hand, that God was to make the most dreadful time in that land that ever they saw with their eyes. The destroying angel was to pass through the land of Egypt that night, to smite all the first-born, both man and beast. He was afraid of the least touch of that angel armed with vengeance, knowing it would crush him as a moth. Therefore he takes the blessed opportunity which the Lord had put into his hand, to secure hiraself and his people ; flying in under the covert of blood, to be hid in tho day of the Lord. He does not gather his people together to stand to their own defence ; that would not do : they must go into their houses, and lie at the THE DAY OF WRATH. 135 feet of mercy. To close the windows, bar the doors, &c. will not do it ; but the blood of the lamb on the door-posts will. Therefore he " sprinkes that blood" for that very end. Doctrine. The believing management of the sacrament of Christ's body and blood, is the best security for a sinner against the day of wrath. In handling of this doctrine, I shall shew, I. What is that believing management of the sacrament of Christ's body and blood, which is the best security for a sinner against the day of wrath. II. What security this will be against the day of wrath. III. Confirm the doctrine. IV. Lastly, Make application. I. First, I shall shew, what is that believing management of the sacrament of Christ's body and blood, which is the best security for a sinner against the day of wrath. We will be helped to a view of this, by considering the ordinance pointed at in the text. Is*, The Christian and communicant that would manage this or dinance so as he may be secured against the day of wrath, must have his bunch of hyssop ready ; that is, he must have faith, by which alone that blood can be sprinkled on the soul. An unbeliever can never believingly manage this or any other ordinance ; for there can be no acting without a principle. Faith is the hand that must re ceive the atonement, that transfers the guilt on the head of our great sacrifice, the feet whereby we flee into the city of refuge, and the hand that draws the cover from wrath over our heads, and signs the covenant of peace betwixt us and an angry God. 'Mly, He must believe his own desert of wrath, that he himself deserves to fall amongst them that fall. Blood on the door-posts of the Israelites proclaimed them guilty, as well as blood on the houses of the Egyptians did them. He must sit down at this table under a sense of sin, and desert of wrath ; acknowledging that he deserves rather to be led to the altar for a sacrifice for vengeance to feed on, than to sit down at the table to feed on this costly sacrifice. .If ye be this day to be marked with the sign of salvation, ye will be sensible ye have hung the sign of destruction before your own doors ; and while others, in the view of wrath on the land, are dealing all the causes of wrath about them, ye will sraite on your breasts, say ing, with the publican, (Luke xviii. 13), " God be merciful to me a sinner;" a self, a land, a church destroyer. ^dly He must, with an eye of faith, discern the sacrifice, and the virtue of it, seeing that in the ordinance which a carnal eye cannot 136 THE BEST SECURITY AGAINST discern; as Exod. xii. 26, 27, "And it shall corae to pass, when your children shall say unto you. What raean yon by this service ? that ye shall say. It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover, who pass ed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses." The apostle tells us, how the spiritually blind bring wrath on themselves, instead of se curing themselves against wrath, 1 Cor. xi. 29, " For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body." And here faith will say two things : — 1. Faith will look in through the ordinance, and seeing Christ in it, will 'say, " There is a hiding-place from wrath," John i. 29, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." Eph. ii. 14, "For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us." The be liever will see the grand device of salvation in a crucified Redeemer : he will say. There is the Lamb that was slain to turn away the destroying angel ; the " Lamb of God," that is, the Lamb which God himself hath provided, as he did the ram in the thicket ; Jbhovah-jireh, {i. e. " God will provide"), said Abraham's faith long ago, Gen. xxii. 14. 2. Faith will look more narrowly yet, even through the hiding- place itself ; and where the fearful unbeliever sees raany faults, the believer will see none, but say, " He is able to save them to the ut termost, that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them," Heb. vii. 25. There is a bottom on which I may venture for time and eternity ; there is a sufficient shelter, blow the storra frora what airth it will. There will be safety there when the Lord in anger will rain snares on a generation of his wrath ; it will be safe there when the waters of Jordan swell to the brira. In a word, he will believe, (1.) That Christ is the appointed refnge against wrath ; and, (2) That he is a safe refuge, and that there is no other. 4:thly, He must dip his bunch of hyssop in the bason where the blood of the Lamb is. Christ is our paschal Lamb, 1 Cor. v. 7 ; the covenant is the bason wherein the blood of the Lamb is poured, Heb. xiii. 20 : and the cup the New Testament. The believing communicant will lay hold on the covenant made by sacrifice, that he may be safe in the day of wrath, Psalra 1. 3 — 5. God offers hiraself to the sinner in the covenant ; now must the man say, " I am the Lord's. The marriage of the Lamb is come," the Bride groom has given his consent already, and he exhibits himself in the sacrament : and the soul by faith presents itself, and they join hands THE DAY OP AVRATH. 137 and hearts at once. The Judge of the earth appears in the quality of a Bridegroom ; and so they take him and are safe. 5thly, He must sprinkle this blood, make an effusion of it ; apply it by faith, and receive the atonement. He must not stand afar, and say, I dare not meddle with that blood, though others may ; I dare not lay my foul fingers on it. He must not sit down at the table, and only bathe himself in tears ; not daring to bathe hiraself in the blood of a Redeeraer. Call that what ye will, God will call it unbelief with a witness ; and ye will rise even as clean as ye would come out of mire, notwithstanding ye would pretend to throw your selves into it for washing. Therefore ye must touch, take, and ap ply that holy thing : say. This blood is for me, my peace, my par don, my sanctification, &c., and on it I venture my all for tirae and eternity. Heaven and earth are my witnesses also, that I embrace the offer, and that it is mine, and that I must be found under the covert of it in the day of wrath. Gal. ii. 20, " Who loved rae, and gave himself for me." 6thly, He must sprinkle it on the lintel and side-posts, only not on the threshold. Look with an eye of faith on it as precious blood ; and sprinkle it over your whole man, above you, on every side ; only not under your feet. Despise it not ; consider that awful word, Heb. x. 29, " Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace ?" It is the blood of God; the price and ransom of precious souls, the foundation of all the precious promises. But wrath frora heaven hangs over your head, and over the land : sprinkle it above you, over your heads ; take that blood for your sconce, shelter, and de fence. Satan will attack you on every side, and may be his hounds will be let loose on you ; therefore sprinkle it on every side ; and by all means on your weak side. Te have weak heads, and weak sides ; this blood is for all. 7thly, He must not sprinkle it only on the back of the door, but on the outside, the lintel and side-posts, that the angel may see it. The Lord is coming to call the land to a sad account, and to exa mine every one. On with your mark this day, on your fore heads. Antichrist's followers may take his either on their fore heads or their right hands, to serve a turn : but not so Christ's, Rev. xiv. 1, " And I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Fa ther's name written on their foreheads." Tour precious faith with in must shine forth in an open profession, 2 Cor. iv. 13, " We also Vol. X. K 138 THE BEST SECURITY AGAINST believe, and therefore speak." Te must not think to quit your pro fession, come what will come ; but list yourselves this day among Christ's witnesses in the world, in Scotland, willing to seal your tes timony with blood : Rev. xii. 11, " And they OA'ercarae him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony : and they loved not their lives unto the death." 1. The substance of Christ's testimony ; and that is holiness. The world with one voice is telling a lie of God, That he is a God that delights in wickedness ; that folk may be happy with him in heaven, and come there, some say, in the way of profanity, or morality, or formality. Te must give your testimony against this ; and for holi ness ; That God is holy, and that there is no coming nor likeness to him, but in holiness ; and this by a strict and holy walk, over the belly of the example of the world and your own lusts. This was the substance of the saints' testimony from the time of the righteous Abel, Gen. iv. 7, to this day. Rev. iii. 4 ; and xiv. 4. This is the substance of our covenants, national and solemn league ; and will be the substance of the testiraony of the Lord's people to the end of time. 2. The necessary appendages of the testimony ; and these are twofold. (1.) The revealed truths of God made' known to yon. Tou must bear witness to these, whoever run them down : the truths of doc trine, Prov. xxiii. 23, " Buy the truth, and sell it not." Mark viii. 38, " Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of hira also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels." This land is under the bond of a covenant to the maintenance of the truth of doctrine : and till the Lord raise up the spirits of his people to renew the covenant together, ye must seal the covenant for that effect at the Lord's table. If ye quit the truth of doctrine known to you, ye quit the substance ofthe testimony; for it is " the doctrine which is according to godliness," 1 Tim. vi. 3. It is the channel in which the sanctification of sinners, the great end of divine revelation, does run. Gal. iii. 2, " This only would I learn of you. Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith ?" (2.) The instituted ordinances of God which ye have received. Te must bear witness to these, though our beautiful house should be laid in rubbish, and men's ordinances and institutions set up in their room by law. We are under a covenant for the " pure ordin ances," and against " men's ordinances." And ye must bear testi mony to these divine ordinances : for so far as ye quit them, ye quit THE DAY OP AA'RATII . 139 the substance of the testimony ; for they are tho moans appointed of God for the sanctiflcation of an unholy world. When we come to heaven, we will strive with no body for Presbytery against Prelacy, for the simplicity of gospel-worship against idolatry and supersti tion ; for then the end, holiness, is obtained, and we have no more need of the means. But we are not there yet : and therefore we must contend for these ordinances of God ; we must not lay by our staff, ere we arrive at our journey's end : we must use, and contend for the means, till we have obtained the end. Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, may be pleasanter rivers than Jordan ; but dipping in them will not cure us of our leprosy ; for they want one thing Jordan has, a word of divine appointment. Prelacy and cere monies raake a greater figure in the eye than purity and simplicity : bnt they are not means of holiness ; God never raade thera, and men cannot make thera so. Accordingly we have found thera cursed trees of men's planting, under whose shade piety went always to wreck, and profanity grew. Qthly, He must feed on the body and blood of Christ. Faith must taste, and feed, and relish the sweetness of Christ, and of every part of Christ ; unite the soul with him, and so draw virtue, sap, and strength from hira, to stand before the Lord ; the tempter and an evil world without, and lusts within. And I am sure, if faith be in exercise, it will take up a crucified Christ, as fit for this, as the eating of a Iamb was to strengthen for work or travel. And, 1. Te must take and feed on a whole Christ ; Christ in all his offices. As your prophet. A day of wrath is a dark day, wherein many mistake their way, stumble into by-paths, and fall into error. But, says the believing communicant, I renounce my own wisdom and wit ; and take this Christ to be my guide ; and he has promised to guide me even unto death. A day of wrath is a day of sad chal lenges, of revenging strokes of justice ; but here is my priest, I shelter under his righteousness. Such a day is a day of fearful attacks from the devil, the world, and the flesh ; but I take him to be my king, and rely on his promises. 2. Te must oat with the bitter herbs of repentance and sorrow for sin. If faith be stirring in thy heart, it will make a hole in your heart, though like a rock otherAvise, Zech. xii, 10, " And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusa lem, the Spirit of grace and of supplications, and they shall look upon rae whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for hira, as one mourneth for his only son ; and shall be in bitterness for hira, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born." Thou wilt sorrow for thy own sins, and the sins of the land, that bring on wrath ; for the K 2 140 THE BEST SECURITY AGAINST. dishonour done to Christ by yourself and all ranks, Ezek. ix. 4, "And the Lord said unto him. Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abomination that be done in the midst thereof." Hab. iii. 16, " When I heard, my belly trembled : my lips quivered at the voice : rottenness in my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble." 3. Te must eat in a departing posture ; turning your backs on the world and your lusts, and setting your face stedfastly to Im manuel's land. Te must this day go to that table, joining your selves to the Lord, resolute to " save yourselves from this untoward generation," Acts ii. 40 ; that if Christ mind to leave the land, ye will not stay behind, but go with him, and follow hira whithersoever he goes. If ye can bnt have him present with you in the furnace of affliction, in exile, prison, or blood, ye are content. For this end ye must take hold of him never to part. II. The second thing proposed, was, to shew what security this will be against the day of wrath. 1st, Thus ye will be secured frora eternal wrath. When the great day of wrath comes, and all the enemies of God are before him in one body on the left hand, ye will be on the right. Te will stand with Christ on the field, till ye see with him the backs of all his enemies, while they are driven with horrible roarings into the bot tomless pit. And when they are closed up there under the load of everlasting wrath, ye shall get your " crowns on your heads, and palms in your hands," and help to make heaven ring eternally with your hallelujahs, 2dly, In a day of wrath upon the land ; though the storm blow never so hard, ye shall have a manifold security. Though ye raust not promise yourselves security from trouble, yet, 1, Te shall be kept from mixing with the generation under God's wrath. Te are to set up the partition-wall this day betwixt you and thera ; do it firmly, and assuredly in the heat of the wrath it shall stand. Build ye the partition-wall, and God will build the pro- tection-wall. Psalm xii. 7, " Thou shalt keep them, 0 Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever." There are two generations in the world, the righteous and the wicked ; those who fear God, and those who fear him not ; but they are separate par ties, opposite to one another : and they shall never mix. I confess, the two parties at this day are too near one another in the Church of Scotland. They are like the toes of Nebuchadnezzar's image, part of clay, and part of iron ; yet " iron is not mixed with clay," Dan. ii. 41, 43, &c. And when God kindles his fire, it will make men TUE DAY OP WRATH, 141 of like natures run together, and make the separation greater ;' and the one generation may be less bulky, but nothing less worth ; and the other generation more bulky, but less Avorth. 2. " It may be, ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger," Zeph. ii. 3. May be God may hide you in heaven ere then, as he has been doing with many eminent ministers and Christians of late, " taking them away from the evil to come." Or he can hide you under heaven, for " the earth is the Lord's :" and though men allow you not a hole to hide your head in, he can give you a broad place, whether they will or not. Though it be a very open place, he can draw a curtain over you, where the sharpest-sighted enemy shall not see|through. He has an invisible lock and key on everyplace, where the most resolute and quick-sighted searchers may not be able to open the door, and see who is therein. 3. Te shall not be straitened for provision, though it be a scarce time. Psalm cxlii. 5, " I cried unto thee, 0 Lord, I said, thou art my refuge, and my portion in the land of the living." Though it may be hard to get a sermon without, ye shall have two preachers within. (1.) The bosom-preacher will be with you, that has his pulpit in the breast ; that is a good conscience, one of the sweetest preachers that ever opened a mouth, that fills all his hearers with joy, 2 Cor. i. 12, " Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience," &c. (2.) The heart-preacher, that has his pulpit in the heavens ; that is, Christ himself by his Holy Spirit, who is always a successful preacher, whose hearers are ever taught to profit : Psalra xxxii. 8, " I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go : I will guide thee with mine eye." He will be to you as a " little sanctuary." And these will carry you through till ye come to your journey's end. 4. Though the weight of common calamity should bruise you, yea, and crush you, " there shall no evil touch you," Job v. 19. (1.) No evil that is an only evil ; mercy shall always be predominant in thy cup. (2.) The evil shall be taken out of the evils that come on thee. So that (ver. 22), " at destruction and famine thou shalt laugh : neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth." Thou shalt say as Paul, 1 Cor. xv. 55, " 0 death where is thy sting ? 0 grave where is thy victory ?" " There shall be no more curse." God shoots poisoned arrows at his enemies, but none of these at his friends. The serpent shall be unstinged. May be thou wilt think, ere all be done, thou feelest a sting ; bnt assure yourself it will be but a bee-sting, that goes only skin-deep, Matth. x. 28, " And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul," &c, (3.) The evils that may corae on thee, shall be turned to good. 142 THE BEST SECURITY AGAINST Rom. viii. 28, " And we know, that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Every stone thrown at thee, shall turn a precious stone ; and the most cross wind shall drive thee to thy harbour. III. The third thing proposed, was, to confirm the doctrine. And here only two things may be noticed. 1st, He that thus raanageth this ordinance, unites with Christ, the peace-maker ; Christ is his; his security is in hira, for Christ is in him. Gal. iv. 19, he cannot die. His blood is sprinkled on his people, and that marks them for the Lord. The Father has given all into his hand ; and now though he be a lion to others, he is a lamb to them ; and so he will not hurt them hiraself : a Larab, a male of the first year, in his prime ; not a bone broken, in his full strength, though sacrificed for them ; therefore he is able to defend them, and will not let his enemies hurt them ; slain and roasted with fire, therefore justice has no more to crave of them : without blemish, and therefore can cover all theirs. 2dly, He gets all this sealed under the broad seal of Heaven in this ordinance. Herein the covenant of peace between God and sinners is sealed in both hands ; and all these, and much more, are promises and articles of the covenant. And what greater se curity can ye imagine in this world ? IV. Fourthly, I proceed to the application. Use I. For information. 1st, The slighters of this ordinance, especially at such a time, are great fools, and despisers of their own mercy. Some remain in their gross ignorance, and have no such esteera of it, as to set thera on to great knowledge. Some live in their profanity ; aud having no mind to be abridged of their sinful liberty, have slighted all these, and, it seems, will slight them to the last. Some, if the least demur be made about their admission, if but spoke to about amending what is a reproach to the gospel in their conversation, presently cast it off, and inquire no more about it. And some that formerly have sat down at that table, cast at that and other ordin ances altogether. Well, sirs, I must tell you, ye are slighters of your own mercy ; and the slight redounds to Christ himself, whose ordinance it is, and will lie heavy on your souls if ever your eyes be opened. The day of wrath will either rouse and bow, or break your careless, proud, and presumptuous spirits. Those things may serve to blind your consciences now, that will fall off like fig-leaf covers, when God comes to call you to an account for your opportunities of grace. 2dly, The mismanagers of this ordinance are great fools, who sit THE DAY OP AVRATH. 143 down at the Lord's table, but coraraunicate not believingly. They do the outward work, but it is not in faith ; they bring no faith, no sense, no discerning, &c. ; and so instead of securing themselves against the day of wrath, do mark themselves out for wrath. Ah ! miserable work, for men to turn the food of their souls into poison ; so to raa- nage the treaty of peace with God, that they part greater enemies than before ! The sin of mock-covenanting, and unworthy communi cating, will be a dreadful item in the day of wrath here and hereafter. Use II. Of exhortation. 1st, Te that are not communicants, ye are in hazard of the day of wrath as well as others, though ye sit not at the table. Will ye by faith erabrace the sacriflce exhibited there ; receive and sprinkle the blood, the covenant sealed there. 2dly, Comraunicants, manage this work so as ye may be secured against the day of wrath. All of you, flee into Christ Jesus as the city of refuge ; and raake sure work, and lay down your raeasures for time and for eternity. Motive 1. Consider that there will certainly be a great day of wrath upon the world. " Our God will corae." The day is coming when the dead shall be raised, and all shall be sisted before the tri bunal. Eternal wrath will then sweep aAvay all that shall be found out of Christ at that day. Where will ye then appear, 0 slighters and despisers of Christ ? Mot. 2. We have all iraaginable grounds to look for a day of wrath against this church and these lands. The plague is begun already as to this poor church ; her beauty is defaced ; we have all left God, and he has left us in great measure : we have broken off from God, and are broken among ourselves. There is much of the carved work of Zion broken down already : and we have all ground to expect a root-stroke to the whole of the covenanted work of re formation. Matters are brought to that pass, that our lands can hardly miss to be a field of blood. The sins of the late times are like the iniquity of Baalpeor, which kindled the anger of the Lord against the congregation of Israel, and brought on a plague among them ; and the iniquity of these times has not been suitably mourned over to this day. A spirit of apostasy and declining is on the grow ing hand amongst all ranks ; the cry of our sins is gone up to heaven : and, notwithstanding all the alarming dispensations of the day, there is a visible hardness and stupidity on the generation, and the spirit of prayer is restrained, that we cannot see how we can escape. Prepare then to meet your God ; and how will ye do it but in Christ ? I wonld only say two things , — 144 the best security, &c. (1.) Seeing the glorious gospel-light has so shined among us, and that contempt of it and of religion does so appear in the sight of the sun, and a profane spirit does so much rage, it is very like God will have a particular eye for evil on the profane contemners of religion amongst us. (2.) Seeing there is some ground to think that we shall yet have glorious days, it is like God will shovel out of the way many, that their eyes shall never see it ; and that it will make a sad scattering among formal professors, strangers to the life of godliness. Mot. 3. Consider Christ is now offering himself and the covenant of peace to us. It is time to be going when the Lord is risen up, and is drawing out his armies against us ; to tremble when the lion roars. Come then, lest ye " mourn at the last, and say. How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof? and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructedrme ?" I close with two or three words of advice to those that resolve so to manage this sacrament, as that they may be secured against the day of wrath. (1.) Let not the thoughts of wrath prevail to darken your view of the love of Christ in the gospel and in this ordinance. Particularly assure yourselves if ye be willing to be the Lord's, and take him for your God, the white side of the cloud is to you ; and that though God were to destroy the whole land from off the face of the earth, if there were but one soul who would take shelter in the covenant of peace, he should be welcome. (2.) As ye give yourselves to the Lord, so give your families too. Take all yours that way, and lay them over on him, and leave them with him for the evil day. (3.) Let it be your main concern to get strength to be carried cleanly through ; that ye be not led away with the sins and snares of the evil time, and so fall from your stedfastness. (4.) lastly. Be not peremptory and particular as to what other wise may be your portion of common calamity ; but leave that on ' the Lord. Only in this be particular, that the sting of the curse must be taken away, and therefore that ye must put yourselves in the bottom of the everlasting covenant, and give yourselves to Christ as the great Steersman through the sea of this world, leaving that to him what weather ye shall meet with in your voyage to Immanuel's land. Thus I have delivered my message to you from the Lord, as that which I judged is God's mind and call to you at this day. I desire to venture myself for time and eternity on this bottom ; and it is my OF SINNERS FORSAKING GOD. 145 request to you, that ye will take this method this day for your se curity against the day of wrath. And if I should never have another occasion of this nature to speak unto you, I would leave it with you. That this, and this only, is the way to be secured against the day of wrath. THE SIN OF PEOPLE'S FORSAKING GOD AND BETAKING THEM SELVES TO THE CREATURE IN HIS STEAD,* Jer. ii. 13, For my people have committed two evils : they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water. This text is ushered in with a strange preface, wherein the heavens are called to stand amazed, to be filled with horror, and to dry up. Why, what is the matter ? the sin and folly of Israel. " My people have committed two evils," &c. In which words there is, First, A general charge against them : they have done " two evils," two ill things. Why, two is not many ; yea, but they are twa lead ing ill things, two mother evils. They are two fountain-sins, each of them casting out their thousands, as a fountain doth her waters. They are enough to overwhelm them with sins and sorrows. And the evils are the greater, that they are " my people," in covenant with me, that have done them. It is not the isles of Chittim, nor Kedar ; but Israel. Secondly, A particular condescension on these evils, these foun tain-evils. 1st, Deserting of God : " They have forsaken me," left me, and gone away from me. I am their King and Lord, and they have shaken off their subjection to rae ; their Head and Husband, and they have run away from me. I am their confederate, who took them into covenant with me ; and they have broken the bands, and burst the yoke. I am their God in covenant, whom they have for saken. 2dly, Taking up with the creature. They have betaken them selves to the creature in my room and stead. They have " hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water." {Heb. for to cut out, &c.) Thus they have made an exchange. They have * Several sermons, preached at Ettriek in the year 1725, 146 OP SINNERS FORSAKING GOD. left me, to go to them ; like traiterous subjects, casting off their rightful lord, for an usurper ; an unfaithful wife, deserting her husband, for her adulterer ; a wretched creature, deserting his God, for an idol. So here, 1. There is something supposed. It is supposed, (1.) That Israel was uo more self-sufficient than any other people under heaven. They were not able to satisfy themselves from them selves ; they were as much in need of supply for the satisfaction and rest of their hearts, as ever a thirsty man was of drink to refresh him. And as proud as they were, they behoved to hang on about some door or other for their supply ; either God's or the creature's. (2.) That, in this their necessitous case, God took them home to his house, as one would take in a beggar in rags, and set hira down with the children : and told thera, they should not want, if they would stay with him, Deut. xxxii. 10, " He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness : he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye." He called them his people, took them into the covenant, and set them down at the fountain-head, the well-spring of mercy and goodness. 2. There is something expressly declared. It is so declared, (1.) That Israel had made a wilful exchange of his condition, cast himself out of God's house, into the devil's common again ; " changed his glory, for that which will not profit ;" forsaken the God that took him in, and gone back to the erapty creature, where he was before. (2.) That Israel had sinned and played the fool egregiously in making this exchange. And accordingly his sin and folly is here proclaimed. And, 1. Israel was a holy people ; but the text proclaims them a sin ful people with a witness. Their forsaking him " the fountain of living waters," and betaking themselves to " broken cisterns," are signal evils. There is a heap of evil in each of them. They could not have raade a worse choice, to the dishonour of God, and to raake his name to be blasphemed araong the heathen. So they affronted their God. 2. Israel was a wise people ; but the text proclaims thera fools with a witness ; that were as blind to their own interest, as they were unfaithful to God's honour. Men's wisdom or folly appears in their bargains : let us see what a blind exchange they had made. They had exchanged, 1st, A spring-well, for cisterns. A cistern is a hollow place cut out in the earth, in wood, or stone, for receiving and keeping rain water, or water otherwise put into it ; whereas the fountain or OP SINNERS FORSAKING GOD. 147 spring hath the water from itself. God in Christ is the fountain, all-sufficient in himself. All the creatures are but cisterns ; if there is no water brought into them from heaven, or frora the spring, they are dry. Who then would exchange a fountain living and spring ing, for a cistern ? 2dly, A fountain made ready to their hand, for cisterns that were to be hewed out. Happiness is ready in God for us, and we need only to draw out by faith the waters of consolation. But 0 what hard work is it to hew out the cisterns of created enjoyment ! It is desirable to have comfort ready. Who then will be so foolish, as to exchange a fountain made ready to their hand, for cisterns that require much labour to hew them out ? Sdly, One spring-well, sufficient for all their needs, for many cisterns. There is no one cistern that will do one's business ; when the man has hewed out one cistern, the water is lacking and unpleasant there, and he must hew out another, and so on. And thus the soul once forsaking God, becomes restless ; there is no end of cisterns. It is a great conveniency, to have what Ave need in one place, and not to be obliged to go here and there for it. Who then would for sake God, the fountain of all blessings, aud betake themselves to the creatures, which though tried one after another, cannot supply their wants ? 4thly, Fresh and sweet waters of the spring, for the dead un savoury waters of the cistern, i. e. springing waters, bubbling up through the earth, cool, and fresh, for the standing, stinking waters of the cisterns. Who then will be so foolish, as to forsake the liv ing waters, and betake themselves to the stinking waters of the cisterns ? Lastly, A spring-well, for broken and cracked cisterns, that let the water through thera, and cannot hold it in. So that when the man comes to drink at his cistern, for his thirst ; behold there was a crack in the cistern, and the water is all gone ; and there is no thing left but sediment, mud, and mire. The scope and substance of these words raay be taken up in these two doctrines : — Doctrine I. Forsaking of God in Christ, and betaking one's self to the creature in his stead, are two ill, signally ill things. DocT. II. To forsake God in Christ, and take the creature in his stead, is a wretched exchange. I return to the first of these, viz : — DoCT. I. Forsaking of God in Christ, and betaking one's self to the creature in his stead, are two ill, signally ill things. 148 OF SINNERS FORSAKING GOD. In discoursing this doctrine, we shall consider the two branches of it separately, viz : — 1 , The forsaking of God in Christ ; and, 2. The betaking one's self to the creature in God's stead. First, As to the first of these ill things, the forsaking of God in Christ, we shall consider, 1st, The object forsaken. 2dly, How sinners forsake God in Christ. Mly, Why they forsake hira. ^cthly. The ill of this practice. Lastly, Make application. I. First, We shall consider the object forsaken. It is not simply God, but God in Christ : for the object in the text is " the fountain of living waters" to sinners, to refresh them, and satisfy their souls : but God out of Christ, an absolute God, is a consuming fire to them. We can no way, according to the scripture, conceive of God, as " a fountain of living waters" to us, but in Christ Jesus, Zech. xiii. 1, " In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin, and for unclean ness." John iv. 10, " Jesus answered and said unto her. If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee. Give me to drink; thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water." It is true, there is an infinite fulness of good ness, mercy, and grace, in the nature of God; but to sinners it wonld have been a sealed fountain for ever, had not the Mediator interposed. So there is, 1st, A forsaking of God simply as God. Thus Adam, falling from his integrity, forsook God, shaking off the yoke of obedience to his Creator. This was a horrid evil, and it lies on all men in their natural state. They are in a state of desertion, having left God, Eph. ii. 12, " At that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the comraonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world." The flrst covenant tie is no longer able to hold them with him. In this sense, the Pagans have forsaken God, who never heard of Christ. 2dly, A forsaking of God in Christ. And thus only his visible church and people called by his name, are capable of forsaking him ; as the text hints. He becomes their God in a visible church state, bidding them welcome to all his fulness, for the supply of their needs and making over the same to them in the gospel offer : they profess ing their acceptance, by receiving the seal or seals of his covenant. So the God forsaken by the hearers of the gospel, must be consi dered, 1. As God in our nature, for communion with guilty us, Matth. i. OP SINNERS FORSAKING GOD. 149 23, " Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his narae Emmanuel, which, being interpreted is, God with us." We could have no communion with an absolute God : the rays of his Majesty would have burnt us up, as fire does the dry stubble. But ho clothed himself with our nature, that he might be a refreshing spring to us, 2 Cor. v. 19, " God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself," &c. The rock of ages was found in our wilderness, and there he was smitten with Moses' rod, and the waters gushed out, the living waters, for us. He -taberna cled among ns. 2. As God in our nature, ready to communicate his fulness to us, for making us happy in time and eternity, John iv. 10, forecited. The spring is not to dig now ; it is digged already, and running, that " Avhosoever will, may take of the water of life freely," Rev. xxii. 17. The invitation is given out, to come and drink, John vii. 37. All the saints have drunk, but the spring is running as much as ever for us. 3. Lastly, As a God we have professed to betake ourselves to for our happiness, Jer. xvi. 19, " 0 Lord, my strength and ray fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee frora the ends of the earth, and shall say, surely our fathers haA'e inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit." We have found the scorching thirst that hath seized us, through the disorder brought into our souls by Adam's fall ; and have professed to look for our relief in God only ; and so have sit down by the well. II. The second thing on this head is. How sinners forsake God in Christ ? Sinners forsake him. Step 1. Lowering their esteem of him, the Value and honour they had for him sinking low, Psal. I. 21, " Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself." It is the high esteem of Christ that brings sinners to hira ; and as that sinks, they will go away, John vi. 68, " Simon Peter answered him. Lord, to whom shall we go ? thou hast the words of eternal life." The mystery of Christ is ready to be despised by proud nature, because there is no seeing of the glory of it without a peculiar light. Hence God in Christ is a stumbling stone to the blind world, Matth. xi. 6, " Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me." And a stroke in the eye, whereby one sees no beauty in him, leads here. Step 2. The heart's falling off its rest in him, and turning restless, so that the fulness of a God cannot quiet it, Isa. xxx. 15, "In re turning and rest shall ye be saved, in quietness and in confldence shall be your strength." If the wife begin to harbour a discontent as to her husband, she is in a fair way to forsake him ; and the 150 OF SINNERS FORSAKING GOD, heart that cannot be content with the fountain, will forsake it, to hew out cisterns for itself; when the view of the broad covenant, with all its benefits, is not sufficient to lay bands on the heart, and make it to say, "This is all my desire," 2 Sam. xxiii. 5, it is as good as gone frora the Lord. Step 3. Ceasing to cleave to him by faith, and letting go believ ing gripes of the promise, Heb. iii. 12, " Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." It is by faith one depends on and hangs about hira for happiness and satisfaction. It is the hand by which his children hold him, Cant. iii. 4. It is the eye which they are to keep on him for the supply of all their wants, Isa. xlv. 22. While they do so, they are safe ; and the fountain will spring forth to them ; as in the case of Jacob, Gen. xxxii. 26, when he said, " I will not let thee go, except thou bless me ;" and in the case of the Syro- phenician woman, Mark vii. 24 — 30. But as soon as they let down their hands, and keep their eyes no more upon hira for their supply, they are forsaking him. In the next place, they will be found, Step 4. Looking out some other Avay, for something to rest their hearts in. Aud then they are on their way away from him, Heb. iii. 12. Unbelief says. One may long wait at this fountain, ere he get wherewith to quench his thirst ; then he begins to think of hew ing out cisterns. It says the promises of a rest are but fair words, not to be trusted to ; then they are for turning back to Egypt again and think they must seek a seen good. Psalm iv. 6, " There be many that say, who will shew us any good ?" Thus the restless heart, giving over to seek its rest and satisfaction in God, goes to the crea ture to find in it what it cannot find in God. Step 5. Growing remiss in duties, and slighting opportunities of comraunion with God ; a form of duties may be kept up, but the heart is away, what avail they ? Cant. iii. 1, " By night on my bed I sought hira whora my soul loveth ; I sought him, but I found him not." Prayer is posted over; for it is for fashion's cause, rather than from faith or hope of gaining thereby, that they seek hira at all : and by their coldrifeness in their addresses, they court a denial. At sermons, they are not all there, their heart is away after some one idol of jealousy or other, like those spoken of, Ezek. xxxiii. 31, " And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit be fore thee as ray people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do thera ; for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness." Satan strikes in, picks up the word as it is sown, and fills their hearts otherwise, Prov. v. 14, " I was almost in all evil, in the midst of the congregation and assembly." OF SINNERS FORSAKING GOD. 151 And Sabbaths become a burden, like those who said, " When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn ? and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat ?" Amos viii. 5. Step 6. Having no regard to please hira in their ordinary walk, Ezek. xxiii. 35, "Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Because thou hast forgotten me, and cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also thy loAvdness and thy whoredoms.'' Hence they are in no concern to acknowledge God in their ways, to seek counsel of God in parti cular cases, and to carry along with them a regard to his glory in all things ; but are like the princes of Israel, Josh. ix. 14, that " took of the Gibeonites, victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord." So, if they do a good thing, it is not because it pleases God, but because it pleaseth themselves ; and if they do evil, and are touched for it, it is not because it is displeasing to him. Step 7- Laying aside the word for a rule, and regulating them selves by another standard. Psalm cxix. 53, "Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law." Satan shuffles in the course of the world, the voice of the multitude, in stead of the Bible into their hand ; and it is enough for them that they see a throng in the way before thera, though they hear not the voice behind thera, saying, " This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left," Isa. xxx. 21. But God speaks to us by his word, and binds us to it, Isa. viii. 20, " To the law and to the testiraony," &c ; and it is the appointed means of communion betwixt God and us; the rule of our obedience, and must be the reason of it ; and it is the appointed channel of in fluences, Isa. lix. 21, " As for me, this is ray covenant with thera, saith the Lord ; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have pnt in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever." So whoso forsake the word, forsake God. Step 8. Forsaking his people for their companions, Prov. xiii. 20, " He that walketh with wise men, shall be wise ; but a com panion of fools shall be destroyed." Like as it is with the sinner re turning unto God, he turns his back on the world lying in wickedness, and forsakes his former companions in sin, Psalra xlv. 10, for there is no going in the way of life otherwise, Prov. ix. 6 ; so men for saking the Lord, are ready to forsake his people too. Indeed men may keep by God's people, and yet forsake God ; but none can for sake the people of God, and not forsake God himself; more than they can throw off a living body, and yet hold by the head. Step 9. Forsaking ordinances, and the communion of saints there- 152 OF SINNERS FORSAKING GOD. in. Ordinances are the trysting-places for the meeting betwixt God and sinners ; he walks in the midst of the golden candlesticks : he will account himself forsaken by people's turning their back on the trysting-place where he is to be met with. Mark Heb. x. 25, 26, " Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is ; but exhorting one another, for if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacriflce for sins." He hath sent out his messengers with an awful certiflcation, 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." Therefore says Jeremiah, chap. xvii. 13, " 0 Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be asham ed, and they that depart from me, shall be written in the earth, be cause they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters." It is an ill sign in a wife, when she is not to be found in the house of her husband ; and of one forsaking God, when his feet are giving up treading his courts. Step 10, lastly. Throwing away the form of religion, casting off the mask, and giving the swing to their lusts. Thus the forsaking of God is completed, 2 Pet. ii. 22, " But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb. The dog is turned to his own vomit again ; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." Then the devil re-enters with seven worse than himself, into where he had gone out. Thus men come to the end of this wretched rout. Tet even in this case all are not alike. Some give up themselves but to sorae one abomination or other ; others give up themselves to all manner of abominations that come in their way, swimming in a sea of wickedness, as the former in a pool. Sorae again continue indifferent as to others yet in the way of God : others are possessed with a rancour and spite against the way of God, and those that follow it ; so in times of peace, they are cruel mockers, and will do any ill turn they can ; and in time of the church's trouble, will turn down-right persecutors. III. The third thing is. Why they forsake him ? how it comes they do so? 1. There is a natural bent to apostacy in all men ; saints and sin ners, Hos. xi. 7, " And my people are bent to backsliding from me : though they called thera to the Most High, none at all would exalt him." In saints it stirs, and often carries them very fearful lengths, as it did in Peter ; in sinners it reigns, and so may carry them the full length. This woful set of heart is natural to us. Gen. viii. 21, — " The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth." Our hearts, by Adam's fall, have got a bias to departing from God : there is need to take heed to it. OF SINNERS FORSAKING GOD. 153 2. Many were never truly joined to the Lord, though they seemed to be so: so having never knit with hira, no wonder they fall away from hira ; 1 John ii. 19, " They went out frora us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us ; but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not of us." Professors, strangers to saving faith, in whora dwells not the Spirit of God, but of the world, lie fair to raake apos tates ; Heb. x. 39, " But we are not of thera that draw back unto per dition ; but of thera that believe to the saving of the soul." An error in the first taking up of religion, often raakes it corae to a sorry and sharaeful account at the long-run ; men building without a foundation, Luke xiv. 28 — 30. 3. They often have sorae idol of jealousy secretly reserved, when they are at their best ; and that upon a proper occasion does the business ; like the young man in the gospel, that went away from Christ grieved, because " he had great possessions," Mark x. 22. It was not without reason that Pharaoh wonld have Israel leave their cattle : for then he knew this would bring thera back again. One son of a stranger was the death of Gideon's seventy sons. One lust unraortified, and secretly spared, will be the death of a thou sand good motions and inclinations. That proves the man's snare. So Judas' covetousness was sometimes peeping out, while he was following Christ ; at last it broke out like a flood, and carried him quite away to betray his Master. 4. Their not pressing in to the sweet of religion, in an experi mental feeling of the power of it. It is not for nought that exhor tation is given with so much earnestness ; Psalra xxxiv. 8, " 0 taste, and see that the Lord is good !" Experience is the best way to keep a sinner with God ; he feels how good it is " to draw near to God," Psalm Ixxiii. 28. Disappointment causes forsaking, as in the case of Israel in the wilderness. And they who press not in to the inner court of religion by faith, hope, and diligence, but satisfy themselves with the form of it, cannot miss these fatal disappoint ments. 5. The want of a living principle of grace in the heart, that may bear out in all changes of one's condition ; Psalra Ixxviii. 37, " For their heart was not right with him." It fares with sinners as with springs and pools ; when there is a shower from the clouds, the pools are full ; but then when drought comes, the pool drys np, there being no spring in it. Bat the spring-well bears out then as at other times. The newness of religion serves people a while, to keep the affections astir ; but when that is over, and there is no living principle of grace, the affections are lost, and religion Vol. X. L 154 OF SINNERS FORSAKING GOD. turns unsavoury. They cool like a stone taken from the fire, and wither like a branch that takes not with the stock. 6. Unwatohfnlness. Thereby men are stolen off their feet, Prov. iv. 23, " Keep thy heart with all diligence : for out of it are the issues of life." Considering that we have a deceitful heart within, an ensnaring world without, and a busy devil going about us, no man can keep his feet without watching. By unwatchfulness there is a breach made in one's case, the conscience is defiled, and the heart is deadened ; Eccl. x. 18, " By much slothfulness the building decayeth, and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through ;" and no care being taken to make up the gap, it grows still wider and wider : a strangeness gets in betwixt God and the soul ; and that not being removed, they even wear out of acquaint ance. 7. A conceit of being able to live without him ; Jer. ii. 31, " O generation, see ye the word of the Lord : have I been a wilderness unto Israel ? a land of darkness ? wherefore say my people. We are lords, we will corae no more unto thee ?" 8. Lastly, 111 corapany carries many away from God ; 1 Cor. xv. 33, " Be not deceived : evil communications corrupt good manners." Joash kept the way of God as long as his good tutor Jehoiada lived ; but when he was gone, and fell into the ill company of the princes, he went quite wrong, 2 Chron. xxiv. 17, 18. Many an apostate has ensnaring company made ; and therefore we find God's people re solute to cleave to the Lord, will beware of it, as of a pest-house ; Psalm cxix. 115, " Depart from me, ye evil-doors ; for I will keep the commandments of my God." IV. The fourth thing here is. The ill, the ill of sin that is in for saking God in Christ. 1. Itis a downright perversion and deserting of the end of onr creation. As God is the first cause of all things, so he is the chief and last end, whereunto all ought to have a tendency, Rom. xi. 36, " For of hira, and through hira, and to hira are all things." When God made man, he gave him a disposition to bend towards him in all things, as his chief end ; when he re-made the world in Christ, he set sinners on the same way again. Psalm cv. 4, " Seek the Lord, and his strength; seek his face evermore." To forsake hira, then, is quite contrary to our chief and last end. And for a man to forsake God, is as much opposite to the order established in things at the creation, as if the sun should leave his giving light, and the earth its yielding its fruit to men ; as if the fire should go downward and the waters run upwards, and the whole course of nature should be turned upside down. OP SINNERS FORSAKING GOD. 155 2. There is in it a setting up another in the room of God ; there fore it is the first comraand, " Thou shalt have no other God." For what is the forsaking of God, bnt going away from him to another ? there is no raids : for seeking ourselves instead of God, is a deifying of self. So the scripture points it out as spiritual adultery, Ezek. xvi. 32 ; and idolatry, Phil. iii. 19. See it then as a pulling down of our sovereign Lord God from his throne over us, and setting up a creature in his roora, to pay it that homage which we owe to him alone. 3. Fearful ingratitude for the greatest mercy and kindness, Jer. ii. 2, 12, " Thus saith the Lord, I reraeraber thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness ; in a land that is not sown. Be astonished, 0 ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord." God has condescended to vail himself with our flesh, that he might keep communion with us, with the safety of his honour ; " God was in Christ," that he might be a refreshing fountain to a starving world ; he has brought us to him by the gospel, to drink of the waters of his consolations, while many of the world have the foun tain sealed to them. What monstrous ingratitude must it be for us to forsake him ! Jer. ii. 31, forecited. 4. Notorious unfaithfulness to our kindest Head and Husband ; Jer. ii, 20, " For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands, and thou saidst, I will not transgress : when upon every high hill, and under every green tree, thou wanderest, playing the har lot." We cannot forsake him, but we must be false to our profes sion, our solemn vows and engageraents. Our forsaking of hira is treachery with a witness, casting off the strongest bands taken on us with our own consent, to abide with hira and cleave to hira. It is an aggravation that is not in the devil's deserting hira, nor the Pagans. 5. Notorious unfaithfulness to our own interest, and folly with a wit ness. It was a pertinent answer which Peter gave ; John vi. 68, " Lord, to whom shall we go ? thou hast the words of eternal life." It were good for sinners under temptation to forsake God, to pro pose it to themselves, and stay till they get a satisfying answer. Will men forsake one they are Avith, if they cannot do better, or as well with another ? Bnt we can never do as well with any other, 1 Sam. xii. 21, " Turn ye not aside frora following the Lord : for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot proflt nor deliver, for they are vain." Nay, whatsoever we go to, from God, will do us hurt, and not good, Ezek. xxix. 7. It is taking poison, leaving wholesome food. So those forsaking God sin against themselves, cut ting the throat of their own interest, Prov. viii. 36, "But he that l2 156 OF SINNERS FORSAKING GOD. sinneth against me, wrongeth his own soul : all they that hate me, love death." 6. An affronting of God before the world, casting dishonour on him, bearing false witness against hira ; Jer. ii. 31, " Have I been a wilderness unto Israel ? a land of darkness ? wherefore say my peo ple. We are lords, we will come no more unto thee ?" That bears the language of their deserting to have been, that God had been to them as a wilderness. Those forsaking God are as the spies that brought up an ill report on the good land ; Rora. ii. 24, " For the name of God is blasphemed araong the Gentiles, through you." What must the world say, seeing God's people forsake him, butthat it is in vain to serve him, and that there is not that satisfaction and com fort to be found in him that the Word says there is ? 7- A practical commendation of the way of the world, contemn ing God, and seeking their happiness in things that are seen ; Prov. xxviii. 4, " They that forsake the law, praise the wicked : but such as keep the law, contend with them." Deserters of God do not only cease to give a testiraony against the world lying in wickedness, but give testiraony for them, as if " they only were the people, and wis dom would die with them." And thus they fly in the face of the testimony of God in the world. 8. It is a sinning against the remedy of sin, and makes one's case very hopeless ; Heb. x. 26, " For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacriflce for sins." When man forsook God as God and his God in the flrst covenant, there was a way found for bringing him back to God ; 2 Cor. v. 19, " God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto hiraself, not iraputing their trespasses unto thera ;" but if raen shall forsake God in Christ, there is not another way to be expected for salvation. If the sinner fall at the Mediator's door, he must lie there, there is none to take him up. This is the last method of sal vation ; those who spurn it cannot escape perishing. 9. Lastly, It is au opened sluice for all other sins. So the text holds it out as a mother-sin. The man that forsakes God, he ex poses himself a prey to all temptations, to be picked up by the first finder, Prov. xxvii. 8, " As a bird that wandereth' from her nest ; so is a man that wandereth from his place." He breaks off from comraunion with God in sanctifying, guiding, and strengthening in fluences; his soul being rendered as a pipe laid short of the foun tain. He casts off his guide and protector in the wilderness ; and no wonder to flnd him in all evil, who forsakes the fountain and only spring of goodness. Use I. Then, let us be deeply humbled in the sense of our depart- OP SINNERS FORSAKING GOD. 157 ures from the Lord, which we have had at any tirae in our life ; Jer. ii, 19, " Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee ; know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that ray fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of Hosts." How often have our hearts been found in this way, gadding after other lovers ? Be hold the wickedness, ingratitude, and unfaithfulness in it. What great lengths have we gone in affronting our God before the world, and causing his narae to be blaspheraed ? Matth. xviii. 7, " Wo unto the world because of offences ; for it must needs be that offences come; but wo to that man by whom the offence cometh." It may be humbling to us, 1st, That we live in a land infamous for apostasies ; a covenanted land solemnly married to God, but which in a national capacity did forsake her covenanted God, pursuing even to death such as durst not go into the national apostasy. It is like, when God shall raise the process against the land for these things, it will be terrible, especially to those that are still forsaking him. 2dly, We live in a generation that is fast apostatizing, not going, but running away from God. The sluice of untenderness is opened araong all ranks, wickedness abounds ; the current is so forcible, that it is taking away many, one after another, with it, stripping them of their form of godliness ; driving them into sinful courses that once a day would have said, " Am I a dog that I should do such things ?" And it is hard for any to keep their feet. Let us be humbled under our own and the generation's forsaking of God, considering the dishonour to God thereby, and the danger to ourselves. 2. Beware of and watch against the beginnings of forsaking of God. We raay apply that, Prov. xvii. 14, " The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water ; therefore leave off contention be fore it be raeddled with." When the soul begins to decline from God, it is hard to say where it may stop ; but one step still makes way for another. I doubt not there are many, who, when they flrst left God, going out of his way, they did not think to have been so long away frora him as they have been ; nor to have gone so far as they have gone. And it would have been a terror to thera then, to have thought that they should rnn the length they are now at. But it is easier holding off the flrst step, than off the second, and so forward ; for raen are like those going down a precipice, that can not stop till they be at the bottom. Therefore watch against the beginnings, and " let hira that standeth take heed lest he fall." 3. Te that are far on, stop, and go no further ; 1 Pet. iv. 3, " For 158 OF SINNERS FORSAKING GOD. the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles," &c. Hold in time, lest-ye run to the utmost, and lie at the end of it a sacrifice to your own wilfulness. God is calling you to return, and promising to take you home again ; Jer. iii. 22, " Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslid ings." Are not your consciences convinced, that it was better with you before ye went away than it is now ? say then as Hos. ii. 7, " I will go and return to my first husband, for then was it better with me than now." Proceed not then in your course, to make ill worse. Why will ye rush on " as the horse rusheth into the battle ?" Jer. viii. 6. 4. Lastly, Tou forsakers of God, return, return ; whatever length ye are gone, whatever step ye are in, return to God in Christ. 1st, Return by faith, and let the marriage- covenant betwixt Christ and you be renewed. There is access to it yet; Jer. iii. 1, "Then hast played the harlot with many lovers ; yet return again to me, saith the Lord." Many a tirae matters are gone such a length be twixt Christ and sinners solemnly espoused to him, that there must be as great a solemnity to the agreement and coming home again, as there was to the first taking them in ; Rev. xix. 7) " Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him : for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready." 2dly, Return by repentance ; Jer. xxxi. 19, " Surely after that I was turned, I repented ; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh ; I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of ray youth." Return with the blush in your face, the tear in your eye, grief and sorrow in your heart, your hand smit ing on your breast, and the rope of humiliation about your neck, for your going away. Rake through your departures, search your ways, and be converted from them. Many times matters go such a length in people's forsaking the Lord, that there must be a going over the road of conversion again, in the several steps of it, as at first. Matt. xviii. 3, " Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." There must be new conviction, compunction, humiliation, &c. Motive I. If ye will continue to forsake God, he will forsake you utterly, 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. We raay say, God does not quite for sake us, though we have forsaken him ; he is still doing us good, fill ing onr hearts with food and gladness. But that will not last al ways so ; the God that now follows us with mercy, will forsake us too, and give up with us, 2 Chron. xv. 2, " The Lord is with you, while ye be with hira ; and if ye seek him, ho will be found of you ; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you." OF SINNERS FORSAKING GOD. 159 Motive 2. Heavy will be your case, if God shall forsake you ; Hos. ix. 12, " Tea, wo to them when I depart from them." It is comprized there in a word of two letters ; but men and angels can not sufficiently unfold the import of it. Saul got a taste of it in this world, and what a dreadful weight was it on him? 1 Sam. xxviii. 15, " And Saul answered, I am sore distressed, for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets nor by dreams." How much more dreadful will it be in another world ? Mot. 3. It is a hell by choice ; and when it comes to be felt in its vigour, it will be nothing the easier, but the hotter, that it was your own choice. The sentence of damnation runs in these terms, " De part from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels," Matth. xxv. 41. Now men will not stay with him, they will be away. The sending them to hell will be a giving them their will ; a forcing them to that in a penal way which is now their sinful choice. Mot. 4. Lastly, The Lord calls you to return, and is courting you to come back. He needs us not ; but he sees that we are ruined if we do not come back. Secondly, As to the second evil. The betaking one's self to the creature in God's stead. In speaking to this, let us consider, 1st, The object taken up with in God's stead. 2dly, How sinners take up with the creature in God's stead. Zdly, Why sinners take up with the creature in God's stead. 4iAZy, The ill of this practice. Lastly, Improve the doctrine. I. First, Let us consider the object taken up with in God's stead. It is the creature : A sorry exchange, Rom. i. 25. " They changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator," It has two names in scripture, a negative and a positive one. 1st, It is not God; Deut, xxxii. 21. "They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God." This is the name of all the cisterns, of the whole creation, chosen in God's roora. Whatever it is, whatever excellency be conceived in it, it is a not-god. They take it for a god, and so they take it for what it neither is nor can be ; and so they cheat themselves. We raay take up this narae in these two syllables. 1. It cannot satisfy ; Isa. Iv. 2, " Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread ? and your labour for that which satis fieth not ?" There are a great many empty spaces in the hungry 160 OF SINNERS FORSAKING GOD. heart, and it cannot fill thera np. God's name is AU-suffident, Gen. xvii. 1 ; Heb. q. d. that which is comraensurable. Hereby he is dis tinguished frora all not-god ; none of them all will measure out, nor all of thera together, with the necessities of any of us. 2. It cannot profit ; 1 Sam. xii. 21, " And turn ye not aside : for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain." Whatever not-god one betakes hiraself to, it can not only not do him good enough, but it can do him no good ; Jer. ii. 11, " Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods ? but my people have changed their glory, for that which doth not profit. Tea, it can do hira no good, even though it were a whole world gained; Matth. xvi. 26, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?" Paul was not out in his reckoning, when he said, (Phil. iii. 8,) " Tea doubtless, and I count all things bnt loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord ; — and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ." A cistern of one's own hewing out for the fountain, is not only scant of water, but the little that is of it is naught. 2dly, It is the world, 1 John ii. 15 ; the great bulky vanity, Eccl. i. 2 ; the passing world, 1 John ii. 17 ; the present evil world. Gal. i. 4 ; that there is a curse upon, whereby it is doomed to be burnt to ashes, and so can neither last, nor satisfy in the time it does con tinue. It is a name consisting of three syllables. 1. "The lust of the flesh," 1 John ii. 16, i.e. things grateful to the vile body. There is nothing in it for a pure holy soul, but what is noisome to it ; as appears from the entertainment it gave to Christ. But the vile world affords for the vile body the pleasures of eating and drinking, of fleshly lusts, luxurious ease. It has wherewith to gratify the senses of touching, tasting, and smelling. And though " the Lord is for the body," 1 Cor. vi. 13, and can and will gratify its senses more than ten thousand worlds ; yet men for sake God, and take up with the world and its lusts of the flesh. 2. "The lust of the eyes," 1 John ii. 16, i.e. things grateful to the covetous eye ; Psalm iv. 6, "Who will shew us any good?" There is nothing in it for the single eye but grievousness, which makes them cry, Hab. i. 3, and makes it a weary land. But it has fuel for feeding the vitiated lusting eye ; it affords silver and gold, houses and lands, farms and merchandize, cloths and ornaments, pom pous and gaudy sights and shows, husbands and wives, children and servants, &c. And though there is a perfection of beauty in God in Christ, while he is represented as fairer than the sons of men. Psalm xlv.2, and altogether lovely. Cant. v. 16 ; yet he is forsaken for the OP SINNERS FORSAKING GOD. 161 lust of the eyes the world affords ; while in the meantime it never satisfies the eye, Eccl. i. 8. 3. " The pride of life," 1 John ii. 16, i. e. things grateful to the vain mind. There is nothing in it for the pure mind, but what is vain, or eke vile; 2 Cor. v. 4, " For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened." Phil. i. 23, "For I am in a strait be twixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better." But it affords abundant entertainment for the vain mind ; airy honours, credit, reputation, and esteera for this and the other fancied or real excellency in a person ; a variety for enter taining the musical, light, or malicious ear; airy castles enough, for the fancy to rove up and down in at large, in vain projects, and vile desires, and dreaming enjoyments ; and enough to busy the curious, while they live, if they were to live as long as Methuselah, that with all their learning and researches they shall never come to the end of. In God in Christ are " hid all the treasures of wisdora and knowledge," Col. ii. 3, full satisfaction for the mind, 1 John iii. 2. But he is forsaken for the world's pride of life, that will fall in a moment like foara on the water, Hos. x. 7. 11. Secondly, Let us consider, "How sinners take np with the creature in God's stead." This is done by setting the heart on the creature, giving it the chief or supreme roora in the heart which is due to God only. And so men take np with the creature in God's stead. The steps of it are these. Step 1. Raising their esteem of and value for the creature, till it come to overtop their esteem of God in Christ, like Eve with respect to the forbidden fruit. Gen. iii. 6. Men looking on the creature, are often as one standing looking over a precipice, till the head growing giddy, they fall over. Thus Achan came to forsake God for the wedge of gold. Josh. vii. 21. The creature grows more and more bulky and glorious ; and the beauty of a God in Christ is more and more vailed; till in end the soul gives the preference to the creature, and determines it is best for it. Now the unhappy match is begun, and the soul is in a fair way to go off to the creature. Step 2. Bending their chief desire towards the creature. Psalm iv. 6, to obtain it, and the satisfaction they apprehend is to be found in it. The heart goes after it on the wings of desire, the soul flying after it as a ravenous bird on its prey, Prov. xxiii. 5. So the heart is boiling hot upon it, and grows cold towards God, and Esau, Gen. xxv. 30, 32. Then the raan is making away to it as fast as he can. Step 3. Embracing and knitting with it in love, 2 Tim, iv. 10. So Deraas loosed his gripes of Paul and the gospel, aud fastened his gripes on the world. It gets raore of his love than God in Christ, 162 OF SINNERS FORSAKING GOD. and all the riches of Christ. He looks for his happiness from it, thinks he would be happy if he could be master of what is in it ; and so he cleaves to it in love, till the love of God is extinguished in his heart, 1 John ii. 15. And thus the man has betaken himself to it instead of God, and the fatal new match is made np. Step 4. Seeking a rest for their hearts in it ; Matth. xi. 28, " Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." The raan has a restless heart in his breast, that is gap ing for something to satisfy it ; and he carries it away to the crea ture, to rest there ; to the cisterns, to drink there. And there he sucks at the breasts of the world's consolations, the consolations of God being now tasteless with him. Step 5. Trusting in it, and having their chief dependence on it, notwithstanding of the curse pronounced against such trust, Jer. xvii. 5. 6. It is their prop that supports them, the pillar they lean on. Happy had they been, if they had had such trust to God as they give to the creature. Though it frowns on them, they trust it will yet smile, and they will wait on ; it has disappointed them often, and yet with the greatest confidence they will promise on its head. God's promises, that might be deferred but never failed, they can trust nothing to ; but the deceitful promises of the world they trust in. Step 6. Using their chief and most earnest endeavours for it. Their trust in it is backed with suitable endeavours ; they spare no cost, to get out of the creature what they are seeking; Isa. Iv. 2, " Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread ? and your labour for that which satisfieth not ?" They will spend their money on their lusts, and what is better than either gold or money, they will spare no pains ; they will labour for it ; they will labour in the very fire, and that to weariness, Hab. ii. 13. It is not the sinner's fault, that he gets no satisfaction in the creature ; if it were in it, he would surely have it out of it. Meanwhile, as is his trust and dependence on God, so are his endeavours that way ; his trust nothing, and his endeavours languid. Step 7. Rejoicing most in their enjoyment of it, and delighting most in it. It is no more God, but the creature that is the man's chief joy; 2 Tim. iii. 4, " Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God." The joy of the corn and wine, the crop and cattle, is more to them than the light of the Lord's countenance. They can relish no other joys but what are carnal ; let the world smile, the heavens may lower for them, they can be easy ; and reign as kings without God, if the kind world will but set a fading crown on their head. Step 8. Sorrowing most of all for the want of it, under the frowns of it ; 2 Cor. vii, 10, " The sorrow of the world worketh OF SINNERS FORSAKING GOD. 163 death." They can bear the frowns of the God that made them, better than the frowns of the creature ; for the latter has more of their heart than the former. Though God's displeasure is burning against them, forsaking of hira is not their grief; it will not mar their joy in the world, but their joy in the world will be an antidote against it ; Hos. xii. 7, 8, " He is a merchant, the balan ces of deceit are in his hand ; he loveth to oppress. And Ephraim said, Tet I am become rich, I have found me out substance ; in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in rae, that were sin." But all the joys of the gospel will now weigh down their sorrows from the creature, Exod. vi. 7 — 9. Step 9. Still cleaving to it, under never so many disappointments from it ; nor forsaking it, but trying another mean, when one mis gives ; Isa. Ivii. 10, " Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way ; yet saidst thou not. There is no hope ; thou hast found the life of thine hand ; therefore thou wast not grieved." When their expec tations in God were deferred, they said, " Why should we wait on the Lord any longer ?" and so they forsook hira. Bnt do they treat the creature so ? No indeed ; but when it raises their hope in one thing to the very foundation, they shift about from one creature to another, but never come back to God ; when one cistern runs dry, they go to another, but return not to the fountain. Step 10. Lastly, Following the creature whithersoever it goes, even quite over the hedge of the law of God ; Eccles. x. 8, " He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it ; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him." The raan that has betaken himself to the creature, he may hold within the compass of lawful enjoyments, and perish by them, Matth. xxiv. 38, 39, " For as, in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away ; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." But the sinner, disappointed of the satisfaction expected in lawful things, takes at length the liberty of unlawful ; like a beast, that, having ate up all to the red earth within his pasture, breaks over the hedge, and eats up that which is '^not allowed. Thus the sinner is come to the last step, giving himself the swing in his lusts. III. The third thing is. Why sinners take up with the creature in God's stead. 1. Because the heart of man is naturally wedded to the creature; and that bond not being truly broken, it is apt to return upon occasion to its natural bias. Adam, sinning, left God, and joined the creature ; so there is the natural bond, there is the object that gets our flrst 164 OP SINNERS BETAKING THEMSELVES love. Hence, though the sinner seem to join himself to the Lord, he is apt to return to the creature ; and will do it, if the power of grace prevent it not, Hos. xi. 7, " And my people are bent to backsliding from me; though they called them to the Most High, none at all would exalt him. 2. Because man's corrupt nature finds a suitableness and agree - ableness in the creature to itself, Isaiah Ivii. 10, forecited. Corrupt lusts, which otherwise must starve, find an agreeable entertainment in the creature, an entertainment they can relish or favour, while they cannot favour the things of God, Rom. viii. 5. Even as a swine brought into a palace will get back into an unclean place, where it will get mire and dirt which it cannot get there. 3. Because the creature takes by the eye and other senses ; God and his favour is the object of faith, which is rare in the world. Men are naturally much addicted to sense, and apt to be led thereby, and are most feelingly touched by objects of sense ; while it requires the exerting of a supernatural power on them to raise on thera the faith of things invisible. Hence the natural cry. Psalm iv. 6, " Who will shew us any good ?" And therefore God gives his people a spiritual sensation to balance it ; ver. 7, " Thou hast put gladness in my heart, raore than in the time that their corn and their wine increased." 4. Because the creature promiseth a present good, whereas the greatest things of God are reserved to another world. Though God does offer great things in hand to the sinner, Psalra xix. 11, yet the greatest is in hope ; but the world's good is offered as a present good ; as that which is soon rotten is ordinarily soon ripe too, and con trariwise. Hence the sinner, making the comparison, looks on the spiritual good as the bird in the bush ; on the temporal as the bird in hand, and so grips to it, letting the other go. 5. Because, by the power of a strong delusion, conveyed into the nature of man by the serpent in paradise, they expect a satis faction and happiness in the creature. Gen. iii. 5, 6. It is repre sented to them in a magnifying glass, as the forbidden fruit was to our first parents ; and so strongly is this hope rivetted in them, that though they meet with thousands of disappointments, yet still in new hopes they renew their endeavours to extract it out of them ; Isa. Ivii. 10, " Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not. There is no hope. 6. Lastly, Because they must needs betake themselves to some thing without themselves, not being self-sufficient ; so, having lost God, they fall of course to the creature in his stead ; Eph. ii. 12, " At that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the comraon wealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, hav- TO THE CREATURE IN GOD's STEAD. 165 ing no hope, and without God in the world :" compared with ver. 3, " Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the mind." The sun being gone down on them, they set up their candles to enlighten their darkness, and compass theraselves about with their own sparks. When the prodigal wanted bread, he fed on husks : when bread was not in Samaria, asses' heads and doves' dung were used. IV. The fourth thing is. The ill of this practice, taking up with the creature in God's stead ; the ill of sin in it. 1. It is an egregious wrong done to God, and his infinite excellency, Jer. ii. 11, " Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods ? but my people have changed their glory, for that which doth not profit." To take up with the creature in God's stead, is to affront hira, cast dishonour on him, and, as far as lies in us, to ungod him. To pull down the king from his throne, and to put a beggar frora the dung-hill upon it ; to pull down the sun from the firmament, and set np in its room a twopenny candle ; the angels from their seats, and set glow-worras in their stead — would be no such injury as here ; for the distance betwixt these is but finite ; but that betwixt God and the creature, infinite. It is a heap of practical blasphemies against God, and vilely mis represents him, as if he were not, (1.) The chief good. He is originally good, and the fountain of all goodness that is to be found in any creature ; Matth. xix. 17, " There is none good but one, that is God." Therefore he is the chief good. But this practice says, the creature is better than he ; else why do men take up with it in his stead ? What is our choice, in a plurality of things, one of which we may have, will always be reckoned the best iu our judgment. . (2.) All-sufficient. He declares hiraself all-sufficient in hiraself, and to his creatures. Gen. xvii. 1. There is enough in him to make all the world of men, yea, a thousand worlds of raen, happy ; for his perfections are infinite. Bnt the taking up with the creature in his stead, says. There is not enough in him for us. If it is not so, why do not we hold by him ? if there is enough for us in God, why are we found at the creature's door ? if the fountain is not dry, why at cisterns ? (3.) The most lovely. God is the perfection of beauty and ex cellency ; for whatever is lovely in the creature, is a ray of beauty darted from him ; James i. 17, " Every good gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights." Every thing has its spots; only "he is altogether lovely," Cant. v. 166 OF SINNERS BETAKING THEMSELVES 16 ; SO he is " fairer than the sons of men," Psalm xlv. 2 ; and no thing is so desirable. But the taking up with the creature gives the lie to this testimony. If the water is sweeter in the fountain than in the cistern, why is the cistern chosen instead of the fountain ? (4.) Coramunicative, willing to irapart of his goodness to his crea tures, Matth. xxv. 21. He has parted with his own Son for us, and is willing " with him to give us all things," Rom. viii. 32. And this is the testimony of the gospel of God. Tet sinners by this practice give it out, that all this is false ; that they must needs take up with the creature, since the Creator locks up himself from them. 2. It is a wrong done to the creature, as being a putting it out of its proper place. It is a rape committed upon it, a violence done thereto, which makes it groan, Rom. viii. 21, 22. When Rachel put her husband in God's stead, he complained bitterly of it, saying, Gen. xxx. 2, " Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the worab ?" So did the king of Israel, when the king of Syria, he thought, treated him so ; 2 Kings v. 7, " Am I God, (said he), to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy ?" So would the whole creation com plain of men, if they had a mouth to speak. It exposes the creature to the fire of God's jealousy, Ezek. xxiv. 25. As there is not a readier way to break a bow, than to overbend it ; so there is not a readier way to ruin the creature, than to make an idol of it. No thing sits safe that sits in the seat of God. 3. It is a wrong done to the whole generation of the saints. Asaph takes notice of this in his case, Psalm Ixxiii. 12 — 15, " Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world, they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chasten ed every morning. If I say, I will speak thus ; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children." As it affronts their God, it grieves them to the heart ; as it declares them to have made a foolish choice, it dishonours them, and proclaims them fools. Thus they sadden the hearts of those whom God has not made sad ; and hold thera for fools whom he counts wise. 4. Lastly, It is an egregious wrong to the sinner's own soul, putting the arrantest cheat upon it that one is capable to do, Prov. viii. 36, " But he that sinneth against me, wrongeth his own soul ; all they that hate me love death." It is the putting one in the hand of the soul, for an end it will never be able to answer. God says. He will be for a God to the sinner ; but behold, the sinner says to his own soul. Let the creature be for a God to thee. This is, instead of bread, to give a stone ; instead of a fish, to give a serpent. TO THE CREATURE IN GOD's STEAD. 167 Use. Then have a horror of taking up with the creature in God's room and stead : look on it as a signal evil, and tremble at the very thoughts of it. And, 1. Look back on your guilt of that kind, and repent. 0 what of this idolatry has there been, and is there among us ! See it, and be convinced and humbled under the sense of it. (1.) Has not some creature or other had your chief affection set upon it ? 1 John ii. 15, " Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in hira." How warraly have your hearts been carried towards it, while nothing for God but coldrife love, languishing de sires ? &c. The heart has been like a common inn, so thronged with strangers, that there was no room for the Master. (2.) Have you not served the creature more than God ? Rom. i. 25. Te have all been at pains for the world, and to serve that inte rest; but so long as ye have lived, what have ye done for God and his interest ? Alas ! are there not many who set theraselves in op position to it ? and at best they think they do very well if they do not act against it ; but how few set themselves to advance it. Do ye serve the creature so ? No. Then do ye not serve the creature more than the Creator ? (3.) Has not your greatest care been to please another rather than God ? yourselves, your lusts, this and the other person, whose favour ye have valued rather than a God in Christ ; Gal. i. 10, " For do I now persuade men, or God ? or do I seek to please men ? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." How often have sinners pleased themselves and others, at the expense of God's high displeasure ; and made their way to their own pleasure, over the belly of all the intimations of God to the contrary. Look back on these things, see how ye have set up another in God's stead ; be ashamed, loathe yourselves, mourn, and repent for these things. 2. Reform, pull down your idols of jealousy ; whatever it is that has had God's room with you, cast it down from the throne, and set it in a low place at his footstool; Hos. xiv. 3, " Ashur shall not save us, we will not ride upon horses, neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Te are our gods, for in thee the fatherless find eth mercy." Restore the throne to your Sovereign Lord, reduce the usurper ; let a God in Christ command, and let all things else be at his disposal, and modelled according to his will and pleasure, 2 Cor. X, 5. 3. Lastly, Watch, and beware of any creature's stepping at any time into the room of God ; Prov. iv. 23, " Keep thy heart with all 168 OP SINNERS BETAKING THEMSELVES diligence, for out of it are the issues of life." Keep a jealousy of this sort over your hearts at all times ; for there is a propensity in it to fall into this course ; and it will be off to the creature, if ye do not guard against it ; and in special at some times, particularly, (1.) When the Lord delays to answer. This is a time when the unbelieving heart, being in a haste, is ready to make its address to the creature instead of God, that it may do for the man what God defers to do. This was the ruining thing to those in the wilderness. God was not like to bring them into Canaan, and therefore they were for going back to Egypt. Resolve ye with the church, Lara. iii. 49, 50, " Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not without any intermission ; till the Lord look down, and behold from heaven." (2.) When the creature courts, and the world smiles; Prov. i. 32, " For the turning away of the siraple shall slay them, and the prospe rity of fools shall destroy them." We are ready to hang by a frowning world ; how much more dangerous is it when it smiles on us. Many have been hugged to death thereby. When, therefore, things go ac cording to your wish, take heed ye be not ruined, as the scum the higher it rises, the sooner it runs over and is lost. Doctrine. II. To forsake God in Christ, and take the creature in his stead, is a wretched exchange. For clearing of this doctrine I shall take it up in these four points: — Point I. Forsaking of God for the creature, is an exchanging of a fountain for a cistern. Point II. Forsaking of God for the creature, is an exchanging of a fountain made ready to our hand, for a cistern that remains to be hewed by ourselves. Point III. Forsaking of God for the creature, is an exchanging of a fountain for raany cisterns. Point. IV. ult. Forsaking of God for the creature is an exchang ing of a fountain for cracked and broken cisterns, that can hold no water. I return to the first of these, viz.. Point I. Forsaking of God for the creature, is an exchanging of a fountain for a cistern. This is a wretched exchange, if ye consider, 1. Tho water in the cistern is borrowed water; that in the foun tain is from itself. Mark x. 18, " There is none good but — God ;" none good essentially, underivedly, but God himself. All the cisterns of created enjoyments must be filled frora God as the fountain, or else remain empty. The fountain has a spring in itself, the cistern none. If God communicate not to the creature, it is sapless and foysonless. The whole creation shines with borrowed light. Wha FORSAKING GOD FOR THE CREATURE. 169 ever sweetness is in any person or thing created, it is a drop from the fountain, from God. Would one exchange the sun for the stars ? 2, The water raust needs be sweeter and fresher in the fountain than in the cistern. Who would not drink rather from the spring, than from a vessel of water within the house ? The enjoyment of God in Christ is far sweeter than of the whole the creation can af ford ; Psalm iv. 6, 7, " There be many that say. Who will show us any good ? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, raore than in the time that their corn and their wine increased." Every thing is best in God as in the fountain. Heaven's riches, the riches of Christ, are better than worldly riches, which are but a streara frora the other; Psalm civ. 24, " 0 Lord, how raanifold are thy Avorks ! in wisdora hast thou made thera all ; the earth is full of thy riches." The beauty of Christ sur- passes all created beauties; Psalm xlv. 2, " Thou art fairer than the sons of men." The knowledge of Christ is more excellent than all other knowledge, Phil. iii. 8, " Tea doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus ray Lord ; — and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ." The comfort of the creature is often unsavoury, in God it is ever sweet. 3. The water in the cistern is no more but a certain measure ; in the fountain it is unmeasurable. Whatever perfection or goodness is in any creature, there is an end of it which one may reach unto ; Psalm cxix. 96, " I have seen an end of all perfection ? but thy com mandment is exceeding broad." But God's perfections are infinite, there is no end of them. So in all created things there is a want, and therefore the heart cannot find true rest in thera ; but in God there is no want, the heart may rest in hira, Heb. iv. 2, " For we which have believed, do enter into rest." No creature is coramen- snrable to the bonndless desires of man's heart ; but God is ; so in him sinners raay be happy for ever. 4. The water in the cistern is mostly very scanty ; the fountain is ever full. There isa want in the creature at its best; it cannot satisfy the desires of the heart of man, Isa. Iv. 2, " Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread ? and your labour for that which satisfieth not ? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness," But even what may reasonably be expected from it, oft-times cannot be had frora it ; it sinks far below the measure of what it promises ; so that often it is as Hag. ii. 16 ; " When one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten ; when one came to the press-fat, for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there Avere but twenty." But there is a perpetual fulness in a God in Christ, that one can never m2 170 THE WRETCHED EXCHANGE OF come amiss to him, if he should come never so oft. How wretched an exchange must it then be, to exchange the fulness of a Godhead for the empty creature ? 5. The water of the cistern is always dreggy ; the fountain clear and pure. Hence the end of the one is sorrow, but the other not so ; Prov. X. 22, " The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich ; and he addeth no sorrow with it." There is a thorn of uneasiness in the softest bed one can make to himself in the whole creation ; and the fairest rose wants not its prickles. Lawful enjoyments leave behind them a sting in the heart ; and the more comfort one has in them, the more bitter is the parting with them, which cannot be evited. Unlawful ones leave a sting in the conscience, which will sting through eter nity, if bitter repentance prevent it not; Prov. v. 8, " Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house." See Isa. 1. 11, "Behold all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks ; walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow." A devil of covetousness, uncleanliness, &c., rages in some ; but bitter will be the dregs of it. But whoso hold by a God in Christ, shall swim in joy unspeakeable for ever. 6. Lastly, The water of the cistern is soon dried up ; the fountain, never. A few days or years will put an end to all our lawful and unlawful comforts in the creature. A touch of the hand of God, by some heavy disease on the body, may soon make the now healthiest incapable of comfort either of these ways. And if such should spend their days in health and wealth, the moment they go to the grave, the candle will be pnt out, and they will pay for their folly by ever lasting bitterness. But a God in Christ will be an eternal spring of comfort to those that are his. Use. See then the wretchedness of this exchange, and repent that ye have made it. The result of it in end will be, 1. Cutting disappointment, Luke xii. 19, 20, " And I will say to my soul. Soul, thou hast mnch goods laid up for many years ; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him. Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee : then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided ?" No body forsakes God for the creature, but they think to better their condition thereby : but that is impossible ; therefore they must be disappointed, and their expectations frustrated. Isa. xx. 5, 6, " And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory. And the inhabitant of this isle shall say in that day. Behold, such is our expectation, whether we flee for help to be de livered from the king of Assyria : and how shall we escape ?" They FORSAKING GOD FOR THE CREATURE. 171 may get an offputting for a while with the creature to which they betake themselves in God's stead ; but the day will come when they shall complain of it, as Job vi. 15, " My brethren have dealt deceit fully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away." 2. Bitter remorse, Prov. xxiii. 32, " At last it biteth like a ser pent, and stingeth like an adder." What comfort had Judas of his thirty pieces of silver, when he saw the end ? the rich man of his faring deliciously every day, when in hell he lift up his eyes ? Since there is a God, and a judgment to come, he will certainly make those who swill down the cup of sin with so much pleasure now, wring out and drink the dregs thereof too at long run, Psalra Ixxv. 8, " For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red : it is full of mixture, and he poureth out ofthe same ; but the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them." Point II. Forsaking of God for the creature, is an exchanging of a fountain made ready to our hand, for a cistern that remains to be hewed out by ourselves. The wretchedness of this exchange does appear in tha,t, 1. The fountain is always ready for us, the cisterns often are un ready. There is access at any tirae to be had unto God, through Christ, by faith. Psalm xlvi. 1, " God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." The man that came to his friend at midnight, had access, and was served of all he wanted, Luke xi. 5 — 8. God in Christ is that friend, and he will help early, Psalm xlvi. 5. But the creature is an unready help; so that the man's case is often past cure, ere help can be had frora that airth. 2. The fountain is made ready for us by another hand, the cis terns must be prepared by our own ; Zech. xiii. 1, " In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inha bitants of Jerusalem, for sin, and for uncleanness." Jesus Christ has opened the fountain of the divine fulness, that we may come to it and drink. It is set wide open in the gospel, J6hn vii. 37. — " Jesus stood, and cried, saying. If any man thirst, let hira come unto me and drink." Adam's sin stopt all the wells of ereature- coraforts to us ; so that we flnd much ado to get them so far opened, as thence to get a little to quench our thirst : and 0 what pains it costs men to open them again ! 3. At the fountain one has nothing ado but to drink, John vii, 37, but it is no little pains that is necessary to flt out the cistern for us. It is a labour, Isa. Iv. 2, " Wherefore do ye spend — your la bour for that which satisfieth not ?" Matth. xi. 28, " Come unto me, all ye that labour," and ofttimes a weary labour; Hab.ii,13, "Behold, it js not of the Lord of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, M 2 172 THE WRETCHED EXCHANGE OF and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity ?" For the cis terns must be hewed out, as out of a rock ; and this hewing work is the work that fills most men's hands all the days of their lives, till death make their tools drop out of their hands. Hewing work is, ,1. Hard and sore work. But no hewing is harder than hewing out cisterns of creature-comforts in God's stead. Others may rack the whole body ; but this racks the soul and conscience always, and sometimes the body too, Hab. ii. 13, forecited. How is the heart racked with anxious desires and impetuous lustings ! the mind rack ed to contrive how to gratify thera ; the executive faculty, how to bring it to pass ; and the conscience, to raake way over its belly for thera ; and the body itself treated in the pursuit, as they wonld be loth to treat theii beast ? Psalm vii. 14, " Behold he travelleth with iniquity, and hath conceived raischief, and brought forth false hood." 2. Longsome work, that one comes but little speed in. The truth is, it is so longsome, that it is never at an end with men, till either God's grace reaching the heart cause one give it over as vain work, or else death drag hira away from it ; Job xv. 20, " The wicked man travelleth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor." It is a cursed work that one can never by their labour get to the end of. The worldly man must still be hewing ; Eccl. iv. 8, " There is one alone, and there is not a second ; yea, he hath neither child nor brother ; yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches, neither saith he. For whora do I labour, and bereave my soul of good ? this is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travel." The sensual man must be hewing, to please his fleshly lusts ; Prov. xxiii. 35, " They have stricken me, and I was not sick ; they have beaten me, and I felt it not ; when shall I awake ? I will seek it yet again." The proud man must be hewing, till he get his nest set among the stars; Obad. ver. 4; though ere he gets there 'justice will throw him down. 3. Weary work on these accounts ; sore and long toil, and that many tiraes for nought, makes weary work, Hab, ii. 13. forecited. 0 it is an ungrateful world men set their hearts on, that causeth them to go many a foot to no purpose. It is a hard rock, the crea ture, to work upon, where many a stroke is given for no effect. The man is thirsty, and he hews, but can get no water, Isa. Ivii. 10, " Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way." Many a man has much toil, and Aveary on-waiting, to get his own soul ruined, Jer, ix. 5; the mischievous man wakes while others sleep, Psalra, xxxvi. 4; the murderer, the adulterer, and the thief wake also. Job xxiv. 14 ^16. FORSAKING GOD FOR THE CREATURE. 173 Three things raake this work about the cisterns such a heAving work. (1.) The emptiness of the creature, brought into it by man's sin. There is an original emptiness in it, Avhich took place in the state of innocence, that it could never afl'ord a rest to the heart of man. There is an accidental eraptiness in it by sin ; the scripture calls it vanity, Rom. viii, 20, that it cannot now afford the satisfaction it sometimes could have given, being like an empty husk, a dry and parched ground, in comparison of what it once was. Psalm cii. 26. Now here lies the case ; there is less in the creature now, than some tirae there was ; yet men's hearts eagerly seek out of it, and expect from it more than ever was in it. When, then, raen in these cir cumstances fall a-hewing at it, how can it miss to bo hard, long- some, and weary work. 2. The curse, lying upon it for man's sin ; Gen. iii. 17. This has so locked up the little comfort that is in it, that it is made hard work to get at it. Hence so many disappointraents, so often falling short of tho comfort that otherwise it might really give. Thus, Avhereas God in Christ is an open fountain, the creature is a sealed cistern many times ; Mai. ii. 2, " If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings ; yea, I have cursed thera already, because ye do not lay it to heart." And no wonder one find hard work in breaking through Heaven's seal on the creature. 3. Lastly, The opposition from Heaven the sinner raust lay his ac count with in this work of his. It is a work which is against God, and God will be against it, and it is hard to kick against the pricks ; Acts ix. 5. Providence may let the man thrive in it a while, as the builders of Babel did ; but they shall be sensible at length of God's working against them ; Hos. ii. 6, " Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a Avail, that she shall not find her paths." They shall plant, and God shall pluck up ; build, and he shall destroy ; they shall beautify, aud he shall blast ; fill their cis terns, and he empty them. They may find God working against them, and the effect of it on their wicked hearts may be, to cause them how the more forcibly and eagerly, as if they would carry on their work iu spite of opposition from Heaven ; but assuredly God shall dash them to pieces that contend with hira ; 1 Sara. ii. 9. 10, " He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness ; for by strength shall no man prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces, out of heaven shall he thunder upon thera." Use. Sinners, then, lay by your work of hewing out cisterns to 174 THE WRETCHED EXCHANGE OF yourselves in God's room and stead. Te are at a great deal of work in seeking to get the sap and foyson of the creature, in lawful and unlawful enjoyments, for a meal to feed your hungry hearts ; and neglect God in Christ. Repent, and come drink of the fountain ready to your hands, and cease your hewing. Motive 1. Consider, it is unblessed work, Psalm cxxix. 6 — 8, " Let them be as the grass upon the house-tops, which withereth afore it groweth up ; wherewith the mower filleth not his hand ; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom. Neither do they which go by say. The blessing of the Lord be upon you ; we bless yon in the name of the Lord." God never set man to it ; but Satan, and the corrupt heart, and they, are cruel masters, that fill the hand with self-ruin ing work. Tou cannot look to God for a blessing on it. Mot. 2. It is vain and fruitless work, where ye will never get worth the pains and cost wared on it ; Isa. Iv. 2, " Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread ? and your labour for that which satisfieth not ?" Te are seeking out of the creature what is not in it ; ye are waring your all upon it ; and the cost will quite overgo the profit ; Matth. xvi. 26, " For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?" Hard work may be the better borne that has a proportionable advantage following it ; but see the emblem of this; Hab. ii. 13, " Behold, is it not of the Lord of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity. Mot. 3. Te have found it heavy work already ; why will ye insist when God qalls you to leave it ? (1.) Have you not in your hewing given many a fruitless stroke ? sought and found nothing ? Tea we may say as Isa. xxvi. 18, " We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind, we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth, neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen ;" having been like those hewing at a rock, where no impression could be made. (2.) Have not the chips in your hewing flown out upon you, to your wounding ? Instead of the good and comfort ye have sought from the creature, ye have got hurt by it ; Ezek. xxix. 7, " When they took hold of thee by the hand, thou didst break, and rent all their shoulder ; and when they leaned upon thee, thou brakest, and madest all their loins to be at a stand." Where ye have expected your greatest comfort, thence has arisen your greatest cross ; where the soundest rest, there greatest vexation. (3.) Have ye not often found, that all your cistern could hold FORSAKING GOD FOR TUE CREATURE. 175 when ye got it, was not Avorth the pains ye had been at in hewing it out ? How often has your comfort in the enjoyment of the creature sunk vastly below the expectation ye had of it ? (4.) Has not one touch often broke your cistern all in pieces, after ye had been at all pains in hewing it out ; and so ye have in a mo ment lost all your expectation together, with all your pains. How many flue projects for this world do misgive, just when one is look ing for the fruit of them ? Sometimes a little providential incident, or a piece of one's own mismanagement, breaks all to pieces. Motive 4. Lastly, How will ye answer it, that ye are at so great pains for the cisterns, and will not be at pains to go to the fountain ? Men refuse not to labour, to hew for the creature ; but they will be at no tolerable pains for the enjoyment of God. 0 how well might it be with men, if they would be at as mnch concern to seek their happiness in God, as they are at in seeking it in the creature ! But the opened fountain is slighted, while the cistern is hewn out of the hard rock. Point III. Forsaking of God for the creature, is an exchanging of a fountain for many cisterns. When one forsakes God, and be takes himself to the creature, can he hold himself with one creature, as a man with one God ? No, he cannot ; he must have a plurality, a variety, a multitude of them, in his room ; because, 1. None of them are sufficient, but all of them defective. All- sufficient, is a name peculiar unto God alone. Gen. xvii. 1, not com municable to the whole creation, in which, Eccl. i. 14, " That which is crooked cannot be made straight ; and that which is wanting, can not be numbered." So the man must needs have a second, to make up the want of the flrst, and a third to make up the want of the se cond, and so on without end. This labours under one defect, that under another ; so there is no rest in any of them. 2. There is something disagreeable and vexing in them all ; Eccl. i. 14, " I have seen all the works that are done under the sun ; and behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit." There are some prickles in the fairest rose, except the Rose of Sharon ; some thorn of uneasiness in the softest bed, except the bed of the covenant, the true Solomon's. Did ever anything bear so ranch delight, but it had withal something to fret you in it or attending it ? The agreeable- ness of it is seen afar ; but when one comes near he is made to feel the vexation too. So recourse must be had to one cistern, to put away the bitter taste or unsavouriness of another. 3. They enlarge the appetite, but do not satisfy it ; Hab. ii. 5, " Tea -also, because he transgresseth by wine, he isa proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as 176 THE WRETCHED EXCUANGE OP death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people." The more raen drink of the cis terns for satisfaction, the more they would drink. As one draught of salt water makes the necessity of another, so the gratifying of a lust doth but open its mouth wider ; as is evident from the case of those, who having once given themselves loose reins, nothing can prevail to bind them up, till the grace of God change them. They go from ill to worse. Now, this is a wretched exchange ; for, (1.) The access to one fountain is far more ready than to many cisterns. He that has bnt one door to go to for sufficient supply, is certainly in better case than he that must go to many ; so he that has the fulness of a God to satisfy himself in, is in circumstances a thousand times better than he who must go from creature to crea ture for that end. In God you would find happiness, as corn in a heap ; whereas in the creature you would have it to pick up here and there, as corn that is sown abroad. (2.) The water is better that is altogether in one fountain, than that which is parted into many cisterns. United force is strongest ; and that which is scattered, the farther it is scattered abroad, it is the weaker. So the consolations of God are mighty, as liquor kept together in one vessel ; while the comfort of the creature is compara tively weak, as water spilt on the ground. (3,) It is with greater ease of mind that one may apply to the one fountain, than to the many cisterns. The multitude of the cisterns to go to for what we need, fills the heart with much perplexity and distracting cares ; while the oneness ofthe fountain creates ease; Jer. xvii. 5 — 8. 0 what ease has the man that goes to God's door for all, in comparison of hira who begs at the doors of the creatures, ranging up and down araong them ! Use. Repent then of this folly, and take the one fountain instead of your many cisterns ; go to one God instead of the multitude of created things. Motive 1. This will contract your cares now so diffusive, lessen your labour, and spare you raany a weary foot. Motive 2. Te shall find enough in God, that ye shall see no ne cessity of seeking any happiness without him ; John. iv. 14. ; more than shall supply the want of the corn and wine; Psalm, iv. 7.; that shall be commensurable to your whole desire ; 2 Sam. xxiii. 6. Motive 3. Lastly, Heap up as many cisterns as ye can, they shall never do for you what the one fountain can, never make you easy or satisfied. Point IV. ult. Forsaking of God for the creature, is an exchang- FORSAKING GOD FOR THE CREATURE. 177 ing of a fountain, for cracked aud broken cisterns that can hold no water. A cistern as a cistern holds but little ; the broken cistern spills the little put into it. Every created comfort is a cistern con taining little at best ; but Avithal it is cracked and broken, that can not keep the little it has at any time. (1.) At its best it is cracked ; has such rifts in it, as that it begins to lose of the little that is in it. There is a powerful mixture of cor ruption in the best of persons in the world, Avhereby no body wants some remarkable defect ; and in the best of things there, there is a defect with respect to the heart of man. 2. At length it is broken in pieces. Being always cracked, it is easy broken. All persons here are liable to death, all things to cor ruption or destruction, whereby they become useless as to our com fort ; Matth. vi. 19, " Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, Avhere moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal." These cisterns can hold no more water for us. So this exchange is a wretched one ; for, 1. The fountain is always certain to go to, the cisterns ahvays un certain ; and worldly men here quit certain for uncertain hope. It is certain, we can never come amiss to God ; but as for the crea ture, it is so uncertain, that there may be nothing in it at all but mud and mire, when we come to drink. 2. The fountain is lasting ; the cisterns being broken, guide as we will, will last but a short while. God is an everlasting fountain of comfort ; the creature is but for a time, and draws to an end. The whole universe is a cracked vessel, and in a little time it will be all in pieces by the general conflagration. Use. Come away then from the broken cisterns of the creature, to the fountain of happiness in God. Seek no more your happiness in any thing below the sun ; but seek it in a God in Christ. 178 THE EFFECT OF FELT CONCERN IN THE BIRTH, GIFT, GOVERNMENT, AND GLORIOUS NAMES OF JESUS CHRIST, AS SAVIOUR OF SINNERS,* Isaiah ix. 6, For unto us a child is horn, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder ; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Evrlasting Father, ihe Prince of Peace, These words bear a joyful intimation or declaration of a great pri vilege afforded to the children of men ; in which the prophet himself shares as one of them, and so is the more feelingly touched with it; and therefore God has employed men to preach Christ to men, that the glad tidings may be brought by such as have equal need of and interest in them with themselves. " For unto us a child is born," &c. The words are thus plainly connected with the preceding ; for the discovery of which we raust look back to ver. 2 : where the prophet speaks of the light of the gospel breaking up in a dark world by Jesus Christ, as is clear from Matth. iv. 12 — 16. See the case of sinners before Christ appears to them ; they are all in darkness, in a blind, uncorafortable, and dangerous condition. (1.) Sorae are walking in that darkness, they are bestirring themselves for happi ness, and to mend their condition, but they see not their way. Such were the Jews, and all formalists. (2.) Some sitting in that dark ness, thickest darkness, pining away in their sin, and not aiming to mend their condition, but like condemned malefactors in a dungeon. Such were the Gentiles, and all profane, carnal persons, having no view but to this world's happiness. Christ coming unto them, their darkness is dispelled. They that walk, see light which they so much wanted ; it breaks up to them in their way. Those that sit, it shines in on them, makes its way into their dungeon. Both see where they are, and how to get their con dition mended, how hopeless soever it was. The effect of this light or saving illumination by means of the gos pel ; ver. 3, " Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy; they joy before thee, according to the joy in harvest, and as raen rejoice when they divide the spoil." (1.) The increase of the church, by the enlightened sinner's coming to Christ ; as where a light is struck up in darkness, all gather about it. (2.) Great joy ; some indeed, viz. the unbelieving party among the Jews, had no raore joy in it, than owls have in the sun's shining ; they ' Several sermons preached at Ettriek in the vears 1726 and 1726. THE GLAD TIDINGS OF THE GOSPEL. 179 grudged it, and fretted at it. And so do the enemies of Christ's kingdom at the success of his gospel. But to the spiritual nation of believers the joy is great on that occasion. Christ's new friends on their coming in, and his old friends whom they join, rejoice toge ther ; the former on the happy change of their condition, the latter on the increase of the family. This joy for the greatness of it is compared, (1.) To the joy of harvest, when people get the corn happily cut down and gathered in. (2.) To the joy of a victorious array, when the battle is over, and they are dividing the spoil of their enemies. A gospel harvest, wherein sinners are reaped and gathered in to Christ, a gospel victory over the devil, aud dividing the spoils, are most joyful times ; as much more joyful than these, as souls are more precious than sheaves of corn, or the precious things of the world. The cause of this joy, is a great deliverance or salvation brought about to the nation, ver. 4, " For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian." They were under a burdensome yoke ; that is, the yoke of the law as a covenant of works, binding them to obe dience under pain of the curse ; now that is broken, and they re joice on that account. They were obliged to carry heavy burdens on their shoulders, by a staff over their shoulder, as the Levites carried the ark ; that is, they were under the power and dominion of sin, as real drudges to it, in the several lusts thereof, as those who, to the worst of masters, never want the burden-bearing staff off their shoulder ; now that is broken, and they joy. They were under a rigid exactor, a tyrant swaying a sceptre over them ; that is, they were under the power of the devil ; now his sceptre is broken, he has lost his power over them ; and they joy. How quickly was it done ? (Heb. Thou hast made to knap asun der.) The yoke, staff, sceptre, were broken with a touch, suddenly and freely; and that by means very unlikely in the eye of sense, as in the day of Midian, when Gideon with his three hundred men, holding lamps in pitchers in their hands, and breaking the pitchers, and blowing with trumpets, but fighting none, routed Midian quite, Judg. vii. So Christ overcame the devil, by his dying on the cross, and the preachina of the gospel mostly by a few fishermen. The perfection of it shall be such, that the yoke, staff, and sceptre, shall become a burning and fuel of fire, ver. 5, it shall be absolute ; or rather the knapping asunder shall become a burning. Now in the text, the prophet leads us to the author of all these great events ; and answers the question. How can these things be done, and done in favour of us poor sinners ? " For unto us a child 180 THE EFFECT OP FELT CONCERN IN is born," &o. says he. The events are indeed great beyond expres sion, but so is the author of them. There is a great deliverer work ing this great deliverance, viz. the Messias, Jesus Christ, of whom only it can be understood, and the ancient Jews did understand it. And herein we have, 1st, His relation to us. Wherein he is held forth, (1.) As "a child born to us," viz., as Samson Avas to Israel, born to be our de liverer ; Judg. xiii. 5, brought into the world ou that very occasion. (2.) As a son given to us, given of the Father as a gift suitable to our necessity. (3.) As one upon whom the management of the ruined affairs of lost sinners is devolved, in order to retrieve them. 2dly, The incomparable excellency of this our relative. He is a Child, a Son, a Governor, quite extraordinary. Hear his narae shewing his nature and perfections. We cannot coraprehend his glorious excellencies ; he is " Wonderful ;" we may see and wonder at them, but can never fully reach them. For wisdom, he is the " Coun sellor," with whom the Father took counsel, and whora he has ap pointed the Counsellor of poor sinners in their most perplexed cases. For power, he is " The Mighty God," to whora nothing is too hard to do. For continuance, he is " The Everlasting Father," abiding for ever and ever ; so that through the whole of time, and through eternity, his wisdora and power shall be forthcoming. And then for meekness, and accessibleness to poor rebel sinners, though he be a "Prince," he is "The Prince of Peace;" speaking, working, grant ing peace, yeu, he died for peace. A wonderful one ! Thus much for a general view of the words ; to be in our progress more particularly explained. The expression may be observed to be full of holy exultation. The prophet expresseth himself in a triumphant manner on this subject. In his days Christ Avas not corae ; but he saw him in the promise, by faith ; aud he speaks of him with as great certainty as if he had been come. He saw the need the world had of him; he felt the need he himself had of him ; he believed hira to be given to lost sin ners for a Saviour, a Saviour in whose hand no one's case could mis carry ; and that he was given to himself among others ; therefore he cries out as in a rapture, " To us a Child is born, to us a Son is given," &c. Q. d. " 0 my lost brethren, sons of Adam, to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given," &c. Hence observe this Doctrine. Felt concern in the glad tidings of the gospel, fills one with warm affection towards thera. It is that same way in other things ; where one's own dear interest is concerned, he will be much concerned about that thing ; as in the case of partners in trade, where there is a good market. the glad tidings of the gospel. 181 In discoursing this doctrine, I shall shew, I. Wherein this felt concern lies. II. What is the warm affection which that felt concern fills with. III. Lastly, Apply. I. First, Wherein does this felt concern lie ? It lies in these two : — 1. Felt need of the benefit of the gospel : Prov. xxvii. 7, — " To the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet." When an indemnity is proclaimed, the man that is not liable to the lash of the law, has no great moving of heart about it ; but it makes the condemned man's heart leap within him for joy ; Matth. ix. 12, " They that be whole need not a physician, bnt they that are sick." While men are not sensible of their sin and danger, the gospel will be tasteless and unsavoury to them ; but no sooner are the sinner's eyes opened, but it will be sweeter than the indemnity proclaimed to rebels can be. 2. Felt liberty of access to the benefit of it, with others, " To us," says the prophet. While a man sensible of his need of an indemnity, yet finds himself excepted in it ; that it is for others, but not for him ; this strikes a damp in hira, he cannot rejoice in it. And un belief prevailing so far as to say, " There is no hope," will suck the sap out of the gospel-tidings to you. II. What is the warm affection that felt concern fills with ? It is, 1. A warm affection of joy in it. They rejoice in that it is so, that " to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given,'' even though that they have not as yet a special saving interest in him ; Matth. xiii. 44, " The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field ; the which when a raan hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field." The sick will joy in the tidings of a physician able and Avilling to cure thera, even before they are actually cured; and sensible sinners believing they raay have access to Christ, will joy in that. 2. A warm affection of desire, actually to partake of the benefit. The sinner's felt need tells him he must go to Christ, as felt liberty of access tells him that he may go. And both inflame his desire. Use 1. The reason why the gospel is so very tasteless to most of the hearers of it, is, they do not feel their own concern in it. They believe not the doctrine of the law, nor the doctrine of the gospel neither, with application to theraselves. They are either under the plague of stupidity and insensibleness of their need, or else under the plague of unbelief and hopeless. The news of a good or ill market affects them, for they see their concern in either ; but they are not affected by either the threatenings of the law, or the joyful tidings of salvation in the gospel. 182 THE EFFECT OF PELT CONCERN, &C. 2. Labour to see your interest in the gospel, if ever you would be brought to relish it, and entertain it. Tou need this Saviour, with out him ye are undone ; ye may have this Saviour; if ye miss him, it is your own fault. Tour great interest for eternity lies in this gospel, however ye entertain it. CHRIST PRESENTED TO MANKIND-SINNERS. Isaiah ix. 6, Unto us a Child is born. This is the first part of the glad tidings so much affecting the pro phet. The world waited long for Christ's coming into it ; and here the prophet gives the news, that long-looked for is come at last. The " Child is born." The word rendered child, is a name of the sex, " a man-child," and is just a lad, a lad-child ; such was our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a name common to the young of the male sex, competent to them whenever they are born, and continuing with them during their younger years, till they be grown men. The word rendered horn, doth signify more, even to be shewed or pre sented born. It is a custom so natural, that it has ever been in the world, that when a child is born and dressed, it is presented or shewed to its relations, for their comfort. So Machir's children were presented to Joseph their great grandfather, and on that oc casion given him on his knees ; Gen. 1. 23 ; and Ruth's son to Naomi ; Ruth iv. 17. So says the prophet. This wonderful child is presented, viz. to his relations. And who are these ? He has rela tions in heaven ; the Father is his Father, the Holy Ghost his Spi rit, the angels his servants ; but it is not these who are here meant. It is to us, the sons and daughters of Adam ; we are his poor rela tions; and to us as his poor relations on earth, sons of Adam's fa mily, whereof he is the top-branch, this Child is presented born, for our comfort in our low state. Doctrine. Our Lord Jesus Christ is upon his birth presented unto us mankind-sinners, as his relations. In speaking to this presenting of Christ as a born Child, I will shew, I. What is presupposed in it. II. To whom he is presented. III. How he is presented. IV. The import of this being presented to us. CHRIST PRESENTED, &C. 183 V. Wherefore he is presented to us on his birth. VI. Lastly, Apply the doctrine. I. I shall show what is presupposed in it. It presupposeth, 1. The birth of Christ was expected and looked for. The church, his mother. Cant. iii. 11, had an early promise of it ; Gen. iii. 15. And it was in virtue of that promise he was conceived and born ; all mankind besides, by another word, viz.. Gen. i. 28, " Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth." Though Mary his mother in a proper sense, was no longer than ordinary big with him ; yet the church, his mother in a figure, was big with him from that time ; Gen. iii. 15, for about four thousand years. Many a time the de livery Avas looked for ; and she was in hazard of thinking it a false conception, it was so long a coming forward. Kings and prophets looked and longed for the day ; Luke x. 24, " I tell yon, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them ; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." The whole church of the Old Testament also longed for Christ's day ; Cant. viii. 14, " Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe, or to a young hart, upon the mountains of spices. 2. Christ is now born. The happy hour of the long-looked for birth is come, and the Child is come into the world. Angels pro claim it; Luke ii. 10, 11, "And the angel said unto them. Fear not ; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." The fathers, kings, and pro phets were in their graves, who died in the faith he would be born ; and now it is come to pass. He was really born ; a little Child, though the Mighty God ; an Infant, not one day old, though the Everlasting Father. Wonderful birth! such as the world never saw before, nor ever shall see again. 3. Some have been employed to present this Child to the friends and relations ; and they are still about the work. 0 honourable employment ! more honourable than the office of presenting a new born prince of the earth to a king, his father. Joseph and Mary had the office of presenting him to the Lord ; Luke ii. 22. But who has the honour of presenting him to us ? Why, (1.) The holy Spirit has the office of presenting him internally to us ; 1 Cor. ii. 2, 4, " For I determined (says Paul) not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And my speech, and my preaching, was not with enticing words of man's wisdora, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power." And by him his Father presents him to us; Matth. xvi. 16, 17, "And 184 CHRIST PRESENTED Simon Peter answered and said. Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him. Blessed art thou Simon Barjona ; for fiesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but ray Father which is in heaven." Thus sinners have pre sented to them in his heavenly glory, so as they get a broad sight of him, such as is to be had on earth, by faith ; John i. 14, " The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us ; and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (2.) Ministers of the gospel have the office of presenting him to us externally, in the swaddling-clothes of word and sacraments. They are employed to present believing sinners to Christ, 2 Cor. xi. 2, " For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ ;" and to present Christ to sinners, to be believed on. They come with old Siraeon, with the holy child Jesus in their arras in gospel-ordinances, Rora. x. 6, 7, 8, and say with John Baptist ; John i. 29, " Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." 4. Lastly, This child is actually presented to us on his birth. Few, if any, were witnesses to his birth, it was so very mean and low in its circumstances ; but that there might be no doubt of his being born, he has been, and still is presented to multitudes. Gal. iii. 1. II. To whom is Christ presented ? 1. Negatively, He is not presented to the fallen angels ; he was not born for them, they are none of his relations, Heb. ii. 16, " For verily he took not on hira the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abrahara." Their house was originally more honourable than the house of Adara ; but Christ has put an honour on the house of Adam, above the house of angels. The holy angels are his ser vants, the evil angels his executioners ; but holy men are his bre thren. 2. Positively, He is presented to mankind sinners, those of the house of his father Adam. To them is the voice directed, John i. 29, " Behold the Lamb of God," &c. " To us a child is born," Luke ii. 10, 11. He was first presented to the Jews, shewed to Israel, John i. 31 ; but then to all the world indifferently, of whatsoever nation, Mark xvi. 15. Hence, from the uttermost parts of the earth, songs are heard, upon occasion of shewing him born to thera, his glory appearing unparalleled. Particularly, (1.) He is presented to the visible church, even to all and every one of thera. There are indeed many in the world to whora he is not presented ; they have neither his voice or farae, nor seen his shape represented in the word ; but wheresoever the gospel comes. TO MANKIND SINNERS. 185 there Christ is presented to every person as born to them ; Acts xiii. 26, " Men and brethren, children ofthe stock of Abrahara, and who soever among you feareth God, to you is the Avord of this salvation sent." He is now bodily in heaven indeed ; yet really, though spi ritually in the word and sacraments, presented to sinners, and seen by faith ; though the most part will not behold him. (2,) He is presented effectually to all the elect. Christ is revealed in them. Gal. i. 15, 16. Hence they believe on him, and so it is with all them, however others entertain him ; Acts xiii. 48, " As raany as were ordained to eternal life, believed." They are all as Paul was, in a sense, chosen to see the just one ; and their seeing hira with a spiritual eye, makes them willing to part with all, and pur chase the field and treasure, and the one pearl. Use. Since Christ is presented to us as a child born, then see well how you entertain the honour done yon, in the Prince of Peace be ing upon his birth presented to you. Sorae at this season pretend to honour his birth, by observing a day they count the day of it.* Bnt where is the divine appointraent of that day ? is it not like Je roboam's feast ? 1 Kings xii. 33, " So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel, the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart ; and or dained a feast unto the children of Israel, and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense." And can men soberly think, that their feasting, eating, and drinking, as usual on that day, does indeed honour Christ ? But, 1. Embrace him, with old Simeon, in the arms of faith. Knit with him, open your heart to him. 2. Kiss the Son, receiving him as your Lord, and King, and God. III. How is Christ presented ? He is presented, 1. In the preaching of the gospel. Gal. iii. 1, "0 foolish Gala- tians, who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, cruci fied among you ?" To whomsoever the gospel comes, Christ is pre sented to them, as being in the word of the gospel to be discerned by faith; Rom. x. 6 — 8, "Bnt the righteousness which is of faith, speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, who shall ascend into heaven ? (that is, to bring Christ down from above) ; or Who shall descend into the deep, (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead ;) but what saith it ? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart ; that is the word of faith which we preach." In the word the bridegroom's picture is drawn, in his birth, life, ' ' This discourse was preached on the 26th of December, 1725, the day after what is usually called Christmas. Vol. X. N 186 CHRIST PRESENTED, &C. death, &c. ; in his willingness and ability to save, &c. It is the looking-glass held before their eyes, in which they may see him ; 2 Cor. iii. 18, " But we all, with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, frora glory to glory, even as by the spirit of the Lord. 2. In the administration of the sacraments. As in the word he is presented to the ears, in the sacraraents he is presented to the eyes. In them there is a lively representation of Christ bleeding and dying on the cross for sinners ; " This is my body," &c. Though he is not corporeally present in the sacraments, yet he is really and spiritually so, to the faith of believers, which realizeth invisible things; Heb. xi. 1, "Faith is — the evidence of things not seen." And glorious views are to be had of him there ; Luke xxiv. 35, ' And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in the breaking of bread." 3. In the internal work of saving illumination. The Spirit of the Lord not only gives light, but sight, to the elect ; not only opens the scriptures to them, but opens their eyes, and reveals Christ in them; Gal. i. 15, 16. This is that demonstration of the Spirit Paul speaks of, which is the immediate antecedent of faith ; 1 Cor. ii. 4, 5, forecited ; without which no man will believe. This is the finding of the treasure, the one pearl, Matth. xiii. 44, 46. IV. What is the import of his being presented to us ? It bears, 1. Our special concern in his birth. The birth of Christ concerns us nearly ; why else is he presented to us ? The holy angels had a concern in it, as servants of the family, to carry the tidings of it ; the fallen angels found themselves concerned in it, as a birth that would be the ruin of their interest in the world ; bnt we have a pe culiar interest in it, as the birth of a Saviour to us ; Luke ii. 11 ; the bringing in of a better hope. 2. Our relation to him. He is presented to us as his relatives. Sinners of mankind have a common relation to Christ ; a relation to him in respect of his nature he assumed, the human nature ; Eph. v. 30, "For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones ;" a relation to hira in respect of his office ; he is born the Saviour of the world, and therefore our Saviour; John iv. 42, " This is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world." 1 John iv. 14, " The Father sent the Son, the Saviour of the world." He was born to save sinners, to seek that which was lost, &c. ; there fore our Saviour, our seeker. 3. An owning of our relation to him. The presenting of him to us upon his birth, is an open testimony given of our being related to him. Though we are poor and naughty relatives, he is not CHRIST GIFTED TO SINNERS. 187 ashamed to own us, nor does our unworthiness make hira disown us ; Heb. ii. 11, — "He is not ashamed to call thera brethren." He is born for our help, to raise up again Adam's broken family; and since he comes to help us, and set us up again, the more poor, and needy, and worthless we are, the more honour redounds to his name at length. 4. Lastly, The comfortableness of his birth to us. Children are presented on their birth to their relations, for their comfort ; and so is Christ to sinners of mankind. Never was there such a com fortable birth in the world as this. The whole world of mankind- sinners was born in sin, never so rauch as one of them all missed the contagion; and so are born children of wrath. By this means the whole world was sitting in a most miserable and deplorable case when Christ, as a public person, was born with a sinless, holy huraan nature. V. Wherefore is Christ presented to us on his birth ? 1. That we may see the faithfulness of God in the fulfilling of his promise. The promise of Christ was an ancient promise, the accomplishment whereof was long delayed; but now we see it is performed in its time ; and thence may conclude, that all the rest of the promises depending thereon shall be fulfilled in their season. 2. That we raay rejoice in him. The very birth of his forerunner was to be a joy to many, Luke i. 14 ; how much more his own ? The angels sang for joy at the birth of Christ, Luke ii. 13, 14. And he is presented to us, that we may join them in their song ; for it is matter of great joy; Luke ii. 10, 11. And whoever see their danger by sin, will rejoice on Christ's being presented to them, as a con demned man on the sight of the Prince by whom he is to obtain a pardon. 3. That we may look on him, see his glory, and be taken with him, John i. 14. For this cause sinners are often invited to look unto him, Isa. xlv. 22, " Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth." Cant. iii. 11, "Go forth, 0 ye daughters of Zion, and behold King Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart." The looking on the forbidden fruit has so vitiated the eyes of mankind, that the things of the world appear as in a magnifying glass; and there is no getting a right view of them, till we behold Jesus in his glory. 4. Lastly, That we may acknowledge him in the character in which he appears, as the Saviour of the world, and our Saviour. For he is presented as a young prince, to be acknowledged heir to the crown. The Father has made choice of him to be the Saviour n2 188 CHRIST GIFTED TO SINNERS. of the world by office, and given him to us for our Saviour, and pre sents him accordingly for our acknowledgement. Use. I exhort you then to believe, that Christ is on his birth pre sented to you as his relations. And if ye enquire what is your duty on that occasion ? I answer, 1. Erabrace him cordially ; Psalra xxiv. 7, " Lift up your heads, 0 ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in." Old Simeon, when he was presented in the temple, took him in his arms with full satisfaction of soul ; Luke ii. 28, 29. He is now in heaven as to his bodily presence ; but he is presented to you in the gospel, embrace him by faith, with the heart believing on him for all his salvation, renouncing all other saviours for him, betaking yourselves to him for all, for a rest to your con sciences and your hearts. 2. Kiss him. Psalm ii. 12, with a kiss of love ; giving him your hearts, "My son, give me thine heart;" with a kiss of honour, honouring him in your hearts, lips, and lives ; and with a kiss of subjection, receiving him as your Lord, King, Head, and Husband. 3. Bless him ; his name ; Psalm xcvi. 2, " Bless his name." He is God blessed for ever. Bnt we are to bless him, as we bless God, declaratively, (.proclaiming him blessed ; Psalm Ixxii. 17 ; praying from the heart that his kingdom may come ; Psalm Ixxii. 15. 4. Worship him. So did the wise men of the east; Matth. ii. 11. He is the everlasting God, therefore to be adored; Psalm xlv. 11. " He is thy Lord, and " worship thou him ;" thy Husband, thy King, thy God. Worship him with internal worship, consecrating your whole souls to him ; and worship him with external worship. 5. Lastly, Present unto . him gifts. So did the wise men, Matth. ii, 11. Make a gift of your hearts to him ; Prov. xxiii. 26 ; of your selves wholly, 2 Cor. viii. 5 ; to glorify him in your souls, and bodies, your substance, your all. CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD, GIFTED TO SINNERS. Isaiah ix. 6, Unto us a Son is given. This is a second part of the glad tidings which did so mnch affect the prophet. And therein Christ is proposed, (1.) As a Son. This is not to denote the sex ; that was done already in the former part. CHRIST GIFTED TO SINNERS. 189 But it denotes a Son by way of eminency, " fairer than the sons of men." Our Lord Jesns was the Son of God from eternity, he be came the Son of Mary in time ; Luke ii. 7. According to his huraan nature, he was the Son of Mary ; but he is not in respect of that nature called the Son of God, though even in that respect he was a Son quite extraordinary. For as he was man, he was " without Fa ther ;" Heb. vii. 3 ; and as he is the Son of God, he was " begotten of the Father ;" Psalm ii. 7, and " the only begotten of the Father;" John i. 18. But as he was man, he was not begotten at all ; and he has " brethren ;" Heb. ii. 11. Therefore he is not called " the Son of God" in respect of his human nature. Now, in the preceding clause, he is proposed as a Son in respect of his human nature, being called a lad-child born ; therefore here he is called a Son, as the Son of God in respect of his divine nature. And thus he is held forth to us here as God-man, with two distinct natures. (2.) As a " Son given to us." The Father has raade a free gift to us poor sinners, of his own Son, for the remedy of our misery. As our misery was great, so the gift is fully proportioned to it, being the greatest that Heaven had to afford, or the world could receive. Doctrine, The Son of God in man's nature, is given to us poor sinners for remedy of our misery. Here let us consider, I. The gift itself. II. The Giver. III. The party to whom he is given. IV. Lastly, Apply the doctrine. I. First, Let us consider The gift itself. Many precious gifts have come from heaven to earth, yea, all we have is Heaven's gift ; James i. 17, " Every good gift, and every perfect gift, is frora above, and cometh down from the Father of lights." But this is the great gift. On this head, let us consider, 1st, Wliat this gift is. 2dly, Wherein it appears and comes to us. Zdly, What a gift it is. First, Let us consider What this gift is. It is, 1, A person. Persons are more excellent than things, in their several kinds. All a man hath he will give for his life ; a soul is more precious than a world. So this gift is more precious than the whole world. Whatever thou wantest, if thou have Christ, thou art better than to be emperor of the world ; if thou hast him not, thou hast nothing that can compensate that want, 2. A divine person. This gift of God is God ; John i. I, " In the 190 CHRIST GIFTED TO SINNERS. beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." 0 what a gift must God himself be ! it is there fore an " unspeakable gift ;" 2 Cor. ix. 15. The possessor of this gift must needs be blessed ; Psalm cxliv. 15, " Happy is that people whose God is the Lord." Here is a mystery, a divine person gifted to poor sinful persons. God has given angels to be ministering spirits to his people ; Heb. i. 14 ; but we will cease to wonder at that, when this comes in view. 3. The second person, the Lord Jesus Christ ; John iv. 10, " Jesus answered and said unto her. If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee. Give me to drink ; thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The third person, the Holy Spirit, is also given to poor sinners ; Luke xi. 13, — " How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him ?" But here it is the Son that is given, and the gift of the Spirit follows thereupon. Man, by crea tion the son of God, fell out of God's family ; and the beloved Son of the Father is given to bring hira in again. He was pitched upon ; for he only could be both sent, and send the Spirit, according to the manner of working of the adorable Trinity. Secondly, Let us consider. Wherein this gift appears and comes to us. Those who send gifts, precious gifts, to others, wrap them up in something that is less precious. And a treasure sent in earthen vessels, is the method of conveyance of the best gifts from heaven to earth. And the Son of God being the gift, was sent vailed and wrapped up in our nature ; (Tira. iii. 16.) to us. The Son becomes a lad-child, born of a woman. This vail laid over the gift sent to poor sinners, was, 1. Less precious than the gift itself. The human nature of Christ was a created thing, his divine nature uncreated. What dispro portion is between the clay and potter, the creature and the Creator; that was between the vail and the gift wrapped up in it. Hence it was like a raost precious pearl, sent in an earthen pitcher; which uses not to contain such a precious thing. Therefore the world re ceived hira not, because they perceived him not, seeing only the vail, a few only excepted; Mark iv. 11, " Unto yon it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God ; but unto them that are with out, all these things are done in parables." Nay, the gift was never clearly seen, till the pitcher it was in was broken in pieces, by his death ; aud the shells gathered up, by his resurrection, and new cast ; and set up in the upper house, by his ascension. 2. Howbeit, it was a cleanly thing. Though men send their pre cious gifts in some coarse thing, yet it will always be cleanly ; they CHRIST GIFTED TO SINNERS. 191 will not send their gifts in a foul thing. The human nature of Christ though infinitely below the dignity of his divine nature, yet was a holy thing ; Luke i. 35, " That holy thing which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God." His soul was holy, and his body too, perfectly holy ; without the least stain or spot ; Heb. vii- 26, " Such an High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, unde filed, separated from sinners." This gift could not have remained in a vail, having the least spot of sin, more than flaming flre in a tainted cloth, which it would presently burn up. Now, this gift ap peared and was sent to us in the vail of the human nature, (1.) That it might be capable of the treatment it behoved to un dergo for our relief. It behoved the Son of God to suffer ; Luke xxiv. 26, " For without shedding of blood, there could be no re mission ;" therefore he behoved to be incarnate, and to appear in our flesh. He put on our nature, as his suffering attire, as prison garments ; and so the gift was, as it were, sent us in a winding- sheet ; and the Son, the Lord of life, came down, as it were, in a suit of dead-clothes of our flesh ; because he was to die in it. How beit, this suit of our flesh is not now laid aside, but turned into a suit for the court, being no more mortal, but immortal, bright, and shining more gloriously than the sun ; so that the gift now appears through it, and will for ever most illustriously. A pledge hereof was given in his transfiguration ; Matth. xvii. 2. (2.) That it might be suited to the weakness of the capacity of the receivers. As he who gifts a sword, sends it in a scabbard, and not naked, lest it should harm the receiver ; so God giving his Son to sinners, gave him wrapped up in the vail of human flesh. The Son of God in his unvailed glory would have no more been an ob ject for our eyes to have looked on, than the shining sun to the eyes of an owl. A few rays of his glory, breaking out from under the vail, made his enemies fall to the ground ; what would have come of us then, if there had been no vail at all ? Thirdly, Let us consider. What a gift this is. The gift of the Son of God to poor sinners as a matchless gift, singular for, 1. The worth of it; Prov. viii. 11, " Wisdom is better than rubies ; and all the things that may be desired, are not to be com pared to it," Many worthy gifts God has given ; but this is " the gift of God" by way of eminency, as if he had never given another ; John iv. 10, " If thou knewest the gift of God," &c. Never did Heaven's bounty appear so much as in this gift ; John iii, 16, " God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son," &c. If it were led in the balance with ten thousand worlds, they would be lighter than vanity iu comparison of it ; nay, balanced with the gift 192 CHRIST GIFTED TO SINNERS. of created graces, and the created heavens, it would downweigh thera ; as the bridegroom's person is more worth than his jewels and palace. 2. The nnsnitableness of it. Ransack the earth and seas, the whole vault of heaven ; go through the upper house amongst all the shining angels ; no person, no thing, shall be found so suitable for our case as this gift which is given us ; Acts iv. 12, " Neither is there salvation in any other ; for there is none other name under heaven given araong men whereby we must be saved." Heb. vii. 25, " Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost, that come to God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." The earth, seas, and air, afford for the back, belly, and purse ; bnt there is nothing there to give life to a dead body, far less to a dead soul. But (1 John v. 12.) " He that hath the Son, hath life ; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life." The angels in heaven might have condoled our loss, but could not repair it like him; Ruth iv. 6, " And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance ; redeem thou my right to thyself, for I cannot redeem it." Nay, they could not have shown how to do it ; Rev. v. 3, 5. Bnt there is in Christ what is suitable to all the cases of all sinners. 3. The seasonableness of it. Many a gift has been marred, by its coining out of season ; but this gift was given most seasonably. No sooner was mankind broken and ruined, but as soon the upmak ing gift was proclaimed. Gen. iii. 15, in a proraise that the seed of the woraan should bruise the head of the serpent. Seasonably was the rara afforded for Isaac, while he lay bound ou the altar ; a type of the Son given to and for poor sinners, when justice had the knife at their throat. 4. The coraprehensiveness of it. It is all in one ; Rora. viii. 32, " He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for ns all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things ?" Who ever have Christ, have all in him, and are complete in him ; Col. ii. 9, 10, " For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in hira, which is the head of all principality and power." All grace is in hira, relative and real. God giving Christ to sinners, gives them reraission of sin, and sanctification. All glory and happiness is in hira ; 1 John v. 11, "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life ; and this life is in his Son." All that is necessary for our bodies in this life is in hira, for he is " heir of all things," and is Lord of the whole crea tion ; Psalm viii. 6, &c. Whatever we want is in him, formally or virtually. He is meat, drink, and clothing, lodging for the soul CHRIST GIFTED TO SINNERS. 193 directly. He is all this for the body indirectly, as money answereth all things. 5. Lastly, The unrestricted freeness of it. As it is absolutely free to some, so it is absolutely free to all ; John iii. 16, " God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life." What is freer than a gift ? The joint-stock of the whole world could not have purchased this gift. It is quite below the honour of the Giver and gift, for any to pretend to come with money in their hand to grace's market ; Isa. Iv. 1, " Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no raoney ; come ye, buy and eat, yea, come, buy wine and milk without money, and without price." And all are alike free and welcome to it ; Rev. xxii. 17, " And the Spirit and the bride say. Come. And let hira that heareth, say. Come. And let him that is athirst, corae ; and whosoever will, let hira take the water of life freely." Use 1. Beware of slighting this gift. It is a person, to take notice of the slight put upon it ; a divine person, to make the slight highly criminal, and to avenge it ; the second person, the Saviour, the Mediator, whose office is to make peace, and there is not another Mediator ; Psalm ii. 12, " Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little." The slighting of this gift is the sin of this day. 2. Take heed ye miss not to perceive this gift. The Jews were ruined in their unbelief; for they could not see through the vail that the gift was wrapt up in. And so it is to this day. Most men see no farther into the mystery of Christ than the outward appear ance it makes in the world, as administered in the word, sacraments, &c. ; and they despise it. Look ye inward. 3. Admire the wisdom of God, and his infinite condescension, in the manner of the conveyance of this gift of the Son. Behold him in our nature, that he might suffer, and guilty ones may approach hira. 4. Lastly, See here how you may be raade up and enriched for time and eternity. And prize and receive this gift singular for its worth, suitableness, seasonableness, comprehensiveness, and freeness as ye have heard at large. Why should we continue in such a poor condition, when such a gift is made to us, and nothing remains but to receive it ? II. Secondly, Let us consider the Giver. And, 1st, Who is the Giver ? The Giver is God ; John iv. 10, " If thou knewest the gift of God," &c. ; and could be no other, since the gift is a divine person. And it is particularly God the 194 CHRIST GIFTED TO SINNERS. Father; John iii. 16, " God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son," &c. ; and could be no other person of the Godhead, since the gift is the Son. Here is the spring and original source of our salvation. The Father saw mankind was ruined, no help for them in the creation ; and rather than they should perish without re medy, he makes a gift of his Son to them, for remedy of their misery. And to exalt the Giver's free love and grace herein, observe from the word three things there marked about it. 1. It was his own Son he gave ; Rora. viii. 32, " He spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all," &c. All the sons in the world were at his disposal ; but as none of them could redeem his brother, so none of them were made the gift. The angels were his sons improperly ; to have parted with one of them, would have been much: but they could not answer the end; so he gave his proper Son, the express image of his person. 2. It was " his beloved Son" that he gave ; Luke xx. 13, " I will send ray beloved Son," &c. He loved upright Adam as his son ; he loved the holy angels as his sons ; but he had one, the express iraage of his person, and brightness of his glory ; who was " the beloved Son," whora he loved more than them all ; and him he gave. Jacob had a beloved Son, Benjamin ; and he could not think to part with hira, to venture hira to Egypt ; but God gave his beloved Son into the world, though to die there without peradventure. 3. It was " his only begotten Son" he gave ; John iii. 16. Jacob thought it a good reason for refusing to let Benjamin go down to Egypt with his brethren ; Gen. xlii. 38. And every body knows it is hard to part with an only son; Zech. xii. 10. So that was Abraham's trial ; Gen. xxii. 2, " And he said. Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah ; and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of;" a type of the Father's giving his only Son for sinners. 2dly, .What has he given sinners, gifting his Son to them ? The tongues of men and angels cannot fully express this. I shall give a general view of it in three things. Giving his Son, 1. He has given them himself. For the " Father is in him," John xiv. 11 ; and " they are one," John x. 30. He is " the true God," 1 John V. 20. " The fulness of the Godhead dwells iu him," Col. ii. 9. So, if you will receive his Son, ye are possessed of the Father for your Father, dsc. All the persons of the Godhead are yours, all the perfections of God, all his works, &c, 0 wonderful gift of the Father ! 2. He has given thera eternal life. The Son of God is the life ; CHlUST GIFTED TO SINNERS. 195 John xiv. 6 ; " eternal life," 1 John v. 20. Sinners are naturally in a state of death, yea, they are liable to dying eternally ; but be hold, in the gift of the Son, the Father has given them eternal life 1 John V. 11. 0 enriching gift ! Life to the dead is the greatest gift that can be bestowed on them. Here is life, legal life, moral life, a life of comfort ; and all eternal. 3. He has given them all things ; Rom. viii. 32, " He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give ns all things ?" Therefore says the apostle of those who have received Christ, 1 Cor. iii. 21, " All things are yours." The Son of God is the " heir of all things ;" Heb. i. 2. Re ceiving him, we becorae "joint-heirs with hira," Rora. viii. 17; and so " inherit all things," Rev- xxi. 7. Use 1. Let us adraire the love of the Father to poor sinners of Adam's race. The love of the Father is proposed as an object of admiration, in making sinners his sons ; 1 John iii. 1, " Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God !" But here is a step higher, his giving to them his Son ; John iii. 16, " God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son," &c. But, ah, how is it lost on a blind ungrateful world, that take no notice of it ! They will be apt to conclude God's special love to them, from his laying to their hands plenty of common favours ; bnt the love of the Father, in giving them his Son, comes not in mind. 2. Dreadful must the hazard of slighting this gift be, as the crime in it is atrocious. As ye would not run in to the deepest of guilt, and expose yourselves to God's fiercest wrath, slight not the gift of his Son made you. God has given us his own Son, his beloved Son, his only begotten Son, and in him, hiraself, &c. The greater the gift, the greater the love in making it, the greater is the sin, and the greater will be the wrath, for the slighting of it ; 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." III. The third thing is, The party to whom he is given. Here let us consider, 1st, To whom he is given. 2dly, In what respects he is given. Zdly, In what character he is given. First, To whom is he given ? He that believes the Son of God to be given to sinners, and lays the matter to heart, will be ready to say, 0 but whom is he given to ? I fear he is not given to me ; and what am I the better then ? But 196 CHRIST GIFTED TO SINNERS. Christ is given to mankind-sinners indefinitely. It is not to the elect only, but to sinners indeflnitely, elect or not elect ; sinners of the race of Adara without exception, whatever they have been, whatever they are ; whatever qualiflcations they have, whatever they want. The Father, in making of this gift to us, had no eye to any qualiflcation in ns, but our misery and extreme need ; and, in the view of that, he made this gift for their remedy. 1. This gift and grant is conceived in the most ample terms, without any restriction to any particular set of men ; John iii. 16, " God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." «Tou see here it goes as wide as the world, the world of men, to exclude fallen angels, but none of the family of fallen Adam. Therefore, says the prophet, " To us a Son is given." They will get no approbation of Christ nor his Father, who curtail and hem in this grant, as they consult not his nor his Father's honour therein. 2. Christ is given to mankind-sinners, as the manna was given to the Israelites. Now the manna was given to the Israelites indefi nitely; to thera who loathed it as well as to them who loved it; John vi. 31 — 33, " Our fathers did eat manna in the desert ; as it is written. He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Verily, verily I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven ; but ray Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world." And therefore Christ is given to sinners indefinitely, with out exception of any ; therefore says Christ to the unbelieving Jews, verse 32, " My Father giveth you the true bread frora heaven." 3. There is raade to mankind-sinners indefinitely a gift of the benefits of his purchase, which yet are never given but in and with himself; Rora. viii. 32, " How shall he not with him also freelygiveus all things ?" There is a gift of righteousness made to them, Rom. V. 17, which is revealed to faith, chap. i. 17, i. «., to be believed on and trusted to. Eternal life is given them, 1 John v. 11 ; and a proraise of entering into his rest is left them, Heb. vi. 1. 4. Lastly, If Christ were notgiA'en to raankind-sinners indeflnitely, but there were some in the world who have no part in the gift of Christ, then the ministers of the gospel might not offer hira to all, nor might all receive him. Not the first; for no man has power to offer to any the Father's gift, to whom it is not given of the Fa ther ; raore than a servant has power to offer his master's gift to one to whora his raaster has not made the gift. Not the second, for none can lawfully take what God does not give him; John iii. 27, " John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given CHRIST GIFTED TG SINNERS. 197 hira from heaven." It would be presumption in thee to take a bit of bread, or a drink of water, if God gave it not thee ; much more it would be presumption in thee to take his Son, if he gave him not to thee. But it is no presumption in any sinner of mankind to take Christ ; 1 John iii. 23, " And this is his comraandraent, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ." Mark xvi. 15, 16, " And he said unto them. Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature," &c. Secondly, In what respects is Christ given to them ? " To us the Son is given." 1. In respect of allowance to take him. Te all have the Father's allowance to take Christ, to possess yourselves of him, without fear of vicious intromitting with him. The Father's allowance was pro claimed by a voice from heaven; Matth. xvii. 5, "This is my be loved Son, in whom I am well pleased ; hear ye him ;" and by his messengers ; Matth. xxii. 9, " Go ye therefore into the high-ways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage." If you were desiring something of a neighbour that you needed, and he should use no other solemnity in giving it you, but only say, Well, I allow yon, take it ; would ye question the gift of it, or fear to take it ? Now, the Father gives you the same allowance. Well, 1 make an offer of my Son to you, and allow you to take hira ; take him then as I offer hira. 2. In respect of legal destination. That is more than a siraple allowance. There is an act passed in the court of heaven, destinat- ing and appointing a crucified Christ for the world of mankind-sin ners, as a Saviour; 1 John iv. 14, " And we have seen and do testify, that the Father sent the Son the Saviour of the world." As the brazen serpent was the ordinance of God for cure to the stung Israelites, the cities of refnge for manslayers among them ; so is Christ the ordinance of God for mankind-sinners, John iii. 14 — 16. If ye had an act of parliament appointing a thing for you, ye would not question its being given you ; here ye have more, 3. In respect of real offer. The word in the book of God offers hira to all without exception, and the preachers of the gospel per sonally make, or may make the offer, wheresoever they come ; Mark xvi. 15, " Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." Hear God's own offer ; Rev. iii. 20, " Behold, I stand at the door and knock ; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will corae in to hira, and will sup with hira, and he with me ;" the ministerial offer ; Matth. xxii. 4, " And he sent forth other ser vants, saying, Tell them which are bidden. Behold, I have prepared my dinner ; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are 198 CHRIST GIFTED TO SINNERS. ready ; come unto the marriage." It is so real, that they will be condemned for refusing it to whom it is intimated. So all are not only allowed and have the gift legally destinate for them; but it is offered to them ; God says. Take, and welcome. 4. In respect of the freeness of the offer. There are some gifts so hampered and clogged with conditions in the offer of them, that they are not free gifts, and are in effect put out of the reach of the party- receiver. But this gift is absolutely free ; no qualification, no con dition, is required of us, that we may have it, but to receive it ; Rev. xxii. 17, " And the Spirit and the bride, say. Come. And let him that heareth, say. Come. And let hira that is athirst, come ; And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." No money, no price, is here demanded, Isa. Iv. 1. More than all that, 5, Lastly, In respect of exhibition. God not only allows, has des tinate, and offers freely, this gift to you ; but it is exhibited to you, presented and held forth as with the hand, God saying. Ho, sinner, here is my Son, take him. This is done in the word of the gospel to all. The gospel not only offers salvation, which it might do, though the salvation were far off ; but it brings salvation along with it to the lost sinner. Tit. ii. 21, " For the grace of God that bringeth sal vation, hath appeared to all men." And God doth not stay the exhibiting of his Son to sinners, till they say they will take him, as we do sometimes the bringing out of meat to our friends ; bnt as his voice reacheth their ears, his hand holds him forth, saying. Here he is for you, take him. Te raust take him, as we do sometiraes with our meat, holding it out in our hand to our friend, and telling hira and pressing him to eat. Thirdly, In what character is Christ given to sinners ? He is given of the Father to sinners of mankind in the character of a Saviour. He is given to the elect, and was from eternity, in the character of a surety, undertaking the payment of their debt for them. But he is given to the world indefinitely in the character of a Saviour ; John iv. 42, " This is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world." 1 John iv. 14, "The Father sent the Son the Saviour of the world." The world of mankind is a company sick unto death, the earth is the hospital where the sick and wounded lie, Christ is the physi cian given them by his Father's bounty. It is his office to be physi cian ofthe hospital, to cure the sick, and that without any fees from them. Every sick man and woman in the hospital may come to him, and employ him as their own physician. Such a gift in the case of men's bodies would be highly esteemed ; bnt this is a thousand times greater, as the soul is of more worth than the body. Under this, much is comprehended ; but I shall comprehend the same in a threefold character. He is given to mankind-sinners CHRIST GIFTED TO SINNERS. 199 1. In the character of a light set up ; John viii. 12, " I am the light of the world ; he that followeth me, shall not walk in dark ness, but shall have the light of life." He is given to sinners in a suitableness to their case. It is a dark world ; by Adam's fall the sun set on mankind ; but Christ is arisen the Sun of Righteousness, to whose light sinners are as free as to the light of the sun and moon, by the gift thereof made ; Gen. i. 17, " And God set them in the firmament of heaven, to give light upon the earth." And nothing is to hinder their access to it, bnt their love of darkness ; John iii. 19, " And this is the condemnation, that light is corae into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." 2. In the character of an atoning sacriflce, slain and offered up. He died in the room and stead of the elect only ; but being offered for them, and being of sufficiency for the needs of all, he is made the ordinance of God for taking away the sin of the world of man kind, and as such is gifted to them of the father ; even as the brazen serpent to the stung Israelites, and the cities of refuge to the man- slayers, to look to and be healed, to flee to and be safe ; John iii. 14, 15. This is what John asserts in very express terms ; 1 John ii. 2, " And he is the propitiation for our sins ; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." Thus the Baptist pointed him out ; John i. 29, " Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." He taketh away the sin of the world, not even tually, but officially. Compare chap. vi. 33, " For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world." And thus Christ hiraself holds out himself as a slain sa criflce, set down for all to eat of and feast on; Matth. xxii. 4, ac cording to the prophecy; Isa. xxv. 6, " And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts raake unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the less, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well reflned." 3. In the character of a crowned king, mighty to destroy the king dom of Satan, to rescue mankind-sinners his captives and prisoners ; 1 John iii. 8, " For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." 1 Cor. i. 30, " But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us — redemp tion." Therefore they are called to receive him into their hearts in this character ; Psalm xxiv. 7, " Lift up your heads, 0 ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in." The case of the conquered world, conquered by the king of the bottomless pit, was so hopeless, that none was able to head them for recovery among angels or men ; God therefore anointed and gave them his own Son for a King-deliverer ; Psalm ii. 6, " Tet have I 200 CHRIST GIFTED TO SINNERS. set my King upon ray holy hill of Zion." Isa. Iv. 4, " Behold, I have given hira — for a leader and commander to the people." Use 1. Believe it, then, that to us poor sinners the Son of God in man's nature is given ; that Christ is given to you in particular ; that the Father has made a free gift and grant of his Son Jesus Christ to you, and every one of yon. If ye believe it not, ye make God a liar, disbelieving his gospel ; 1 John V. 10, 11, " He that believeth not God, hath made hira a liar because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record. That God hath given to us eternal life ; and this life is in his Son." And unless ye believe it, ye will never see Christ ; for who can receive from God his Son, when he does not be lieve he has given him ? John iii. 27, " John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven." As there can be no taking from God without a prior giving, so there can be no receiving of Christ by faith without a prior belief that he is given. Why will ye not believe it ? 1. Is the gift too much to be granted ? Consider the giver, and it is not too much for an inflnite God to give. Gifts are expected agreeable to the state of the giver ; what is too much for an ordinary person, is not too much for a King. And can any thing be too much for an infinite God ? 2. Is the party gifted too great to be made a gift of? Why, con sider he is gifted by his own Father ; and the gifting of him tends to his own and his Father's honour, Heb. xii. 2 ; and he is gifted as Mediator ; in which respect he says, " My Father is greater than I ;" John xiv. 28. 3. Is the party-receiver too mean and low to have such a great - gift conferred on him ? Why, truly, this is the language of unbe lief. Te could easily believe that Christ is given to the righteous and holy ; and so could the Pharisees. But to believe that he is given to the ungodly and sinners, there lies the difficulty. But pray consider, this gift is not given according to our worth, but our need; and it is evident such need him most; Matth. ix. 11 — 13, " And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples. Why eateth your master with publicans and sinners ? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them. They that be whole need not a physi cian, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that mean- eth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice ; for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." And Christ and his Father will have the greater glory in that case. Use. 2. Receive the gift of Christ then at his Father's hand; take him, and possess yourselves of him by faith. CHRIST GIFTED TO SINNERS. 201 Motive 1. Consider ye have an absolute need of this gift, Matth. ix. 12, forecited. Te perish without him ; Acts iv. 12, " Neither is there salvation in any other ; for there is none other narae under heaven, given araong men whereby we must be saved." What need a man starving for hunger has of bread, the naked of clothing ; that and more ye have of Christ. That soul of thine that is lost, is cry ing to thee, 0 slight not a Saviour ! that soul that is sick unto death. Slight not the Physician ! Motive 2. There are some who have as much need as you, to whom yet he is not given, viz. the fallen angels ; Heb. ii. 16, " For verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abrahara." They must perish for ever without remedy, for Christ was neither given for nor to thera. Trample not on sove reign love, that has made the gift to you then, and not to them. MoTiA'E 3. To must either receive or refuse. The fallen angels, nay, the poor pagans, to whom the gift is not intimated, are neither receivers nor refusers. But in your case there is no midst, to whom he is both given and intimated. Therefore Are say, as Heb. xii. 25, " See that ye refuse not him that speaketh ; for if they escaped not Avho refused him that spake on earth, ranch more shall not we escape, if we turn away from hira that speaketh from heaven." It will be heavy to be marked refusers of Christ. Motive 4. Consider the worth of the gift. Men and angels cannot toll it; Prov. viii. 11, " For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it." Look into its superlative worth, and resolve to have it, not to let it go. Never such a gift will or can corae in your offer again. Therefore buy the truth, and sell it not ; take it at any rate, part with it at no rate. Motive 5. Consider the hand it conies frora. Respect to the giver often causeth embracing the gift that one would otherwise slight. The giver is the infinite God. If he should send you a piece of bread out of heaven, as he did the manna, or a cup of cold water ; could you take it on you to refuse it ? How then will ye adventure, when he sends and gives you his own, his beloved, his only begotten son ? Motive 6. Consider that others before you have received it, and have been made np by it for ever. The saints in glory were once as poor as you ; they received this gift ; and now they are kings and priests, they inherit all things ; and of their happiness there will be no end. So you see that ye may receive it, and that it will be up- making to you. Motive 7. Consider that this gift will not always be for the tak- VoL. X. o 202 CHRIST GIFTED TO SINNERS. ing as it is now ; Heb. iii. 15, " While it is said. To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation." If men will go on to refuse it, God will call in his gift, and set a bar between them and it for ever ; Luke xiv. 24, " For I say unto you, that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper." So that the day will come when, if ye would give a thousand worlds for another offer of the gift, ye will not get it ; Heb. xii. 17, " For ye know howthat afterward when Esau would have inherited the blessing he was rejected; for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears." Motive 8. Tour not receiving will be very heinously taken, as the deepest slight put upon both the giver and the gift. When you make an offer of a gift to a friend, how do ye take that of having it slighted ? Think then, how will the father take your slighting the gift of his Son ; his Son to be slighted in quality of a gift ? Motive 9. Lastly, It will set you at greater distance from God than ever ; and will kindle a keener flame of wrath against you, to burn for ever, than if the gift had never been offered you. The Lamb's wrath is dreadful above measure, 2 Thes. i. 7 — 9, " The Lord Jesns shall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of onr Lord Jesus Christ ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." Matth. xi. 22, " Bnt I say unto you. It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than for you." Rev. vi. 15 — 17, " And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bond man and every free raan, hid themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains ; and said to the mountains and rocks. Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb ; for the great day of his wrath is come, andwho shall be able to stand ?" See then, salvation is brought to your door, Christ is exhibited as the gift of God his Father to you. Think how you will entertain it, and that ye must answer before his tribunal for what entertainment you give this offer. THE GOVERNMENT ON CIIRIST's SHOULDER, 203 THE GOVERNMENT ON CHRIST'S SHOULDER. Isaiah ix. 6, And the govemment shall he upon his shoulder. As a people Avhose affairs are ruined have great need of an active aud expert governor ; so the government of such a people is a great burden. Such a people are lost sinners ; and with respect to thera these words speak two things. 1. The burden and weight of heading of them, taking the govern ment of them, and management of their affairs. The shoulder is the instrument of bearing burdens ; Gen. xlix. 15, — " and bowed his shoulder to bear," &c. Sinners' affairs were so ruined, that it was hard to find one who had a shoulder fit for the government of them ; bnt infinite wisdom finds out one who had shoulders sufficient for the weight. 2. Jesus Christ, the person on whom this burden was laid. The word signifies the principality. The principality in this case was laid upon this Child, this Son. It has been (Heb.) upon his shoul der. It was laid from eternity by his Father, and is, and shall be on him for ever. Princes are, in the style of the Holy Ghost, bur den-bearers ; Numb. xi. 17, — " And they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone." On him was laid the heading of lost sinners, the retrieving of their despe rate affairs, and the government and management of them to salva tion. This is a part of the glad tidings of the gospel, and refers to both the preceding clauses, the copulative being used instead of the re lative. Q. d. " Unto us a Child is presented born, unto us a Son is given, on whose shoulder the government is laid." So the sense is. He is born, presented, and given to us, a Prince and Governor; whom we ought therefore to submit to and receive as our native prince. In this Samson was a special type of him. Doctrine, Jesus Christ is presented and given to us of the Father as our Prince and Governor, on whose shoulder the burden of the government of ruined sinners of mankind is laid for salvation. In prosecuting this doctrine, I shall shew, I. The occasion of setting up this Prince and Governor. II. The import of this principality and government laid oa Jesus Christ for the benefit of mankind-sinners. Ill, The honour, power, and authority belonging to this princi pality and government of Jesus Christ, o2 204 THE GOVERNMENT ON CHRIST'S SHOULDER. IV. The burden of this principality and government laid on him. V. Lastly, Improve the doctrine. I. First, I shall shew the occasion of setting up this Prince and Governor. It was sinners' absolute need, from which free grace took occasion to set up Jesus Prince over them. Their need will appear in three things. 1. Their first prince was gone, to manage their affairs no more. Adam, their natural head, misraanaged the government quite, sunk their interest, rendered himself incapable of the government, be trayed his trust, and deserted them ; their matters being brought to such a pass that it was quite beyond his reach to retrieve them. 2. They were left in confusion, in the hand of the enemy Satan. They were no more a people, as not being God's people ; Rom. x. 19 ; broken from God, and broken among themselves. They were scattered like sheep Avithont a shepherd, having none to head them for their good, or to care for thera. 3. Their affairs were desperate. They were in a state of enmity with heaven, a state of slavery to hell. None in earth, nor among the angels in heaven, could be able for the government of them. Allude to Isa. iii. 6 — 8, " When a man shall take hold of his bro ther of the house of his father, saying. Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand : In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be an healer ; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing ; make me not a ruler of the people. For Jeru salem is ruined, and Judah is fallen ; because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory." For their matters were beyond recovery by any creature, and no created shoulder fit for the burden. For such a tirae as this came Jesus to the kingdom, when none other could or would take the burden of it. When the whole earth could not afford one. Heaven gave sinners a Prince, of shoulders sufflcient for the burden. II. Secondly, I shall shew the import of this principality and governraent laid on Jesus Christ for the benefit of mankind-sinners. It speaks, 1. His near relation to them ; as between a king and his subjects by right, head and members. He is to make one body with them ; he the Head, they the members; he the Prince, they the people. So that their interest becoraes a joint interest ; his honour and their advantage are closely linked together. 2. His eminency among them. Whatever persons corae into the blessed society, he alone is the Prince there. The kings and monarchs of the earth are but subjects in Christ's kingdom, to receive, not to give laws. His eminency quite overtops all other. THE GOVERNMENT ON OHRIST's SHOULDER. 205 3. His honourable office he has over them. He is the Governor, the only Lawgiver, to whora they all must submit. His Father put this honour on him, and sinners ought to acknowledge it, and honour hira accordingly; John v. 22, 23, " For the Father judgeth no man ; but hath committed all judgment unto the Son ; That all men should honour tho Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father which hath sent him." 4. His sovereign power and authority over them. He is raade a sovereign Prince over the children of raen, therefore called the Prince of the kings of the earth ; Rev. i. v. He has an illiraited power and jurisdiction vested in his person, in this and the other world ; Matt, xxviii. 18, " All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." He has power of life and death ; so he is called the Prince of life. Acts iii. 15. ; and the keys of hell and death hang at his girdle. Rev. i. 18. 5. Lastly, The burden of the care and duty belonging to the office and station. Many of the princes of the earth value thera selves on the honour, little regarding the duty of their place. But this Prince bears on his shoulder, takes the weight of the charge on him, and performs the duty of it ; therefore he is called a Shepherd and Bishop of souls, 1 Pet. ii. 25. III. Thirdly, I shall shew the honour, power, and authority belong ing to this principality and government of Jesus Christ. I take up this in these four honours vested in his person. 1. The legislative power belongs to hira solely ; Isaiah xxxiii. 22 " The Lord is our Lawgiver." He gathers a church, which is his kingdom. He is the sole legislator in it; Matth. xvii. 5, " This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, bear ye him ;" a minis terial explication and application of them being all that any can pretend to, being the officers of this Prince. He is an absolute mo narch, whose will is the only law ; and none but he has the wisdom and goodness to be trusted Avith absolute power. To him only be longs the appointing of offices, officers, and ordinances in his king dom. And whatsoever of that sort has not his stamp and super scription on it in his kingdom, is null. 2. The supreme executive power is lodged with him ; John v. 22, " The Father judgeth no man ; but hath committed all judgment unto the Son." And whosoever execute the laws of his kingdom, must have their commission from hira, or they intermeddle to their peril. By him rewards and punishments are distributed, and he is Judge of all. Now he judgeth particular persons, churches, and nations ; and the time is coming wherein he will appear on his throne 206 THE GOVERNMENT ON CHRISt'S SHOULDER. with awful solemnity, and judge and sentence the whole world, Matth. xxv. 3. The power of granting remissions, receiving into peace with heaven, pardoning and indemnifying criminals and rebels ; Acts v. 31, " Him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance unto Israel, and forgiveness of sins." He exercised that power when he was on earth, and much more now. The^scribes quarrelled it ; Mark ii. 5 — 7, " When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy. Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts. Why doth this man thus speak blas phemies ? who can forgive sins but God only?" And he wrought a miracle to confirm it; verses 10, 11, "But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy), I say unto thee. Arise, and take up thy bed and go thy way into thine house. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all," &c. 4. Lastly, A large and vast dominion, reaching to both worlds, earth, heaven, Matth. xxviii. 18, and hell, and the passage between the two worlds, viz., death ; Rev. i. 18. In his hand is, 1. The kingdom of grace ; Eph. i. 22, " And gave him to be the head over all things to the church." All grace and favours of hea ven are at his disposal. Kings of the earth can bestow silver and gold, houses and lands, on their favourites ; but he righteousness, peace, and joy ; Rom. xiv. 17, " For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink ; but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." 2. The kingdom of glory; Luke xxii. 29, 30, "And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me ; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdora," &c. The eter nal weight of glory is in his hand ; he is the righteous Judge, whose it is to give the crown of glory ; he who admits to, and excludes out of that kingdom. 3. The kingdom of Providence ; Eph. i. 22, " And hath put all things under his feet." He rules not only over his kindly subjects, but in the midst of his enemies. The wheel of providence through the world is directed by him. In the same hand the government of the church is lodged, the government of the world is lodged also. IV. The fourth thing is, the burden of this principality and go vernment laid on Christ Jesus. It is sevenfold. 1. The burden of the purchase of it. It behoved to be purchased by a price of infinite value, and it was laid upon hira to do it. " Without shedding of blood there was no remission." And so he re- THE GOVERNMENT ON CHRIST's SHOULDER. 207 deemed the subjects, not " with silver and gold, but his own blood," 1 Pet. i. 18, 19. The Father fs indeed said to give it him. Psalm ii. 8 ; but that giving is the delivering it upon the paying down of the price; Acts xx.28, "Feed the church of God which he hath pur chased with his own blood." 2. The burden of a war with the devil, for recovering of it. How ever dear it cost him, he could not have the possession thereof, with out vanquishing the power and force of hell, that was engaged to hold fast what they had got. So on the cross he encountered the serpent ; Gen. iii. 15 ; and by his Spirit in the gospel he carries on the war, raising his kingdom out of the devil's kingdom, rescuing the captives and prisoners out of his hands. 3. The burden of subduing them. The designed subjects of his dominion, are born subjects of the devil's kingdom, unwilling to quit with their old master, and to submit to this their new prince ; and therefore cannot be brought over without being conquered and sub dued, and the burden of this lies on him. Psalm ex. 3 ; who is mighty in battle, and with the sword of the Spirit makes it effectual in their conversion. 4. The burden of their reconciliation with heaven ; Eph, ii. 14, " For he is our peace, who hath made both one," &c. He has the peace to make up betwixt God and sinners, that his dominion may be happy in peace with God. And as he purchased the peace by his blood, so he becomes God's messenger of peace to sinners, and tra vels between the parties till it be made up, and confirmed by a sure covenant of peace entered into. 5, The burden of their defence and protection; Isa, xxxiii, 21,22, " But there the glorious Lord will be unto us as a place of broad rivers and streams ; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby. For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king, he will save us," The subjects of this prince have many enemies, without them and within them. Satan, the prince of this world is continually making war on thera, to withdraw them from their allegiance to their rightful Lord, employs the men and things of this world, and the corruptions lodged within their own breasts, to advance his designs against them : but Christ defends them. 6. The burden of their provision, in all things necessary for life and godliness. He cares for them in all these, from the least to the greatest of their wants ; 1 Pet. v. 7, *' Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you." Their food and raiment for their bo dies he has the providing of; and his visitation preserves their spi rits, laying in new supplies of grace, exciting, quickening, and strengthening it. 208 THE GOVERNMENT ON CHRIST's SHOULDER. 7. Lastly, The burden of the whole raanageraent and conduct of them through the wilderness, till they come to the heavenly Canaan. Great was the burden that Moses had of the people of Israel through the wilderness. How unmanageable did they often prove ! But that was a light burden in comparison of that laid on this Prince. He has the burden of all believers through the world on him, in their life and death. Great are their wants, and he has them to supply. Their weakness and follies are innumerable ; he has thera all to bear and correct. They are broken and shattered ships, often dashed on many rocks, he has thera all to bring to land. Use 1. Of Inforraation. This informs us, that, 1. Jesus Christ is the alone head of his church, and suprerae governor thereof; and the headship of it, and supremacy over it, is neither competent to Pope nor any earthly King. It is a burden too heavy for the shoulder of any mortal, and none is fit for it but him self alone. And the government appointed by him in it is not alterable by any power on earth, civil or ecclesiastic. 2. That the interests of the church, the kingdora of Christ, and of every particular believer, the merabers thereof, will certainly be seen to, and brought to a comfortable account at length. Such a governor must needs make his dominion happy ; Matth. xvi. 18, " I say unto thee, thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." What ever enemies they have, he is able to master thera, and will do it ; 1 Cor. XV. 25, " For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet." Whatever wants they have, he is able to supply them, and Avill do it ; Phil. iv. 19, " But ray God shall supply all your need, according to his riches in glory, by Christ Jesus." Whatever is necessary to make them completely happy, he has purchased, and will confer on them ; Psalra Ixxxiv. 11, " For the Lord God is a sun and shield ; the Lord will give grace and glory ; no good thing will he withhold frora thera that walk uprightly." 3. Believers have all reason to be quietly resigned to the divine disposal, and to live by faith in confidence of a blessed issue, what ever be the difficulties they have to grapple with, either in respect of the case of the church, or of their own private case. That holds always sure anchor ground ; Isa. lii. 7, " Hoav beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of hira that bringeth good tidings, that pub lisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, " Thy God reigneth !" The case of the church is often A-ery low, as now ; backslidings are multiplied, iniquity abounds, the Spirit's influences are with drawn, the disease is proof against all means of cure that can be THE GOVERNMENT ON CHRIST's SHOULDER. 209 used by men. We must in that case table the complaint before the great governor himself, roll it on him, leave it with hira, and be going on in our duty ; Micah vii. 7, " Therefore I will look unto tho Lord ; I will wait for the God of my salvation ; my God will hear me." Psalra cxix. 126, " It is time for thee. Lord, to work ; for they have made void thy law." The believer's own private case may be very difficult, in respect of various afflictions, temptations and trials. But even here, there is a broad foundation for the rest of faith ; Jaraes i. 2, " My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations." There is not one circumstance in all their case, but it is ordered by the governor, John V. 22, for wise ends; Heb. xii. 10. And it is still under his management, to go or come, increase or decrease precisely according to his order ; Matth. viii. 8, 9. And he will turn them all about for good ; Rom. viii. 28, as being all raedicinal ; Isa. xxvii. 9. Use II. Of Exhortation. Receive hira then as your prince and governor, renouncing all other Lords which have had dominion over you ; Isa. xxvi. 13. Receive him really as your prince and gover nor ; Matth. xi. 29, " Taking his yoke upon you, and learning of him ;" and not in profession only. The most part of this genera tion do, in their practice, send Christ that message ; Luke xix. 14, " We will not have this man to reign over us ;" and they will not be governed by him. But, 1st, Receive him as your pripce, and governor of your life, to walk according to his orders in ^our Avhole conversation ; and walk no more after your Insts. And, 1. Let his Spirit be your guide and leader ; John xvi. 13, " When he, the Spirit of truth, is corae, he will guide you into all truth." How long will ye be led with the Spirit of the world, and your own corrupt Spirit ? Renounce these, and give up yourselves to be led by his Spirit, or in vain do ye profess Christ to be your Lord and governor ; Gal. v. 18, " But if ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law." The fulfilling of the lusts of the flesh, speaks you not to be led by the Spirit; ver. 16, " Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." 2. Let his word be your rule ; Gal. vi. 16, " And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy," &c. Let that determine yon what to do, how to speak, and what and how not. David laid it before him, as the pattern he was to copy after ; Psalra cxix. 30, " I have chosen the Avay of truth ; thy judgments have I laid before me." But this generation for the most part throw it by, as a thing they have no use for. The way of the world and their own carnal interest, are the rule they walk by. 210 THE GOVERNMENT ON CHRIST S SHOULDER. 3. Let his will be the determining point to you. Let your own will be a captive to his ; and follow his will, though it should be against the will of all the world. Why will men profess him to be their governor, and will not be swayed by his authority ? Luke vi. 46, " .A.nd why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say ?" And receive him as governor, 1. Of your hearts and spirits ; Prov. xxiii. 26, " My son, give me thine heart." Let the proud heart be made to stoop to him, let the covetous heart be purged by him, and the vain foolish heart be made to find the weight of his awful authority. While Christ has not the government of thy heart, thou hast not given him the throne. 2. Of your tongues. Who governs the lying tongue, the wicked, bitter, and malicious tongue ? Not Christ, surely ; but the devil. Men that will frame lies, and deliberately tell lies, their tongues are their own, not Christ's. Satan fills their hearts to lie, and they run a risk of being struck down with a lie in their mouth, as Ananias was ; Acts v. 3. See Isa. Ixiii. 8, " For he said. Surely they are my people, children that will not lie." 3. Of your practice. And then ye will have a practice of true piety towards God, and exact justice towards raan. Tit. ii. 12. That is what Christ's true subjects will exercise themselves in ; Acts xxiv. 16, viz. in " having a conscience void of offence toward God, and to ward men." 0 the fraud and deceit, the injustice and covetous prac tices that are to be found with many at this day, speak to them to be under the government of the god of this world, not of Christ. 2dly, Receive hira as your prince and governor of your lot and condition in the world, resigning the same to his disposal. Psalm xlvii. 4, " He shall choose onr inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved." And, 1. Be content with the lot carved out for you ; Heb. xiii. 5, " Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have ; for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." And be not murraurers and complainers, grudg ing, repining at, and blaming your lot. That is a sad character, Jude ver. 16, and betrays into many snares. There is nothing in your lot but what the supreme governor sees meet; and where Christ has the government on his shoulders, it is unbecoming and dangerous to be malcontents. 2. Never go out of God's way to mend your condition, nor do the least ill thing to better your circumstances. That is to pull the government of your lot out of Christ's hand, and take it into your own. Aud ye may be sure ye will have won nothing by it at long- THE GOVERNMENT ON CIIRIST's SHOULDER. 211 run ; Matth. xvi. 26, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his OAvn soul ? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?" If you should gain some worldly proflt by it, ye get it, and the curse of it; Zech. v. 4, " I will bring it forth, (viz. the curse), saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name ; and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it, with the timber thereof, and the stones there of." 3. In all changes of your lot, acknoAvledge him for direction and guidance ; that whatever way you dispose of yourselves, you may have the comfort of being in the way of God ; Prov. iii. 5, 6, " Trust in the Lord with all thine heart ; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." He sets us our stations, and we are not to change but at his direction. Let householders in the change of their dwellings, servants in their change of families, single per sons in the change of their lot, and, generally, all in every change of their condition, own the governor. In all these respects receive Christ as your prince and governor, give up yourselves to his government, surrender and submit your selves to him. And, 1. Take him for your only governor. Renounce all other "lords, saying, Isa. xxvi. 13, " 0 Lord our God, other lords besides thee have had dominion over us ; but by thee only will we make men tion of thy name," One throne contains not two kings. If ye will have Christ for your Lord, he must have the government of you solely. Let not Satan lord it over you any more, to be led captive at his pleasure. Let not the world be your lord, nor your lusts your lords. 2. Take him for your absolute governor. Christ's government is and mast be absolute and illiraited; for he is essentially just and good, and we are naturally unjust and evil ; therefore we can be allowed no hand in determining how he shall govern us ; but, without limita tion, we must resign the government of ourselves to him, saying with Paul, Acts, ix. 6, " Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" 3. Take hira for your perpetual governor, giving up yourselves to his government for ever, Psalra cxix. 112, " I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end." Some swear allegiance, to hira at a time, and, enduring for a Avhile, they afterwards apostatize. But he is a prince of whose kingdom there must be no end. 4. Take him for your prince and governor presently, without 212 TUB GOVERNMENT ON CHRISt's SHOULDER. delay, Heb. iii. 15, " While it is said. To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation." His royal proclamations are eraitted instantly requiring your subraission, and he is presented to you as your prince. Delay not, then, a raoraent longer ; the time past raay have sufflced to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, and to have subjected yourselves to other lords. 5. Lastly, Take him heartily and wiUingly. Let your whole souls open to receive this glorious prince ; and cordially subrait your selves to his royal sceptre, as a prince whose government will raake you happy. Motive 1. Consider what an excellent prince and governor he is, to whora you are required to subrait. The excellencies corapetent to hira as a prince and governor are to be found in none other. He is as far above all the princes of the earth in the excellency of his government, as he is in the dignity of his person. 1. He is perfectly just in his administration, Deut. xxxii. 4. " He is the rock, his work is perfect : for all his ways are judgment ; a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he." His laws for the governraent of your life, and your lot, too, are absolutely spotless ; and his government, and execution of these laws, are absolutely holy and pure, without the least stain of injustice. Be hold his commands, they are most pure. Psalm xix. 8, " The sta tutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart ; the coramandraent of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes ;" and that in all points. Psalm cxix. 128, " I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right." His providence is spotless ; Psalm cxlv. 17, " The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works." What faults men think they espy therein, are owing to their own blindness. (2.) He is most wise, infinitely wise ; and that wisdom shines forth in the whole of his government ; Isa. xxviii. 29, " Wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working." His designs are wisely laid, and the means for compassing his designs are wisely managed, so as to prove infallibly successful. The " wheels are full of eyes," Ezek, X. 12. So Isa. xlvi. 10, " My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." So that one may without hesitation absolutely re sign himself to his conduct; and so faith makes men do; Heb. xi. 8, " By faith Abrahara, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed ; and he went out, not knowing whither he went." (3.) He is most vigilant and careful ; Zech. iv. 10, " The eyes of the Lord run to and fro through the whole earth." Nothing can be a-contriving against any of his subjects by their enemies, far less TUB GOVERNMENT ON OIIKIST'S SHOULDER. 213 can befall them, but he is perfectly apprised of it. There is no surprising of the keeper of Israel, who neither slumbers nor sleeps ; and he sees all with his own eyes, Avhich no prince on earth can pretend to. (4.) He is most tender of his subjects, and of all their interests, his governraent being exactly calculated for making them truly happy ; Rom. viii. 28, " All things work together for good to them that love God." There is such a close connection of their duty and interest, that it is impossible for thera to neglect their duty ; but as far as they do neglect it, they prove false to their interest. He governs thera as a father, with the tender affection that one does his own family. Is. xl. 11, " He shall feed his flock like a shepherd ; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." Motive 2. While ye are not under his government, ye are under the governraent of Satan, Acts xxvi. 18. While this prince governs you not, the prince of darkness doth. And his governraent, as it is most imperious, so it is most unjust, and destrnctive of the true interest of souls. He is a cruel lord, and delights in and seeks the misery and ruin of his subjects. We may frame a true notion of his government from his managing of those among whom his power is absolute. What a wretched way does he manage the poor Pa gans, the possessed, and those who are in express compact with him ? So does he with others, though in a spiritual and covered way. Motive 3. Jesus Christ is your rightful prince and governor. Satan is an usurper, the throne belongs to Jesns of right. He is so by the irreversible constitution of heaven ; Psalm ii. 6, " I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion." He Avas born a king. Te were devoted to him in baptism, and as members of his church, ye profess yourselves his subjects, Lnke vi. 46. Motive 3. Lastly, If ye submit not to him, he will treat you as rebels, who have broken your faith and allegiance to hira, and cast off the yoke of his government. He is presented to you as your lawful prince born ; it will be dangerous to refuse him. The day is coming wherein he will judge the world, and behold the end of the rebels against his government ; Luke xix. 27, " But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay thera before rae." Wherefore consider how other lords have had the dorainion over you ; the necessity of taking hira for your lord and governor ; if he be your Saviour, he must be your king, Hos. xiii 9, 10, " 0 Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thine help. I will be thy king." Solemnly give up yourselves to him. 214 Christ's name above every name. CHRIST'S NAME ABOVE EVERY NAME. Isaiah ix. 6, And his name sJiall be called Wonderful, Counseller, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Here is held out the incomparable excellency of this Prince and Govemor presented to us. " His name is called," so the original carries it, "One hath called his name," i.e. " His name is called, Wonderful," &c. The connection is, " Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, on whose shoulder the government is laid, and whose name is called. Wonderful," &c. ; so that the scope of this latter part of the text is, to commend the Prince presented to us from his " name," which is here unfolded, to be " a name above every name." Doctrine. The name of Christ by which he is called, is a narae above every name, flt to commend him to the souls of poor sinners. The name is that which follows in several parts here, viz. : " Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Many glorious names aie used by the princes of the earth ; bnt there is no name among them all like this. None so high and honourable, none so sweet and lovely, none so adapted to make the subjects happy. Consider here, I. Who calls him by this name, II. What his being called by it imports. III. Lastly, Apply. I. Who calls him by this name ? And, 1. His Father has called him by this name, Phil. ii. 9, " God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name." His Father best knows what he is, to give him a name expressive of his nature. And he has, by his spirit in the prophet, given him this glorious one. In effect he proclaimed it ; Matt. xvii. 5, " This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." 2. All his people call hira by this name, flying to him in their first believing as such a one, and depending on him all along their course of life as such a one. II. What does his being called by this name import ? 1. That he really is what this name bears. God gives no empty titles, nor will empty titles answer the necessities of believers. As his name, so is his nature ; the name truly expresses what he is. Christ's name wonderful. 216 2. He manifests hiraself to be what the narae bears. What he is called, he is found to be in the experience of saints. Use. Study the narae of Christ, as represented in the word, so as your souls raay be enamoured of hira. CHRIST'S NAME WONDERFUL, Isaiah ix. 6, His name shall be called Wonderful. Here begins the narae of him whom the Father presents and gives to us for our prince. The first syllable of it is "Wonderful." The word signifies " miracle," a work past reach of the creature's power and skill, or knowledge, and so competent to God alone ; Exod. XV. 11, " Who is like unto thee, 0 Lord, amongst the Gods ? who is like unto thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders ?" Psalm Ixxvii. 14, " Thou art the God that dost won ders." Every miracle is wonderful, but every wonderful thing is not a miracle. Our Lord Christ is not only a wonderful one, but a miracle, a miraculous one, one most wonderful. He is beyond the creature's comprehension. So that this is fitly made the flrst syllable of his narae, that men may know, that whatever they know of his excellencies, there is still more behind ; and though they may apprehend, they cannot comprehend what he is. Doctrine. Jesus Christ, who is presented and given to us of the Father for our prince, is and appears to be a miraculous one, a most wonderful personage. In prosecuting this doctrine, I shall enquire, I. Under what notion Christ is held forth as a miracle, a miracu lous person. II. What is the import of Christ as God-man his being aud appearing to be a miraculous one. III. In what respects he is so. IV. Lastly, Apply the doctrine. I. I shall enquire. Under what notion Christ is held forth as a miracle, a miraculous person. Te have heard already, a miracle is a divine work, and competent to God alone, beyond the reach of any creature. Now, Christ is and appears a miracle. Hence it follows, that ho is not so called. 216 Christ's name wonderful. 1. In respect of his being a miracle-worker. For it is himself, and not his work, that is here called a miracle. Moreover, the prophets and apostles were miracle-workers, John xiv. 12. Tet this name is above every name, not competent to them, but to him alone. 2. Nor in respect of his divine nature simply, and his eternal generation of the Father. This part of his name does not point hira out to us simply as God For besides that that is, by itself, another syllable of his narae, " The Mighty God," the scripture, for all that I can discern, doth not warrant us to call him the work of his Father in that respect. And the Father works miracles through the Son by the Spirit ; Luke xi. 20, compared with Matt. xii. 28. Bnt the eternal generation of the Son is proper to the Father alone. 3. Nor in respect of his human nature simply. This part of his name does not point him out simply as man neither. For though man is indeed a divine work, yet he is not a work com petent to God alone ; for tho scripture owns man hiraself to be the father of raan's flesh ; Heb. xii. 9. But, 4. Christ is held forth as a miracle, a miraculous personage, as God-man in one person. This part of his name points hira out to us precisely as our incarnate Redeemer, and is given him precisely in respect of his incarnation. Behold him, God-raan, the Word made flesh ; and ye behold the miracle, the miraculous person. So the text, " A child, a son, his name Wonderful." Thus he is a work done or made ; John i. 14, " The word was made flesh ;" a divine work : Heb. x. 5, " When he cometh into the world, he saith, — A body hast thou prepared me ; competent to God alone, as a work of creating power ; Jer. xxxi. 22, " The Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, a woman shall compass a man." The Son of God in onr nature is a miracle indeed, a work beyond the reach of the creature's capacity. Many miracles had been wrought before the Son of God was incarnate. The sea had been divided, the dead raised, a world created out of nothing, which was more ; but a greater miracle than any of these, was the incarnation of the Son of God ; after all these had been done, this was the creat ing of a new thing, never any of the kind before. Wherefore this is the name of our incarnate Redeemer; and when we hear it named, it must represent to us the Son of God in man's nature. Use 1. 0 the love of God to poor sinners of mankind ! John iii. 16, " God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten. Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have ever- CHRIST S NAJIE WONDERFUL. 217 lasting life." The greatest work that ever God did, was for their salvation. He made the world for man, and gave it him, Psalm cxv. 16; and the visible heavens too. Gen. i. 17; (Heb.) yea the highest heavens also he made for them, and gives to thera in his Son, Matt xxv. 34. But a greater work than all these he did for them, when he did this miracle of the incarnation of his own Son for them, and gave hira, an incarnate Redeemer, to thera. 0 how can we escape the raost fearful doom, if Ave neglect this great salvation ! How worthy are they to perish, that A7ill not be saved, when God has wrought this greatest miracle to save them ? 2. What unaccountable stupidity is it in raen, not to consider, ad mire, and be swallowed up in contemplation of this miracle ; and not to be in deepest love with this miraculous personage given to them ? Ah ! have we not all been careless, unmoved spectators of this miracle ? How many have never spent a few minutes in the consideration and admiration of him ? Have ye not gazed on and wondered at some trifle, more than at this greatest of the works of God ? Have ye not been more deeply in love with sorae person or thing for its shadowy excellencies, than with this miraculous per son? Cease to wonder at the Jews' obstinacy, in not being moved to believe by all his miracles ; for a greater than thera all is here, to wit, his miraculous self; and yet we are unmoved- II. What is the import of Christ as God-man, his being and ap pearing to be a miraculous, most wonderful one ? Considering this as the name of Christ, to commend him to sinners ; it imports, 1. The excellency of his person as God-raan. He is an excellent, glorious, and lovely one ; Heb. i. 3, " Being the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person." Though the blind world perceive not his excellency, saying as Isa. liii. 2, " He hath no form nor comeliness ; aud when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him ;" it is not but through -their own default, by reason of their blindness ; for his glory shines forth, to be perceived by those whose eyes are opened ; John i. 14, " We beheld his glory," &c. But the glory of the sun is not seen by the blind man, nor the glory of Christ by unbelievers. 2. The fulness of excellencies in hira, our incarnate Redeeraer. His name is Miracle, a collective word. There is a confluence of excellencies in him ; look to him in every part, and all is excellent in him ; Cant. v. 16, " He is altogether lovely." Some excel in one thing, some in another ; as Moses in meekness, Samson in strength, Solomon in wisdora : but none but Christ in all. Moses, we would say, was a miracle of meekness, Samson of strength, and Solomon of wisdom. But Christ is miracle all over: meekness, strength. Vol. X. p 218 CHRIST S NAME WONDERFUL. wisdom, and all other excellencies, meet in him, to a miracle. There is no blemish, no want at all in him ; Col. i. 9, " For it pleased the Father, that in him should all fulness dwell." 3. The uncommonness and singularity of his excellencies. Miracles are but rare, in respect of the common operations of providence. And Christ among the sons of men is as '' a standard-bearer among ten thousand ;" Cant v. 10 ; he is a personage of singular excellencies. It is observed, that what is done by miracle, doth in its kind excel what is the product of nature in that kind. The water that was made wine was far better than the wine of the vine, John ii. 10. So the man Christ is " fairer than the sons of men," Psalm xlv. 2. So every excellency in Christ is beyond that excellency in another ; so was Christ's meekness beyond Moses's meekness, his strength beyond Samson's, and his wisdom beyond Solomon's, as the sun's light beyond that of the stars. 4. The absolute matchlessness of his person, for excellency and glory; Prov. viii. 11, " Wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired, are not to be compared to it." Seek through all the creatures in heaven and earth, and there is none comparable to him ; Psalra Ixxiii. 25, " Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee." His match is not to be found among all the ranks of created beings. 1. Among created persons, the like to him is not to be found; Jer. xxxi. 22, " The Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, a woman shall compass a man." Consider thera in all their ex cellencies. (1 ) What are men to this miracle of men ? Great men are contemptible, wise men fools, good men's goodness disappears, in comparison with him. (2.) Consider devils in their knowledge and might, the only ex cellencies remaining with them ; and their knowledge is but igno rance in comparison of his. Rev. v. 3, 5 ; their power weakness. Matt. ' xii. 29. He can bind them as easily as a giant a little child. (3.) What are glorified saints, but so many bright stars shining with his borrowed light, wonders of his mercy, monuments of his free love ? Rev. iv. 10. (4.) What are angels that never sinned ? They are all his ser vants, Heb. i. 14, to worship him, verse 6. He is the son of the house, they are but servants of it. He is the Lord of angels. Moses was not content with the offer of an angel, bnt would have himself; Exod. xxxiii. 15, " If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence ;" nor was Mary content, till she got himself. 2. Among created things his match is not to be found, however men take the shadow for the substance. Christ's name wonderful. 219 (1-) Worldly good things .are not comparable to him, in their greatest abundance and choice of thera. Riches, honour, strength, &c. are a poor portion in his roora and stead ; " Prov. viii. 11, " Wisdom is better than rubies ; and all the things that may be desired, are not to be compared to it." All of them are greater in expectation than fruition, broken cisterns soon running dry, bitter sweets uncommensurable to the desires of the soul ; he the quite reverse. (2.) Spiritual good things do come from him as rays from the sun. Grace is a created quality, heaven itself is but the place where he keeps his court. And as the prince himself is preferable to all the jewels in his crown, and to his palace ; so is Christ above all these. 5. The shining forth of his excellencies, fit to draw all eyes upon him. A miracle is the centre of men's eyes, to which all men are ready to look ; it is a sight every one would desire to see, and to see narrowly. There is an attractive beauty and glory in this wonderful one. This is a mystery to the world, who are ready to say, as Cant. v. 9, " What is thy beloved more than another be loved, that thou dost so charge us ?" seeing nothing in him to fix their eyes on him. But, (1.) His Father's eyes are fixed on him, as the object of his good pleasure ; Matt. iii. 17> " This is my beloved Son, in whom I*am well pleased." The Larab is in the midst of the throne above. Rev. v. 6. It is a strange word that is said of the temple ; 2 Chron. vii. 16, "For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever ; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually." But a greater than the temple is meant there. The eyes of the Holy Spirit are on him ; Zech. iii. 9, "Behold, the stone that I have laid before Joshua ; upon one stone shall be seven eyes; behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the Lord of Hosts." Compared with Rev. v. 6, " In the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth." (2.) The eyes of the angels are drawn after hira, as a most won derful sight. The faces of the cherubiras were therefore made looking towards the mercy-seat ; Exod. xxv. 20, to teach us, that Christ the Mediator, reconciling God and sinners, is the object of the angel's wonder ; 1 Peter i. 12, " Which things the angels desire to look into." (3.) The eyes of all the saints are drawn after him, as the object of their adrairation and a,ffection. No sooner are the eyes of the blind soul opened, but they fix on him ; John iv- 10, " If thou p 2 220 CHRIST S NAME WONDERFUL. knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee. Give rae to drink ; thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living Abater." Therefore faith is called a " looking unto Christ ;" Isa. xlv. 22, " Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth." Cant. iii. 11, "Go forth, 0 ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon," &c. And it is not a looking after a wonder of a few days ; but it must remain all along their course through the world ; Heb. xii. 1, 2, " Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." And when they corae to glory, they will fix their eyes on hira for ever, never weary, but always refreshed with the sight. Therefore " the Lamb is in the raidst of the elders," Rev. v. 6 ; " and the multitude before the Lamb," chap. vii. 9. And that the eyes of all men are not upon hira, is because they know him not, qre not capable to discern his glory ; Psalra ix. 10, " And they that know thy name, will put their trust in thee." 6. Lastly, The iucomprehensibleness of hira to any creature. He is a miracle past their reach, the reach of their knowledge as well as their power; Eph. iii. 19, " And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge." Men are soon non-plussed iu the works of nature ; there are things there which they cannot coraprehend ; Job xxxviii. and xxxix., as in the wind that bloweth ; John iii. 8, " The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it coraeth, and whither it goeth." Eccl. xi. 5, " As thou knowest not what is the way ot the Spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child ; even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all." How much more must they find themselves at a loss in miracles, where the laws of nature are neglected, and God works quite beyond them ? Then how raust they be quite lost in this great miracle : the Son of God become man ? Agur long ago challenged the wit of all mankind to comprehend his name ; Prov. xxx. 4, " Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended ? who hath gathered the wind in his fists ? who hath bound the waters iu a garment ? who hath established all the ends of the earth ? what is his name, and what is his Son's name, if thou canst tell ?" And the Son of God himself declared his name to be past reach ; Judges xiii. 18, " Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret ?" Whatever the saints know of it, the half is not known, there is still more behind. Use I. Whosoever do truly discern what Christ is, cannot choose but to love him above all persons and things, and choose hira for their portion being offered to thera ; " Psalm ix. 10, " They that know thy name will pnt their trust in thee." John iv. 10, " If thou Christ's name wonderful. 221 knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee. Give me to drink ; thou Avouldst have asked of hira, and he would have given thee living water." His matchless excellencies make him such a lovely one, that the discovery of them does command the surrender of the heart to him, and captivates the affections ; sinks the value of all created things in competition with hira, and enthrones hira in the heart ; Phil. iii. 8, " Tea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus ray Lord." Psalm Ixxiii. 25, " Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee." Hence true believers can neither be boasted nor bribed, frightened nor flattered from his love ; Cant. viii. 6, 7, " Set rae as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm ; for love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as the grave ; the coals thereof are coals of flre, which hath a most vehe ment flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it ; if a man wonld give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned." 2. Believers' love to Christ must needs be lasting, everlasting, for his excellencies are infinite and incomprehensible. When we meet with an object among the creatures that coraraands our admira tion and love, Ave are taken with it ; but sorae defect comes after wards to be perceived in it. and then the adrairation ceaseth, or turns into contempt. At least, the perfections of the object are all seen through, and they become familiar, and the adrairation dwin dles away into nothing; and what was at first sight admired as neAV, ceaseth to be so when it affords no more new. But no defect or ble mish can ever be espied in him, who is fairer than the sun ; and there being an incomprehensible depth of excellencies in him, there is ever place for new discoveries ; so the admiration must be kept up for ever; Rev. xxii. 2, " In the midst of the street of it, and of either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month ; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." 3. Those whose greatest admiration and supreme love Christ is not the object of, are yet certainly in the midnight darkness of their natural state. Whosoever of you admire and love any created per son or thing as mnch or more than Christ, ye have never yet seen nor known him ; Psalm ix. 10, " They that know thy name, will put their trust in thee." Luke xiv. 26, "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple," The predominant love of the world, prizing and esteem ing the things thereof above him, is a concluding evidence, that yc 222 Christ's name wonderful, are walking in the dark, that the scales are yet on your eyes, and that Christ is a vailed Christ to you, 4, Lastly, See here how it is not to be thought strange, that there are who stumble at the doctrine of an incarnate God our redeemer. Corrupt nature is blind and venturous. Our incarnate Redeemer is a miracle, past the reach and comprehension of the creatures. They are blind, and cannot apprehend his glory; yet they are proud and lofty, and will not admit the mystery, because they cannot com prehend it. Now, it cannot be comprehended ; therefore either they must be humbled, or stumble at it as a stumbling stone. See Matt. xi. 6 ; 1 Pet. ii. 6—8. III. In what respects is our incarnate Redeemer a miraculous one, a most wonderful personage ? This is a subject which no man can fully comprehend, and will never be exhausted by the saints in glory through eternity. We will touch on a few things to show that he is miracle all over. He is wonderful, 1st, In his person and natures. He is God-man, God and man in one person. None such in heaven or earth. 1. The man Christ is the true God, the second person of the glo rious Trinity, the one supreme most high God, with the Father and the Spirit ; 1 John v. 20, " And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true ; and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life." He is " the bright ness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person," Heb. i. 2, 3. Therefore he said to Philip, John xiv. 9, " Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip ? He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father." He is the Father's fellow, Zech. xiii. 7 ; his equal, Phil. ii. 6. 2. Christ the Son of God is true man. The eternal Son of the Father is a Son of Adam ; Luke iii. 23 — 38, being, as was supposed, " the son of Joseph, which was the son of Adam." He was really human flesh ; John i. 14, " The Word was made flesh ;" and our flesh, as " made of a woraan," Gal, iv. 4. He is a man, consisting of a soul ; Matth. xxvi. 38, and a body of flesh, and blood, and bones; Luke xxiv. 39; as really man as any man whatsoever. So he is God and man in one person. Here is a wonderful per son indeed, whom we cannot comprehend ; true God, yet man ; true man, yet God ; a mysterious person, undiscerned by most that saw him with their eyes, perceived only by the enlightened eye ; John i. 14. The uniting of a soul to an earthly body, forming one person called man, was a work of wonder ; but what is the putting together of two pieces of clay, in comparison of the Potter's uniting with his CHRIST S NAME WONDERFUL. 223 own clay ? Should we behold an angel assuming to himself and ap pearing in a crawling worm, as his own body ; we would cease to wonder at it, beholding this surpassing wonder, an incarnate God i Here eternity and a being of yesterday meet together in one person, a child, and yet the Everlasting Father; here infinite and finite meet in one; God and his own creature ! 2dly, In his perfections and qualifications ; Psalm xlv. 2, " Thou art fairer than the children of men ; " grace is poured into thy lips." All qualities that render one desirable and lovely meet together in hira ; and all these are in him to a miraculous pitch. So his Father is well-pleased in hira, Matth. iii. 17 ; and the Spirit rested on hira, ver. 16. And every soul beholding hira with an eye of faith, will take up its eternal rest in him. Particularly he is wonderful, 1. In his spotless and unchangeable holiness and purity ; Heb. vii. 26, " For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens." The fulness of the Spirit of holiness is in him ; John iii. 34, " God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him." The brightest of the saints here below want not their spots; at best they are but fair as the moon ; but there is no darkness in him at all. The saints and angels in heaven have but each one their measure of holiness, the fulness of a vessel ; they have none to coraraunicate to others ; but in him there is the fulness of a fountain, to fill all with holiness ; John i. 16, " And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace." 2. In his wisdom ; Col. ii. 3, " In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." The least portion and the greatest that any have of it in the world, is from him ; John i. 9, " That was the true light, which lighteth every raan that cometh into the world." The apostle challenges the whole world with that; Rom. xi. 34, " For who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counsellor ?" But his name is the Counsellor, and he hath known the mind of his Father ; Matth. xi. 27, and can open the sealed book, and look into the secrets there. 0 the admirable wisdom of Christ, appearing all along in the conduct of his providence in the church and in the world, whereby men and devils are outwitted ! 3. In his power. There is nothing too hard for hira to do. What astonishing works of power did he while he was in the world ! Matt. xi. 5, " The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them." And he is the beginning of the creation of God ; Heb. i. 2. How often has the song of vic tory been raised in the church to his praise I Psalm xcviii. 1, " 0, 224 Christ's name wonderful. sing unto the Lord a new song, for he hath done marvellous things ; his right hand, and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory." His triumphing over death, devils, hell, and the grave, are lasting monu ments of his power. 4. In his goodness, mercy, and grace. The Prince of the kings of the earth is the Prince of peace. There is grace in his lips, whereby he speaks to poor sinners ; Psalm xlv. 2, " Grace is poured into thy lips." Though he has power sufficient to strike terror into the stout est of his eneraies, yet he is a matchless mirror of goodness, patience, and meekness. 5. Lastly, In a word. He is wonderful in the concentering of all perfections in hira, each in its perfection ; Cant, v- 16, " His month is most sweet, yea, he is altogether lovely.'' Zdly, He is wonderful all along in his duration. Some are wonder ful in one part of their life, some in another ; but he is miracle all over his duration. And particularly he is wonderful, 1. In his eternal generation of the Father ; Psalm ii. 7, " The Lord hath said unto me. Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee." He was before he was born ; John viii. 58, " And Jesus said to them ; Verily, verily I say unto you. Before Abraham was, I am." He was in the beginning of time; John i. 1, "In the begin ning was the Word ;" before time, from everlasting ; Prov. viii. 22) 23, " The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up frora everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was." See Micah v. 2, "Bnt thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me, that is to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." Won derful One ! A Son, and yet from eternity, without beginning of days Heb. vii. 3. A Son, and yet his duration of equal extent with his Father's. An incomprehensible One ! Who can comprehend this his generation ? Begotten from eternity ! The same numerical divine essence communicated from the Father to him ! 2. In his birth ; Matth. i. 23, " Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Em- raanuel, which being interpreted, is, God with us." Adam's body was made of the dust, without help of raan or woman ; Eve of Adam's without the help of a woman ; before the laws of gene ration took place. But after they took place, and had gone on uninterrupted for four thousand years, Christ was conceived of a virgin, without the help of a man, Heb. vii. 3. This was a mir acle, a wonderful birth, incomprehensible to us ; Luke i. 35, " The angel said unto Mary, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the Christ's name wonderful. 225 power of the Highest shall overshadow thee ; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God." 3. In his life. In his private life, a wonderful infant, lying in a manger, yet Avorshipped as God ; Herod set to kill him, yet he pre served, while the several babes about were slain, that he might not be missed ! A wonderful child, ruling the whole world ; yet subject to Joseph and his mother. A wonderful youth, engaging the doctors at twelve years of age, having never learned, John vii. 15. His public life was one continued wonder, in his temptations, preachings, and miracles, especially in the untainted holiness which ran through his whole life ; never a wrong action, word, nor thought, notwith standing of all he suffered frora an ungrateful world. 4. In his death. Betrayed by one of his own ; forsaken by them all; acquitted by his judge as innocent, yet condemned to a most cruel death. Astonishing wonder, God dying in man's nature ! the beloved Son of God hanging on a cross ; heaven, earth, and hell, all pouring in at once floods of suffering ou hira : but he in the meantime wholly resigned, and patient to a miracle under all ; taking the bitter cup of wrath kindly out of his Father's hand, and maintaining his con fldence in him, praying for men his enemies, and triuraphing over devils on the cross. Cease to wonder at raen's laying down their life for their friends ; at Sarason's dying with the Philistines. A greater wonder is here. The sun had never seen such a wonder, and was struck blind with the sight, and death, astonished, let go its prisoners. 5. In his burial. The Lord of life lying down dead in a grave ; the spotless Jesus making his grave with the wicked; the great deliverer from death carried prisoner to its dark regions ; is a won der that may hold us in admiration for ever ! The beautiful fabric of heaven and earth pulled down, heavens rolled up and cast by like old rags, would be no such wonder, as the Christ of God laid down in a grave, and the powers of hell seeming so to have carried the day against him. 6. In his resurrection. Behold him dead and buried, a rock the walls of his grave, closed up with a huge stone, the stone sealed, a guard of soldiers set to watch there ; and so for two days the wicked world and hell triumphing over hira ; but all of a sudden, on the third day, the earth and rocks fall a-quaking and shaking ; an angel rolls away the stone ; the guards become as dead men ; death itself loses its gripes ofhira ; the bands of all the elect's guilt, where with it held him, become as tow touched with the fire ; and the slain Redeemer rises again, and comes forth ; stan Is conqueror on the field of battle, laden with the spoils of his enemies, death and hell ; bringing away the keys of them with him. 226 CHRIST S NAME WONDERFUL. 7. In his ascension into heaven. Behold him ascending into hea ven from the earth, where he stood with his disciples ; making his way through the air upward, they looking on, till a cloud received him out of their sight. Acts i. 9, being carried up into heaven, Luke xxiv. 51. Then he was returning conqueror from the battle unto his Father's palace ; and he is attended in his triumphal chariot with his captives ; Psalm Ixviii. 18, " Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive ;" and with joyful acclamations and sound of trumpet ; Psalm xlvii. 5, " God is gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet." Behold how he is admired by those of the upper house, while he is coming towards them, as a most] wonderful one ; Isa. Ixiii. 1, " Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah ? this that is glorious in his apparel, travell ing in the greatness of his strengh? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save." Then he enters the gates, and sets them open for all his people to follow. 8. In his sitting at the right hand of God, Heb. i. 3. When the man Christ came into the highest heavens, his Father seated him at his right hand. Psalm ex. 1. The most favourite angel never had at any time such an honour put upon him, as this most wonderful man was fixed in, at his first arrival in the upper house, Heb. i. 13- There he sat, there he sits, and there he will sit, in a state of glory, rest, and expectation of his enemies becoming his footstool, till the mystery of God be finished. 9. In his coming again to judge the world, 2 Thess. i. 7 — 10. What tongue can express, or heart conceive the wonders that shall then take place about him ? The attendance of all the holy angels on hira as the Judge, the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God, the resurrection of all the dead at his coming, their compear ance before him, the separating of the sheep from the goats, the sentencing of both, driving the wicked away into hell, and taking the righteous along with him to heaven, will shew him wonderful at that day to those who now see no glory in him. 10. Lastly, In his continuing for ever to be the eternal band of union, and raean of communion, between God and the saints for ever ; Rev. vii. 17, " For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them uuto living fountains of waters : and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." Heb. vii. 25, " Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." Every saint shall shine there as a star in the firmament ; but he is the Sun for ever, from whom they shall derive all their light and glory ; Rev, xxi. 23, " And the city had no need of the sun. Christ's name wonderful. 227 neither of the moon to shine iu it : for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Larab is the light thereof." If they are to be as the seven lamps in the temple above, he is and will be as the bowl in the candlestick from which they will all be fed; he only im mediately communicating with the Godhead. 4ithly, He is wonderful in his offices. And, 1. In his prophetical office. How would men run together to see a prophet of the Lord ; how would they admire hira ? But he is the great prophet, never was there such a one as he. The Spirit came at the times on the Prophets, bnt he rested on hira; Isa. xi. 2. They had their foreknowledge of future events at second hand ; but it is his privilege to look with his own eyes into the sealed book ; John i. 18, "No man hath seen God at any time ; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." All that they could do, was to teach externally ; but he can render his teaching effectual, and that on the weakest and foolishest crea tures that are. Hence he hath chosen the foolish things of the world. So we may conclude. Job xxxvi. 22, " Behold, God exalteth by his power ; who teacheth like him ?" 2. In his priestly office. The priests under the law had their al tars of stone, or brass, or gold; their sacriflces of beasts, their offer ings of divers sorts. But here is a most wonderful Priest ; who is the priest, the altar, and the sacrifice, all in one. He offered himself a sacrifice unto God ; and from himself was the sacrifice rendered ac ceptable. All the sacrifices offered before his, were but as hand writings to own the debt of sin ; but could pay none. His sacrifice was truly expiatory, purchased the Spirit, reconciliation with God, and eternal life for sinners. Never was there such a priest nor sacrifice. And he is the great Intercessor, wonderful in respect of the ground of his intercession, the objects of it, the manner of it, and the infallible success of it continually. 3. In his kingly office. Such a wonderful King the world never saw, among all the crowned heads that ever were on it. Zion's King is most wonderful in his victories, rescuing men from the power of the devil, subduing their hearts to him, and conquering their wills ; in his defence of his subjects, from the devil, the world, lusts, frowns, and flatteries of the world ; in raining his enemies totally, and com pleting the happiness of his friends. Christ's kingdom is the most ancient kingdom, being erected on the sixth day of the creation ; the most extensive kingdom, reaching both heaven and earth. Never a kingdom had so many enemies and so potent ; yet has it stood through all ages, and will stand for ever and ever, without end. bthly, He is wonderful in his relations. And, 228 CHRIST S NAME WONDERFUL. 1. He is nearly related to the house of heaven, and so has the highest possible relation. The monarchs of the earth are the crea tures of God, the angels are the servants of the house of heaven ; but Christ is the Son of that house, the Son of God, Heb. i. 5 ; and has the management of it all in his hand, John v. 22. 2. He is nearly related to the house of Adam. He is a Son of that house too, the top-branch of it ; Lnke iii. 3, 8. He has a coramon relation to them all. He is their Saviour by office ; 1 Tim. iv. 10 ; the Saviour of the world ; 1 John iv. 14. He has a nearer relation to the elect. He is their surety and representative, who undertook for them in the covenant ; Heb. vii. 22, John x. 15 ; and a yet nearer relation to believers. He is their brother ; Heb. ii. 11 ; their father, Isa. ix. 6 ; their husband, 2 Cor. xi. 2 ; and their head, Col i. 18. And thus by his relation to both, 3. He is the centre of union to the two. In him they meet ; John xvii. 2, " I in thera, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one." There was war declared between the two houses ; and the house of Adam could never have made their part good against Heaven ; but the Son of God married our nature to himself, and so brings together the two houses, making peace through the body of his flesh. So, as he is the foundation-stone, on which all believers are laid ; he is the corner-stone, joining and knitting heaven and earth. 6th Lastly, He is wonderful in his love ; Eph. iii. 18, 19, " And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge," viz. his love to the children of men. His love will appear wonderful, if ye con sider, 1. The subject of it, the party loving us. He is the eternal Son of God, the Prince of the kings of the earth. That ever there should have been an eye of love cast from heaven on us, not from araong the courtiers, but from the throne, the King himself, is wonderful. That the Father's delight should have made the sons of men his delight, Prov. viii. 30, 31, may cause' us to cry out, Psalra cxliv. 3, " Lord, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of hira ? or the son of raan, that thou makest account of him ?" 2. The objects of it, the parties beloved; men, sinful men. Con sider them as to their rank of being, and they are the lowest of the rational creatures; but a superior rank, viz., angels, were passed over, and they were made the objects of it ; Tit. iii. 4, '' The kind ness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared." Consider them as to their quality, and they were enemies to him ; Rom. 5. 10, " For Avhen they were eneraies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son." Christ's name avonderful. 229 3. The effect, force and energy of this love. It is absolutely matchless ; never did any love work so powerfully as his. It began (if I may so say) before the world was ; Prov. viii. 31 ; and engaged him in suretyship for the debt of au elect world. In time he died for thera, he so loved them, Rom. v. 8. It rests not till he have them with himself in the highest heavens, John xvii. 24, for ever. 4, Lastly, The qualities of it. These are wonderful. (1.) It is free love; Hos. xiv. 4, "I will love them freely." There was nothing in the object lovely, to engage it. But as the sun shines without hire on the dunghill, as well as ou the bed of roses; so Christ's love Avas unhired. See the freeness of it, Ezek. xvi. 8, " When I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time Avas the tirae of love, and I spread ray skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness, yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine." (2.) It is sovereign love. There were objects equally miserable with fallen man ; yet there was no love to them. Christ looked on the fallen part of the creation, and the angelic tribe, and the human tribe, were both before him ; and sovereignty passes the former, but fixes the love ou the latter. (3.) It is preventing love ; John xv. 16, " Te have not chosen me, but I have chosen you." Love begets love, as one coal kindles an other. But Christ's love to us had nothing frora us of that kind, nor of any other, to kindle it. We never love hira, till he love us first ; 1 John iv. 19. (4.) It is tender love ; Isa. xl. 11, " He shall feed his flock like a. shepherd; he shall gather the larabs with his arra, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." It is tender as of a father to his children ; Psalm ciii. 13, " Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him ;" as of a mother to her sucking child ; Isa. xlix. 15, 16, " Can a wo man forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her worab ? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands, thy walls are continually before me." It is tender, as one is to the apple of his eye ; Zech. ii. 8, " He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye." (5.) It is unchangeable love ; John xiii. 1, " Having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. 2 Tim. ii. 19, " The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal. The Lord knoweth thera that are his." Whatever falls out in the course of the believer's lot and life, though the raanifestations of that love may be very variable, yet the love itself never alters. See Hos. ii, 19, " I will betroth thee unto me for ever." 230 Christ's name wonderful, (6,) Lastly, It is everlasting love. It never had a beginning, and will never have an end ; Jer. xxxi. 3, " I have loved thee with an everlasting love." And thus Christ appears to be all over wonderful. Use 1. For Information. See here, 1. The greatness of the Father's love in giving to us such a won derful one for our Prince ; John iii. 16, " God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son," &c. The love of God appears here to a wonder, 0 what honour is pnt upon man, by making such a gift to' him, than which Heaven could not give a greater ! 0 what happiness appears to be designed for man by this gift ! We may say, as Hiram King of Tyre said to Solomon, 2 Chron. ii. 11, " Because the Lord hath loved his people ; he hath made thee king over them." 2. The reasonableness of the believer's superlative love to Christ. Every believing soul loves Christ above all persons and all things. They'will love him more than all the world, and all that is therein, and more than their own life; Luke xiv. 26. And good reason there is for it ; for there is no object so lovely. If we look to con fessors parting with their goods, their liberty, and their worldly comforts, for Christ, to the martyrs parting with their lives, embracing fires, gibbets, &c., the most cruel deaths for Christ, we will cease to wonder at their so doing, when we consider what a wonderful One he is for whom they undergo the loss of all. Gaining Christ, they are the greatest gainers, whatever they lose ; Phil. iii. 7, 8. 3. The reasonableness of the gospel-demand of all to receive and submit to Christ as their Prince and Governor. His transcendent excellency entitles him to the principality and government over the sons of men. His merit requires our absolute resignation to him. He is the Father's choice ; and in making that choice, he has acted like himself, having chosen for us this most wonderful personage. 4. Lastly, The dreadful sin and danger of the slighting of Christ. The more wonderful and excellent he is, the deeper will the guilt be of refusing him ; the deeper the guilt, the more fearful will be the vengeance for rejecting him ; Heb. ii. 3, " How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation ?" Use 2. Of Exhortation. Be exhorted then to give this wonder ful one your heart ; Prov. xxiii. 26, " My son, give me thine heart." And, 1. Make him the choice of your soul, saying. Psalm. Ixxiii. 25, " Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee." Take him for your portion, as one who is the best of portions. Let your souls solemnly consent to the gos pel -offer. Christ's name wonderful. 231 2. Part with all for hira, as the wise merchant, who sold all that he had, and bought the one pearl of great price, Matth. xiii. 44, 45. Give up with your lusts and idols ; renounce the devil, the world, and the flesh, resting on Christ for all, for time and eternity. 3. Dwell in the contemplation of his matchless excellencies. Let it be the substance of your religion to love him, to admire him, to be swallowed up in his love. .A.nd let love to him set your souls a-moving in all holy obedience. Motive 1. Te can never bestow your hearts so well. What is all the world in comparison of Christ, but loss and dung ? Alas ! that shadows should have our hearts, while the most substantial good courts it. Motive 2. Consider that it is for this end Christ is commended to you. We preach Christ, that ye may fall in love with him. Motive 3. Lastly, Consider how ye will answer it to him before the tribunal, that ye have preferred other lovers to the lovely one. CHRIST THE COUNSELLOR, Isaiah ix. 6, His Name shall be called — Counsellor. The scope of this part of the verse being to commend the Prince presented and given to us for our Prince and Governor, this syllable of his name refers to his singular capacity for raanageraent of raat- ters, in respect of his vast reach in point of wisdom. Other princes must have their counsellors, by whose advice they may act : bnt he himself is, and shews himself to be Counsellor, au oracle of govern ment, a Prince in whose own breast is the oracle for right manage ment of all things relating to his dominion. Doctrine. Jesns Christ, who is presented and given to us of the Father for our Prince, is and shews himself to be the great Coun sellor, an oracle of government. In prosecuting this doctrine, I shall shew, I. In what respects Christ is the Counsellor. II. What is the import of this part of his name. III. Lastly, Improve the subject. I. In what respects is Christ the Counsellor. 1st, He is of the secret council of Heaven; Zech. vi. 13, "The counsel of peace shall be between them both." He is a member of 232 CHRIST THE COUNSELLOR. the cabinet-council of Heaven, to which the most favourite angel is not admitted. He has access to the sealed book of the divine de crees ; Rev. V. 5 ; and there is nothing transacted there, nor has been from eternity, but what he is acquainted with ; John v. 20, " For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doth." With his Father and the Spirit he is of the council. 2dly, He is the oracle of counsel for the earth ; John i. 18, " No man hath seen God at any time ; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." Matth. xi. 27, "All things are delivered unto me of my Father, and no man knoweth the Son but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." Many counsellors are to be found iu the earth ; and wicked counsellors for men's destruction, as the house of Ahab were coun sellors to Ahaziah, King of Judah, to his destruction, 2 Chron. xxii. 4. But he is the Counsellor for salvation, outshining all other good counsellors, as the sun doth the twinkling stars. And, 1. He is the Counsellor of the world of men ; John viii. 12, " I am the light of the world ; he that followeth me, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." They have all lost their way, their affairs are all in confusion, they know not how to right them. But he is, (1.) Their Counsellor in respect of office. As the sun is set in the flrmameut to give light on the earth, so is Christ given for a light to the world, that whosoever will, raay have his counsel, and by his counsel get the affairs of their souls retrieved ; John xii. 46, " I am, corae a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on rae should not abide in darkness." Whoever will consult him, are welcome ; none shall be refused his wise counsel ; John vi. 37, " Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out." (2.) Their Counsellor in respect of capacity. Col. ii. 3, " In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." The multitude and variety of their cases cannot confuse hira ; for his understand ing is inflnite. Nothing can perplex hira, who with one glance of his piercing eye, sees at once through all cases of all men, and can pre scribe suitable remedies. 2. He is the Counsellor of the visible church more especially, Micah iv 9, and that in two respects. (1.) He consults her interest, for her protection and preservation in the world; Micah iv. 9, "Why dost thou cry out aloud; is there no king in the ; is thy counsellor perished." There are con stant conspiracies of devils and wicked men to ruin her ; and ofttimes their plots are laid so subtilly, and so powerfully managed, as that CHRIST THE COUNSELLOR, 233 the church is brought to the brink of ruin ; but he, as her Counsellor, discovers the snare, and powerfully counteracts her enemies ; so that she is still preserved. A remarkable instance of which wo have in the conspiracy of Haman to destroy the whole nation of the Jews, the history of which you may read in the book of Esther. (2.) He is still actually counselling her by his word. And her members have the advantage of Heaven's counsels, inculcated on them for their spiritual welfare. The counsel of God in providing a Saviour, is proclaimed there; the salvation is offered, and they are counselled again and again to embrace it ; their way to happi ness is cleared ; Rev. iii. 18, " I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayst bo rich ; and white raiment, that thou mayst be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not ap pear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayst see." 3. He is the Counsellor of the invisible church, of believers, and of every particular believer in it, Eph. i. 22, and that most especi ally. And, (1.) The care and management of all and every one of thera lies on him ; 1 Peter, v. 7, " Casting all your care upon him, for he car eth for you." He ia the great Shepherd who brings in the sheep from their straying, feeds and protects them, and at length completes the well-being. To him the Father has committed the charge of all the elect ; and on him it lies to bring them into hiraself in con version, to manage them during their stay in the world, and to bring them all safe to glory in the end. (2.) He counsels them effectually, by his word and Spirit, Psalm xxv. 14, " The secret of the Lord is with them that fear hira, and he will show them his covenant." He has established a comraunication between him and them, whereby they have his direction and in struction in their particular cases, what way to steer their course. Prov. iii. 6, " In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." He is their oracle, whom they are to consult in all things ; and his word bears his counsel to them ; Psalm cxix. 24, " Thy testimonies also are my counsellors ;" his providence points out their way ; Psalm xxxii. 8, " I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go ; I will guide thee with mine eye;" and his Spirit makes all effectual ; John xvi. 13, " When the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth." II. What is the import of this part of Christ's name ? We may take it up in these seven particulars following. First, He is of singular wisdom for conduct and management of affairs, Isa. xi. 2, 3, " The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and Vol. X, Q 234 CHRIST THE COUNSELLOR. might, the spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord ; and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord, and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears." Great is the truth committed to him, in bringing an elect world to glory ; but he has a head sufficient for the difficult task, which would be too hard for the skill of angels to manage. Nothing can be so intricate for him, but his wisdom can unfold it. For, 1. The fulness of the Spirit of wisdom is lodged in hira, to fit him for the great trust of bringing many sons to glory, Isa. xi. 2, fore- cited; and that not by measure, as saints have the same ; but with out measure, to fit him for every emergency in the case of his trust; so that he can never be at a loss to know what to do ; John iii. 34, " For God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him ;" being fur nished with wisdom, as the spring with waters continually. 2. He is wisdom itself, the Eternal Wisdom of the Father ; under which name Soloraon speaks of hira, Prov. viii. And Christ's chil dren are wisdom's children, Matth. xi, 19, Use. 1. How fit and suitable is Christ for us then, to conduct us through an evil world, to the place of perfect safety 1 We live in a deceitful world, where we are environed with snares : how will we ever make our way through it ? Let us betake ourselves then to the great Counsellor for conduct, the deceit of the world prompting us to go to him. 2. Put your case in his hand, and trust him with it, how intricate and perplexed soever it is. Though you cannot give a name to it, he can ; though you can find no remedy for it in the whole creation ; but all says, " It is not in me;" the wisdom of the Counsellor will reach it. 3. See how weak and foolish things fall on and keep the way to happiness, while worldly wise men are bemisted and bewildered, that they never reach it, Isa. xxv. 8, " And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness ; the unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for those ; the wayfaring raen, though fools shall not err therein." The Counsellor is on their head, ver. 4; while those slighting him lean to their own under standing, and so wander; Eccles. x. 15, " The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city." Secondly, He is a prince of great and noble designs and projects, requiring counsel and wisdom. All the designs and projects of the princes of the earth are but trifles, and childish in comparison of his ; they are quite too high for creatures of the deepest reach, 1 Cor. ii. 9. We may take them up in these three. CHRIST THE COUNSELLOR. 236 1. He entertained, aud has accomplished a design of ransoming an elect world, and so became their Redeemer ; 1 Tim. ii. 5, 6> " There is one God, and one Mediator betAveen God and men, the man Christ Jesus ; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testi fied in due time.'' This was such a high design, that no man what soever was able to have fallen on a method of ransoraing one of them ; Psalm xlix. 7, 8, " None of them can by any means redeem his brother nor give to God a ransom for him ; for the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever." Silver and gold could not effect it ; it behoved to be by blood ; that blood behoved to be of infinite value. So the great Counsellor falls on a method to effect it, his own incarnation ; 1 Pet. i. 18, 19, " Te were not re deemed with corruptible things as silver and gold ; but with the precious blood of Christ, as a Lamb without blemish and without spot." 2. He has been, and is on a project of rescuing one and all of them frora the power of the devil; John x. 16, " Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold ; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice ; and there shall be one fold and one shepherd." This is a difficult task ; all the wit and power of hell is engaged against it ; and what is favourable on Satan's side, is, that he is in possession ; they are his captives, prisoners and slaves ; and they theraselves side with hira against Christ, being unwilling to be rescued. Tet the Counsellor will not give over the project; but as he has hither to, so he will to the end carry it on, till there is not one of them all left unrescued ; John vi. 37, " All that the Father giveth me, shall come to me; and. him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out." 3. He is on a design to have them all together at home with him self in his Father's house, in a state of complete happiness, John xvii. 24, " Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am ; that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me." There are mountains of difficulties lying in the way of this project ; but the wisdom of the Counsellor will find a way to roll them all away. This is the building of the temple of the Lord which he has in view, Zech. vi. 12 ; and will perfect over the belly of all difficulties ; Zech. iv. 7, " Who art thou, 0 great mountain ? before Zerubbabel thou shalt becorae a plain ; and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it." For effecting this, there are to be rolled away raoun- tains of difficulties casting up in their case, (1.) Before death. Their passage through the wilderness is diffi cult, through their manifold wants, weaknesses, snares and tempta- 2q 236 CHRIST TUE COUNSELLOR. tions there, that if they were not under the wise conduct of the great Counsellor, it would be impossible they could miss their car cases falling there ; but he will have all safe through ; Psalra Ixxiii. 24, " Thou shalt guide rae with thy counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory." (2.) In death. It is hard to get safe through the dark valley ; but he will have them safe there, where many split, and are broken in pieces. Be the voyage never so dangerous, he will be their pilot ; Psalm xxiii. 4, " Tea, though I walk through the valley of the sha dow of death I will fear no evil ; for thou art with rae ; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." Be the way never so much haunted by instruments of destruction, he will carry them safely through ; Isa. xxxv. 9, " No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there ; but the redeemed shall walk there." (3.) In the grave. There their bodies lie, when they leave this world, under the power of death. The bands of death wherewith they are held there, are mighty ; the bars of the grave cannot be broken in sunder by created power ; but he designs to loose tho one, and break the other ; Hos. xiii. 14, '^ I will ransom them from the power of the grave ; I will redeem thera from death ; 0 death, I will be thy plagues ; 0 grave, I will be thy destruction ; repentance shall be hid from mine eyes." Use 1. Let us then, each for himself, fall in with the noble and great designs of this prince, Satan, the prince of this world, is car rying on designs of destruction ; and men fall in with his designs, pursuing their worldly interest as their chief interest, and going on impenitent in their sins. Christ's designs are designs of salvation ; fall in with these, seeking chiefly the advancing of your eternal in terest, Matth. vi. 33, repenting, and turning every one from his evil way. 2. Let us be concerned for the prospering of his counsels ; Psalm Ixxii. 15, " Prayer shall be made for hira continually, and daily shall he be praised." Corapare Matth. vi. 10, " Thy kingdora corae. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Satan and his agents are engaged against them, and counteract them all they can ; stand not unconcerned spectators ; for neutrals in this case are enemies to Christ; Matth. xii. 30, " He that is not with me, is against me ; and he that gathereth not with rae, scattereth abroad." Rejoice in the prospering of his kingdom, and mourn for the dishonours done to him. 3. They that reject and oppose his counsels, are fools, and do it to their own loss and hurt ; Luke vii. 30. For all his counsels are CHRIST THE COUNSELLOR. 237 great and noble ; and whoso set theraselves against them, work for their own ruin ; Prov. viii. 36, " He that sinneth against me, wrong eth his OAvn soul ; all they that hate me, love death." They must perish without remedy, rejecting the counsels of salvation. Thirdly, He can manage all by himself, and needs no counsel of men, the name of the wisest on earth, may be Consultor ; the wisest of men says so ; Prov. xi. 14, " Where no counsel is, the people fall ; but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety." But his name is counsellor. He is so far a Counseller, that he is a Consultor of none ; Rom. xi. 34, " For who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counsellor?" His servants are about his throne, but not to pretend to give him counsel. Consider, I. His understanding is infinite. He sees all things at once, and he sees through every thing ; whereas the creature's capacity is but finite, seeing bnt some things, and but some parts of them too. There can then be no lack of counsel in him ; and if there were, we would be utterly unfit to make it up. Can the light of a sraall candle increase the light of the shining sun, or a drop frora one's finger the waters of the ocean ? Far less can finite add to what is infinite. 2. His counsels were all concerted before we had a being. The plan and method of his government, in every part, was laid down immutably, before there was a man or angel. He hath not councils of yesterday, wherein we might give advice ; but " known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world," Acts xv. 18. The elect were chosen to the kingdom from eternity, Eph. i. 4 ; and the kingdom prepared for them, Matth. xxv. 34 ; and all the dispen sations of his providence iramutably laid down, Zech. vi. 1. 3. The execution of them was begun entirely without us. What a sweet surprise was the conduct of the great Counsellor to our guilty first parents in paradise ? Did he consult with the guilty pair, how to remedy their case ? No ; but he surprised them with his counsel. He made us without us at first ; and he re-makes us, not only without us, but over the belly of opposition from us, there fore he can manage us without us, both in nature and grace. 4. How often have we seen, that our counsels, had they been mix ed with those of the great Counsellor, would have marred all ? David would have the child to live, but the great Counsellor would have him to die ; for had he lived, he had lived to the reproach of David. Jacob says, " All these things were against hira ;'' yet were they for hira ; so that if they had not taken place, his family had been in ill case. 238 CHRIST THE COUNSELLOR. Use 1. Let us therefore wholly resign the disposal of our lot to Jesus Christ the great Counsellor ; Psalra xlvii. 4, " He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whora he loved." Let us not carve for ourselves, but leave that to him ; believing that to be best for us, which he sees best. First commit your souls to him for eternal salvation, and then put a blank into his hand as to all other concerns. If we are his children, let our Father dispose of us ; if his subjects, let our King rule us. " The Father has commit ted all judgment to the Son," John v. 22. Let not us refuse for our part. 2. Let us wait on him patiently in the way of his dispensation to wards ourselves, and towards the church ; Isa. xxvi. 8. The church of God, and the interest of religion, are at a very low pass at this day ; we are rowed into deep waters, frora which no human skill can row us out again. But Christ is the great Counsellor ; let him alone ; he will see to his own work, and will awake as a giant re freshed with wine. Are we in depths of affliction, trials, and diffi culties? The storm is never so boisterous, nor the passage so hazardous, as the pilot Christ needs to call a council what to do. 3, Let us beware of murmuring and fretting at, and quarrelling his conduct. There may be pieces of it which we cannot acconnt for ; but there is nothing in it that is wrong, Deut. xxxii. 4. Though we cannot see how all is well that he does, let us believe that he does all well, Jer. xii. 1. Murmuring is a charging of the great Councillor foolishly, as if he were not wise enough for to manage us; and that we might pretend to direct hira. Reraeraber his narae, and be silent, and satisfied in all his disposals. Fourthly, His manner of conduct, and method of management, is deep and uncommon. Solomon tells us, that " counsel in the heart of man is like deep waters," Prov. xx. 5. Christ's name is Coun sellor, pointing out his counsels as great deeps ; and so they are ; Psalra xcii. 5, " 0 Lord, how great are thy works ! and thy thoughts are very deep." The contrivances of the greatest wits araong raen, are but thin and shallow, in coraparison of the way of the great Counsellor; Psalm Ixxvii. 19, " Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known." 1. It is not easily seen into. His way in his conduct of matters is truly mysterious ; there is need of wisdom to discern it ; Psalm cvii. 43, and carnal wisdom will not do it ; 1 Cor. ii. 14, " For the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God ; for they are foolishness unto hira ; neither can he know them, because they CHRIST THE COUNSELLOR. 239 are spiritually discerned." Earthly princes have their secrets of government ; and therefore no wonder that Christ has his secrets of government, who is the great. Counsellor. It is such a deep, and so hard to be seen into, that, (1.) Carnal, unrenewed men make wretched blunders about it, and quite mistake it. They cannot at all see into the mystery; it is as a parable to them that they cannot understand, Mark iv. 11. They are none of the king's friends, and they cannot penetrate into his counsels, nor flnd out his designs, in his dispensations ; Psalm xcii. 5 — 7, " 0 Lord, how great are thy works, and thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish man knoweth not, neither doth a fool understand this. When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish, it is that they shall be destroyed for ever." Tea, they quite mistake the matter to their own destruction ; Mai. iii. 14, 15, " Te have said, It is vain to serve God ; and what proflt is it, that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts ? And now we call the proud happy ; yea, they that work wickedness, are set up ; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered." Hos. xiv. 9, " Who is wise, aud he shall understand these things ? pru dent, and he shall know them ? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them ; but the transgressors shall fall therein." (2.) Even the godly themselves are often mightily puzzled and perplexed about it, they know not what to make of it. How was Asaph plunged in the case of the prosperity of the wicked, and ad versity of the godly ? He was brought to the borders of Atheism by it. And there was no recovering, till he gave over looking with the eye of carnal wisdora, and looked with the eye of faith. Psalm Ixxiii. 12, &c. 2. His manner of conduct, and method of management, is not to be seen through while we are here, by any whatsoever; Rom. xi. 33, " 0 the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past find ing out !" Even those who see into his conduct, cannot see through it. There are many plies of the manifold wisdom of God that they cannot unfold ; but will remain hid till the light of glory do dis cover them. By faith we raay see so far as to say, " He does all things well." But when the whole web of providence being cut out, is laid before the saints in the light of the upper house, they will doubtless discern a great deal of beauties therein, which they do not now see. For a swatch of these depths, you may take these, 1. Things let go on to the utmost point of hopelessness, before a 240 CHRIST THE COUNSELLOR. hand is put to, to work the delivery. This is not the manner of men, whose maxim is, to withstand the beginnings, before the disease grows desperate : Principiis obsta : sero medicina paratur, Cum longa per moras invaluere mala. But nothing is more ordinary in the conduct of the great counsellor, than to let things go on to the utmost extremity, and then to take the opportunity ; Deut. xxxii. 36, " For the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants ; when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left." The chief thing in the dispensation was about himself; before he was de livered, he was dead, and buried, the stone sealed, the watch set, he lying still so long in the grave ; and after that pattern, the greatest deliverances his church or any believer gets, is wrought, as in the case of Joseph. 2. The prince's friends treated like enemies, and his enemies treated like friends. Solomon observes it; Eccl. viii. 14, "There is a vanity which is done upon the earth, that there be just raen unto whora it happeneth according to the work of the wicked ; again, there be wicked raen to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous." This is not the way of men neither, to caress their eneraies, and heap favours on thera ; and to pinch, and lay their hand heavy on their friends. But this is one of the counsellor's depths of management. The ungrateful butler is at court in favour, but Joseph in the dungeon ; waters of a full cup wrung out to the ungodly, but godly Asaph plagued every day ; Herodias dancing and making merry, but John Baptist's head struck off iu a prison. 3. The most unlikely instruments and raeans chosen, and the most promising laid by. This is not the way of men neither, who choose what bids fairest for the purpose ; but it is the way of the counsellor. When the people choose a king, he was one that was the most stately man among them ; but not so was the counsellor's choice, 1 Sam. xvi. 7- Cain was rejected, and Abel accepted. Sarah, who had no procreative faculty, is chosen, when wasted and worn with age, to be the mother of the seed promised to Abraham ; and not Hagar, who was in the bloom of youth. So Mary espoused to a carpenter, and none of the ladies ot Judea, was pitched upon to be the mother of our Lord. He chose his apostles from among fishermen generally, not from among the learned raen of the age, Paul only excepted. 4. Things brought about by means in their own nature, and in CHRIST THE COUNSELLOR. 24 L the eyes of men, quite contrary to the design. Neither is this the manner of men, but it is his. The blind man is cured with clay laid on his eyes. Joseph is advanced by means of his being sold as a slave, and put into the dungeon. The wheel of providence that seems to drive away from the design, doth often but take an unknown road to it. Use I. Let us judge nothing before the time, nor be hasty in our conclusions on the conduct of providence. It will but proclaim our rashness and folly, and we will be forced at length to retract our censures; Psalra cxvi. 11, 12, " I said in my haste, All men are liars." His method of management is often what we cannot rightly judge of till we see the end; Jara. v. 11, " Behold, we count them happy which endure. Te have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord : that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." 2. Let us beware of penning up the great counsellor to our known roads. Hence God's people often torment themselves in vain, thinking that, because they cannot see him in all the roads within their view, he is not coraing to them at all. In the raean- tirae, he raay be making speed towards them, though in a darkened road, where they look not for hira, as in the conduct of Jesus towards the disciples ; Matth. xiv. 25 — 27, " And in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went unto thera walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying. It is a spirit ; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer, it is I, be not afraid." There are many methods of deliverance known to the counsellor, that fall not within the compass of our narrow view ; and when we are set on them, we know not whither they do lead ; Isa. xlii. 16, " And I will bring the blind by a way that they know not, I will lead them in paths that they have not known ; I will make dark ness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them." 3. See here the necessity of acquaintance with the Scriptures, and of faith ; 2 Pet. i. 19, " We have also a raore sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth^ in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts." There the mysteries of the kingdom are unfolded, and by faith the beauty of thera is perceived. Those who are strangers to the book of the word, cannot miss to blunder in the book of providence to their own soul's hurt ; and unbelief of the word makes beautiful pieces of providence look very odd ; for it fixes men's eyes, as if one should stare on the wrong side of arras 242 CHRIST THE COUNSELLOR. hangings, having no power to turn up the right side of thera ; Psalra Ixxiii. 16, 17, " When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me. Until I went into the sanctuary of God, then understood I their end." Fifthly. He does nothing without a becoming reason. There is not one random stroke in the whole of the conduct of providence ; Eph. i. 11, " In whora also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." The red and black horses caroe out between the mountains of brass, as well as the rest, Zech. vi. 1, 2, and every event is written in the sealed book. Rev. v. There is a reason for every dispensation, and it is a reason that is good and valid. This appears, if ye consider that, 1, His infinite wisdora sees all things at once perfectly ; Psalm cxlvii. 5. " His understanding is infinite.'' The fitness of a means for compassing an end, cannot be hid to him, as it is often unto men ; and he cannot be liable to mistake in that matter, though raen, through their weaknes, as often pitch on means unfit as fit, Ezek, i, 18, and x. 12, Therefore he does all fitly and reasonably, since he is withal infinitely good. 2. Even those things which sometiraes cannot be discerned to have a fitness in them for any good purpose, do in end appear beautiful ; those that appear confused at first, when done out ap pear orderly, so that in end his people are made to say. He has done all things well. So was the dispensation anent Joseph ; Gen. 1. 20, " But as for you, ye thought evil against me ; bnt God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." All of them, whatever compasses they make, do by virtue of the promise concenter in God's glory and his people's good, Rom. viii. 28, and ix. 22, 23. Thus are the mysterious steps of providence before named all managed, and may be accounted for. 1. Things are let go on to the utmost point of hopelessness, that the power of God may appear the more in bringing about the de livery, and that it may be the more signal mercy to his people, and fill thera the more with joy and wonder, John xi. 14, 15. The Lord left his people in Babylon, till they were like dry bones lying about the graves ; why ? see Ezek. xxxvii. 13, " And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, 0 my people, and brought you up out of your graves." Psalm cxxvi. 1. 4, "When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Turn again our captivity, 0 Lord, as the streams in the south." Deliverance is sweet at any time; but the raore hope- loss, the more sweet and surprising is it when it comes. CHRIST THE COUNSELLOR. 243 2. By treating his friends with afflictions and trials, he pours contempt on the world, and all its honour, wealth, and ease ; shew ing to all thereby, that those things which carnal men set their hearts on, are such things as he hath no value for, else he would never dispose of them at the rate he does. Thereby he invites his enemies to repentance, and renders them inexcusable if they be not gained thereby, Rom. ii. 4. And he tries the faith, love, and pa tience of his own, and thereby lays up for their greater weight of glory, 1 Pet. i. 6, 7. 3. He chooseth the most unlikely instruments and means to ac complish his purposes, that he may stain the pride of all glory. Is. xxiii. 9, that all may be referred to himself as the first cause and last end of all things, which is the reasonable order, 1 Cor. i. 31. Therefore he " put the treasure in earthen vessels," 2 Cor. iv. 7, and for the same reason not in the finest, but the coarsest of the sort. 4. He works by contrary means, that he may shew himself to be above means, and to have them at his beck, and to surprise his people more sweetly with the unlooked-for effect of them. The character of divine power is the more deeply engraven on the effect, that the means of themselves are not of that tendency. Use 1. Then all that the Lord does is well done. There is nothing amiss in it, Deut. xxxii. 4; in the blackest dispensation there is a line of purity. The smoking oven is joined with a burning lamp. Gen. xv. 17. Compare Isa. Ixii. 1. In the whole fabric of providence towards the children of men, there is not one wrong pin, there is nothing awry, but everything lies straight to its end. 2. When ye cannot find out the reason, a becoming reason of some dispensation towards the church or yourselves, yet believe that it is not without a becoming reason, and be satisfied in your minds that it is well done, because the counsellor has done it. When you put a straight stick in the water, it appears to your eyes to be crooked; yet you do not think or believe in your judgment that it is really crooked. That appearance is owing to your eyesight, not to the stick itself, which remains straight. So is it with us oft-times in respect of the dispensations of providence. But let faith correct the errors of sense in this matter, Jer, xii. 1. 3. Wait ye, and the reason of the most mysterious dispensation will appear in a clear light at length. There is a promise for it ; John xiii. 7, " What I do thou knowest not now ; but thou shalt know hereafter." Since the counsellor does nothing without a reason, he will for his own honour satisfy all his friends with it. 244 CHRIST THE COUNSELLOR. and silence his enemies for ever ; and thereby he will bountifully reward believing waiters, and confound unbelieving quarrellers of his conduct. Sixthly, He raanageth all with a depth of wisdom. Counsel speaks not only a reasonable management, but a depth of wisdom ; for it is to things of the greatest weight and difficulty that counsellors are required; Prov. xx. 5, "Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water ; but a man of understanding will draw it out." Hereof take the following evidences. Evidence 1. His compassing a great variety of ends by one and the same means, and all these designed. What a vast variety of ends did he compass by Joseph's being sold into Egypt ? Hereby Jacob was tried, the naughtiness of his sons discovered, Joseph him self proved, Jacob's posterity provided for, Christ was typified, way was made for the greatest events under the Old Testament, &c. So sorae suffer, and the Counsellor designs the good of many thereby ; 2 Cor. i. 6, " And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same suffer ings, which we also suffer ; or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation." In men's management there may be happy undesigned hits ; but all these are designed by the infinite mind of the Counsellor. EviD. 2. That no man can fully reach what is in the womb of pro vidence, in the most opeu and obvious steps of it. He may see this and the other design in it, but still there is something beyond what he sees ; Psalm, xcii. 5, " 0 Lord, how great are thy works ; and thy thoughts are very deep." Sober-minded men of learning will own, that they cannot have a full and comprehensive notion of the least insect ; they know not but the Creator raay have put in it some quality which they cannot discern. And sober-minded Christians will own the same in the raost obvious steps of providence ; Rom. xi. 33, " 0 the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ; how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out !" EviD. 3. The greatest variety of designs in a dispensation is guarded on every side by the wisdom of the Counsellor, that one shall not overthrow, nor interfere with another. Man's wisdom can not prevent, that where they have many irons in the fire together, some of them must cool, while others of thera are working; but every the least design of the counsellor must take, by his wise raa nageraent ; Isa. xlvi. 10, " My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." See Joel ii. 7, 8, " They shall run like mighty raen, they shall climb tho wall like men of war, and they shall raarch CHRIST THE COUNSELLOR. 245 every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks, neither shall one thrust another, they shall walk every one in his path : and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be Avounded." For the wheels are full of eyes round about. EviD. 4. His bringing the greatest of things out of the smallest beginnings. 0 how often does the Counsellor, in the depth of his wisdom, rear up golden pillars on leaden bases, and raake the cloud like a raan's hand at first, cover the whole face of the heavens ? Thus he manages in the kingdom of nature; for an instance of which, man needs not go without himself; but consider what a mi nute thing it is from which this body of his, growing to such a bulk, in such comely proportion, with such a variety of organs doth take its rise ; Psalm cxxxix. 14, " I will praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made ; marvellous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well." In the kingdom of grace ; in its beginning in a soul, and in the world, it is as a grain of mustard seed, Matth. xiii. 31. So Psalm Ixxii. 16, " There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains ; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon, and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth." How low were the beginnings of that kingdom which has now fllled the earth ? The stone is become a great mountain, fill ing the earth, Dan. ii. 35. EviD. 5. His making the most weighty and surprising turns in matters, upon the smallest of events. If we trace the turn the affairs of the church took in Mordecai's days, to the overthrowing of Haman's desperate plot, to the first spring of it; we will find it was a vapour that had got up into Ahasuerus's head that he could not sleep, Esther vi. 1. In the smallest of things God is very great. He that hangs the earth upon nothing, often raakes a very minute circumstance to be the hinge on which great things turn ; 2 Kings iii. 23. EviD. 6. His counteracting successfully the united force of devils and men, in all ages, set for the overthrow of his kingdom; Prov. xxi. 30, " There is no wisdora, nor understanding, nor counsel against the Lord." The subjects of Christ's kingdora are weak, and easily, beguiled ; Satan is most subtle, watchful, and incessant iuhis acting against thera ; the war has been carried on by hell against them through all ages ; the generality of the world is on Satan's side ; often the feet of the saints are almost slipt ; yet the church is pre served, not one of Christ's kindly subjects lost. This proclaims aloud the depth of wisdom in her King, Micah iv. 9. See Gen. iii. 15. EviD. 7- Lastly, His outshooting the devil in his own bow, and 246 CHRIST THE COUNSELLOR. bringing good out of evil, Phil. i. 12. The malice of hell never ap peared more, than in the sufferings Christ hiraself was put to : yet out of these was the salvation of an elect world brought ; and these were they that shook the kingdora of Satan to the foundations. The very teraptations and falls of the saints are overruled to some ad vantage, Rom. viii. 28. Use I. Then whatsoever he doth, is not only well done, but best done, Eccl. iii. 14. If thou art out of Christ, whatever thou meet- est with in the providence of God, it is that which for the time is best for the glory of God. If thou art in Christ, whatsoever thou meeetest with, is for the time best for God's honour, and best for thee too. For all is the product of the depth of wisdom. The reason of the difference is, that the believer being in God's covenant, God's honour and his good are joint interests secured by the covenant; unbelievers are not so. 2. The believer may securely trust him to whom he has committed his soul, with the management of all that concerns him ; Psalm xxxvii. 5, " Commit thy way unto the Lord : trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass." Our anxiety should be confined to our duty ; to be otherwise anxious, as for provision, protection, and the like, is but the fruit of unbelief; Luke xii. 29, "And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind." Since God stands in the relation of a Father, and is infi nitely wise, there is complete ground for the security of faith ; Matth. vi. 8, " Tour Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him." 3. In the case of doubtful events, believe that the Counsellor will do what is best. This is what ye are to believe in such a case ; Psalm Ixxxv. 12, " The Lord will give that which is good." Here is the rest of faith in cases of a doubtful issue : and here one may securely rest waiting the issue, which the depth of wisdom shall in due time bring forth. Dominus meus omnia, 8fc. — Luther. Seventhly, and Lastly, He is the best Counsellor ; there is none like hira. There are many counsellors, nobody wants sorae ; bnt his narae is Counsellor, as if there were not another ; for he is the Coun sellor by way of eminency. Here we shall, 1**, Confirm the truth of this assertion, That Christ is the best Counsellor. 2dly, Shew wherein he counsels sinners. Bdly, How he gives his counsel. First, To confirm the truth of this assertion, That Christ is the best Counsellor, consider. CHRIST THE COUNSELLOR. 247 1. He is of the Father's choice and nomination for a Counsellor to us ; 1 Cor. i. 30, " He is made of God unto us wisdora." When the Father from eternity, pitying fallen raan in his ruined state, was thinking on a Counsellor, that might by his wisdom retrieve their sinking affairs, he pitched on Jesus Christ; Psalm Ixxxix. 19, "I have laid help upon one that is mighty." The highest angel was too weak for such a burden ; but the Son, who was of the cabinet-coun cil of heaven, was the choice ; and sinners are referred to him, Matth. xvii. 5. 2. He is the saint's choice iu all ages for a Counsellor; who all with one voice say ; Psalm Ixxiii. 24, 25, " Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart faileth : but God is the strength of ray heart, and my portion for ever." Men are by nature out of themselves, and so will keep the guiding of theraselves in their own hands ; but as soon as they come to themselves, they renounce their own wisdom, will no more believe their own eyes, but by faith choose hira for their Counsellor. 3. He never raisseth the point in his counselling, Prov. xxx. 5. " Every word of God is pure : he is a shield unto thera that put their trust in him." The best of counsellors among men will miss at a time ; but inflnite wisdom is not liable to mistake. He sees, and sees through all that is past and present, and thoroughly foresees all that is to come. How can he err in his counsel ? Secondly, Wherein doth Christ counsel sinners ? He counsels them, 1. In their greatest concerns, their concerns for eternity. In these they have least skill ; in these a mistaking of their raeasures is most fatal ; so his counsel respects these chiefly. And he coun sels them, (1.) To the way of peace, which they know not. Rev. iii. 18. The gospel is Christ's counsel to sinners ; thereby he points them the way to the favour of God, the pardon of their sin, the securing to themselves a right to heaven, and freedom frora the wrath and curse of God. He presseth and plies them to take that counsel, with the strongest arguments. (2.) In the way to peace and happiness, how they being set on it, may keep it till they arrive at perfect happiness. Psalm Ixxiii. 24. His clients are in a wilderness while in this world ; and he is to be instead of eyes to them there. In every new emergent difficulty, they have access to his counsel, what course to take in such a temp tation, dark step, or case. 2. In their lesser concerns, viz. the things of time. He refuses 248 CHRIST THE COUNSELLOR. not to be their Counsellor in the matters of this present life. And, (1.) In their raatters of greater weight, he allows sinners to seek his counsel ; and it is their sin that they neglect it. Josh. ix. 14. There is an oracle to be consulted in our temporal, as well as in our spiritual affairs ; for the promise reacheth the one as well as the other; Psalm cxii. 5, "A good man — will guide his affairs with discretion." (2.) In their smallest matters ; Prov. iii. 6( " In all thy ways ac knowledge hira, and he shall direct thy paths." There is nothing so small but the providence of God reaches it, even to the very hairs of the head, Matth. x, 30 ; and on very small things great matters may depend. Things small in themselves may be very great in their consequences ; therefore we have need of a Counsellor in the least. So Christ is a Counsellor for sinners in all their matters, of what soever kind. And this is a peculiar excellency of this Counsellor, that he can give counsel in every thing. Men consult divines in their soul's case, physicians in the case of their body, lawyers in the case of their estate, raen experienced in their occupation ; but Christ is a Counsellor in thera all. Thirdly, How doth Christ give his counsel. 1. He proposeth his counsel in and by his word ; Psalm cxix. 24, " Thy testimonies are my counsellors." If ye would have his coun sel, ye must go believingly to his word. That is it by which the an swer is given to those that consult the holy oracle. And there is no case can happen to one, but in the word there is proper counsel for it. This is a mystery to the formal and profane ; but the exer cised Christian knows it by experience to be true. 2. He clears it, and opens it, and conflrms it by his providence ; Psalm xxxii. 8, " I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go ; I will guide thee with raine eye." Providence taken by itself, without respect to the word, is a very uncertain light to walk by, as in Jonah's flnding the ship going to Tarshish ; but when providence is considered in subordination to the word, it is of erainent use for discovering the Lord's mind in particular cases ; as in the case of Peter ; Acts x. 17, " Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius, had made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate." And therefore all tender Christians will be serious observers of providence ; Psalm cvii. 43, " Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord." 3. He makes it effectual by his Holy Spirit; John xvi. 13, " When he the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all CHRIST THE COUNSELLOR. 249 truth." He shines on the word, and on the work of providence, sets both in a clear light, and enables, as well as determines the believer to follow it. So the counsel of the great counsellor is the light of life, John viii. 12; promised to all Christ's followers. Men follow ing their own wisdom and delusive counsels, cannot expect the Spi rit's efficacy ; and the word and providence cannot be effectnal with out the Spirit ; but the Spirit makes both effectual to those that wait for Christ's counsel. Use 1. Then take him for your Counsellor, renouncing all other. And, 1. Renounce your own wisdom, do not lean to your own abilities for the raanageraent of yourself; but know your own wisdora to be but weakness and folly ; Prov. iii. 5, 6, " Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge hira, and he shall direct thy paths." Fallen man lost his spiritual eye-sight, and he can see nothing aright in spi rituals till he go to the Counsellor, Rev. iii. 18 ; and he is apt to go wrong even in other things. 2. Renounce the counsel of the world, and shut your ears to it ; Prov. xix. 27, " Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err frora the words of knowledge." Mind it is the character of a happy man, that he " walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners," Psalm i. 1 ; and the character of one in a natural state ; Eph. ii. 2, " to walk according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air." They who make the way of the world their rule, must perish with the world. 3. Take Christ for your Counsellor instead of all other ; Prov. xxiii. 26, " My son, give me thine heart ; and let thine eyes observe my ways." Give up yourselves wholly to his management; let him be your sole Counsellor, and that for all things ; you need a guide, the Father has given him to you for that end; Isa. Iv. 4, "Behold, I have given him for a leader unto the people," Close with hira as your guide- and counsellor. Use 2. Follow the counsel that he is giving yon. Christ is coun selling you all in the gospel ; even those that will not consult him, and have refused his counsel, he is counselling still. His counsels are two. 1. He is counselling you to believe in himself, John vi. 29; to come to him, to come to his market of free grace, and buy there, without money or price. Rev. iii. 18 ; Isa. Iv. 1 ; to take him for a Head, and husband, for all. 2. To be holy; to give up with your sinful courses, that will ruin Vol. X. E 250 CHRIST THE MIGHTY GOD. you ; and to betake yourselves to the way of holiness, without which there is no seeing the Lord ; Ezek. xviii. 31, " Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart, and a new spirit ; for why will ye die, 0 house of Israel ?" See both together ; Prov. ix. 5, 6, " Come, eat of ray bread" saith Wisdora, " and drink of the wine which I have mingled. Forsake the foolish, and live ; and go in the way of understanding." Use 3. Lastly, Then make use of Christ as a counsellor, by your consulting hihi daily, that ye may not walk but by his direction. Apd, 1. Be habitually tender in labouring to know the mind of God, as to sin and duty, in particular cases; and in your coramon, as well as in your religious affairs, Isa. xxviii. 26. 2. Be upright and sincere in your consulting him, lying open to the divine deterraination, Jer. xlii. 20 ; corapare chap. xli. 17- 3. Humbly entertain the divine determination, though it fall to be cross to your inclination. Do not, like Baalam, tempt God, till ye get an answer to your own mind, Numb, xxii, 4. Beware of going cross to duty cleared, and rejecting God's counsel given, 1 Kings xiii. 5. Lastly, Pray much ; ejaculatory, and secret ; and carefully ob serve providences, while ye are waiting for the Lord's counsel. The light is from the Lord, if it is strengthening to duty, and overpower corruptions against it. CHRIST THE MIGHTY GOD. Isaiah ix. 6, His Name shall be called — The Mighty God. These words in the Hebrew are, God Mighty One. This is the third syllable of the name of our Lord Redeemer ; and a's- this name is given to him as God-man, so this syllable of it natively respects both, as he is God, he is the true God ; as he is man, he is the mighty one ; the greatest heroes are bnt weaklings to him. Doctrine. Jesus Christ, the prince presented and given to us of the Father, is and shews himself to be true God, the Mighty One. In discoursing this doctrine, I shall shew, I, That Christ is the true God. CHRIST THE MIGHTY GOD. 251 II. That the man Christ is the Mighty One. III. Lastly, Apply. I. I shall shew, that Christ is the true God. This appears from these following things. 1. That he is the true God, the scripture expressly calls him, and asserts him to be so; John i. 1, " In the beginning was the Word, and tho Word was God." Acts xx. 28, " Feed the church of God, which he hath purchased Avith his own blood." Rom. ix. 5, " Of whom as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever ;" the true God ; 1 John v. 20, " This is the true God, and eternal life ;" Jehovah or Lord ; Mai. iii. 1, " The Lord whom ye seek, shall suddenly corae to his teraple ; even the messen ger of the covenant." This name is peculiar to God only ; Psalm Ixxxiii. 18, " That men may know, that thou whose name alone is Jehovah, art the Most High over all the earth." 2. The attributes or perfections of God, distinguishing God from all created beings, are in him, and ascribed to hira. He is eternal or from everlasting, Micah v. 2 ; independent and almighty. Rev. i. 8; everywhere present, John iii. 13; omniscient, John xxi, 17; and unchangeable, Heb. i. 11, 12. 3. The works peculiar to God alone, are done by him, and ascribed to hira. He is the creator of all things, John i. 3 ; and preserver of them in their being, Heb. i. 2, 3. He raiseth the dead by his own power, and at his own pleasure, John v. 21, 26. He is the Saviour of sinners, Hos. i. 7 ; and there is no Saviour besides God, chap. xiii. 4 ; yea, whatsoever the Father doth, he doth, John v. 19. 4. Divine worship, which must be given to God only, Matth. iv. 10, is due to hira ; for the angels are comraanded to worship him, Heb. i. 6. Every one is to give the same honour to him, as to the Father, John v. 23. They are blessed that trust in him, by faith resting on him, Psalra ii. 12; while they are cursed that put their trust in man, Jer. xvii. 5. He is the object of prayer, Acts vii. 59 ; and we are baptised in his name, Matth. xxviii. 19. 5. Lastly, He is equal with the Father, Phil. ii. 6 ; and one with him, John x. 30, Now, seeing God will not give his glory to an other, Isa. xlviii. 11 ; it follows, that though Christ isa distinct per son, yet he is not a distinct God from the Father. And therefore he is, with the Father and Holy Ghost, the one supreme Most High God. II. I shall shew, that the man Christ is the mighty one. 1st, He doth and has done works that no other could do, John xv. 24. His works proclaim him the mighty one in all respects ; mighty in the reach of his wisdom, mighty in treasures, mighty in moyen r2 252 CHRIST THE MIGHTY GOD. and interest, and mighty in battle. And there are four mighty works of Christ to which there is an eye in this his name. 1. His fully answering all the demands of the broken law in the room ofthe elect, Psalra Ixxxix. 19. A work none else could have done ; a weight none else could have borne ; a vast debt none else could have paid, and cleared. But he did it by his birth, life, and death ; and corapletely, so that he got up the discharge, 1 Tim. iii. 16. 2. His destroying of sin, Gen. iii. 15. The whole sin of the whole elect, he gave a death blow to, at once upon the cross ; to the guilt and power of it ; so that its utter destruction in them all was as much secured thereby, as Christ's death by his being nailed to the cross ; Rom. vi. 6, " Knowing this, that our old man is crucifled with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." He is now pursuing that blow, in the conversion and sanctiflcation of the elect ; driving out sin by degrees from araong them ; he will give the last stroke at the last day, and then that hellish flood shall be as much dried up as it had never been. 3, His victory over death and the grave ; Hos, xiii, 14, " I will ransom them from the power of the grave ; I will redeera them from death ; 0 death, I will be thy plagues ; 0 grave, I will be thy de struction," Sin entering, death went out over the world a conqueror, armed with a sting that none could pluck out. But Christ encoun tered death, and dying was the destruction of it, and of the grave its fellow, viz. iu respect of all his. The victory will be complete at the last day ; 1 Cor. xv. 26, " Then the last eneray that shall be destroyed, is death." Isa. xxv. 8, " Then God will swallow up death in victory. 4. Lastly, His victory over the devil, Gen. iii. 15. Satan con quered all mankind in Adara ; bnt here was a man match and more for him. He engaged with the enemy as a tempter, in the wilder ness, and he foiled him ; as a roaring lion, on the cross, and over came him. Col. ii. 15; as a violent possessor, in the hearts of the elect, frora time to time, and he turns him out, out of one after an other, till he shall not have a foot of ground in the elect world. And then he will attack hira in his proper possession, viz. the repro bate, standing on the left hand of the Judge, and drive him and thera away off the earth into the pit. So may we say ; Psalm xcviii. 1, " 0 sing unto the Lord a new song, for he hath done marvellous things ; his right hand and his holy arm hath gotten him the vic tory." 2dly, He hath all at his command in heaven and earth, whether CHRIST THE MIGHTY GOD. 253 created persons or things, Matth. xxviii. 18. The man Christ is heir of all things, Heb. i. 2 ; Lord of all the works of God's hands, Psalra viii. What a mighty one must he then be ? Sdly, Lastly, Being God as well as raan, his power is infinite. Not that infinite power is subjected in the huraan nature of Christ, a created thing, and sitch is his huraan nature, is not capable of in finite perfections. But the human nature and divine nature make but one person in hira ; and so he who is the man, is of infinite power. Use 1. This serves to refute the damnable heresy of those who impugn the supreme Godhead of our Lord Jesus Christ. This age of apostacy, having been unfruitful under the gospel, comes na turally to question the foundation-points of Christianity, And such is this, that overthrows all our salvation at once. When the Father provided a prince for lost sinners to save them , he gave them one who was God mighty one. None of inferior dignity could serve the purpose. 2. It speaks terror to all the enemies of Christ, in principles or practice. Ah ! sinners, why do ye reject him for a prince, trample on his laws ? &c. Te cannot raake head against hira, who is God mighty one, who can crush you in pieces as a moth. True, he does not at every occasion exert his power against the rebellions sons of men ; but pray, consider this is the tirae of his grace, wherein he is waiting for your repentance ; if that were over, then follows that ; Luke xix. 27, " But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay thera before rae." 3. It speaks comfort to the church and every believer in their low estate. Whatever be your wants, he is able to supply thera ; your weakness, there is might enough in him ; be your case never so hope less, it is never without the reach of his help. Let believers learn to rejoice in their prince, their head in whom they are complete. 4. Lastly, It serves to exhort all to take him for their prince. 0 kiss ye the Son presented to you in the gospel-offer ! renounce other lords, and by faith embrace hira. And therefore consider, (1.) His raight will be for you, for your provision, protection, and happiness, if ye be his. (2.) It will be against you for time and eternity, if ye refuse him. 254 CHRIST THE EVERLASTING FATHER. CHRIST THE EVERLASTING FATHER. Isaiah ix. 6, His name shall be called the Everlasting Father. This is the fourth syllable of Christ's narae. Having called him a child, a son, a child born, a son given ; it is shown here, that though he is a son, he is a Father too ; yea, though he is a child born, he is the Father of eternity, i.e. The Everlasting Father, which plainly leads ns to his divine nature. Doctrine. Jesus Christ, the prince presented and given to us of the Father, is himself the Everlasting Father. In handling this doctrine, I shall shew, I. In what respects Christ is the Everlasting Father. II. What a Father he is, III. Lastly, Improve the subject. I. In what respects is Christ the Everlasting Father? 1st, He is the Father of all things, who was from everlasting, be fore all. He is, with his Father and Spirit, one God, the coraraon Father of all by creation; 1 Cor. viii. 6, "But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in hira ; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whora are all things, and we by him." Hence he is called the beginning of the creation of God, Rev. iii. 14 ; from whom all had their beginning. So he is the Father of all raen, more particularly, Mai. ii. 10 ; of their souls and bodies, but especially of their sonls, Heb. xii. 9; all men, yea, all creatures whatsoever, owing their being to him, as a son to the father. And so being be fore all creatures, himself is uncreated and eternal, Prov. viii. 23. 2dly, He is the Father of all believers, in a peculiar manner, who will be to everlasting ; and that in two respects. 1. As he is, with his Father and Spirit, one God, Eph. iv. 6 ; the one God and Father of the family of heaven, who has adopted be lievers for his sons and daughters, 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. And thus we call him, with the Father and Spirit, our Father, Matth. vi. 9. 2. As he is Mediator, God raan; Heb. ii. 13, " Behold, I, and the children which God hath given me." So believers are his children, his seed, Isa. liii. 10; standing in a peculiar relation to him as such. And of this relation there is a threefold ground. (1,) Believers are of his flesh and of his bones, Eph. v. 30. A plain allusion to the woman's being formed of Adam's body; where- l)y it comes to pass, that all mankind do entirely owe their original CHRIST the everlasting father. 256 to Adam ; all his posterity being born of tho woman who was made of him. So all believers owe their original entirely to the body of Christ, cast into the sleep of death on the cross ; Rora. vii. 4, " Te are become dead to the law by the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised frora the dead." Isa. liii. 10, " When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed." And herein Abraham was a type of hira ; of whose body, when in a sort dead, a seed innumerablB as the stars did spring, Rora. iv. 18, 19 ; Heb. xi. 12. So from the body of Christ dead on the cross and grave, spring the innumerable company of be lievers that ever were, are, or shall be ; John xii. 24, 32, " Verily, verily, I say unto you, " Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone ; bnt if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. And I, if I be lifted up frora the earth, will draw all men unto me." (2.) They are begotten of hira into their new life and nature, which they have as believers, Deut. xxxii. 6, 18. The seed is the word of the gospel, James i. 18 ; that incorruptible seed, 1 Pet- i. 23 ; quickened by his Spirit, John vi. 63 ; whereby being made to believe, and so united to Christ, they are made new creatures, Eph. i. 13 ; 2. Cor. v. 17- So that as they owe the purchase of their gra cious being to his merit, they owe their actual gracious being to his Spirit, both wholly. (3.) They do in a peculiar manner bear, and were appointed to bear Christ's image, as children of that Father, Rom. viii. 29. Be lievers bear not only the image of God, but the image of Christ. There isa difference betwixt these two. The latter implies all that the former does ; bnt it takes in more also. There are two parts of it. 1. Conformity to Christ in his holiness. And in this respect be lievers are like him, as the wax impressed with the seal bears the like figure, Eph. i. 13. John i. 16. And here is the iraage of God, which all believers do bear, and which is a part of the iraage of Christ. This image of God believers have not at the first hand, as Adam had it ; but at the second hand, viz. from Christ ; as Adam's children would have had it from him, if he had stood, and as we now actually have Satan's iraage, impressed by Satan at the fall on Adam, and by Adam communicated to us. So God being to restore his image to fallen raan, first impressed it on the man Christ, that from him it might be coramunicated to believers in him. The man Christ was made like God, as a son is like a father ; and believers are made like the man Christ. On the man Christ that image was irapressed, and from him it is expressed on us, and thence called Christ's image. That is, God making the man Christ the second Adam, made him 256 CHRIST the everlasting father. after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures. So believers being created again in Christ, he communicates to thera of that knowledge, righteousness, &c. which image of Christ, begun now, will be perfected after in all believers. All this is clear from 1 Cor. xv. 49, " As we have borne the iraage of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the hea venly ;" Rora. viii. 29, " For whora he did foreknow, he also did pre destinate to be conformed to the image of his Son." Hence believers are said to be " created in Christ," Eph. ii. 10. As Eve was raade in the iraage of God, being raade in the iraage of Adam, Gen. ii. 18, so the church is made in the image of Christ. 2. Conformity to Christ and his sufferings. This is it that is par ticularly aimed at, Rom. viii. 29, compared with verse 28. Hence believers are said to be " partakers of the sufferings of Christ," 1 Pet. iv. 13. And their sufferings are called his, 2 Cor. i. 5. In his suf ferings he gave us an example to follow, 1 Peter ii. 21. What can be more natural than that the members of a suffering head be suf fering members ? that the followers of a crucified Christ bear the cross after him ? This conformity lies in three things ; for the wicked suffer too. (1) Believers' sufferings are destructive of sin; Isa. xxvii. 9, "By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his sin." The raore Christ suffered, the more the works of the devil were brought near to ruin. The man who by his sufferings is made more holy, more loosed from the world, more pressing after God in Christ, is conformed to Christ in his sufferings. Though indeed the progress may not be sensible sometimes, more than that of the sun in the firmament, or a tree in the earth. (2) Believers welcome their sufferings on that acconnt, as they tend to the ruin of sin ; as the sick man does a bitter drug for the sake of health, Matth. xvi. 24, 25. It is true, they may have their fits of impatience under the rod, and may be desirous to be free ; but they will turn towards a resignation. Our Lord Jesus, who never in the least murmured, said, Matth. xxvi. 39, " 0 my Father, if it be possible let this cup pass from me ; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt." (3 ) Believers' sufferings will have a happy and glorious issue. As Christ went to the crown by the cross, so will they, 1 Tim. ii. 12. While the sufferings of others will end in eternal suffering, their present sufferings will end in glory : their longest and blackest night will have a blessed morning, an eternal day; with which their worst nights of trouble are not to be corapared, Rom. viii. 17. Thus he is the believer's Father, and he is their everlasting Father. CHRIST THE EVERLASTING FATHER. 257 1. The relation is never interrupted frora the first moment it is made. Once in God's family, never out of it again, for shorter or longer time. Their Father may frown on thera, and chastise thera, and hide his love from thera ; but he is their Father still, Psal. Ixxxix. 30. — 33. The adoption lasts, they are still of Christ's body, their new nature is never lost, and his image is never quite defaced in them. 2. The relation is never ended. He will be their Father through all eternity. Among men there is no interruption of the fatherly relation, while the father and the son live ; but death dissolves it. But here death cannot dissolve the relation, Rom, viii. 38, 39. He will be, and they will be for ever ; and he will be their Father for ever, and they his children. Rev. xxi. 7. II. What a Father is Christ ? He is a non-such Father. 1. He is the most honourable Father ; the King of kings, and Lord of lords. None whose eyes are opened, but they value this relation to Christ more than all the fading honours of a world, 1 John iii. 1, " Behold, what manner of love the Father hath be stowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God !" Moses preferred it to the being called the son of the daughter of a king, Heb. xi. 24, 25. 2. The most loving and compassionate Father. His love has gone beyond that of fathers, and mothers too, even to their sucking child ren, Isa. xlix. 15, 16. David wished he had died for his rebellious son, but Christ really died for his. 3. The most helpful Father. Many tiraes fathers, though they fain wonld, cannot help their children : but he can help his in all cases. In the greatest danger he is a refnge ; in all wants, he has store for their supply ; if they be held at short coramons at any time, it is because he sees it best for them. In death, when neither father nor mother can help, he will, Psal. xlviii. 14, " This God is our God for ever and ever : he will be our guide even unto death." He is ever a present help. 4. The richest Father, that has the best inheritance to give his children ; 1 Pet. i, 4, " An inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for thera." He has prepared for them a better country, a glorious city, a palace for their mansion-house ; and the richest treasures ; and these such as shall never go from them, nor they from thera. 5. The wisest Father, " God only wise." To his disposal one may securely resign himself absolutely. He ever seeks his childrens' welfare : and he cannot be mistaken in his raeasures. 6. Lastly, He has provided the best attendants for his children in 258 CHRIST THE EVERLASTING FATHER. their life. Angels are ministering spirits to them during their life, Heb. i. 14. ; and at their death they carry their souls into heaven, Luke xvi. 22. Tea himself is ever with thera, in life and in death. Use. Then, sinners, take him for your everlasting Father. Come out of Satan's family : " Come out from among thera, and be ye se parate. Forget your father's house, and your own people." He is presented and given to you the Everlasting Father ; receive him. And, 1. Te that are fatherless. The father of your flesh is dead and gone ; ye have the fewer to care for you, and see to your welfare. Here is an everlasting Father for you. 2. Te that see yourselves in a helpless case, like orphans in the world. Created props and pillars have been taken from you, one after another ; and ye see yourselves fram'd sted*. Here is a Fa ther for yon, Hos. xiv. S, " In thee the fatherless flndeth mercy. 3 All of you will flnd yourselves in such a case as none in the world will be able to relieve. Choose him now for your Father, Avho will be everlasting. Motive 1. He is your Father by creation, let-him be your Father by choice. He has the first and best right to you ; if one is to serve, will he not rather choose to serve his father than another ? Motive 2. There are blessed privileges of this state. As, (1.) Tou will have access to hira with holy boldness, Eph iii. 12. He will be well pleased with your voice, Cant. ii. 14. (2.) Special iraraunities and freedoras, as king's children ; freedom from the law as a covenant of works ; free from the curse ; free from the hurt of everything. (3.) Fatherly love and pity. Psalm ciii. 13. He will distinguish between weakness and wickedness. He corrects with a fatherly reluctancy ; Lam. iii. 33, " He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men." (4.) Protection ; Prov. xiv. 26, " In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence ; and his children shall have a place of refuge." Pro vision both for soul and body, and seasonable correction. (5) An inheritance and portion, according to the Father's quality. Rora. viii. 17, " Heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ." Motive 3. Lastly, If ye take him not for your Father, ye cannot escape him as your wrathful judge. * i. e. In the situation of strangers. CHRIST THE PRINCE OP PEACE. 259 CHRIST THE PRINCE OF PEACE. Isaiah ix. 6, His name shall be called the Prince of Peace. This is the last syllable of the name of our glorious Redeemer. It consists of two letters. (1.) He is a Prince, an eminent one. (2.) Peace. He is the Priuce of Peace. As the Father of eternity is the everlasting Father ; so the Prince of Peace is the peaceful Prince. DocT. Jesus Christ presented and given to us of the Father, is the peaceful Prince. Of Christ's principality we have already spoken ; we are now to consider him as the peaceful Prince. And in prosecuting this doc trine, I shall only show in what respects Christ is the peaceful Prince ; and then make some practical improveraent. In what respects is Christ the peaceful Prince ? And, First, More generally, we take it up in these three particulars. He is the peaceful Prince, 1. In respect of disposition. He is a prince of the most peaceful disposition ; Matth. xi. 29, " Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me ; for I am meek and lowly in heart." Peace is woven into his nature. Though he is the mighty One, who is of such power as to froAvn a sinner to destruction ; yet his great power is tempered with the greatest meekness and peacefulness. The prince of this world is the roaring lion ; the Prince of heaven, the Lamb, John i, 29, even on his throne. Rev. v. 6. 2. In respect of action and operation. Peace is his work he pur sued all along, and doth still pursue ; Eph. ii. 14, " For he is our peace." He is the great peace-maker. Adam's sin and the sin of his posterity set all at red war, and kept them so : but Christ tho second Adam travels for peace. " Blessed are the peace-makers," and he is blessed for ever on his peace-making, Phil. ii. 8, 9. 3. In respect of the state of his kingdom ; Rom. xiv. 17, " The kingdom of God is peace." Peace in the language of the Holy Ghost in the Old Testaraent is prosperity ; so a peaceful prince is a prosperous one. Thus Solomon was a type of him, who had a reign of the greatest peace and prosperity. Psalm Ixxii. 7. His subjects may enjoy peace whoever want it. Secondly, More particularly. And, 1st, He is the peaceful Prince, peaceful of disposition, in the fol lowing respects. 260 CHRIST THE PRINCE OF PEACE. 1. He bears long with his enemies, he is long-suffering, 2 Pet. iii. 9, Many calls he gives Ihem which they neglect ; but he calls them still ; many affronts they do to him, yet his deserved wrath is held in ; and still he waits, if so be they may be brought to repentance, Rom, ii, 4. There must be a mighty inclination to peace where it is so. 2. He bears much at the hands of his friends, but never casts thera off, John xiii. 2. 0 the weakness, witlessness, and folly that hangs about thera ! 0 the ingratitude, untenderness, and backslid ings they fall into ! They reflect dishonour raany times on him by their way ; but they experience him to be the Prince of peace. Psalm Ixxviii. 38. 3. He is easy of access, for poor sinners. The worst of sinners may have access to hira if they will ; John vi. 37, " Hira that com eth to me, I will in no wise cast out." Papists make mediators to him ; but there needs none to him ; whoever comes to him is wel come. And there needs none to God but him. Whatever is their business in the court of heaven, he will readily do it for them. 4. He is ready to forgive. Psalm Ixxxvi. 5. His offending friends are readily pardoned, and restored to wonted favour; his rebel lious enemies are readily pardoned on their submission, and received into the number of his friends. His peacefulness is such, that peace is his delight. 5. He is very familiar with his true subjects. He treats all his servants, not as servants, but as friends ; and coraraunicates to them his secrets ; John xv. 15, " Henceforth I call you not servants ; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doth : but I have called you friends ; for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you." Love and good-will shines forth in his counte nance. 6. The afflicting of his people, is as it were against the grain with him ; Lam. iii. 33, " He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men." There is a necessity for it, for which he is obliged to do it ; 1 Pet. i. 6, " Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season (if need be) ye are in heaviness through manifold tempta tions." The apostle distinguisheth between men's correcting and his in Heb. xii. 10, " They verily for a few days chastened us, after their own pleasure : but he for our profit, that we might be partak ers of his holiness." And in it he carries along the pity of a father, Psalra ciii. 13, 14, and so is afflicted in their affliction, Isa. Ixiii. 9. 7. Lastly, He bore his own sufferings with the utmost peaceable- ness, meekness and patience. The angels sang at his birth, Peace on earth ; and the earth never saw such a pattern of peace. In his CHRIST THE PRINCE OF PEACE. 261 life, which was a continued suffering, he never shewed the least dis composure. In his death, he prayed for his enemies. 2dly, He is the peaceful Prince, peaceful in action and operation. He acted for peace, as never another did. He brought about such peace as had never been known, if he had not taken it in hand. And here we may consider, 1. What peace is effected by this Prince of peace. (1.) Peace with God ; Isa. liii. 5, " The chastisement of our peace was upon him." Sinners were at war with God, and God with them ; and there could be no peace betwixt the parties, till the Prince of peace turned to be Mediator of the peace. The war went on, sinners doing as they could against God, and God in a state of war with the sinner, blocking up all commerce with heaven of a sav ing sort, &c. But he steps in, lays hands on both, and makes up the peace. (2.) Peace among men. Men's peace with God being lost, the peace among theraselves was broken too. See the case of mankind by nature in this point ; Tit. iii. 3, " For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, aud hating one an other." But Christ brings them together in him again, to love and charity one to another, Isa. xi. 6. And wherever he makes peace with God for a man, he implants love to men in that man's heart. Particularly, he made peace between Jews and Gentiles, Eph. ii. 14. (3,) Peace within men, peace of conscience ; Rora. xiv. 17, " The kingdom of God is righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." Sin by itself breaks the peace within one's own breast. The guilt of it is like a thorn in the flesh, that till it be plucked out ceases not to gall ; the reign of it is like a tyrant in the house, that enslaves, and keeps in disturbance all therein, Christ the Prince of peace, by his blood and Spirit, only can restore the true peace within. 2. What is his work about the peace, that threefold peace ? (1.) He purchased it by his precious blood, Eph. ii. 14, 15. There is a peace the wicked have, that is a stolen and usurped peace, known by this mark that it is a peace in sin, James iii. 17- But the peace of the Prince of peace is a dear-bought peace. It cost him to be denied to his own peace, and swim through a red sea of suffering for it ; Isa. liii. 5, " The chastisement of our peace was upon him." (2.) He makes the peace by his own efficacy. The covenant of grace is the covenant of peace, and he is the Mediator of it. He travels betwixt God and the rebel sinner, till the reconciliation is made. He does by his Spirit bring the sinner into the covenant of 262 CHRIST THE PRINCE OP PEACE. peace, and by his intercession obtains peace with God for hira. He by the same Spirit unites men to himself by faith, and to one an other in love. And by his blood sprinkled on the soul, he removes the guilt of sin, and plucks out the thorn ; and by his sanctifying Spirit breaks the power of turbulent lusts, and so creates peace, Isa. Ivii. 19. (3.) He maintains the peace made ; Isa. xxvi. 3, " Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee : because he trusteth in thee." He is the believer's resident at the court of Hea ven, that takes up emergent differences, and hinders matters to come to a total rupture betwixt God and thera any more. And it is by the efficacy of his blood and Spirit that peace within men, and love among raen who are his, are continued. (4.) He restores the peace, when at any tirae it is brangled ; Isa. Ivii. 18, " I have seen his ways and will heal him ; I will lead him also, and restore coraforts unto him, and to his mourners." While believers are in this world, they are upon a sea ; and in that sea they often meet with storras. Sometimes the storm blows from above, sometimes from without, sometiraes from within ; sometimes flghtings without, and fears within ; yea sometimes all three blow together. But the Prince of peace again clears the sky above. Job xxxiii. 23, 24. He " stills the tumult of the people," Psalm Ixv. 7, and quells all disturbance within, Isa. Ivii. 19. (5.) Lastly, He perfects the peace. It is begun now, bnt he will not leave it imperfect ; Psalm cxxxviii. 8, " The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me." He began Israel's peace in bringing them out of Egypt, and perfected it in bringing them to Canaan ; so he begins his people's peace in their conversion, and perfects it in glorification. Their peace now is liable to a great mixture of dis turbance ; bnt he will render it perfect at length, without the least trouble. Rev. xxi. 4. 'idly, He is the peaceful Prince, in the peaceful state of his king^ dom, in the prosperity attending it. He is the true Solomon (peace ful) ; and no king of Israel had such a peaceable and prosperous reign as Soloraon ; that his kingdom raight be a type of Christ's, the Prince of peace, as David's was a type of it in the wars thereof. And, 1. Every one of his subjects is, by his wise management, put in a state of peace ; Micah iv. 4, " They shall sit every man under his vine, and under his fig-tree, and none shall make them afraid." He has procured thera peace with God, araong theraselves, and within themselves ; what then should discompose thera ? It is true, in the world they must have tribulation; but in their prince they have CHRIST THE PRINCE OF PEACE. 263 peace to balance that, John xvi. 33. Having a good God, comraunion with good people, and a good conscience ; they may, in peace, bear through all the troubles of a present evil world. 2. The peace of his kingdora is the fruit of Avar, and victory in that war. What made Solomon's reign so peaceable, was David's wars and victories. Our Lord Christ was a man of war ; he fought and overcame sin, death, and the devil ; and the peace of his king dom now, is the fruit of that. The wicked's peace is the fruit of a conquest, like that of Issaohar, who " saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant ; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute," Gen. xliv. 15 ; and like that of the strong man's keeping the house, in which case all things are at peace. So their peace is merely precarious ; but God's people's peace is sure. 3. Hence in his kingdom is the greatest wealth and abundance. There is abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, which his subjects receive, Rom. v. 17; so that they are made a royal priesthood, 1 Pet. ii. 9. The fruits of the victory over sin, death, and Satan are among them ; they are enriched with the spoil of their eneraies ; free commerce is settled between heaven and them ; and all that oppose their entrance into the heavenly Canaan, are overcome. 4. The good of his kingdom is advanced from all airths, and there is nothing bnt it is turned to the profit thereof, by the infinite wis dom of the Prince, Rom. viii. 28. Go matters what way they will, his kingdom is advanced by them ; his subjects reap benefit by them. Out of the eater is brought forth meat by onr Lord Jesus ; yea, peace, order, and prosperity, out of war, by the Prince of peace. Is not that a prosperous kingdom that prospers in all emergencies ? 5. Lastly, In end the peace of his kingdom will be absolute. So lomon's reign was more peaceable in the beginning of it, than toward the end. But Christ's kingdom is contrariwise : though indeed it will never end. But at last all occasion of disturbance from without or from within, will be utterly cut off. Use 1. Is Jesus Christ presented and given to us the peaceful Prince, peaceful in action and operation, the procurer, maker, main tainor, restorer, and perfecter of peace ? Then, 1. Sinners in a state of enmity with God, ye may have peace with God through him. There is a mediator of peace provided for you, able and willing to make up the peace betwixt God and you. This is the good news the Gospel brings, Luke ii. 14. If ye perish in a state of enmity with God, it is not because ye could not, but because ye would not have peace. There is nothing on heaven's part to 264 CHRIST THE PRINCE OF PEACE. hinder the peace, but all is ready for it on that side, Matth. xxxii. 4. Therefore, 2. Apply yourself to the business of making your peace with God through him, 2 Cor. v. 20. Be no more at peace with your selves, till ye be at peace with God through Christ. Motive. 1. Te are naturally in a state of enmity with God. So Adam left us all ; and the breach is still made wider by actual sins, while unconverted. Te have a real enmity against God, Rom. viii. 7. If ye are not sensible of it, your works declare it, Col. i. 21. God bears a legal enmity against you, as. rector of the world ; even as a judge against a raalefactor, whom in justice he must pursue and condemn, Psalra vii. 11 — 13. Motive 2. While ye are at enmity with God, ye have not one fast friend in all the creation ; so you are never safe. The very beasts, fowls, and creeping things, are your eneraies, as eneraies to their Creator, and are ready to dispatch you on the least signal from him, Hos. ii. 18, Job. v. 22, 23. Frogs, lice, &c. were employed to plague Pharaoh and his people, and worms to devour the bloody Herod. The meat thou eatest, and the drink thou swallowest, may be a means to choke thee, and send thee to the pit. The friendship of the world, being enmity with God, can never continue. Motive 3. Te are not able to make your part good against him. When the clay strives with the potter, it is easy to see who shall have the better. An angry God will be a party too strong for the stoutest sinner. And do ye not see how many, flushed with the world's smiles, forget God and themselves, and in a raoment are dashed in pieces, and go out like the crackling of thorns under a pot ? 1 Cor. X. 22. Inflnite wisdom and power are what will be too hard a match for you ; Job ix. 4, " He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength, who hath hardened hiraself against him, and hath pros pered." It is wisdom, then, to yield, and make peace with one with whom we are not able to war, Luke xiv. 31, 32. Motive 4. Consider what losers ye are, while not at peace with God. (1.) Te lose all the advantages of commerce with heaven. When war breaks out betwixt nations, there is no more trade or commerce between them, all access to that is blocked up. So you have no access to import your prayers, desires, Sso. into heaven, nor to ex port pardons, grace, &c. therefrom. (2 ) Tou lose the sap and foyson of all you have in the world. There is a blasting, withering curse on it, Prov. iii. 33, Deut. xxviii. 17. Hence it will do you no good, but evil, Prov. i. 32. The very thought, that ye are at enmity with God, is sufficient to blast all your enjoyments. CHRIST THE PRINCE OF PEACE. 265 (3,) Tou lose true peace within your oAvn breast. Conscience is not your friend, since ye are at euraity Avith God. Therefore that joy, 2 Cor. i. 12, is a joy ye cannot interraeddle with. A sleep of conscience, which will have a fearful aAvakening, ye raay have ; but peace of conscience ye cannot have ; Isa. Ivii, 21, " There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." (4.) To will lose your souls in the end. That will be the issue of the war with Heaven ; aud what can countervail that loss? Matth. xvi. 26, " For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" That is to lose thyself; Luke ix. 25, " For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away ?" The soul is the man. Motive 5. The slighting of offered peace now, will make an eter nal war against you, in the keenest manner. The peace is pur chased by the blood of the Son of God ; it is offered to you on free cost ; if ye reject it, ye pour contempt on the blood of Christ, and the grace of God ; and while God is God, he will pursue that quar rel, in a more fiery manner than if ye had never heard of peace ; Matth. xi. 23, 24, " And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell ; for if the mighty works which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for thee." 2 Thess. i. 7 — 9, " The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, Avith his mighty angels, in flaming flre, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of hi,3 power." Wherefore consider what ye do, for life and death are here set before you ; Isa. xxvii. 4, 5, " Fury is not in rae ; who would set the briars and thorns against rae in battle ? I would go through thera I would burn thera together. Or let hira take hold of my strength, that he raay make peace with me, and he shall make peace with me." Question. How may we get peace with God ? Answer. Through the mediation of Christ ; as those of Tyre and Sidon, in another case, made the king's chamberlain their friend, so do ye. It is through faith in his blood, Rom, iii. 25. That blood is held out to you as a covert to flee in under ; and you will be wrapt up iu that cover, by believing the efficacy of it to bring peace to sinners, and to you in particular, and wholly trusting on it for your peace with God. This implies a desire of peace Avith God, and a willingness to lay down your weapons of rebellion. Vol. X. s 266 CHRIST THE PRINCE OF PEACE. 3. Saints, see here how you will get your peace maintained, re stored, and perfected. Tou must be daily making use of Christ, his blood, intercession, and spirit, for maintaining it. What time it is broken, exercise faith anew, for restoring it; Psalm Ixv. 3, " Iniquities prevail against me ; as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away." And hang on him for perfecting it. Use 2. Is he the peaceful .Prince, peaceful of disposition ? Then, 1. Whosoever desire to employ him for peace, saints or sinners, be not frightened away from him, bnt come to him with holy boldness, as one who is a peaceful prince, of easy access, and ready to help ; Heb. X. 22, " Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith." There is love and good-will to wretched sinners of man kind in his heart and in his face ; and it is the work of faith to perceive it, by means of the glass of the word, John i. 14. Satan and an unbelieving heart hold him out to the trembling sinner to be an austere man, Luke xix. 21. And this is more rife in the world than we are aware of, it being the natural report of a guilty conscience concerning him. And hence men are ready to say, as Jer. ii. 25, " There is no hope." But oppose to-that report of hira, the report of the word ; according to which he is the Prince of Peace ; 1 John iv. 8, " God is love." Hang by this in all accusations of conscience, and believe it, Isa. liii. 1. 2. Then resemble hira in that disposition, as ever ye would prove yourselves his subjects ; 1 John ii. 6, " He that saith, he abideth in him, ought hiraself also so to walk, even as he walked." Is he the peaceful prince ; be ye peaceful men ? Heb. xii. 14, " Follow peace with all men." He bids you learn it of hira ; Matth. xi. 29, " Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart." Nay, if ye be not men of peace, ye are none of his, Isa. xi. 6. The proud, fiery, mis chievous spirit that some are possessed with, evidence them to be none of his. Tit. iii. 3. Use 3. Is he the peaceful Prince in the prosperous state of his kingdom ? Then, 1, Let his enemies, and those of his church and people, know, that their attempts against the same shall be in vain, and shall return on their own heads, according to that promise, Zech. xii. 3, "And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensorae stone for all people ; all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it." There is a peace of his kingdora that they cannot reach to take away ; John xiv. 27, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." 2. Let his friends rejoice in his peace and prosperity, by faith. THE LITTLE SUCCESS OF THE GOSPEL, &0. 267 Rom. XV. 13, particularly knowing that his kingdom shall prosper over the belly of opposition, yea, that it shall prosper by means that threaten to overthrow it, as in the case of Paul's sufferings Phil. i. 12; that their particular trials shall promote their pros perity, John XV. 2 ; and that in him they may have peace in the midst of trouble, John xvi. 33. 3. Lastly, Join yourselves to this prosperous and peaceful prince and kingdom. Great is the noise of wars and comraotions through the nations, strong confederacies on all hands a-forming. Join ye the Prince of Peace in the covenant of Grace ; and ye shall have peace, though all should be in red war, Psalra xlvi. 1 — 4. Thus Christ has been directly commended to you. (1.) Do ye believe the report that has been made of Christ to you from the word, or not ? that he is indeed the " Wonderful One, the Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace ?" that he is presented, yea, given to you of the Father ? If ye do, I am sure the vain world, and your lusts, will be sunk in their value with you. If they be not, it is an evidence it is not believed, Isa. liii. 1. (2.) Will ye take him or not, for and instead of all ? If ye do, let these go away, Luke xiv. 26. He will be your " Wonderful One," your " Counsellor," &c. If ye will not, be it known to you, you refuse Heaven's present to you, you cast back its gift made to you, and ye must answer it. THE UNSUCCESSFULNESS OF THE GOSPEL, THE NATURE OF THE GOSPEL-REPORT, THE RARITY OF BELIEVING IT, AND THE NECESSITY OF DIVINE POWER IN ORDER TO FAITH.* ISAIAH liii. 1, Who hath believed our report, and to wham is the arm of the Lord revealed ? None spoke so much of Christ as this evangelical prophet. He had been speaking of him in the former chapter, verse 13, and down ward, and he was to speak more of him here. But in the words now read, he makes a melancholy reflection on the cold entertain ment the word met with in his own time, and would meet with in after times. * Several sermons preached at Ettriek, in tbe year 1726. s2 268 THE LITTLE SUCCESS OF THE GOSPEL The words are a heavy complaint and lamentation. And if we consider, 1st, To whora it was raade. We find from parallel scriptures that it is raade to the Lord himself; John xii. 38, Rom. x. 16, " Lord, who hath believed onr report ?" &c. From powerful preaching he betakes himself to mournful prayer, lamenting the unsuccessfulness of his message. 2dly, Whom it respects. It respects the hearers of the Gospel n his own time, and in after tiraes too ; John xii. 37, 38, " But though he had done so raany miracles before thera, yet they be lieved not on him ; that the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report, and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed ?" Tbe Jews, to whom Christ himself preached; and both Jews and Gentiles, to whom the apostles preached, Rora. x. 16. No wonder then it extend to those to whora ministers now preach. Bdly, The matter of this heavy lamentation. 1. The unsuccessfulness of the Gospel, and prevailing unbelief among thera that heard it. Where consider, (1.) What the Gospel is. It is a report ; a report from heaven, brought by Christ himself, the apostles, and prophets, to be be lieved unto salvation. The word signifies " a hearing," i.e. a thing to be heard and received by faith, as a voice is received and heard by the ear. Hence is that expression, the hearing of faith. Gal. iii. 2. (2.) What faith is. It is a believing that report. The word rendered believing, doth properly signify to trust. So it is in the Hebrew, " Who hath trusted to our report ?" Faith is a giving credit to the Gospel, aud a trusting our souls to it, as on a word that cannot fail. (3.) How rare that faith is ; who hath believed ? Few, very few have believed the report. It is brought to multitudes ; but where is the man that really trusts it, as news frora heaven that may be relied on ? They are but here and there one who trust it ; the generality regard it but as idle tales. 2. The great Avithdrawing of the power of God from ordinances ; " And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ?" The arm of the Lord is the power of God ; and this arm is said to be revealed or uncovered, when it exerts itself in acting powerfully ; as men put up their sleeves when they are putting themselves in order for working with the hand. And this implies three things. (1.) That there is a necessity of the mighty power of God being ex erted on a man, to cause him believe ; John vi. 44, " No raan can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him." The trust- M.4.TTER OF LAMENTATION. 269 ing to the report of the Gospel is so far frora being an easy effort of imagination, that it is beyond the power of nature. (2.) That few, very few, felt this power. To Avhora ? (Heb.) Upon whora is the arra of the Lord revealed ? The Gospel was but an empty sound to the most part ; they found not the power of the spirit coming along with it. (3.) That hence so very few believed. Where there is no feeling of that poAver, there is no believing. First the arm of the Lord must draw, ere the sinner can corae ; therefore these two are of equal latitude ; Eph. i. 19, " What is the exceeding greatness of his power to US-ward who believe, according to the working of his raighty power." Four doctrines are deducible frora the Avords. Doctrine I. The little success of the Gospel, and great rarity of divine power coming along with Gospel ordinances, will be raatter of heavy lamentation to the godly, and particularly to godly ministers. Doctrine II. The Gospel is a report from heaven, to be believed aud trusted to for salvation. Doctrine III. Though many hear, yet few believe or trust to the report of the Gospel. Doctrine IV. There is no true believing or trusting to the re port of the Gospel, but what is the effect of the working of a divine power on the soul for that end. We shall handle each of these doctrines in order. Doctrine I. The little success of the Gospel, and great rarity of divine power coming along with Gospel ordinances, will be matter of heavy lamentation to the godly, and particularly to godly ministers. In discoursing this doctrine I shall show, I. What is that success which the Gospel sometimes hath ? II. What is that divine power which sometiraes comes along with Gospel ordinances. III. Give the reasons of the doctrine. IV. Lastly, Apply. What is that success which the Gospel sometiraes hath ? We may take it up in these two generals. It is successful, 1. When sinners are thereby brought to faith in Christ, Rora. i. 17- The Gospel is a good report of Christ the bridegroom of souls, spread in the world ; and then the end of it is gained, when the sinner is brought to behold him so altogether lovely, as that he gives up with all his forraer lovers, and is married to him, to be his only, wholly, and for ever, Psalra Ixxiii. 25. 2. When they are thereby brought to holiness of life ; Avhen they 270 THE LITTLE SUCCESS OF THE GOSPEL are transformed into the image of him in whom they have believed, 2 Cor. iii. 18. It is a holy gospel, and true believers of it are cast into the mould of it, Rom. vi. 17. ; and being united to Christ, " put on Christ," Gal. iii. 27, walking as personating hira, 1 John ii. 6. These things are so excellent, that it is very laraentable there is so little of them among men. II. What is that divine power which sometimes comes along with Gospel ordinances ? There is, 1. A heart and life discovering power, 1 Cor. xiv. 24, 25. The word comes, and the Lord's arm comes with it, and opens the volume of a man's heart and life ; and it is as if the preacher were reading the secret history of a man's thoughts and actions ; Heb. iv. 12, " For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." This is called the watchman's finding the spouse. Cant. iii. 3. 2. A sharp convincing power, whereby the sinner does not only see his sin, but sees the ill and danger of it, and is touched to the heart with it ; Acts xxiv. 25. That is the finger of God at the man's heart, according to John xvi. 7, 8, " When the Spirit is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judg ment." So it was with these ; Acts ii. 37, " They were pricked in their heart, and said. Men and brethren, what shall we do ?" And 0, it is promising when men are sent home with a breast full of con victions from the word. But if that arm of the Lord be not re vealed, one will be very easy, come the word never so close to his case. 3. A drawing and converting power ; John xii. 32, " And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." Psalm xix. 7, "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." While the word comes, some secret power comes along, that the man is not able to resist it ; but the iron gate of the heart is loosed, and of its own accord opens wide, to receive the King of glory. Such a power Zaccheus felt with that word, " Come down," that made his heart, which was like a strong castle to keep out Christ, come as fast down, as ever an old house did being undermined; Luke xix. 5. While this comes not, sinners will not corae to Christ ; John V. 40. 4. A quioKening power ; Psalm cxix. 50, " Thy word hath quick ened rae." Sometimes the spiritual senses have all boeu bound up, that the soul could neither see, hear, taste, smell, nor feel spiritually, more than it had been dead ; and a word has beon dropt in with such a power, that it has been like the barley-cake tumbling down on the tents of Midian, or like the honey Jonathan tasted in the MATTER OF LAMENTATION. 271 wood ; it has cleared their eyes, unstopped their ears, &o. Cant, vii. 9. While this is wanting, the word cannot awaken people. 5. A clearing power, resolving doubts, removing mistakes and darkness in certain particulars, whereby one is retarded in their spiritual course ; Psalm xix. 7, 8. Many a time souls have been so embarrassed with some doubts or mistakes, that they have thereby been made to go like a fettered bird, perhaps many a day and year ; till at length they have got a word with such power, that it has made these their fetters fall off, like Peter's chains when the angel gave him a touch on the side ; Acts xii. 7. Cornelius had sweet ex perience of it ; Acts X. 6 — 44. While the power comes not, they come and go with their chains on them. 6. A comforting power ; Psalm cxix, 49, 50, " Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction ; for thy word hath quickened me." Discouragement is a great load ; the discouraged soul is like one going with a clog at his heels. Great pressures of affliction are apt to discourage, make the heart faint, the hands weak, and the knees feeble ; but sometimes the word comes with such power, as that it stays the fainting soul ; Psalra cxix. 92, " Unless thy law had been my delight, I should then have perished in my affliction." Sometimes such a high spring-tide of power comes with the word, that the clog drops off, and the affliction that was so heavy is not the weight of a feather, but the man rejoices in the Lord, and leaps like an hart ; Isa. xii. 3. For the comfort of the word has loosed all his bands ; Rom. xv. 13 ; Heb. x. 34. 7, A strengthening power ; Psalm xcvi. 6, " Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary." Sometimes a man has great temptations to conflict with, and he knows not how to stand before them ; till he come to the sanctuary with Asaph ; Psalm Ixxiii. 16, 17, and with Paul get a word with power ; 2 Cor. xii. 7. Then he is like a giant refreshed with wine, and in the strength of that word goes out like David against Goliah. The Spirit with the word breathing on the dry bones, makes them stand on their feet like a great army, 8. Lastly, A soul-elevating and heart-ravishing power; Luke xxiv. 32, " Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures ?" Some tiraes such a power has come along with the word, as if in heaven, not a window only, bnt a door had been opened ; that the man has made no doubt to say, Gen. xxviii. 16, 17, " Surely the Lord is in this place. — This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." And Christ has come so near him, as he could tell what was the smell of his garments; Psalm xlv. 8; and the 272 THE LITTLE SUCCESS OF THE GOSPEL sermon or communion place would have been gladly embraced as the dying place ; Lnke ii. 29. III. The third thing is. The reasons of the point. And, 1st, It must be matter of lamentation to the godly in general. For, 1. The honour of Christ is thereby overclouded. He is not ho noured, but highly dishonoured by sinners disbelieving the report of him, not receiving him in the gospel-offer ; John viii. 49. Hence it was a part of Christ's humiliation, that his report out of his own mouth was not believed ; John xii. 37, 38 ; and after his exaltation his apostles were to do greater works than he ; John xiv, 12. And when he goes forth in the gospel conquering, a crown is said to be given him ; Rev. vi. 2. Bnt that crown is obscured in a tirae of the gospel's unsuccessfulness. And Christ's honour will be dear to the godly, whatever it be to others ; and the affronts done him by unbelievers, will lie near their hearts. 2. The glory of the glorious gospel is thereby vailed. The gos pel is in itself glorious ; 2 Cor. iv. 4 ; 1 Tira. i. 11. It is a radiant jewel, of greater worth than all the glory of the world; but the glory of it is hid, while it is not believed, and divine power does not accompany it ; therefore having " free course," it is said to be " glorified," 2 Thess. iii. 1, And this cannot but affect the godly, who relish the gospel. ¦3. Souls are thereby lost, while salvation is come to their door. The gospel brings salvation ; but none can share of it where it is not believed ; Heb. iv. 2. What a lamentable sight it is to see men slighting and despising their own raisery ; neglecting the great salvation ; continuing filthy still under means of cleansing ; growing worse, by the means of grace doing them no good ; and finally, ag gravating their own condemnation ; John xv. 22. 4. The godly theraselves suffer loss. The thronger Christ's fa mily is, the better thriven are the children ; and contrariwise. The calling of the Jews will be as " life from the dead;" Rom. xi. 15. The saints in the worst of times Avill always get as rauch as will keep in their life ; Micah ii. 7- But there is a difference between fend and fare well. If there were more converting, there would be more confirming work too. 2dly, And particularly to godly ministers. For, 1. Thereby their care and pains is much lost, and in vain. To toil all night and catch nothing, is a heavy task. Ministers are like candles ; while they give light to others, they waste themselves. And that is a heavy tale ; Isa. xlix. 4, " I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain." 0 there is much MATTER OF LAMENTATION. 273 need of faith in the work of the ministry ! The husbandman, shep herd and tradesman, sees ordinarily the fruit of his labours ; if it miss at one tirae, it will readily prosper at another; but there is much spiritual seed sown, Avhere there is no visible fruit. 2. Thereby their work is rendered more difficult and Avearisome. When the arm of the Lord is revealed to carry ou the work on men's souls and consciences, it is made lightsome ; they are then like a ship going with a fair wind. Bnt when the Spirit is with drawn, they are like the ship in a dead calm, that takes much strength to work her, and yet she comes but little speed. 3. Lastly, Thereby the seals of their ministry are but sraall. They are the savour of death to many, the savour of life to few ; for the one or the other they will be to all; 2 Cor. ii. 15, 16. If they be not, by men's receiving their testimony, instruments to further their salvation, they will be witnesses against them, to aggravate their condemnation. Use. Then let it teach onr hearts, and cause us to laraent, that there is so little success of the gospel, and so great a rarity of divine power coming along with ordinances at this day in the land, and among us. Of this there are several evidences. Evidence 1, The slighting of gospel-ordinances that so much pre vails. How easy is it for many to sit at home, and make to them selves silent Sabbaths, while the Lord puts an opportunity in their hands to attend ordinances ! for others if they be but touched against the grain, and disobliged, to cast them off for good and all ! A sad evidence the gospel has had little success or power with them ; for the experience of the power would give men a higher value for them than to neglect thera ; Psalm Ixiii. 1, 2, and Ixxxiv. 1 — 3. 2. Little reformation of life under the dispensation of the gospel. Ministers may say with Jeremiah ; chap. vi. 10, " To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken ; behold, the word of the Lord is unto thera a reproach ; they have no delight in it. He that was filthy, is filthy still." The glass of the word is held before men's eyes, that they cannot but see their spots ; yet do they not wipe thera off. Under the gospel of the grace of God they live un godly lives ; iu the land of uprightness they deal unjustly ; rebel ling against the light. 3. Much formality in attendance on ordinances ; Ezek. xxxiii. 31, 32. People satisfy themselves with the work done. Few take heed how they hear. They seek not to be spiritual in the work, to have comraunion with God in ordinances, nor do they mourn when they obtain it not. They do not miss the power of God in ordin ances ; or if they do, they can easily bear the want. 274 the LITTLE SUCCESS OF THE GOSPEL 4. Lastly, Little of the work of conversion or soul-exercise in our day. The gospel is the great raean of conversion, of bringing sin ners into a state of grace ; but converts are rare. Conviction, com punction, and humiliation, are rarely made now by the Avord ; and rarely issued in kindly conversion to God. Sometime the word would have raised soul-exercise in them that heard it, and the word again wonld have brought the Christian's exercise to a happy issue ; but, alas ! that is seldom the case now. Now this may be for a lamentation, that it is so ; that there is so little success attending the dispensation of gospel-ordinances, and that there is a great rarity of divine power coraing along with them. For, 1. This says, that the Lord is in a great measure departed from us, ministers and people ; Isa. Ixiv. 7, " There is none that calleth upon thy narae, that stirreth up hiraself to take hold of thee ; for thou hast hid thy face frora us, and hast consuraed us, because of our iniquities." We may laraent, that he is become " as a stranger in the land ;" Jer. xiv. 8. Ordinances are the trysting-places where he is to be met with ; and when he is so little found there, it is time to lament his departure. We may say, as 2 Kings ii. 14, " Where is the Lord God of Elijah ?" We have the chair of state ; but where is the King himself ? Here is the napkin and linen clothes lying, but where is the Lord that was wrapt in them ? 2. That we have sinned away his presence ; Isa. lix. 1, 2, " Tour iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." When the glory departed to the threshold, Ezek. x. 4, from the threshold, ver. 18, from the midst of the city to the mountain, chap. xi. 23, it was for the abominations done in the house ; chap. viii. Why doth he loath our sacrifices, refuse to smell in our assemblies, but because we have made ourselves and thera vile before him ? Isaiah i. 11 — 17. Had we entertained the blowings of his Spirit when we had them, he had not left us in such a dead calm. 3. That the Lord has a controversy with us, that we are not yet convinced of, and humbled for ; Hos. v. 15. People may be long under the Lord's withdrawings, so far insensible of the causes thereof, as not to be lamenting over them ; 1 Sam. vii. 2. Now there is no convincing ns of the causes of God's controversy. But if ever the Lord return to ordinances as heretofore, ye will see there will be a convincing and humbling influence, that will bring ministers aud people to their knees, taking shame to themselves. 4. That wrath and heavy judgments are abiding us, corae from what airth they will ; Matth. iii. 10. It is not to be thought, that MATTER OP LAMENTATION. 275 the contempt of the gospel, and unfruitf ulness under it, will be passed without some special mark of the divine indignation. When the invitations to the gospel feast prevail not, the King's armies are sent forth to destroy ; Matth. xxii. 7. When the white flag of peace is contemned, the red flag of war is hung out. 5. That these judgments will be very sore when they come, ac cording to the measure of light sinned against. Capernaum exalted to heaven, is thrust down to hell ; Matth. xi. 23. After the white horse, the red and black folloAv ; Rev. vi. Never did a generation enjoy such a clear light of the gospel as the Jews in the time of our Saviour and the apostles, and accordingly wrath came to an ex tremity, to the uttermost ; 1 Thess. ii. 16. 6. Lastly, That it is high time to be lamenting after the Lord, and wrestling and supplicating for his return to ordinances. Stir up yourselves therefore unto this, that it be not said as Isaiah Ixiv. 7, " There is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee." Consider, 1. It is a sad sign to be unconcerned about it. It speaks, (1.) Such a one to be a stranger to the experience of the power of the word, and the precious enjoyment of communion with God in ordi nances ; Psalm Ixiii. 1, 2. (2.) To be too easily satisfied in the matters of God with the husks, the shadows, instead of the foyson and substance. (3.) To be unacquainted with Christ, and none of his ; since the withdrawing of his presence is not heavy to him. (4.) That they could even be content Christ would never come again ; for they that relish not his coming in ordinances, can never relish his second coming. 2. Great would be the advantage of his return to ordinances. (1.) It would be well for particular hearers of the gospel who should share in it themselves. Strangers would be converted, and converts strengthened. Duties wonld be a delight. Whereas a form of god liness is all that can be reached otherwise. (2.) It would be well for the church in general ; it would cure onr divisions ; all being by that means brought to acknowledge their offences, and return to the Lord, and so to one another in him. Doctrine II. The gospel is a report from heaven to be believed and trusted to for salvation. In prosecuting this doctrine, I shall consider, I. The gospel as it is a report. II, Faith as it is a trusting to this report, III. The report of the gospel, and the trusting to it, conjunctly. IV. Lastly, Apply. 276 THE LITTLE SUCCESS OP THE GOSPEL I. We shall consider the gospel as it is a report. And here we shall view it, 1st, In the nature of a report in general. 2dly, In the nature of a report to be trusted to, for some valuable end. First, We shall view the gospel in the nature of a report in gene ral. And, 1. There is the subject of a report, or the thing that is reported, viz, some design, action, or event, true or false. The subject of the gospel-report is, a love-design in God for the salvation of sinners of mankind, 2 Tim. i. 9, 10. Such was the gospel-report that was first made in the world. Gen. iii. 15. It is the report of an act of grace and kindness in God, in favour of thera, whereby he has given them his Son for a Saviour, John iii. 16, Isa. ix. 6, and eternal life iu him, 1 John v. 11. The report of the event of Christ's dying for sinners, aud a crucified Christ's being ready for marriage with sinners ; Matth. xxii. 4. A subject of the utmost importance. 2. There is the place whence the report originally comes. And the place here is heaven, the bosom of the Father. Hence the gos pel is called heavenly things ; John iii. 12, revealed frora the bosom of the Father. The original place of a report is the place of the transaction, and that at some distance from where it is reported. So, (1.) The gospel is a report from heaven, where the design of love was contrived, the gift of the Son was made, and from whence he came to die for sinners, and where he is ready to match with them. The gospel may come from one place of the earth to another, as it did frora Jernsalera to other places of the world ; Isa. ii. 3 ; Luke xxiv. 47. But it came from heaven originally, Luke ii. 13, 14. (2.) The gospel is good news from a far country, and so should be as acceptable as cold water to the thirsty ; Prov. xxv. 25. The far ther off a country is frora whence a report comes, we think ourselves the less concerned in it ; and so do carnal men treat the gospel-re port. Far indeed it is ; but as far as it is, we must spend our eter nity in it, or else in hell ; and therefore it does most nearly concern us. 3. The matter of a report is something unseen to them to whora the report is made. And so is the matter of the gospel-report. It is an unseen God, John i. 18 ; an unseen Saviour, 1 Pet. i. 8 ; and unseen things, 2 Cor. iv. 18, that are preached unto you by the gospel. So the gospel is an object of faith, not of sight ; Heb. xi. 1. We receive it by hearing, not by seeing ; Isa. Iv. 3. It is not what we credit on our eye-sight, but upon the testimony of another, viz. MATTER OP LAMENTATION. 277 of God. Hence the carnal world are fond on seen objects ; Psalra iv. 6. but slow to believe the gospel. 4. There is a reporter or reporters. And in this case the report is made by many. But, (1.) The first-hand reporter is au eye-witness, viz. Jesus Christ. Christ himself was the raiser of the report of the gospel ; Heb. ii. 3. And who else could have been so ? John i. 18. What he reported he saAV, and gives us his testiraony of the truth of it on his eyesight; John iii. 11. Hence he is proposed to us as the faithful and true witness ; Rev. iii. 14. who was from eternity privy to the whole de sign revealed to ns in the gospel. (2.) The prophets and apostles, and ministers of the gospel. They are the second-hand reporters. The forraer had it immediately from Christ, the latter from thera again. But none of thera were eye witnesses, but ear-witnesses properly speaking. For even the apos tles who saw Christ with their eyes, yet owed their knowledge of the gospel to their faith originally, though they were confirmed by what they saw; John i. 14. So it is determined; Psalm Ixviii. 11, "The Lord gave the word; great was the company of those that published it." 5. Lastly, There is a manifestation of the thing by the report, to the parties to whom the report is made. So is the grace of God to poor sinners, manifested to thera by the gospel ; 2 Tira. i. 9, 10. It is no raore kept a secret from them, but they are let into the know ledge of the design, action, and events, which concern their salva tion. The gospel opens up and reveals the secret of God's grace to sinners, with the method of comraunicating it, even the whole plan of salvation, which from eternity was hid in the breast of God, John i. 18. Let us view the gospel. Secondly, In the nature of a report to be trnsted to, for some valuable end. And so it is, 1. A true and faithful report, that one may safely trust; 1 Tim. i. 15, " This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." It was originally brought frora heaven by Jesus Christ ; Heb. ii. 3. the faithful and true witness ; Rev. iii. 14. Many false reports are going in the world ; and those that are brought from afar, we are not in capacity to contradict ; but the truth of the gospel has been confirmed by the greatest evidence, particularly by the death of Christ, and by the experience of the believers of it in all ages. 2. An infallible report. A report may be true where there is no infallibility; but the report of the gospel is an infallible truth. Acts i. 3, for it is the word of God that cannot lie ; 1 Thess. ii. 13. 278 THE LITLLE SUCCESS OP THE GOSPEL Though men bring it to you, God has put it in their mouths from his written word ; and the speaker is Christ himself, they are but the voice. And the Spirit of the Lord demonstrates it to believers, as divine truth ; 1 Cor. ii. 4. 3. A good and comfortable report. It is not only good in itself, as the report of the law's curse is ; but it is good for us. Hence it is called good or glad tidings, Luke ii. 10. As the contrivance of salvation is stated in the gospel, it is adapted in all points to our case. And the convinced sinner, helped to believe, sees it so; that it is a good report of God, bringing the contrivance every way good for him. (4.) Lastly, A weighty report, even of the greatest weight, as concerning man's greatest possible interest, Isa- Ixi, 1- It concerns a man's eternal interest, how he may be saved from the wrath of God, and made happy for evermore, II. We shall consider faith as it is a trusting to this report, the report of the gospel. And so it is not only divine faith, but saving justifying faith, Rom. x. 8, 9. It may be taken up in these two. Faith is, 1st, A trusting of the gospel-report as true. It is a believing of the doctrine of the gospel ; Acts viii. 37- Faith is the soul's echo to the joyful sound. That Christ came to save sinners is true, saith the gospel ; true, saith faith. Hence the gospel is called a hearing in our text, and the hearing of faith ; Gal. iii. 2. The voice frora without entering the ear, is conceived and sounds there ; the voice of the gospel entering the heart, is conceived and sounds like an echo, from the heart ; and that is faith ; Rom. x. 9. When a word is heard that one does not believe, there is as it were a repelling it frora within ; and it is all one to the purpose of the speaker, as if it were not heard at all. So unbelief repels the gospel-testimony, re ceives it not as true ; 1 John v. 10. But faith receivete it as true ; and the speaker so far gains his design. And faith trusts it as true, 1. In the general, with respect to the multitude whom it concerns ; 1 Tira. i. 15, " It is a faithful saying, Christ came to save sinners." Here is the gospel ; here is faith's assent to it as true with respect to sinners in general. It is the report of a common good, the com mon salvation for sinners of mankind. The great body of mankind looks on it as idle tales ; but faith receives it as a true report ; and admires the love of God to fallen man, and not to fallen angels, 2. In particular, with respect to one's self ; 1 Tim. i, 15, " This is a faithful saying, that Christ came to save sinners ; of whom I am the chief." Here is the application of faith, without which the re port of the gospel is not trusted as true ; He came to save me. MATTER OP LAMENTATION. 279 Faith believes there is a fulness in Christ for poor sinners, and for one's self in particular ; that Christ and all his salvation is in ear nest offered to sinners, and to one's self in particular ; that he is the Saviour ofthe world, and their Saviourin particular, John iv- 42, "We know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the ; world.'' Chap XX. 28, " Thomas said unto him. My Lord and my God." This is evident, if ye consider, that the gospel comprehends you, and every one of you ; John iii. 16, " God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in hira, should not perish, but have everlasting life." Prov. viii. 4, " Unto you, 0 raen, I call, and ray voice is to the sons of man." If then you do not believe it with respect to yourself, if you should believe it with respect to all the world besides, ye disbelieve it ; ye deny credit to it, in that which is the main point for your salvation ; 1 John v. 10. 11. Tou believe in that case no more than devils do ; Mark i. 24. Nay, you do not believe so much as the devils do ; for they can not help believing your interest in the gospel, as well as the interest of others : and therefore are at so much pains to keep you from be lieving it, lest ye be saved ; if ye had no interest iu it, they would tell you so much for your torment. Object. But where is it written in the gospel, that Christ came to save me, or that he is my Saviour ? I am sure my name is not in it. I may believe the gospel then, though I do not believe it to hold with respect to myself. Answ. Where is it written in the law, that Adam ruined you ? I am sure your narae is neither in the commands of the law, nor in the curse of it either. But do you think you could indeed believe the law, without believing its commands and curse reaching you ? No ; if ye believe not that, you contradict the express terms of the law ; Gal. iii. 10, " For as many as are ofthe works of the law, are under the curse ; for itis written. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." 0, but say ye, I am comprehended in the curse as a breaker of the law ; true, but are ye not as rauch comprehended in the gos pel as a son of Adam ? Prov. viii. 4 ; is not the promise of the gos pel in as extensive terms (John iii. 16,) as the curse of the law ? Wherefore, let none deceive themselves, thinking they believe the gospel, while they believe it not with particular application to themselves. True faith trusts the gospel as true, with respect to one's self; and so trusts it, 1. As certain truth. It does not receive the gospel-report only as a thing that is probable, and likely to be true. That is opinion and conjecture, not faith. Faith embraceth the gospel as certain truth. 280 THE LITTLE SUCCESS OP THE GOSPEL as a thing one is sure there is no falsehood in ; John vi- 69, " We believe, and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God." Paul was so much persuaded of the truth ofthe gospel, that he could declare an angel accursed that should contradict it ; Gal. i. 8, 9. 2. As infallible truth, as a thing there can be no falsehood in. The reason of which is. That faith trusts the gospel as the testimony of God himself that cannot lie, 1 Thess. ii. 13. It receives the joyful sound as the voice of God, John iii. 33. To believe the gospel be cause good ministers and good books say so, or because it appears agreeable to our reason, is not faith, but opinion. Faith believes it, because God says so. The tidings of the gospel are beyond our sight, and above our reason, as the raystery of an incarnate God, an imputed righteousness, &c. But because we see the divine testi raony for these things, therefore we believe thera by true faith, just on the credit of God's word, Mark xvi. 15. Hence it appears, 1. That there is an assurance in the nature of faith, whereby the believing person is sure of the truth of the doctrine of the gospel, and that with respect to hiraself particularly ; 1 Thess. i. 2, "For onr gospel carae not uuto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in ranch assurance." So that whatever were his doubts of it, and carnal reasonings against it, he is brought at length to assent thereto as most firm truth. 2. That there is a necessity of an inward illnraination by the Spirit, in order to the faith of the gospel, 1 Cor. ii. 14, 10, " The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God ; for they are foolishness unto hira ; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spi rit." The Spirit ofthe Lord opens the eyes, and demonstrates the truth of the gospel to the soul ; ver. 4, " My speech, and ray preaching, was — in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power ;" otherwise there is no reaching the divine faith of it ; ver. 5, " That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God," This casts down the man's carnal reasonings against it, and awes him and over comes hira into a belief of the truth ; 2 Cor. x. 4, 5. Quest. Is there no doubting then consistent with the faith of the report of the gospel ? Answ. All doubting is contrary to faith ; Matth. xxi. 21. But since faith is not perfect more than other graces, it may have a mixture of its contrary ; chap. xiv. 31, " 0 thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ?" Howbeit, the more doubting, the less faith ; and the raore faith, the less doubting. As long as doubting is predominant iu the soul to be brought to Christ, there is no faith. But tho Spirit of the Lord lays in a weight TUE GOSPEL REPORT OPENED UP. 281 of light, and the balance is cast ou the side of the truth of the gospel, and the doubting is downweighed, and faith springs up in the soul. The soul is assured of the truth of the gospel, appearing in his venturing himself for eternity upon it, in the sight of a holy, just God; though perhaps he is not without all doubting ; as there may be a moving of the heavier scale by the lighter weight, though the balance is fully casten. 2dly, There is in faith a trusting to the gospel-report as good. Faith does not only trust the gospel, but trusts to it, trusts much to it, lays stress on it, not only as a true, but also as a good thing. Faith, 1. Looks on the gospel as a good thing in itself, and desirable. For it is done with the heart ; Rora. x. 10. Look how a Saviour, a righteousness, and a pardon, must needs be good things in the eyes of sinners seeing themselves lost ; so the gospel that brings these to sinners, must needs appear good. As the belief of the report of the law, imports not only an assent to it as true, but a horror of it as evil ; so the belief of the report of the gospel imports not only an assent thereto as true, but a relish thereof as good. So it is holden out to faith under the notion of good ; Isaiah Iv. 2, " Hearken dili gently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul de light itself in fatness." 2. Faith looks on the gospel as good for one's self in particular. The believing soul says. This is good news, and good forme ; 1 Tim. i. 15, " Worthy of all acceptation." When there is a report of a physician come to a country that infallibly cures such and such a disease, the whole people say. That is good ; but the sick of these diseases say more. That is good for me. What makes one think a thing good for hira, is the suitableness of it to his mind and case. Many hearers of the Gospel may account the Gospel good in itself, but they do not look on it as good for them, at least as yet : as one who may account sorae kind of meat good, bnt he is not for it. He has better before him, more agreeable to his stomach ; or perhaps he has no stomach for the time, so it must be set up. Thus Christ is good, and his salvation ; but the raan has the world and his lusts to feed on, that are raore agreeable to hira ; let thera stay off till death, and then he will be for thera. But the Gospel is to the be liever not only good in itself, but good for him, and that just now. And so he trusts to it as good for hira. And if ye ask, what it is that he trusts to it? Why, he trusts his salvation to it, in a word; for that is it the gospel brings to sinners. Tit. ii. 11. marg. "The grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men, hath appeared." .And the trust of faith relates to it ; Eph. i. 12, 13, " That we should Vol. X, T 282 THE GOSPEL REPORT OPENED UP. be to the praise of his glory, who flrst trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trnsted, after that ye heard the word ot truth, the gospel of your salvation." The soul sees itself lost ; the gospel offers salva tion. And faith thereupon trusts for it. Acts xvi. 31. Even for Christ's whole salvation. Which raay be taken up in these two. 1. The relative part of it ; which coraprehends the soul's justifica tion, reconciliation, adoption, and all other benefits of the like kind. These the gospel offers, together with the righteousness of Christ, upon which they are founded ; and faith trusts to it for all these ; Rom. i. 17, " For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith." 2. The real part of it ; which comprehends the soul's sanctification and glorification, and all other benefits of that kind. These also the gospel offers, together with the Spirit of Christ, by whom they are to be wrought in sinners ; and faith trusts to it for all these, Gal. iii. 2. Thus faith lays the greatest of weight on the report of the gospel, even the weight of the raan's salvation for time and eternity ; deal ing with God for that his greatest interest, in the way of trust on his word of the gospel ; trusting to that report for his own salvation in particular ; Acts xv. 11, " But we believe, that, through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved." Now, as faith is a trusting to the report of the gospel for one's own salvation, according as salvation is offered in the gospel, it im plies these following things. 1. Not only a willingness, but a sincere desire to be sanctified, and delivered from sin, as well as to be justified, and delivered from wrath ; to be delivered from the reigning power, practice, pollution, and inbeing of sin, as well as from the guilt of it ; Rom. vii. 24, 25, " 0 wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death ! I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord." A per son raay fear frora one what he does not desire ; but what he desires not, he cannot trust in one for. Therefore where there is no such desire, there is no trusting to the gospel, there is no faith. 2. A renouncing of all other confidence for his salvation. Faith trusting to the report of the gospel, quits self-confidence, law-con fidence, and creature-confidence ; Jer. xvi. 19, " 0 Lord, my strength and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall corae unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say. Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no proflt." Phil. iii. 3, " We are the circumcision, which have no confldence in the flesh ?" like the woman with the bloody issue, who quit all her physicians, trusting for healing to a touch of the hera of Christ's garment. THE GOSPEL REPORT OPENED UP. 283 3. A hearty approbation of the way of salvation manifested in the report of the gospel ; Matth. xi. 6, " Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me." Faith here views Christ in the glass of the gospel as a crucifled Saviour ; 1 Cor. ii. 2 ; believes his suffi ciency as such to save sinners, and them in particular, from sin, and from the wrath of a holy God, in the eye of the holy law, and to make them completely holy and happy ; Phil. iii. 9 ; and acquies- ceth in that way for their own salvation ; 1 Cor. i. 24. 4. A betaking one's self entirely to that way of salvation, by trusting to it wholly for our own salvation ; Ruth ii. 12. Even as a poor beggar, having riches and wealth made over to hira by his friend, leaves off his begging, and betakes himself to that entirely for his throughbearing. This is the soul's coming to Christ, flee ing for refuge, receiving the atonement, and rolling its burden on hira. 5. Lastly, A confidence and trust that he will save us frora sin and wrath, according to his proraise ; Acts xv. 11, " We believe, that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved." This is that trust which shall never be disappointed; Rom. x. 11, that building on Christ which shall never fall ; 1 Pet. ii. 6. III. We shall consider the report of the gospel, and the trusting to it conjunctly. 1. The gospel is a report from heaven, of salvation for poor sin ners, from sin ; Matth. i. 21 ; and frora the wrath of God ; John iii. 16, however dear bought, yet freely made over to you in the word of proraise ; so as that ye may freely take possession of it ; Isaiah Iv. 1. This report being brought to the sinner, faith trusts it as a true report, believing that God has said it; and trusts to it as good, lay ing our own salvation upon it. So the soul greedily embraceth the Saviour, and the salvation brought to it in that report, as ever a drowning raan Avould take hold of a rope let down to bring hira out of the waters ; Cant. i. 3. 2. The gospel is the report of a crucified Christ made over to sin ners, as the device of heaven for their salvation. It is proclaimed by the authority of heaven that Christ has died, and by his death purchased life ar.d salvation for lost children of Adam ; and that they and every one of them raay have full and free access to him ; Matth. xxii. 4. Faith trusting this report as good and true, the soul concludes. The Saviour is mine ; and leans on him for all the purchase of his death, for life and salvation to itself in particular ; 1 Cor. ii, 2. 3. The gospel is the report of a righteousness wherein we guilty ones raay stand before a holy God ; Rom. i. 17, " For therein is tho t2 284 IHE GOSPEL REPORT OPENED UP. righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith." And by faith one believes there is sneh a righteousness, that it is sufficient to co ver him, and that is held out to hira to be trusted on for righteous ness ; and so the believer trusts it as his righteousness in the sight of God, disclaiming all other, and betaking himself to it alone ; Gal. ii. 16. 4. The gospel is the report of a pardon under the great seal of heaven, in Christ, to all who will take it in hira ; Acts xiii. 38, 39, " Be it known unto you that through this raan is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are justified from all things." This pardon is proclaimed openly by the authority of Heaven, full and free, without exception of any of lost Adam's race, to whora the report comes. The soul by faith believes this to be true, and applies it to itself, saying, This pardon is for me ; it is good and suitable to my case ; I will therefore lean to this word of grace for my pardon, and corae in, for this is the word of God that cannot lie. 6. The gospel is tbe report of a Physician that cures infallibly all the diseases of the soul ; Matth. ix. 12, 13 ; Heb. vii. 26, and freely ; Hos. xiv. 4 ; and rejects no patients ; John vi. 37. The soul believes it, and applies it to its own case ; and says. Then I will trust hira for the removing the stony heart out of my flesh, for curing me of the falling evil of backsliding, the fever of raging corruption, the running issue of the predominant lust, and the universal leprosy of the corruption of my nature. 6. The gospel is the report of a feast for hungry souls, Isa. xxv. 6, to which all are bid welcome, Christ himself being the maker and matter of it too ; Isa. Iv. 2. The soul, weary of the husks of created things, and believing this report, accordingly falls a-feeding on Christ, his flesh which is meat indeed, and his blood which is drink indeed ; believing and applying to itself all that Christ was, did, and suffered, as that whereof the soul shall reap the benefit ; which is the feeding by faith on a slain Saviour. 7. The gospel is the report of a treasure ; 2 Cor. iv. 7. In it are the precious promises, within them precious Christ, with his merit, like the gold mentioned ; Rev. iii. 18, " I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayst be rich." The field it is hid in, may be yours ; Matth. xiii. 44 ; the gospel offers you the co venant as that fleld. Faith believes the report; and the soul lays hold on the covenant, and trusts entirely to the treasure hid there for the payment of all its debt, for its throughbearing during life, and through death, and for procuring it eternal happiness. THE GOSPEL REPORT OPENED UP. 285 8. The gospel is the report of a victory won by Jesns Christ over sin, Satan, and death, and the world; Psalm xcviii. 1, and that in favour of all that will join the glorious Conqueror. Faith believes this report; and the soul trusts to it for its victory over all these, as already foiled enemies ; 1 John v. 4. To narae no more, 9, Lastly, The gospel is the report of a peace purchased by the blood of Christ for poor sinners ; Eph. ii. 14, and offered to them ; Isa. xxvii. 5. Faith believes it ; and trusting to it, the soul comes before God as a reconciled Father in Christ, brings in its supplications for supply before the throne, believing the communication to be opened betwixt heaven and them, which during the war was blocked up. Use 1. Of information. This shews, that, 1. The gospel is the mean of divine appointment for the salvation of sinners. Therefore it is called " the gospel of our salvation," Eph. i. 13, and to "bring salvation," Tit. ii. 11. The light of na ture is not the external mean or instrument of salvation ; for it brings no report of Christ ; Acts iv. 12. The law is not it neither ; it is the " ministration of death and condemnation ;" 2 Cor. iii. 7, 9 ; but the gospel only; for it is in the gospel only that a righteous ness is revealed for the unrighteous; Rom. i. 16, 17, and in which the Spirit is conveyed to dead sinners ; Gal. iii. 2. To slight the gospel, then, is to slight the only mean of salvation. 2. The gospel, however, will not be of any saving effect to us with out faith ; Heb. iv. 2, " The word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it," The gospel is the net ; but the soul is not catched, to be drawn out of the waters of wrath, until it believe ; 1 Cor. i. 21, " It pleased God by the foolish ness of preaching to save thera that believe.'' If the gospel be hid to us, it is an evidence we are yet lost ; and it reraains hid to all unbelievers, who see not the truth, goodness, nor glory of the gos pel. 3. The gospel-method of salvation takes away all ground of glory ing in the least, from the sinner ; for it is by the faith of the gospel ; Rora. iv. 16, " Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace." The way how a sinner is to be brought into a state of salvation, is not by doing of a law, or any work of a law ; but by believing or trusting to a report. Faith is a believing or trusting, which of all things is the farthest removed from the nature of a work ; and it is an injury done to the free grace of God, to look upon it as a work, or to explain it so, as hardly to leave any believing or trusting in it. Use 2. Of exhortation. Let the gospel gain trust with yon, as. ever ye would be saved frora sin and wrath. And, 286 THE GOSPEL REPORT OPENED UP. 1st, Trust the gospel as true, as universally true, and that certainly and infallibly, as from God hiraself. Motive 1. Consider the manner of its discovery, clearly appear ing to be from God, being delivered by Jesus Christ aud his apostles. It is a doctrine confirmed by the life and death of Christ, and parti cularly by his resurrection frora the dead ; by the miracles wrought by hira and his apostles ; John iii. 2. Motive 2. Consider the manner of its propagation in the world. It overturned Judaism and Paganism, the only two religions in the world when it entered ; and that neither by the subtlety of men and human learning, nor by the force of arms ; but by the raeans of a few fishermen, declaring it in its simplicity; against whom the learning of the schools, and the power of the magistrate and sword, were engaged. Motive 3. Lastly, Consider its effects on men, subduing their lusts, rendering them holy as God is holy ; causing them to embrace it, over the belly of their worldly interest, and in spite of all hazards set before thera by its enemies ; and carrying thera up comfortably in the midst of the most cruel death. 2dly, Trust to it, and lay the stress of your salvation on it as good. For which cause consider, 1. It discovers a righteousness in which a sinner may stand be fore a holy God ; Rom. i. 17. The law requires righteousness, a perfect righteousness, under the pain of the curse. Gal. iii. 10, but it affords none, nor any strength whereby it raay be wrought ; but the gospel tells us of a righteousness already wrought, and offers it to the sinner ; Rom. viii. 3, 4, " For Avhat the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the laAv might be fulflUed in us." And in it there is what, in the eye of the law, will justify the sinner before God, and give perfect peace in one's own conscience ; Rom. v. 1, " Being jus- tifled by faith, we have peace with God, through onr Lord Jesus Christ." 2. It sets before us the most glorious life of most perfect happi ness, in the clearest and surest way ; 2 Tim. i. 10. The brightest scheme of happiness and the most illuminated map of Imraanuel's land, is therein laid before us ; fit to draw men's hearts to it, over the belly of all opposition. The researches of happiness made by moralists were as midnight darkness ; the discoveries of it in the Mosaic dispensation were but as the twilight; but in the gospel as the mid-day. 3. Lastly, It is the only channel of salvation, in Avhich salvation the gospkl report opened up. 287 is conveyed to lost sinners ; Acts iv. 12, " Neither is there salvation in any other ; for there is none other narae under heaven given araong men, whereby we must be saved." And, 1. It is the channel of salvation, to which whosoever do betake theraselves by faith, shall undoubtedly be saved ; Rom. i. 16, " The gospel is the poAver of God unto salvation to every one that believ eth." There they shall find quickening, sanctifying, and saving in fluences ; as by a mean appointed of God for that very end, 2. There is uo other channel of salvation, no not the law as con tradistinguished thereto ; 2 Cor. iii. It was the channel of life to innocent man once ; but to a sinner never. When sin entered, it quite dried up as to all streams of life ; Gal. ii. 16, " By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." In a sinking state of the church, the law and gospel are confounded, and the law jostles out the gospel, the dark shades of morality take place of gospel light ; which plague is this day begun in this church, and well far ad vanced. Men think they see the fltness of legal preaching for sanc tiflcation ; bnt how the preaching of the gospel should be such a mean, they cannot understand, through want of experience of the power of the gospel on their own souls. But, (1.) The gospel, and not the law, has the word of divine appoint ment for that end ; Eph. i. 13, " In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation ; in whora also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise." It is the word of salvation. Acts xiii. 26 ; the word of grace, chap. xx. 32; and the word of life, Phil. ii. 16. But the law, as contradistinguished to it, is under no such appointment ; but is the ministration of condemnation and death, 2 Cor. iii. 7, 9. Abana and Pharpar seemed as flt in the eyes of carnal raen to cure a leper as Jordan; but Jordan had the word of divine appointment. And without such an appointraent nothing can avail. (2.) The gospel and not the law as contradistinguished thereto has the blessing annexed to it. There, and only there, is the power of God to salvation to be expected ; Rom. i. 16. It alone is the mini stration of the Spirit ; 2 Cor. iii. 8. So the apostle could appeal to the experience of the Galatians ; Gal. iii. 2, " This only," says he, " would I learn of you. Received ye the Spirit by the works of tho law, or by the hearing of faith ?" Now, that can never be the chan nel of salvation frora which the Spirit is separated. Wherefore know, that your life lies here, and that there is no sal vation but in the way of trusting to the report of the gospel. Doctrine III. Though many hear, yet few believe or trust to the report of the gospel. 288 the rarity of believing the gospel report. In discoursing this Doctrine, I shall, I. Confirm this point. That though many hear, yet few believe or trust to the report of the gospel. II. Give the reasons why so few believe the report of the gospel. III. Lastly, Apply. I. I shall confirm this point. That though many hear, yet few believe or trust to the report of the gospel. It is clear, if ye consi der and view these two things. 1st, A view of the church in all ages, and the entertainment the gospel has met with among them to whora it came. 2dly, A view of the church setting aside those whom the scrip ture determines to be unbelievers. First, Let us take a view of the church in all ages, and the enter tainment the gospel has met with among those to whom it carae. It has been a despised and disbelieved gospel generally in all ages, and under all dispensations. Few believed it, 1. Under the patriarchal dispensation, from Adam to Moses. It was first preached in paradise to Adam and Eve, being comprehend ed in the promise of Christ to come. By thera indeed it was believ ed, and Adara preached it ; but Cain slew Abel, and headed an apostacy. And in the days of Enos, the son of Seth, there was a professed distinction raade between professors and others; Gen.iv, 26, " Then began raen to call upon the narae of the Lord." Noah, a preacher of righteousness, his doctrine was so little believed, that that generation was swept away with the flood. An unbelieving Hara was in the ark ; and Nimrod shortly after headed a generation of unbelieving apostates, that built the tower of Babel. Abram was called alone frora his country, where his father served other gods. And his posterity in Egypt had little knowledge of either law or gospel left them ; Rom. v. 13, " For until the law sin was in the world." 2. Under the Mosaic dispensation, they had the gospel, though vailed with types and flgures. But the body of the generation that carae out of Egypt, believed not, but fell in the wildeaness ; Heb. iv. 2. How often did the body of that nation fall off into idolatry ? What heavy complaints did their prophets make time after time of the unbelief prevailing in their generations ? 3. Under the Christian dispensation. The word out of Christ's own mouth was generally disbelieved ; John xii. 37, 38, " But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him ; that the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, " Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whora hath the arm of the Lord been revealed ?" The gospel never had so great THE RARITY OP believing THE GOSPEL REPORT. 289 success as in the apostles' days ; yet even but few believed it in com parison of others in the world ; Rom. x. 16, " But they have not all obeyed the gospel." The state of the church for the times there after may be seen. Rev. vi. in the first six seals. Then in the tirae of Antichrist, the world wondered after the beast, the witnesses were reduced to two; and the churches of believers driven to the wilder ness. At the reformation the gospel had remarkable success ; but yet believers were but few comparatively ; and there have been but few all along since that time. Secondly, Let us take a view of the church, setting aside those whom the scripture determines to be unbelievers ; and we will soon see that bnt few do remain. Set aside, 1. The grossly ignorant of Christ, and of the truths of tho gospel. These God himself casts out of the number ; Isa. xxvii. 11, " It is a people of no understanding ; therefore he that raade them, will not have mercy on them ; and he that formed them will shew them no favour." There may be a believing in an unseen, but not an unknown Christ. How can they believe the gospel, that know not what it is ? 2. The profane, who are Christians in name, because they live in a Christian country ; but have not a shape of a Christianity about them. Surely these do not believe the gospel ; Tit. i. 16, " They pro fess that they know God ; but in works they deny him, being abo minable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." Sanctification and belief of the truth go together, 2 Thess. ii. 13. The gospel is the great mean of God's appointraent for reforming the world ; if then it prevail not to the reforming of men's lives, it is an evidence they believe it not, Heb. iv. 2. 3. The carnal and worldly, who raake the world their chief good, mainly seeking that, and favouring it only. These undoubtedly are unbelievers ; Phil. iii. 19, 20, " Whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly ; an4 whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things." No sooner doth a man believe the report of the gospel anent the unseen world, bnt the present evil world sinks in its value with him, Matth. xiii. 44, " The kingdom of heaven is like unto trea sure hid in a field ; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field." But to the most part the matters of faith are as the bird in the bush ; what they see with their eyes is the bird in hand ; Psalm iv. 6, "There be many that say. Who will shew ns any good ?" 4. Mere moralists, all whose religion is confined to some pieces of the second table. These are they who are just in their dealings with 290 THE RARITY OF BELIEVING THE GOSPEL REPORT. men, but know nothing of dealing with God through Christ, and make no conscience of the duties of worshipping God. They come but the one half of that Pharisee's length, mentioned Luke xviii ; and to be sure are unbelievers, for Christ sets tliera aside ; Matth. v. 20, " For I say unto yon, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdora of heaven." 5. Gross hypocrites, who have a profession of religion, and wor ship God, but in the raeantirae are loose and licentious in their walk. These are they who on their knees are like saints, but have no raore religion than what lies in these external duties of worship. Thera Christ sets aside as unbelievers; Matth. vii. 21, " Not every one that saith unto me, " Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kinadom of heaven ;" and will disown any saving relation to them ; Luke vi. 46, " Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say ?" That gospel that cleanses not a man's hands from unjust dealing ; his mouth from lying, swearing, and filthy speaking ; and his conversation from the pollutions of the world is certainly not believed. 6. Close hypocrites, whose outward conversation is blameless iu the eye of the world, but in the meantime are inwardly strangers to God and Christ. Such were those in the church of Sardis, of whom our Lord says, Rev. iii. 1, " I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead." They are not unacquainted with the practice of outward duties both towards God and man ; but they are absolute strangers to the life of faith, comraunion with God, and experimental religion. They are walking on in the dark, and dreaming they are in the way ; yet have never one foot on it. These are unbelievers, for faith purifies the heart ; Acts xv. 9. They are self-justiciaries, like the Jews of old, " who being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, did not submit themselves unto the righteousness of God;" Rora. X. 3. 7. Lastly, All unregenerate persons ; for they are certainly un believers, as believers are regenerate; as clear frora John i. 12, 13, " But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to thera that believe on his narae : which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the Avill of raan, but of God." And such are all those who have never been con vinced of their sin and raisery ; nor humbled, and brought to be content with a Saviour on any terms ; who have never had Christ revealed in them ; nor been savingly determined and enabled to em brace him. TIIE RARITY OP BELIEVING THE GOSPEL REPORT. 291 Now they of these several sorts make the throng of the multitude ofthe hearers of the gospel. And it is but here and there one that is not of one or other of thera. Set aside, then, all these, few re main, few believers, foAV who trust to the gospel-report. II. I shall give the reasons why so few believe the report of the gospel. 1. There is a natural impotency in all ; John vi. 44, " No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent rae, draw hira." This is cured in few ; to few is the " arra of the Lord revealed." Be lieving the report of the gospel, is not, as some think, an easy re port of imagination. It is beyond the power of nature. Tea, every thing in nature is against it, and riseth up against it, till the Spirit of the Lord overcome thera into belief of the report of the gospel. 2. The predominant power of lusts, to which the gospel is an ene my. There our Lord lodges it ; John iii. 19, " This is the condem nation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." The gospel is a light ; but they love darkness better ; and therefore they will not receive the light by the belief thereof. They are set upon present things, things of sense ; and therefore esteem the things of faith but as idle tales ; John v. 44. 3. There is a judicial blindness on many. Men have refused to believe the gospel, that they might get continued in the embraces of their lusts, therefore God hath given them over into the hand of Sa tan, who has blinded them so, as they cannot behold the light and glory of the gospel ; 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. Use 1. Of information. Hence learn, that, 1st, There is great odds between hearing and doing ; James i. 22. Many hear, but few obey ; raany are called, but few chosen. The gospel comes to the ears of many, who receive the sound with an air of reverence, but never receive it into their hearts by faith. Do not then lay stress on your attendance on ordinances, as if that would render you acceptableto God; Jer. vii. 4, " Trust ye not in lying words, saying. The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the teraple of the Lord are these." Soch a conceit will be sadly exposed at the last day, as is clear frora what our Lord says will be the language of sorae at his awful tribunal, " We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets." Unto all such he would say, " De part from rae, all ye Avorkers of iniquity ;" Luke xiii. 26, 27. 2dly, This may remove the occasion of stumbling by these three things. Do not stumble at it, (1.) Because the gospel hath so few friends in an evil day. The scripture has told us before, that few believe it at any tirae. It is a greater wonder, that one adheres to 292 THE RARITY OF BELIEVING THE GOSPEL REPORT. it over the belly of persecution, especially even to death, than that hundreds forsake it ; considering how rare the faith of it is even in a tirae of peace. (2.) That the foundations of Christianity corae at length to be attacked by raen of corrupt rainds. For what wonder is it, that, in a tirae of long peaceable enjoyraent of the gospel, they that never truly believed it, corae at length to question it, and in end downright to deny it ? (3.) That the lives either of professors or ministers of the gospel are altogether unsuitable to it. For raen may profess and preach the gospel too, that they never believed. Man's arra raay fit men to possess and preach it ; but it is the arra ofthe Lord only that can bring men to" believe it. Object. But is not that ground to question it, that so few believe it ? Answ. That is no just prejudice against it. For, (1.) There are many natural truths, which yet are believed by very few. I suppose the thousandth, not to say the ten thousandth person in the world that sees the sun and moon, does not believe the sun to be bigger than a cart-wheel, or any star to be so big as the moon ; and yet learned men demonstrate by reason, that the sun is bigger than the whole earth by far, and the raoon less than any star. But the gospel is supernatural truth, which cannot be comprehended or re ceived by mere reason ; 1 Cor. ii. 14, " For the natural raan re ceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God ; for they are foolishness unto hira ; neither can he know thera, because they are spiritually discerned." Therefore there is no ground to question the gospel- report, because few believe it. (2,) The most part of men are Aved- ded to their lusts and passions, which the gospel is set for the root ing out of ; Tit. ii. 11, 12, " For the grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men ; teaching us, that denying un godliness, and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present Avorld." It is the interest of their lusts that the gospel be not believed ; and therefore the general unbelief of the gospel is no prejudice against it ; because men generally have a strong bias against it, from the raighty power of their lusts ; John iii. 19, forecited. But the belief of it is of equal latitude with a sincere desire of enjoying God, and being like him ; which is raan's chief happiness. 3dly, The common way of the world is not God's way ; and they are rare persons that are right. This is evident from our Lord's ex hortation, Matth. vii. 13, 14, " Enter in at the strait gate ; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat ; because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Many will be walled out of the visible church, and thrown away as TIIE RARITY OP BELIEVING THE GOSPEL REPORT. 293 naught, till they be left but as one of a city, and two of a family, as the gleanings of the vintage, that are to be carried to Zion above. They are men wondered at, Zech. iii. 8; therefore not ordinary; God's jewels; Mai. iii. 17; therefore not comtaon stuff; Christ's little, little flock, Luke xii. 32, (Greek.) Mhly, Lastly, Surely raany deceive themselves as to their faith of the gospel, thinking they believe the gospel while they really believe it not ; Hos. viii. 2, 3, " Israel shall cry unto rae. My God, we know thee. Israel hath cast off the thing that is good." The apostle ob serves ; 2 Thess. iii. 2, that " all men have not faith ;" and onr Lord shows it to be very rare ; Luke xviii. 8, " When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth ?" I suppose it will be found, that few believe this very truth we are insisting on. For as few as there are who believe the gospel, if the question were put to each of us. Do you believe the gospel ? Do you believe it ? I reckon few, if any, particularly of the unbelievers, but would say. They do. The reasons of the mistake are these : — 1. They were brought up in the profession of the gospel, and they never questioned their belief of it. Many among us have no raore for their belief of the gospel, than Papists in Italy have for their belief of Popery, and Pagans in America for their belief of Pagan ism. Their fathers, and mothers, and priests told thera so; and so they have a huraan faith of Popery and Paganism, upon that human testimony. And so many a Scotsman has no raore but a human faith ofthe gospel, which they have taken up on the word of their fathers, mothers, and ministers ; and they never questioned it. But the di vine faith of the gospel is another thing, and that they will find when they come to a pinch in that matter ; Matth. xvi. 17, " And Jesus said unto him. Blessed art thou Simon Barjona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, bnt ray Father which is in heaven," 1 Thess. ii. 13, " For this cause also thank we God Ayith- out ceasing, because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but (as it is in truth) the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe." 2. They never had much ado with their faith of the gospel. Such as it is, it has lien by them idle all their days ; like a book by a scholar he never had occasion to consult ; or a piece of raoney one never offered in payment to his neighbour. Their faith of the gos pel was never tried with barefaced Satanical temptations, obstinately insisted in ; nor with their afflictions ; nor with sound and thorough convictions of their lost and miserable state ; and all is good untried. But the trial would have discovered another thing, James i. 12, that is true faith of the gospel that will abide a trial, 1 Pet. i. 6. 7. 294 THE RARITY OF BELIEVING THE GOSPEL REPORT. 3. They satisfy themselves with a general historical faith of the gospel, knowing nothing of trusting to it for all Christ's salvation to themselves. And if that be the believing of the gospel report, the devils are as good believers as they, and better too ; James ii. 19, for the devils believe and tremble. They know not what it is to be, at the instance of the law, set before the tribunal of God, in the court of conscience, and to have the law there pressing them parti cularly with its demands and curse ; and for their own defence to be fain to plead there as for their life, the holiness of Christ's nature, the righteousness of his life, and satisfaction for sin, and that upon the credit of the gospel report. But there are four things which may evince that most of the hearers of the gospel, whatever they think, do not believe the gospel, nor trust it as true, nor trust to it as good. 1. It does not purify their hearts and lives ; Acts xv. 9. The be lief of the truth is the means appointed of God for sanctification ; 2 Thess. ii. 13, " God hath frora the beginning chosen you to salva tion, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth." Eph. V. 25, 26, " Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water, by the word." And it is the word of the gospel thai is so; John XV. 3, " Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." The word of the gospel received into the heart by faith, is like a spring that works out the mud ; 1 Thess. ii. 13, " The word of God effectually worketh in you that believe." It is like leaven that seeks through the whole mass. For the Spirit of sanctiflcation is in it ; John vi. 63, " It is the spirit that quickeneth." The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." So then whose heart and life soever is not purifled by the gospel, they do not really believe it ; Heb. iv. 2. The profane man, he that is ungodly with respect to God, un righteous with respect to men, not sober with respect to hiraself, does not believe the gospel ; for it " teacheth us, that denying un godliness, and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly, in this present world," Tit. ii. 11, 12 ; and is effectual in be lievers ; 1 Thess. ii. 13, forecited. But such a one is master of it, it is not master of him. Rom. i. 18, " He holds the truth in unrighte ousness." The raan that is a slave to his passions, his pride, wrath, and revenge, believes not the gospel ; Isaiah xi. 6. The man whose God is the world, the covetous, the unjust, the sensual, the vain, &c., believes not ; Matth. xiii. 45, 46, forecited. 2. It does not make them fruitful to God, as it does in believers ; Col. i. 5, 6. That faith is vain that is without works ; James ii. 20, THE RARITY OF BELIEVING TUE GOSPEL REPORT. 295 The word of the gospel is a heavenly seed, which, received into the hearts by faith, never raisseth to bring forth fruit. As it puts out the fruits of the flesh, it brings in the fruits of the Spirit, It makes the man to live to Christ, and live for him; Phil, i, 21; as the ato- man of Samaria did, who not only lived unto Christ herself, but in duced others, by her example, to believe in hira as their Saviour. See John, chap. iv. The man that makes no conscience of serving his generation by doing good to others, that lays not out himself to be useful for God in his place and station, that thinks it enough that he does not ill to others, and hangs not out a flag of deflance against the honour of God, is as really an unbeliever of tho gospel, as he that is noxious, in respect of God and man ; for where is his fruit ? Col. i. 6. See Matth. xii. 30, " He that is not with me, is against me ; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth abroad." 3. It is not their chief corafort, as it is to the saints ; Psalra cxix. 49, -50, " Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction ; for thy word hath quickened me." The scripture calls the believer's great hope, " the hope of the gospel ;" Col. i. 23. And it has been proven to be so by their suffering for it even unto death ; Mark viii. 35, " For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's the same shall save it.'' What bears up a man in his greatest straits, must needs be his greatest comfort. The gospel is that which bore up the hearts of believers, under their greatest hardships. Therefore it has been found, that brown bread and the gospel has been pleasant fare to many a believer. Take away the gospel, and take the sun out of the Avorld. Whatever are their straits or their storms, the gospel is their plight-anchor. But alas ! there are few thus minded. Give them full pantries and a warm flre-side, they could be right cheery without the gospel. It is the corn and the cattle, good markets, &c., they know the com fort of these ; but many that know that, know little of the comfort of the gospel. If they be lifted up at any time, it is not the gospel that does it, but some creature-comfort. If some affliction befal them, some creature-comfort removed; what helps them is not the comfort of the gospel, but some other creature-comfort put in its room, or hoped for. If one had his stock in a ship at sea, whatever joys or sorrows that man met with in his means at home, they would not be his chief ones ; the chief would be about the ship. The gospel is the ship the believer's stock is in ; and whatever joys or sorrows he 296 THE RARITY OF BELIEVING THE GOSPEL REPORT. meets with in the world, yet his chief ones are in the gospel ; Hab. iii. 1 7, 18, " Although the flg-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labour of the olive shall fail, and the flelds shall yield no meat, the flock shall be cut off frora the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls ; yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." There is such a difference betwixt a believer and an unbeliever, as betwixt a laird and a ten ant in a harvest flood sweeping away the corn. The corn being swept away, the tenant has nothing left. Micah said, when his gods were taken away, " What have I more ?" The other comforts him self, Tet it has not swept away the land. So Job vi. 13, " Is not my help in rae ? and is wisdora driven quite from rae ?" 4. It is not their chief concern what come of it. Ofttimes they have no concern at all about it ; they will profanely put that off to them that live by it. Be it so, then all that believe it live by it, and it will be their chief concern ; Isaiah xxxviii. 16; John vi. 63. It is the word of life, and believing it is the way to live ; Isaiah Iv. 3, " Hear, and your soul shall live." They will be concerned for it as for their life ; Deut. xxxii. 47, and take away their hope from that airth, they would reckon themselves most miserable ; 1 Cor. xv. 19. Therefore they will strive for the faith of the gospel as their all. But I fear many a hearer of the gospel would take it for no ill news, if any body could but make them sure of it, that the whole gospel is but a fable ; a plain evidence that it is not the thing they mainly trust to, else they would be mainly concerned for it. Use 2. Be stirred up then to a weighty concern to attain to the true faith of the report of the gospel ; that ye raay be of those who really trust it as true, and trust to it as good. These following things raay be of use to put a peculiar edge on your spirits for this : — 1. That there are so few that really believe it in a saving man ner. When Christ said, " One of you shall betray me," the dis ciples said, " Is it I ?" And the consideration that so few believe the report of the gospel, should put every one to see hiraself, that he be not an unbeliever. 2. Tour salvation or damnation turns on this point ; Mark xvi. 16, " He that believeth, shall be saved ; but he that believeth not, shall be damned." Many will be affected with some gross sins of theirs against the law, who never see the venom of their unbelief of the gospel. But this is the sin that draws deepest ; and therefore that is the sin which the Spirit is in a special manner to convince of; John xvi. 8, 9, " And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment ; of sin because they be- the RARITY OF BEUEVING THE GOSPEL REPORT. 297 lieve not on me." And that is the great soul-ruining sin ; John iii. 19, " This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil." 3. Doing this ye do all ; Mark v. 36, " Be not afraid, only be lieve." This is the short way, and the only way to sanctification. It is the belief of the gospel that brings sinners to the obedience of the law ; for thereby the soul is united to Christ, the storehouse of grace, and ofthe Spirit of holiness ; Eph. iii. 17 ; John i. 16. Hence it purifies the heart ; Acts. xv. 9 ; and the heart being purifled, the life will be so too. So the apostle runs up obedience to it ; 1 Tim. i. 5. 4. If ye do not this ye do nothing ; 1 John iii. 23, " This is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ." John vi. 29, " This is the work of God, that ye believe on hira whora he hath sent." All that ye do in the way of obedience without it, will be but as so many cyphers, that will amount to just nothing in the sight of a holy God ; Heb. xi. 6, " Without faith it is impossible to please God." Tour prayers, tears, justice, sobriety, &o., all will be lost without faith. Whatever good works any does without faith, are but dead works ; they may have the shape of good works, but the soul and life is wanting. Here is the reason why en deavours of reformation with unbelievers do not succeed ; why, when the doctrine of the gospel is corrupted, and preachers, instead of preaching Christ, turn their sermons into harangues of moral vir tue, they and their hearers lose both grace and virtue, and turn profane. 5. Lastly, If ye really believe the gospel, nothing can ruin you ; if ye do not, nothing can save you. Under the law, the Jews were a stubborn, disobedient generation, every now and then falling into idolatry, till the Babylonish captivity ; yet were they preserved, God minding to try them with the dispensation of the gospel. Bnt when they rejected and disbelieved the gospel, though they had quite left their idolatry, they were destroyed. So whatever is your guilt, if ye believe the gospel, it will be wiped out; Acts XA'i. 31, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved ;" if not, whatever good ye do, ye will perish ; John iii. 36, " He that believeth not the Son shall not see life ; but the wrath of God abideth on him." The gospel is the last method of Heaven for the salvation of sinners ; where the law failed, the gospel came to help out ; Rom. viii. 3. Bnt if ye miss salvation in the way of the gospel, there is not another method to follow ; so it is the last ship bonnd for Immanuel's land, and therefore the only one. Vol. X. u 298 THE WORKING OF DIVINE POWER I shall conclude with some directions how to believe the gospel. 1. Persuade yourselves, that the faith of the gospel is beyond the power of nature ; John vi. 44 ; that there is a necessity of a power from on high to bring you to believe. This will raze the old foun dation, and cause you look up for it. 2. Urge on yourselves the faith of the law. It also is the testi mony of God. Believe it with application to yourselves. See the authority of God in its commands binding on you ; the truth of God, in its threatening and curse, reaching you and holding yon fast. 3. Lasdy, With an eye to the Spirit's working in yon, consider and apply the promise of the gospel ; for that is not only the object, but the means of faith ; Rom. x. 17, " Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Doctrine IV. There is no true believing or trusting to the report of the gospel, but what is the effect of the working of a divine power on the soul for that end. In prosecuting this doctrine, I shall, I. Evince the truth of it. II. Shew what is that working of divine power whereby the soul is brought to trust to the gospel-report. III. Lastly, Apply. I. I shall evince the truth of the doctrine. Consider for it, 1. Express scripture testimony ; John vi. 44, " No man can corae to me, except the Father which hath sent me, draw him." The apostle calls it therefore " The faith of the operation of God," Col. ii. 12; and " the work of faith with power," 2 Thess. i. 11, is ful filled. Hence believing is said to be given ; Phil. i. 29. Tea, no less power is put forth in it, than that which was exerted in the raising of Christ from the dead ; Eph. i. 19, 20. 2. The state that by nature we are in, " dead in sin ;" Eph. ii. 1. Faith is the first vital act of the soul, quickened by the Spirit of life from Jesus Christ ; which therefore a soul without the Spirit of life, is no more capable of, than a dead man of breathing, walk ing, &o. The raising of the dead is a work corapetent to God alone ; the raising of dead souls as well as bodies ; John v. 25, 26, " Verily, verily, I say unto you. The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God ; and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself." 3. There can be no faith without knowledge ; and the knowledge of spiritual things man is by nature incapable of ; 1 Cor. ii. 14, " The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God ; for they are foolishness unto hira ; neither can he know them, be- necessary for BELIEVING THE OOSPEL-UEPORT. 299 cause they are spiritually discerned." How can one trust to the report of the gospel, without discerning the gospel in its glorious excellency ? Bnt the eye of man naturally is out as to these things. Natural truths he can discern by natural powers ; but supernatural truths are above his reach without supernatural abilities. 4. Man is naturally under the power of Satan, a captive of the devil, who with his utmost efforts will hinder the work of faith ; 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4, " If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost ; in whom the god of this world hath blinded the rainds of thera which believe not." Such a case the gospel finds raen in ; Isa. Ixi. 1 ; and it is the design of the gospel to bring them out of it ; Acts xxvi. 17, 18. But how can such be the design of the gospel, but because it is the instrument of a superior power ; Rom. i. 16, and is render ed effectual by the Omnipotent himself? 2 Cor. x, 4, 5. The strong man must be cast out by a stronger, 5. Man's trust is by nature firmly pre-occupied by those things which the gospel calls thera to renounce. He is wedded to other confidences naturally, which therefore he will hold by, till a power above nature carry hira off frora them. And therefore it is a dif ferencing character between the Lord's people and all others, that they have " no confidence in the flesh ;" Phil. iii. 3. (1.) Self-confidence is natural to man. And therefore it is the first lesson at Christ's school, to deny ourselves ; which is inwarped in the very nature of faith, or trusting to the gospel ; Matth. xvi. 24. Man going away from God as his chief end, set up himself for his chief end ; and so it is as natural for him to act frora and for himself, as for birds to fly in the air. So that to unself a man, which is done in the work of faith, must needs be a work of divine power. (2.) Creature-confidence. Man not being self-sufflcieut, must needs seek something without himself wherein to rest his heart. Being estranged from God, he goes to the creature ; Jer. ii. 13. And to it he is so wedded in confidence, that, after a thousand dis appointments, he still maintains it. And the truth is, it is impos sible to get the heart carried off it, except to absolute despair, with out putting a better in the room thereof ; which is done only by faith taking a God in Christ instead thereof ; Matth. xiii. 45, 46. This surely requires a supernatural power ; Jer. xvi. 19. (3.) Law-confidence. The law was Adam's covenant ; and as he was to work and win his wages, so that is the natural religion of all his posterity. Nature knows no other way of acceptance with God; and men stick by it till death, and a violent death too, do part them ; Gal. ii. 19, " For I through the law am dead to the law, u2 300 THE WORKING OP DIVINE POAVER that I might live unto God." Rom. vii. 4, " Wherefore ray breth ren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ." An evidence that it is another power than their own must bring them off it. 6. Man has a strong bias and bent against believing or trusting to the gospel ; Rom. x. 3, " For they being ignorant of God's righteous ness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God." John v. 40, ¦" And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." The con trivance of the gospel lies cross to the mind and will of natural men, and they to it ; so that the one is the very reverse of the other. Hence the Jews and Greeks both were opposite to the gos pel, and in their wisdom reckoned it folly. So that the soul must be new raoulded by a divine power, ere it can receive it ; 1 Cor, ii. l4, forecited. 7. Lastly, It is the product of the Holy Spirit, wherever it is ; Gal. V. 22, " But the fruit of the Spirit is faith." Hence Christ is called " the author of it," Heb. xii. 2, as working it in the elect by his own Spirit ; 2 Cor. iv. 13. It Avas promised in the covenant for the elect, to be effected by the Spirit ; and so it is peculiar to them ; Acts xiii. 48, as being the work of God's Spirit only. And the gospel is the only immediate outward mean of it, because it only is " the ministration of the Spirit." II. What is that working of divine power whereby the soul is brought to trust to the gospel-report ? There is a twofold work of divine power on the soul for that end. First, A mediate work, which is preparatory to it ; whereof the Spirit is the author, and the instrument is the law. It is twofold. 1st, An awakening work ; whereby the secure sinner is roused up, and made to lay salvation to heart, Avhich he was little concerned about before, sleeping securely. And that is done by the Spirit's bringing home the law on the sinner's conscience. And, 1. There is a divine power bringing home on the sinner's conscience the commands of the law ; Rom. vii. 9, " For I was alive without the law once ; but when the commandment carae, sin revived, and I died." And thereby they are discovered ; 1, In their divine autho rity, as the commands of the eternal sovereign God, which clothes them with an awfulness they were not wont to appear in to the sin ner ; each of them being prefaced with a " Thus saith the Lord." 2. As binding on the sinner in particular ; so that the bond of the comraand is found by him girding him strait, however he felt little of it before ; Rom. vii. 10, " And the commandment which was or dained to life, I found to be unto death." It is observable that the NECESSARY FOR BELIEVING THE GOSPEL-REPORT. 301 ten commands are all in the second person, speaking to every man as if they concerned no other but him, " Thou shalt not," &c. And when the Spirit coraes, he speaks them the same way to the sinner's conscience ; Rom. vii. 7, " What shall we say then ? Is the law sin ? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law ; for I had not known lust, except the law had said. Thou shalt not covet." . Now hereby the sinner is convinced of sin, and brought in guilty before the Lord, John xvi. 8; Rom. iii. 19. His sins original and actual, of heart and life, of thoughts, words, and actions, are set be fore him, Psalm 1. 21. And he is like a thief found, Jer. ii. 26. 2. This divine power brings home on the sinner's conscience the curse of the law ; John XA'i. 8, '' And Avhen he is come, he will re prove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." And it is discovered to be, 1. God's curse, heavier than mountains of lead, which, in virtue of his greatness, is insupportable, in virtue of his inflniteness eternal, and in virtue of his truth infallible ; though before it was but like the sounding again of the mountains in his conceit. 2. God's curse on him in particular, staking him down to revenging wrath. Tho Spirit of the Lord says within the raan, as Mai. iii. 9, " Te are cursed with a curse ; for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation." As long as the sinner can ward off the particular application of the curse to himself, he will little value the gospel. Rev. iii. 17. But the word delivers it in the general ; Gal. iii. 10, " Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them ;" and a divine power obliges the conscience to apply. Heieby the sinner is convinced of his misery, and sees himself lost and undone, Luke xv. 17. And so he is, 1. Stung to the heart, and galled with reraorse, Acts ii. 37. Waves of killing grief go over his soul ; he sees he has been raur- dering his OAvn soul, and he groans out an elegy over his dead self ; Rora. vii. 9, " I was alive without the law once ; but when the cora mandraent carae, sin revived, and I died." 2. Frightened with terror. Acts xvi. 29 ; with the terror of God, the terror of death, and the terror of eternity. 3. Racked with anxiety. Acts ii. 37. Soraetiraes he hopes, some tiraes he fears, but is always anxious. This anxiety fills head, heart, and hands; swallows up all other cares, for the raan sees how true it is ; Matth. xvi. 26, " What is a raan profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?" 2dly, An humbling work, whereby the proud sinner is brought low to the dust ; not only finding a need of salvation, but an abso- 302 THE WORKING OF DIVINE POWER lute need of Christ for salvation ; that there is no other way of help for him ; but if he get not Christ he must perish. So he is broken off from, 1. Self-confidence, Luke xv. 17. He sees he has destroyed him self, but cannot help hiraself, Hos. xiii. 9. He finds that he is with out strength, light, or life ; that his work is quite beyond his reach, the debt beyond his ability to pay ; the bonds of sin, in the guilt of it, and the power of it, quite above his might to break asunder, Rom. vii. 9. 2. Creature-confidence, Luke xv. 16. While his conscience was asleep, he pleased himself in his enjoyment of the creature, bnt now that it is awake, the emptiness of the whole creation is felt by him. His lawful comforts are foysonless, while he thinks God is his ene my ; his unlawful coraforts have left a sting behind them, which the whole creation cannot pull out. There is no rest for his heart now, but in a God in Christ. 8. Law-confidence, Rom. vii. 9, 10. Time was when he had hopes of acceptance with God by the deeds of the law, and set down his duties of first and second table as so much clear gain ; but now he sees they are all but loss, Phil. iii. 6, 7- So he despairs of mending his case that way ; and that he cannot pay his own debt in whole or in part- And all this is by means of the law too, discovered in its spi rituality and severity ; Gal. ii. 19, " I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God." Secondly, This work of divine power is an immediate work ; where by faith is produced in the soul, it caused to trust to the gospel-re port ; whereof the Spirit is the author, and the gospel the instrument. And it is, 1. A quickening work ; whereby the dead soul is called again to spiritual life ; Eph. ii. 1, " Tou hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins." Therefore the same power is said to be exerted in that case, as in raising Christ from the dead, re-uniting his soul with his body, Eph. i. 19, 20. So the Spirit of Christ en ters into the dead soul, and the dry bones live, Ezek. xxxvi. 27; which Spirit is communicated in the word of the gospel, as the vehi cle thereof, so to speak. Gal. iii. 2, Hence the word of the gospel is said to be spirit and life, John vi. 63 ; as being the ministration of the Spirit. An emblem of which is in the resurrection of the dry bones. And hence there is, 1. A power to believe, as in a living raan to breathe. So the Spi rit of life being the Spirit of faith in the soul, It has a supernatural power, for that supernatural act, 2 Cor. iv. 13. In vain do we call the lame man to walk, who has no ability of walking ; but the Spi- NECESSARY POR BELIEVING THE GOSPBL-HEPORT. 303 rit with the call of the gospel entering into the sinner, he is enabled to embrace Christ on the gospel-report. 2. A disposition to believe ; Psalm ex. 3, " Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power ;'' as in Lazarus brought to life, to come out of the grave, and to lie no longer there. So the soul be comes pliable to the gospel-call, content to come to Christ, content to be made clean. Death's bands being loosed, the neck is no more as an iron sinew ; but the life given disposes to what is agreeable to it. 2. An illuminating work. There is a knowledge in faith, which is therefore called knowledge, Isa. liii. 11 ; John xvii. 3. No man will trust to the report of the gospel until he know it, and know it by a supernatural discovery too, 1 Cor. ii. 14. And the Spirit of the Lord makes that discovery. Acts xxvi. 18 ; shewing the trea sure hid in the gospel-field, Matth. xiii. 44. This the Spirit doth by bringing home the gospel-report to the soul ; in which he demon strates it to the soul with the greatest certainty, 1 Cor. ii. 4. He demonstrates it to be, 1. God's own word, 1 Thess. ii. 13. The report comes in the word that Christ is sent in the character of Saviour of the world ; that he is able to save, and willing to save the worst of sinners ; and that " whosoever believeth in him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life," John iii. 16. The Spirit of the Lord sets this in such a clear light, as that the sinner sees it is not a report of fallible men ; but the word of the eternal God that cannot lie ; the divine testimony, which is so certain that it cannot be false, 1 Cor. ii. 4. (2.) God's word to that soul in particular, as really as if a voice from heaven did speak to him by name, saying. Such an one, Christ is your Saviour, able and willing to save you ; and you trusting on him " shall not perish, but have everlasting life," 1 Thess. i. 5. This is as it were an internal word, applying to the soul in particu lar, the external word which is general ; and without it the special application of faith will not be. Hence the Spirit is said to con vince of righteousness as well as of sin ; which he does by a parti cular application of the law in the one, and of the gospel in the other; John xvi. 8. And the Spirit's testimony of Christ is distin guished from the preacher's testimony ; John xv. 26, 27, "But when the Comforter is corae, whora I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth frora the Father, he shall testify of me. And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning^." (3.) A determining AVork, effectually and irresistibly determining them to believe, so that they can no longer not believe. This is 304 THE WORKING OF DIVINE POWER called the Father's drawing, viz., by his Spirit ; John vi. 44. The Spirit of the Lord freely wins the soul, over the belly of all opposi tion. (1.) To believe, and trust the report of the gospel, as true. For the demonstration of the Spirit is accompanied with power ; 1 Cor. ii. 4. Some things are so clear to all, as that two and three make five, so that none can but believe it. Some things are so demon strated by sight, or by reason, that though one could not believe them before, they can as little not believe them, or withhold their assent from thera, after. So the gospel being demonstrated by the Spirit, cannot but be believed, and trusted as true ; and therefore it is said to have come in much assurance ; 1 Thess. i. 5, as a thing seen by the soul, or demonstrated to it. And so faith is the soul's echo to this demonstration of the Spirit ; the soul saying he is the Saviour of the world, and my Saviour, able and willing to save sinners, and to save me ; on whom I trusting shall not perish, like Thomas, " My Lord, and ray God," John XX. 28. (2.) To trust to the report of the gospel, as good. For the same deraonstration of the Spirit so discovers the excellency, and absolute suitableness of Christ to the sinner's case, and full security for its salvation that is in him, upon the infallible truth of the gospel-re port that it being earnestly desirous of salvation, cannot but trust to it as good for thera, and good security. So then here faith takes up the soul's eternal rest, resting wholly on Christ held forth in the gospel for salvation, upon the security of the word of the gospel. Use I. Of information. Hence learn, that, 1. The faith of the gospel is to be suspected, that springs up with out a work of raighty power to the producing of it. These are not of that sort ; Eph. i. 19, 20, who have experienced " the exceeding greatness of his power toward thera in believing, according to the working of his raighty power ; which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead." Wild oats spring up without any pains about them ; but it is not so with good grain. So a false faith may spring from nature, without divine influence ; but true faith is the fruit of the mighty power of God. It is the loss of many, that they come easily by their religion, they know not how, but as in a morn ing-dream, it costs them nothing. It is true, grace is a seed that springs and grows up a man knows not how ; Mark iv. 17. But it is one thing to spring up without till ing and sowing ; another, to spring up out of ground tilled and sown, one knows not how. The husbandman knows very well how he comes NECESSARY FOR BELIEVING THE GOSPEL-RBPORT. 305 by his crop, what pains he was at in labouring the ground, though he cannot account for that how the seed he sowed did turn into such a fair braird. So faith springing up in the heart may be mysterious to the believer, as to the time and way of it ; who yet knows there was an awakening, humbling, enlightening, and powerfully deter mining work on hira for that end. Some indeed may be sanctified from the womb; but that will ap pear in grace's exercise beginning with the exercise of reason ; and Satan will readily assault their faith after, that they shall flnd a difficulty in the exercise of it. 2. See whence it is that most men's faith of the gospel has no sanctifying effect on their lives. It is a mere natural faith, and therefore cannot change their natures. If their faith were the pro duce of a mighty work of divine power on their souls, whereby they were quickened, humbled, enlightened, and powerfully determined, it would make a suitable change on the whole man. It would be a most holy faith ; Jude verse 20, as making holy ; produced by the holy Spirit; and uniting the soul to the holy Jesus, and drawing sanctifying virtue from him. 3. The salvation of sinners is altogether of free grace. Man can do nothing to purpose for himself any manner of way. In the law- way, perfect obedience is required; that is certainly beyond his reach. In the gospel-Avay faith is required ; and that is beyond his power too ; Eph. ii. 8, " By grace are ye saved, through faith ; and that not of yourselves ; it is the gift of God." The gospel casts out a rope to hale sinners to land; but the sinner has no hands to lay hold on it ; his very faith must be wrought in him by the Spirit. 4. Believers have reason to be humble, and to acknowledge that whatever difference in the matter of faith and holiness is betwixt them and others, it is purely owing to the work of the Spirit, not to themselves, agreeable to what the apostle saith ; 1 Cor. iv. 7, " Who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive ? now, if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it ?" Sinners are all naturally dead in sin ; and free grace sends the quickening Spirit to one, not to an other ; that " he that glories, may glory in the Lord." 5. The difficulty that sorae flnd in believing, is rather a good sign, than an ill one. They were the disciples that said ; Luke xvii. 5, " Increase our faith." The soul that flnds a difficulty in believing the gospel, and is loaded with that slowness to believe, and look ing out to the Spirit of the Lord to help him to believe, is in a hope ful case as to the work of faith ; Mark ix. 24. The Lord raakes the truth of faith, and his own power in working it, to appear the 306 THE WORKING OF DIVINE POWER better, by letting men feel the power of their unbelieving hearts. Use 2. Of Exhortation. Let us look to the Lord for the opera tion of his mighty power, to cause us to believe. There is need of this, (1.) For the begetting of true faith in us. Natural powers as sisted with the best means of external revelation, will not do it. (2.) For the increasing and exercise of faith. New supplies are necessary for this. And with respect to both, both ministers and people have need to look to the Spirit of God. As the ship will make but sorry pro gress, if the wind blow not ; so the gospel will be bnt ill improven, if the Spirit of the Lord do not blow. Doctrine. The feeling of this power of God is ofttimes very rare among the hearers of the gospel. We need not insist on the proof of this ; our own case is a visi ble evidence of it. With respect to which we may consider, 1. What are the causes of it ; and, 2. Our duty. I. What are the causes of it ? Why is it so with us ? 1. An old standing quarrel that God has with our mother. The sins of Manasseh were a standing quarrel in the days of his grand son Josiah; 2 Kings xxiii. 26, and his great-grandson Jehoiakim, chap. xxiv. 3. God is saying concerning us, as Hos. ii. 4, 5, " And I will not have mercy upon her children ; for they be the children of whoredoms. For their mother hath played the harlot ; she that conceived them hath done shamefully ; for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give rae my bread and my water," &c. Do we ask. Why the Lord has so much withdrawn hiraself in our land ? Ah ! what wonder is it, his soul so rauch abhores a land, wherein a co venant sworn to him with uplifted hands, was broken purposely, burnt disgracefully, his ordinances changed, his saints persecuted and murdered, and his name insulted and blaspheraed ; and these things never yet sufficiently mourned for ; I doubt much if ever Scotland shall recover her ancient spiritual glory, through the pre sence of the Lord remarkably and gloriously with her, till she go hack to God in the raanner she carae away. . 2. A present course of backsliding among all ranks in church and state. In reforming times the Spirit of the Lord returns to a land ; Psalm cii. 16, 17, " When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear iu his glory. He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer." And so it was seen among our fore fathers oftener than once. Our present case in respect of the Lord's withdrawing, doth therefore write us a backsliding generation ; whose judgment and sin, see Isa. Ivii. 17, " For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and sraote him ; I hid rae, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart." The generation NECESSARY POR BELIEVING THE OOSPEL-RBPORT. 307 is souring apace ; the elder sort losing the life of religion that sorae- time-a-day they had ; and the younger neither knowing any thing about it, nor caring for it. A sad evidence of the Spirit's being in great raeasure gone. 3. Worldliness prevailing through long peace. Times of perse cution were tiraes of much of God's presence ; enemies kept pro fessors stirring. And the more they afflicted them, the more they grew ; the young folk were engaged to embrace a persecuted re ligion. Bnt now the generation is sunk in worldly cares and ease ; and religion is so cheap, that it is quite undervalued. It is as Josh. xxiv. 31, " Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the Lord, that he had done for Israel ;" implying, that after the elders Avere gone too, the generation went away frora God, for good and all. Truly, we may say in our case. Our Joshuas are away long ago ; and our elders that have outlived thera, are by this tirae nearly gone. So the Lord, and his great works he did iu the land, are almost worn out of ken, and out of raind, with this generation ; and the generation that knew not Joseph and his afflic tions, are fllling the stage fast, and proclaiming themselves uncon cerned in them ; trampling on that religion that others suffered for. But let them take heed that sadder sufferings be not abiding them, that they will neither get shifted, nor be so well buckled for. See Judges iii. 1, " Now these are the nations which the Lord left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan." 4. Grieving and quenching the Spirit; Isa. Ixiii. 10. The Spi rit is compared to a flre ; and when that holy flre is cherished and nourished, a small spark may become a great flame ; but being ne glected, and sought to be extinguished, it abates. Many have been the methods taken publicly and privately to quench the Spirit in the generation ; and they have prevailed far, till that which re mains is even ready to die. God who hy his own hand has given several sharp knocks at the door of some sinners' hearts, who yet would not open, has therefore been provoked to go and leave thera. II. What is our duty in such a case ? 1. Mourn over it; laraent the Lord's withdrawings as those who are sensible of the great loss ; 1 Sam. vii. 2. 2. Pray mnch and earnestly for the return of his powerful pre sence to ordinances ; Cant. iii. 1 — 4 ; Isa. Ixiv. 7. 3. Lastly, Consider the word of the gospel as the word of the eternal God ; 1 Thess. ii. 13, and labour to walk np to what ye know of the word ; John vii. 17- If ye do so, ye shall feel, that his "words do good to him that walketh uprightly ;" Micah ii. 7. 308 THE NECESSITY OF ENTERING THE WAY TO LIFE, AND THE AVAY TO DESTRUCTION UNFOLDED* Matth. vii. 13, 14, Enter ye in at the strait gate : for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Men in this life are but on their way, not in their home-house, where they are to abide; and it nearly concerns all, since life on the one hand, and destruction on the other, are before thera, having their different gates and ways leading to thera, to take heed which gate, which way they choose, to enter and go by. " Enter ye in at the strait gate," &c. The scope of these words is, to reraove a great sturabling-block against serious religion, that lies in the way of the world ; that is, the great difflculty there is in such a course of life, and the very sraall number of those that follow it. This makes terrible havoc in the world, and time after tirae raen fall over this stumbling-block. Onr Saviour had been preaching his sermon on the mount, wherein he gives such a view of true and real religion, as could not miss to be very unacceptable to carnal men. They Avere ready thereupon to say. These were hard sayings, few will ever fall in with them ; the vote of the plurality of men is against that way, and points to a far easier course ; and can we imagine but there is safety in the trodden path, and shall we forsake it for an overgrown one ? To remove this, our Saviour peremptorily determines the wide and beaten road, Avherein the throng of the world goes, to be the way to destruction ; and that the way to life is a very narrow one, hard to find, and hard to walk in ; and therefore, from the necessity there is of obtaining eternal life, and escaping eternal destruction, at any rate, cost what it will, exhorts us to enter in at the strait gate. In the words we have two things. I. An exhortation and warning how to direct our course for the other world, which this world and life is but the avenue to ; " Enter ye in at the strait gate," &c. And here we have, 1. The course pointed out to us which is the safe one, " the strait gate." A gate is properly the port of a city, as Acts xii. 10, or of a court, as Acts iii. 10, but I do not find it used for the door of a house. So here it is plain there is a metaphor ; and some think the * Several sermons preached at Ettriek, in the year 1731. IN AT THE STRAIT GATE. 309 metaphor is double, namely, (1.) That heaven is here compared to a house, into which a strait gate leadeth ; (2.) To a city, to which is a narrow way. But if heaven is here compared to a city, hell is so too • for there is a wide gate, and a broad way leading to destruction, as well as a strait gate and a narrow way leading unto life. But I think it is not the scripture way to speak of hell under the notion of a city. I judge, then, the metaphor is one : that heaven is here compared to a house ; as Luke xiii. 25, " When once the master of the house is risen up," &c. ; as hell also is, being held out under the notion of a prison, pit, dungeon, &c. ; but such a house as has a court before it where is the gate which they must enter by that would enter into the house. So it is plain, that the " gate," the " way," and " the entering in at the gate," is in this Avorld, and in this life. Gen. xxviii. 17. And so it is in the case of hell. Wherefore the godly, true converts, are, as it were, in the outer court of heaven; the ungodly and unregenerate in the outer court of hell ; both making forward to their place. 2. A course hinted at which is unsafe. For speaking of the strait gate, he supposes there is also a wide gate, the which also he directly teaches after. So there are two gates before us, very different in themselves, and leading to very different ends. 3. Our duty and interest with respect to these gates. It is to enter in at the strait one. Here the Lord directs our choice as to these gates. As soon as we begin to discern betwixt good and evil, we begin, as it were, to enter at one of these gates ; and we will be sure to choose the wide one as easiest, till we hear the voice of Christ, and be persuaded to change our course. Satan invites to the wide one, the world throngs in at it, it is most agreeable to the flesh ; but our Saviour bids us choose the strait one, warns us to beware of the wide one. This is a shocking call and warning to nature, hard to digest. Who would choose to thrust in by a strait gate, where there were a broad one in which one might have full scope ? Therefore we have II. A reason for this exhortation and warning, consisting of two parts. First, That though the other gate is easy, and much frequented, yet it is most dangerous ; and they are fools that prefer the road unto destruction, to the road unto life, because the former is easier than the latter ; for what wisdora can there be ia fondly embracing that present ease, which must end in eternal agony ? Here, then, our Saviour points out the opposite gate, the gate opposite to the strait one, that we may avoid it ; and he points it out, together with the way conformed thereto. The gate and the way, I think, are 310 TaE NECESSITY OF ENTERING not to be conceived as separate things, as a way leading to a city, and a gate leading into a house, but as an undivided space ; how ever, the gate and the way may be distinguished ; they are to be conceived as making one undivided space, for our Saviour speaks of them as one, " that go in thereat," or " by it," not ".by them." Some take the way in this metaphor for the space between the two sides of the gate, at which rate the gate contains the way. But this makes the gate the immediate entrance into the house, which I do not find that word used for ; for certainly the way lands one in the house, according to the text. Besides, the mention of the way of the same nature with the gate, would at this rate be super fluous ; for wherever there is a wide gate, there must be such a broad space ; and where a strait gate, there must be such a narrow space ; for it is the broadness or narrowness of the space left be twixt the sides of the gate, that raakes the gate broad or strait. Wherefore I judge the gate and the way are to be conceived as a continuous space, the one terrainating in the other. Some conceive the way to lead to the gate, and so to be first in order. But this still makes the gate the gate of the house, or the door of it, which, we have found, cannot be admitted ; and our Saviour himself distinguishes these two, Luke xiii. 24, 25. Wherefore I conceive, that, according to the order of the text, the gate is before the way ; so that entering in by it, we enter into the way> as one going in at the gate of an outer court, and passing through it, passes on the way into the house. And thus ye have the metaphor stated, which is necessary for understanding the mind of %\^0 spirit in the text, as to the spiritual doctrine taught thereby. No^ here we have, 1st, The nature of the gate opposite to that we are called to enter in by, and of the way joining it. 1. The gate is a wide one. The entrance into the way to hell is very easy. It is a roora port and spacious, whereat multitudes may throng in, without troubling one another. None will need to thrust through here, it will admit them with all ease ; for it is per fectly agreeable to the flesh, to the natural inclinations. It is so wide, that people may close their eyes, run at random, and not miss it ; even young ones may get in at it without difficulty. 2. The way that joins it is broad. When they are through the gate, they are on a way that is a broad one, where they will get full scope and elbow-room. They will not find themselves pent up there, as in a narrow road. There they are not hampered in their natural inclinations, by conscience, Bible, &c., but get full scope for the vanity of their minds, the aversion of their wills to good, and proneness to evil, and all their disorderly affections. IN AT TIIE STRAIT GATE. 311 2dly, The use made of it. It is much frequented ; " many there be which go in thereat." The wideness of the gate, and breadth of the way, affording so much ease to passengers, invite people to it : and it takes so, that the throng of the world goes that way. There are many different dispositions of carnal men, these contrary one to another ; there are covetous and prodigals, profane and formalists, &c., but however opposite they are one to another, they meet there ; and the gate and the way are so wide, that there are roads therein for each of them. Sdly, The end of it, and tendency. The end of it is destruction, and to that it tends, (Gr.) leads away. However easy the gate and way are, every step taken therein is a step to eternal ruin. So, how ever inviting the beginning and progress in it be, the end of it is frightful. There is a pit at the end of the broad way, which may scare men from entering on it. The second part of the reason is. That though the gate we are called to enter in by is indeed difficult, yet it is safe, and a happy one. 1st, The nature of the gate and way joining it. 1. The gate is strait. The entry into the way of religion is diffi cult ; it will require a great deal of resoluteness to get in by it. Luke xiii. 24, " Strive to enter in at the strait gate." One must thrust through it, cast off their burdens ; they will not get in with them on their backs, they must bring themselves into a narrow com pass, leaving all superfluity of naughtiness at the entry. The Jew ish doctors speak of the gate of repentance, the gate of prayer, and the gate of tears. These and the like are indeed the gate we are to enter by ; and they are strait. 2. The way joining it is narroAV, (Gr.), afflicted or compressed. It is like a strait shoe that presses the foot. It is not easy walking in it, more than in such a shoe, or in a way where there is little room for the foot. Afflictions and temptations beset it, and it leads over the belly of natural inclinations ; which march cannot be easy. 2dly, The unfrequentedness of it ; few flnd it. There is no diffl culty to find the wide gate, it glares in the eyes of every passenger • and no difflculty of entering by it. But there be few that so mnch as find the strait gate ; they seek it not ; blinded with corrupt lusts, they cannot take it up; and, consequently, few enter by it ; either they perceive it not, or if they do, the straitness of it frights them. 3dly, and Lastly, The happy tendency and end of it, notwithstand ing ; (Gr.) which leadeth into life. It is not a stepping into it, but a going to it in a continued course. It leads away frora the de vil, the world, and the flesh ; and brings at length through many a 312 THE NECESSITY OP ENTERING weary step into eternal life in heaven. So all the hardship of the gate and way is recompensed at length in the end. Several doctrines are dedncible from the words. Doctrine I. Whosoever would direct their course aright for the other world, must necessarily enter in by the strait gate. In discoursing this doctrine, I shall, I. Shew what is supposed in it. II. Consider this strait gate. III. The entering in by it. IV. Lastly, Apply. I. There are some truths supposed in this. It supposes, that, 1. All men here are on their journey to the other world ; Eccl. ix. 10, " Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might ; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdora in the grave, whither thou goest." This life is but the avenue to the other life, and this world but a thoroughfare to the other world ; like a town lying on the road to a city, which passengers go through on their journey ; Eccl. i. 4. However men talk, none have a tack of life. The young are bnt on their journey, even as the aged. All know what part of their way is passed, but none knows what re mains. 2. We will all get there at length one way or other, without all peradventure. There is no doubt of flnding a course that will carry us thither ; all the difficulty is in falling on and steering the right course ; Psalm xlix. 10. Many have taken journeys which they haA'e never got to the end of ; many have been baulked of the end of their intended journey, because they took the wrong way. But right or wrong, we will all get to the other world. 3. There is a wrong course for the other world, which we are in hazard of taking. It is a wrong one, as leading, though surely enough to the other world, yet to the wrong part of it, the land of death and destruction eternal ; " for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat." And we are in hazard of taking that road ; for the na tural bent of our spirits lies that way. Satan is busy to decoy us into it, and the example ofthe throng of the world has great influ ence. 4. Tet there is a right course for that world too ; a way to it opened, which if we can fall on, it will bring us safely to that part of the other world that is the land of eternal light and life. It is true. it was once blocked up ; but Christ, by his obedience and death, hath opened it ; Heb. x. 19, 20. This should be gladly received by us, since it is of such a vast moment to us. IN AT THE STRAIT GATE. 313 5. It is possible we may fall on this right course. It is true, we cannot without serious consideration, and applying ourselves thereto ; we will never stumble on it, nor snapper on it going at random, as we may on the course of destruction ; but if Ave will hear the voice of Christ onr director, and direct our course accordingly, we will not miss it ; Prov. ix. 4 — 6 ; Psalra cxix. 9. 6. But naturally we are off that course : we have onr entrance on it to make. Adam, and in hira all mankind, was once upon the straight road to life : but there was such a mist raised by the breath of the old serpent, that he lost his way ; and so we in him were led off the way ; Rom. v. 12, " As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." And now in the flrst place we are wandering on the mountains of vanity ; there Christ finds us as strays, and gives us direction how to direct our course, where to enter, what to stand off from. 7. The gate we must enter by, is a strait one, not easily found, hard to enter by. The course to hell, is wide at the beginning of it, strait at the end, exceeding strait ; Rom. ii. 9, " Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil," &c. The course to heaven is strait at the first, and broad at the end ; Rev. xxi. 7, " He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son." Happy they who digest the straitening at first ! they are in the way to eternal liberty ; Rom. viii. 21. 8. Lastly, There is no gate but the strait one, to enter on that course by. There is no choice here, for heaven ; for however men may imagine wide gates to it, the scripture acknowledges only a strait gate leading to it ; so that he who cannot endure to think to be abridged of his liberty, or to thurst in by a strait gate, must give over thoughts of life in heaven. II. We shall consider this strait gate. And here we shall shew, 1st, What that strait gate is. 2dly, What makes it so strait. First, What is that strait gate ? According to what was said in the explication of the words, it is the entrance into religion, where by men become really religious ; John x. 9, " I am the door ; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved," &c. Heb. iv. 3, " For we which have believed, do enter into rest," &c. This is conversion unto God, by faith in Jesus Christ ; Hos. xiv. 1, compared with John xiv. 6. Hence the " door of faith ;" Acts xiv. 27, is expounded of conversion ; chap. xv. 3. This is the gate we must enter by. For, 1. This is the gate of the outer court of heaven, which one having entered through, he is immediately in the court of heaven ; Heb. iv. Vol. X. X 314 THE NECESSITY OP ENTERING 3, forecited. And he is so in the court of it, that he cannot miss it in the end ; Phil. i. 6. No converts nor true believers can perish more than one can pluck out of Christ's hand what he minds to hold ; John X. 28. And therefore they are reckoned " fellow-citizens with the saints ;" Eph. ii. 19, making up one family with those above, chap. iii. 15. For the one are but within the house, the other are in the court of the house. 2. This is the gate by which men are set on the way to heaven, and begin their journey thitherward. They that have passed through this gate are travellers to Iraraanuel's land, now fairly upon the road ; Cant. viii. 5, with the smell of heaven about them ; chap. iii. 6. They are come out of Egypt, they have passed through the Red sea, and they are now in the wilderness, in their way to the promised land. 3. This is the gate that looks directly to the door of heaven, and by the way lands thera in it. As the wide gate looks directly to hell, and lands the passengers there, if they go forward ; so the entrance into real religion, by conversion, through faith, looks to heaven, and lands the passengers there. 4. This is the gate by which men turn their backs on the wide gate and broad way; for it is just opposite to them; Heb. iv. 10. Men may shift about from one way and course of life to another ; but till they enter this gate, they are still in the broad way to de struction ; Matth. xviii. 3, where there is room enough to shift to opposite sides. But once entered here, they are fairly separated from the world lying in wickedness, and joined in with the family of God ; 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18, and they shall never mix with them again ; Psalra xii. 7, " Thou shalt keep them, 0 Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever." Now, this gate is a strait gate. The entrance into a course of ungodliness is not strait ; nay, the entrance into a form of godliness is not strait ; men may be got in there by the gentle bow of good education, like Joash ; by a common easy work of the Spirit on their affections by the gospel ; Matth. xiii. 20, 21 ; by the current ex ample running strong that way at a tirae, like Siraon ; Acts viii. 12, 13. The straitest entrance into it, is by an abortive law-work as the Israelites; Exod. xx. 18, 19. But even that is so wide, that it does not press the unholy heart to purity ; Deut. v. 27, 29. But the entrance into real religion by a sound conversion, is a strait gate, in these respects. 1. It is so strait that it is not easily taken up by the eye ; Matth. vii. 14, " Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that lead eth unto life, and foAV there be that flnd it." Most part of the IN AT THE STRAIT GATE. 315 world never notice it, more than if there were not such a gate at all. How many live joyfully year after year, never once troubling their heads with the question. What conversion is ? whether they be as yet converted or not ? When the Spirit of the Lord begins to deal with others, they mistake it for melancholy fancies. Tea, many times the parties theraselves do not know what it is that is dealing with them, for a time, and it remains still a mystery in great mea sure, John iii. 8. Masters in Israel this day own it not ; but in stead thereof set up the reforming of vicious habits, and applying to the practice of virtue, with as little success towards reforming the generation, as there is truth in the principle ; though, if we had it, it would not carry us beyond the length of some Pagan moralists. 2. It is hard entering into it at all. Many seeing it at a distance, are frightened from it by the straitness of it, John vi. 60, 66. Many entered actually, come out again, and make their escape from it, un able to bear the pressure of the very first entry, like Felix, Acts xxiv. 25, who trembled at Paul's preaching, and said to him, " Go thy way for this time ; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee." Sound conviction of the sin of our life and nature, with the misery we are therefore liable to, will bring a man to his knees, and straiten and press him sore ; like those. Acts ii. 37, who " were pricked in their heart, and said. Men and brethren, what shall we do ?" Many a man in the entry of it comes to think, that he will never get through, but that he will certainly die in his birth. 3. The passage through it is difficult. Sometiraes it is shorter, soraetiraes longer ; and often does men's want of wisdom make it longer than otherwise it wonld be, Hos. xiii. 13. But short or long, it is difficult for the time. (1.) For raen cannot get the scope there, that they were wont to have. They are abridged of their sinful liberty. Hence they give many a greedy look back to the flesh-pots of Egypt ; which they would actually turn back to, were there not a strong hand pushing them forward, 2 Thess. i. 11. (2.) They cannot get up their head there ; but must as it were creep through on their knees. There is a power from heaven that brings down the man frora his forraer heights. The converting word to Zaccheus was a humbling word, " Come down," Luke xix. 5. And if there was no mystery in these words, but they only looked to his coming down from the tree, whence arose that mighty change imme diately wrought on him ? Nay, converting work is soul-humbling work. Acts ix. 6 ; 2 Cor. x. 4, 5. And they will never get up their head, till they be through at God in Christ by faith. Acts xv. 11. (3.) They are pressed there, to the laying aside of all their super- 316 THE NECESSITY OF ENTERING. fluities that they were wont to carry along with them, James i. 21. There is no room iu the gate for thera, and these too. Christ says, " If ye take rae, let these go away." Hence the wise merchant sells .all, and buys the pearl. It presses not only to the purging of the life of some sins, but all sins, even the darling idol araong the rest ; and not of the life only, but the heart too. Psalm xxiv. 3, 4. Secondly, What makes this gate, the entrance into religion, so strait ? 1. The mighty contrariety of our nature to it, Rom. viii. 7, " The carnal mind is enmity against God ; for it is not subject to the law pf God, neither indeed can be." Take a fish out of the water into the open fields, it is restless ; it pants as if it were pent up in the narroAvest space. There is a strong propensity in onr nature to evil, and aversion to God and goodness ; so that much of the power of converting grace is employed in making the soul willing. Psalm ex. 3. And when it is made willing, it is presently through the gate ; the main work is done, the soul readily comes to God through Christ. 2. The various lusts hanging about the soul. The gate is room enough for receiving the man ; but it is strait and pinching to him, when he comes with all these about hira. (1.) There is a variety of these lusts unraortified about every unre newed man. Tit. iii. 3. They hang about him like a numerous family to be fed, crying. Give, give. When the man coraes to the gate, he finds it strait, for there is an old man with him, that is to be put off, which there is no access for into the house, Eph. iv. 22. But they are loth to part. (2.) These lusts are of a swelling nature at all times. They are the ill weeds in the ground of the corrupt heart, that wax well. He brings with hira wide desires, that would require rauch roora, Hab. ii. 5. And therefore because they raust be pressed till they be con tracted, and brought to one for all, the gate feels strait, Psalm xxvii. 4. (3.) They swell in a particular manner when one is entering the gate ; Rom. vii. 9, " I was alive without the law once ; bnt when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." The law, closely ap plied to an unrenewed heart, has an irritating power upon it ; that is, lusts, that, in time of security, lay dormant, awaken for their own defence, when there is an attack made on them to throw them out. They lift up theraselves then, and move like an ant's nest stirred and disturbed ; and like a furious horse, that rages the more he is checked. 3. The keen opposition raade by Satan to the soul's entry. When the soul begins to entertain thoughts of turning to God, hell is alarmed, IN AT THE STRAIT GATE. 317 and its forces brought out to oppose with all vigour. Rev. xii. 12. They whom he disturbed not, while his goods were in peace, are then dogged with temptations, and all oars are laid to the water to row thera against the streara that flows from the Spirit of God to carry them into real religion. Satan plies then with, (1.) The force of the example of the multitude. Acts xxviii. 22. He presses them with the odiousness of being singular in the world ; that if there were such danger in the broad way, it could not be so throng, that with the multitude there is safety, and if it be ill with them, it will be ill with many. That failing, he plies the tempta tion, (2.) Of time enough after, what needs to turn to such a strict course so soon ? The young get, by the sleight of hell, a fair broad view of many years they have to come, Avhereiu they may get all done at leisure, in tirae enough ; and by that means the tirae of youth is given up with many to the broad way ; the entering on religion in earnest being put off, till once they be settled in the world. When that is come, then they find they have another thing to care for, for that time, Luke xiv. 20 ; and it is put off to old age, which most part never see. But if they do, custom in sin has taken away the sense of it ; and it is put off to a death-bed ; and if they get it, there the toss of sickness renders them incapable ; or when their time comes at last, the wind frora heaven rises not ; so they sink in the harbour, never get away to the gate. But if that will not do, (3.) They are plied with their being too-long a-doing, and that the tirae is past, the day of grace over ; to drive them to despair with Judas. Satan will run with them from one extreme to another ; and from defender of the secure, he will turn accuser of the awakened. He will preach to them then the justice of God, to persuade them he will be inexorable ; he will muster up their sins before thera, to render thera hopeless; and shew them their re peated slights of Christ, to bear them in hand that they have for feited the benefit of his mediation. (4.) Lastly, And for that cause he will dog them with temptations to sin, more than ordinary, that finding corruption more strong and prevalent than before, they may be brought to quit hopes of ever obtaining the victory. 4. The enmity of the Avorld against religion, 1 Cor. xvi- 9, " There are raany adversaries." These are set up to nip the work of heaven in the bud, and to raar any good work as it begins to ap pear. Cant. ii. 15. The carnal world is the great agent for Satan, and carries on his work in this case by giving instruction causing to err, by force, or by fraud, by raockeries, or by slight healing of the wounded. 318 THE NECESSITY OP ENTERING 5. Lastly, The nature of the thing makes it a strait gate. A \?evi- work cannot miss to be straitening to a sinner. Conviction of sin, of heart, lip, life, and nature, cannot but press sore ; the spirit of bondage, girding the soul with the cords of death, and the curse of the broken law, makes a strait entry, Rom. viii. 15. And it will be a hard pull for an awakened, law-condemned, and self-con demned creature, to gripe, and hold the gripe of the promise of grace in Christ. III. We shall consider the entering in by the strait gate. And here three things raust be spoke to. 1st, What they enter into by it. 2dly, How they enter in. Bdly, What this entering bears. First, What do they enter into by the strait gate ? They enter by it, 1. Iraraediately into the narrow way of the practice of religion, in a holy life and walk suited to the Gospel, Acts ii. 41, 42. There it is the strait gate sets them. How long there way may be frora the gate to the house, they know not ; but once entered, they hold on, (1.) In a new road, a quite new one ; 2 Cor. v. 17, " Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature ; old things are past away, behold all things are become new." They enter into a new road they never travelled before, where they have a new rule to walk by, new company to walk with, a new guide to follow after, a new scope and end to aim at. And thus are they entered, as it were, into a new world, being no more of this world, though in it. (2.) Iu a safe road, however unacquainted with it they were be fore ; Prov. i. 33, " Whoso hearkeneth unto me, shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil." Before they entered the strait gate, they were in a most dangerous road, however easy and safe it appeared, Prov. ix. 17, 18 ; but then they are entered into a safe one, however dangerous it appears. It is covered above, that no storms of wrath can fall there ; and what rises from below, they will get safely through. Cant. iii. 11. 2. Mediately, they enter by it into heaven. That is the house the strait gate looks to, which none can corae into but by that gate ; and all that come in by that gate do certainly reach it at length, Matth. xviii. 3, Acts iii. 19. Thus entering by the strait gate, they enter at length, (1.) Into a roomy-house ; John xiv. 2, " In my Father's house are many mansions." How strait soever the gate is, there is no straitening in the house ; while they that took the wide gate, shall IN AT THE STRAIT GATE, 319 when they come to their house, be straitened like prisoners cram med together in a pit ; they that enter the strait gate, shall in their house walk at liberty in white. (2.) Into a house of all ease and fulness. Rev. xxi. 7. There will be nothing wanting there for their satisfaction. If it was with much anxiety, fear, aud sorrow, they got through the strait gate ; yet there will not be the least vestige of these things there ; Rev. xxi. 4, " God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes ; and there shall be no more death, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away ;" but they will, by entering the strait gate, enter into joy; whereas others, by entering the wide one, shall enter into eternal anguish. Secondly, How do they enter in by this gate ? They enter in by it, 1. Coming out of themselves, Matth. xvi. 24. God by his spirit sets fire to their nest, and brings them out there. He opens their eyes in conviction, pricks them to the heart in compunction, brings them down to the dust in contrition and humiliation ; till he over turns the foundations of tbe house of their former rest, and leaves them not a foot to stand on. They are made to despair of salva tion by themselves. Their forraer gain is counted loss, Phil. iii. 7, 8, and they are carried off their own bottom, for justification, sanctifi cation, and eternal life in heaven. 2. Coming to Christ in the free promise of the Gospel by faith, John X. 9. Many think this an easy step; but so far frora it, that if there is not an arra of oranipotence to thrust the soul forward, it will never make that part of the strait gate, Isa. liii. 1. Mean while, the Spirit of God deals with the enterer rationally ; so that seeing all refuge else failed, he cannot go back, but thrusts forward to Christ in the free promise, Jer. ii. 22, 23, like the drowning man clevering* to the rope at all adventures. 3. Coming unto God by Christ ; Hos. xiv. 1, compared with John xiv. 6. This is conversion, which true coming unto Christ always terminates in ; Heb. vii. 25. For man having by sin turned away from God as his God, Lord, Lawgiver, and Master ; the Mediator Christ was sent, to bring us back to him again ; I Pet. iii. 18, " For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God." And by faith in Christ we do come back to him, to live to hira, and for him ; Acts xx, 21. This shows the faith of many in Christ to be but pretended ; while by it they do not return to God as their Lord and Lawgiver, to live to and for him ; Matth. xiii. 20, 21. • Griping hastily. 320 THE NECESSITY OP ENTERING Thirdly, What does this entering bear which we must set our selves for ? 1. A discerning of the gate, the strait gate; Matth. vii. 14. Many had travelled over that spot of ground called Bethel ; Gen. xxviii., who never discerned the gate of heaven there ; but Jacob saw it, verse 17- So, many go up and down the world, come to ordinances, where the gate is pointed out ; and yet are never able to take it up. Nay, that gate is to ns like the well to Hagar ; Gen, xxi. never seen by us till the Lord open our eyes. 0 pray, that God may discover this gate to you. 2. A flnding of an absolute necessity of entering by it ; Luke xv. 17- We will never enter there, while we are careless and indiffer ent about our state in the other world ; while we have the folly to think, that we may get a wide gate to heaven. This foolish imagi nation ruins thousands. What need they straiten themselves, en tering by the strait gate, while a more roomy one will do as well ? But ye must be convinced, that the strait gate, and it only, is that by which you can ever get there. 3. Resoluteness for a happy arrival in another world at any rate ; Matth. xi. 12, " The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." Till once raen corae to this, they will never enter the strait gate ; or if they do, they will never go through. The enterers are all such as must be forward, cost what it Avill ; because they see they are ruined for ever, if they get not forward ; Luke xv. 17, 18. 4. A contentment to forego our present ease, in order to onr getting safe to the other world ; Matth. xxvi. 24, " If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." This life is appointed of God for our trial with hardship and labour, and the place of rest for the labourers is in the other. But 0 how hard is it to bring sinners to be content to forego their ease for the present ! They hang by the soft easy course till their nest be fired, and their bed of sloth be strewed with thorns and briars, that there is no rest there any longer ; Prov. vi. 9, 10 ; .A.cts ii. 37. But till once they are brought content to sacrifice their ease, there is no entering. 5. A resolute entering into the gate ; Luke xv. 18. However strait and uncouth it appears, they will not be frightened from it. They dare no more meddle with the wide gate, considering whereto it leads. The soul in this case is like the slayer fleeing to the city of refuge, who, whatever difficulties be in the way, breaks through them, till he be within the gates of it. 6. Lastly, A resolute going through it, without turning back from IN AT THE STRAIT GATE. 321 it, as Felix did ; Acts xxiv. 25 ; or sticking in it as Ephraim ; Hos. xiii. 13. However strait the gate is, the true enterer will thrust forward, striving against all difficulties, and restless till he get for ward to God in Christ ; Luke xiii. 24. For he sees, that till he be there, there is no safety, how easy soever the blind world is. Use 1. Of Information. This informs us, that, I. No body walking carelessly, inconsiderately, and at all adven tures, will ever get a safe arrival that way in the other world. They may go to the pit that way; for sleeping or waking they go with the stream, and it will carry them down ; but the course to heaven is rowing against the streara, that will noA'er do at this rate_ Wherefore there is need of consideration, and working out our sal vation ; Phil. ii. 12. 2. They must begin well who would end well ; and enter by the strait gate, who would lodge for ever iu the rooray and spacious house above. It is the narrow way that leads to life, the strait gate that enters into the narrow way. To expect life then without entering by the strait gate, is a vain thing ; it is in effect to think that hold ing the course to hell in this life, we shall for all that laud in hea ven at death. " But (Gal. vi. 7) be not deceived ; God is not mocked ; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." An ungodly life will make a wretched end. 3. There is a necessity to bestir ourselves, lay salvation to heart, and see what course we take for the other world. The secure sin ner must awake, lest he sleep the sleep of death ; 1 Cor. xv. 34, " Awake to righteousness, and sin not." The careless, thoughtless about eternity, must begin to look to himself, that he do not perish ; Prov. vi. 9, " How long wilt thou sleep, 0 sluggard ? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep ?" There is a strait gate before us, which we will not get into sleeping ; and if we get not into it, and through it too, we are gone. 4. There is an absolute necessity of conversion for every one of us ; for that is the strait gate we must enter by, if ever we come to heaven ; Matth. xviiii. 3, " Except ye be converted, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." If there is not a work of convert ing grace wrought on us, we will never get to glory. We are so totally corrupted by nature, that if there is not such a change made on us as amounts to a new birth, we cannot see heaven ; John iii. 5, 6, " Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." We are so far off the way na turally, that we must be converted. 5. They do but deceive themselves, who imagine they are in the narrow way to life, who are yet strangers to a work of conversion. 322 THE NECESSITY OF ENTERING That is an entering into religion, without coraing in by the door, but climbing up some other way. And to such may that be applied ; John X. 8, " He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the sarae is a thief and a robber." It is laraentable, that so few appear to betake themselves to the way of religion ; and that among the few who do, there are so many who miss or neglect the first step. Many come too easily by their re ligion ; and so fares of it, it comes to no good account in the end. 6. Lastly, Vain are their pretences to religion, and vain are their hopes of heaven, who are so prejudiced at religious strictness, that they cannot endure it, nor think of being bound up to it. What is that, but to be utterly averse to the strait gate and narrow way ? And where is such people's religion for the present, and what hopes can they have of heaven for the future ? Will the course of the world, the wide way, ever bring them thither ? Will men pretend to be followers of Christ, and yet be leathers of religious strictness ? Or will they think to be partakers of heaven, and yet not be fol lowers of Christ ? Use 2. Of Reproof. It serves to reprove, 1. Those who are unconcerned to direct their course aright for the other world. And such are all they who make no inquiry for the strait gate, nor trouble their heads about it. It is an evidence they are not for Zion ; Jer I. 4, 5. It had been better for these had they never heard the gospel ; for at this rate they slight the warning Christ has given; they neglect the gate he is pointing out to them ; and they say in effect. What needs all this ado about the other world, and the safe gate to it ? 2. Those who keep by the wide gate, despising the strait one, and hope to do well enough in the end too. Truly this is to hope that the Bible will be found a fable ; and all the warnings of danger to sinners, mere scarecrows. Such may read their doom ; Deut. xxix. 19, 20, " And it corae to pass when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless hiraself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the iraagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst ; the Lord will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord, and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book, shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven." And in end they will find it not a sound of big words, but such as will press them down for ever. 3. Those who will neither enter themselves, nor suffer others so far as they can hinder them ; Matth. xxiii. 13. There is a genera tion of eneraies to the strait gate, who do what they can to keep IN AT THE STRAIT GATE. 323 others from it, as well as themselves, and so vent the malignity of their disposition against religion. They lay all the hindrances in their way that they can ; take all opportunities to discourage thera in any attempts that way ; they lay out themselves to tempt them to evil, and lead them into sin. Alas ! whose work is it ye do, when ye do so ? Is it God's work, Christ's work ? Surely ye cannot imagine that. Nay, it is Satan's work, who himself is busy at it, whom you serve ; and your reward will be accordingly. Parti cularly, 4, Mockers of religious exercise, who make a jest of seriousness and of serious persons. We are warned, that in the last days there should be such ; 2 Pet. iii. 3, 4, " Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming ? for since the fa thers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the begin ning of the creation." Observe of them that they were profane ; for none but those of very profane spirits will dare to jest on sacred things. They are atheistical; for none that have the belief of the being of a God to judge them, and of the Bible's being really his word, will be a scoffer at others for regarding it. 0 that such would consider their danger, the bands that are abiding them for their looseness ; Isa. xxviii. 22, " Be not mockers, lest your bands be made strong." 5. Lastly, Those who being employed to direct others what course to take for the other world, make no conscience of directing thera to the strait gate. They call to them continually. Do, do this and the other duty, exercise this and the other virtue, without endeavouring to lead them to Christ in the first place, and the great duty of be lieving in him ; as if men needed nothing but application or ply ing themselves to make them Christians. But conversion to God by his Spirit is overlooked ; and vital union with Christ, the necessary spring of all holy obedience ; John xv. 5, is neglected ; Eph. ii. 10. Use 3. Of Exhortation. Then, as ever you would direct your course aright for the other world, enter ye in by the strait gate. I shall branch out this in two particulars. First, As ever ye would direct your course aright for the other world, lay aside your prejudices against religious strictness ; lay your acconnt with, and peremptorily set yourselves for thrusting through the strait gate into the narrow way, that so ye may get to heaven, bidding farewell to the wide way of the world. This ex hortation is, 1. For the young that are setting out in the world. I would have you to set out in the mean time for the other world too ; because 324 THE NECESSITY OF ENTERING whether you do it or not, ye are really going thither ; and how soon you may be there, you know not. And pray take heed how you di rect your course at that time of day ; for according as ye begin then, ye will readily hold on after ; Prov. xxii. 6, " Train up a child in the way that he should go ; and when he is old, he will not de part frora it." 0 have a care that prejudices against religious strictness get not a seat in you ; but be ye reconciled to it, and set to it in earnest. 2. For the aged that are gone out into the world. I would have you to set out at length for the other world also, directing your course aright thither ; the rather that ye are far on already in the way to it, and for the most part off the right way as yet. It is high tirae you were begun to change your course, lest, if ye go on any longer, ye harden in an ill course without reraedy. Many are the prejudices both old and young have against reli gious strictness, the conceited hardships of it, the singularity and unfashionableness of it, aud many others I shall not now stand upon. But pray, let what our Saviour here advances against thera, serve to strike the bottom out of thera all ; that is, the absolute necessity of it. In vain do men dispute about a way to a place, and object against it as rough, &c., when there is no other way to it ; for in that case it is plain, they must either take the way as it is, or give over thoughts of the place. NoAV, onr Lord has told us, " The gate is strait ;" and I would therefore have you to set yourselves for it, strait as it is ; and pe remptorily to lay your account with enduring hardness now, in firm hope that so you raay safely arrive at length in the other world, where ye shall walk at liberty. Bid an eternal farewell then to the wide gate and way, and be resolute to enter and go through the strait one. Motive 1. All prejudices you entertain against religious strict ness, are in favour of the corruption of your nature ; and does that need any thing to feed and strengthen it ? 2 Thess. ii. 12. Do but irapartially consider any one prejudice you have against it ; and you will find it is in favour of some one lust or other, and that it is a screen to defend it ; Rora. i. 18, compared with Jer. ii. 25. It is the corrupt affection biasseth the judgment, and sets men on palliat ing licentious courses, and unfavourably representing religious strictness. And judge ye, what must be the issue of feeding the corruption of our nature which is to be mortified. 2. All the difficulty of religious strictness ariseth only from cor ruption in ourselves and others ; Rom. vii. 14, " For we know that the law is spiritual ; but I am carnal, sold under sin." Religious IN AT THE STRAIT GATE. 325 strictness is in heaven carried to its utmost pitch ; Rev. xxi. 27, " There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither Avhatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie ; but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.'' Tet there they are at per fect liberty ; Rom viii. 21. Why ? becanse corruption is purged out. Learn therefore, that any uneasiness there is in religious strictness, the blame of it is not to be laid at religion's door, but our own. Religious strictness grates only on, (1.) Our own corrupt hearts ; as the shoe straitens and pains the sore foot, and cannot be suffered on it, though it was very easy while the foot was whole ; Rom. vii. 23, 24. Though we would think it intolerable to be held any considerable time in the Avater, the fish are not at all straitened in it ; for it is agreeable to their nature ; and so Avould the way to holiness be to a holy heart. Now, a course of life grating ou the corruptions of our hearts, is even as necessary for our partaking of Christ's eternal salvation, as Christ's course of suffering in his life and death was for the purchase of it; Gal. v. 24, " They that are Christ's have crucified the fiesh, with the affec tions and lusts." (2.) A corrupt sinful world; Rev. vi. 10. They cannot endure it ; they wonder what should carry any unto it, and they are apt to reproach one for it ; 1 Pet. iv. 4, '' Wherein they think it strange that you rnn not with thera to the sarae excess of riot, " speaking evil of you.." No great wonder the derapster's voice grate on the malefactor's ears ; for he pronounceth his doom ; and so do the godly by their religious strictness pronounce doom against the wicked ; Heb. xi. 7- But why do we care to please the world lying in wickedness, in those things that will sink them in ruins ? or seek to walk with thera with whom we should not lodge at the jour ney's end ? 3. The greatest difflculty in religious strictness, is at flrst entering into it. It is with religion as with other useful and profltable courses of life, trades, or employments ; the greatest hardship is at the beginning ; afterwards it becomes more easy through use ; Matth. xi. 29, 30. May be some's experience may contradict this ; it is a good while since they attempted, and it is as hard this day as then. What is the reason of that ? Te are ay but beginning, ye do not hold close to it. So it fares with you as with children at school, who being every now and then kept at home, learning is a constant pain to thera ; whereas it turns easy to them that are held close to it ; Prov. ii. 1 — 6. Therefore be peremptory, and resolute, and con stant ; and of a truth it will be otherwise. 4. Whether would ye choose your eternal state with the religi- 326 THE NECESSITY OP ENTERING ously strict, or with the more gay and world-like part of mankind, that walk more loosely? No doubt that will be the language of every heart ; Numb, xxiii. 10, " Let rae die the death of the righte ous, and let my last end be like his." Then pray live with them, and walk with them. If ye like their end, lay by your prejudices against their way, in which they walk unto it. If ye have a horror of the end of them that walk loosely, and yet like their way best, ye will be self-condemned. If ye would go east, ye would not tra vel with the company going west. 5. Lastly, Religious strictness is the only course in which any will get to heaven ; the loose course will land men in destruction. The text is very express ; and makes no exception of great or small, rich or poor, young or old. There is no body, bnt will be straitened sometime or other ; it is impossible that any should get always walking at liberty. Choose ye then, whether ye will take your straitening before or after death, for time or for eternity. If ye imagine that some were far from religious strictness, that yet got to heaven at length, consider then they were brought to repentance for their neglect of it. And will ye follow a pattern, that those who gave it bitterly repented of ? If ye do, ye must follow it out in repentance too, else ye are ruined. And is it a wise course, to be laying np matter for repentance, and to stand off from a course, the neglect whereof ye must repent, or ye perish ? Pray consider that repentance will be more easy now than on the brink of eternity ; and it will be raore sure too, for it is what very rprely is reached at that time of day. As for some directions or helps, I offer only these two. 1. Set before you, in the first place, the death of Christ, for your justification and reconciliation with God, deliverance from the curse and eternal wrath ; and by faith flee in under the covert of his blood, for these effects. Without these men may reach civility, the moralist his practice of virtue, the legalist a form of godliness ; but no true religious strictness, more than the cursed flg tree could ever bear fruit after, Lnke i. 74, 75. 2. Set before you the life of Christ in the world, as the rule, the reason, and the endearment of religious strictness. Every Christian should set before him the life of Christ, and often view it, for it is, (1.) The rule of religious strictness, the example and pattern we are to copy after, John xiii. 15, 1 Peter ii. 21, 1 John ii. 6. Here it is we have the perfect draught of religious strictness. The strictest of the saints have had their out-of-the-way steps; vain men have pieces of strictness, which is not according to this pattern, being nothing but the product of their blind and proud minds. But IN AT THE STRAIT GATE. 327 in the example of Christ we have a perfect pattern of religious strictness ; for in him we see what is the sort of walk really pleas ing to God, iu as much as we see there how God himself become man did walk. And when he has condescended to this, will we not eye it ? (2.) The reason. We have the naked divine authority, call, and command to religious strictness in the law. In the life of Christ we have that authority enforced by his own example, obliging us the more forcibly unto it. The example of superiors is an ad ditional law, binding the inferiors to conformity. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the supreme, the most high God, as well as he is man ; and since he was man, he was religiously strict ; certainly, for that very reason we should be so too. (3.) The endearment. How forcible is that exhortation to re ligious strictness ! Eph. v. 1,2, " Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children ; and walk jn love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given hiraself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour." There is no such powerful remedy against prejudices at religious strictness, as the believing considera tion of the death of Christ. Is it possible that faith's view of the death of Christ should leave us indifferent to, and far more .averse to the life of Christ ? No, sure ; 2 Cor. v. 14, 15, " For the love of Christ constraineth us, becanse we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead ; and that he die^for all, that they which live, should not live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again." Let your consciences be sprinkled with his blood, and your hearts will be knit to religious strictness. But alas ! it is want of faith in his death, that makes us so indifferent to the iraitation of hira in his life of religious strictness. Secondly, As ever ye would direct your course aright for the other world, be concerned, that, in the flrst place, ye may be truly con verted; that ye raay be found converts in the first place, entering the strait gate by a work of thorough conversion wrought on you. Motive 1. Consider the necessity of conversion to God. It is ab solutely necessary by our Saviour's declaration ; Matth. xviii. 3, " Except ye be converted, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven ;" and by the nature of things too ; for how is it possible they should walk with God in the narrow way, who have not entered by the strait gate, being once truly turned to God ? This is the be ginning of the Christian course, without which it is impossible there should be any progress in it, or happy end thereof. Motive 2. To think to be truly religious, without being once true converts, is a vain thing, a delusion, because a contradiction. It is 328 THE NECESSITY OF ENTERING a building on the earth without a foundation ; Luke vi. 49, which can turn to no good account in the end. True religion is to walk in Christ ; but one must flrst be in hira ; Col. ii. 16, " As ye have there fore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in hira." It is to walk in newness of life, bnt we must be new creatures first; Rom. vi. 4. It is to walk with God, but we must first be converted to him. Motive 3. Without it all your religion will amount to no more but a form of godliness destitute of the power ; 2 Tim. iii. 5. It will be but as a body without the soul ; and all your services will be but bodily exercise, that will profit little. " For God is a Spirit ; and they that worship him, miist worship him in Spirit and in truth," Johniv. 24. But how can that be without conversion ? Phil. iii. 3, " For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit." Though the wall is fair plastered, it is loose in the heart ; and so makes but a fair show, like a whited sepulchre. Motive 4. Lastly, The want of it is a spring of apostasy ; 1 John ii. 19, " They went out frora us, but they were not of us ; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us ; but they went out, that they raight be raade manifest, that they were not all of ns." How many do for a tirae blossora fair in religion, who at length totally wither ? They give their naraes to Christ pre tending to have separated from the world ; but afterwards they turn deserters, and get away t^o the enemy's camp. Why, truly, if they had ever by sound conversion come out frora among them, they had never gone back ; Psalra xii. 7, " Thou shalt keep them, 0 Lord, thou shalt preserve thera frora this generation for ever." But the axe of converting grace never went to the root of the tree with them ; wherefore though some branches of sin were lopt off, the root of bitterness untouched, spreads again. For your help here, la bour to impress your hearts with concern to have a good foundation laid. And, 1. Think it not enough to reform your lives, and to cleanse the outward raan. Remember religion is the hidden man of the heart ; 1 Sam. xvi. 7- So the power of the natural enmity must be broken, and the heart reconciled to the holy law, not in sorae, but in every point thereof known to you ; Heb. viii. 10, " This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord ; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts ; and I will be to thera a God, and they shall be to rae a people." For this only is true conversion, the heart being turned back again to God; 1 Kings xviii. 37, in cordial reconciliation with and absolute resignation to his holy will expressed in his law. IN AT THE STRAIT GATE. 329 2. For this cause, ye would study to discern the law in its spi rituality and vast extent, and closely apply it to your own soul's state and case. Here Paul's conversion began ; Rom. vii. 9, " I was alive without the law once ; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." By this means ye will be convinced of the total corruption of your nature, heart, and life ; what a gulph of guilt ye are sunk in under the curse ; the which may fill you with fear, sorrow, and anxious concern what course to take to be saved. Then study to discern the promise of the gospel in its sufficiency and suitableness to your case ; and to see Christ in it ; and closely apply that to your own soul. For this is it that completes conver sion ; Heb. vii. 19, " For the law raade nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did ; by the which we draw nigh unto God." By this means ye will be enlightened in the knowledge of Christ, as a suitable Saviour, having a fulness of grace in hira to be coramunicated for your regeneration, and a fulness of merit to carry off your guilt ; which will be a flt means to raise in you a desire of him, and hope of remedy through him; and so to draw you to him by faith, and by him unto God. Doctrine II. There is a wide gate to enter by, and a broad way joining it ; but it leads away to destruction. Here we shall consider, I. The wide gate there is to enter in by. II. The broad way joining the wide gate. III. This way's leading away to destruction. IV. Lastly, Improve the subject. I. We shall consider the wide gate there is to enter in by. Were there no other but the strait gate iu the course to the other world, then there would be no fear of going wrong, all behoved to go that way, or not at all ; and it would have been so, if there had been no part of the other world bnt the happy one. But there is another part of that world, a hell as well as a heaven ; and so there is a gate towards the former as well as the latter; and that is the wide one, which we are to beware of. According to what is said of the strait, the wide gate is the en trance into a course of ungodliness, whereby raen become actually ungodly. Thus men set their face towards hell, and begin to move toward the land of darkness ; Eph. ii. 1 , 2. Whensoever this entrance is made, then they are on the course whose end is destruction ; and it is made very early. And that entrance or wide gate, is the gate of the corrupt natural inclination of the heart; Prov. iv. 23 ; Mark vii. 21 — 23. This gate Vol. X. Y 330 THE BROAD WAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION. begins to open to us with the first dawnings of reason, and opens wider and wider as we grow up; Gen. viii. 21. Our first looks in the world are asquint; we discover a cast to the wrong side, an averseness to good, and proneness to evil ; Rom. viii. 7, " The car nal mind is enmity against God." That is the natural inclination of the heart, that soon shows itself in what we call the innocent babe, and widens more and more through the several periods of childhood, youth, and manhood ; Prov. xxii. 15. This gate was set up by Adam's fall ; Rom. v. 12. He breaking the first covenant, broke out this gate to destruction, to and in him self and all his posterity ; and mankind naturally rush in at it, not considering whereto it leads. Besides this, there had never been an other gate to the other world, for fallen man, had not Jesus Christ by his suffering, life, and death, opened it. This gate is a two-leaved gate, opening wide. 1st, On the one hand, it opens wide toward the creature, away from God; Jer. ii. 13. That is the way the natural inclination of the heart lies. When God made man he gave him a set of heart to wards himself as his rest and happiness ; Eccl. vii. 29, " God made man upright :" without any motion towards the creature, but in God and for God ; and good reason, for all the good of the creature lay there, it being otherwise but a cypher signifying nothing without him ; Matth. xix. 17. But Satan in the first temptation set up the creature separately from God, and over-against him ; and though so it was mere emptiness, he blew it up with wind from hell, and made it appear a rest for the heart, and cheated our first parents into a choice of it for their rest ; Gen. iii, 6, So the first leaf was opened, and has stood open to this day with mankind. And this I say, (1.) Opens wide towards the creature, the vain and empty crea tion ; Hab. ii. 5, compared with Prov. xxx. 15, 16. As the beasts incline to the earth, the birds to the air, and the fishes to the wa ter ; so does fallen man to the creature. He knows no other happi ness naturally, desires no other, cannot understand how there can be another. He falls as naturally to seek it here, as the infant to suck the breasts that bare it. This is a broad leaf, opening very wide ; because of the bonndless desires of the heart to be satisfied, the vast variety of the creatures to try the experiment on, and the insufflciency and nnsatisfactori- ness of them all ; Eccl. i. 2 ; Isaiah Iv. i. 2. The wide hungry heart that is without God, the wide world filled with nothing but vanity and lies, makes the leaf of the natural inclination to the creature very wide. (2.) It opens a way frora God ; Heb. iii. 12, " Take heed, breth- THE BROAD WAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION. 331 ren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in depart ing from the living God." It is not possible, bnt that the heart turning to the creature for a rest and happiness, must turn away from God; Matth. vi. 24, "For no man can serve two masters." The heart of man naturally contracting a friendship with the world, states and declares an enmity against God; James iv. 4, " Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God ? Whoso ever therefore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God." And the children of men setting out in the world, while they set their face thus to the creature, cast God behind their back ; Ezek. xxiii. 35. They know him not, desire hira not ; it is a mystery to thera, how the enjoyment of hira can raake one happy ; they are apt to think it is but a fancy ; Psalra iv. 6. Thus this natural inclination of the heart to the creature is the one leaf of the wide gate. Bnt here it is Objected, How can the inclination of the heart to the creature be accounted a leaf ofthe gate to hell, when every creature of God is good, and we are allowed the enjoyment of it, and an inclination to wards it is lawful, and in several cases expressly required ? Answ. The creature maybe considered two ways. (1.) By itself, separately from God. (2.) In God and for him. The first way it is regarded as a fountain and original spring to drink at for satis faction ; in the other, as a streara only coraing from God, and lead ing back to him. Now, it is not in the latter, but the former re spect, that we call the inclination to it a leaf of the broad gate. And it is in that first respect that the heart is naturally inclined to it. Upon it, separately from God, the heart naturally fixes, look ing for that from it, which it should only look for in God ; whereby it is put in the room of God. And this godless pursuit of the crea ture, separately frora God, not in him ; for itself, and ourself, not for God, was never allowable, and is no other but the course of thera that are gone in at the wide gate; Eph. iv. 17, 18. Consider here, 1. The inclination to it separate from God, plainly discovering itself, in either a profane neglect of hira, or else a crafty shifting of him, in our desires after, or enjoyraent of the creature. No doubt one may lawfully have an inclination towards health, wealth, rela tions, &c. But then it should be in God ; in his fear, regulated by his word ; but as an incast to the great bargain of his favour, not as a principal. But the generality of men quite neglect him in these. Psalm X. 4, while others that have sorae principles forraed in them, craftily lay the thoughts of him aside in these things, that they may not be hampered in their desire or enjoyment of the creature ; Jer. y2 332 THE BROAD WAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION. ix. 6. A glaring evidence of inclination to it separate from God. 2. The inclination to it for it or ourselves, not for God, discovering itself, in that there is no regard had, in the desire, or enjoyment, to the honour of God to be advanced thereby, but to please ourselves merely ; though (1 Cor. x. 31,) " whether we eat or drink, or what soever we do, we should do all to the glory of God." It is purely something in the creature itself, not any thing of God about it, that grounds the inclination to it ; and that is a piece of spiritual ido latry, and a debasing of the soul, to desire any creature for itself merely. 2dly, On the other side, it opens wide towards sin, away from the holiness of God expressed in his law ; Psalra Iviii. 3, " The wicked are estranged from the womb, they go astray, as soon as they be born, speaking lies." When God made man, he gave hira a set of heart towards holiness, Eccl. vii. 29, so that as God himself was the rest of his heart and portion, so his holy will and law was the rule of his walk. But the heart of man falling out of its rest in God, unto the godless pursuit of the creature, the yoke of obedience to hira came to be thrown off. So the natural inclination of the heart opens wide, (1.) To sin ; Jer. xvii. 9, " The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" The taste is quite vitiated ; nothing relishes with men naturally but sin. As, on the one hand, they go to the creature, to suck its dry breasts ; so, on the other, they are bent on the fulsome breasts of their corrupt lusts; Eph. ii. 3. These corrupt lusts as so many brats of hell, naturally bred in the heart, open their mouths wide, crying. Give, Give; and nothing can satisfy them, but the puddle waters of sin, Avhich are agreeable to their nature. (2.) Away from the holiness of God expressed in his law ; Rom. viii. 7- There is not only a carelessness or an indifferency to holi ness, but an aversion to it ; such as an untamed bullock has to the yoke. Hence holy walking and spiritual exercises, are naturally burdensome to the corrupt heart, which loves sinful liberty, and hates to be hampered by the holy commandment. So that what of these the man is in a sort brought to, it is but bodily exercise, the heart is not in it, Exek. xxxiii. 31. This also is a broad leaf, opening very Avide. For the corrup tion of nature is an unfathomable gulph, that there is no filling up of ; the sinner may be surfeited, but never can be satiated. The way of sin, as being the way of error or wandering, has no end ; one evil step still leading on to, and making way for another. Thus ye see the wide gate, that, opening to all the children of fallen Adam, THE BROAD WAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION. 333 they are all ready disposed to inter into. Which entering is next to be noticed. The entering into this wide gate is, the giving way to the corrupt natural inclination of the heart ; the not resisting of it, but yield ing unto it; Rora, vi. 12, "Let not sin reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof." This gate should of right be closed ; the bitter fountain should be stopt immediately, the weeds of corruption should be nipt in the bud, and men should presently begin a war with themselves in mortification of their lusts. But instead of that, they soon begin to follow the corrupt natural inclination ; and that in, 1. Giving way to the vanity of their minds ; Eph. iv. 17. They find in them a restless heart, and they go in pursuit of that rest, not to God, but to the creature. Man's mind is naturally blinded ; and what it points out to him for happiness and satisfaction, he pursues ; the heart going as the vain mind leads. Thus men are lured on. The vain mind first points out a satisfaction to us in meat, then in gay clothing, then in mirth and jollity ; at length it opens as we grow up, into the wide field of pleasures, profits , and hon ours ; and here men wander as in a wilderness, seeking rest, think ing to find it in this and the other vanity, and still disappointed ; yet after all disappointments, the vain raind still has a new vanity to present unto us, aud we go to it with new hopes of satisfaction ; Isa. Ivii. 10, " Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way ; yet saidst thou not. There is no hope ; thou hast found the life of thine hand ; therefore thou wast not grieved." Now, the engaging in this pursuit is entering the wide gate with a witness. 2. Giving way to the corrupt bent of the heart towards sin, and against the way of holiness ; Rom. iii. 11, 12, " There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable, there is none that doth good, no not one." Lusts begin to stir in the heart, and crave of them ; and instead of starving them, they begin to think of feeding and satisfying them. So they break over the hedge of the divine law, and get into the devil's ground, omitting their duty to God, and coraraitting sin against hira, in compliance with the natural inclination. This also is a plain entering of the wide gate. Now, there is a twofold entering this wide gate. 1st, One that is more secret and undiscerned to the party himself. Thus we are all once entered into it, ere ever we are aware, by the early sproutings of corruption in childhood ; doing sinfully and cor ruptly ere ever we begin to consider what we are doing. Psalm Iviii. 3 ; Prov. xx. 11. Thus we are entered into the service of sin and 334 THE BROAD WAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION. Satan, ere we begin to consider who or what they are. And where pains are not taken by good education to curb these early sproutings, they grow readily too strong afterwards to be holden down, either by one or other; Prov. xxix. 15, " The rod and reproof give wisdom ; bnt a child left to hiraself bringeth his mother to shame." 2dly, Another that is more deliberate, and of choice. Thus when the children of men are come to the years of discretion, and can dis cern between good and evil, they see on the one hand the strait gate of religion, and the wide gate of sin and vanity ; and having a bias and cast in their nature to the wrong side, they refuse the strait gate and choose the wide one as the most agreeable to them, Jer. ii. 25. Of this there are three raore notable kinds. 1. The throAving off the bonds of good education, as things where with they are harapered. Thus raany set out into the broad way, and land in destruction at length, Prov. v. 11 — 13. Parental go vernment is the first government that God puts us under ; therefore in the Proverbs written to give the young knowledge the very flrst exhortation is ; ver. 8, " My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother." How dangerous must it then be, either to throw it off before God takes it off; or when he has, to throw off the impressions raade thereby? None of fiera can be, but in corapliance with the corrupt natural inclination to give it the swing. 2. Casting one's self into ill corapany. The second exhortation in the Proverbs respects that ; ver. 10, " My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not." We are so ready to be cast into the mould of the company we choose, especially if it be ill, that when one is so engaged, he may be reckoned to be gone in at the wide gate. If he had no mind to go with thera, why would he choose their fellowship? 3. Apostatizing from a profession and appearance of religion; Av-hen one having for some tirae given promising tokens of a religious disposition, throws off all, and goes plainly into the way of the pro fane world ; Heb. x. 38, " If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." The snare leading to this is readily the predominant sin. That makes its entrance' raost easily unto us, and raost powerfully pre vails to carry us into the broad way. II. We shall consider the broad way joining the wide gate. Agreeable to what is said of the gate, the broad way joining it is the way of raen's own heart ; Isa. Ivii. 17, " For the iniquity of his co vetousness was I wroth, and smote him : I hid me, and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart:" Which heart being naturally a corrupt heart, is the way of irreligion and ungod liness, Psalm i. 1. As soon as men have entered the gate of the corrupt natural inclination, giving up themselves thereto, they are THE BROAD AVAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION. 335 on the broad way, the way of their own heart. And here I shall shew, 1st, That the way of one's own heart or natural inclination, is in deed the broad way. 2dly, What are the parts of this broad way leading to destruction. ddly. Speak of the broadness of this way. First, I shall shew that the way of one's own heart or natural in clination, is indeed the broad way. This appears, 1st, From that corrupt set or bent which the hearts of men have got by Adam's fall. Whatever vain men give out concerning the dignity of human nature, the testimony of God concerning the heart of man is quite otherwise; Jer. xvii. 9, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked ; who can know it ?" Our Savi our represents it as a poisoned fountain, Mark vii. 21, 22, and what poisoned it, was the fall of Adara, Rom. v. 12. The way then that it leads, must needs be the broad way to destruction, and therefore " all we like sheep have gone astray ; we have turned every one to his own way," Isa. liii. 6. In that set, 1. There is a bending away from God, who originally was, and of right is our chief end. Psalm xiv. 3, Jer. ii. 13. The heart of man has not only left its rest in God, but is fllled with natural enmity against him, Rom. viii. 7; has a dislike of his nature, which is holy, and of his law, which is a transcript of his holiness. There is a down right contrariety in his nature against the nature of God, and in his will against the will of God ; Job. xxi. 14, " Therefore they say unto God, Depart from ns ; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways." 2. A bent towards the creature as the chief good, in the room of God, Jer, ii. 13. Hence the natural voice of the heart in raan is, " Who will shew us any good ?" Psalm iv. 6. For Adam falling from God, betook himself to the creature, to get out of it that satis faction, which he was to have had from God ; and in this case he left us ; and naturally we go on that way, till powerfully turned to God again by grace. 3. An aversion to good, such as an untamed bullock has to the yoke, Jer. xxxi. 18. It is a pain to the natural man to admit the yoke of Christ ; Hos. iv. 16, " Israel slideth back, as a backsliding heifer." So that a slavish fear of punishment, and a servile hope of reward, are the main things that can move them to duty ; whereas, if the heart were left to its free choice, without these extrinsic mo tives, they would never yoke with it. 4. A proneness to evil ; Hos. xi. 7, " My people are bent to back sliding from me ; though they called them to the Most High, none at all would exalt him." The bias of the heart lies that way, so that it is the very first way the children of men go ; Psalm Iviii. 3, 336 THE BROAD WAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION. " The wicked are estranged from the womb, they go'astray, as soon as they be born, speaking lies." None need to teach them the way of sin ; leave them to their choice, they will as naturally go that way, as water will go downward, or sparks of fire upward. Who then can doubt, but the way of the heart is the broad way ? 2dly, This appears from the necessity of regeneration, which is absolute and universal ; John iii. 3, " Except a raan be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of heaven." Men must be made new ereatures ere they can do good works, Eph. ii. 10 ; united to Christ by faith, ere they can do any thing to purpose ; John xv. 5, " With out me ye can do nothing." This necessity springs from the total corruption of our nature, whereby it is indisposed to all good ; John iii. 6, " That which is born of the flesh, is flesh." Whence it is evi dent, that the natural way of the heart is the broad way ; for that which is wholly corrupt, cannot act but corruptly ; and that nature which must be made new, ere it can do good, must needs, till it be renewed, be still going wrong. Zdly, Lastly, This appears from the difflculty there'^is in the con version of sinners unto God ; Jer. xiii. 23, " Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil." Great is that difflculty. Mer cies will not do it, judgments will not ; the sinner will trample on the goodness of God leading to repentance ; he will go on in sin, though the fire of wrath is flashing on his face. A preacher from the dead would not convert a sinner ; Luke xvi. 31. It is only the irresistible power of grace changing the heart that will do it ; Jer. xxxi. 18. This speaks the natural way the heart goes to be the broad way, and no other. Secondly, We shall consider " the parts of this broad way leading to destruction." It is so very broad, that we cannot enter into a detail of the particular parts thereof. But in the general there are two parts of it. 1. The way of vanity ; and, 2. The way of vile ness. Is*, Tbe way of vanity ; Eph. iv. 17- As soon as one has entered by that part of the wide gate of the natural inclination, opening to ward the creature, away from God, he is upon the way of vanity, a broad, spacious way to destruction. He then begins a vain life, a course of vanity of conversation ; 1 Pet. i. 18. And in this way most men, yea all, but regenerate men, are going. And it is, 1. A way that sets a man farther off from God. With the pro digal, he is then on his journey into the far country ; Luke xv. 13. Every step in this way is a step farther away ; and the older he grows in it, the relative distance betwixt God and him is increased. THE BROAD WAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION. 337 God and the sinner part at the point of original corruption ; and the sinner taking the way of vanity, is soon far from him. 2. A way wherein he applies hiraself close to the creature for his chief good; Jer. ii. 13. Having left God, he takes up with the erapty creation, to hamraer a happiness to hiraself out of creature- coraforts ; in iraitation of fallen Adara embracing the forbidden fruit instead of a God. And here four things are to be considered, (1.) The raan is sensible of a want; Psalm iv. 6, " Who will shew us any good ?" He is conscious to himself, that he is not self- sufficient. There is au empty space in his heart, which he must needs labour to have fllled up. And it cannot be otherwise, since he has lost God, and is without him in the world ; Eph. ii. 12; and that God is the only object capable of fllling the heart, an inflnite good only being commensurable to the boundless desires of the soul. (2.) Having lost sight of God as man's happiness, he looks about through the creation for the supply of his want, for a match to his soul, which he finds cannot live alone by itself ; Eeccl. vi. 9. Though the man has lost God, if he had not lost his eyes too, he wonld see there was no way for him, but to see to recover the enjoyraent of God again. Bnt his eyes are darkened in this broad way, that he cannot see how God, and God only, can be a happiness to hira ; 1 Cor. ii. 14. The word of the gospel tells hira this of God, and Christians tell it him from their experience ; but he cannot com prehend it ; therefore he looks about for it elsewhere. (3 ) In this case the creature shews fair ; the world appears in its beauty and gaudy dress. It displays its wealth at a distance, and looks out with all its charms, " the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life ;" 1 John ii. 16. And the man is taken thinking if he had it he would be well. He looks on it as a flt match for his heart, and is not without hopes of gaining his point. And Satan is busy here to forward, the project, representing the creature most speciously, and inflaming the sinner's desire after it. See Matth. iv. 8. (4.) The sinner being taken, falls a-courting of the creature, for the enjoyment of the wanted happiness in it ; Psalra iv. 6. Flush ed with big hopes, he sets out on this project, and plies it closely. And this is the broad way of vanity, in which he travels endlessly, till either the grace of God open his eyes, and turn hira back to God ; or else that in hell he lift up his eyes, and see he has been mined with courting all along a deceitful shadow. This courting of the creature to be a match for the heart, is not slightly managed. But, 1. It is begun early; Psalm Iviii. 3, As soon as ever the child- 338 THE BROAD WAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION ren of fallen Adam are sensible of a want, they go to that door for supply ; while as yet there are no desires after God, they are gaping wide after the creature. Behold the little children, how fond of things grateful to the taste, and pleasant to the eye, while the compass of their understanding reaches no farther ! What a mighty satisfaction do they promise themselves in these ! And as they grow up, and the world opens out to them, and spreads its de ceitful glories ; how do their desires after it, and hunting for them, increase proportionally ! 2. It is prosecuted assiduously, no time being lost for the thing pur posed. The project is closely pursued, that if it prove successless, it is not through carelessness ; Isa. Ivii. 20 ; Psalm cxxvii. 2. They are early and late at the creature's door. Whatever disappoint ments they meet with, it makes no change of their mind, nor do they go to another airth for their happiness ; Rom. vi. 20. 3. It is managed vigorously. They are not indifferent about their success, but in good earnest ; their heart is wholly set on it. The most valuable talents they have, are laid out upon it; Isa. Iv. 2. They take true pains upon it ; they are not loiterers, bnt labour to gain their point ; Isa. Iv. 2 ; Matth. xi. 28, and that to weari ness in the midst of difficulties ; Hab. ii. 13. They are like hewers in stone, on the raatter : Jer. ii. 13 ; and strike on rocks till the fire flash in their faces. 4. Lastly, It is continued all along, till the Lord from heaven put a stop to it ; either in mercy, shewing thera their error, and bringing them back unto God in Christ, to take up their rest in hira ; or else in wrath, taking them away from it by death, and so plucking up their hopes by the roots ; Matth. xv. 45, 46 ; Luke xii. 20. Now this way is the way of vanity, in that, 1. It is a false and deceitful way. Psalm cxix. 128, and can take with raen only by means of da,fkness, blindness, and ignorance, ver. 104. In it shadows are proposed to the heart instead of a substance, the creature promising that which it is not able to perform ; causing men to expect that out of it that is not in it. In it the bait ap pears ; but the hook is hidden, which yet effectually ruins ; 1 Tim. vi. 10. And in it men hunt their own sorrows and destruction. 2. It is an unprofltable way. In it a life is spent to no valuable purpose, and at the end it appears to have brought no lasting ad vantage ; Rora. iii. 12. But thus men are running in the broad way, wearying themselves for a thing of nought ; like children run ning in a sunny day catching butterflies, missing many of them, and the beautiful coloured wings of those they catch going to ashes be tween their fingers. It is unprofitable. THE BROAD AVAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION. 339 (1.) In that they quite fall short of the great end God proposeth to men, viz. his glory ; Rora. iii. 23. Instead of living to his ho nour, they live to his dishonour, preferring the creature to the Crea tor, and putting it in his room as their chief good. And that raust needs be a vain life, Avhich does not reach the chief end it was given for. What then can be expected, but the doom of the unprofitable servant ? (2.) In that they quite fall short of the end they propose to thera selves, viz., happiness, or a rest to their hearts ; Hos. viii. 7- This is what all their days they seek, but never get in any of their days, nor at the end ; nor is it possible to get it in that way ; for it is the way of vanity. And is not that a vain life, where one raust die disappointed of the great thing they raainly sought all their life ? 3. It is a trifling way, in which one trifles away a lifetime, busy do ing nothing, no substantial lasting good, nothing that will give comfort in a dying hour, nothing for the better world ; Psalra xc. 9. God has sent us into this world, to do business for eternity, to pass trials for the happy world to corae ; but men going the broad way, forget their business, and trifle away time ; it lies like lumber on their hand, and they are fain to go in quest of this and the other vanity, to get it driven off, as if they had nothing to do. 4. It is a restless Avay ; Matth. xi. 28, 29. Solomon speaks of a vanity tossed to and fro ; Prov. xxi. 6. Such is the whole life of one in the broad way. There is no rest for the heart in this way. Whatever amusements for a time they may get in it, they can never lay the heart to rest. Laying down the head upon one vanity to rest, the pillow is soon drawn away ; or there is a thorn of uneasiness found in it, and they must shift theraselves to another vanity, which quickly proves as unsatisfying as the other. So that they are like one on the top of a raast, they can get no rest. 5. Lastly, It is a way of endless wandering, through repeated dis appointraents. Here raen are like the Sodomites about Lot's house, struck with blindness. They are going about for satisfaction, and groping for it every where, but can never find it ; wearying them selves to flnd that door, but all in vain. But there is no end ; but after a thousand disappointments a new vanity is tried, and the ex periment made on another ; Isa, Ivii, 10. And so men are still go ing the round of vanities ; till either grace is dropped into their hearts, turning them to rest in God ; or else they drop into the grave, dying disappointed. 2dly, The broad way is the way of vileness; Psalm xiv. 1. As soon as one is, entered by that part ofthe Avide gate ofthe natural in clination opening towards sin, away frora the holiness of God ex- 340 THE BROAD WAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION. pressed in his law, he is upon the way of vileness leading straight to destruction ; Tit. i. 15, 16 ; Rev. xxii. 15. And it is, 1. A way wherein raen vile by nature soon grow more vile, and loathsome in God's sight, by going farther away from the holiness required in his law ; Jer. ix. 3, " They proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the Lord." Here actual sin is heaped on original sin, a sinful life added to a sinful nature, and the natural corruption spreads itself in heart, lip, and life ; so the farther they go in it, the farther from all good. 2. A way wherein they apply theraselves to the satisfying instead of starving and mortifying their lusts; Psalra Iviii. 3. Having no heart for the way of holiness, they set themselves to the way of sin, and pursue the sarae at the expense of the honour of God, and the wounding of their own consciences, till in end they land in the pit of destruction at the end of the way, if repenting not. And here four things may be considered, 1. The heart of man is naturally possessed with a fry of sinful corrupt lusts craving to be satisfied. See Avhat proceeds out of the heart ; Mark vii. 21, 22, " Evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness." And if they were not in it, they would not corae out of it. They are bred in the womb of the corruption of our nature ; and by influence from hell they are soon brought to spread out theraselves. These gape and open wide to be satisfied with what is agreeable to their nature. 2. The sinner, instead of starving thera, sets hiraself to raake pro vision for them, instead of denying them to gratify them; Psalm Ixxviii. 18. And this is a hard task, the hardest that ever one took in hand ; for it is like feeding of a fire, that never saith. It is enough. Lusts may be surfeited, but will never be satisfied. So it is a weary task the sinner has, Jer. ix. 5, and a laborious one, as in a close battle, James iv. 1 — 3. 3. The creature lying within the bounds of the law, cannot satisfy them ; and no wonder, for it was never appointed to be satisfactory to us, so as to afford the rest of the heart. Even in paradise there was a want, which nothing but the enjoyraent of God could fill up. The regular desires of a heart housed in God, and centering in hira, the creature may satisfy in the regular use of it ; but nothing re gular will satisfy irregular lusts. 4. Wherefore the sinner breaks over the hedge unto that lying without the bounds of the holy law; and the satisfaction not found in allowed, it seeks in forbidden fruit, Prov. ix. 17. Thus the man wandering in the way of vanity, is every now and then turning to THE BROAD WAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION. '^ 341 the way of vileness; he is like the hungry beast on a bare pasture, that having ate up all within the hedge to the red earth, at length breaks over the hedge ; as Dinah gadding abroad in the way of vanity, at length fell into a pit of vileness and defllement. And here two things present themselves for the entertainment of these vile lusts. 1. The desires of the flesh to be fulfllled ; Eph. ii. 3. And here is a mire of vileness for the sinner to wallow in, in the broad way, called the filthiness of the flesh ; 2 Cor. vii. 1. In it are to be seen drenched drunkards, gluttons, unclean persons, filthy speakers, and all sensualists, whose great business it is to gratify their senses, neglecting their sonls ; as if they were nothing but living flesh, or their souls only as salt to keep their bodies from corrupting. 2. The desires of the mind to be fulfllled ; Eph. ii. 3. This mire is called the filthiness of the spirit ; 2 Cor. vii. 1. Here are endless depths of enmity against God, rancour of spirit against and distaste of true holiness and purity, unbelief of the gospel, pride and selflsh- ness, covetousness and earthly-raindedness, and innumerable evils more, in Avhich sinners indulge themselves in the broad way. These two issue in a fourfold road of the broad way, in each of which are many walking. 1. Black ignorance, wherein not a few rest satisfled without a tolerable knowledge of the foundations of religion ; Psalra Ixxxii. 5. They are taught to work, but not to read ; if they were, either they forget it, or else they make no due use of it. The desires of the flesh and raind wholly take them up; and they neither have, nor desire to have the knowledge of God and his ways ; Job xxi. 14. They know it would but hamper them in those things which take best with darkness, and cannot abide the light ; John iii. 20, " For every one that doth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." But alas ! they consider not, that it will end in everlasting darkness ; Hos. iv. 6 ; Isa. xxvii. 11. 2. Bare morality, lying in conformity to the letter of the ten com mandments ; whereby they keep some decency in civil society, but are utterly estranged from religion, and have not so much as an ap pearance of it. They are good neighbours, but no good Christians ; deal fairly in things of this world, but have no dealing with things of the other world ; raind their business and affairs of life, but quite forget the one thing needful. Their greatest excellency lies in ne gatives, like the Pharisee ; Luke xviii. 11, " I thank thee, that I ara not as other raen are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican ;" as if they did not look on themselves obliged to 342 THE BROAD WAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION. honour God, farther than not to- affront him openly. This is a road ofthe broad way; Matth. v. 20, "For except your righteous ness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." 3. A form of godliness wherein men go the outward round of the duties of religion, but still continue strangers to the life and power of it, 2 Tim. iii. 5. These are the whited sepulchres, men who tack a new life to the old heart; who sometiraes have taken up frora their extravagancies, but were never truly converted ; who with their religion, such as it is, still retain the predominant love of sin ; and always have sorae beloved lust, in the roora of God in Christ. They are like those beasts, of which there is nothing good but the skin ; and hence so raany apostates, who turning their back on religion, and proving scandalous and profane in their lives, do but appear iu their native colours, and what they always were, be fore they cast off their mask. Let such consider these scriptures ; Psalra cxxv. 5, " As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity." Matth. xxiv. 51, " The Lord shall cut hira asunder, and appoint hira his portion with the hypocrites ; there shall be weeping and gnash ing of teeth." 4. Open profanity ; wherein men bear the devil's mark on their foreheads, giving themselves the loose iu the open course of scanda lous enormities. Gal. v. 19 — 21. These are they that " declare their sin as Sodom, and hide it not" who take pleasure in making them selves vile ; scorn to be hampered with the rules of religion, so briety, and decency ; who make a mock of sin, and are going to de struction jovially, as with tabret and pipe. This surely is the broad road in the broad way ; and they cannot be thought to be deceiv ing themselves with hopes of heaven, for they cannot think it a place for dogs and swine. If they do, they will be disap pointed; Rev. xxii. 15, "For without are dogs." &c. A profane life will make a miserable end; Eph. v. 6, " Let no man deceive you with vain words ; for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." Now this is the way of vileness, wherein men render themselves loathsome in the sight of God ; their souls in this way still gather ing more defllement to them, and all the defllement sticking, none car ried off, while they are upon it. Every sin leaves a blot on the soul whereby it is laid under pollution agreeable to its nature. Thereby, 1. The soul is rendered unlike God ; and the more sinful, the more unlike hira in his moral perfections. Now, God cannot but THE BROAD WAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION. 343 love himself, and his own purity ; and therefore he cannot but hate and loathe what is made unlike him, and contrary to him. 2. The soul being made unlike God, its beauty is raarred, and it becoraes loathesome. Holiness is the glory or beauty of God ; Exod. XV. 11, " Who is a God like unto thee, glorious in holiness ?" and God being the supreme pattern of all perfection, holiness must also be the beauty of the creature ; and consequently sin must be the deformity of the soul. Thirdly, We shall consider the broadness of this way ; which we may take up in these two things. 1. There is large room in it for passengers to walk in. The vain and vile mind is an unfathomable depth ; and the way to destruction is of an unmeasurable breadth. So the mind has roora to wander up and down, and to range to and fro in the broad way. Endless vanities present theraselves there, innuraerable vilenesses are to be found there, according to Jer. xvii. 9, " The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked ; who can know it ?" so that he who has disrelished one, raay betake himself to another ; and every lust of the heart may flnd wherewith to gratify it there. 2. There is no hampering with hedges in it. It is the way of lawless liberty ; the very nature of it is to lay aside all restraints, and to allow all licentiousness. In that way the bands are broken asunder, and the cords cast away from the travellers. Bible-rules, dictates of conscience, and suggestions of the Spirit of holiness, are laid aside in that way, as things that would narrow it. Hence, 1. It is easy to fall on it. It is such a broad way, that there is no difficulty to hit it. Psalm Iviii. 3. Though one shut his eyes, and walk at all adventures, he will not miss it ; because it is the way of natural inclination ; so all the difficulty is to keep off it. 2. It is easy walking in it. There is full room there for all the sin ner's vain and vile inclinations. They go with the wind while they are on it ; they row with the stream ; for the natural bent lies that way, Jer. iv. 22. They have no more ado bnt follow it. 3. It is not easy to get off it ; Jer. xiii. 23, " Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots ? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil." Many seem to themselves and others for a time to leave it ; and yet they do not change their way, but only their road ; going off from one road of the broad way to another, as from profanity to forraality. III. We shall consider this way in its leading away to destruction. Here we shall, 1st, Shew the import of it. 2dly, Confirm it. 344 THE BROAD ROAD LEADING TO DESTRUCTION. First. We shall shew the import of this. It imports, that, 1. Destruction is at the end of this way, however the travellers no tice it not ; Prov. ix. 17, 18, " Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. But he knoweth not that the dead are there, and that her guests are in the depths of hell." As sure as heaven's happiness is at the end of the narrow way, hell and de struction are at the end of the broad way. There is no separating what God has thus joined. 2. The farther one goes in that way, the further away he is from safety, and the nearer to destruction. Progress in the broad Avay carries one still farther from God, from holiness, and from salvation ; Psal. cxix. 155, " Salvation is far from the wicked : for they seek not thy statutes." They are far from the God of salvation, the way of salvation, and so from salvation itself; and still they draw near er to destruction. 3. Holding on the way, they cannot miss of destruction ; Rom. iii. 16, 17, " Destruction and misery are iu their ways." They will land at length in the place of destruction. Psal. ix. 17, " The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." They will find themselves in the state of destruction, Matth. xxv. 46. A destruc tion of their well-being, not of their being ; for they will not be sub stantially destroyed, or annihilated, to make an end of their being; but destroyed as to their comfort and ease, or tormented, to raake an end of their well-being. What is destroyed, is not therefore an nihilated, Luke iv. 34 ; compared with Matth. viii. 29. Annihila tion properly is momentary, their destruction will be everlasting, 2 Thess. i. 9 ; annihilation brings into a state of negative rest, but they will have no rest. Rev. xiv. 11 ; but be tormented for ever and ever ; chap. xx. 10, " Their worm that dieth not," must have a sub ject to live in ; and the flre is not everlasting, but for everlasting punishment, Matth. xxv. 41, 46. Secondly, To conflrm that this way leads to destruction, consider, 1. This is the constant voice of the word. God himself at the be ginning spoke it flrst of all ; Gen. ii. 17, " In the day that thou eat est thereof thou shalt surely die." The text is Jesus Christ's de claration of it. It Avas the coraraon and constant voice of all the prophets and apostles, to be found in almost every leaf of the Bible. Thus the truth of God insures it; and if men will promise them selves peace in it over the belly of all this, what help is there for it ? But they will be miserably disappointed ; Deut. xxix. 19, 20, " The Lord will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord, and his jealousy shall sraoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven." THE BROAD WAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION. 345 2. The rectoral justice of God demands it. Gen. xviii. 25; com pared with 2 Thess. i. 6, " He that ruleth among men must be just ;" and therefore must punish crimes, as well as reward good services; and must not the ruler and judge of the world do justice too ? Tea, his own honour, and the good of mankind, require it; and it is the intimation of that justice that keeps some decency in the world. We see very well, that some men have a sunshine of peace in the broad way, while others have much adversity in the narrow way. There must then be a judgment for punishment at the end of the broad way. And some sinners are punished now in their way, as an earnest of it ; but all are not, for assuring it. 3. The nature of things, duly considered, manifests it. The soul of man is imraortal, and dropping the body, still lives. God alone can be our happiness, as being alone coraraensurable to the bound less desires of our souls. Now the broad way leads away from God, consequently away from happiness ; and the future state being not a state of trial, but of recompence, the separation from God there must be total and flnal, and consequently the misery of the rational creature complete. What can be the end of the way of vanity, but absolute disappointment, cutting and galling of the soul ; how can that disappointment be evited, when raen pass away out of this world, and this world shall perish, and so they can never have more of what they sought their satisfaction in ? What can be the end of the way of vileness but destruction, while nothing of their vile ways remains with them, but the lust after thera, the cutting remembrance of them, without any possibility of gratifying their lusts more ? 4. Lastly, The voice of the natural conscience conflrms it; Rom. i. 32 ; and ii. 15. There is something within the sinner that fore bodes destruction to him iu this way ; though through the violence of lusts it prevails not, or is not heeded; Job xv. 21. It is their consciousness of this that makes thera always in a hurry, and to staA-e off serious communing with themselves ; for if they would de scend into themselves, and give the broad and narrow way a fair hearing, they would flnd conscience within them frighting from the former, and pressing to the latter. Use 1. Of information. Hence we may learn, 1. That the way of one's setting out in the world is a raatter of vast consequence. It is of great weight how one begins his course of life. If it is begun well, it will readily end well; if. the begin ning be ill, the end will be conform, if there is not a sound change made. Te see there is a wide gate to enter by, and it sets on a broad way leading to destruction. What need then is there to enter Vol. X, z 346 THE BROAD WAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION. right, since if we enter wrong, we cannot proceed right till we enter again by a new gate ? This calls aloud to, (1.) The young to look well at what gate they enter, how they begin their course, and set off in the world ; Eccl. xii. 1, " Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth." This for the most part is little considered ; but the young go forward at random, thinking it of little raoraent how their flrst years be spent, hoping their riper years may be spent regularly. This is to enter the wide gate, leav ing your soul in pawn, that ye may come back again, and will not go forward. But one step makes way for another, and the return for the most part is forgot, and the pawn lost. (2.) The aged to review their entering; and now that they are far on in their way, to consider what gate they entered by. It is impossible ye can be on the right way, whatever your way is, if ye entered not by the right gate. Maybe your way now is not quite so dirty as your entrance was ; ye have perhaps left the follies of an ill-spent youth, and taken up yourselves ; but ye may have done all that, and yet be on the broad way. Is there a sound work of conversion in your case ? Are ye become new creatures ? 2 Cor. v. 17. If not, ye are still in the old way. 2. That giving scope to the natural inclination of the heart, sets one surely on the broad way to destruction. For that inclination is the wide gate, which the broad way joins, the former issuing in the latter. People generally think little of the opening of their hearts towards the creature, and towards sin ; bnt if there is not a struggle begun against both, but way given to any of them, the party is entered by the wide gate, and is on the broad way. Onr worst eneray is within : and that heart will ruin a raan, that is not struggled against, but yielded to, and carries a man in its way. The pliableness that way is frowardness against God ; Isa. Ivii, 17- 3. Lastly, The way and course of life that is most grateful and easiest to our corrupt nature, is most dangerous ; it is the way to destruction. Nature likes not to be hampered, but to go at liberty, ranging the treasures of vanity, and wallowing in the mires of vile ness. But that present ease is a pledge of future destruction ; that lawless liberty betrays one into eternal conflneraent ; that casting off of the bands of duty, prepares one for the bands of wrath in the end. Use 2. Of Exhortation. And, 1st, Consider your way, what way ye are on, whether on the broad way or not ; Hag. i. 5, " Thus saith the Lord of hosts. Consider your ways." Should one cry to you, that about the place where ye are going there is a way that is deadly dangerous, ye would certainly THE BROAD WAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION. 347 look to your feet, to see that ye were not on it. Here is a voice frora heaven telling you, that in this world where ye are, there is a way leading to destruction ; 0 then, be not secure, but consider se riously what way ye are on, whether ou it or not. Lay then this raatter to heart, examine your state and way, and put this question to yourselves, What way am I on ? Motive 1. This is a piece of duty ye owe to God, in return of all the calls of heaven to you by ordinances and providences ; Mic. vi. 9 ; Rev. iii. 20. Sometimes he speaks to you by his word, sorae tiraes by providences ; will ye not give hira a hearing, standing and considering what way ye are on, and whither it leads ? It is dan gerous to give a deaf ear to all ; Prov. i. 24. Motive 2. It is a piece of justice ye owe to your own souls, 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Were a man driving a parcel of beasts, and one should tell hira. There is a way thereabouts that ends in a precipice, he wonld certainly consider whether he were on it or not. But it is sounded again and again in men's ears, that there is a broad way that leads to destruction ; yet they will not do their souls the justice once se riously to consider whether they were on it or not, bnt just drive forward at all adventures. Motive 3. As is the way ye are on, so will the end be. Death and life hang on the way ye are on. If ye are on the broad way, ye are on the way of death aud destruction ; if not, ye are on the way of life, and is not that worth your considering the matter ? Motive 4. Lastly, It would be of great use to have that point cleared. Should ye flnd yourselves not on the broad way, ye might have the corafort of it, that ye are in the way to life, and shall cer tainly get thither. If ye were convinced of your being in the broad way ye might get off from it yet, and so escape being ruined by it. Some need be at no great pains to find out this, if they would but consider things calmly and impartially. But I shall drop these few things about it. 1. Those that never saw themselves on the broad way, and de struction awaiting them at the end of it, are certainly upon it, by that token that they are going on their way blindfolded, 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. Unconvinced sinners are surely unconverted ; for who will ever go right that once are wrong, till they see themselves wrong ? 2. They that have not entered by the strait gate of conversion and regeneration, but have climbed np another way to the way they are in, Matth. xviii. 3 ; John iii. 3. They who, whatever changes have been made in their head, in point of light to discern the truth ; in their affections, in point of relish of it : and in their life, in point of escaping the pollutions of the world ; yet their nature has never z2 348 THE BROAD WAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION. been changed, never got the new heart impressed with inclination towards the whole law, and reconciled to the whole yoke of Christ, but the predominant love of sin still reraains in thera, are certainly on the broad Avay. 3. They that have a reigning disgust at the narrow way, whether in theraselves or others, Rora. viii. 7. There is a generation that choose such a raeasure of religion for theraselves, but they can have no more of it, they cannot think to be bonnd up to all the rules of it ; they hate it in others, and cannot admit it in themselves. These are in the broad way, by this token, that all the saints aspire to a per fection of holiness, and love it, Phil. iii. 13, 14. 4. Lastly, They whose choice is a loose and licentious way, in the way of vanity or vileness, and can find no pleasure but in such a way, Rom. viii. 5. This argues a temper of spirit wholly carnal, and estranged from the life of God ; that cannot favour the things of God, but of the fiesh ; and that is a deadly condition, Rom. viii. 5, 6. To such heaven, as a holy place, would be a prison, a place Avherein they could have no pleasure, and they may be sure they shall never be brought thither ; since they are not by heavenly dis positions made meet for it. Col. i. 12, 13. 2dly, Te that are brought off the other way, be suitably affected with, and walk worthy of the deliverance, as being brought off the way of destruction. And, 1. Be thankful to God for it, who by his grace drew you off from it, Psalm cvii. 20, 21. Look back to the precipice that ye were once carelessly standing on, to the way of destruction that ye were securely going forward in ; bless hira that opened your eyes to see your danger there, and to see another way safe, however narrow ; that by his grace determined you to forsake the broad way, and choose the narrow ; and by the power of his Spirit droAV yon off the one, and set you on the other. 2. Entertain no hankering after that way again ; beware of giv ing rueful looks back to it. It is an exhortation given to those espoused to Christ ; Psalra xlv. 10, " Hearken, 0 daughter, and con sider, and incline thine ear ; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house." And it is not given in vain ; for in the best there is an old man remaining corruption, which perceiving the free and unhampered gate of the carnal world in the way of vanity and vile ness, is apt to envy them in a sort, and secretly to wish they had the same scope with them ; Prov. xxiii. 17, " Let not thine heart envy sinners ; but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long." This is most dangerous, which, if not timely suppressed, will inflame the whole soul, and lay it in ruins ; Numb. xi. 4 — 6, 33, 34, there fore " remember Lot's wife," Luke xvii. 32. THE BROAD WAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION. 349 3. Do not grudge your difficulties and hardships in the narrow way ; 1 Pet. iv. 12 ; James i. 2 — 4. In it you meet with correction, but in the other ye would have met with destruction ; and there is no raore reason to grudge, than one brought oft' a way Avhere he would have broke his neck, has no grudge to breaking his toes ou the safe way that he is brought on. The hardships of the broad and narrow way differ as much as the curse and the cross, as the killing sword and the surgeon's lance, as eternal wrath and God's fatherly rod. 4. Lastly, Pity them that are on the broad way, and be concerned for their recovery. Pity them ; for alas ! they know not Avrhat they do, where they are, the deadly danger they are in. Be concerned for them ; for they are going to destruction and are not aware of it ; Prov. vii. 22, 23, and ix. 17, 18. How can ye miss to be so affected towards them, if ye are sensible what once was your own case ; Tit. iii. 3, " For we ourselves also were sometirae foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another." Bdly, Sinners on the broad way turn off from it as the way of de struction. " Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways ; for Avhy will ye die ?" Ezek. xxxiii. 11. Motive 1. There is no escaping of destruction continuing on it, whatever ye may imagine ; 1 Thess. v. 3. God has said it ; how can ye hope for safety in that way, over the belly of an express de claration frora heaven ? He is inflnite in knowledge, ye cannot out wit him ; in power, and ye cannot outbrave him ; he is essentially true, and ye will not be able to make hira a liar ; Numb, xxiii. 19. See Deut. xxix. 19, 20. Motive 2. It will be a total destruction it will bring you to ; 2 Pet. ii. 12, 13. A destruction of your souls, bodies, and comforts ; Prov. vi. 32, and viii. 36; Isaiah Ixvi. 24; Luke xvi. 24. Look as it was with Sodom when it was utterly overthrown, there was nothing left, but they and all theirs were destroyed ; so will the end of the broad way be to you. Motive 3. It will be an eternal destruction ; 2 Thess. i. 9, " Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." A destruction not of your being indeed, but of your well-being ; ever dying, but never dying out; Matth. xxv. 46; Rev. xiv. 11; and xx. 10. Tour Avay may be long indeed, but the destruction at the end of it will be longer ; ye will compass your way at most in a few years ; but the destruction will never end, but go on through eternity. Motive 4. Te may get off it now, and so escape destruction in it ; 350 THE BROAD WAY LEADING TO DESTRUCTION. Ezek. xviii. 30. Satan and an evil world may persuade you to go on in it, but they cannot force you thereto. There is no necessary con nection betwixt your having gone in it hitherto, and your going on in it still. It is a course that raay be broken off; the grace of Christ is able to bring you off it ; and if ye be truly willing, will bring you off it ; Jer. xxxi. 18, 19. Motive 5. God is calling you to turn from it and leave it ; Ezek. xxxiii. 11. Christ has opened to you another way, a way of life, and is inviting yon earnestly into it. He is proposing himself as the Avay ; John xiv. 6, and calling you to hira; Matth. xi. 28. This his voice sounds in the way, and reaches your ears while ye are on it, the broad way ; Prov. ix. 5, 6. But it is not to be heard at the end of the way. Therefore it is said, " To-day, if ye will hear his voice.'' At the end of the way the voice of the Lamb of God ceases ps such, and becoraes the roaring of the Lion of the tribe of Judah ; Luke xix, 27. Motive 6. Lastly, The calls you have to turn from it will be an aggravation of your destruction if ye go on ; Matth. xi. 22. The remembrance of thera at the end will be cutting and galling, when there will be no remedy. It will be the never-dying worm that will gnaw for ever ; to think, that, for the pleasure of walking at your liberty in the broad way for a few years, ye brought yourselves to be shut up in the pit of destruction for ever. Therefore (Heb. xii. 25), " See that ye refuse not him that speaketh ; for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, rauch more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven ;" lest (Prov. V. 11, 12) " thou raourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consuraed, and say. How have I hated iustruction, and my heart despised reproof ?" Now, if ye would change your way, and leave the wide gate, 1. Be peremptory in it, and resolute for it; for ye will not want opposition. Satan will oppose the change violently by his tempta tions ; the carnal world will oppose it ; your former licentious com panions will be sure to counsel, and mock you from it if they can ; and your owu lusts within will be an active party against it. But re member (Matth. xi. 12) " the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." 2. Do not delay it, but turn iraraediately, as the psalmist did ; Psalm cxix. 60, " I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy com mandments." If your resolutions for it be sincere, they will not ad mit of a moment's delay, more than the casting of a burning coal out of your bosom. If ye delay till the next day or the next hour, ye may be at the end of your way before that time ; and what avails THE MULTITUDE GO IN BY THE AVIDE GATE. 351 your purpose of turning then ? As when the cry of flre in a house is made, men go immediately to quench it, knowing that every minute the flre is proceeding and gaining ground ; so when men are con vinced in earnest, they will forthwith set to turn. 3. Set yourself by all means for the strait gate, and do not think of getting over into the narrow way at the broad side ; Luke xiii. 24, " Strive to enter in at the strait gate ; for many will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." This is a fundamental mistake in the conduct of many ; whereby, leaving the way of looseness and care lessness, they commence mere moralists or legal formalists, but no more true Christians than they were before. Satisfy not yourselves without a deep conviction of your sin and misery, faith in Jesus uniting you to him, true repentance and conversion unto God by Christ. 4. Lastly, Be not frightened at, discouraged by, or made to turn back becanse of the straitness of the gate ; but peremptoryy enter, and resolutely thrust forward, till ye be quite through on the nar row way of holiness ; Luke xiii. 24, forecited. Doctrine III. The wide gate, with the broad way joining it, does so take with mankind, that the multitude of the world goes in by it, at all adventures. In discoursing this subject, I shall, I. Explain the point. II. Conflrm this sad truth. That the multitude of the world go in by the wide gate into the broad way. III. Shew how it coraes to pass, that the multitude take the broad way, notwithstanding of the destruction at the end of it. IV. Lastly, Apply. I. We shall explain this point. And we may take up the sense and import of it in these four things, all of them the genuine import of the text. First, There is among mankind a going in at the wide gate. How ever dangerous it is, yet it is frequented by poor unthinking souls. Though of right it should be loathed for the pollution of it, and should be shunned with a horror of it for the danger thereof, yet men do go in at it. That is, 1st, They enter and pass through the wide gate, giving way to the corrupt natural inclination of their hearts, when they begin their course of life in the world. Psalm Iviii. 3. This, according to what was said, lies in two things. 1. Giving way and scope to the bias of their heart towards the creature, away from God. The children of fallen Adam naturally 352 THE MULTITUDE GO IN BY THE WIDE GATE. go away from God, when they begin their course. Psalm xiv. 2, 3 ; and they go to the creature in his room and stead, Jer. ii. 13. They flnd they Arant, they need, and cannot but desire to have supply ; they want a rest to their hearts, a match for their souls, something that may satisfy their desires. But what door go they to for the supply of their want ? Not to God's, but to the crea ture's, Psalra iv. 6, John v. 40. There they fasten on the dry breasts, refusing the Lord's offers, Isa. Iv. 1, 2. 2. Giving way to the bias of the heart towards sin, away from the holiness required by the law. God in Christ calls them to take on his yoke, Matth. ix. 29, but they cannot submit their necks to it, Rora. viii. 7- They choose sinful liberty, and look asquint on the Avay of God's commandments. Beginning their course in the world, and sinful liberty and religious strictness being both before thera, they reject the latter, and readily erabrace the former. Sin appears delightful and pleasant, holiness rugged and unsightly to them ; so they go with the bent sail of their hearts towards sin, hoping to flnd there what will satisfy. 2dly, Passing through the wide gate, they are set on the broad way ; they go in thereat, viz., into the broad way, which the wide gate is the entry to, and so they go on, 1. Walking in the way of vanity, Eph. iv. 17- They spend their lifetime in a vain pursuit of happiness in the creature, which all along disappoints thera, and in the end worst of all ; Jer. ii. 5, " Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far frora me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain ?" They weary themselves in the pursuit, and in end obtain nothing that can satisfy, Hab. ii. 13. Their whole life is fllled up with mere amuseraents ; and beyond this they reach not to any solid and lasting happiness, which can only be had in the enjoyment of a God in Christ, Lnke xvii. 28, 29. 2. Walking in the way of vileness, Eph. ii. 3. The creature within the hedge of the divine law not affording the desired satis faction, they break over the hedge, and range up and down among forbidden profits and pleasures, if so be that stolen waters may make up to them what is wanting in allowed ones. And none of these answering expectation neither, they go frora one act of vile ness to another ; and the disappointment still renewed, their lusts crave anew of them, and they seek afresh to satisfy them. Thus their life is spent, till their way is at an end, and in the end they fall into destruction. This is the going in thereat. Secondly, They go in thereat at all adventures, rashly and heed lessly, without considering. Great is the danger of that way, de- THE MULTITUDE GO IN BY THE WIDE GATE. 353 struction being at the end of it. They are told their danger; con science tells them of it ; they are warned of it from the word ; providence sets many frightful examples before thera, one being made example to another, but all in vain. Their vain minds and corrupt lusts hurry them forward ; they fix their eyes on the bait that is pleasing, but notice not the ruining hook ; and so they go on at all adventures, whatever be the issue. Thirdly, They are many that thus go in at the wide gate into the broad way. As destructive as it is, there is a multitude of the chil dren of men on it. Whoever mind for it, they need not fear want of company of fellow-travellers therein. They are many, 1. Absolutely. There is never wanting on the broad way a num ber of travellers, to encourage one another. There is a multitude to do evil. There they are of all ranks and qualities, great and sraall, of all professions, ages, and sexes. 2. Comparatively, in coraparison of those on the narrow way. So saith the text. There is such an odds between the two parties, that the broad way-men make the many, the other but a few. If the broad way of sinful liberty, and the strait way of religion and god liness, were put to the vote in the world, the former would undoubt edly carry it ; those for it being so far superior in number to those for the other. Fourthly, The wideness of the gate and broadness of the way in- fluenceth this. The agreeableness thereof to the corrupt rainds of men, inviteth powerfully to enter and come on ; and being entered and come on, it keeps them from going back, and prompts to go on. It is a powerful influence, which the destruction at the end of the way is not able to balance. II. We shall conflrm this sad truth. That the multitude of the world go in by the wide gate into the broad way. This may appear from, 1st, Scripture testimony, which is the testiraony of God hiraself, who neither can deceive, nor be deceived. Scripture light all along discovers the multitude of the world to be on the broad way. This it doth several ways; and particularly, 1. Witnessing the universal corruption of huraan nature ; Psalm xiv. 2, 3; " The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are altogether become filthy ; there is none that doth good, no not one." If ye think this was meant only of those in the^ Psalmist's day, ye may be cured of that mistake, by the apostle's application of it to all the world ; " They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable, there 354 THE MULTITUDE GO IN BY THE WIDE GATE. is none that doth good, no not one. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the laAV ; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may becorae guilty before God." This speaks it to be natural to man to betake hira self to the broad way, though not priraitively natural ; for, Eccles. vii. 29, " God raade raan upright ;" yet secondarily, and accidentally, as our nature was corrupted in Adara, John iii. 6, " That which is born of the flesh, is flesh." Job xiv. 4, " Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ? not one." So that this is the flrst way all men go, and in which they hold on till turned by grace. 2. Witnessing the general depravity of men's lives. How forci ble is that testimony ; 1 John v. 19, " The whole world lieth in wick edness ?" The godly are such a sraall nuraber in the world, that the narae of the world is left to the corrupt part ; and they are so very corrupt, that they are said to lie in wickedness. The straying in the broad way begins very early ; Psalm Iviii, 3, " The wicked are es tranged from the worab, they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies ;" and God's elect ones are once engaged therein as well as others ; Isa. liii. 6, " All we like sheep have gone astray ;" and go on till returned unto Jesus Christ ; 1 Pet. ii. 25, " For ye were as sheep going astray ; bnt are now returned unto the shep herd and Bishop of your souls." But still the multitude strays on, Phil. ii. 21, " For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's." 3. The constant call to the raultitude to repent and turn. That call supposes them to be quite wrong, and out of the way ; Matth. ix. 13, " I ara come to call sinners to repentance." It was the sound the prophets and apostles raade in the world, each of them in their time, where they executed the commission. So the house of Israel is bespoken; Ezek. xxxiii. 11, "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and live ; turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways ; for why will ye die, 0 house of Israel ?" So saith the apostle ; Acts xvii. 30, " And the times of this ignorance God winked at ; but now commandeth all men every where to repent." And in all ages the necessity of this call to repent does continue, there being but few who answer it. 4. Lastly, The sweeping judgments a holy God has at times sent on the world, were sure tokens of the multitude being on the broad way. Once the whole inhabitants of the earth, save eight persons, were destroyed by a deluge of water. Sodom and Gomorrah were consumed with flre from heaven, only Lot and his family escaping ; whereas God was ready to have spared the whole, if there had been THE MULTITUDE GO IN BY THE WIDE GATE, 355 but ten righteous ones in the place. The destruction of Jerusalem was another dispensation of that kind, of which our Saviour saith, Mfitth. xxiv. 21, 22, " For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved ; bnt for the elect's sake those days shall be short ened." And the burning up of the world with flre at last, is a speak ing evidence that still the multitude will take the broad way. 2dly, From our own observation, if we will but take a view of the world, as we have access to be acquainted with it by seeing and hearing. I shall not speak of the many nations lying in Pagan ido latry, nor others without the verge of the visible church. It is plain, that among those that have the light of the gospel shining araong them, the multitude is on the broad way. 1. Every body may see, how quite unlike to the rules of the gospel are the lives of the generality that hear it ; Tit. ii. 11, 12. Sobriety, righteousness, and godliness, are taught by it ; but few learn the lessons. What excess of passions and vanity of raind carry most raen beyond all bounds of sobriety, to their own hurt ? What unrighteousness prevails to the injuring of others, so that in every society, greater and lesser, there are heavy complaints of this kind ? And how little regard to God, his honour, his law, and in terests, is to be seen araong raen, to the provoking of the eyes of his glory ? If the multitude is not on the broad way, how is it thus ? Truly, if ye see not that the multitude is upon it, it is an evidence ye do not know it by that name, and are unacquainted with the nar row way. 2. They that have eyes to see may see, how rare experimental re ligion is in the world. The multitude trouble not their heads about it ; but live at ease, without any saving acquaintance with Christ, ignorant of the life of faith, and struggle against the body of sin and death. Conviction of one's lost state by nature is very rare ; the work of conversion is yet raore rare. Few have a profession or appearance of religion ; and among those that have it, how raany are utter strangers to the power of godliness ? The truly serious will be convinced of this ; for they must be ready to take up Micah's lamentation ; Mic. vii. 1, 2, &c. See it. III. How comes it to pass, that the multitude take the broad way, notwithstanding of the destruction at the end of it ? This may be accounted for, if we consider these following things : — 1. It is the most agreeable way to their corrupt nature. It is the very way of their heart ; Isa. Ivii. 17. The heart of man naturally is a treasure of vanity, a fountain of vileness ; Jer. xvii. 9 ; Mark 356 THE MULTITUDE GO IN BY THE WIDE GATE. vii. 21. How can the broad way of vanity and vileness miss to be agreeable to it ? Likeness begets love and liking ; so their souls na tively choose the broad way, wherein are to be found what things promise, though deceitfully, satisfaction to the vanity of their minds, and the corrupt lusts of their hearts. 2. The blindness of their minds ; Eph. iv. 17, 18. They see not the danger, to fright thera frora it ; they cannot, they will not see it. Their unmortified lusts cast up such raists as darken the eyes of their mind ; that though the danger is told them a thousand times, they cannot perceive it ; Prov. ix. 17, 18, will not believe it ; Deut. xxix. 19, 20, they see not any of those things that might draw thera frora off it ; 1 Cor. ii. 14. There is an attractive virtue, beauty, and glory in the contrary way, Prov. iii. 17, but they do not perceive it. 3. Prejudices against the narrow way. They not only have not a good opinion of it ; but they have an ill opinion of it, are prejudiced against it ; Acts xxviii. 22. It appears to them an overgrown, rough, and frightful path ; which, if they consult their interest, they raust hold off frora. Christ's yoke is taken for an uneasy yoke, his burden for a very heavy one. And so they deterraine against it, without giving it a fair trial. 4. The broad way is really easier for the tirae ; " Wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and raany there be which go in thereat." In it one has no more ado, but to follow the inclination of his own heart ; but to go with the wind of corrupt passions and affections ; but in the narrow way he will have that wind in his face, and must keep up a struggle against his lusts, to mortify them. Thus present ease engages them to that way that ends in destruction, and present difflculty frightens thera from the way that leads to life in the end. 5. Satan, the enemy of their salvation, has a raighty influence on thera to carry them to, and keep them on that way. He is " the god of this world ;" 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4, and men are naturally under his power ; Acts xxvi. 18. He has a favourable party within them ; so that the way he would have them go, is the way their natural bent lies. Hence he has easy Avork to prompt them forward, for he rows with the tide. Add to this his subtilty, whereby he can easily over reach them ; and his diligence, whereby he slips no occasion to put them on ; and no wonder he drives the multitude before him. 6. Example contributes exceedingly to it ; Matth. xviii. 7. One goes into that way, another follows, and so on. It is true, there are examples on the other side too ; but good example has not such influence as bad ; because men are naturally corrupt, and therefore want but one to go before, that they may follow according to their THE MULTITUDE GO IN BY TUE WIDE GATE. 357 natural inclination, like water going down a hill, where the passage is cleared. Bnt it is against the grain to follow good example. 7. Lastly, Want of consideration ; Luke xv. 17. Few are at pains to weigh things, and deliberately to choose their way; but they take the broad way upon trust, as that which flrst offers to them. They look not afar off, beyond the present time ; they con sider not what the end will be, but embrace the fair appearance for the present before them. They are engaged in the broad way ere they are aware ; " for childhood and youth are vanity ;" Eccl. xi. 10. Touth is headstrong ; and men are hurried on with strong and im petuous passions, till they have got a set they cannot throw off; Jer. xiii. 23, " Can the Ethiopian change his skin ? or the leopard his spots ? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil." Use 1. Of Information. Hence we may learn, that, 1. Prevailing sloth, and love to carnal ease, makes terrible havock in the world. These are they that make the wide gate and broad way so taking, that the multitude go in thereat ; and consequently this betrays them into utter ruin ; Prov. vi. 9 — 11. Sloth so prevails that they cannot think to abide a stress, no not for things of the greatest weight; bnt what is easiest, and requires least pains, that is accounted best ; and they cannot be moved with the after-reckon ing. 2. The broad way that leads to destruction, is the throngest way in the world. Some take another way indeed, but the multitude is on the broad way. Many are the civil and religious differences among men ; but here the multitude meet altogether upon one way notwithstanding all their differences. There are different roads in this way, for the rich and the poor, the old and the young, the professor and the profane ; bnt their way is one, and leads to the sarae place, where these differences will subsist no raore ; Psalm cxxv. 5; Matth. xxiv. 51. At present they join to make up the multitude in the broad way. 3. What a poor defence of one's way and manner of life is it That it is the way that generally prevails, that the most part fol low ? Alas ! is not the multitude on the broad way ? But will that make it a way for our imitation ? The apostle, describing the walk of the Ephesians when they were dead in sins, tells us, it was " according to the course of the Avorld ;" Eph. ii. 2. And he urges the Romans not to " conform to it ;" Rom. xii. 2. That way is to be suspected that is the most taking with the multitude. 4. What it is that keeps sin and iniquity in countenance in the world. It is the multitude of its followers ; 1 Pet. iv. 4. Sin has a baseness or fllthiness about it, which is a spring of shame ; yet men 358 THE MULTITUDE GO IN BY THE WIDE GATE. will refuse to be ashamed of their vile and corrupt courses ; Jer. viii. 12 ; and some will pride themselves in thera, glorying in their sharae Why ? The multitude stamp these courses with their authority ; and so they may appear with open face ; for blackness is no re proach araong blackraoors. But Christ appearing in the glory of his Father, and all the holy angels, with hira, in the end, will sink the glory of the authority of the raultitude ; then sharae will cover them ; Dan. xii. 2. 5. No wonder the serious godly have a lonely, uncomfortable, and despised life in the world. Israel was a type of them in that case ; Numb, xxiii. 9, " Lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned araong the nations." Micah laraents his lonely case, be cause of the raultitude being on the broad way ; Micah vii. 1, &c. ; he could have few to take part with hira, few to unbosom himself to. Hence God's people are the world's wonder; Zech. iii. 8; Psalra Ixxi. 7. They are despised as an humoursome, odd, fantastic kind of people, addicted to singularities; because the raultitude is on another way they dare not take. 6. The church's peace and prosperity in the world cannot be long lasting; for the corrupt party in the world bears the sway, the mul titude being on the broad way ; Cant. ii. 2. So " the silence in heaven is but for half an hour," Rev. viii. 1 ; the corrupt multitude soon fill all with confusion again. Hence, (1.) Her peace has ofttimes been broken with persecution, the prevailing raultitude crying " Crucify hira, crucify him." The mul titude then like swelling waters go over the head, and threaten to swallow her up, to raze Jerusalera to the very foundations. And had not the Lord been on her side, they had destroyed her quite and clean long ere now. (2.) Her peace restored, her purity is reraoved ; Cant. i. 6. The multitude on the broad way deface her glory and beauty, and she is made to " lie araong the pots ;" for a corrupt multitude will still do corruptly, and like the mixed multitude infect all societies, till the infection spread, and the corruption become universal. We see it is our case this day. Time was when persecution, blood, and violence rode in triumph ; and nothing was heard from the multitude in church and state, but crucify, raze, &c. Now that humour is changed, and the persecutors as well as the persecuted are despised ; but there is a general corruption in principles and practice, whereby truth and holiness are wounded in the vitals ; a hundred tiraes raore dangerous to the church than the persecution was. Use 2. Of exhortation. As ever ye would escape destruction in THE MULTITUDE GO IN BY THE WIDE GATE. 359 the end, do not go the way of the multitude, the way the most go. And, 1. Believe it, that the multitude is on the broad way to destruc tion. Believe it, since Christ has said it. Open your eyes, and ye may see it. Te have the more need to be fixed in this principle, that we are naturally prejudiced in favour of a multitude, and to think, that the truth and goodness of a cause must needs be on the side of the many. And if that obtain with us in this case, we will be ready to embark, and go down the stream with them. 2. Never think to shelter yourselves in an ill way, among the throng of them that are on it. The throng there may blind you as to the destruction at the end of the way, but can never afford you protection. If the whole world were on the broad way, they could not alter the nature of it, and raake that which is evil and destrnc tive, good and safe. 3. In your course of life, follow not the multitude of the world, but distinguish yourselves from them, though ye should undergo the censure of being singular ; Exod. xxiii. 2 ; Rom. xii. 2. Make not the many in the world your pattern ; but choose that way which the best, not which the most are on. Motive 1. Consider the way of the multitude is the way to de struction, as is clear from the text ; and however people raay please themselves with companions in sin, it will be no comfort to go to hell with corapany, as may be learned from Luke xvi. 28. Why should regard to a multitude prevail with us, to go to destruction with them ? Motive 2. There will be no getting to heaven without striving against the stream of the multitude of the world ; Eph. vi. 12. God calls you to come out frora araong them, 2 Cor. vi. 17; to forget your people. Psalm xlv. 10 ; yea, to save yourselves frora them, as frora a corapany of destroyers. Acts ii. 40. Te must fight your way through them, if ever ye would receive the crown ; resolute not to go along with them, cost what it will ; as onr Lord teacheth ; Luke xiv. 26, " If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mo ther, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." Motive 3. This was the way the cloud of witnesses went before us, refusing the way of the multitude. Thus did Noah in the old world ; and thus did Abraham, Moses, and all the prophets. Thus .our Saviour himself had the multitude against him, he and they walk ing in a way and manner of life quite opposite ; and so all his apostles. Can we think to travel with the multitude, and lodge with the saints in the end ? 360 THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIFE. Motive 4. What is a multitude against God ? Job ix. 4. Is it reasonable that the authority of men should take place against the authority of God ? All raen are liars ; God neither can deceive, nor be deceived. Why then shonld not his word 15e our rule to be stuck to in all things that it requires or forbids, say the contrary who will ? Can a raultitude secure you from the punishment of sinful ways ? No ; they cannot secure themselves ; Psalm ix. 17- Motive 5. Lastly, To follow the multitude, is to strengthen the conspiracy against God. And how will ye answer it to hira, that when ye saw the streara going against him, his work, and his way, in the world, ye went along with it, and so added to the force of it ? In such a case, he is saying, " Who is on ray side ? , Will ye also go away ?" It concerns all to see what they will answer to this. Advice. Let not the scarecrow of singularity frighten you into the way of the multitude. Noah was a very singular raan in the old world, and Lot in Sodom ; and had they not been so, they had pe rished with the rest. None will see heaven, but a, singular kind of folk ; Mark viii. 38. Doctrine IV. It is a strait gate and a narrow way that leadeth unto life. In speaking to this, we will consider, I. The strait gate. II. The narrow way leading away unto life. III. Lastly, Apply. I. We shall consider the strait gate. And having spoken of this already, I shall here drop but a few things of it, 1st, The strait gate is the entrance, and the only entrance into the narrow way that leadeth unto life. This speaks four things. 1. That mankind naturally are off the way to life; Rora. iii. 12. And if they hold on the way they begin, they will never see it. There is an absolute necessity for all men once to choose a new way, and turn off frora the way they are naturally going in. God set upright Adara on a way to life, the way of perfect obedience ; Eccl. vii. 29 ; but he left it, and all his posterity in him; Rom. v. 12. There is a new and living way opened by Christ, the way of walking in him ; Col. ii. 6. This is the narrow way ; and that un believers were never on. 2. There is access for sinners off the way to life, yet to get on it ; Prov. ix. 4 — 6. Wanderers may yet set right ; they that are going in the way of death may yet be set on the way of life. While they are not arrived at their journey's end, there is still hope ; therefore, Matth. V. 25, " Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou the STRAIT GATE AND NARROAV WAY TO LIFE. 361 art in the way with hira," &c. But once corae to the journey's end by death, there is no raore hope; Eccl. ix. 10. 3. There is a gate, though a strait one, by which they may get through to the narrow way to life. This is the appointed entrance into it ; whoever would be in on it, raust go about, and enter by it ; and going through the gate, they shall be undoubtedly on the way ; John X. 9. Look about then to discern it. 4. Lastly, There is no getting on the narrow way, but by the strait gate, John iii. 5. To climb up another way, is a vain and fruitless attempt. As is one's entrance, so will his progress be. The actions raust needs be of the nature of the principle ; and there will be no bringing forth of good fruit in the narrow way, till once the tree be raade good by entering in at the strait gate, Matth. vii. 17. 2dly, The strait gate being the entrance into the way leading to life, it is, in plain terras, an inward and thorough change, relative and real, made on a sinner. For this is it, without which there is no reaching the way of true holiness, the way leading to life. I say, 1. It is a change made on the sinner, whereby he is not what he was before ; 2 Cor. v. 17, " If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature ; old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new." This cannot be refused by any, who acknoAvledge themselves born sinners. To continue and go on in sin, in vanity and vileness, is inconsistent with entering on the narrow way to life ; Rom. viii. 13, " For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." Tou must then undergo a change, from what you naturally are and in cline to, if ever you mind for life. . 2. It is an inward change ; Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27- An outward change without that will not do. A new life and conversation pinned to the old corrupt heart and nature, will make but a painted sepulchre, that can never be pleasing to him, who " sees not as raan sees, but looks to the heart;" 1 Sam. xvi. 7; Matth. xxiii. 27, 28. True holiness lies inwardly, though it shines forth in the outward man ; 1 Pet. iii. 4 ; and without an inward gracious principle, all is hypocrisy, mere forra and show. 3. It is a real change, affecting one's nature, and raaking it new ; 2 Pet. i. 4. There raust be a new temper of spirit, with a new bent and set of the heart ; whereby one is made to incline to the way of holiness he was averse to before ; and disinclined to the vanity and vileness he was prone and bent to formerly. Therefore it is called a " being born again ;" John iii. 3, a " a putting on the new raan ;" Eph. iv. 24. And there is a necessity for such a change, in order to Vol. X. 2 a 362 THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIFE. holiness of life ; for there raust be new gracious qualities in our na ture, to be a principle of holy walking. 4. It is a relative change, affecting one's state ; 1 Cor. vi. 11. Children of wrath will always be children of disobedience; and cursed trees will never bring forth blessed fruits. They must be in a state of grace and favour with God, standing in new relations, who shall walk with God, in the narrow way to life ; Rom. viii. 1. To expect that those who are not children of God, will obey him ; that those who are not at peace \yith him, shall serve him acceptably ; that they who are under the curse of the broken law, shall walk in the way of life, is vain. The first covenant may have children ; but they will be bond-children ; to be cast out, not to be heirs ; Gal. iv. 24, 30. 5. Lastly, It is a thorough change ; 2 Cor. v. 17. It must go through the whole man ; every part being sanctified, though in this life no pirt be wholly sanctified ; 1 Thess. v. 23. Light let into the head, while there is no gracious change in the heart ; a casting away some sins, while others are still stuck to ; a taking of sorae scrapes of the law for the rule of our life, while another part of it is staved off; is a plain evidence, that one is not entered by the gate. Thus ye see the gate by which one enters the narrow way ; thus ye have a general prospect of it. To describe it more particularly, there are these seven steps of it: — 1. Conviction, conviction of sin and misery. This is the very first step, the awakening of the sinner, and coming to see hiraself all wrong. A new light shining frora heaven, the raan by it sees his sin as he never saw it before ; John xvi. 8. His sins are set in order before hira, and stare hira in the face like a ghost. He sees his actual sin, and his original sin ; the evil of them, and their con trariety to the holy nature and law of God. He sees his raisery, he beholds himself lost and undone ; Luke xv. 17 ; Rom. vii. 9, under the wrath of God, the curse of the broken law, and the bands of death. 2. Saving illumination in the knowledge of Christ ; 2 Cor. iv. 6. This is the merchantman's finding the one pearl ; Matth. xiii. 46. Hereby the sinner sees a Saviour in the transcendent glory of his person and offices, able and willing to help him out of his state of sin and misery ; a Saviour suited to the divine perfections, and to his own case ; on whom therefore he may freely venture his salva tion. This is a higher step of the gate, whereon the sinner is brought in sight of the narrow way. 3. Renewing of the will, whereby the sinner is made pliable to the THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIFE. 363 gospel-call ; Ezek. xxxvi. 26 ; Psalra ox. 3, The iron sinew in the neck is hereby broken ; the sinner called by the gospel, is hereby drawn with cords of love and bands of a raan, Christ seen in his glory, captivates his heart ; John xii. 32. By this saving work on the mind and will, the dead sinner is quickened ; there is a vital principle put in the soul, whereby the soul is both persuaded and enabled to go up a step. 4. Faith in Jesus Christ, believing on his name ; John i. 12. Thus the raerchantman buys the one pearl ; Matth. xiii. 46. The soul being drawn comes to Christ, and comes away to hira freely, taking him for all, and instead of all ; Psalm Ixxiii. 25. The soul bids an eternal farewell to the way of vanity and vileness, no more to go in quest of happiness there ; Jer. xvi. 19, looks for the supply of all its wants in and from Christ alone ; for by faith we are married to Christ, and so come to rest in him. 5. New relations to heaven. This is a glorious step which a sin ner gets up to by faith ; and it lies here. The sinner having be lieved in Christ, is united to him; Eph. iii. 17; being united to him, is justified ; 1 Cor. vi. 11 ; being justified, is reconciled to God ; Rom. V. 1 ; being reconciled, is adopted into the family of heaven ; Eph. ii. 16, 19 ; being adopted, God is his God ; John xx. 17. Whereas formerly being out of Christ, he was a condemned crea ture, an enemy to God, a child of the devil, without God in the world. 6. Habitual sanctification, the sanctification of our nature; Eph. i. 13; 1 Cor. vi. 11. Hereby the sinner's nature is renewed; Eph. iv. 23, 24, his whole person, soul and body, is sanctified ; 1 Thess. V. 23. New qualities are infused into the raind, will, and affections ; whereby he becoraes a new creature, formed after the iraage of God, because forraed in a likeness to the man Christ, by receiving out of his fulness grace for grace ; John i. 16. Thus the seeds of all graces are planted in him, new habits, habits of grace, the immediate prin ciples of every gracious action. 7. Lastly, Repentance unto life, true gospel-repentance ; Jer. xxxi. 18, 19 ; Ezek. xxxvi. 31. This is the highest and last step of the strait gate, which iraraediately sets the man on the narrow way leading to life. It is not that legal repentance, which being the effect of a work of conviction by law, judging and condemning the sinner, falls in with the flrst step of the strait gate. But it is that whereby a sinner, not only convinced of his sin and raisery, but illu minated in the knowledge of Christ, having his will renewed, be lieving, new related to heaven, and having his nature sanctified, does turn from sin unto God, out of love to God, and hatred of sin, as 2 a2 364 THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIFE. contrary to his holy will and nature ; which is the only repentance acceptable to God. And before a sinner is thus furnished for it, it is impossible he can reach it. But until one is brought to this repentance, he can never set a foot on the narrow way of holiness leading to life ; Acts ii. 18. For before one can go right, he must needs turn right ; and he can never turn right from sin unto God, till he turn thus. The whole gate is a strait gate, and this is a strait step ; but no man, without making it first, shall ever go a step in the narrow way ; Luke xiii. 3. II. We shall consider " the narrow way leading away unto life." And here we shall consider, 1. The narrow way itself. 2. Its lead ing away unto life. First, The narrow way itself. That is the way into which the strait gate sets a person ; the gate leads hira on the way, so that having passed through the gate, he is on this way. Here consider 1. What this way is. 2. The parts of it. 3. The narrowness of it. 1st, What is this way ? This way is the way of holiness ; Isa. xxxv. 8, " An highway shall be there, and a way, and its hall be called the way of holiness." The broad way is the way of one's own heart ; the narrow way is the Avay according to the heart of a holy God ; the broad way is the way of vanity and vileness ; the narrow way is the way of purity and holiness ; Psalm xxiv. 3, 4. There is a twofold holiness, habitual and actual. Habitual holi ness is holiness of nature, in a holy new frame and disposition of soul, whereby the man is reconciled unto the holy law, Avhich he was at war with before ; the heart inclining unto those things which the law commands, and disinclining to, and having an aversion to the things that it forbids. Hence it is expressed by " the law written on the heart ;" the renewed heart and the law lying both one way, and agreeing as an honest man's thoughts and written words whereby he expresseth his thoughts ; Heb. viii. 10, " For this is the covenant which I make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord ; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts," &c. But this belongs to the strait gate, being that which the entering in at the strait gate issues in. Actual holiness is holiness of life, in thoughts, woids, and actions of a holy kind ; whereby a man walks up in sorae measure to the holy principles and dispositions of the new nature, and so adds a new life to his new nature ; 2 Pet. i. 5 — 7 ; that is, having gone through the strait gate, he walks on the narrow way. So, more particularly. The narrow way is the way of obedience ; 1 Pet. i. 14, 15. That is the way that leadeth to life ; even as Jesus Christ was, during his life in the world, obedient even to the death of the cross, and then THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW AVAY TO LIFE. 365 was received up into glory ; whom therefore we must follow in this way, if we mind to be with hira in the end ; Heb- xii. 1, 2. Now, there are two things that go to the constitution of the Avay of holy obedience. 1. For the raatter thereof, it is the way of God's ooraraandraents ; Psalm cxix. 32. It is the holy law that chalks out this way to us, in the several commands of God therein. Where there is no cora mandraent, there can be no obedience. Whatever shew of holiness there may be in things that God has not commanded, it is but su perstition, not holy obedience; Matth. xv. 9. Where there is a transgressing of the comraandraent, by omission or coraraission, there is a going off the way of holy obedience, which is bounded on every side by the holy commandment. Thus the narrow way is dis tinguished from the way, (1.) Of profanity ; wherein men walk after their own lusts, cast ing God's commandments behind their backs. These refuse to be narrowed in their walk by the rule of life given in the word ; they look upon it as a thing that would hamper them, and therefore practically say, as Psalm ii. 3, " Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us." Their lusts, not the holy law, is their rule. (2.) Of superstition ; wherein men, without the coramandraent of God, pretend to serve and obey him in a holy manner. This is a narrow way of men's own making, Matth xv. 2. They themselves devise commands of their own hearts, and make things duty or sin, which God has not made so. Col. ii. 20 — 22. In opposition to both these, the narrow way is the way of God's commandments ; that, and that only, which is pointed out to us by the authority of God iu the moral law of the ten coraraands ; the which the profane raan neglects, and the superstitious adds unto ; but the true Christian takes, as it stands, for the rule, and the only rule of his life, afraid either to neglect it, or add unto it. 2. For the form thereof, it is the way of walking in Christ, Col. ii. 6. Without this, the walking in the way of the comraandraent is no holy obedience, but a legal selfish course of life, which, though it may be of use in society among men, yet is not acceptable to God, because it savours not of Christ, John xv. 5. This makes it true Gospel obedience, the only obedience that a, sinner can expect to have taken off his hand with acceptance in the court of heaven. It lies in these four things : (1.) In taking the law as out of the hand, not of an absolute God, but of a God in Christ, Matth. xvii. 5. Natural men, because of their spiritual blindness, receive the laAV as innocent Adam did, 366 THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW AVAY TO LIFE. from God, without eyeing the Mediator as the channel of its con veyance ; hence they set themselves to obey it as they can and think meet, that they may have life by their obedience to it. This mars their obedience, makes it servile, and unacceptable to God, Gal. iv. 24, 30, because it is not perfect. But the true Christian receives the law from a God Redeemer and Saviour in Christ, Exod. XX. 1, 2. Hence receiving life by faith in the free promise, they set themselves to obey out of love to a reconciled God, in point of gratitude to the Redeemer, and as the way in which he has ap pointed them to walk towards the perfection of that life he has purchased, and bestows of free grace. (2.) In depending on Christ for strength for every step of their way, as branches that must bring forth fruit by communication of sap from the stock, John xv. 5. This the .A.postle exhorts to ; 2 Tira. ii. ,1, " Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." Hence the Christian goes out iu the way of holy obedience, as David went out against Goliah, " in the name of the Lord of Hosts ;" 1 Sam. xvii. 45 ; " in the name of the Lord Jesus," Col. iii. 17. There fore in his obedience he is self-denied, and humble, acknowledging himself an unprofitable servant when he has done all. (3.) In depending on hira for acceptance of all their obedience, not daring to trust the acceptance thereof to the nature of the work itself. Gen. iv. 4, corapared with Heb. xi. 4. This is a difficult step in the narrow way, which none but true Christians do make, Phil. iii. 3. To be denied to our obedience when it is done, to lay no stress of its acceptance, on our diligence, sincerity, and attainments in it, is not easy. However, it is certain, that the acceptance is for Christ's sake only, 1 Pet. ii. 5. (4.) Lastly, In daily recourse to Jesus Christ for purging away the errors of our way, Zech. xiii. 1. There are none that walk so exactly, but they are still making wrong steps, and contracting new defilement, which cannot be purged but by the application of the blood of sprinkling ; nay, there is not one step the best make, but there is some defilement cleaves to them in it, so that still they need to wash their feet, John xiii. 10. This, then, is the daily exercise in the narrow way; and there is no walking in it but in Christ. The sura of what is said, is. That the narrow way is the way of holy obedience, wherein one walks in Christ, in the way of God's comraandments. And this way of holy obedience may be taken up in these two. 1. The way of doing or working, in obedience to the preceptive Avill of God, Eccl, ix. 10. God sets every man the work he has to TUE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIFE. 367 do, his salvation work, and his generation work ; in every relation wherein we stand to God or men, our duty is set us by his cora mandraent ; he has appointed us what we have to do for his honour, and the good of ourselves and others. And to the perforraance of every part thereof we are to set ourselves, in obedience to his will, and that in Christ Jesus. 2. The way of bearing or suffering, in obedience to his provi dential will, Matth. xvi. 24. God allots to every one their par ticular burden of crosses and affiictions ; and requires them to go on their way under them, for their trial. Here is exercise for the bearing graces, faith, self-denial, patience, hope, &c. And we must set ourselves to the Christian bearing of these things, in obedience to his will, and that in Christ Jesus. Thus shall we walk in the narrow way, doing and bearing in Christ, taking our duly and our trial as out of his hand, and going on with both in a belioA'ing reliance on hira. And this way bears a two-fold set of marks upon it, all along from the beginning to the end of it. 1. The footsteps of the flock, Christ's flock. Cant i. 8. It is the way wherein the corapany of the saints have travelled in all genera tions ; so that those who will see, may see the prints of the feet of Christ's flock on the narrow way, as those of the devil's drove are to be seen on the broad way. On the former yon will see the prints of the feet of the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, all the Old and New Testament saints ; on the latter you will see the prints of the feet of Cain, Pharaoh, Judas, and all the wicked iu all generations. The habitual practice of the saints is what makes these footsteps in the narrow way, consisting of two discernible parts. (1.) The fore-part, viz., faith, faith in Christ, and the promises through him. This is the fore part of their footsteps, that being it by which the saints from Abel, in all generations, did and suffered great things, Heb. xi. 1 — 39. They believed, and worked their good works ; believed, and bore their trials and afflictions. The promise of Christ was given. Gen. iii. 15, to set them at first on the way, and the very first motion on it was Adara and Eve's believing it ; and so it has been in every footstep of the flock since, and will to the end. Gal. ii. 20. (2.) The hind part, viz., sincere obedience. This is the print of the heel, Heb. xi. 4, 5, 7, &c. Believing the truth, they conformed to it in their lives being cast into the mould of it ; receiving the promise by faith, they sincerely obeyed the command ; embracing the Gospel, they took the law for the rule of their life, making no exception of any of its commands, as seeing them all stamped with 368 THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIFE. the authority of their God, Creator, and Redeemer; having re ceived Christ the Lord, they walked in him in all holy obedience. Thus the footsteps of the flock are distinguished from all other. Many a different footstep is on the broad way, bnt none of them all are of this make. The footsteps of atheists and infldels are to be seen there, of profane ones, mere raoralists, formalists, and hypo crites ; but as the fore part of all their steps is unbelief, so the hind part is profanity, or mere external hypocritical obedience, unacceptable to God. Either they are legalists, pretenders to obedience, and neglecters of faith ; or carnal Gospellers, pretenders to faith, making no conscience of good works, or universal obe dience ; or they are profane contemners of both. Bnt the foot steps of the flock consist ot both together, Jaraes ii. 18. 2. The footsteps of Christ himself; 1 Pet. ii. 21. All mankind having gone off their way, and not knowing how to find it again, it pleased the Father to send his own Son in our nature into the world, that, by his walking in the world, men might see, in a bright ex ample, the way of walking acceptable to God. Accordingly he came, and entering on the narrow way, he walked it all along, and left the prints of his feet thereon from the beginning to the end thereof; Phil. ii. 8. In the example of the best ofthe saints, there are some wrong, out-of-the-way steps ; but his footsteps are perfectly regular, without the least imperfection, or the least part of a step out of the way. And they also consist of two parts. (1.) Faith in God his Father, and the promises of the covenant made to hira. Christ in his divine nature is the object of faith ; John xiv. 1, compared with Jer. xvii. 5 ; but in his human nature he was a subject of faith. The man Christ believed in God his Father, trusted in him perfectly, and relied on hira, upon the ground of his faithfulness; Psalm xxii. 8, 9; Heb. ii. 13. He had promises of assistance ; Isaiah xlii. 6, acceptance and a glorious reward ; chap. xlix. 8 ; Heb. xii. 2. And accordingly he waited for the fulfilment of them, and was not disappointed ; Psalra xl. 1, and declares the divine faithfulness from his experience ; verse 10. Tea even now in his exaltation at the right hand of God, he continues his faith and assured hope of what of the promises remains to be accomplished ; so that the man Christ in glory is a believing waiter still, Heb. x. 12, 13 ; which should endear to us waiting on God, since the man Christ himself was, and still is one of the company of believing waiters on God. And this shoAvs us how Christ came to receive the seals of the covenant, the sacraments, viz., to confirm his faith in God. Here then we have the print of Christ's own footsteps in believing. THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW AVAY TO LIFE. 369 which also makes the fore-part of them ; for the man Christ be lieved, and so obeyed ; which is lively set forth, Isaiah 1. 5 — 7, " The Lord God hath opened raine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair ; I hid not my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord God will help me, therefore shall I not be confounded ; therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed." Hence when he carae into the world, he was circuracised on the eighth day ; before he entered on his pub lic ministry, he was baptized, had the voice from heaven, and then was carried to the wilderness ; Mark i. 9 — 12 ; and before he en tered on the hardest piece of all his work, he received the sacra ment of the passover and of the supper. (2.) Perfect obedience. As his faith was, so was his obedience perfect, every way complete and sinless ; 1 Pet. ii. 22. It was per fect in parts; Matth. iii. 15, he fulfllled all righteousness. In the doing part, he accounted nothing too hard, loving his very enemies ; in the suffering part, he went through the hardest pieces mildly and patiently; Phil. ii. 8; 1 Pet. ii. 23; perfect in the degrees of it, everything carried to the utmost pitch ; Isaiah xlii. 4 ; in the prin ciple of it, love to his Father's glory, and the salvation of sinners ; perfect love appearing in the greatest possible instances ; Psalm xl. 6 — 8 ; and in continuance from the cradle to the grave ; Phil. ii. 8. Thus Christ walked the narrow way ; and, by the prints of his feet, put another set of marks on it, whereby it is more fully and clearly distinguished frora all other ways. The iraperfections that attend the saints' walk, leave the matter of the way in some obscu rity ; so that carnal men noticing thera, from thence would make the narrow way very broad, since in many paths of destruction, they can discern the footsteps of saints. The adulterer sees David's footsteps in his way, the drunkard, Noah's ; the cursor and swearer, and apostate, Peter's ; not considering that these were the out-of- the-way footsteps, from which they turned back by bitter repent ance, in which steps they neglect to follow them. But the footsteps of the Shepherd of the flock, puts the way beyond all doubt ; that it is the way of purity and holiness, the way of faith and obedience, that has nothing in coramon with the broad way, the way of sin. Secondly, What are the parts of this way, the narrow way ? Many are the steps or pieces of the way, from the beginning of it at the point of conversion to God, unto the end of it at death ; and it is longer to sorae than to others, partly because of the various lengths of raen's lives, partly because some are so happy as to be more easily converted than others; which two things make an un- 370 THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIFE. equal length of the way. But longer or shorter, it consists of two parts. 1st, The way of mortification; Rom. viii. 13, " If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." This is a part of the narrow way, which lies all along from the beginning to the end of it, in which therefore the saints going towards life must still be making progress, since they will never come to the end of it till death. The strait gate of conversion and regeneration sets one upon it, because these are not perfect ; but still there is a mix ture of the old with the new nature ; of sin and corruption with ho liness. It lies in these two. 1. Mortification to the creature, in opposition to the way of va nity. This is begun in the soul's coraing to Christ ; Jer. xvi. 19, and is to be carried on all along the believer's life after ; Cant. iv. 8, till he be without the reach of an enchanting deluding world, no more to be moved either with its smiles or frowns. Paul was on that way when he said ; Gal. vi. 14, " God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto rae, and I unto the world." The Lord carries on his people in it, by ordinances, giving thera there lively views of crea ture vanity and eraptiness, in the glass of the word, sacraraents, prayer, meditation, &c. ; by providences laying gall and wormwood on the breasts of the creature, till the believer be as a weaned child ; Psalm cxxxi. 2. Mortiflcation to sin, in opposition to the Avay of vileness that unregenerate sinners walk in, Rom, vi. 6, 7. This is to get the mouth out of taste to the pleasures of sin, to be dying to it, to be rooting up the weeds of sin daily, that grow up in the soil of an evil heart. And it reaches to the whole body of the sins of the flesh, if it be genuine mortiflcation. Col. ii. 11. If any one is known and spared, it is no true mortiflcation ; the man is in the way to death and destruction, as the ship to sinking where one leak is ne glected to be stopped. Psalm cxix. 6. Particularly, it reaches to, (1.) Particular lusts and corruptions, the raerabers of this body ; Col. iii. 5, " Mortify therefore your raerabers which are upon the earth ; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupi scence, and covetousness, which is idolatry." These are raany, and of divers kinds, fleshly lusts, and spiritual lusts ; pleasing lusts, and tormenting passions. All corae under the name of worldly lusts, which the gospel teaches to deny the cravings of. Tit. ii. 12. On every one of them, raen in the way to life keep a watchful eye, to knock thera down as they begin to set up their heads ; to wrestle against them, seeking their death and destruction. THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW AA'AY TO LIFE. 371 In a special manner, that lust which one is most addicted to, com monly called one's predominant ; whether it be the sin which one's constitution, calling, circurastances, or anything whatsoever, raakes most easily to beset him, Heb. xii. 1 ; that must be mortified, though it be as hard to compass as to pluck out a right eye, or cut off a right hand, Matth. v. 29, 30. And none can prove himself on the narrow way, without the mortiflcation of that, Psalm xviii. 23. And we may judge of our progress in the narrow way, by our progress in that. (2.) The sin of our nature, the body itself whereof these particu lar lusts are the members, called the flesh. Gal. v. 24. That sinful disposition that is born with us, making us prone to evil, and averse to good; ready to comply with temptations to sin, hard to be brought up to our duty; holding fast ill impressions made, and letting good ones easily slip. The axe of mortification must be laid at the root of the tree, if we would take the narrow way. Now these are mortifled by refusing compliance with them, and acting the graces contrary to them, Gal. v. 16, 17. Hereby they are starved and weakened, and grace is cherished and strengthened, Rom. xiii. 14; Heb. v. 14. 2dly, The way of viviflcation, or newness of life, Rom. vi. 4 ; in the practice of good works. Tit. iii. 8 ; that is, thoughts, words, or deeds agreeable to the will of God, and pleasing in his, sight. This is another part of the narrow way, which lies all along from the strait gate to the end of the way at death ; which the grace implant ed in the heart in regeneration exerts itself in ; for the new nature must have its fruit in newness of life, whereby a man lives to the honour of God, his own good, and the good of mankind. It also lies in two things. 1. Living to God, in opposition to the creature. Gal. ii. 19. The unregenerate man is dead to God, but alive to the creature ; all the inward motions of his soul are towards the creature, not towards God. It is his portion ; his joy is in the having of it, and his sor row in the want of it. He has no kindly motion towards God for himself, more than they that are in the grave. Bnt entering the strait gate of regeneration, one becomes alive to God, Rom. vi. 11 ; and dead to the creature. Col. iii. 3. And so he goes on the narrow way, as dying to the creature, so living to God ; resting in him as his portion, seeking him always as his chief good, loving him above all, joying and delighting in the enjoyment of hira, sorrowing for the want thereof, and for sin that mars the light of his countenance. Col. iii. 1 — 3. All this the tenor of his life witnesseth. Psalm xxx. 5 ; and iv. 6, 7- 372 THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIFE. 2. Living to righteousness, in opposition to sin, 1 Pet. ii. 24. The unregenerate are dead to righteousness, but alive to sin, Rom. vi. 20 ; as free from righteousness as those in the grave from what is done on the earth, they meddle not with it, Eph. ii. 1. But enter ing the strait gate of regeneration, they are put in a state of death to sin, and of life to righteousness, Rora. vi. 4 ; Col. iii. 1 ; they awake to it, 1 Cor. xv. 34. And so ihey go on in the narrow way, living to it as servants of it, Rom. vi. 18. And this their living to righteousness extends to the whole will of God known to them. Acts xiii. 22 ; Col. iv. 12 ; and makes their obedience universal. Col. i. 10. It lies in these following things. (1.) Living to righteousness towards God; that is, living godly. Tit. ii. 12. There is a duty that in justice we owe to God imme diately, as our Creator, Preserver, and Redeemer ; that is, the duty of piety, in all the instances thereof required in the flrst table. Whoso walk on the narrow way, live to pay that duty, as owing, in point of righteousness and gratitude too. Therefore they are con cerned to live to honour him in the world, taking that for their chief business in it, Phil. i. 21 ; and see no comfortable use they are for in the world, if they get hira not honoured in their stations. So they look on their interest as twisted with the interests of his glory. (2.) Living to righteousness towards ourselves ; that is, living so berly, Tit. ii. 12. We owe a duty to ourselves, and it is bound on us with a bond of justice or righteousness, in as much as we are not our own, but the Lord's. That duty is required of us in the second table obliging us to consult the good, honour, and welfare of our own bodies, to treat them as the temples of God, and therefore to hold off from all things that may be hurtful or deflling to thera ; and to advance the good of our own souls, by aiming at and pursuing after their perfection in truth and holiness, Phil. iii. 14 ; and to hold off frora what raay darken or pollute thera. And this is a great part of the business of the life of those on the narrow way. (3.) Living to righteousness towards onr neighbour ; that is, liv ing righteously, strictly so called. Tit. ii. 12. We are not born for ourselves, but for others also ; and we owe a duty to mankind, our fellow-creatures, according to the several instances thereof required in the second table. Since we are men, we must always keep on, never cast off humanity towards any of our kind, be they rich or poor above us or below us. We should breathe an universal good-will toward mankind, seeking the good of our kind, and disposed to acts of beneflcence towards them, as we have ability and opportunity. This humanity roquireth, justice raakes a debt, and Christianity in spires men Avith, who are on the narrow way, Gal. vi. 10 ; Luke vi. THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIFE. 373 36. Ah ! how will we answer to our common Father, if we take no care to be useful to, and in our generation ? What stock have we laid up for the other world, if we have not laid out ourselves for the good of others in this ? Luke xvi. 9. That temper of spirit where by one is selfish, concerned for none, but his sweet self, is a flaming evidence of being on the broad way ; aud much raore that whereby one is disposed to run down all about thera, to spread their terror around thera, to be a plague to society, disturbing all that are near them, Eccles. ix. 18. If those in that temper see heaven, we must give up the Bible as a fable, and confound heaven and hell, Isa. xi. 6 ; Tit. iii. 3 ; James ii. 13 ; Rev. xiii. 10. Thus ye see that those on the narrow way look upward, inward, and outward, labouring each of these ways to be useful, and to flll up their room in the world; so living to righteousness. And these two parts of the narrow way Christ hath chalked out to his followers by his death and resurrection, which are the exem plary causes of mortification and viviflcation. Thirdly, Let us consider the narrowness of the way to life. This narrowness of the way is not absolute, but respective, in respect of the iraperfection of our present state ; for the boundaries of it are eternal, it being for substance the very same the saints will walk in through eternity, when they will walk at greatest liberty. But a way may be very narrow and pressing to one, that will be perfectly large and easy to another, in regard of the very different sizes the passengers may be of. So a shoe may be very strait for a swelled foot, that will be large abundantly for the same foot, when it is hale and sound. The glorified saints have a hale foot ; so the way is large and broad enough to them in life ; we have the swelled one ; so the way, though for substance the sarae, is narrow to us going to life. Now the narrowness of the way to life rises from a complica tion of these three. 1st. The exactness and purity of the law that bounds this way of holy obedience, Psalra cxix. 4. No sinful latitude is allowed here; every wrong step is condemned by it. It hems in the traveller on every side, and that, 1. To the right matter of obedience ; which is not to be measured by man's choice but God's comraand ; Matth. xv. 9. If it is devised by a man's own heart, whatever species pretext of sanctity it has, it is rejected with a " Who hath required this at your hand ?" Isaiah i. 12; and far more if it is forbidden of God, it is an abomination to him, though one should be so blind as to think it good service ; John xvi. 2. There is no holy obedience but in what is commanded of God. 2. To the right manner of obedience. Suppose it be a thing that 374 THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW AVAY TO LIFE. in itself is duty, yet if it is not done in a right manner, it is no walking in the narrow way. Here the traveller is hemmed in to, (1.) The love of God, as the principle of his obedience. His la bour raust be a labour of love, else it is lost labour; Heb. vi. 10. Love to God himself must dispose us to obey him, else he will not reckon we obey him at all ; for he sees the heart ; and what is not with the heart can never be acceptable ; 2 Cor. viii. 12. (2.) The will of God must be not only the rule, but the reason of our obedience; Eph. vi. 6, 7- It is no true faith, but where one be lieves because God has said it ; nor holy obedience, but where the thing is done because God has bid it. So one may do what God commands, and yet not obey him, if he does it not in obedience to his coramaud. (3.) To the glory of God as the chief end of his obedience ; 1 Cor. X. 31. If any thing else have that place, God will not reckon it obedience to hira ; Zech. vii. 6. So there is much lost labour, where though the thing in itself be duty, yet it is marred by the low and selfish ends it is done for ; Matth. vi. 1. Thus ministers may lose their preaching, people their prayers, any body whatsoever good they do, doing the sarae for selfish ends. (4.) Lastly, Faith in God through Christ, as that which casts their obedience into the raould of gospel-obedience, the only holy obedience of a sinner; Col. iii. 17. The work of faith in the case is to fetch in strength from Jesus for holy obedience ; 2 Tim. ii. 1, and so to perform it, Phil. iv. 13 ; and then to lay it over on Jesus for acceptance with God, Heb. xi. 4, 6. 2dly, The bias of the heart that lies away from and contrary to the holy law. This the apostle complains of as what made his walk ing in the way uneasy ; Rom. vii. 21. There are notable remains of the natural enmity in the best while they are here, a woful disposi tion not liking to be bounded by the pure coramandraent. There are lusts of the heart that bend forth on every side, and cannot be hedged in without pain. Hence the way appears narrow, and feels strait and pinching ; and the walking in it is indeed one continued struggle to the end ; the way of holy obedience lying quite cross to the natural inclination, over the belly of which the traveller must go. Now there being nothing of this in heaven, the way of obedi ence will not be narrow to the saints there. Zdly, The many erabarrassraents in this way frora without. Our text (Gr.) calls it an afflicted or compressed way. Had the children of God no more ado but to make their way forward in the path of God's comraandraents, over the belly of their own corruptions, they might have enough ado with it. But that is not all ; whatever ira- THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIFE. 375 pediments or entanglements Satan and an evil world can get laid in their way, will be sure to be found there. Hence they have thickets of temptations, tribulations, discouragements, &c., to break through. Sometimes the smiles of the world are fain to flatter them off their way; soraetiraes its frowns to frighten them from it ; and sometimes a speat of ill example is like to carry them off their feet. Besides all this, there are trials from the hand of God to be met with in it. So that it is a way beset with briars and thorns ; Eph. vi. 12 ; John xvi. 33. Hence, Heb. xii. 1, 2, " Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and flnisher of our faith ; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the sharae, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Secondly, We are to consider this way its leading away to life. And here I will show, 1. What is that life it leads to. 2. How the narrow way leads to it. First, What is that life the narrow way leads to ? That is iu a word, a happy life in the other world ; Mark x. 30. Entering the strait gate, the dead sinner gets life, else he could never go on the narrow way ; and the life then received is eternal ; for from the mo ment it is received, it shall never be extinguished through the ages of eternity. Bnt there is so great a difference, in degrees and at tending circumstances, betwixt the believer's life here, and in hea ven, that this last is called life by way of eminency. For, 1. Heaven is the region of life where no death can enter ; bnt whosoever is there, lives ; Rev. xxi. 4. This world at best is a mix ture of the dead and the living, even above ground ; and more than that, the dead always are the far greater part in the mixture, which makes this world an unsavoury, raelancholy place to them in whom spiritual life is begun ; Psalra cxx. 5. But when they corae there, they will flnd themselves in the land of life, where there is no win ter, but an eternal spring ; no dead, but all living. 2. Their life will be perfected there ; Heb. xii. 23. It is begun here indeed ; but yet there is a great mixture of death with it, even in the liveliest saints here ; they have a whole body of death carry ing about with thera ; Rom. vii. 24. But there will not be the least member of it about them there. Even their life of comfort will be completed there, though they may have much ado to keep it from extinction here. 3. Lastly, No death can ever have access there ; but there life will be spun out in joy and comfort to all eternity, without any in terruption. While they are here they still know that death is abid- 376 THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIFE. ing them ; but when they arrive there, they know they are for ever beyond its reach any more. They are set down there by the foun tain of life, and allowed a full participation of the waters of life, that they can die no more. Secondly, How does the narrow way lead to life ? And, 1st. Neg. Not by way of merit, proper or improper. Proper merit is Avhat arises from the intrinsic worth of the thing done, fully proportioned to the reward. Such is the merit of Christ's obedience and death. Bilt no such merit can be in our works ; for there is no proportion between our obedience and eternal life, whatever the pa pists pretend ; Rora. viii. 18 ; 2 Cor. iv. 17 ; and whatever they be, they are due from us to God ; Rom. viii. 12 ; Luke xvii. 10. Ira- proper raerit is what arises from paction ensuring such a reward on such a work as the condition thereof; so that the work being per formed, the reward becomes a debt. So Adam's perfect obedience would have been meritorious, naraely by paction. But no such merit is in onr works. Legal protestants advance this, though they do not call it merit, while they pretend that God has promised eternal life on condition of our obedience ; thinking it enough to free them from the doctrine of merit, that they do not pretend to an intrinsic worth in the works, proportioned to the reward. But what more do they yield in this, than innocent Adam behoved to have yielded, had he perfected his obedience ? Do they not hereby confound the two covenants ? for all the difference remains only in degrees, which do not alter the kind. The scripture rejects this as well as the other ; Rom. iv. 4, and vi. 23. Paul would not lippen to it; Phil. iii. 9. 2dly, Positively, The narrow way leads to life by way of order and connection. It leads thereto, 1. By way of order in the nature of things, whereby one thing necessarily goes before another. Thus the beginning of a thing goes before the end of it; aud there is no reaching the end without beginning it. So the narrow way is the beginning of the Christian course, eternal life in heaven the end of it, Rom. vi. 22. Thus the sun rising must go before its getting to the meridian, the seed-time before the harvest, and the first fruits before the whole. So walking in the narrow way must go before life in heaven, Prov- iv. 18, Psalm cxxvi. 5, Rom. viii. 25. This establishes infallibly the ne cessity of holy obedience, it being as impossible for subjects capable of holy obedience to see life without it, as to reach the end without beginning the work, &c,, Heb. xii. 14. But will any say, that the beginning, the sun rising, &c., are the condition upon which the end is given, the sun is set to the meridian, &c. ? 2. By way of connection, whereby one thing is knit with another. THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIFE. 377 whether in the nature of things, or by special appointment. Thus the means and the end, the way and the journey's end, are con nected in the nature of things ; that whoso neglects the means cannot reach the end ; that whoso takes not the way cannot reach the journey's end. So the narrow way is the mean or raids to be gone through, the way to the journey's end eternal life, Phil. iii. 13, 14. Thus the wrestling and the prize, the Christian fight and the crown, are connected by divine appointraent ; but the former does neither properly raerit the latter, nor is it the condition thereof, 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8, compared with Rev. iv. 10. In the narrow way there must be fighting, because there is opposition ; bnt if ye go along that way, ye will get to life, even as if ye go by such and such places, ye will get to such a city ; yet is not the going that way the condition of adraission into the city. The true state of the matter lies here. Eternal life is freely given to the soul here in the first moment of believing ; it is begun in them, John iii. 36, and v. 24, 1 John v. 12. It exerts itself, and hath its operation and progress in the walking in the narrow way ; and death being the end of the Avay, where the body of death is dropt, the soul then comes to have that life completed, as one having perfected the journey enters the city. The which overthrows all merit and conditionality of works as to eternal life, and in the meantime infallibly establishes the necessity of thera to it, viz., considered in its perfection in heaven. Practical inferences raay be deduced frora the whole. First, An easy entrance on religion is somewhat suspicious like and needs to be examined ; because it is a strait gate that leads to life. I will not take on me to deny a sovereign gospel-way of conversion, that swallows up any notable law-work, though I have no experience of it. A sovereign God raust not be limited ; but I may say this, 1. It is not the ordinary way. Ordinarily a law-work, greater in some and lesser in others, goes before, according to that Gal. iii. 24, " Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster, to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." Thus the converts. Acts ii., Paul, the jailor, and others. And hereto I believe the experience of Christians generally does agree. As for Lydia, she was a convert before, a Jewish proselyte. Acts xvi. 14. 2. The easy way of entering on religion is a flaw in the founda tion, in the case of some ; Matth xiii. 20, " But he that received the seed in stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it." Where observe, (1.) There is a re ceiving the word of the Gospel at first brush, anon, (2,) There is Vol. X. 2 b 378 THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIPE. a mighty stir in the affections at that reception ; the party is trans ported with joy. (3.) The flaw lies in the superficialness of the work, its not going deep enough, verse 5, viz., by the digging work of conviction and humiliation, Lnke vi. 48, so that the party hath no root, Matth. xiii. 21. (4.) Lastly, As it came lightly, it goes lightly, ibid. 3. Whoever pretend to it, ought well to examine it before they sit down contented with it. And this may be done, to the sufficient clearing of the matter. (1.) By considering what their entrance, whatever it was, set them into. If it set them into a sound and thorough repentance for sin, the matter needs no more dispute ; if not, their pretences are vain. If their repentance was sound and thorough, whatever they had or had not before, they then got a piercing sight and sense of the sin of their lives, and sin of their.nature too, and sincerely repented of both ; Gal. v. 24, and particularly of their predominant, from which their hearts would then be loosed in a particular manner ; Luke xix. 8. (2.) By considering what way they are on. If their habitual tract and course of life is a course of holy obedience, let them not disquiet themselves as to the manner of their entry ; for it is not possible to get on the narrow way, but by the right gate ; Psalm cxix. 6. But as the straitest law-work issuing in a loose course of life, will be found to have been but a foretaste of hell ; so an easy way of entering on religion, followed with a loose and licentious course of life, will be found to be the wide gate and broad way to destruction. That was the religion of sorae, whom in onr fathers' days they justly called Antinomians and Ranters, who, pretending to a sovereign gospel-way of conversion, gave the swing to their lusts, and led scandalous lives, a reproach to the gospel. Put if that be the gate to life, we may throw by our Bibles, and regard them no more ; but (2 Pet ii. 17.) " these are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest, to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever." Secondly, Strictness in religion, nice, exact, and pointed walking therein, is not only justifiable, but necessary ; for narrow is the way that leads unto life, and it will not allow wide steps. It is the way of the world to expose the entering by the strait gate under the name of " melancholy, madness," and " distraction ;" and strict walking on the narrow way, under the name of " fantastic singu larity, preciseness, and needless nicety." But let the world cry it down as they will, the Bible, and particularly our text, cries it up as not only justifiable, but necessary. THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW AVAY TO LIFE. 379 But before I come to justify it, and shew the necessity of it, I raust first fix the true notion of it. For there is a spurious strict ness in religion, which is oft mistaken for the genuine strictness, especially by the parties themselves ; whereas the former belongs to the broad way, the latter only to the narrow. That there is such a spurious strictness, is without controversy ; Acts xxvi. 5, " After the strictest sect of his religion, Paul lived a Pharisee ;" and there fore the apostle's caution is very necessary ; Gal. iv. 18, " It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing." Now, 1. This spurious strictness iu religion, which is to be rejected as a work of the flesh, is a strictness of men's own raaking. It is not God's comraandraent that girds them so strait ; bnt where God leaves them at liberty, they bind up themselves ; and so their strict ness is downright superstition in the sense of the Bible, however they may pretend to be enemies to superstition ; Matth. xv. 9 ; Col. ii. 20 — 22. And so it is, though they may take themselves to be bound to it, by God's comraandraent, while in reality there is no such thing ; John xvi. 2. For an erring conscience taking that for God's command which is not so, can never make it so ; Acts xxvi. 9. It may be discerned by, (1.) Its disproportionableness, making men more strict in these things, than they are in the things unquestionably commanded of God ; Matth. xxiii. 25. Nature is always fond of its own brats ; and will treat them as one does his own children, while uncontroverted duties are treated like step-children ; even as the earth gives its strength to the weeds, while the flowers have much ado to fend. (2.) Its justling out some substantial duties of religion ; Matth. XV. 2 — 6. So the apostle teaches that the spurious strictness of some clashed with the sixth command ; Col. ii. 22, 23. No duty can be contrary to another. When therefore sorae point of strictness clashes with some moral duty of the ten commands, carrying one off from it, be sure it is strictness of the wrong sort. Thus while men's strictness bars them from the ordinary means of grace, in which Christ feeds his people, and from the duties of love and beneflcence towards their neighbours, we may be sure it is spurious. 3. Lastly, Its giving a set to men's spirits quite unlike the spirit of the gospel. Spurious strictness ariseth from a legal disposition, and gives the spirit a legal set and bias, reckoning highly on their strictness ; Phil. iii. 6, 7- It puffs up with pride and self-conceit ; Col. ii. 18, fllls with bitterness of spirit : Tit. iii. 3, and gives a fireiness of spirit, inconsistent with the spirit of the gospel, which is a spirit of love and meekness : Jam iii. 17. This strictness is to be 2b2 380 THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIFE. avoided, as dishonouring to God, injurious to one's own soul, and hurtful to our neighbours. 2. But there is a genuine strictness for all that, the which is re commended in our text. And it is a strict walking up to the re vealed Avill of God, so far as we know it, in all things ; not daring to come and go on these points, but sticking close to thera, though to our loss in the world ; being inflexible in thera, over the belly of temptations, the world's contrary example, its fairest smiles, and bitterest frowns. What girds the man here, and makes him inflexible, is, the authority of God on his conscience ; Acts iv. 19, 20. Wherefore, be the thing in itself never so sraall, and the loss or hazard in cleav ing to it never so great ; yet being coraraanded of God, he must stick to his point. It is enough to him ; Psalm cxix. 4, " Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently." There is a twofold measure of this strictness ; and all that is in or over it, is condemnable as looseness. 1. The law of God, the law of the ten coramandments ; James i. 25 ; Ezek. xviii. 5 — 9. That is the eternal rule of righteousness, which no circumstances whatsoever can make cease to bind. What in our practice comes short of that, whether with respect to our duty to God, ourselves, or neighbour, is a defect of true strictness, and what is over, is spurious strictness, unacceptable to God; for there is no wisdom in being wise above what is written. 2. The example of Christ; 1 Pet. ii. 21. Herein we have the former set before our eyes, that we may the more clearly discern it, and flnd it the more powerfully enforced. Our Lord Jesus was in his life the perfect pattern of true strictness ; 1 Pet. ii. 22. He was indeed, by a spuriously-strict generation of legalists, accused as not strict enough, because he observed not the traditions of the elders, would not go to their heights to refuse tribute to Csesar, scrupled not the society of publicans and sinners, that he might do good to their souls, nor to make clay on the Sabbath-day to advance a moral duty of the sixth command. But in all these things he was the strict party, walking closely np to the law of God ; they were the loose party, as going aside from it. And so will they be found, who, under pretence of strictness, bind up themselves from those things wherein they have his example to follow. The closer we are to Christ's example, the more truly strict are we. This strictness may be discerned by, 1. The uniformity of it. Psalm cxix. 6. Truly strict in one, strict iff all, James ii. 11. For a man to pretend to be strict in some opinions, and loose in his practice ; strict in duty to God, but loose THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIFE. 381 in duty to raan, is aborainable. The truly strict will be a strict ob server of his words and thoughts as well as his actions ; of his rela tive duties to man, as a parent, child, master, servant, &c. ; as well as of religious duties to God, praying, reading, &c. ; of truth between man and raan, as well as of the truth of religious principles. 2. The due proportion kept in it, proportioning the concern to the Aveight of the matters. The neglect of this is taxed; Matth. xxiii. 23, " Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ; for ye pay tithe of mint, and anise, and cumrain, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith ; these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." As the least flling of gold is gold; yet the greater the weight the more is the worth, and ought to be the concern for it. So though no revealed truth, nor commanded duty is to be slighted ; yet religion and reason say that according to their weight and worth our concern for them should be regulated. And it is as absurd to let our zeal run out so on circurastantial truths, as to swallow up our concern for fundamen tals ; to show more concern about cereraonial duties, than the sub stantial duties of morality ; as it is to guard the feet and legs, and to leave the heart open to the sword of the enemy. 3. Lastly, The gospel-spirit wherewith it is raanaged, Phil. iii. 3. True strictness ariseth frora faith in Christ in the heart, 2 Cor. iv. 14, 15. So the raan walks strictly, as if he were to win heaven by his strictness ; meanwhile he quits it all in point of confldence, as if God had not required it. Hence true strictness is always attended with a gospel set of spirit ; whereby the man is jointly concerned for the honour of the holy law, and of the grace of the gospel ; is adorned with self-denial, humility, meekness, love to God, and love to raan- kiud, good-will and beneficence to his fellow creatures. Now, the true notion of strictness thus stated, 1st, It is altogether justifiable, however it is run down in the world, and looked on with au evil eye. To justify it, consider, 1. The infinite majesty of God, whose coraraands are here strictly stuck to, Exod. XX. 2. Will any raan corae and go upon his prince's orders given hira, whatever he do with what he is bid by others ? The infinite distance betwixt God and us, fully justifies a precise re gard to all his coraraands, an inflexible adhering thereto in every point, though the whole world should counterraand thera. And were it duly considered, it would oblige to exactness of obedience without disputing, without shifting. Acts iv. 19. 2. The risk that is run by tampering in these raatters, Matth. x. 28. Let the raatter be weighed in an even balance ; put the greatest loss and hazard in the world in the one scale, to bring off from 382 THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIFE. strictness ; the displeasure of God must be laid in the other ; and is not that sufficient to downweigh the former, and to determine a wise man to the side of strictness. So, as long as God's frowns are raore terrible than the world's, religious strictness will be justiflable. 3. The life of Christ in the world. Was it a strict life or not ? It certainly was ; for he could say, " I do always those things that please the Father," John viii. 29. Was it justiflable or not ? Was he to be condemned as too precise ? If his life was justifiable, how can they be condemned for strictness, who make it their pattern ? especially considering, that he left us an example to follow, and that they do not fully come up to the strictness of it. Truly the wounds the carnal world give to the strictness of Christians, go through their sides to Christ himself, who was vastly stricter than they can reach ; and they will reckon for them ; Jude ver. 15. 4. Man's state of perfection. Every being is allowed to aspire towards its perfection ; and shall it be a crime in a man to aspire towards his ? Now, man's perfection lies in the religions strictness described before. This appears from this, that the glory of God is the chief end of man, and man glorifies God by conforming to his law, the eternal rule of righteousness ; so that the more exact that con formity is, the more does he reach that end ; and when he is ar rived at a fully strict conformity to it, then he is at his perfection. This was the road God set innocent Adam on, who fell by letting down his strictness. This is the point the glorifled saints in heaven are arrived at, where there is perfect strictness, without the least deviation. How then comes strictness to be so treated in the world ? Are they angry that sorae endeavour to get out of their ruins, going, though, alas ! slowly, in the way towards their perfection ? 2dli/, It is not only justiflable, but necessary, 1. In respect of the command of God ; Psalm cxix. 4, " Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently," [flis6. exceedingly ;] q. d. to a degree, a pitch of exactness. And what that is, we see, Mark xii. 30, 31, " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength ; this is the first comraandraent. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." The apostle wills Christians "to walk circuraspectly ;" Eph. v. 15. [6rr. exactly, nicely, precisely;] q. d. going up to the utraost of every thing. The pure law requires the utmost purity and exactness ; and it is blasphemy to think or say, that Christ has relaxed any thing of the purity required in every command. Therefore strictness is as necessary as the authority of God can make it. 2. In respect of its being commanded on our utmost peril ; Matth. THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROAV WAY TO LIFE. 383 V. 19, 20, " Whosoever shall break one of these least command ments, aud shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven ; but whosoever shall do, and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you. That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteous ness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." Should we leave ourselves loose in any one point, we risk our salvation, as the ship does sinking wherein one leak is left unstopped, ver. 29. No length of tirae will excuse our giving ourselves the loose ; Matth. xxiv. 13, nor no hazard in the world whatsoever ; Mark viii. 38. 3. In respect of onr necessary conformation to Christ ; 1 John ii. 6, " He that saith he abideth in him, ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." How necessary it is that we be confor med to Christ, the apostle teaches; Rom. viii. 29, "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren." Our baptism shews it ; Gal. iii. 27, " For as many of you as have been baptised into Christ, have put on Christ." And that we cannot be if we are not strict in religion. By a loose, careless course, we carry the image of the first Adam ; and by a strict course of life, we must bear the image of the second Adam. 4. Lastly, As an evidence and character of sincerity ; Psalm cxix. 6, " Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy comraandraents." The reason hereof is raanifest from James ii. 10, 11, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said. Do not commit adultery ; said also. Do not kill. Now, if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law." For if any comraand is respected as the command of God, all his commands will be so ; since they all bear the impress of the same divine autho rity. And one's taking it on him to come and go on God's com mands, is an evidence that God's authority has no due weight with him. See the touchstone of sincerity ; John xv. 14, " Te are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I comraand you." I shall give you the following advices for true strictness in re ligion. 1. Begin your strictness at the right end, in entering the strait gate by a sound conversion ; Luke xiii. 24. Unconverted strict folk their case is most hopeless ; Matth. xxi. 31, 32. Solomon gives the reason ; Prov. xxvi. 12, " Seest thou a man wise in his own con ceit ? there is more hope of a fool than of him." 2. Set before your eyes the true rule of strictness, namely, the 384 THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIFE. law of God and the example of Christ. The constitutions of churches, opinions, practices, and examples of parties getting the room of these, have in all ages bred much spurious strictness. But " to the law and to the testimony ; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them," Isa. viii. 20. If we be Christians, let Christ's example be our rule. 3. Put on the bands of true strictness, being impressed habitually with the authority of God on your consciences, and the constraining love of Christ in your hearts. These are the straitening bands of God's making ; Exod. xx. 2, " I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." 4. Be well apprized of the matter of true strictness. It lies only in things wherein God has bound ns up, not in things wherein we bind up ourselves without his authority. And ye may know it by these two marks : (1.) It bears hard on the natural inclination and lusts of the heart. These find themselves straitened by the band ; Matth. v. 29, " If thy right eye offend thee puck it out," &c. Whereas spurious strictness is agreeable to these, and feeds and nourishes them. So the former is difficult, the latter is easy to the natural man. What an easy thing is it to maintain a strict opinion, to separate frora a church, when there is no hazard ? But to maintain a strict practice in the substantial duties of religion, to separate from the unregenerate carnal world in one's state and frame of life, is not (2.) It is a promoter of sanctiflcation of the soul, and makes one a better man, advancing the strength of grace, and conformity to the image of God in the whole man ; Rora. xiv. 17- What the bet ter were the Pharisees that they would not eat with unwashed hands, nor go near publicans and sinners ? How much raore may strictness be known to be trifling and spurious, that has a native tendency to bring leanness on the soul ? 5. Lastly, Be strict in the faith and a holy life. And, (1.) Let every truth be dear to you, sticking to it on all hazards, without giving up with it ; Prov. xxiii. 23, " Buy the truth, and sell it not." For none of the truths of God, but are raore precious than all we have to lose for them. But it is a weakness to think that there is no keeping of the truth without breaking of the peace with thera that differ; Rom. xiv. 14, compared with ver. 3; Phil. iii. 15, 16, while the foundation-truths remain for the bond of it. (2.) Be strict in inquiring into sin and duty in particular cases, habitually ; Prov. iii. 6. Te profess to take Christ for your leader ; then consult him in all things, that ye may know what he calls you THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROAV WAY TO LIPE. 385 to by his word and providence. That is a strict man that observes the motions of the pillar of cloud and fire, and its rests, that he may move thereby or rest. (3.) Act in all things by a religious principle ; Col. iii- 17 ; 1 Cor. X. 31. Since the law of God is a perfect rule, it cannot but reach all human actions ; either by particular precepts, or general ones, such as Phil. iv. 8, and these reaching temporal as well as spiritual matters. It is true strictness then to act so. (4.) Never consider for your practice, whether a thing be but a little sin or a great one. If it be a sin at all, avoid it, tamper not with it ; 1 Thess. v. 22, " Abstain from all appearance of evil." Jude ver. 23, " Hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." Be it never so little, it will leave a great stain on the soul ; which, if not purged by the blood of Christ, will drown it in perdition. And little sins make way for greater. (5.) In doubtful practices, wherein ye are not clear, choose always the side safest for the conscience, whatever there be to draw you to the other. If there is a case wherein ye are not sure whether the doing of such a thing is sinful or not, ye are sure there will be no sin in forbearing it ? Then let it alone ; Rom. xiv. 5, 23. (6.) Be strict observers of your duty to God, in all the instances thereof required in the flrst table. Do not make light of dropping a duty now and then, a prayer in secret, or in your family, a ser mon, &c. The case and loss of Thomas deserves consideration here ; John. XX. 24, 25, " Bnt Thomas, one of the tAvelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him. We have seen the Lord. Bnt he said unto them. Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my flnger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe." If providence bars you from it, it is not yon that drop it, but God ceaseth to require it. (7.) Be pointed and nice in your duty to man, in all the instances thereof required in the second table. Reraeraber the flaw in the Pharisees' strictness; Matth. xxiii. 23. Walk precisely by the rules of justice towards others ; being readier to quit a halfpenny to them, than to keep two pennies off them, as ye wonld rather abide a stress by cold, than take a burning coal into your bosom. Be just and faithful in your business, whatever it is, as knowing that whatever is gained by unfaithfully-done business, is unjustly got, and stolen with you. Stick precisely to truth, hate and de spise lying. Loose talkers, that have not a strict regard to truth in common life, whatever regard they pretend to divine troths, are and shall have their part with the abominable ; Rev. xxi. 8, More par ticularly, S86 THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIPE. (8.) Be conscientiously strict in the duties of your relations, as knowing your relational stations pre those wherein God has set you for the time, to take trial of you. If ye are a parent or child, a husband or wife, a master or servant, closely live up to the duties of your relation ; and let your strictness be of a piece, and let not a hut fall in your relation ; a very good man or woman, but a tyranni cal husband, &c. And where uudutifulness of your relatives mar the exercise of softer principles, learn to act by a principle of justice and reason. (9.) Have a strict and awful regard to the character of superiority that God has given to any over you ; for that superiority is a piece of the divine image. It is looseness of conscience, not true strict ness, that takes away all sense of that, and allows no regard to them that bear it, unless their personal character be winning ; that is in effect, they will regard them for their own sake but not for God's sake ; Jude ver. 8 ; 1 Pet. ii. 18. (10.) Be the same in secret as in public. Let your strictness take place where no eye sees bnt God's, as well as where the world's eye is on you ; for if it be of the right stamp, it will be so ; Acts xxiv. 16. For the law and conscience are the same, and God is the same in secret as before raen ; and if you are not the same, you are strict only to be noticed by men. (11.) Lastly. Be strict observers of your own heart, as well as your life ; Prov. iv. 23, " Keep thy heart with all ^diligence ; fon out of it are the issues of life." If ye be never so strict in your outward man, it will be loathsome hypocrisy if the inner man is not watched ; Matth. xxiii. 27, 28 ; Rom. ii. 29. Thus ordering your life, ye will be persons of Christian strictness, whom Christ will own, and which he will approve at the last day, when the looseness of the world, and their spurious strictness, will both appear naught. Doctrine V. Last. Few of mankind flnd the strait gate, and narrow way leading to life. In discoursing this subject, I shall, I. Explain the doctrine. II. Conflrm it. III. Give the reasons of it. IV. Lastly, Apply. I. To explain this point, we shall, 1. Consider how few flnd the strait gate and narrow way. 2. Show in what respects they are few. First. We shall consider how few flnd the strait gate and nar- THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIFE. 387 row way. And it may be taken up as importing these three following : 1. All are naturally off from it, Rom. iii. 23. Mankind was carried off from it in Adara, even all of them to a man, ver. 12. And man's natural state is a state of wandering, wandering on the mountains of vanity, in the wilderness, like lost sheep, straying passengers ; and behold the end of their course, Prov. xxi. 16, " The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding, shall remain in the congregation of the dead." 2. It is not easily found out by any, 1 Pet . iv. 18. In all cases the best things are hardest to reach ; so while the wide gate and broad way are fallen on with all ease, the strait gate and narrow way are a darned road that one cannot easily light on. We are so liable to passions, prejudices, and misapprehensions about it, it is so far above our natural capacities, that there is no finding it out without the Spirit of Christ pointing it out to us effectually. 3. It is but few that discover it, so as on good grounds to be able to say. This is it. There are so many false gates and ways, that seem to be it, but are not, that they are rare persons who are not deceived by one or other of them. 4. Few enter by the strait gate, and travel the narrow way, though there is no other passage for sinners unto life. It is a gate and way but little frequented. It is not raany that are brought with in sight of them ; but of these many draw back, and but few enter and go on. There are but few regenerate persons, sound converts, truly holy ones, in the world. The most part go in the way of sin, few in the way of holy obedience, walking in Christ, in the way of God's commandments. 5. Lastly, Howbeit there are some that do enter by that gate, and travel that way. In the worst of times there are always some sound converts, truly holy in the world, and will be to the end, Matth. xvi. 18. When their number is completed, few as they are, the world will be at an end. Secondly, In what respects are they few ? 1. They are not few absolutely, or considered in themselves. If we consider the general assembly of them, Heb. xii. 23, them that have, do, and shall find it, they are a goodly company. They are a great multitude, so great that they pass all human numbering. Rev. viii. 9 ; they are so many, that they are like the stars, innume rable. Gen. XV. 5, compared with Gal. iii. 29. The shed blood of a Saviour springs up in an innumerable issue. They are upon the way but by parcels, being like an array who began their march at the sounding of the march, (Gen. iii. 15.) to the heavenly city, have continued it all along since that time to this 388 THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIFE. day, and will continue it yet for a time, viz., to the end of the world. It is now four thousand years and raore, since the van, the first generation, ended their march, and were settled in the city, the righteous Abel being the first man that entered it ; and since that time all along the following have been entering in their order. There is a part of that host now upon the way, advancing to the city ; but the rear is not as yet begun to move. They that are upon the way at a tirae, are in different nations and parts of the earth ; they in the sarae country are often but few of them together upon one spot. Hence speaking what they see and feel, their mouths are filled with such complaints of solitude as these ; Psalra xii. 1, " Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth ; for the faithful fail from among the children of men." Mic. vii. 1, " Woe is me, for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grape-gleanings of the vintage." But stay till the whole host have finished their march, and appear in one body in the heavenly city, they will be there such a vast multitude as no man can nuraber, but the raan Christ their captain, whose understanding is infinite, because he is God. Let not the fewness of them that find it, frighten any from it, be cause they cannot think of being solitary, wanting much corapany. For it is but for a little by the way that they will be tried with solitariness. They that live godly in the lonliest abode, shall ere long be for ever in a glorious throng, where they will have glorious company. 2. They are, nevertheless, few comparatively, in coraparison with those that, entering by the wide gate, go the broad way. Though considered by themselves, they are a great multitude, yet compared with thera in nuraber, they fall far short of thera. The regenerate are few in coraparison with the unregenerate, sound converts with the unconverted, the truly holy with the unholy, saints with sinners, those that flnd the strait gate with those entering the wide gate. II. To conflrra this heavy truth, we shall take a twofold view to clear it. 1. A view of the scripture-acconnt of this raatter. 2. A view of the world. First, We shall take a view of the scripture-account of this matter. 1. Our Lord expressly tells us, that of the many called few are chosen, Matth. xx. 16, and xxii. 14. Now, all those that enter the strait gate, and are on the narrow way, are chosen. Rev. xvii. 14. Faith is the faith of God's elect. Tit. i. 1, and they only are brought unto holy obedience, 1 Pet. i. 2. All the elect are called, Rom. viii. 30. But all the called externally by the Gospel THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIPE. 389 are not elect or chosen ; on the contrary, many are called that way, and but few chosen ; so that of those to whom the Gospel-call comes, there are but few chosen and brought in by the strait gate to the narrow way ; the multitude of them still wander. And then many are not even externally called. 2. Christ's flock is of those, Avho, entering by the strait gate, go the narrow way, following him, John x. 27, Cant i. 8. But his flock is a very little one, viz., in coraparison of the devil's drove; Luke xii. 32, " Fear not, little flock ; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdora." In vain will one pretend to restrict that to the disciples or believers then present ; since it agrees to all his to the end of the world, verse 35 — 40. His chil dren are comparatively so few in the world, that they are for signs and wonders ; Isa. viii. 18, " Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me, are for signs and for wonders in Israel." A certain evidence that they are very rare. And that this is meant of Christ is clear, from Heb. ii. 13, " Behold, I and the children which God hath given me." Israel was a typical people, chosen out of the world, few in comparison of the rest of the world ; and Christ's flock are his Israel. 3. The scripture represents them under such terras as respect a greater multitude from whom they are distinguished. They are the first-born, Heb. xii. 23 ; and how few the first-born are in compari son of other children, every body knows, being but one of each family, OA'en of the most numerous families : the flrst fruits, Rev. xiv. 4, James i. 18. Bnt how small are these in coraparison with the whole harvest ? So the Scripture-account states thera but few. Secondly, Let us take a view of the world. In whatever period we cast our eye on it, we will flnd that still the broad-way men were the multitude, the other the few. 1. The generation before the flood was such. Good men were rare in it, but evil men abounded exceedingly. What a character have they? Gen. vi. 11, 12, "The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was fllled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth." And the flood sweeping all away but eight persons, clears it demonstratively, that there were very few, if any, godly among them. The apostle calls them the world of the ungodly, 2 Pet. ii. 5. 2. From the flood to the calling of Abraham, how few were good men! That mighty apostacy, headed by Nimrod, who with his followers built the. tower of Babel, demonstrates this. Gen xi. ; they being such a vast company, that they were divided into many na- 390 THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIFE. tions, with the confusion of their languages, while the original holy tongue remained with the race of Shem, that had no hand in that rebellion against Heaven ; as it did also, I think, with the Canaan- ites that were engaged in it. But then even Shem's race was fear fully degenerate when Abraham was called ; Josh. xxiv. 2. 3. From Abraham to Moses, what a doleful case was the world in, sunk in idolatry and profanity ! I will by tio means say, that in these days there was no trne religion or godliness, but in Abra ham's family ; Melchizedec, Ishmael, &c., Avere good men ; but cer tainly they were very few in these days ; ten could not be found in Sodom. In Jacob's family itself Rachel had stolen her father's images, Jacob had occasion to purge his household of strange gods. How low was religion sunk, even with them, while they were in Egypt? See Ezek. XX. 6— 8, Rom. V. 13. 4. From Moses to Christ, or from the erecting of the Jewish Church, and all along under the law, till the setting up of the Gos pel-kingdom among the Gentiles, by the apostles, making the New Testament church, there was the same face of affairs in the world. The ceremonial law was the hedge of the church, separating her from all other societies, and enclosing her among the Jews, and the few proselytes that came to her from among the nations. The rest of the nations in the world at that time were sunk in idolatry, igno rant of the true God, and the acceptable way of worshiping him. Acts xiv. 15, 16. And what a figure made the Jewish church generally during that tirae, at every turn going off to idolatry, pro fanity spreading, formality prevailing, may be learned from their prophets, whom frora tirae to time they murdered, till at length they raurdered the Lord of glory, Matth. xxiii. 31, 32, Acts vii. 52. How few was the number of the truly godly even among them in all ages ? What a heavy life had Moses among them ? David complains. Psalm xii. 1, " Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth ; for the faitfnl fail from among the children of men." Isa. chap. i. 9, " Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodora, and we should have been like unto Goraorrah." Jeremiah, chap. ix. 2, " Oh ! that I had in the wilder ness a lodging-place of wayfaring men, that I might leave my people, and go from them ; for they be all adulterers,' an assembly of treacherous men." Micah, chap. vii. 1, " Woe is me, for I am as when they have gathered the summer-fruits, as the grape-gleaning of the vintage ; there is no cluster to eat ; my soul desired the first ripe fruit." 5. From the setting up of the New Testament church till the grand apostasy under Antichrist, the narrow way was still trode by THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIFE. 391 few in comparison ; as is evident frora the accounts we have in the New Testament, the persecutions everywhere raised against the apostles, and the state of the churches quickly after their erection, as Corinth, Galatia, and the seven churches of Asia. For the first three hundred years Paganism continued the national established re ligion in the empire, and Christians were treated as slaughter-sheep. When peace was restored, and Christianity was established by law, damnable heresies broke in among them, and particularly Arianism overspread all ; and the apostasy went on till it issued in the dark ness and apostasy under Antichrist. 6. During the time of the reign of Antichrist, until the Reforma tion, a thick darkness overspread the Christian world. It so pre vailed that " all the world wondered at the beast," Rev. xiii. 3, that is, the Christians, and particularly the European world. Those on the narrow way were so few, that they were represented by two wit nesses prophesying in sackcloth ; Rev. xi. 3. 7. Lastly, From the Reformation to this day, is the last period the world has yet seen, and that we account our own times; which, howsoever they have increased the number of the ungodly, beyond what they were before the Reformation, yet afford bnt a melancholy view of the fewness of them on the narrow way. For, 1. There is not a third part of the world that professes Christi anity at this day ; so that were they all godly that are baptized, and profess the name of Christ, they would be but few. Nay, it is reckoned, that dividing the world into thirty parts, nineteen of these are inhabited by Pagans, who know not the true God ; six by Jews and Mahometans, who reject Christ, not acknowledging him the Sa viour of the world. So five only of thirty remain professing Chris tianity. 2. Of these five, two are reckoned of the communion of the Greek church, who have a very miserable face of Christianity araong them ; denying the souls of the faithful departed to be admitted to the bea tific vision till after the resurrection ; praying for the dead ; admit ting children at seven years of age to the supper, thinking they then begin to sin ; adorning their churches with pictures ; ministers and people sunk in gross ignorance. The other remaining three parts are divided between the Popish and the Protestant churches, the former being idolaters and Antichristian. 3. Lastly, In the Protestant churches there are but few that ap pear to be on the narrow way, in comparison of those therein on the broad way. There are multitudes that are, according to the scrip ture, to be cast out of that happy number ; such as, 1. Gross heretics, sunk in fundamental errors, denying the impu- 392 THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY TO LIFE, tation of Christ's righteousness, his satisfaction, his Godhead, blas pheming the holy Trinity. Of which sort not a few are to be found in the Protestant churches ; not to mention the deists, who regard neither Christ nor Antichrist, rejecting the bible and the gospel by _ the lump. These surely are none of the nuraber; Gal. v. 19 — 21, " Now the works of the flesh are raanifest, which are these ; adul tery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, eraulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envy- , ings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like ; of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Jude verse 4, " For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord , God and our Lord Jesus Christ." 2. The grossly ignorant. What swarms of these are to be found in the churches, who have no tolerable measure of the fundamental principles ? We may,, by observing how many such are among those on whom pains are taken to instruct them, guess how they abound in countries and congregations where no tolerable care is taken of that matter. So that the bulk of people in many places are care less about and quite rude in these things. Now, " it is a people of no understanding ; therefore he that made them will not have raercy on thera, aud he that forraed thera will show them no favour," Isaiah xxvii. 11. 4. The profane, who are openly vicious in their lives, walking in the broad way with a witness. These everywhere abound, having nothing of Christianity bnt the narae, are a public nuisance to so ciety, and therefore a scandal to the Christian profession ; which has no doubt contributed to the bringing of Christianity under conterapt; Gal. V. 19—21, forecited. 4. Mere moralists, who lead a civil life in the world, as good neighbours in society, but worship not God, if it is not in the public congregations, and have not so much as a form of godliness. These also must be cast out ; Matth. v. 20, " Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." 5. Lastly, Naughty professors of religion, such as, 1. Those who are a scandal to a profession, by their habitual course of untenderness of life. They will talk of religion, but in their walk there is nothing of it to be seen. They will go about re ligious duties, but then their tongues, hands, and feet go at random all the rest of their time, as if they did these to get leave to walk FEW FIND THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY. 393 licentiously, as Avas the case with the whore; Prov. vii. 14, 15, " I have peace-offerings with rae ; this day have I paid my vows. Therefore carae I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee." 2. They who, though they are regular in the raost of their way, yet vent their naughtiness in some one or other scandalous practice, hanging about thera, such as injustice, lying, evil speaking, intolerable pride and self-conceit, deceitfulness, &c. This makes secret disgusts araong professors, alienating their affections ; Matth. v. 19. 3. Those who are as blameless in the outward raan, as human frailty permits; yet still retain some idol or idols of jealousy in the heart, and never come to a sincere corapliance with the whole will of God revealed to thera ; Psalm Ixvi. 18, and cxix. 6. 4. Lastly, Unexperienced professors, strangers to the work of grace on their hearts, and the life of God in their souls ; who have no experience of converting, regenerating grace ; and no acquaint ance with the life of faith, the spiritual corabat, and coraraunion with God in duties ; John iii. 3. 2 Tim. iii. 5. Cast out these, how few do remain ! So it is evident as the light that few of mankind find the strait gate and narrow way leading to life. III. I shall give the reasons of the point : or, whence it is that few flnd the strait gate and narrow way. It ariseth from, 1. The natural blindness of men's minds ; Eph. iv. 17, 18. They cannot discern it in its heavenly excellency, beauty, and glory ; 1 Cor. ii. 14. They hear of it, and are pointed to it, but their eyes are held that they cannot see it nor find it, as the Sodomites about the walls of Lot's house. And till the eyes of one's understanding are opened by the Spirit, he will never take it up ; and that is the privilege of few ; Isa. liii. 1. Human learning, wit, and sense, avail not here. 2. The perverseness of men's wills ; John v. 40. Men naturally have a listlessness for it ; they care not for it, therefore they do not flnd it. Nay, they have an aversion to it, their hearts are set against it ; Rom. viii. 7- And till the will be renewed, they will never come on the narrow way. A daj of power, the mercy of few, is necessary to bring thera to it ; Psalm ex. 3. And when the Spirit is at work with thera for that end, they struggle against it like a hooked fish in the water. 3. The natural bent, propensity, and attachment, to the broad way. That is the way of raen's own hearts, as the way of water is to go down, not np the brae ; so that let them alone, they would never choose, desire, nor seek another, Isa, Ivii. 17, and iu the Vol. X. 2 0 394 PEW FIND THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY. depth of sovereign wisdom the multitude is let alone ; they get their will with a vengeance. They will have head ; Job xxi. 14, and get it ; Hos. iv. 17. 4. Satan is busy to keep them off from it ; 1 Pet. v. 8. He is the great seducer, who bewilders sinners, leading them into byeways, according to their different tempers and dispositions. He represents the narrow way in frightful colours, the broad way as pleasant and safe ; so fills them with prejudices against the former, and in favour of the latter. And if at any time a sinner is like to enter the strait gate into the narrow way, he doubles his diligence, and plies him closely to keep him off from it. 5. Lastly, 111 example falling in with the natural inclination, car ries all headlong before it ; Matth. xviii. 7. There is some good example too in the world; but then it goes against the stream of the natural inclination, and so proves ineffectual. But ill example, going with the stream, easily prevails; men are apt to promise themselves peace in &t\ evil way, on which they see others going, and enjoying peace too. -Use 1. of Information. Hence learn, 1. Most of mankind then raust perish, since there is no getting to life but through the strait gate and narrow way, which few find. Proud men, from a conceit of their own excellency, cannot adrait this, that God will cast away the raost part ; but the fallen angels were of greater excellency of nature than men ; yet he casts them all away, saves none of them. They see not the consistency of it with his raercy ; but raercy must be regulated with justice, otherwise it is a softness unbecoming the Judge of all the earth ; and mercy will have its triumph in saving some, even all that take the way for it consistent with justice. They say, that then Adam will be more prevalent to ruin, than Christ to save ; bnt it is more to save one sinner, than to ruin thousands, yea a world. 2. Saints then must needs be a singular kind of persons in the world, having a way of their own different from that the multitude go in ; for they are few that find the narrow way. This cannot miss to make them look an odd sort of folk, fantastic, and humor ous in the eyes of the world, Isa. viii. 18, 1 Pet. i. 4. And whoso cannot digest that character from the world's hand, but must needs, for preserving their reputation, conform to the world, and the way in vogue with the multitude, are not fit for heaven. They are the fearful. Rev. xxi. 8, deniers of Christ, Matth. x. 33, as ashamed of hira, Mark viii. 38. 3. No wonder the interests of religion be low in the world : it has few cordial followers. Truth falls in the streets, and holiness of PEW FIND THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY. 395 heart and life is rare ; both are unfashionable, the guise of the world lies contrary to both ; for few find the narrow way. That re ligion is greatly run down, sometimes persecuted, always mocked and maligned, cannot miss, while the state of matters is such that few flnd the narrow way. 4. Lastly, Then certainly it is not easy to be a Christian, to fall on the strait gate and narrow way. The unconcernedness and care lessness of men about religion, as if they could hardly go wrong in that matter, is unaccountable. Can it rationally be thought an easy thing to hit that mark which the most part miss ? to find that way which but few of mankind do flnd ? But that fond conceit of the easiness of finding it, is one great reason why so few find it. Use 2. Of Exhortation. And, 1st, Let all consider well and examine what way it is they are on. Ask yourselves. Am I on the broad way, or on the narrow ? and en deavour to be clear as to that concerning point. Motive 1. This is a point of the utmost concern to you ; death and life hang upon it. If ye are on the broad way, you are on the road to destruction, if on the narrow way, on the road to life. And will ye be careless as to such a weighty point ? will ye not do your owu souls the justice to consider of it ? Motive 2. It is certain ye were once on the broad way, Eph. ii. 3. The only question competent here, is. Whether ye are brought off from it into the narrow way, or not ? If ye never saw yourselves on it, it is a sad token ye are on it still, though ye perceive it not ; Rev. iii. 17, 18. Though your eyes have been opened to see your selves on it, and your danger on it, it is a question for all that. Whether ye are brought off it, or not ? Motive 3. The most part are on the broad way, few have found the narrow one. Te have the more need to consider which of them ye are on. If raany had found, few missed the narrow way ; yet since there are any who miss it, the matter being of such weight, might oblige you to put it to the trial as to yourselves ; much more ought je to pnt it to the trial, when they are so few that flnd the narrow way, and so many miss it. Motive 4. There are many ways taken for the narrow way, that are not it ; and self-deceiving is rife in the world ; Prov. xxi. 2, and none more confldent than the fool, chap. xii. 15. Therefore try your way, ere ye trust it. Motive 5. Lastly, It will be a fearful disappointment the careless sinner will meet with at last, a frightful awakening the sleepy thoughtless sinner will get, falling into destruction at the end of his way ; Matth. xxv. 11, 12, "Afterward came also the other virgins, 2c2 396 FEW FIND THE STRAIT GATE AND NARROW WAY. saying. Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said. Verily I say unto you, I know you not." Isa. 1. 11. " Behold, all ye that kindle a flre, that compass yourselves about with sparks ; walk in the light of your flre, and in the sparks that ye have kindled ; this shall ye have of mine hand ; ye shall lie down in sorrow." Awake therefore in time, and consider your way ere it be too late. After what has been said on both the ways, I will only add two things. 1. If ye are on the narrow way, ye have entered by the strait gate of conversion to God ; Matth. xviii. 3 ; ye have felt the bit terness of sin, and therein the bitterness of death ; have been brought freely away out of yourselves to Christ by faith, and through him unto God by a sincere repentance. 2. If ye are on the narrow way, ye feel the narrowness of it, yet are resolute not to leave it, but go through with it ; and so your life is a continued struggle ; Phil. iii. 14. The coraraands of God are your rule, the example of Christ your pattern, the will of God the reason of your walk, the honouring of God the end and design of your life, and the Christ of God the fountain of your strength for the way. 2dly Te who are not yet on the narrow way, set yourselves to flnd it; use your utmost endeavours to get at it by the strait gate, for otherwise there is no reaching it. And, 1. Be not easy without, but seek to experience a work of sound conversion on your souls. Pray for it, hear the word for it, and muse on your own case for it, admitting conviction and cherishing it ; labouring to get such a sight of Christ in his glory and beauty, as may lead you to thorough repentance. 2. Set yourselves for a life of holy obedience, following the footsteps of Christ hiraself, and the footsteps of the flock. Apply yourselves to the way of mortification, dying to the creature and to sin daily ; to the way of newness of life, living to God in opposition to the creature, to righteousness in opposition to sin. Bdly, Lastly, Te who are ''on the narrow way, 1. Bless God for it, and be thankful, that while he reveals it to few, he has revealed it to you ; that ye are among the few, and not among the raany. 2. Walk circumspectly. Satan will be laying snares for you, that ye may stumble and fall, and if possible to get you off frora it. The fewer are on it, the world notices them the raore, ready to improve their wrong steps to the dishonour of the way. The greater will your sin be, if ye walk not worthy of such a rare privilege. THE ADVANTAGES OF CLEAVING TO, &C. 397 3. Walk on resolutely, however narroAV and straitening the way be to you ; for it leads to life ; and the broad way, however easy, to death and destruction. THE DUTY AND ADVANTAGE OF CLEAVING TO THE LORD AND HIS WAY, IN A DECLINING TIME.* Gen. vi. 9, Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generations. In the two preceding verses we have the destruction of the old world determined, ver. 7, and the preservation of Noah by special favour secured, ver. 8. When that generation for their sins was to be swept away by a deluge, Noah is God's favourite, safety and pro tection from the comraon stroke is determined for hira. Hereupon a question natively ariseth, 0 what sort of a man was Noah, who was so highly favoured ? It is answered in the words of the text, '• Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generations." Wherein we have, 1. Noah's character ; he " was perfect ;" not legally, but evange lically. He was a man of integrity, downright for God ; not follow ing the wisdom and way of the world, but studying in all things to approve himself to God. This character of his is raised, frora the consideration of the tirae wherein he lived, '' He was perfect in his generations ;" in the generation before the flood, and the generation after it. The former was a generation of general corruption, ver. 12,jwherein the speat of wickedness and apostasy ran so high, that it carried all before it ; yet even in such a time Noah kept his feet, and made his way against the stream, though he was very singular. This is the man that finds favour with God in a day of wrath against the generation, that is safe while others are swept away in the anger of God. 2. How Noah came to reach such a character ; " He was a just man." It refers not to his life ; for the perfection or integrity ascribed to him comprehends all in that point ; but to his state ; he was a justified man, justified before God by faith in the promise ; Gen. iii. 15. For so runs the original, " Noah a just man was perfect," &c. Noah held by the righteousness of faith for himself, and preached * A sermon preached on a day of solemn fasting and humiliation, at Ettriek, June 14, 1722. 398 THE ADVANTAGES OF CLEAVING TO it to Others, as we learn from Heb. xi. 7, "!By faith Noah, being warn ed of God of things not seen as yet,'moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house ; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith." 2 Pet. ii. 5, " God spared not the old world, bnt saved Noah the eighth per son, a preacher of righteousness", bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly." And not only so, but he taught and prac tised the righteousness of a holy life ; while that generation, slight ing the faith of the promise, and going off from the doctrine of free grace therein held forth, to acceptance by works, after the example of Cain, Gen. iv. 5, ran into all iraraorality, and casting off of good works, in their practice, till they were swept off the earth for their loose lives ; which is the native consequent of legality. There were others, I doubt not, besides Noah, justifled persons in that genera tion, and holy too ; at least Methuselah, who died in the year of the deluge, and Shem, Noah's son ; but this is added concerning Noah, that he " was a just man," to shew that he could not have attained that excellency in his generation, but that he was justifled by faith ; the promise being the only channel of the conveyance of grace. Two doctrines are deducible from the words. Doctrine I. In the most declining generation, wherein sin and wickedness come to the greatest height, God has still sorae, though few, that retain their integrity, and cleave to hira and his ways. In discoursing this doctrine, I shall, I. Evince the truth of the point. II. Shew how it is that the declining of a generation comes to be so very general, that so very few are left retaining their integrity. III. Why sorae, though few, are still left retaining their integ rity in such a generation. IV. Lastly, Apply. I. I shall evince the truth of this. That in the most declining ge neration, wherein sin and wickedness corae to the greatest height, God has still some, though few, that retain their integrity, and cleave to him and his ways." It has been found so in all ages of the church. In the old world there was a Noah ; in Sodom a Lot ; araong the children of Israel in Egypt a Moses, who all retained their integrity, and cleaved to the Lord and his ways. Of Moses it is said, Heb. xi. 24 — 26, that " when he was come to years, he re fused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter ; choosing rather to suffer affiiction with the people of God, than to enjoy the plea sures of sin for a season ; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt ; for he had respect unto the re- THE LORD IN A DECLINING TIME. 399 compense ofthe reward." There was a Caleb and a Joshua in the generation in the wilderness ; in Elijah's days " seven thousand ;" in Isaiah's days " a small reranant ;" Isa. i. 9, and likewise " a rem nant" in Jeremiah's days; Jer. xv. 11. In the Jewish apostasy under Antiochus, there were sorae that were tortured for the cause of God, and refused to " accept of deliverance" on sinful terras ; Heb. xi. 35. When Christ carae into the world, there were sorae " wait ing for the consolation of Israel ;" and when the Jewish nation was ruined at the destruction of Jerusalem, there was " a reranant ac cording to the election of grace." In the grand apostasy under the New Testament, there were still " two witnesses" left ; Rev. ix. II. How is it that the declining of a generation comes to be so very general, that so very few are left retaining their integrity, that they may be for signs and wonders in the day wherein they live ? 1. The corruption of human nature is the spring-head of it; Gen. vi. 5, " And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continnallv." In the most favourable tiraes for religion, in the most advantageous circumstances men can be placed in, raan's nature has still a strong bias to the wrong side ; therefore no won der, that whatever set a church or people get at soraetiraes towards religion, they do through time decline and go all wrong, according to the natural bias. 2. No due care taken for the religious education of those who are springing up, doth notably advance it. When religion falls low among parents, and those iu the place of parents having the train ing up of youth in their hands, it can hardly miss to sink among the children and youth ; so that if the one be bad, the other must needs be worse, but where sovereign grace interposes, and binders the native effect of the neglect and ill example. And here is one of the manifest causes of the declining of religion in our day, in fa milies, in parishes, and in the ministry, alas ! too. The signal cor rupting of the youth was one of the causes of the apostasy of the generation in Noah's days ; Gen. vi. 2, " The sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were fair ; and they took them wives of all which they choose." 3. Corruption of manners thus prevailing, every one serves to corrupt another, till the leaven has well nigh gone through the whole lump ; Gen. vi. 12, " And God looked upon the earth, and behold it was corrupt ; for all flesh had corrnpted his way upon the earth." In a time of declining, sin and wickedness is like a ball of snow rolled araong snow, that still grows bigger, one piece of snow licking up another ; or like the water, the farther from the head the 400 THE ADVANTAGES OF CLEAVING TO greater it grows, by the brooks that join it in its course. And dreadful execution is thus made three ways, (1.) In all tiraes there are some of no principle, that have no tincture of religion ; but in respect of religion are like a sheet of white paper. These readily take on the first bad impressions, and lie a ready prey to evil counsel, and pernicious example. By this means thousands are ruined by their falling into ill hands, and in an evil time ; who might have got another cast, if the stream of wickedness had not run so high in their day. (2.) There are others who have a very slender grip of religion. They have good meanings and inclinations ; but, alas ! the evil day coraes upon thera ere they are rooted ; and so the wind of an apos tatizing time blowing hard, their fruit and leaf is blown off, and at length they are blown up by the root with it, and go quickly away with the stream. (3.) Many that have the root of the matter in them, fall asleep, and let down their watch, and they are carried off their feet too ; and so, though they get their souls for a prey, they lose the honour and advantage of retaining their integrity in their genera tion. Thus it is said of some of the Lord's people ; Psalm xcix. 8, " Thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest ven geance of their inventions." So Moges and Aaron, for their provo cation at Meribah, died in the wilderness, with the generation that had been a snare to them ; and good Eli, for the little care he had of the young priests, to train them up rightly for his Master's work, never saw the captive ark return into Israel. 4. When a generation is thus posting on in the road of apostasy from God unto ruin, the Lord usually takes home many of his own out from among thera ; Isa. Ivii. 1,2," The righteous perisheth, and no raan layeth it to heart ; and merciful raen are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. He shall enter into peace ; they shall rest in their beds, each one walk ing in his uprightness." The good Lamech, Noah's father, died five years before the flood ; and his good grandfather Methuselah died in the very year it came on. Josiah was taken away a little before the Babylonish captivity ; Luther a little before the wars in Germany began ; holy Rutherford died the very day before the act rescissory was passed, 1661 ; and a great raan of God* in this church was taken away from among us in May 1720. Matters being thus, the de clining goes on the faster, the pillars being removed. 5. The declining humour by these means at length so prevails, * Mr. James Webster, one ofthe ministers of Edinburgh. THE LORD IN A DECLINING TIME, 401 that it makes its way over all opposition, and gets the mastery, so as it carries all before it, like a flood. And at this height of it three things are remarkable, (1.) Iniquity comes to be established by a law. Thus some are said to " decree unrighteous decrees, and write grievousness which they have prescribed; Isa. x. 1. The sin ofthe generation which began privately to set up its head, spreads, and is by degrees brought into reputation, till at length it turns truth and holiness out of their seat, and sits down in their place ; and " good is called evil, and evil good ;" Isa. v. 20. And then all are not only allured, but commanded to entertain it ; and in such cir curastances the apostasy of the generation cannot miss to make a mighty progress, like Ephraim ; Hos. v. 11, " Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment; because he willingly walked after the commandment." (2.) Shame is cast on the way of God. Thus our Lord says, that some are " asharaed of hira and his words in an adulterous and sin ful generation ;" Mark viii. 38. And that shame drives many into the net. Then men must risk either their conscience or credit and reputation ; and must either be false to God, or fools in the eyes of their generation. No doubt Noah, when he was building his ark, and the rest were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in raar- riage, would even be a laughing-stock to them. This is a mighty engine for corrupting man. Many whom blows would not drive from their religion, are ashamed out of it by an apostate generation pouring contempt on it. 3. The stream of the generation's favour runs on the side of the declining. True seriousness and tenderness serves only to make men overlooked, opposed, contemned, and despised ; while such as can go with the raultitude, are in honour and estimation. Psalm xii. throughout. The prophet Jereraiah takes notice, chap. xii. 1, that " the way of the wicked prospers," and that " they are all happy that deal very treacherously." 6, Lastly, What puts the copestone on the course of a genera tion's defection from God, and readily fills the cup to the brim, is persecution of the way of God, and of any that will dare to retain their integrity. This is the native end of a declining course, and is readily found, also, to be the full sea-mark, which when they come to, God calls them to an account for their apostasy. Lot was long vexed in Sodom : at length they made an attack upon his house, and then their ruin came on. The Jews had a long day of declining ; at length they crucified Christ, and instead of embracing the Gospel, they persecuted the apostles ; and so wrath came on them to the uttermost. 402 SOME CLEAVE TO THE LORD IN THE WORST TIMES. III. Why are some, though few, still left retaining their integrity in such a generation ? 1. Because of God's faithfulness in his promise ; Matth. xvi. 18, " Upon this rock will I build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The gates of hell may attack the church, and carry on their victory very far, but cannot prevail over her entirely. The floods may overflow her even to the neck, but shall never go quite over her head, and so utterly carry her away. Christ is ever in the midst of her ; and though his attendants that cleave to him may be very few, there will always be sorae. 2. Because God will not leave himself without a witness in an apostatising generation. While the antichristian apostasy was going on, God would have his witnesses against them maintained. Rev. xi. 3. Such a witness for God was Noah against the old world, and by his practice as well as his preaching he conderaned them, Heb. xi. 7. And this is the character of all those who in a declin ing day cleave to the Lord and his way ; Isa. xliii. 10, " Te are my witnesses, saith the Lord." Prov. xxviii. 4, " They that forsake the law, praise the wicked ; but such as keep the law contend with them." Therefore he bears them up for their work. 3. Because therein the power of his grace appears most illus triously. That the Lord preserved a Noah in the old world deluged with wickedness, before it was overflown with water ; and a Lot in Sodom, where all were so very vile, was a sort of miracle of grace, as the keeping of a candle burning in an ocean, where the waters are round about to extinguish it. There is an emphasis in that Rev. iii. 4, " Thou hast a few names, even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments." There are sometimes when in sorae places people can hardly raiss to seera good, if they be not really so ; but some times there are again, wherein it is extremely hard to get the road kept in the practice of religion, the stream runs so against it. 4. Lastly, The Lord preserves them for a seed to better days. What should have come of the new world if Noah had not been perfect in his generation ? But he served to carry the principles and practice of religion into the generation after the flood. And as long as God has a church in the world, be the times never so bad, there will still be some to cause the name of Christ to be remem bered in all generations, according to that promise ; Isa. vi. 13, " But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return," &c. Use 1. Whatever encouragement such have, that turn their back on the way of religion and seriousness, and take a sinful latitude to themselves from the multitude going their way, there is a witness against them still left, that will rise up in judgment against them. SOME CLEAVE TO THE LORD IN THE WORST TIMES. 403 and condemn them. This was the case in Noah's days ; Heb. xi. 7, " By faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house ; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteous ness which is by faith." Though iniquity is become fashionable, and the stream of it overflows all its banks in our days, there are still some who for ten thousand worlds would not take the sinful liberty to themselves that others take. And their way and practice writes death on theirs. 2. However bad the days are, let none pretend it cannot be better with them, because their lot is cast in such an evil day. The speat of wickedness never ran so high yet, as to carry all before it with out exception. But there are some, who, if religion will be easy for them, will follow it ; bnt they have no heart to strive against the stream. Such are not for heaven, especially in a declining day. 3. Be exhorted not to conform yourselves to the ways of the declining generation wherein our lot is cast ; but be among the few who cleave to him and keep his way. It is hard, yet it is possible. Noah was perfect in his generation ; it will be onr sin and ruin if we be not so in ours. Awake, and bestir yourselves to see your state, that ye be righteous by faith ; and see to your life and con versation, that ye walk with God, as Noah did. And for direction take this other doctrine. Doctrine II. God takes special notice of them for good, who in a declining generation retain their integrity, aud keep right, cleaving to him and his way in the face of a generation departing fast from him. In discoursing this doctrine I shall shew, I. What this rare attainment is, this perfection in such a gene ration ; or. How men keep right, like Noah, in such a generation. II. What are the advantages of this course, in which the Lord takes special notice for good, of those who follow it in a declining day. III. Lastly, Apply. I. The flrst thing is to shew what this rare attainraent is, this perfection in such a generation ; or. How men keep right, like Noah, in such a generation. It is then to be, 1. Sincere, and not a hypocrite. Sincerity is Gospel perfection; and where it is wanting, nothing is accepted, as is clear from the case of Anfkziah, who did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart, 2 Chron. xxv. 2 ; and where this sin cerity is, the man is accepted, notwithstanding of raany imperfec- 404 THE ADVANTAGES OF CLEAVING TO tions, as is clear from the case of Asa, who, though the high places were not taken away, yet his heart was perfect before the Lord, chap. XV. 17. Noah was a sincere soul, else he had not got such a noble character. Hypocrisy will never carry out before the Lord ; a form of godliness will be no sufficient preservative in such a gene ration, wherein the mask is taken off many faces, and the thoughts of raany hearts made manifest. 2. Downright for God, without going aside to the ways of carnal wisdom. The apostle gives us an excellent notion of it frora his own practice ; 2 Cor. i. 12, " For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversa tion in the world." The man considers Avhat is the good and accep table will of the Lord ; and that discovered, he follows it in simpli city, without consulting with flesh and blood; reckoning it his greatest wisdom to cleave to the Lord's way, and that his greatest wisdom lies in discerning the steps of the great Leader before him. Other wisdom will be a false light. 3. Tender in one's private walk and conversation, as under the eye of the all-seeing God. This David could say from his own ex perience ; Psalra xviiL 23, " I was upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity." Men will iu vain pretend to be perfect in their generation, by keeping a fair outside in public, while in the meantime they make no conscience of the secret life of a Christian, which the world cannot be witness to. Those that truly keep right in such a day, set themselves above all to keep their own hearts, to mortify their own lusts, and to keep up communion with God in duties ; and do not satisfy themselves with a parcel of outward per formances. 4. Watchful against snares and temp'tations, that one be not led away with thera. The perfect man has his eyes in his head to dis cern his hazard ; and his soul cries within him, " Lead us not into temptation." And he labours to stand at a distance from sin : And (1.) From the sin with which he is most easily led aside. Psalm xviii. 23 ; Heb. xii. 1. (2.) From the snares and sins of the time wherein he lives. He sees the snares of that sort raany, as they always are in a declining tirae ; and it is his business to keep his garraents clean. Rev. iii. 4. Whatever his station is in the world, he will never think himself out of hazard of being led aside into sinful courses, while all flesh have corrupted their way. 5. Proof against ill example, which is the great engine of Satan for carrying on apostacy in such a day and generation. So was Noah in the old world, and Lot in Sodom. They who set God be- THE LORD IN A DECLINING TIME. 405 fore them as they ought, while he bids thera stand, though all the world should be moving forward, will not dare to follow. Ill exam ple is the ruin of many in such a day. Hence saith our Lord, Matth. xxiv. 12, " Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." 6. A mourner for the sins of others. Hence we read of some that sighed and cried for all the abominations that were done in the midst of Jerusalem, Ezek. ix. 4. And righteous Lot, while dwelling in Sodora, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul frora day to day, with the unlawful deeds of that people, 2 Pet. ii. 8. Such a one will not think hiraself unconcerned in the sins of the generation wherein he lives. He sees God is dishonoured, his wrath is pro voked, the souls of the sinners are thereby put in the utmost hazard, and his own soul is in hazard of being held consenting thereto. So love to God, to his neighbour, and to himself, kindles in his soul a real grief and sorrow for the sins of the generation. 7. An opposer of the sinful courses of the day and generation wherein he lives, as he hath access. Hence is that exhortation ; Eph. V. 11, " Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of dark ness, but rather reprove them." It is not enough to stand off from thera ourselves; but we ought to witness against sin in others, .to reprove, admonish, and exhort sinners to take heed of the God-pro voking courses. The Lord in such a time saith, " Who is on my " side ?" And we are to take part with God against a sinful, back sliding, wicked generation. 8. Lastly, In a word, it is to be rowing against the stream of iniquity, and endeavouring to draw the nearer God that others are going far from him ; to be best when others are worst ; to be the more earnest, serious, and active in real religion, the more low we see it falling in our day. This may afford us matter of lamentation, shewing there are few perfect in our generation. (1.) Most part are under visible blemishes in their outward conversation. (2) They that are otherwise, are asleep; they are not active for God; if they be not carried away with the stream, they do not oppose it. . II. The second thing is, to shew what are the advantages of this course, in which the Lord takes special notice for good, of those who follow it in a declining day. 1. Sweet peace of conscience in keeping the Lord's way, while others are disregarding it. Hence saith the apostle, 2 Cor. i. 12, " Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in sim plicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdora, bnt by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world. Though 406 THE ADVANTAGES OP CLEAVING it is hard to row against the streara of an apostatizing generation, and may expose one to rauch trouble; yet there is a quietness within, a certain satisfaction that ariseth from reflecting that one is in the way of duty, and through grace gets it kept. And this will be of great value with those who by experience have learned, that inward peace is preferable to peace with all the world, and is to bebought at any rate, but sold at none. Hence saith Job, chap, xxvii. 6, " My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go ; my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live." 2. Communion with God, and access to him in duties. Hence saith onr Lord, Join xiv. 21, " He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me : and he that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." As the endeavour to keep right in such a day, gives the upright soul many errands to God, and obliges him to be looking much to the Lord, whence must come his help ; so the Lord even allows the soul access to hira in such ai,case in a special man ner. Rev. xi. 4 ; and though no works of theirs, but the blood of Jesus only is the ground of their confldence before the Lord, yet uprightness for God removes the impediments which hinder the soul's confidence. Hence saith the apostle, 1 John iii. 21, " Be loved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God." If any have comraunion with God in such a day, it shall be they. Hence saith the prophet, Micah ii. 7, " 0 thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the Spirit of the Lord straitened ? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh up rightly ?" 3. A sweet allowance of furniture, strength, and support, for the duty called for; Prov. x. 29, "The way of the Lord is strength to the upright." Sometiraes the Lord calls his people to the field of battle ; and unbelief says, it will not do, for they are naked and unarmed ; but the call being clear, they that would keep right in an evil day, must venture forward at their Lord's beck, though naked, leaving it upon him by faith to provide them weapons when and where he will, 1 Sam. ii. 4. And then they are provided in the field of battle, if not before. Hence saith our Lord, Matth. x. 19) '' When they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak, for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak." And whoever uprightly venture thus to swim against the stream, they may assure themselves the Lord will be the lifter up of their head. 4. Seasonable providential appearances for them. God has a watchful eye for good over them who keep his way ; and he will TO THE LORD IN A DECLINING TIME. 407 protect them in it, while he has use for them that way ; Psalm cxxi. 2, 3, " My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved ; he that keepeth thee will not slumber." They that would carry uprightly in a declining time, must lay their account to run a risk ; but it ever remains a truth ; Prov. X. 9, " He that walketh uprightly, walketh surely." And whoever do uprightly appear for God in an evil day, sooner or later God will appear for them, with a favourable cast of his hand ; Prov. xvi. 7, " When a raan's ways please the Lord he maketh even his ene mies to be at peace with him." Lot was a witness against Sodom's wickedness ; and at length they make a furious attack on hira and his house, but God seasonably interposeth for his rescue. Gen. xix. 9, 10, 11. Jereraiah in the road of duty was in hazard of death, but the princes rescue him, especially Ahikara, Jer. xxvi. Samuel wit nesses against Israel's bent for a king ; but there was no divert ing them ; the speat ran so high, that he could not stem it ; but God joined his testiraony frora heaven against the people's course by thun der and rain, which left a conviction in their breasts, so that they greatly feared the Lord and Sarauel," 1 Sara. xii. 18. 5. Lastly, Special favour in a suffering tirae, when the Lord ariseth to plead his controversy with the sinful generation. Hence saith the prophet Habakkuk, chap. iii. 16, " When I heard, my belly trembled ; my lips quivered at the voice ; rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble." The best security against a time of suffering is upright ness for God in a sinning, declining time. (1.) Sometimes they are so seen to in a common calamity, that they are freed from trouble, as if they dwelt alone, or had a Goshen to live in, while darkness is over all the land. Hence saith the Lord ; Ezek. ix. 4, " Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh, and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof ;" au allusion to the Israelites in Egypt. Noah had an ark when the old world was destroyed ; Lot was saved when So dom was burnt up. God can hide whom he will, when the world is in greatest confusion. (2.) A mitigation of trouble when they meet with it in a suffering tirae. Though they may drink of the cup of comraon calamity, it shall be of the brim, not of the bottom ; there shall be much sweet mixture in it. Jer. xv. 11, " The Lord said. Verily it shall be well with thy reranant, verily I will cause the eneray to intreat thee well in the time of evil, and in the time of affliction." The rod shall be to them but the rod of a man, a weak raan, that lays on but a slen der stroke. 408 THE ADVANTAGES OF CLEAVING TO (3.) They shall be safe frora the sting of trouble ; they will have ease within, though trouble without, Hab. iii. 16 ; forecited. Their standing at a distance frora the provocations that brought on the stroke, will afford much sweet peace, while others flnd themselves taken in the snares their own hands have made. (4.) They lie fairest to be preserved from the temptations of a suffering time, and to be carried cleanly through. Hence is that promise ; Rev. iii. 10, " Because thou hast kept the hour of my pa tience, I also will keep thee frora the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth." The Lord in his just judgment, for the sins of a backsliding genera tion, often brings such a trial, as does not only expose men to suffer ing, but to sinning, and renouncing the religion that is left them. And it is too likely that they may come to be tho trial of this gene ration ; but they that now retain their integrity, are fairest to be preserved in such a day. (5.) Lastly, Let the worst corae to the worst in the raatter of trouble, it shall be well with them. Josiah had a proraise of dying in peace, 2 Kings xxii. 20, yet he died in battle ; but the proraise stood flrm, for die as they will, they die in peace who die within the covenant of peace. The grave is one of God's hiding-places for his people. Use. I exhort you to be perfect in this generation, to be persons of integrity, downright for God, rowing against the streara of this sinful generation. And in order to that, 1. Purge your conversation from the gross pollutions of the out ward man. It is the character of " the man who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord," that " he hath clean hands, and a pure heart; hath not lift np his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully," Psalm xxvi. 3, 4. Be blaraeless in your walk before the world, standing at a distance from the profanity of the generation. It is true that this is' not enough; but alas ! wickedness is at such a height in the generation, that there are few whose outward conversation is not stained with cursing, swearing, banning, drunkenness, deceitfulness in their dealings, lying, profanation of the Sabbath, &c. Surely, whoever they be that are perfect in this generation, it is not the like of these. 2. Be Christians indeed, in the inner raan. Such an one is described Rora. ii. 28, 29, "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew which is one inwardly ; and circumcision is that of the heart ju the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God." For real religion is under a deep decay; and as pro fanity is devouring the souls of some, woful formality is preying on THE LORD IN A DECLINING TIME. 409 the souls of others. The virgins are generally slumbering and sleeping, and the life of religion is much gone. 0 strive to be among the " few names which have not defiled their garraents," Rev. iii. 4, And here I would recommend three things to you. (1.) Study to be experimental Christians ; Psalm xxxiv. 8, " 0 taste and see that the Lord is good ; blessed is the man that trusteth in him." Experimental religion is mnch worn out in our day. Men satisfy themselves with dry and sapless notions of religion in their heads, while they labour not to flnd the power of truth on their souls ; and hence it comes to pass that truth itself is a-going so fast. See the proraise ; John viii. 32, " And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (2.) Be exercised Christians, like Paul ; Acts xxiv. 16, " Herein do I exercise myself (says he) to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men ;" exercised about your soul's case, carefully obserring whether ye be going back, or coming for ward ; looking to the ills of your hearts, your pride, passion, un tenderness, &c., and setting yourselves to mortify these ; exercised to know what is sin and duty in particular cases ; to notice the Lord's comings or goings with respect to your souls. (3.) Lively and active Christians. The prophet complains, that it was otherwise in his time ; Isa. Ixvi. 7, " There is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself, to take hold of thee ; for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, becanse of our iniquities." In public, and in private and secret duties, stir up yourselves to get near God ; to get the favour of re ligion on your spirits ; and strive against deadness, formality, and spiritual numbness, that has seized on most of the generation. 3. Be of a public spirit. That is a spirit sunk sore in this gene ration ; in place of which is come a detestable neutrality, indif ferency, selfishness, and worldliness ; Phil. ii. 21, " For all seek their own, not the things which are. Jesus Christ's." Be ye concerned for the public honour of God, for the ark of God, for Zion in all her distresses. Let your hearts say, as Psalm cxxxvii. 5, 6, " If I for get thee, 0 Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.'' They that are not with Christ in such a case are against hira. 4. Be of a Gospel spirit, having high thoughts of the free grace of God, and deep irapressions of the nothingness of man, and all that he can do ; " Gal. vi. 14, " God forbid (says the apostle) that I shonld glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." Learn and Vol. X. 2d 410 THE ADVANTAGES OP CLEAVING TO hold fast Gospel principles in your heads ; keep up a Gospel frarae in your hearts, and have a Gospel practice in your walk. Learn the art of living by faith, believing the promise, and on the credit of the proraise going out in duty. Let love constrain you to obe dience, and be strict and tender in the whole of your walk, and so adorn the profession of the Gospel. 5. Be accurate observers of your duty to God, whom the genera tion we live in has much cast behind their back. Be conscientious in the duties of godliness, frequent and fervent. Keep your hearts for him ; worship him reverently, converse much with his word ; give yourselves to prayer ; let him have the morning as well as evening sacrifice in secret and in your families ; name his dreadful and holy name as little as you can in common conversation, and never mention it but with awe on your spirits ; sanctify his day, and let alone discoursing of your worldly business before and be twixt sermons, at home or at the kirk. 6. Be nice observers of justice and truth in your dealings with men ; for both these are rare to a marvel iu this generation, as they were of old. See Isa. lix. 13 — 15, Mic. vii. 1, &c. 0 sirs, do not go with the stream of the generation. Know that God is a God of justice and truth, and his soul loathes the unjust and deceitful man. A little gained or kept back by injustice, may bring a blasting curse on all you have, and may make it melt yet like snow before the sun. Make not the way ofthe multitude the standard of justice in your dealings ; but " to the law and the testimony ; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Especially I recommend to you, and, as the messenger of God, do bind it this day on your consciences, " All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to thera ; for this is the law and the prophets," Matth. vii. 12. Lie not ; bnt be ye tender of speaking truth, as ye would be tender of your souls. That is the character of the Lord's people ; Isa. Ixiii. 8, " Children that will not lie." Be slaves to your word ; if it be to your loss, do not break your promises. This is the character of a citizen of Zion : Psalm XV. 4, " He sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not." And in a special manner do not break your promises, and alter your bargains with the poorer sort to their loss ; Prov. xxii. 22, " Rob not the poor because he is poor ; neither oppress the afflicted in the gate." 7. Oppose and set yourselves against sin and wickedness in others, as ye have access ; and so endeavour to stem the tide of the apostasy of the generation ; Eph. v. 11, " Have no fellowship with the un fruitful works of darkness, bnt rather reprove thera." Appear on THE LORD IN A DECLINING TIME. 411 the Lord's side as witnesses for him, and his ways of truth and holiness ; and discountenance and bear testimony against the dis honour you see done to his name. Strengthen the weak in hazard to be led away ; admonish and warn those before whora teraptations are laid; and shew yourselves adversaries to all sinful courses. Hence are these exhortations, 1 Thess. v. 14, " We exhort you, bre thren, warn thera that are unruly, corafort the feeble-minded, sup port the weak, be patient toward all men." Jude, vers. 22, 23, " Of sorae have compassion, making a difference : and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." If ye be Christ's disciples, ye are the salt of the earth, Matth. v. 13, to resist putrefaction. 8. Do your endeavour to get a right set in the young generation, who are in great hazard at this day. It should be the work of all that fear God, to be concerned for posterity, after the example of David ; Psalm xlv. 17, " I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations ; therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever :" and therefore to give good example and precept in their families, as did Abraham, Gen. xviii. 19, " For I know hira, that he will coraraand his children, and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgraent:" and to be useful to all others of the younger sort, as they have opportu nity, to recommend the way of the Lord to them, and set them at odds with the sinful courses of the day. The hope of future times lies in them ; and what will become of the land, and of the work of God, his cause and interest in it, if they be bred up in the ways of the present apostacy of the generation ? When we look to the rising generation at this day, they are visi bly declining, generally corrupt in their manners, and worse than their fathers ; however, in a few years, church, and state, and coun try will be in their hands. This is a weighty consideration for all who are concerned for religion. I would therefore drop a few words to those of the younger sort of both sexes. 1. While you are entering on the stage of the world at this tirae, you must either act the part of witnesses for God against the sinful courses of the day, or enter into the conspiracy of the generation against God. Te cannot be neutral, however ye may think to be so ; Matth. xii. 30, " He that is not with me," saith Christ, " is against me ; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth abroad." There fore consider well which to choose, and resolve to sist yourselves forthwith on Christ's side. Say as Joshua, chap. xxiv. 15, " And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served, that 2d2 412 THE ADVANTAGES OF CLEAVING TO were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Araorites, in whose land ye dwell : but as for rae and my house, we will serve the Lord." 2. Know that this land is married to the Lord in solemn cove nants to reform what is amiss, and to preserve the reformation in doctrine, worship, discipline, and government, and to oppose what soever is contrary to sound godliness. And since that time there have been speats of defection and apostacy frora God. But among our fathers were found witnesses for God, who, at the expense of all that was dear to them in the world, and even of their own lives, transmitted the testiraony for truth and holiness unto us. It lies upon your consciences to take it up, and maintain it ; for ye must be answerable to God for it in your stations ; and woe, woe will be to that generation in whose hand it falls. This was expressly en joined to, and strongly inculcated upon the Jewish church, as ye may see from Psalm Ixxviii. 5 — 7; " For he established a testiraony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, when he coraraanded our fa thers, that they should raake thera known to their children. That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born : who should arise, and declare them to their chil dren. That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God ; but keep his commandments." 3. The speat of irreligion, neglect and contempt of seriousness, runs so high among the young generation of this day, that ye are iu great hazard of being carried away with it ; and can hardly miss to be so, if ye do not look well to yourselves. Therefore take these advices. (1.) Begin the world as ye would desire to end it ; Eccl. xii. 1, " Reraeraber now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in thera." Though ye be young now, ye must be old, and go the way of all flesh then, if not before. It is pity to stand at a distance from religion and seriousness while ye are young, since ye know the day will come when ye will need it, and ye know not how soon. (2.) Give an obedient ear to good advice for your souls. Nature is corrupt, youth is headstrong, raw, and inexperienced; there is much need for to be pliable to the counsels of those concerned for your spiritual welfare, Prov. v. 11, 12, " lest thou mourn at the last, wheu thy flesh and thy body are consumed ; and say. How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof?" A foAV years may come to let you see the folly of the way of wilfulness. (3.) Take heed to your company; 1 Cor. xv, 33, "Be not de- THE LORD IN A DECLINING TIME. 413 ceived : Evil communications corrupt good manners." Ill corapany has been the ruin of many, and is so at this day. And many have fallen into such company in their youth, as has given them an ill set, that has stuck to thera all their days ; or led them into such courses, as have soon ruined them. (4.) Observe carefully and improve what ye see befalling young people as well as others. Tou see there are of that sort carried off to eternity in the middle of their days ; and is it not reasonable you should tiraely see to your own state, in case it be your lot too? Tou see what wretched snares the folly of youth betrays many into ; and be ye therefore on your guard. Take heed of sad examples set before you, lest ye become examples to others. (5.) Study to learn the lesson of the vanity of the world ; Eccl. i. 2. What is youth, strength, beauty, wealth, &c. but fair fading flowers, that last not, but are quickly gone ? Cease your towering imaginations, your flourishing hopes of worldly contents, your big proraises to yourselves of what flne things you may reach ; these will but make your disappointments the more cutting. (6.) Consecrate yourselves to the Lord ; and let Christ Jesus, the plant of renown, the chief among ten thousands, have your hearts and affections while ye are young ; Prov. xxiii. 26, " My son," says the Lord, "give rae thine heart, and let thine eyes observe ray ways." Lay hold on hira in the covenant of grace, and knit unto hira by faith, and so lay your measures for your welfare in tirae and eternity. (7.) Carry yourselves tenderly and religiously, being holy in the whole of your conversation ; Heb. xii. 14, " Follow peace with all raen, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." Whatever be your station in the world, be conscientious in the duties of it, looking on the all-seeing God as the party with whom ye have chiefly to do. And particularly be modest in your garb, speech, and behaviour ; that Satan may not carry ou his triumph at the