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SELECT REMAINS
THE REV. JOHN BROWN,
r ! iy
JtAfE MINISTER OF fHE GOSPEL Af
WHO DIED JUNE 19, 1787.
Containing;
I. Memoirs of his Life;
II. Letters to his Friends ;
III. Religious Tracts ;
IV. Advices to his Children ,
V. An account of some of his
Dying Sayings ; and
VI. Dying Advices to his
Congregation.
In doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound
speech that cannot fae condemned. Tit. ii. 7, 8.
Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversa-
tion, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity 1 Tim. iv 12.
1 have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have
kept the faith ; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give
me at that days 2 Tim- iv. 7, 8.
TO WHICH IS ADDED,
ADDRESS TO STUDENTS OF
PITTSBURGH,
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY CRAMER, SFEAE
AND EICHBAUM, AT THE FRANKLIN HEAD
BOOKSTORE, IN MARKE V, BE-
TWEEN FRONT AND SE-
- COND STREETS.
1810.
k
PREFACE
THAT the subjects of the following Papers
are serious and interesting;, we suppose, will be
readily admitted. It is, however, judged neces-
sary that we attest, that the Papers themselves
are the genuine productions of our Father.
1. The JMemoirs were in substance written
by his own hand, -two or three years before he
died. It was -his care to mark the singular dis-
pensations of Providence towards him; and then
prudently to declare them to his children, that
they also might set their hope in God.
2. The Letters were sent by him to some
intimate friends. We need scarce inform * the
reader, that the -author never had the most re-
mote thought of their being printed. Some of
the persons who had them hu.possessjqp, finding
u -
t iv. }
tfeeir own hearts warmed with the truths which
r ~* * /
they contained, expressed ; a -willingness to have
them made publick, for the edification of others,
3. The Tracts were composed by him, and
published at London ; some of them in the Go$-
\~ " .-' v .'.-"'">" ~* * ' .
pel Magazine, ^ and the rest in the Theological
Miscellany* As comparatively few have seen
them, in these treasures of divine knowledge, it
was thought, that by . the-reprinting of them in,
this collection, they would be of more general
Service*
& The j&chzce& to the children and to the _
Congregation, were found among our father's pa-
pers after his decease. He was convinced in
his own mind, that Union to Christ, evidenced
by conformity to him in holiness, " is the one
thing needful;" this was the doctrine which Ke
taught whilst he lived ; and he intended, that,
these advices should declare his sentiments on
"
this subject, when .he was dead.
5. The Dying Words were almost all wrote
down when uttered; and, as the writer behoved
to attend to the duties of his station, in a dis-
tant part of the cpuntry, much of what was said
{''* 1
in his absence was forgotten. It will he admit-
ted by all who were acquainted with the de*
ceased," that, although he had a peculiar plea-
sure, in relating the well-attested accounts of the
experiences of others, yet, with respect to his
own, he was very reserved. If in the end of
his life, he expressed his confidence in the
strongest terms, it can only be imputed to the
fulness of his inward persuasion. If at last he
was free in mentioning God's gracious dealings
with his soul, it, will be remembered, that it was
only among a circle of friends and acquaintances.
.'
But indeed his heart was so much filled with
the admiration of the love of God, that " he
could not speak the things which he had seen
and heard."
No doubt the editors will be censured by
sbme / , as too partial to the memory of their de-
ceased father, in offering these papers to the
publick: we, however, flatter ourselves, that the
pleasing hope of being instrumental in doing
good to souls, will always more than overba-
lance any uneasiness arising from reflections of
this kind.
E vi. 3
If some secure hypocrites are' awakened,,
some profane sinners are convertea, some waver-
ing Christians are established, and some dis-
tressed souls are comforted; we have 'fully gain-
ed our -end in the publication.
That the Lord may make the perusal of
A
these 'Select Remains, effectual for accomplishing
such valuable purposes on many is the prayer of
their servants in the work of the gospel.
JOHN BROWN,
EBENEZER BROWN.
Teb. 6, 1789.
CONTENTS
Page.
Preface .------ iii,
Memoirs of Mr. Brown's Life - - - 9
A Dedication of himself to the Lord - - 18
Letters 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25.
TRACTS.
I. Meditation upon Christ's being made of God
to us Sanctiflcation - - - - 38
II. A Contrast of the Purchase and Application
of Redemption - - 44
III. Reflections of a Soul shut up to the Faith - 48
\
IV. Reflections of a Christian upon his spiritual
Elevations and Dejections - - 52
V. Reflections of a Candidate for the Ministerial
Office - - ... 57
VI. Reflections of one entered Into the Pastoral
Office * - - ' - - - -63
VII. Reflections of a Minister encouraging him-
self in Christ - ... 69
VilU ^CONTENTS.
VIII. On conditional -Election and free-will . 15
IX. The Parliament dissolved - - - 79
X. TKe Grand Poll : : - > - * 82
XI. Jtefc of Britain's Iftbt to God --> - - 89
XII. Britain's sole Preservative r - - 97
XIII. Christ the best Minister of State ; - 101
XIV. Blanchard' s Travel excelled - - 107
X V A sore vexed Soul .delivered - - 110
-^ -- ,".'-,-'
The Author's dying Advice to his younger
.;' Children v ;- - " - - -116
Narrative of his dying Words - ; - - 1^0
\fiV* dying Advice to his Congregation and -_
o^A^r Hearers - - - : - ^"162
Address to Students of Divinity - * - 169
, j^ t 3~--^ - ""'" '~ * *
- "- - * if ';;/'
"5 - -<>
EM AIMS
miiiiiiim
% MEMOIRS
THE Rev/^ohn Brown was : ,b6rn in ithe
-year 1722, in a little village called Carpou, in the
'eOunty of~:Perthy /Scotland, v The narrative of his
experience which he left behind him. is as follows :
,,
'"
I consider the" dealings between God
soul, I am the more amazed at his marvel-
iiou'^ikindness to me, and at my ingratitude and re-
A bellioh against him.
^ X reflect on it. as a great mercy, that I was bqrri in
^a famijyl^hich tookieare of my Christian instruction,
and^.,uP which Y I .had|ihe privilege of God's worship
bolj^morning and ey^ening. This was the case in few
^atopies inihat corner; and it was the more remarka-
oieBbnsidering that my father had riot got any regu-
,la||instruction in reading. >"
Ahciutthe eighth year of my age, I happened in a
}w tp'ipush into the church at Abernethy, on a sa-
QrantenWsabbath. Then it. was common for all but
iiSteni^d communicants to be excluded. Before I was
^xcluned, I heard one or .two tables served by a min-
st^^.who spake much to the commendation of Christ :
this in a sweet and delightful manner captivated my
y*pung^affections, and has since made me think that
children should never be kept out of: the church on
REMAINS.
such occasions." At th|s period,, of life my thirst
after, knowledge was great, an^-i^Jeed . pride ojten
instrgatedi; me to diligence. , ]\^:parejats' circuml||p^
ces were" such, thf|?they wfere ^ notltle to^afford me "^
, any great leijgth of time at Schoollpr reatling,
tingyvand arithmetick.^^I had a particular delightfn '.
learning byl!h%lrt the catechisms^publjished by Vin-rl
; cent, Flavel^and the Westminste^asllmblyj.and was "I
-. , n 1_k __-_ _ fL : A- j*TI^_-l -.- j_l_ ^*\ _ _" * 1_ "_1:-J ~ _ _ 1_ _:" r j,{l"-"-ir * 1.
My father dying abolit the eleventh^^ar of my ;
age,iid my mother, sopji after, I was lei^^poor or?
phan, and had nothing to depend- on ;; hut the '
dencefof Go.d ;r-^-and I ...must say that"||te
been ' the father of th6? fatherless, and the oi
stay.' ^ - -'-^ ^f. lf ; ~
In the thirteen^th-ai\d fourteenth-rjiears of myjife,
the;;Lord by hiis" wt>jft!, read ^|d xheard, did plfen
strive with my soul for its good. The perusgLof Al-
lan's- l Alarm to the Uriebnve^t^jd' contriBu|ed,.,an
some measure, to awaken my consci^Ge^ and to mdve
my affections. However, some- of his^^nts, :
worse by^my coEraDtmind, occasioned; my legi
yenanting with God^ I^niade mjch the s^ne use e of
that excellent book, Gifjlhrie's
terest in jChy ist.' -Indeed, suoffwas tnbfas;6J
: heart, under her coir^ic^ons, that I was wiUing^to
any thing rather thalrtflM to Christ, an4 ..t^
free grace alone '-'for my^s^ation, ^ ^ ;' <
-I had-no small g|easur^about this
ing religious books, such! as the Bible,
Letters, Gouge's Directions how to walk with God,
By means, of attention to tljese,,! was leaj^inlo^
in my external Beha-
&:
viour. The impressions which were "made on my
mind,~by the sermons which I heard, and the books
* wj^jch I readj^ere: on. certain- occasions y^e ; ry great,
and sometim&s continued for several days; . Under
t^ese Iwalr much given to prayer, but'concealed all
my religious exercises to the utmost of. my power.
Within a few months after iny mother's death, I was
seized.four times with fevers, which succeeded. each
other rapidly, and which brought me so low, that^al-
most every person who saw^irhe lost all hopes of my
recovery: though I did not expect immediate death,
in those troubles, yet apprehensions of eternity ex-
ceedingly^ affected me. ^i "serious friend told me, af-
ter I was^recovered, that, when she was praying^ in
,my ; behalf,, these words, i I will satisfy him with long
- r .?life', and rwlll shew him my salvation.' were-so im-
.jT^. >.-" * - .- - -'. 4 - J * - .
pressed by God oii'her heart, that she was perfectly
easytunder aU -iny distress.
Deprived of my parents, I was obliged to leave a
small religious family, and torenter into a larger.
This was attended with much practical apostacy from
the liord. My former attainments were lost, and re-
ligious exercises were often omitted. Even secret
reaver, wlslnot always regularly performed ; ib'iit I in .
"^^ folly pleased Jnyself, by making up the number
day, in w|dch I had been^^cient on another. ;
, After^Enany chatigest.in the'fr^mijof my heart,
wifjrli fever in the
n"so1ne degree awa-
salvation;^
-. - -
'a serinbn on John vi.
^ '. There are^some of you that believe not.' This,
Jlfhough delivered by one^that wasTeckoned a general
preacher, gierced^hy .conscience, ^ 1? almost every
sentfnce hlfd beensjiire^ted torie^ btit te; and it
.
'"-'j-*' 1 ^
. 12-'
*m
made me conclude myself one of the greatest unbe
lievers in the world. My soul was thrown into #|prt
of agony, and 1 was made to look on all my foriiher
experiences as effects of the commori operations of
the Holy Ghost. In this manner I viewed. theni'for
-many years; afterwards, till at last God shewed me,
that I was wrong in throwing aside all my attain-
ments, as having nothing really gracious in them.
Next day I heard a sermon on Isa. liii. 4. '.Sure-
ly he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.'
This enlightened and melted my, heart in a way that
I had never before felt. I was made as a poor lost
sinner, as the chief of sinners, to essay appropriating
the Lord Jesus as having done all for me^ and as
wholly made over to me in the gospel, as the free gift
'of God ; and as my all-sufficient Saviour, answerable
to all my folly, ignorance, guilt, filthiness, slavery and
misery. Through this, and other ordinances, the
pleasure which I had enjoyed in some former years,
was not only remarkably returned, but I attained far
clearer views of the freedom of God's grace, ; and the
exercise of taking hold of, and pleading, the promi-
rses of the gospel. I had hot been much above a year,
when I was exercised with a new trial of five years
continuance. Xfccpnsequence of my anxious pursuit
after learning, as opportunity was given, and espe-
cially by the gracious assistance of God, I had; ae*
.quired some knowledge of tlie Latin, Greek, and He-
brew languages; arid was-resolying to use them; in
the service of Christ, if l^e should open a regular
door. My learning of these languages without amas-
ter, except for one month, Occasioned my obtaining
the favour of some, and my meeting with^he malice
of others. By the last it' was represented^ that I had
certainly got my ".learning, in some sinful way; and
this groundless calumny spread far and "wide. The
reproach was exceedingly distressing to me ; howe-
" S*,s - '-'-
-.-<, ;,:-
SELECT REMAINS.
maSd /his loving ^kindness in the^day-tinie, and his
sjSng stialllbe with me in the night, and my prayer
- to the 0od%f my life' were peculiarly sweet r to my
soul. . .-'.%-
The members of the Praying Society, to which I
belonged, continued my steady friends, and were
more; kind to me now" than before. Myhacquaintance
with- the world bein'g extended, many others also'
manifested remarkable sympathy. But my chief sup-
port under the calumny was the words of truth, which
the Lord enabled me to believe. At sacramental oc-
casions, at Dunfirmline, Burntisland, and Glasgow,
he marvellously refreshed my soul, and made these
years the most pleasant that ever I had, or perhaps
ever shall have on earth. .
is&ourses oh these v texts ; Heb. x. 37. ' Yet a
i|||and he that shall come will come :' Ezek.
xxxvii. i2-^-> Behold, O my people, I will open your
graves !' and Psalm xci. 2 4 1 will say of the Lord,
_ he is" my refuge :' and a meditation on Psal. v. 1.
> Biit^as for me, I will come into thy house in the mul-
titude of thy mercy;' were peculiarly ravishing.
5;OVXean while the Lord, by the reproach which was
^ cast upon me, led me out to ponder my own heart
, and, way, and made me to see myself before him as a
devil, and much worse. This excited me to submit
to my lot, and kept me from exposing my slanderers.
Micah's words much affected :tny heart; chap. vii.
8r-JO, >vHejoiete not against me, O mine enemy;
when I fall I snail arise;" when ,1 sit in darkness the
Lord shall be a light unto, me, &c.* Then, and ever
sincq, I have fouiicl that the Lord hath most plainly
vindicated me wlien I have made the least carnal
'
14- . . .,.-;>- SELECT
.struggling for flay own honour. I could
.mark topy that r the sting; which I had found in^my ^
learning, tended to keep nie humble under wfiat I
had attained; and the false,reproa6nes which I then
met with, have made me all along less e^edulous^of
what I haye ; ;heard charged upon others. On these,,
|and other accounts, I have since looked upon that af-
iliction as a kind providence to my souK By a won-
derful variety of dispensations, the Lord graciously
opened a wayifor my getting some regular instruction
in philosophy and divinity ; and I was licensed to
.preach the everlasting gospel in,. ..the year 1 75O. I
could not but be affected, that about this time, if not
the same night, in which I was licensed, my primary
calumniator was excommunicated by his supporters.
Behold, O my soul, 'the goodness and severity of -
God' towards him severity, and towards me (per-
haps ten thousand; times worse) goodness. Let me
never be high-minded, but fear.
- .. :;'..-_}*
On the morning before I was licensed j that awful
text was much impressed on my spirits-; Isa.fvi; 9,
1O. .' He said, go and tell this people, Hear ye incLeed,
but understand not ; see ye indeed but perceiveigaot.,
Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears;
heavy, and shut their eyes ; lest they see with their
eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with,
their heart, and convert and be healed.' "Since 1 was?f
ordained at Haddington, I know not how often it
hath been heavy to my heart, to think how much this.
scripture hath been fulfilled in my ministry. Fre^
quently I have had an anxious, desire to be removed
by death, from being a plague-to my poor congrega-
tion. Often, however, I have taken myself, and have
considered this wish as my folly, and begged of the
Lord, that if it was not for his glory to re'move me
by death, he would make me successful in my work.
As to transportations^ I never, had a good|opinion of
'
''*''''' ^ SELECT -AEMAINSi ''' ^ "15
the*|jaost of them ; and I always looked upon it as, so
far %mrcy, that my congregation was small;- After
.all, Idare not but confess, that Christ is the best mas-
teY I ever served: -he hath often laid matter before
me, and enabled mev with pleasure to deliver his,
mind. Any little knowledge which I haVethad of my
uncommonly wicked heart, and of the Lord's r deal-
ings with my own soul, hath helped me much in my
'sermons; and I have observed, that I have been apt
to deliver that which I had experienced, in a more
feeling and earnest manner, than other matters.
No -sermons that ever I preached were, I think,
more sweet to my own soul, than those on the follow- .
ing texts; Psalifcxlii. 7 * Bring my soul out of pri-
son:' Isa. xliv. 5 c One shall say, I am tile" Lord's.'
CJ:(3hap. xlvi. iSf ' Even to your old age, I am He :'
Chap. Ix. 2Q^ ' The days of thy mourning shall be. ; v
ended:' Tim. i. 15, 16 ' This is a faithful saying^
and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came
into the world to' save sinners :' Rev. -iii. 21 t To
him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on
my throne :' and John xi. 28 4 The master is come,
and calleth for thee. J ;
Now, after near forty years preaching of Christ,
is great and sweet salvation, I think that I would
beg myfbread, all the labouring days of the
week, for -an opportunity of publishing the gospel on
the SabbatK to an assembly of sinfufciaen, than with-
" but such a privilege to enjoy the richest possessions
-I on earth. ' By the gospel do men live ; and in it is
..the life of my soul. 7 O the kindness of God! Many,
^ifcwhose parents have been spared with them far longer
rthailf! had mine, are now in deep poverty, or, what
is infinitely worse, are abandoned to all manner of
wickedness; . while by strange mMris the Lord hath
___^.^j -^^ restrained nie. From low circum-
REMAINS.
stances, God hath, % his mere grace, exalted the or-
pK|n to the highest station in the church j ajid Fhppe
'"-"- nath'giyen nve somersuccess, not only in preaching
j v and in writing, but aisoin training up many for ^fjie'o
ministry. J|[e chose me^to be his servant, and took
-^me from the sheeptbld^froni following the ewes great
-:if, with young; he brougtit meio feed Jacob his people,
_ and Israel his inheritance. '^Ebrd, ; what am I, and ,
": ^whai is my fatherVhouse, that thou has brought .m<? .- ; i
hitherto !' ,U"pon a reflection on^odV outward prd-
vidence 1 106k>uponat;aS;a mercy, that, considering
the : dreadfulpride of my! ; heart, God jdid not make
my talen^U'lie so properly, in ia quick and^extensive
; ; s -;,' view ofthirigs at- first, but rather in a close, prersever-^
?W ing and unwearied application, to^ti||it in whicli J en-
,gaged.~^n the former respect, I W'as always^ much ^
^inferior to .many of my 5 brethern. Ipjiqannot bui||re|5|':
.^inark it also as a kindness mProvidericfey that though,
5y|l.when I commenced a preacher, my imagination
sometnhes led s me to use flighty expressions in my ,.
sermons, the Lord made me asKamedc^f this, as a
real robbery from him, to sacrifice to my own accurs-
e^ prid-. . Since that time, notw ithstanding my eager
. : hunting; after all the lawful learning^ which is known"
yed to preach scriptural tr.uth'
" " "^
in scriptural language
When I consider my earthly-miridgdne^ I admire
the almighty grace of God, in so disjjtisihg my heart,
that it has rather been my care, to manage frugally;
j^hat God provided for me^ than greedily tp^ grasp?
.at more. -^, x . ' v . . ^i\/ l|
I think, with respect to my congregatiorif^Kat J|
have aimed at seeking themy and : not theirs ; .and E
am convinced, their charitable belief o^lhis^th Sis-
.. ,..
;.'. \ SEIiEeT REMAINS. '**" ' . 17^
posed them all along to regard me, and to afford me
sufficient t subsistence : yet ' it was riot Jfjf but : fi^i
, 'Jgrace bf God, which did all.' . r I have looked upon'
it^also as a gracious over ^ruling of my mind j $hat
though I have dfteri^grudge^paying a penny or tyro for_
a trifle, the Lord hathffelnabled me cheerfully i:6 ,be^|j:
; stow as many pounds fpr'pious purposes; and v ojwing
to kind Providence, my wealth, instead of b~eirig};di- '._?
minishedby this means, is much increased;. VyiFfom- ">
experience I can testify, that liberality to the Lord
is one of the most effectual means of riiaking one
rich. ' There is that scattereth^and yetjncreaseth ;
"and there is that withholdeth^riiore than is meet, and >
it tendeth to poverty.' v ,. V;^.
Reflecting upon my own external conduct, I lament
thai; I have been so deficient in effectual fervent
prayer for my congregation and for tKe church of; :
God. 'Except the Lord keep the city, the watclt-p
men waketh in vain.'
I lament that my discourses, and conversation in
my family -'and with others, have not been more spi- -;
ritual. A sense of sinful, weakness, and unskilful-
ness in pushing religious discourse, hath made me a- ; ;
verse from keeping.much company ; and when at any v/V
. |^ae I have been in- company with others, without
,.jS|me serious .discourse hath been introduced, I<.have^
Jeft therii? with -grief and 'shame. It is i'a divine com-
mand, 4 tetyoijr speegh be alway with grace, seasbii-
?^with salt.' 4i ... ,--. 4t?".'-'?^^
V.vVi V ^- S"*>' . . .. - -' -.:.
s^r::f .- li^inent that I have riot attended more frequen|i^ -^
|j i^societi^|br j>rayer and spiritual cpnfjerenc^^andtnat ^
$_ I ha^^|Tpt oeen more diligen^ in catechising and ex-
;-; horting ''children in my congregation.- I am persuaded
grr^that these exercises areMome of Me bestcmeans which ,f
~" ~ ' ~^" can use for promoting the w^Harerbf SQuls ; :^'
m
SELECT" REMAI^*
- *"-'
natre.
3ut, the mercies whicn iXhaye reteLved| and?the
: ^ sins^nich J[|fiave committed|?;are innumerable. God
Ms^eeti doing (I had almost said) all that he can, to
_. ,_.^ ^ sayl4j smile on, and favour trie ; and I haye beeiract- >^
: ?5* . . irig^t&imL^uttermost, in opposing and dishonouring
"him. AncThow, after all that hetJias performed, and #
after all that I have professed, I am good for nothing ;
neither to teach nor^ learn; neither to live nor die; ^
1 ' am, bbthiif heartland in4i|e, evil, only eyhy:Si ,
mclantl|? evil, unto this day* ^^"
-,- -v.,s. << -r ' '
FORM OF A soLEiiNS DEDICATION TO THE LORD }
FOUND AMOriG Mai BROWN'S PAPERS. ""' VSK>.
H^ijuiijfpiro^ JUNE 23,
- -j& ; - *':" -,-. '-' -'^'.:
, I ant now entgrin^fjn ; the 34th year of
y: an amazing^instance of sovereign mer-. f
.;^* cy^ind patience to jigcumberer oj^the ; ground ! Hpw;^. -
-:L'^'- ctv'infrf~--fliQf- tVir>n chr\n1rlp>c<- l"i5'vp"' : T> 1 ^i*^riri-f'tnQn ci^SS#**
ing Kindness lipbn a wretch: ttiat hath^ all along spS- s
',^3- ". L "-"^i*' . " ' ?."''-', r-""*!" ^* ' ' '" \J f .
^ : Keffj and done all^he evil that ^coulH^^nor^ey^ would i
^ it out of ihy pojp^r .to oppose it. L. ; 6rd|$how^pft^nl
i- . V.V-^^'T T* "f-^S 1 *':' ... 4 *->:-. rp^^f ' fft&'-- i' "--
i^, have Lyowed, but never g^o^vn better; conji&sedy,^ ^
^ lIuYnev^me^drl^enfiuli^^ 11 ^^ 1 " *** i: *
correctea m e, arid^yelftt
* J >-,-;?'-
19
fajjejth metno man-can lielp, my sduL-^Nqthrag will
'*-'
polluted, anH enslaved sinners-arid I
fiereBy:s^e ; nanly take theejas mine, asynade of God
I 1 ' to me wisdomf righteousness, sahctiJ^3on,^d^-
.._ demotion! I give up niyself,^as a poor, ignorant,
! |p carjSless, and wicked creature, who hath bften ever
4^ learning, and yet never able to come t^th^iufew-^
.^Ijedge of the truth, to "the^ O,hLord^ that tliou mayg^^
,. ''"' Histo w gifts on the rebellious, and exalt tHj* grace,"in s
1^ .j?hew|ng kindness, to the unw0rtl^.i^ O Saviour,
-4fe;^pnf^dqwn aijd? do^s.onietlfing f^pne before I^e. ^
I give^p myself and family, wife, ctiildren, and se^Sf
. ''^sP^, J . J .' , ' '>'*^:?--. '^^^
^ s ,^ant tolgthee, ejgcouraged, by thy; pro^juses j Ge^nv'
'^* 'xy^i.SpJer. xx|Sa^ Isa^x[:R7 v 3.- lix. 21. I commit
niy|pb6r.,vweak, withered congregation, deprived by
& de|fli of its pillars, that thou mayest strengthen, re^l^
frjish, and gqvenijits, I commitf^ ^my students uriitp
.^ J^ '-- i l^V \-L* f ~- ^"V-""*!^^ 1 " t ''^&$^-~~ '' ^'"frt"**^*-
.. _,Jhtee;j that th.c>Ui O J Eord, mayest -tram .them up*?forfe :
. : /^^pb ministry^- May|ievfer, one of m&m bej.so unfiti';.
"''" Ws;; I fi^yei' be^tt! rjlora^ I 'desire to .take hold of thy^
--^w covenant, ^rell ordered in ^11 things, and sure. ^
?' Thisbis allfmy saryation; and all my desire. -!! -Hy
.,-;ftS*A. ' J "" ' : Vf<J:..- . -^ J ->!&& " ,..'-
(Subscribed) ^
20
SELECT REMAINS.
LET T* E R S
:;
*55=*.y?&.'*
I.
5z*y
-> YOURS I
to any purpose ! It were: well to hav^^arned
But as miienWf him. as to/ convince us that hfeas^ faur
'fcv "*'< p *''>^V,>#.' v '^ ; ^i.-. "*" ''j'-.'-*^'-'-'- <' * ' i ~" ~~ ' f *" rf !?-~~ ~~''. v " sv ~
above our comprehensicH^;^
tion, but the more^acciuaintaiiee we'liave w|tji itf^;]|e
Ijpciore spots and blemishes we shall see; but Cnfjs^
^the more he is seen : ,atid known, he appears so mufeh
-. : .-,i--.i 1 .^ - 1 "':%*:*,- , j' , : -;lit- Sfet , af?- '
v? tne tnore comew, -Created mmgs ansaifler ,bju.t a'few^.
' ;i " " v % aiffid tnltm)r a litde," tim|j^ but Jj? t ^^
j^at once, and makes v up$:oneiiife^'
It is truly said that silly trifles should*^! a!
-n*'<' . ,"^ '-._ - ''.VugXMjy - ;- ' *'-' -'T^.i
"to calljoff our hearts from Min!!{jl|^ it v
; f r 4Jwhen ^irist isgnfiniisely bejl^sr than all, he shdui^be
^eh^ply slighteS'by us ! Arid wretched is our ir|fra-,
x :#titilide, that, when Christ has done sopmuch fbr^^
we should bje. unwilling to do any thing for him !^
O what a me^cy that he deals not withes afiwe derl
;s||i serve ! As allfiawful business is^full of ^Bhrist, andj
"- of eternali/thingsyyoursisflp ii^^;pe^ili'^r-in^ierM
Your asking" pf persons what they^desire, ^s thej^
i/ come in, is an emblenffof Christ's saying t What will
W ye that^ishould do unto you ? ,Buy of me gp^pri
in the fire, that thou mayest b^ich.' ^|6ur arrar
ing of goods onpielvesfputs me in mind of C^^s
^:J
* His correspondent being ^itierchant, ||
m-
SELECT REMAINS. 21
arranging his blessings, in the ordinances of the gos-
pel and in the various promises. Often you let peo-
ple see things, and they refuse to buy them at all ; or,
at le.ast, to take them at your price ; a sad emblem
of our conduct before Christ! Ah, how often do we
come to his ordinances, and buy nothing; view his
covenant in a careless manner, and refuse to have
any of his special benefits ! We reason with Christ ;
not to have his blessings cheaper that cannot be ;
but to have them at a higher rate, than that which
Christ offers them. Is not this madnes^with a wit-
ness ? We can give nothing, and yet wift^fdospn^s
thing, when Christ tells us that he will not takeiaHpS
thing as his price. O, cursed is our contempt of Je-
sus, when we tempt him with any of our things ! Per-
haps you sometimes exchange goods ; but no ex-
change is like that which Christ made ; he took our
curse, and gives us his blessing ; he took our sorrows,
and gives us his joys; he takes our old heart, which
is little worth, and gives us a new one ; he takes away
our filthy garments, and clothes us with change of
raiment ! You get your own share of slack trade on
some days ; but if you could learn the way of trading
quick with Christ; if bad debtors make you rightly
consider what you owe to Christ, and how poorly
you pay ; you might make the worst part of your bu-
siness the most profitable.
Yours, &c,
C
ist to, any purpose ! It wele well to
iit as^mu^hMf hife as
above our i
tion, but the moreVacquainta^le weJKave
iiojore spots and blemishes we shall see; i!ut;!
'i'roe.more he is seen and known, Jae appears so much
":'^-'%i: .1 '""*:^jfc"' , j , , '-Ssf-. *,&$; , ^ '*&&*
^tnejmore come^, -treated things an^er but a'te^.v
all wants%ft once, and makes "* up^ne?!^
sver. |t is truly said that siUy trjfles shp.v
to calljff our hearts .from ; M^a! J ^^ ; it'V^pai^ , that
*" ' n ^^irist is^nfini^lly better than all, he "shof ' AS * '
fly slighteS by^ "Us ! Arid wretched Js our
that, when Christ has done J^^tiuch forj
%. we should J^ unwilling to do any thing for himpif^,
O what a m|y ; thk he deals not with.-^ - y6L ' m ^ '- 1 : ^^-
& . :_***?. '" "- /* t *.--, -"* " f* 11 'T;f*j
Your
'"***' come
,&?$* ".-t ,- ' ; 'n i ir'^.'L -^a- . 3i?Ki T^SSHiB**
asMig^pt persons what they ^desire, as thejpf
in,,is an emblliibf Christ's sa^ig V What will
W'-' ye that^hould do unto you ? ^Buy of me gdjKried
i , rfV'S" ' i 1 '*> > . ijnSi--. i 9 --Vil-~ - ''-SHSf 7 ' '
in the fire, that thou mayest bepich. 7 ,*5^p'ur arranfe^
i J i5^ii- ^ *'".'7T- '- ^iA42i'"' - jfr^Bjraiy
ing of goods on^lielvesf puts me in mind of (^pisl^P
I* ^ *Hiscbrrespond|nf Wing ^merchant, M| ..^
SELECT REMAINS. 21
arranging his blessings, in the ordinances of the gos-
pel and in the various promises. Often you let peo-
ple see things, and they refuse to buy them at all ; or,
at least, to take them at your price ; a sad emblem
of our conduct before Christ! Ah, how often do we
eome to his ordinances, and buy nothing; view his
covenant in a careless manner, and refuse to have
any of his special benefits ! We reason with Christ ;
not to have his blessings cheaper that cannot be j
but to have them at a higher rate, than that which
Christ offers them. Is not this madnes^with a wit-
ness ? We can give nothing, and yet
thing, when Christ tells us that he will not take^all
thing as his price. O, cursed is our contempt of Je-
sus, when we tempt him with any of our things ! Per-
haps you sometimes exchange goods ; but no ex-
change is like that which Christ made ; he took our
curse, and gives us his blessing ; he took our sorrows,
and gives us his joys ; he takes our old heart, which
is little worth, and gives us a new one ; he takes away
: pur filthy garments, and clothes us with change of
raiment ! You get your own share of slack trade on
some clays ; but if you could learn the way of trading
quick with Christ; if bad debtors make you rightly
consider what you owe to Christ, and how poorly
you pay ; you might make the worst part of your bu-
siness the most profitable.
Yours,
C
22 SELE'tff REMAINS.
LETTER II.
Dear Sir,
I DESIRE to sympattiiee with you in your af-
fliction. Experience hath made me to know how
hard it is to part with a pleasant child. God hath in
this dispensation shewed you, that * Vanity of vani-
ties, all that cometh is vanity.' There is no certain
source of pleasure besides Christ* When we come
into life, we are milch in the same situation as you
tvere when you got home ; * -we find created joys on
their death-bed. May we put as little trust in them
as they deserve! In this stroke^ I am sure, God is
righteous. Think if your tender little one did hot
twine about your heart, and draw it off from God.
Is it not then just that God abolish the idol? But
methinks this stroke is not only just, but it is good
also, both to you and to your child. What you have
met with on the occasion, appears to me an evidence j
so far as I can see into the secrets of Jehovah^ that
God has at once taken your child to himself, and in
some measure taken your child's room in your heart*
Now, if, when young ones are in such danger here,
God hath taken your daughter to educate her in
heaven ; if she is gone to Christ, your best friend
above as I think, from your concern about her> ap-
pears manifest ; is she any worse ? rather, is she not
far better ? Do you well to be angry, that God has
dealt so graciously with her ? Learn from the death
of children, to pant for the everliving God 5 to con-
sider them, and all created things, as mere loans,
which God may recal at pleasure. Esteem nothing
but Christ, your proper possession : all things be-
side him give us the slip. As to the question
which you propose**- 4 How may one know that af-
flictions are sanctified?' I would answer, if they tend
to humble us ; if they open our eyes to discern a
SELECT REMAINS,
vanity in creatures ; if they fill us with resentment
at our sin ; if, under them, we would rather choose
to get rid of corruption than of trouble : if we would
fain acquiesce in God's will, even in smiting us, and
are grieved, for the rising of our hearts against him :
these are a good sign that our troubles are sanc-
tified. But, in order to put all out of doubt, even
now try to believe, and lay the burden of your whole
salvation, upon Jesus, as bearing your griefs and
carrying your sorrows ; and then I am sure your
trouble will be sanctified. Fear not, only believe.
As to the note at the service of the table (of which
you spake) it was to this purpose: 'When the sa-
* vages of Louisiana were going to murder Lasale^
' or his Italian friend, he told them, that such was
'his regard for them, that he had them all in his
* heart;? and would they murder a man who loved
' them so well? At the same time applying a small
' looking-glass to his breast, he desired them to look
' and. see if it was not so. It is said that the poor
' savages, observing their own image, had their bar-
' barity melted into the most tender compassion and
' love ; they would not- for a world have hurt him,
* or suifered him to be hurt by others.'' Now, be-
* lieving communicants, Jesus bids you look into
' his heart, and s.e'e yo.ursejves there.' " Behold,"
saith he, " you were on my heart from eternity, when
" I undertook for you; then my delights were with
" the sons of men, and I rejoiced in the habitable parts
*' of the earth! Lo, you were in my heart on Calva-
" ry, when it was melted as the wax with the wrath
'-' due to your crimes ! Behold, how you are in my
t? heart, now that I am in the midst of the throne,
41 while I appear in the presence of God for you, and
" prepare a place for you !"-' Will you any more by
* sin murder a man ^-a God-man, that h,ad, that has,
* and that will ever have, you in his heart? Melts
* not thy soul into tender affection to hhn? Startles
24 SELECT REMAINS.
* not thy heart at the thought of imbruing thy hands
4 in his blood ? Do not all thy inward powers cry
*. out, Was I a very Beelzebub, a prince of devils, in
4 Jesus's heart from everlasting, and shall I be there
* to everlasting ? Were all his thoughts, thoughts of
4 love concerning me ? Was all his heart inflamed
* with love to me, and all inflamed with wrath OH my
' account? What shall I render to him for his kind-
4 ness ? Doth the eternal God give me full and ever-
4 lasting room in his blessed heart ? And shall not I
4 give him some, give him ail the room in that stye,
4 that hidden hell of mine ? Come in, thou blessed of
4 the Lord ;. why standest thou without? Fill the
4 house, my heart, with thy glory. Let my tongue
4 cleave to the roof of my mouth if I forget thee, O
1 Jesus, and do not prefer thee to my chiefest joy !
4 O Jesus, go up higher and higher; and, ye created
4 enjoyments, come down> and sit below his foot-
4 stoolV ' .
I am yours, &c.
LETTER IIL
.
DESPISE not the day of small things, I might
say of good things. When you consider yourself, as
one of the first-rate deservers of damnation, how may
you admire the great kindness of God! Compare
your mercies, your visits, not with the wishes of
your soul, but with the deserts of your sin ; and then
a little one will appear as a thousand, and a small one
as a strong nation of astonishing favours. Though,
we should get but one smile of hio countenance, and
SELECT REMAINS. 25
hear hut one word from his blessed lips, in a whole
year, what a mercy to those, who deserve all the year,,
throughout to be tormented in the lowest hell ; Bless
God for any transient blinks you enjoy ; but let the
unchangeable Saviour be the only confidence of your
soul. Frames as well as heart and flesh do fail ; but
He will never fail you, nor forsake you. You ask me
concerning marks of fellowship with our Lord Jesus.
Alas, that I should know so little about that happi-
ness ! How easy to talk about spiritual things when
we feel not their power; but, without doubt, our
communion with Christ is real, if it make us to lie
in the dust before him, and cause us to loathe and ab-
hor ourselves before him. Isa ; . vi. 5. fc Then said I,
woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I
dwell among a people of unclean lips, for mine eyes
have seen the king, the Lord of hosts.' O, what
a kindly, a heart-humbling, a soul-shaming and pain-
ing view of sin, particularly of inward enmity and un-?
belief, does the smile, the voice, of God produce!
We cannot look on a God of redeeming love, without
thinking ourselves unclean outrageous beasts and de-
vils. Ps. Ixxiii. 20,21; and Rom. vii. 24. Real
communion too, melts our hearts with love to God,
and to his laws, ordinances, and people ; and renders
us vexed and ashamed that we cannot love him to
purpose. 1 Cor. v. 14. But it is one thing to know
these matters in our head, and another thing to feel
them in our heart. Ah, how many of us called
Christians are led like beasts by the head', and how
few like saints indeed, are led by the heart! O, to
hear his heart drawing voice ; O to see his soul-at-
tracting countenance ! O, to be fast bound by the
cords of his love, so that neither strong lusts within
us, nor numerous devils, nor an evil world, may ever
be able to loose us ! The CHRISTIAN. JOURNAL, I
suppose, is now published. You may send for what
copies you need, and, O, pray for its doing some
C 2
24 SELECT REMAINS.
4 not thy heart at the thought of imbruing thy hands
* in his blood ? Do not all thy inward powers cry
*. out, Was I a very Beelzebub, a prince of devils, in
4 Jesus's heart from everlasting, and shall I be there
4 to everlasting ? Were all his thoughts, thoughts of
4 love concerning me ? Was all his heart inflamed
4 with love to me, and all inflamed with wrath on my
4 account ? What shall I render to him for his kind-
4 ness? Doth the eternal God give me full and ever-
4 lasting room in his blessed heart ? And shall not I
4 give him some^ give him all the room in that stye,
4 that hidden hell of mine I Come in, thou blessed of
4 the Lord; why standest thou without? Fill the
4 house, my heart, with thy glory. Let my tongue
4 cleave to the roof of my mouth if I forget thee, O
4 Jesus, and do not prefer thee to my chiefest joy !
4 O Jesus, go up higher and higher; and, ye created
4 enjoyments, come down j and sit below his foot-
4 stoolV '
I am yours, &.c.
LETTER IIL
.
DESPISE not the day of small things, I might
say of good things. When you consider yourself, as
one of the first-rate deservers of damnation, how may
you admire the great kindness of God J Compare
your mercies, your visits, not with the wishes of
your soul, but with the deserts of your sin; and then
a little one will appear as a thousand, and a small one
as a strong nation of astonishing favours. Though,
we should get but one smiie of hio countenance, and
SELECT REMAINS. 25
hear but one word from his blessed lips, in a whole
year, what a mercy to those, who deserve alltheyear r
throughout to be tormented in the lowest hell ; Bless
God for any transient blinks you enjoy ; but let the
unchangeable Saviour be the only confidence of your
soul. Frames as well as heart and flesh do fail ; but
He will never fail you, nor forsake you. You ask me
concerning marks of fellowship with our Lord Jesus.
Alas, that I should know so little about that happi-
ness ! How easy to talk about spiritual things when
we feel not their power; but, without doubt, our
communion with Christ is real, if it make us to lie
in the dust before him, and cause us to loathe and ab-
hor ourselves before him. Isa r . vi. 5. l Then said I,
woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I
dwell among a people of unclean lips, for mine eyes
have seen the king, the Lord of hosts.' O, what
a kindly, a heart-humbling, a soul-shaming and pain-
ing view of sin, particularly of inward enmity and un-?
belief, does the smile, the voice, of God produce!
We cannot look on a God of redeeming love, without
thinking ourselves unclean outrageous beasts and de-
vils. Ps. Ixxiii. 20,21; and Rom. vii. 24. Real
communion too, melts our hearts with love to God,
and to his laws, ordinances, and people ; and renders
us vexed and ashamed that we cannot love him to
purpose. 1 Cor. v. 14. But it is one thing to know
these matters in our head, and another thing to feel
them in our heart. Ah, how many of us called
Christians are led like beasts by the head; and' how
few like saints indeed, are led by the heart! O, to
hear his heart drawing voice ; O to see his soul-at-
tracting countenance ! O, to be fast bound by the
cords of his love, so that neither strong lusts within
us, nor numerous devils, nor an evil world, may ever
be able to loose us! The CHRISTIAN. JOURNAL, I
suppose, is now published. You may send for what
copies you need, and, O, pray for its doing some
C 2
26 SEIECT
good! No doubt it will be the favour of death,
a stumbling block,, to some carnal and profane' read-
ers ; but, if Jesus render it useful to the serious, it is-
my business to bear patiently the scoffs of the pro-
fane,. Wishing, that the eternal God, the dying Re-
deemer, may be your ail and in all, and the all and in?
all Oi your seed,
I am, yours, &c*
LETTER IV.
Dear Sir,
I RECEIVED yours: -I would desire to jbitii
with you in prayer for your children. May God
write on the afflicted little one his new name. I ant
glad to find, that you receive so many of the tender
mercies of God in your afflictions. If you* or I get
a crumb from the master's table, what a wonder of
sovereign mercy it is ! It is quite undeserved, nay,
contrary to all desert. Often it is not desired, or ra-
ther, is half forbidden. What else are our careless
prayer? ? and our careless waiting on ordinances, but at
courting the denial of mercies ! However, endless
praise be to our liberal Jesus, who, seeing our needs,
doth grant unto us his gracious presence \ His going
forth is prepared as the morning j and as the rain that
waiteth not for a man, and tarrieth not for the sons of
men. At our last sacramental solemnity, I thought
that some drops of Heaven's dew fell on my soul.
The views of that unmatched Jesus, as my all and
In all., suiting all my sins, and all my troubles, and
all that I could desire, and infinitely more than I
could ask or think, were delightful to my heart. But,
alas, such is my worse than infernal temper, that
SELECT REMAINS. ~ 27
when at any time he begins to touch my heart, .or to
take me into his embrace, I struggle to get from him ;
and scarcely are a few minutes past when I am often
seven fold more like a child of hell than before^ in
respect otcarnality, heart wanderings, and the like !
O that cursed heart of unbelief, that will forsake ou?
own mercy !
Truly, Sir, when I compare the poor commenda-
.tions, which I give to the unmatched Immanuel,
with the conduct of my soul, I am apt to say, O,
what a dreadful compassing of God with lies and
deceit is found in me! May the .Lord have mercy
on an inward blasphemer. Dear friend, pity me, and
cry mightily to God in my behalf. It is shocking,
if you knew it, to think what difference there is
between my sermons and my own inward life. Oh,
what astonishing grace and blood that must be,
which can save such devils ! I should say, such sin-
ners worse than devils ! Yet, O, to be distinguished
debtors to free grace ! O happy, happy, to be-
drowned for ever in debt to redeeming love ! Oh,
to be set up here, and at the last day, and for ever^
in the most publick place, as bankrupts that owed
infinitely much to divine kindness, and that could
not pay a farthing!
Yours, &c*
28 SELECT REMAINS*
LETTER V.
Dear Friends^ v
THE repeated strokes on your little babes are
very affecting; but the words with which Jesus en-
tertains your souls, give you reason to hope that the
children are removed, to the immediate care of their
better and more proper parents, Father, Son, and
Holy Ghost. Now, view the matter in what light
you will, you may see that the Lord is doing all
things weft. God had a better right to your chil-
dren than you; why then should you grudge, or
think that you are iU used, when he takes back his
loan ? He can manage them better than you. It, no
doubt, delighted you to see the.m walking about
your hands, or dandled on your knees ; but how
much better is it to walk about the hands of a re-
deeming God, and to enjoy him as their eternal all^
and in all!
We cannot conceive the pleasure of Jehovah, in
seeing the travail of a Redeemer's Soul : his children
sitting like so many olive plants around his table! It
was pleasant to hear a Saviour say, * Suffer little
children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for
of such is the kingdom of God ;' and to see him take
them up in his arms and bless them: ; but how
much more pleasant to see him seat them with him-
self upon his throne, and in his divine manner say,
*' Behold I and the children whom thou hast given
" me !" Methinks your babes, by their early death,
are, as it were addressing you, " O, father and mo-
" ther, make haste and come away we are not lost,
" but gone before ! O, do not reflect on the Lord
" he does all things well ; all his ways are mercy and
" truth." Beware of thinking that all these things
are against you. The Lord's right way is in the sea,
SELECT REMAINS. 29
&nd his path in the mighty waters. Though to you
he is covering himself with a cloud of dark provi-
dences, yet never fear, the rainbow of the new cove-
nant is round about his head. God often loves them
in a peculiar manner, whom he peculiarly afflicts. It
is really strange, that we are all so fond of having the
mark of bastards, viz. freedom from chastisements !
but what better than opposition to God, can we
think, will proceed from our carnal minds. I confess
it is not to our honour that we need so many trials ;
but, O, it is kind in God, either to draw or to drive
us to himself! O friends, fill your bosom with pro-
mises, since your babes are taken from you ; and,
when you lie down without your children, take pro-
mises to lie down and rise up with you. That single
promise, Isa. xli. 10. or that Isa. xliii. 1 3. is
sweeter than thousands of the sweetest babes. Me--
thinks God is saying to you, * Parents, am I not bet-
ter to you than ten sons ?' Let your hearts reply,
4 Yes, Lord, thou art better than a thousand. Whom.
* have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon
* the earth whom I desire besides thee.' God's pro-
mises are good bread for mourners ; and his words
are refreshing to a sorrowful heart. Even now he is
saying to you, 'Eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink
abundantly, O beloved!' Many a lesson we have
got, that all besides Christ is l vanity of vanities ; J
and that time is short, and eternity long and impor-
tant ; but, ah ! we are dull scholars, who scarce learn
a letter in a whole year ! Since God by troubles lets
us know that it is night, and prevents us from sound
sleep, let us, instead of keeping dead babes in our
thoughts, think, when will it be morning? when
will the Lamb in the midst of the throne feed us,
and lead us by fountains of living waters ? and
-when shall God himself wipe away all tears from our
eyes? May God, that comforteth the cast-down,
comfort you by the coming oi Jesus.
Yours, &c.
28 SELECT REMAINS*
LETTER V.
Dear Friends^
THE repeated strokes on your little babes are
very affecting ; but the words with which Jesus en-
tertains your souls, give you reason to hppe that the
children are removed, to the immediate care of their
better and more proper parents, Father, Son, and
Holy Ghost. Now> view the matter in what light
you will, you may see that the Lord is doing all
things well. God had a better right to your chil-
dren than you; why then should you grudge, or
think that you are iU used, when he takes back his
loan ? He can manage them better than you. It, no
doubt, delighted you to see them walking about
your hands, or dandled on your knees; but how
much better is it to walk about the hands of a re-
deeming God, and to enjoy him as their eternal all^
and in all!
We cannot conceive the pleasure of Jehovah, in
seeing the travail of a Redeemer's Soul: his children
sitting like so many olive plants around his table! It
was pleasant to hear a Saviour say, * Suffer little
children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for
of such is the kingdom of God ;' and to see him take
them up in his arms and bless them: -but how
much more pleasant to see him seat them with hijn-
self upon his throne, and in his divine manner say,
" Behold I and the children whom thou hast given
" me !" Methinks your babes, by their early death,
are, as it were addressing you, " O, father and mo-
" ther, make haste and come away we are not lost,
" but gone before ! O, do not reflect on the Lord
" he does all things well ; all his ways are mercy and
" truth." Beware of thinking that all these things-
are against you. The Lord's right way is in the sea,
SELECT REMAINS. 29
and his path in the mighty waters. Though to you
he is covering himself with a cloud of dark provi-
dences, yet never fear, the rainbow of the new cove-
nant is round about his head. God often loves them
in a peculiar manner, whom he peculiarly afflicts. It
is really strange, that we are all so fond of having the
mark of bastards, viz. freedom from chastisements !
but what better than opposition to God, can we
think, will proceed from our carnal minds. I confess
it is not to our honour that we need so many trials j
but, O, it is kind in God, either to draw or to drive
us to himself! O friends, fill your bosom with pro-
mises, since your babes are taken from you; and,
when you lie down without your children, take pro-
mises to lie down and rise up with you. That single
promise, Isa. xli. 10. or that Isa. xliii. 1 3. is
sweeter than thousands of the sweetest babes. Me-
thinks God is saying to you, * Parents, am I not bet-
ter to you than ten sons ?' Let your hearts reply,
1 Yes, Lord, thou art better than a thousand. Whom
* have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon
* the earth whom I desire besides thee.' God's pro-
mises are good bread for mourners ; and his words
are refreshing to a sorrowful heart. Even now he is
saying to you, 'Eat, O friends ; drink, yea, drink
abundantly, O beloved!' Many a lesson we have
got, that all besides Christ is l vanity of vanities ;*
and that time is short, and eternity long and impor-
tant ; but, ah ! we are dull scholars, who scarce learn
a letter in a whole year ! Since God by troubles lets
us know that it is night, and prevents us from sound
sleep, let us, instead of keeping dead babes in our
thoughts, think, when will it be morning? when
will the Lamb in the midst of the throne feed us,
and lead us by fountains of living waters? and
\yhen shall God himself wipe away all tears from our
eyes? May God, that comforteth the cast-down,
comfort you by the coining of Jesus.
Yours, &c.
SO SELECT REMAINS*
LETTER VI.
Dear
HAVING heard some days ago of your illness,
I have transmitted to you the few following hints.
1. Let your days of trouble be days of trying
your own heart and way before God ; and, O, let
your search be earnest, as you know not how soon
death, and an appearance before the tribunal of Christ,
may actually take place. Mind that it is not the
having somewhat of a profession, but the haying our
soul united to Jesus Christ, and our being renewed
in the spirit of our minds, that will stand as real re-
ligion before God.
2. Think how much better it will be, to discern
the mistakes relative to your state, or relative to
your thoughts, words, and actions, now when sove-
reign grace may rectify them, than to have thenj
discovered when it is too late to obtain a happy
change.
3. Ponder under what view Christ answers your
case. He is made of God to you wisdom, righ-
teousness, sanctification, and redemption ; and so is
answerable to you as foolish and ignorant, naked
and guilty, corrupted and defiled, imprisoned and in
bondage. Think, I beseech you, how he suits you
in his new covenant characters, and how great is
your need of him in all these views.
4. Ponder carefully, that Christ, and all the ful-
ness of God, is given unto you in the free promises,
and offers of the gospel, such as Prov. i. 22, 23
ix. 4, 5 xxiii. 26. Isa. xlv. 22, 24 xlvi. 12, 13
Iv. 1, r xlii. 6, 7. John vi. 37. 2 Cor. v. 18, 21,,
Acts xiii. 26. Rev. xxii. 17. See that you do not
merely look over and think over the scriptures, but
try and apply them to your heart*
SELECT REMAINS. 31
5. Rather think too ill of your soul's case before
God and of your conduct in life, than too welL If
they cannot stand the trial of such texts as these,
Mat. v. 3, 8. Rom. viii. 2 vii. 14, 15, 24. 2 Cor.
V. 17. Gal. iv. 19 vi. 15. Pet. ii. 7. John xxi. 17.
all is naught.
6. Consider what pains God hath been at with
you. His language in this rod is plainly, O that
they were wise, that they understood this ! And see
also John v. 6. Mat. xx. 32. Ezek. xxxiii. 11.
Finally. Mind that all the instructions parents
and others have given you, all the offers of salvation
which have been made to you, and all the strivings
of the Spirit with your conscience, will bear witness
against you, if you make not the receiving of Christ
and walking in him your most earnest study. l No-w?
my dear friend, ' notv is the accepted time, now is
the day of your salvation.' Oh, harden not your
heart, but fly for refuge to Jesus as the hope set be-
fore you. May the Lord himself persuade you.
Yours, &c.
LETTER VII.
Dear Sister in Affliction,
I AM essaying to weep with you that .weep.
Yet let me beseech you, that you do not mourn as
those that have no hope. ' The Lord liveth, and
* blessed be our rock, and let the God of our salva-
4 tion be exalted ?* Fret not at the inexpressible
kindness of God to your husband. We have no
reason to doubt, but that he is gone to Jesus which
is far better. No more dim eyes nor feeble limbs
32 SELECT REMAINS.
now i Nor will it be long, I suppose, till he and you
meet, where ye shall for ever love one another, and
rejoice over one another, as the ransomed of the
Lord* There the kind relations of husband and
wife will be quite swallowed up in the great rela-
tions to God and the Lamb. The Lord hath now
an opportunity of giving you an experience of him-
self, as the widow's husband, the widow's judge,
and the widow's stay. Stir up your soul, and cry,
* I know that my Redeemer liveth ;' * my Lord and
my God ;' yea, mine own God is he : I hope, Jer.
xlix. 21. ' Leave thy fatherless children, upon me,
4 1 will preserve them alive, and let your widows
4 trust in me,' will be the security for you and yours.
Fear not, only believe. Permit me to say a few
things to the children. Remember your father hath
often and solemnly devoted you to the Lord, O,
for the Lord's sake, never give yourselves to Satan
or to your own lusts ! If you cast yourselves on the
God of your father, I dare foretel that God will
take care of you all, both of soul and body. I my-
self was thrown to the wide world when young, and
yet to this moment. I never was in a strait as to out-
ward things, nor as to inward things either, unless
when my own unbelieving heart was the cause.
Your friends will, no doubt, point out what course
you should take as to earthly business ; but let me
recommend to your consideration these scriptures,
Jer. xxxiv. 19 xlix. 11. Psal. Ixix. 5 cxlvi. 9
xxxiv. 3, 20 xxxvii. 3, 5. Isa. xli. 1O, 17, 18
xliii. 2. Mat. vi. 33. Phil. iv 19. I beseech, nay
charge, every one of you, to read these scriptures,
and to lay them up in your minds. Perhaps your
father's illness disqualified him for giving you dy-
ing advice ; if so, take these scriptures instead of
them. O, if the grace of God would enable you to
live according to the manifold directions which you
have received ! See that you study to live, before
SELECT REMAINS. 33 .
God and men, in such a manner, as that you will be
an honour to your deceased father, and a comfort to
your distressed mother.
Yours, &c.
LETTER VIII.*
Dear
WHEN I get an opportunity, I have some
thoughts of making a trial of the medicine which
you mention, though my hopes of being better by it
are not very high. My life and health seem now to
pass like a declining shadow, nor dare I repine at the
matter. God hath in some measure satisfied me
with old age ; I would therefore be longing to see
his salvation. I observe several things relative to
my family, which urge my carnal heart to wish con-
tinuance ; but my death can make no vacancy in my
family, and far less in the church, which Jesus can- -
not easily fill up. .What I desire is, to have the pre*
sence of God in my trouble, and to be enabled to act
for his glory. I can hardly bear the thought of being
consigned to be an useless weight on his earth. But
I must not quarrel at his disposal ; he cannot but do
right, nor would I wish to attempt making s'traight
what he has made crooked. Redemption through
his blood, even the forgiveness of sins, according to
the riches of his grace, is what* I ever desire to en-
joy; and I wish to leave the circumstances of my de-
* This and the three following letters were written by the
v, author-to his relations, when he was in distress;
D
. SELECT REMAINS.
parture to his high sovereign will. If grace feigns
through, Jesus's righteousness to eternal life to -me
and mine, I ask no more. I believe that I shall nev-
er be perfectly well, till I be with the Lamb in the
midst of the throne. In the mean time I earnestly
desire to die as a wax taper, sending forth a sweet
smell of HIM, whose garments smell of myrrh, aloes,
and cassia.
I am yours, &c.
LETTER IX.
Dear
I AM at present in a weak and languishing con-
dition; but as it is the doing of the Lord, I desire
to be resigned ; and would gladly be content, whe-
ther death or recovery be the issue. Indeed the de-
sire of my heart is, that, if it be his will, I should
depart and be -with Christ, which is far better than
being in this sinful world. But it would be impro-
per for me to set up my ignorant and corrupt will, as
a rule to the Most High. I wish to be at entire and;
eordial resignation to his will, who hath so gracious-
ly performed all things for me. Let Him recover, or
let Him kill me, as is most for his glory, I hope that
it shall be in infinite love t<5 my soul. I desire to take
all kindly from his hand, and I hope that he will
sweeten all with believing views of his everlasting
love to me. To leave a> m ultitude of k ind relations,
hearers and neighbours, on earth, is an easy^gatter,
in order to depart and to be with Jesus GhriSt" for
ever. When. I write perhaps my last letter to you,
SELECT REMAINS. 35
^ '
that I could commend Him who is white and
ruddy ; the chiefest among ten thousand^ and altoge-
ther lovely ! Rather, O that the Holy Ghost would
enable you and your children to come and see him.
1 am sure that is a pleasant and enriching sight 1 !
May never one of you get rest in your minds tiH
you obtain such a blessed discovery! I give it, per-
haps, as my last words to you and your children, that
there none like Christ, there is none like Christ^
there is none like Christ !
Yours, affectionately, &c..
LETTER X.
Dear '
MY weakness still continues, nor indeed is thy
mind anxious about this, but a Christ-glorifying
death, and a being for ever with the Lord. My con-
cern too is, that all my relations shouldhave iny place
on earth delightfully supplied by the knowledge j care
and fellowship of Jesus Christ: even He whom, not-
withstanding all my present "and now long-continued
Carelessness and wickedness. I still hold to be y#sws
Christ my- Lord* O, could my soul enter into" the
full meaning of these words as I would wish! But I
hope that I shall be allowed this attainment by and
by. Already my poor-soul, in a manner hovering
between time and eternity, cries 4 None like Christ?
and l None but Christ for mef And may I, and all
my relations and friends, be his henceforth and for
ever ! It is no small comfort to have my relations on
earth so kind and agreeable to me; but my superla-
tive desire, I think, is to be with Jesus and his ran-
36 ' SELECT REMAINS.
somed millions above. That such a sinner, and origi-
nally such a mean sinner, should be kindly treated by
so many brethren and friends, doth and may amaze
me ; but O, how sweetly doth Jesus and his spirit
exceed them all ! Now I in some sweet measure feel
and see, that there is no friendship like that of Father,
.Son, and Holy Ghost. This week my bodily appetite
is no better; but little matter, if God would ena-
ble me to drink up a river of his redeeming blood,
and to feed full on Jesus's flesh on all the fulness
of God. At the meeting of the Synod, let my weak-
ness be represented to them j and, if they judge that
it has disqualified me for teaching the students, I
heartily agree to be laid aside from this work, and
that one more fit should be chosen. Itis Jesus Christ^
whom I wish to have exalted ; and the best means
for saving sinners, I wish to take place. I hope the
brethren will take care to supply my congregation
\vith sermons, as want of this would sink my spirits.
I have been but a dry tree myself among them ; and
O, it would rejoice my heart to hear of Jesus's pow-
er being felt, and his glory seen by the ministry of my
brethren helping me ! I do not wish to be a burden to
them j and, if Providence bring me back into any
measure of strength, I shall inform the supplier. The
Ipnger I live, I see myself the less worthy of being
regarded by any body. Wishing all the blessings of
time and eternity on your family, and that the Lord
may render you and your brother, and all my pupils,
more faithful, diligent, and successful in the ministry
t1\an I have been,,
I remain youre, &G.
, , .
REMAINS, 37"
LETTER XI.
I AM, and have been since you went away,
much as when you sawjne, ._ Still weak, but desiring
to wait for the salvation of God, which I hope will
make me strong in his due time : his afflicting hand
lies very mercifully on me : how pleasantly his glori-
fying hand, in a short time, will lie on me, I with hu-
mility wish .to know, as soon as it is for his glory^
and my 6wn and others' good. O, study early fel-
lowship with Christ. It is sweet, in days of trouble,
to look back to this. I hope that you will not grudge
to preach, lor ; me another sabbath.; and .may that
yeet Jesus Clirist, and Jus Spirit, give ; yjou anpt m
many days ojf sweet feilowshjp with ihem, r %l?ich 3t
^m sure and glad they can give us. ,JW[ya]ttowed v^?
clination is to serve the X,ord on earth, or to prais^
himjn heaven, as he thinks most. for his ; hpnpu^.for
time ; though, saving his will, I would .cheerfully
e last. Q, to be with. Christ in heaven,
-to, me a double, a triple heaven, for such a sin-
.T'.w-i: | ''-''' I ' - --^-'^ t.s.s ?..-* ,' - -. f ' .. ._,.-.' j- i M_' ; .' , . v- >(._ J i_ ',
ijpr.: ;; ThiSf'^YJith jny kind compliments; to all my
Yours affectionately,,&c.
-D 2 '- ' . ..' ' . '. '"
36-" SELECT REMAINS.
somed millions above. That such a sinner, and origi-
nally such a mean sinner, should be kindly treated by
so many brethren and friends, doth and may amaze
me ; but O, how sweetly doth Jesus and his spirit
exceed them all ! Now I in some sweet measure feel
and see, that there is no friendship like that of Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost. This week my bodily appetite
is no better j but little matter, if God would ena-
ble me to drink up a river of his redeeming blood,
and to feed full on Jesus's flesh on all the fulness
of Gpd. At the meeting of the Synod, let my weak-
ness be represented to them j and, if they judge that
it has disqualified me for teaching the students, I
heartily agree to be laid aside from this work, and
that one more fit should be chosen. It is Jesus Christ^
whom I wish to have exalted j and the best means
for saving sinners, I wish to take place. I hope the
brethren will take care to supply my congregation
>vith sermons, as want of this would sink my spirits.
I have been but a dry tree myself among them ; and
O, it would rejoice my heart to hear of Jesus's pow-
er being felt, and his glory seen by the ministry of my
brethren helping me ! I do not wish to be a burden to
them ; and, if Providence bring me back into any
measure of strength, I shall inform the supplier. The
longer I live, I see myself the less worthy of being
regarded by any body. Wishing all the blessings of
time and eternity on your family, and that the Lord
may render you and your brother, and all my pupils,
more faithful, diligent, and successful in the ministry
t'han I have been,,
I remain youra, &G..
SELECT REMAINS, 37
LETTER XI.
I AM, and have been since you went away,
much as when you sawjne.. ..Still weak, but desiring
to wait for the salvation of God, which I hope will
make me strong in his due time : his afflicting hand
lies very mercifully on me: how pleasantly his glori-
fying hand, in a short time, will lie on me, I with hu-
mility wish, to know, as soon as it is for his glory,
and my own and others' good. O, study early fel-
lowship with Christ. It is sweet, in days of trouble,
to look back to this. I hope that you will not grudge
to preach Jfor me another sabbath; ; and .may tha$
sweet Jesus Christ, and, his Spirit, give you and[. ing
many days of sweet fellowship with t|iem^ %fliich Jt
am sure and glad they can give us. .My allowed in?
clination is to serve the JLord on eartli, or to praise,
him in heaven, as he thinks most for his honour,, for
a time; though, saving his will, I would .cheerfully
prefer the last. O, to be with. Christ in heaven, ap-
pears to me a double, a triple heaven for sucli ia sin-,
ijer ! This,' w jth my kind compliments; to all my
brethren* about you. .- . . u . >ia , : _. .... ,
Yours affectionately,. See.
D 2
38 SELECT REMAINS
TRACTS.
TRACT I.
Meditation upon Christ's being made of God to us
Sancttfication. ;
OF his own Infinite grace, God formed a
perfectly holy manhood to his eternal Son, and in it
a seed of holiness to millions unnumbered of the hu-
man race* In him he re-planted humanity, a. choice
trine, wholly a right seed, that could never become 'a
degenerate plant of a strange vine ; he made' the root
holy, that so also might be the branches. Thrice
marvellous work! Sacrifices and offerings God would
not, but a body he prepared for his Son. The branch
out of Jesse's root was formed, excellent arid tbme-
ly, that holy thing a sanctifier; one with the sancti-
fied! Tfcie Spirit of the Lord rested on, and was given;
him without measure.
God made his Son in our own nature, under the
law, the immutable standard of holiness in heart or
life. He exacted of him the whole requirements
thereof, as it is a broken covenant j and held him un-
der it, till by enduring its whole penalty, and fulfill-
ing its precepts, he had magnified it and made it ho-
nourable. This law was in his heart j he took de-
light to do thy will, O God 1 It became him to fulfil
all righteousness, and to suffer ere he entered into.
SELECT REMAINS. 30,
glory. Thrice noble and efficacious foundation of
true holiness in us ! -(!). Hereby the curse of the
law, which is the strength of sin y which, as with al-
mighty force, consigns over the subjected transgres-
sors to spiritual death in trespasses and sins, to the
dominion of sin, as a leading part of just punishment,
is removed. Thus the gulph fixed between God
and us is rendered passable. Being redeemed from
the curse, dead to the law by the body of Christ,, si'n
cannot have dominion over us; but, being made free
from the law of sin and death, we faring forth fruit
unto God. (2.) Hereby the legal favour of Gpd
was procured, his real favour vented, and established
upon a legal footing. God being well pleased for
his righteousness sake, which magnified the law
and made it honourable, we are reconciled unto God
by his death, that we may be saved by his life-
Though once we were without God and without
hope, and far off, we are brought nigh by his blood,
that our enmity may be slain. God, who reconciled
the world to himself, must be the Lord our God that
sanctifieth us. Being our friend, our God of peace,
he must rid us of sin, our principal plague, and be-
stow upon us holiness, our chief happiness ; must
sanctify us wholty, soul, body, and spirit. Being
our reconciled God of peace, his wisdom must de-
vise how to keep and deliver us from temptation;
his power must be perfected in our weakness, must
subdue our iniquities, and work in us to will and to
do of his .good pleasure: j his holiness must make us
after itjs'bwn image, its ciwn likeness j his justice must
bestow upon us the spiritual life purchased for us by
Christ our surety j his goodness must do us good,
make all things in us very good, and supply all our
wants ; his truth must fulfil every exceeding great
and precious promise, whereby we "are made par-
takers of the divine nature, having escaped the cor-
ruption that is in the world through lust. If this
4O SfetfctT REGAINS,
l^conciled God of teace ; tie our father, we must be
^e'g^tten ; again f into r a^cqnfqmily wi ; ih him, and be
inade to perfect, holiness in his fear. , If he is our
liusband, he/must adora tis for; the eternal feast. Jf
"ne is\qur poQiq^ If he is. our
T ma|ter, he jttusrcommano'. us of his household, to
Walk in tfie way; of tne Lord, he must provide for
Md jriiie \v-etl his ; family.* If he is our physician, he
Imistfjneal bur diseases, see o^ frqwar^ "ways, an<J
neu tlnem. ., (3.) Hereby enough of communicable
grace_was purchased ; redemption from all iniquity ;
ieal of good works / redemption from a vain ppnver-
satiqn; cleansing till one become without spot or
wrinkle, or any Jsuch thing ; possession of life, and
|Kat more abundantly; sancfification of the people.
j[4.) Hereby, the^ broken law. which gender.eth tq
pondage, .me galling ypke^whiich neither we,nor our
fathers I could bear, is depriyed of all, ; its wrathful
Sanction; ancl nothing iis left for thp'se under the law
to Christ, but Kind chastisements for their profit, to
make tliem partakers of God's holiness. ... It, is trans-
formed into a perfect Ijaw ,pf liberty, 'obejdience tq
^hich found? no proper title to eternal happiness.
It saith riot T The man that doth these things shall live
in them ; but, being delivered put of the hands of
fhese prbQiises, dearly .beloved, cleanse yourselves^
ft'om all fil|liiness of flesh arid spirit. . Haying these'
nopes of the heayeriiy kingdom, as heirs of God andi
Joint heirs with Christ, purify yourselves as (Jod is,
pure. Since he is y the Lord your God, have no other;
gbds before him, &c; Walk in love, as ; Cnrist hatH
loved you. Be perfect, as your Father who is in
Keav6ii is perfect. In this new form it doth not re-
vive sin, nor is the strength of it; but inlaid in the
promise, and impressed on the heart, it enstamps,
nolihes oh the soul, and creates purity and truth in
SELECT REMAINS. 4<1
the inward part*. (5.) In-Jesus's fulfilment of the
law is exhibited the most suitable, the most per-
fect and engaging pattern of universal Holiness. He
therein left us an example, that we should walk in
his steps; that we might learn of him and follow
him. How honourable this ! Being in the form of
God, he took upon him the form of a servant, and
was obedient unto death. How perfect ! He did al-
ways the things that pleased his Father. How suit-
able ! He was in all points tempted like as we are,
yet without sin. How engaging! We love. him be-
cause he first loved us. We walk in love, as Christ
hath loved us, and given himself for us. It is at
once the pattern of our brother, our husband, our
Saviour, and our God. (6.) In his fulfilment of the
law, the motives of holiness are rendered infinitely
numerous, plain, and determining. The inexpressi-
ble importance of holiness is marked in the service,
the death of God. The purity and authority of the
moral law is manifested in his magnifying and mak-
ing it honourable. In his. being made sin for us, the
horrid nature of sin, as tEe murder of a God of infi-
nite grace the murder of a God in our nature-
is displayed, more than is done in either, law, hell,
or human heart. How constraining to gratitude is
the giving, the dying love of God! In it we have
strength and reward secured. We shall be strength-
ened in the Lord, and walk up and down in his name.
Our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord*
The foundation of holiness thus, laid, all the infi-
nite stores of purchased grace were lodged in Christ,
that they might be near, and sure, and sweet to pol
luted men. He received gifts for men. In him it
pleased th/e Father that all fulness should dwell ; that
s so, holding the head, the whole members, might grow
up with the increase of God. He is full of grace
and truth, that out of his fulness we may receive
reconciled God of peace b$ our father, we must be
Si- - tOjr T> '''"' '! T S- ( rl- .t "iiv V- ; -I i : -
pegotten again into a conformity with him, and be
Vftade to .; perfect, holiness, in his ifear. r If-He is our
r ma|tej-, f he must command , us of his household to
'^auc m the jway of the Lord, he must provide for
Imdjruie ^etlfeis fkmily.* If he is pur. physician, he
myst..neal bur disuses, see our TrpwariJ. V?;ays, an<J
fieal tffem. j[3.) JHereby enough of cbmmunicabld
grace.was purchased ; rep'emptipn frpm all iniquity;
"ieal of good works j redemption frohi a yairi cbnyer-
Siatiori; cleansing till one become without spot or
wrinkle, or anyjsuch thmg ; ppssessipn of life, and
fhat mpre a^unajuatly ;. sanctificatipn of the people*
j[4.) .Hereby, tlie^ broken : law.whicjhi gendereth tp
Spndage, ; tne galling ypke^ which neither ^e,nbr our
fathers _ could bear, is depriyed . pf all,, its wrathful
Sanction; arid nothing iisjeft for thp'se under th? law
fp Christ, but kind chastisements for their profit, to
make, them partakers of God's ; holiness. , . It, is transr
fbrriied into ( a perfect liaw^pf liberty, "obedience to
yrliich ifpund|i no proper tide to eternal Happiness.
It saith riot,. The : man that doth these tliihgis shall live
in them; but, being deiiyered but of ^he hands of
jese prbnTLis^s, dearly, belpyed, cleanse yourselves;
rrpni all fil^nmess of flesh arid spirit. . Haying thes^
nppes\pf the heayerity kiiigdpni, as he^rs of Ood and
joint heirs with 1 Christ, purify yourselves as Gpd isi
piire... Since he is v the Lord your God, have no othe^
gods before hiiia, &c." ^Valk in love, as Christ hatH
.loved' .you. Be perfect, as your Father who is in
Keayfin is perfect. : In this new form it. doth not re-
vive sin,' nbr.is the strength pf it ; but inlaid in the
prpmise, and impressed on. the heart, it enstamps,
nblines oh the soul, an,d creates purity and truth in"
SELECT REMAINS. 41
the inward partv (5.) In-Jesus's fulfilment of the
law is exhibited the most suitable, the most per-
fect and engaging pattern of universal holiness. He
therein left us an example, that we should walk in
his steps; that we might learn of him and follow
him. How honourable this ! Being in the form of
God, he took upon him the form of a servant, and
was obedient unto death. How perfect ! He did al-
ways the things that pleased his Father. How suit-
able ! He was in all points tempted like as we are,
yet without sin. How engaging! We love. him be-
cause he first loved us. We walk in love, as Christ
hath loved us, and given himself for us. It is at
once the pattern of our brother, our husband, our
Saviour, and our God. (6.) In his fulfilment of the
law, the motives of holiness are rendered infinitely
numerous, plain, and determining. The inexpressi-
ble importance of holiness is marked in the service,
the death of God. The purity and authority of the
moral law is manifested in his magnifying and mak-
ing it honourable. In his. being made sin for us, the
horrid nature of sin, as jlie murder of a God of infi-
nite grace the murder of a God in our nature-
is displayed, more than is done in either, law, hell,
or human heart. How constraining to gratitude is
the giving, the dying love of God! In it we have
strength and reward secured. We shall be strength-
ened in the Lord, and walk up and down in his name.
Our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.
The foundation of holiness thus, laid, all the infi-
nite stores of purchased grace were lodged in Christ,
that they might be near, and sure, and sweet to pol-
luted men. He received gifts for men. In him it
pleased th/e Father that all fulness should dwell ; that
v so, holding the head, the whole members might grow
up with the increase of God. He is full of grace
and truth, that out of his fulness we may receive
43 SELECT REMAINS*
grace for grace ; and that God may supply all our
wants out of his riches ; and wash off all our stains
in him, who is the fountain opened the fountain of
gardens well of living waters and streams from
Lebanon. Faithful to God that appointed him, he
must bestow these gifts, this grace, upon men ; him-
self, and his holy angels have no use for it.
In respect of mediatorial person, office, and rela-
tion, Christ is so fashioned, that there can be no spi-
ritual connexion with him which is not of a sanctify-
ing nature. If he is a Redeemer, it is from all ini-
quity. If he comes to us, it is to turn away ungod-
liness. If he is a Saviour, it is from sins ; he is ma-
nifested to destroy the works of the devil. If he is
a prophet, it is to teach to profit; to teach to deny
-ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly,
righteously, and godly in this present world. If he
is a sacrifice, it is to purge our conscience from deadr
works to serve the living God ; it is to finish trans-
gressions and make an end of sin, and sanctify the
people. If he is an advocate, it is to plead their
sanctification, and to send down the Holy Spirit, to
cause us to walk in his statutes, and keep his judge-
ments. If he is a king, it is to command deliveran-
ces for Jacob ; slay our enmity, and subdue our ini-
quity ; and make his grace sufficient for us, and his
strength perfect in our weakness.' If he is our Fa-
ther, it is to beget us again to a lively and purifying
hope, and to make his daughter all glorious within.
If he is an head, it is to make us grow with the in-
crease of God- to make us grow in grace. If he is
an husband, he makes perfect through his comeli-
ness put upon us. If he is a shepherd, he must lead
in paths of righteousness. If he is a leader, he must
guide in a path that is rights If he is a way, it is a
way of holiness. If he is a captain, we must be
strong in the Lord to wrestle with spiritual wicked-
SELECT REMAINS. 43
ness, and abstain from fleshly lusts that war against
the soul : They that are his soldiers are. new crea-
tures, who have crucified the flesh with its affections
and lusts. If he is God's unspeakable gift, he must
make room for God in our soul. IHie is heard, we
are made clean through his word, sanctified through,
his truth. If he is beheld, beholding as in a glass
the glory of the Lord, we are changed into the same
image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the
Lord. If he is touched, healing virtue proceeds
from him.
- In the manifestation of Christ in the gospel, God
carries the external means of sanctification to the
highest. An attention to the facts and mysteries
relative to him discovers the law, the covenants, the
nature of God, the evil and danger of sin, the beauty,
necessity, and usefulness of holiness to the highest ;
and, in fine, exhibits the strongest motives and most
excellent means of holiness.
By the introduction of . Christ into our heart, and
his continued inhabitation and agency therein, our
sanctification is begun, increased, and perfected. By
his entrance into our understanding as the light of
life, sinful blindness and ignorance are expelled, and
we are made light in the Lord, have the spirit of
wisdom and understanding in the knowledge of him.
By his application of himself to our conscience, as
Jehovah our righteousness, it is made good is
purged from dead works to serve the living God,
and disposed to promote the end of the command-
ment, and to avoid offence towards God and towards
men. By. his entrance into our will and affections,
a.s the infinitely amiable and gracious gift, of God, he
opens our soul for God, and draws out our heart to-
wards him ; inflames our soul with love, which is
the fulfilling of the law.
44 "SELECT REMAINS.
In these respects let him be made of God sanctifi-
cation to me. Detested be all the schemes of dig-
ging holiness out of myself. Let others, with the
horrors of damnation attending every false step, or
joys of heaven earned in the servile mode, promote
their outside, their bastard piety j let my life of ho-
liness be by th.e faith of the Son of God! Thus, my
soul, exercise thyself unto godliness, that in grace;,
as well as in glory, Christ may be All and in All.
TRACT II.
A Contrast of the Purchase and Application of
Redemption*
REDEMPTION, thou eternal excellency,
thou joy of many generations return, return, that I
may look upon thee ! How my heart is amazed, is
ravished, with the view of what my adored Jesus
hath done for me in the purchase of redemption, and
doth to me ift the everlasting application of it to my
soul. There, in the purchase, Jehovah found him
out, and laid my help upon, him who is mighty :
Here, in the application, he is found of me that
sought him not. "There, he struck out my name
from my debt-bond, the broken covenant sad char-
ter to infinite woe ! and inserts his own : Here, he
makes with me an everlasting covenant, even the sure
mercies of David. There, he made himself heir to
my deserved threatenings of his Father's indigna-
tion: Here, he bequeaths, he gives to me his ex-
ceeding great and precious promises of eternal life.
There, to be firmly connected with my guilt, my
woe, he was made a priest with an oath: Here, that
-SELECT REMAINS. 4 A
1 might have strong consolation, he swears that he
hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked, and that
surely blessing he will bless me.
There, in the purchase of redemption, he, whe
was in the form of God, and thought it no robbery
to be equal with God, emptied himself of his glory:
Here, in the application of it, he confers upon me an
exceeding and eternal weight of glory. The Lord
is my everlasting light^ and my God my glory.
There, he was found in fashion as a man, a Son of
man : H&e, he makes me a son an heir of God, and
joint heir with Christ. There, he was sent forth in the
likeness of sinful flesh : Here, he makes me apartaker
of the divine nature, and changes me into the divine
image from glory to glory. There, he became a
worm and no man : Here, he renders me equal to
the angels of God in heaven. There, he the son of
the father's love, was an out-cast, an exile: Here, I,
a hateful, distant foe, am, through his blood, brought
near unto God, even to his seat. There, he bare our
infirmities, was weary and weak hearted: Here, he
hath a fellow-feeling of our infirmities, is afflicted in
all our afflictions, and perfects his strength in my
weakness. There, he made himself of no reputation,
was a reproach of men, and despised of the people :
Here, he gives me a new name, which the mouth of
the Lord doth name : the ransomed of the Lord ; the
holy one ; sought out, and not forsaken. There, he
took upon him the yoke of the broken law ; the yoke
of my transgressions was wreathed about his -neck:
Here, he brings me into the glorious liberty of the
sons of God ; puts on me his yoke, which is easy,
and his burden, which is light. There, he bore the
sins of many, he was made sin for us: Here, he
makes- me righteous, the righteousness of God in
him. There, he was condemned, was made a curse
for us: Here, he is a prince and Saviour, exaJtedto-
44 'SELECT REMAINS.
In these respects let him be made of God sanctifi-
cation to me. Detested be all the schemes of dig-
ging holiness out of myself. Let others, with the
horrors of damnation attending every false step, or
joys of heaven earned in the servile mode, promote
their outside, their bastard piety ; let my life of ho-
liness be by tlje faith of the Son of God! Thus, my
soul, exercise thyself unto godliness, that in grace;,
as well as in glory, Christ may be All and in All.
TRACT II.
A Contrast of the Purchase and Application of
Redemption.
REDEMPTION, thou eternal excellency,
thou joy of many generations return, return, that I
may look upon thee ! How my heart is amazed, is
ravished, with the view of what my adored Jesus
hath done for me in the purchase of redemption, and
doth to me in the everlasting application of it to my
soul. There, in the purchase, Jehovah found him
out, and laid my help upon him who is mighty :
Here, in the application, he is found of me that
sought him not. There, he struck out my name
from my debt-bond, the broken covenant sad char-
ter to infinite woe ! and inserts his own : Here, he
makes with me an everlasting covenant, even the sure
mercies of David. There, he made himself heir to
my deserved threatenings of his Father's indigna-
tion: Here, he bequeaths, he gives to me his ex-
ceeding great and precious promises of eternal life.
There, to be firmly connected with my guilt, my
\voe, he was made a priest with an oath : Here, that
'SELECT HEMAINS. 4 A
I might have strong consolation, he swears that he
hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked, and that
surely blessing he will bless me.
There, in the purchase of redemption, he, who
was in the form of God, and thought it no robbery
to be equal with God, emptied himself of his glory:
Here, in the application of it, he confers upon me an
exceeding and eternal weight of glory. The Lord
is my everlasting light, and my God my glory.
There, he was found in fashion as a man, a Son of
man : He~ne, he makes me a son an heir of God, and
joint heir with Christ. There ', he was sent forth in the
likeness of sinful flesh : Here, he makes me a partaker
of the divine nature, and changes me into the divine
image from glory to glory. There, he became a
worm and no man : Here, he renders me equal to
the angels of God in heaven. There, he the son of
the father's love, was an out-cast, an exile : Here, I,
a hateful, distant foe, am, through his blood, brought
near unto God, even to his seat. There, he bare our
infirmities, was weary and weak hearted: Here, he
hath a fellow-feeling of our infirmities, is afflicted in
all our afflictions, and perfects his strength in my
weakness. There, he made himself of no reputation,
was a reproach of men, and despised of the people:
Here, he gives me a new name, which the mouth of
the Lord doth name: the ransomed of the Lord; the
holy one ; sought out, and not forsaken. There, he
took upon him the yoke of the broken law ; the yoke
of my transgressions was wreathed about his neck:
Here, he brings me into the glorious liberty of the
sons of God ; puts on me his yoke, which is easy,
and his burden, which is light. There, he bore the
sins of many, he was made sin for us: Here, he
makes me righteous, the righteousness of God in
him. There, he was condemned, was made a curse
for us: Here, he is a prince and Saviour, exalted to-
46
give repentance and. remission of sins ; sent to bless
me.in turning me from mine iniquities ; set up to be
blessings for evermcre. There he was joined with
thieves ; was numbered with transgressors : Here, he
puts me among the children j joins me with thrones
and dominions. And truly my fellowship is with
the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
There, in the purchase of -my redemption, 'he was
oppressed with ignominious poverty ; had riot where
to lay his head: Here, in = the application of at,
through his poverty I become -rich; he gives-me his
unsearchable riches', the goodly heritage of the hosts
of nations ; fills me with all the fulness of 'God j
gives me the most high for my habitation, my dwell-
ing place in all generations. There, for -hunger and
thirst his soul fainted in him : Here, he; satiates my
soul -with goodness ; gives me his flesh, -which is
meat indeed, and his blood which is drink indeed :
gives me bread of life, living water, an overflowing
cup of salvation. There he hid not his face 'from
shame <and spitting; had his visage more marred
'than; any. man, and -'his form more than the sons of
men: J^ ere, he makes me lift up my face without
spot unto God ; makes me shine as the sun in the
kingdom of my ! Father. There,\\& was divinely de-
serted; his Father forsook 'him, and was far from
the words of his roaring : Here, he lifts on me the
light -of Jehovah's countenance, and shall make me
like him, by seeing him as he is ; for -so -shall I be
for ever .with the Lord. There, he/gave his back
to the smiters, and }iis' cheeks to them that plucked
off the hair; was wounded for our transgressions,
and bruised for our iniquities: Here, he is the
Lord, my God, that healeth me ; that healeth all
my. diseases, and bindeih up my painful wounds ;
and; by his stripes am I healed. There, from the
cross,..: he would not come down and save himself :
SELECT
Here, from the throne, he comes down to love me
from the pit of corruption ,. draw me out of many wa-
ters, turn me from ungodliness, and save me from
the lowest hell. There, he wore a crown of thorns :
Here, he gives me a crown of life; makes me a royal
diadem in the hand of my God. There, he drank for
me the baleful cup of infinite wrath : Here, he gives
me the fountain of life, rivers of pleasure, wine and
milk, without money and without price ; and makes
me drink water out of the wells of salvation. There ',
he was amazed and very heavy, exceeding sorrow-
ful, even unto death : Here, he makes me obtain joy,
and gladness, go to God mine exceeding joy, and en-
ter into the joy of my Lord. There, he poured out
his soul unto death ; travailed in pain till he knew?
not what to say : Here, he is formed in my heart the
hope of glory ; sees in me the travail of his soul,, and
is satisfied. There, he shed his blood for me : Here+
he loves ine, and washes me from my sins, in- his/
blood, and makes me a, king and priest unto God^
even the Father. There, he died for the ungodly, j;
Here, he hath quickened me;, who was dead in tres-
passes and sins j because he lives, I shall live also j my?
fife is hid with Christ in God ; and when he appears
I shall appear with him hi glory. There, he was bu-
ried, descended unto the lower parts of the earth i
Here, raised up and alive for evermore, he raiseth:
me up together, and make? me sit together with him,
in heavenly places*. What melting views are these !
How my heart heaves with joy, flames with love \
would bUrst in pi-aise,.if wonder would allow !
A. B.
48 SfctECT REMAINS
TRACT III.
of a Soul shut up to the Faith*
LOOK back, my soul, to the rock from whence
thou wast hewn. Ponder the manner in which Jeho-
vah loved and brought thee from the pit of corrup-
tion. How the fiery law, with its dread mandates all
pointed against my crimes, and its tremendous penal-
ty turned every way, to stop my escape from the gra-
ciously inviting God of infinite mercy \- To what
numerous, to what wretched shifts I betook myself.
to shun the Redeemer ! By a Christian education,
'God had shut me .up from the more horrid abomi-
nations, cursing, swearing, lewdness, intemperance^
and neglect of the forms of religion. But, ah! with
what earnestness I indulged myself in sins not less
.criminal, though less open and infamous! -Whea"
his dread law convinced my conscience, that my se-
cret faults were set in the light of his countenance.^
and that what is esteemed in the sight of men is an a*
feomination to the Lord ; how eagerly I turned aside
to seek righteousness, as it were by the works of the
law ! When conscience upbraided me for neglect of
former duties, particularly of acts of worship, how
often have I redoubled, or even tripled the ordinary
tale, in order to pay off my old debts ! How foolishly
my heart cried, Have patience with me, and I will
pay thee all! Still my conscience, like the daughter
of the horse-leech, cried, Give, give. The Lord,
thundered into my soul, * As many as are of the
' works of the law are under the curse ; for it is writ-
* ten, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all
' things written in the book of the law to do them.
' Cursed is he that trusteth in man, that maketh
* .flesh his arm, whose heart jlenarteth from the liv.-
SELECT REMAINS;; 49
ing God.' While I, for many days compassed Sinai,
going about to establish my awn righteousness, toge-
ther with, or more truly in opposition to, the righ-
teousness of Christ, the thunder waxed louder and
louder. How then was my moisture turned into the
drought of summer, and I was wearied in the great-
ness of my way ! How plainly I perceived all my at-
tempts towards virtue, to be the mire and dirt, cast
up from, a troubled sea of inward rage and enmity a-
gainst God against the Redeemer .1 How I trembled
'to feel'myself reserved in chains of guilt, condemna-
tion, and sinful pollution, to the judgement of the
.great day! How oft my agonized soul sobbed forth^
* My bones are dried; my hope is lost; and I am,
icutoffibr my part.' -Not all the flames of Sinai
.could melt my heart. I hardened myself in sorrow,
and became more obstinate in inward rebellion
against the Lord. I went on frowardly in the Way of
. my heart. I loved idols, and after them I would go.
But, thanks be to God, that stopt my career T
while X rolled and raged in my blood, without any
eye to pity me, he passed by me, and looked upon me,
and said unto me, when I was in my blood, my devil-
ish rage against the Redeemer, live! And behold,
my time was the time of love ! the day of power ! the
'day of qsppusals indeed h Determined to make an
uncommon "stretch of almighty grace, he hedged me
an. Before, behind, and on every side, I heard, I saw,
I felt, not cherubims with naming swords,-but calls
Lut cords ^of everlasting love. Before me I saw, I
lieard God in Christ reconciling the world to him-
self, saying to my heart, ' I am the Lord thy God.'
To silence every doubt, he s ware unto me, ' Hear,
my people, and I will speak ; I will testify against
thee. I am God, even thy God' as really, as -fully
.thine as -I am God! Behind I heard his voice,
. 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me.' I saw
E 2
SO SEtECT REMAINS,
-myself thus charged, with .all the authority of hea"*
ven, to take God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, in
Christ, to be my God, and my all; and that neither
blasphemy^ nor murder, nor any thing horrid, could
be more aggravated rebellion against him, than my
not believing that he was my God; and that , all con-
ception, all worship of him, under any other view,
than v&.my God, was but die placing an idol in his
room! How my heart was astonished to find, that
the first and great commandments so charged, me,
the chief of sinners, a very prince of devils, to pos-
sess what the Lord God giveth me-^-to possess the
infinite all, as in Christ, my ozvn.- When, in humili-
ty, produced from hell, I pled, that I was not worthy
of him that I could not believe could, not receive
him could not obey his sweet command he took
me by the arms, by the heart on every side, and said,
4 1 will be to them a God, and they shall be tp me a
* people. I will say, It is my people ; and they shall
* sfay, The Lord is my God.'
Thus encompassed on every side, tell me, ye sons
ofm'en, ye powers of darkness, what was I that I
could withstand God ; Had .all the enmity in hell
been concentred in my heart, how could it have
withstood such omnipotence of love! how could I
have escaped out of God's hands ! how could I have
trodden on the exceedingly great and precious pro-
mise and oath of God, confirmed with his blood !
how could I have trampled on the great, the kind
commandment of infinite love! how could I have
torn the bowel's of an apprehending Saviour, a be-
seeching God-!;' lio^could I have broke the arms of
almighty grace, which grasped me hard ! how could
my heart, my soul, forbear to cry out, Amen, so be it y
bard to say of the Lord, 4 He is my refuge and my
? fortress * my God, in whom I will tf ust-r-Twr/ Lord
SELECT REMAINS, 51
and my God Lord, I believe, help thou mine un-
'belief!' '
But will God indeed be mine, wholly mine! for
ever mine ! Is the giving word, the oath, gone out of
his' mouthy andsealed with his blood ; Cursed then be
every disposition, every thought of my soul > that dis-
sents. Let the mouth of these liars be stopped
Lord, persecute and destroy, from under these hea-
vens, this evil heart of unbelief; thy curse unto it.
But what shall I render to the Lord for his infinite
gift of himself to me! Such as I am, Lordj I give
myself to thee as my God. Myself as naked, as guil-
ty, I give to thee, as my God,- my righteousness my
,God, that covereth with robes of righteousness and
garments of salvation my God, that justifieth the
ungodly^freely by his grace, through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus my God, unmatched in for-
giving iniquity, transgression and sin. Myself, as
foolish and ignorant, I give to thee, as my God, my
Redeemer, that teacheth to profit my God, who
hath compassion on the ignorant, and openeth the
eyes of the blind, and maketh the heart of the rash
to understand knowledge to my Christ, as made of
God to me wisdom. Myself, as polluted, I give to
thee, my God, that saveth from all uncleanness -to
thee, my Redeemer, who art come to Zion to turn,
away ungodliness from Jacob- who art a fountain
opened for sin and uncleanness who art made of
God to me sanctification. Myself, as rebellious, I
give to thee, my God of peace, who slays the enmity
by the blood of his Son, and to thee, O Jesus, who
hath received gifts for men; yea for the rebellious,
that God the Lord may dwell among them, and daily
load them with his benefits. Myself, as "weak, in-
sufficient to think any thing, to do any thing, spiri-
tually good^ I give to thee, my God, who giveth pow-
er to the faint, and increaseth strength to them that
52 SELECT REMAINS,
have no might to thee, the worker in and for me
of thy good pleasure.-r-MyseliF, as poor and wretch-
ed, as poverty and enfptiness, -itself, kgiye to thee,
my God, my all, and in all My God v who accounts
it more blessed to give than to receive, that thou
.mayest supply all my wants out of thy riches in glory
by Christ Jesus. ^,
TRACT IV.
Reflections of a Christian, upon his Spiritual Eleva-?
tions and Dejections.
MY life is indeed hid with Christ in God. My ;
new covenant state is as mount Zion, which can nev-
.er be moved. But ah! the instability of my spiri-
tual condition! How often God hath lifted me up
and cast me down again ! -
Sometimes he hath ^ lifted me up, in allowing me
sweetly distinct views of divine truth, and of Jesus
.his Father therein. In his light, I saw light, and
.walked, read, heard, and meditated, in the light of
his countenance! O my pleasant insight into the
mystery of.divine persons, and of divine perfections,
-as manifested in Christ! into the mystery of re-
demption, in its rise, means, matter, and end N and
into my duty, with relation thereto, even in intricate
.circumstances! Anon he casts me down into deep
and darksome caves. Ah then, my ignorant, carnal,
and misshapen apprehensions of divine things! A-_
midst the best means of instruction, all were like a
sealed book to my soul. I groped as a blind man at
setiECT
tfoon day^ neither understanding what was exhibited,
nor whence I had come, nor whither I should go.
Sometimes God, by*his word and Spirit, afforded
me the most convincing assurance that he was my
Saviour, my husband, my father, my friend, my phy-
sician, my God, and my all and in all! and enabled
me to claim him in every character, in every promisej
without the least hesitation. -Anon he permitted me
to fall into such darkness and doubts, that I could be
persuaded of scarce any thing inspired. I doubted
*f, I disputed against, all his saving relations to me$
:all his promises of kindness to me. Even when he
testified against me that he was God, even my God$
I pleaded he was a liar. Ah shocking! resisted, re 5 *
belled against, and vexed his holy Spirit!
Sometimes God Jiath lifted me up to a sweet se-
renity of soul. Like one beloved of the Lord, I dwelt,
in safety. No angry challenge from heaven, or from
my conscience, disturbed my repose. Even amidst
troubles, or in the views thereof, I rested in the
tord, arid quietly waited for his salvation. Ariola
he cast me into deep waters, where there was no
standing. All his waves and billows went over me.
Ah! how tossed with tempest, and not comforted!
While heaven deserted and frowned, while the ar-
rows of the Almighty stuck fast in me, and the poi-
son thereof drunk up my spirit, Satan trod me under
his feet, sheathed in me thousands of his fiery darts:
iny raging corruptions wrought and were tempes-
tuous : the world hated, reproached, and persecuted
me ! Scarce ought remained, but a fearful looking for
of fiery indignation.
Sometimes God hath lifted me up, in so plentifully
shedding abroad his love in my heart, and so power-
fully arresting my thoughts on divine things, that
54 SELECT REMAINS*
liot all the temptations of Satshj or solicitations of
this world,> could draw it aside. My heart so burn-*
ed with love to him, that it could desire nothing^
care for nothing,, and converse with nothing, but
himself. Anon it became so loose, so unfixed, that
I could not for my soul confine it a moment to a spi-
ritual object in a spiritual manner ; but whole armies
of idle,: ignorant^ legal, unbelieving, blasphemous,
proud, covetous, malicious, or wanton thoughts^
crowded into my mind.
> .',.
Sometimes God, in lifting me up, hath inflamed
my heart with the most ardent desire after himself;
How my soul longed, thirsted, hungered^ and panted
for the Lord ! How she cried qnd followed hard af-
ter him ! Nothing could divert, nothing could check,
my ardour in pursuit .of himself; and when I found
him I held him as with a death grasp, and would hot
let him go. With what brokenness, what eagerness
of heart, I wept, and made supplication to him !- A-
non, by casting down, I could neither breathe after^
nor pray for his visits. I neither knew nor caredj,
wheftiel % ~OMn^ sensi-
ble that my beloved had withdrawn himself^ and wag
gone, a stupid uriconcern overpowered my heart : I
was almost content to have his room filled with sinful
pleasures^ and earthly enjoyments*
Sometimes God hath so lifted me up, enabling me
to live on Christ himself, above dependance on sensi-
ble frames, that I rested on, and gloried in, his perr
son, office, love, righteousness^ intercession, power,
and faithfulness, as the infallible security of my for-
giveness, acceptance, sanctification, comfort, and e-
ternal felicity, notwithstanding much felt guilt, temp-
tation, and trouble. Anon I have been so cast down,
that my spiritual courage and hope altered, as Bay-
inward frames did. - '''
SELECT REMAINS; / 55
Sometimes I have 'been so lifted up, 'that ; I could
-with pleasure distinctly review my former noted en-
joyments of- Christ; how, when and where, he ap-
peared to my soul, loosed my ibands, forgave my
sins, quickened and feasted my soul.- Anon I have
been so cast down, that"! lost the impression of for-
mer, experiences; could scarce discern whether they
were from heaven, or of men ; from heaven, or from
hell: and, alas, strangely careless what was their na-
ture, -source or tendency! Ah! how the promises,
the words of grace, in which I Had formerly tasted
that the^Lord is gracious, became as idle tales, as a
well without water, and as flinty rocks !
^Sometimes the zeal of his house, ^inflamed by the
applications of redeeming love, and directed by his
word and Spirit, hath eaten me up: I counted no-
thing, no not life itself, dear unto me, if I mighthave
Jesus -exalted, his truths believed and maintained,
and his-people increased in the earth. Anon I have
fallen under the power of so much selfishness, that,
If I could get my own interest secured, I scarce re-
garded the glory or the publick honours of Christ. ,
Sometimes God hath filled my mouth with his
praise and honour all the day. I could not refrain
from praise. I could .not forbear commending him
whom my soul loveth. I could not but, in a manner
suited to my station, invite others to come, taste, and
see, that God is good; could not but call such as fear-
ed God to hear what he had done for my soul.
Anon, a dumb devil hath taken possession of my
heart ; sinful bashfulriess, confusion, and carelessness,
have quite disqualified me for conference on any spi-
ritual subject : nay, I felt a strong inclination to deal
in trifles and calumny.
'Sometimes God hath so feasted me, in his ordi-
;3P> SELECT REMAINS.
nances, that the frequent return of sabbaths, sacKi- .
mental occasions, opportunities of family, social or
^secret worship, was my delight, Often I had him pre-
engaged to vouchsafe his presence, in this and that
ordinance of his grace. Often the angelof the cove-
nant restrained the winds of temptation and floods
of-corruption, while he sealed my soul to the day of
redemption. O, how he brought me into the han-
quetting-house, and his banner over me was love I-
How he stayed me with flagons, and comforted nie
with apples, while I was sick of love! Anon ordi-
nances~became to me as dry beasts, and a miscarrying
womb. Ah! their approach seemed a trifle, a bur-
den, to my careless, carnal heart ! Neither before,
nor in, nor after, did I enjoy the visits of Christ. In
.my attendance, levity, legality, and unconcern, car-
ried all before them. How oft the voice, the gesture,
the method, of the administrator, took that rooni^n
my heart, which pertained to Christ! Often disap-
pointed of the presence of God, ah ! how I sunk into
mere formality, or doubts of my duty to attend I-
and at last how often have I neglected worship alto-
gether, if the hurry of the world seemed to call me to
some other business.
Sometimes God hath carried me up to mount
Pisgah, and shewn me the celestial Canaan, and my
irrevocable title thereto, till my whole soul was trans-
ported with wonder, with desire, ad delight ! How
I desired to depart and to be with Christ, which is
far better! How I groaned to be clothed upon, with
my house which is from heaven! 'Aiion he held
back the face of his throne, and spread his cloud over
it. Heaven was forgotten : my interest therein was
unseen. Nay, how often hell presented itself as the
heritage appointed me by God !
Are thy frames, my soul, so changeable? Let me
SfctECT
thfce to have no confidence in tbya&lf ; but live
by faith on the Son of God, and his everlasting cove-
Tiant, which are the same yesterday, to-day, arid for
ever. Count all but loss, for the excellency of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus thy Lord : count them but
dung to win him, and to be found in him, not having
thy own righteousness which is of the law, but the
lighteousness which is of God by faith.
TRACT V.
Reflections of a Candidate for the Ministerial
Office.
DOST thou, my soul, desire tne office of a bishop
of souls, a minister of Christ ? Examine with deep
concern thy preparation for, thy call to, and thy end
in offering thyself to this important work.
Am I a real Christian ; or am I a devil a dis-
sembler with God and men an entertainer of sin, of
Satan, in my heart? Am I circumcised with the cir-
cumcision of Christ, having my corrupt nature re-
newed ; old things passed away, and all things be-
come new ? Do I worship God in the spirit ; read^
meditate, pray, converse, under the influence of the
Holy Ghost? Do I certainly know what Christ is to
me? Do I rejoice in what he is in himself, and, what
he is to, and hath done for and in me? Have I n
confidence in the flesh in my righteousness, my
learning, my address ? Hath the Holy Ghost emptied
me of self, in every form, till he hath made me poor
in spirit, less than the least of all saints in my own
sight ? Hath he with a strong hand instructed nie r tr
F
'SELECT REMAINS.
nances, that the frequent return of sabbaths, s
mental occasions, opportunities of family, social or
secret worship, was my delight. Often I had him pre-
ngaged to vouchsafe his presence, in this and that
ordinance of his grace. Often the angel of the cove*
nant restrained the winds of temptation and floods
of -corruption, Awhile he sealed my soul to the day of
redemption. O, how he brought me into the ban-
quetting-house, and his banner over me was4ove !~
How he stayed me with flagons, and comforted me
with apples, while I Was sick of love! -Anon ordi-
nanceslaecame to me as dry beasts, and a miscarrying
womb. Ah! their approach seemed a trifle, a bur-
den, to my careless, carnal heart ! Neither before,
nor in, nor after, did I enjoy the visits of Christ. In
.my attendance, levity, legality, and unconcern, car-
ried all before them. How oft the voice} the gesture,
the method, of the administrator, took that roonMji
my heart, which pertained to Christ ! Often^drekp'-
pointed of the presence of God, ah! how I sunk into
mere formality, .or doubts of my duty to attend !-
and at last how often have I neglected worship alto-
gether, if the hurry of the world seemed to call me to
some other business.
Sometimes God hath carried me up to mount
Pisgah, and shewn me the celestial Canaan, and my
irrevocable title thereto, till my whole soul was trans-
ported with wonder, with desire, and delight! How
I desired to depart and to be with Christ, which is
far better! How I groaned to be clothed upon, with
my house which is from heaven! .'Anon he held
back the face of his throne, and spread his cloud over
it. Heaven was forgotten: my interest therein was
unseen. Nay, how often hell presented -itself as the
heritage appointed me by God !
Are thy frames, my soul, so changeable? Let me
to have no confidence i
by faith on the Son of God, and his everlasting cove-
Tiant, which are the same yesterday, to-day, arid for
ever. Count all but loss, for the excellency of the
iriowledge of Christ Jesus thy Lord : count them but
dung to win Vim, and to be found in him, not having
thy own righteousness which is of the law, but the
righteousness which is of God by faith.
TRACT V.
Reflections of a Candidate for the Ministerial
Office.
DOST thou, my soul, desire the office of a bishop
of souls, a minister of Christ ? Examine with deep
concern thy preparation for, thy call to, and thy end
in offering thyself to this important work.
Am I a real Christian ; or am I a devil a dis-
sembler with God and men an entertainer of sin, of
Satan, in my heart? Am I circumcised with the cir-
cumcision of Christ, having my corrupt nature re-
newed ; old things passed away, and all things be-
come new ? Do I worship God in the spirit ; read^
meditate, pray, converse, under the influence of the
Holy Ghost? Do I certainly know what Christ is to
me? Do I rejoice in what he is in himself, and. what
he is to, and hath done for and in me? Have I n
confidence in the flesh in my righteousness, my
learning, my address ? Hath the Holy Ghost emptied
me of self, in every form, till he hath made me poor
in spirit, less than the least of all saints in my. own
Sight? Hath he with a strong hand instructed nie^t*
F
$8 flJEjt^CT REMAINS
coimt: all- things, but loss for the excellency of the
knowledge. of Christ Jesus as my Lord, and to count
them but dung to win him, and be found in him, not
having my own righteousness, but the righteousness
which is of God by faith ? Do I earnestly desire to
know him and the power of his resurrection, and the
fellowship of his sufferings and press towards the
mark, for the. prize of the high calling of God m
Christ Jesus ? What furniture of gifts hath Christ
bestowed on me ? what aptness to teach ? what know-
ledge of the mysteries of the kingdom ? what skill to
instruct others, bringing out of my treasure things
new and old? what ability to make the deep things
of God obvious to the weaker capacities ? what pro-
per quickness of conception ? what proper inclination
to study, as- one devoted to matters of infinite conse-
quence? what peculiar fitness for the pulpit, qualify-
ing me to commend myself to every man's con-
science, preaching npt in the enticing words of man's
wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and with
power? With what stock of self- experience, texts,
and principles of inspiration, am I entering on the
tremendous office ? Of what truths, relative to the
law of God and its threatenings ; relative to sin, to
Satan, and to divine desertion ; hath my saddened
soul felt the power,. tasting. the wormwood and the
gall? Of what declarations and promises of grace
have I tasted, and seen that God is good? What
cords of infinite love have caught and held my heart?
What oracles of heaven have I found and eaten ; and
they have been to me the joy and the rejoicing of my
heart? Of what truths, what texts, could I now say,
* I believe, and therefore I speak.' * What I have ,
* heard with the Father, what I have seen and heard,
* and tasted, and handled of the word of life'j that de-
* clare I unto you.' "
Suppose my connexions with the great, my ad-
SELECT REMAINS* >
dress to the, people, should ever so eas3y procure a
license, a charge; yet;, if I run unsent of Christ, in
my whole ministration I must act the part of a thief,
a robber, a traitor to Christ, and a murderer, of souls,
not profiting them at all. If, without his commission,
I enter the office, what direction, what support, what
comfort, what acceptance, what reward, can I expect
in and of my work ? Say then, my conscience, as
thou shalt answer at the judgement-seat of God, am I
taking this honour to myself ; or am I called of God,
as Aaron was ? Is Christ sending me, and laying a
necessity upon me to preach the gospel? While he
determines me to follow providence, and take no ir-
regular step towards thrusting myself into the office,
is he breathing on my soul, and causing me to re-
ceive the Holy Ghost? Is he endowing me with deep
compassion to the souls of men; and with .a deep
sense of my own unfitness, and earnest desire .to be
sanctified and made meet for the master's use? In
the progress of my education, am I going bound in
the spirit, with the love of Christ burning in my heart,
and constraining me ; rendering me cheerfully will-
ing to suffer poverty, contempt and hatred of all men,
for Christ's name's sake ; willing, if possible, to
risk my own salvation in winning others to Christ ?
What scriptures have directed and encouraged me to
this work ? In what form doth Jesus seem to be giv-
ing me my commission ? Whether 4 to open the eyes
4 of the Gentiles, and to turn them from darkness to
4 light, and from ? the power of Satan unto God;
4 that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and an in-
heritance among them that are sanctified?' or to
4 Go, make the heart of this people fat, and their ears
4 heavy, and shut their eyes?' What promise of
Christ's presence with, and assistance in, my work,
have I received from above ?
... What is mine end in my advances towards
SELECT "REMAINS?
work:? Batii-appeal to him^ that se^rcheth m
and trieth myTeins to him who will quickly be my
judge that I seek not great things to myself ; that
I covet no man's silver, gold, or apparel j that I seek
Mot theirs v .but.them ; that neither of nien seek I glo-
xy: that I look not on mine own things, but on the
things of Christ; that I seek not mine own honour^
feut the honour of him that sends me ?
Have I considered diligently what is before me-;
or am I running blindfold on the tremendous charge?
Have I considered the nature and circumstances of
the ministerial work, -or that therein I am to be an
Ambassador for Christ, to beseech perishing sdula,
on the brink of hell, to be reconciled unto God ?r A
-steward of the mysteries and manifold grace of God ;
-.~-that, at the infinite hazard of my soul, it is require
.ed of me to be faidiful ;- that in my ministrations I
with all humility, and many tears, serve the "Lord
with my spirit, in the gospel of his son ; : keep back
.no part of the counsel of God- no instruction, no
reproof, no encouragement ; that I testify repentance
towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus
Christ ; not moved with reproach, persecution, hun-
ger, or nakedness ^ nor even count my life dear unto
me, if so I may finish my course with joy ; ready
not only to be bound, but to die for the name of Je-
sus : willing rather to be ruined with Christ than to
reign with emperors j that I labour with much fear
and trembling, determined to know, to glory in, and
to make known, nothing but Christ and him cruci-
fied; not with enticing words of man's wisdom as
a man-pleaser, but with great plainness of speech, in
demonstration of the Spirit and with power ; speak-
ing the things freely given to nie of God by his Spirit,
not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth,butin
the words which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing
spiritual things with spiritual, and having the mind
i SELECT REMAINS. 61
of Christ ^always triumphing in Christ, ami mak-
ing manifest the savour of his knowledge in every
-pldice ;-being to God a sweet savour of Christen them,
that are saved, and in them that perish ; as of sinceri-
ty, as of God in the sight of God, speaking in Christ ;
through the mercy of God, not fainting, but renoun-
cing the hidden things of dishonesty ; not walking in
craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully,
but by the manifestation of the truth to every man's
conscience in the sight of God ; not preaching my-
self, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and myself a servant
to the church for Jesus's sake ; always bearing about
the dying of the Lord, that his life may be made ma-
nifest in me. Knowing the terror of the Lord, and
his future judgement, I must persuade men, making
myself manifest to God and to their conscience;-
constrained with the love of Christ, must change my
voice, and turn myself every way, to bring sinners
to the tree of life ; -jealous over them with a god-
ly jealousy, and espousing them as chaste virgins
to Christ; travailing in birth till Christ be form-
ed in them ; -must take heed to my ministry which
I have received in the Lord, that I fulfil it;
give myself wholly to reading, exhortation, and doc-
trine ; taking heed to myself and doctrine, that I
may save myself and them that hear me ; watching
for their souls as one that must give an account;
rightly dividing the word of truth, and giving every
man his portion- in due season ; faithfully warning
every man and teaching every man, and labouring
to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus ;-rand
warring, not after the flesh, nor with weapons of war-
fare that are carnal, but mighty through God to the
pulling down of strong holds, and casting down of
imaginations, and subduing every thought and affec-
tion to the obedience of Christ. Having Christ Je-
sus for the end of my conversation, and holding fast
the form of sound words in faith and love, which is
'F 2
62 SELECT REMAHW*. - ;
In him. I mirst go forth without 1 the camp, bearing
his reproach, and feeding the flock of God, over
which the Holy Ghost hath made me an ovevsee'r^
and which God hath purchased with hia own blood;
preaching, to the Congregation sound doctrine in
faith and verity ; taking the oversight thereof not by
constraint, but willingly j not for filthy lucre, but of
a ( ready mind ; neither as being a lord over God's he-
ritage, but as=an example to the flock exercised unto,
godliness j holy, just, and unblamable ; an example
to the believers in word, in conversation, in charity,,
in faith, in purity ; fleeing youthful lusts, and fol-
lowing after righteousness, peace,, faith, charity ;
avoiding foolish and unlearned questions ; not striv-
ing, but being gentle to all men;, in meekness in-
structing thbse that, oppose themselves; fleeing
from perverse disputings and worldly-mindedness as
most dangerous snares, and following after righte-
ousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness ;
fighting the good fight of faith, and, laying hold on.
eternal life ; preaching the word in season and out
of season ; reproving, rebuking, exhorting, with all
long-suffering and doctrine ; keeping the trust of
gospel truth and office committed to me ; and com-
mitting the same to faithful men, who may be able to,
teach others. And, in fine y to tty false teachers t
rebuke, before all, such as sin openly; restore such
as have been overtaken in a fault,, in the spirit of
meekness ; and, having compassion on them, to pull
them out of the fire, hating the garment spotted by
the flesh*
SETLECT REMAINS.
TRACT VI.
Reflections- of one entered into the- Pastoral
Office.
PONDER, my soul, with solemn awe! Am I
without that God\ that Christ, a stranger to that cove-
nant of promise, which I preach to others ? While
1 commend Jesus from the pulpit, am I despiser of
him in my heart? While I, in the name of God, re-
quire others to 'receive him as the unspeakable gift of
God, am I rejecting him myself ? am I daily occu-
pied in preparing the delicious gospel entertainment
for others, while I refuse to taste it myself? If my
ends are selfish, or if 1 am not hearty in my work,
how can God be expected to bless my endeavours ?
If in heart I am Satan's servant, how can I be true to
Christ, or earnest for his honour? If I have not
drunk deep of the terrors of the Lord, the bitterness
of- sin, the vanity of this world, the importance of
eternity, and of the conscience-quieting and heart-
captivating virtue of Christ, how can I be serious
and- hearty in preaching the gospel? If I am not in-
fluenced by a predominant love to Christ ; If I live
not to him ; if my heart is not fixed upon eternal
things ; if it pant not after fellowship with Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost ; and follow not eagerly holi-
ness and peace, and prefer not the welfare of the
church to my chiefest joy in this world ; how can I,
without the most abominable treachery and dissimu-
lation, declare to men their chief happiness, and 'the
proper methods to obtain it?
If I am a graceless preacher, how terrible is my
condition ! If I open my bible, the sentence of my
double damnation Sashes into my conscience from
tvery page. If I compose my sermon,, I but draw uj>
64 SELECT. REMAINS*
an awful indictment against myself. If I argue
against men's sins, I /but aggravate my own. If I
mention hell with its insupportable and everlasting 1
torments, I but enfeoff myself therein, as the just
portion of my cup, and my inheritance appointed me
by the almighty. If I speak of Jesus and his excel-
lencies, it is but to tread him under my feet. , Ifl
take his new covenant and the fulness, the blessings
therein contained, into my mouth, it is but to profane
them, to cast them out to be trodden under foot of
men. If I commend Jesus, and his Father, and
blessed Spirit, is is but to stab them under the fifth
rib, to betray them with a kiss ! While I hold up the
glass of God's law, and of his gospel, to others, I
turn its back to myself. My gospel is hid to me
who am lost, in whom the god of this world hath
blinded the mind of me who believe not, lest the
light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine
into my heart.
If I know not the Alpha and Omega, the truth-
what is all my knowledge but an accursed puffer up !
a murderer of my soul ! Ah ! how my table, my
reading, my meditations, my sermons, my princi-
ples, my prayers, as a trap and snare, take and bind
me hand and foot, to cast me the unprofitable ser-
vant, into utter darkness ; with all my bible, all my
books, all my gifts, as it were inlaid in my con-
science, like fuel, like oil, for ever, to enrage the
flames of infinite wrath against my soul! Ah! am I
set here, at the gate of heaven, as a candle to waste
myself in shewing others the way, in lighting upjthe
Bridegroom's friends ; and must my lamp at the end
go out in obscure darkness ! If I die unfaithful to
Christ, in what a tremendous manner shall I for ever
sink into the bottomless pit, under the weight of the
blood of the Son of God, the Saviour of men under
the weight of murdered truths, murdered convic-r
.tibris, murdered gifts, a murdered ministry, and
murdered souls ! How for ever curse myself, that I
did not rather choose to be a tinker, a chimney-
sweeper, an executioner, than a pretended, a treach-
erous, minister of Christ! Vile, vile, accursed hy-
pocrite, how shalt thou abide with devouring fire !
how shalt thou dwell with everlasting burnings !
Suppose I should know the grace of God in truth -j
yet, if my graces are not kept lively if my loins are
not girt, and my lamp burning, all inflamed with
Jesus's love constraining my heart how careless,
how- carnal, how blasted, how accursed, must my
ministrations be ! Ponder, my soul, the nature of thy
work, as a dealing between the infinite God and the
immortal, the perishing souls of men! Ponder ths
extent of my duties, and the solemnity of my en-
gagements ! Think how the honours and privileges
of my office, and my relation to Christ therein, ought
to instigate me to faithfulness! What self-denial,
what pure regard to the honour of God, what pru-
dence, what diligence, what humility, what zeal,
what spirituality of heart and life, what noted de*
pendence on Jesus by faith ; what order, what plain-
ness, what just temperature of mildness and severi^.
ty, is necessary in thus dealing with the souls of
men!
But, ah ! while I stand in the courts of the Lord,
and minister holy things in his name, how pollu
ted and abominable is my heart, my life ! Ah what
lusts prevail ! How dreadful the case of my hearers'
souls, if it is like mine ! What if I have less of the
reality of religion than the weakest, the most unten-?
der saiut of my charge ! Ah ! how my evil heart of
unbelief departs from the living God ! Where, where
is my faith in God ! where is my burning of heart,
Jesus speaks to me and opens to me the scrip*
64 SELECT. REMAINS,
an awful indictment against myself. If I argue
against men's sins, I , but aggravate my own. If I
mention hell with its insupportable and everlasting 1
torments, I but enfeoff myself therein, as the just
portion of my cup, and my inheritance appointed me
by the almighty. If I speak of Jesus and his excel-
lencies, it is but to tread him under my feet., ,If I
take his new covenant and the fulness, the blessings
therein contained, into my mouth, it is but to profane
them, to cast them out to be trodden under foot of
men. If I commend Jesus, and his Father, and
blessed Spirit, is is but to stab them under the fifth
rib, to betray them with a kiss! While I hold up the
glass of God's law, and of his gospel, to others, I
turn its back to myself. My gospel is hid to me
who am lost, in whom the god of this world hath
blinded the mind -of me who believe not, lest the
light of the glorious gospel of Christ should shine
into my heart.
If I know not the Alpha and Omega, the truth-**
what is all my knowledge but an accursed puffer up !
a murderer of my soul ! Ah ! how my table, my
reading, my hieditations, my sermons, my princi-
ples, my prayers, as a trap and snare, take and bind
me hand and foot, to cast me the unprofitable ser-
vant, into utter darkness ; with all my bible, all my
books, all my gifts, as it were inlaid in my con-
science, like fuel, like oil, for ever, to enrage the
flames of infinite wrath against my. soul! Ah! ami
set here, at the gate of heaven, as a candle to waste
myself in shewing others the way, in lighting upjthe
Bridegroom's friends ; and must my lamp at the end
go out in obscure darkness ! If I die unfaithful to
Christ, in what a tremendous manner shall I for ever
sink into the bottomless pit, under the. weight of the
blood of the Son of God, the Saviour of men under
the weight of murdered truths, murdered convic-?
DELECT
tibris, murdered gifts, a murdered ministry, and
murdered souls ! How for ever curse myself, that I
did not rather choose to be a tinker, a chimney-
sweeper, an executioner, than a pretended, a treach-
erous, minister of Christ! Vile, vile, accursed hy-
pocrite, how shalt thou abide with devouring fire !
how shalt thou dwell with everlasting burnings !
Suppose I should know the grace of God in truth-;
yet, if my graces are not kept lively if my loins are
not girt, and my lamp burning, all inflamed with
Jesus's love constraining my heart how careless,
how- carnal, how blasted, how accursed, must my
ministrations be ! Ponder, my soul, the nature of thy
work, as a dealing between the infinite God and the
immortal, the perishing souls of men! Ponder the
.extent of my duties, and the solemnity of my en-
gagements ! Think how the honours and privileges
of my office, and my relation to Christ therein, ought
to instigate me to faithfulness ! What self-denial,
what pure regard to the honour of God, what pru-
dence, what diligence, what humility, what zeal,
what spirituality of heart and life, what noted de-
pendence on Jesus by faith ; what order, what plain-
ness, what just temperature of mildness and severi-
ty, is necessary in thus dealing with the souls of
men!
But, ah ! while I stand in the courts of the Lord,
and minister holy things in his name, how pollu-
ted and abominable is my heart, my life ! Ah what
lusts prevail ! How dreadful the case of my hearers'
-souls, if it is like mine ! What if I have less of the
reality of religion than the weakest, the most unten-?
der saiut of my charge! Ah! how my evil heart of
unbelief departs from the living God ! Where, where
is my faith in God ! where is my burning of hearty
Jesus speaks to me and opens to me the scrip*
6% SELECT REMAINS?'.
tures ! Where are my love-pantiflgs, my languishing^
my cries for the Lord ! Where is my habitual fel-
lowship with Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; my
sitting Under Jesus 7 s shadow with great delight,
while his fruit is sweet to my taste! Where is my
constant travailing in birth till Christ be formed in
the souls of men ? Where are the agonies which my
heart hath undergone, both in the night and in the
"day, while the saving, the sanctifying presence of
God was denied to me, or to my flock ?-- -Nay, how
often hath pride been almost all in all to me ! How
often it hath chosen my companions! my dress! my
victuals! ^hath chosen my text! my subject! my
language! how often indited my thoughts ! and, to
the reproach, the blasting of the gospel, hath decked
my sermon with tawdry ornaments and fancies, as if
it had been a stage-play! how often it hath blunted
Jesus's sharp arrows of truth with its swollen bom-
bast, or silken smoothness ! In the pulpit, how often
pride hath formed my looks, my tone, my action, and
kindled me into earnestness ! How often it hath ren-
dered me glad to hear my subsequent applause, and
provoked with the news of my contempt ! Ah ! how
much of my labour is owing to pride, spurred on by
the fame of learning, diligence, or sanctity ! No won-
der my labours, so much influenced by satanical mo-
tives, do Satan's kingdom so little hurt ! Think too,
my soul, if my pride never made me envy or wound
the characters ol such as differed from me or outshi-
ned me ; if it never made me reluctant to admit re-
proof, especially from those of inferior stations !^-
Think if pride is less inconsistent with real Christi*-
nity than drunkenness, or whoredom ! How much
a factious spirit prevails with me! Did I never take
up a religious principle in the way of factious conten-
tion ? Did I never undervalue the peace and unity of
the church ? Have I been afflicted with Zion in all
her affiictionsyas if they had beeij my own ? By pror
'SELECT REMAINS.
'ing -my opponents in a controversy deceivers and
blasphemers, have I never, in respect of manner or
wid, pleaded the cause of the devil? Did I never in-
cline to have any destitute of the ordinances or in-
fluences of heaven, rather than my party should be
dishonoured ? Ah ! how slothful have I been in the
work of the JLord! in studying the matter of divine
truths, and their connexion with Christ and with one
-another! or in delivering them to my hearers!
How slothful in sympathising with and helping such
-as had no fixed gospel ministrations ; or in devising
-and carrying on projects for the honour of Jesus, arid
the welfare of souls ! How often carnal interest hath
marred my zeal for the interest of Christ! Hence
what temporizing witb.4:he laws ,and customs of the
world! What shrinking from duties that required
much labour or expense! What uncheerfulness in
giving large alms! and backwardness to improve
whatever I have, for the honour of Christ, and the
welfare of men !
Awake, my conscience! What meanest th'ou, O
sleeper! Bestir thyself for thy God. Ah! I tremble
to think how my parents, who piously devoted, who
educated, me to this work of the Lord; how the
masters, the teachers, who prepared me for it ; how
the seminaries of learning in which I was instructed,
the years I have spent in study, the gifts which God
hath bestowed on me, my voluntary undertaking of
the work; how all the thoughts, the words, the
works, 'of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to promote .
our redemption ; how all the divine command-
ments, promises, and threatenings, which inculcate
my duty 4 all the examples of apostles, prophets,
and faithful ministers ; how all the leaves of my bi-
ble, all the books in my closet, all the sermons I
preach, all the instructions and exhortations I tender ;
all the discipline I exercise ; all the maintainance I
Deceive:. all the honour which I enjoy or
all the testimonies I have given against the negli-'
gence of parents, masters, ministers, or magistrates ;
all the vows, and resolutions I have made to reform ;
and all the prayers I have presented to God for as-
sistance or success; shall rise up against me in the
day of the Lord, if I do his work deceitfully: alas!
who shall live when the Lord doth this ?
Think, my soul, as at the awful bar, did notthe Ho*
ly Ghost, who is ready to furnish me with every thing
necessary, did not God, put me into the ministry f
Was it that I might waste devoted time, that I might
tear his church, mangle his truths, betray his honour,
and murder the souls of men ! Is not my charge the
jlock of God, the flock of God purchased with his oivn
blood? Shall I destroy God's property -attempt to
frustrate the end of his death? Hath Jesus died for
souls! Shall I then think any thing too hard to be
done for their salvation ? Shall I not part with all, put
up with all, to win men to Christ? Was he crucified
for them, for me ! Shall I not crucify my selfishness,
my pride, my sloth, my concupiscence, to save my-
self, and them that hear me ? How hard my work !
While my own salvation is at stake, how deeply con-
nected with my diligence and faithfulness is the sal-
vation of multitudes ! How the powers of hell set
themselves against me" and my office, in order that
they may triumph over Christ and his church in my
fall ! How many eyes of God, angels, and men, are
upon me ! Why then conscience, do I speak of .hea-
ven or hell of Jesus and his love his blood -of
the new covenant and its blessingsin so careless
and sleepy a manner! When before, and on every
side of my pulpit, there are so many scores or hun-
dreds of immortal soiils suspended over hell by the
frail thread of life, already in the hands of the devil,
and gasping towards everlasting 'ruin slain by the
SELECT REMAINS.
gospel of Christ! Why do not tears of deep concern
mingle themselves with every sentence I utter, when
multitudes, just plunging into damnation, and per-
haps hearing for the last time, are, in respect of need,
crying, with an exceeding bitter cry, Help, minister,
I perish, I perish ; pluck the brand out of the burning ;
help to escape from the wrath to come j How shouldl
spend a moment of my devoted time in idle chit-chat,
in useless reading, in unnecessary sleep ! What if,
mean while, som,g one of my charge drop into hell-
fire, and commence his everlasting curses of me for
not doing more for his salvation ! What shall I do if
God riseth up to require their blood at my hand !
How accursed that knowledge which I do not im-
prove -for the honour of Christ, the bestower ! HOW
accursed that ease which issues in the damnation
of men! How accursed that conformity to the world
which permits my hearers to sleep hellward in sinl
TRACT VII.
Reflections of a Minister encouraging himself in
Christ.
HAVE I obtained mercy ? Hath the Son of God
loved me, and given himself for me ? Hath he trans-
lated me from darkness to his marvellous light ? Hath
he called me, and furnished me with knowledge,
with spiritual experiences, for my work I Let me
shew forth the praises of him who hath called me.
Why art thou cast down, my soul ? Still trust in God,
for I shall yet praise him, who is the help, the health,
of my countenance,and my God. Hath he separa-
ted me to the gospel of the grace of God J counted
G
70. SELECT 1 -REMAINS*. .
me faithful, putting me into the ministry, aid .giving
me, who am less than the least of all saints, this grace,
that I should preach amongst the Gentiles the un-
searchable riches of Christ?
Let me magnify mine office. He hath raised me
from the dunghill, and exalted me above principali-
ties and powers, thrones and dominions, to be a sta-
ted preacher of Christ, a stated ambassador and her-
ald of the Lord of hosts. How superlatively plea-
sant my business to survey, to tell 'out, the exceed-
ing riches of Christ all my own ! to publish ex-
ceeding great and precious promises, all given to me !
to declare to my brethren the name that is as oint-
ment poured forth !-to proclaim redemption through
the blood of Go.d, even the forgiveness of sins, ac-
cording to the riches of his grace ! -to 'be ever, with
joy, drawing water out of the wells of salvation ; and
have rivers of living waters flowing out of my belly,
for the refreshment of others ! to be God's unmuz-
zled ox, treading out his corn, the finest of the wheat,'
to be a worker together with God in the chiefest of
all his ways, the salvation of men ! to be like angels,
always beholding the face of my Father which is in
heaven ! to be all the days of my life dwelling in
the house of the Lord ; beholding his beauty, and in-
quiring reverently in his temple ! to be measuring
the height, the length, the depth, the breadth, and to
know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,
and to be filled with all the fulness of God !
Let me, therefore, be in nothing terrified by my
adversaries, nor by the arduous nature of my work.
In the full assurance that Jesus is mine, and hath
called me, let distress, no persecution, no danger,
, move me. ..Jesus, the fore-runner, for me is entered,
He, the breaker, is gone up before me : he hath bro-
ken up, and passed througji : he is on my head, arid
SELECT REMAINS. 71
at my right hand ; I shall not be moved : he sendeth
none a warfare uppn his own charges i he hath said
to my soul, Lo, I am- with thee alway, even unto the
end of the' world. As thy days are, so shall thy
strength be. My presence shall go with thee, and I
will give thee rest. When thou passest through the
waters I will be withthee, and through the rivers, they
shall not overflow thee : when thou walkest through
the fire thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flame
kindle upon thee. Fear not, I am with thee : be not
dismayed, I am thy God. Fear not, worm Jacob !
I will help thee. Behold, I will make thee a new
sharp-threshing instrument, having teeth, and thou
shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small f
and thou shalt rejoice in the Lord, and glory in the
Holy One of Israel. I will be with thy mouth. Be-
hold, I have made thee a defenced city, and an iron
pillar and a brazen wall, against the whole land. I am
with thee, saith the Lord to deliver thee. I even I,
am He that comforteth thee. Who art thou, that art
afraid of a man? I will give you another Comforter,
that he may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of
Truth. He shall teach you all things, and bring all
things to your remembrance.' He shall take of mine,
and shall shew it unto you. When he is come he-
will convince the world of sin, and of righteousness,
and of judgement. Be thou faithful unto the death,
and I will give thee a crown of life. He thatloseth
his life for my sake shall find it. To him that over-
cometh will I give to sit with me on my throne, even
as I also overcame and am set down with my Father
on his tjirone.
Bestir thyself, my soul ; let me walk in the light of
the Lord? let me set my face like a flint ; let me give
my back to the smiters and my cheeks to them that
pluck off the hair. I shall not be confounded ; for
the Lord God will help me. Let me . go forth in
73 SELECT REMAINS-
him, as my might, to promote the salvation of soiilsy
that they may be my hope, my reward, my joy, my
glory, and crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord.
Nay, though Israel be not gathered, I shall be glo-
rious in the eyes of the Lord; my judgement shall
be with the Lord, and my work with my God. Is
Jesus my surety, my sacrifice, my teacher, my Lord,
my friend, my father, my husband, my saviour, my
God, my glory? Let me indite good matter, touch-
ing the King. Let my tongue be as the pen of a
ready writer. Let my closed lips be opened, and
sing aloud of his righteousness and salvation all the
day, as not knowing the numbers thereof. Let Je-
sus be the end of all my ministrations. If I seek to
please men, I cannot be the servant of Christ. If I
chiefly regard my own honour, my humour, or my
temporal advantage, how shall I hold up my face to
Jesus, who loved me, and gave himself for me ! If
he is the beloved Son of God, full of grace and truth,
for men, for me and made of God to us wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification, and redemption let it
be my great aim to promote the glory of his grace,
in the salvation of all around me ; and to be a good
savour of Christ unto God in them that are saved,
and in them that perish. Let Jesus, in his person,
natures, offices, relations, works, and blessings, be
the matter of my ministrations. Let me exhibit
laws, doctrines, promises, and threatenings, in due
connexion with him the law as a covenant fulfilled
and magnified by him, and driving men to him ;
the law as a rule, sweetened in his blood, founded
xm his atonement, and requiring the improvement of
him as our all and in all. The promises as yea and
amen in Christ Jesus the New Testament in his
blood. If I display the perfections of God, let it be,
as they shine in the face of Jesus Christ. If I ex-
hibit the blessings of divine grace, let;me represent
them as purchased with his blood, lodged in his
SELECT REMAINS,
heart, and distributed by his bountiful hand-r and as.
blessings wherewith the Father blesseth men in
Christ Jesus. If I point forth the providences of
God, let it be as the doing of my Lord, and marvel-
lous in my eyes. If I proclaim the terrors of the
Almighty, let them appear as the sore punishment
appointed for such as trample Jesus under their feet,
, and count the blood of the covenant an unholy thing ;
as the condemnation of the obstinate refusers of
God's unspeakable gift. If I call men to repent, let
it he in looking to Jesus, whom they have pierced.
If I inculcate prayer^ let it be as a coming boldly to
the throne of grace, in the view of having a great
high- priest, Jesus the Son of God If I recommend
thanksgiving, let it be as chiefly for Christ, and ac-
ceptable through him. If I press the duties of the
law of any kind, let it be as part of Christ's purcha-
sed salvation, as the fruits of faith living on Christ j
as enforced by the authority, the love of Christ ; and
produced under the influence of Christ, and his Spi T
rit dwelling in us; as conducive to the glory of
Christ; and acceptable only through the merits and
intercession of Christ. Let every particular duty be
enforced with some particular consideration of
Christ, 1 Cor. vi..8 11, 15. 2 Cor. viii. 9. Tit. ii. 7 9
9. Rom. xiii. 14. Eph. iv. 22, 25, 32. Let my very
style savour of Christ, manifesting great plainness
and energy, extracted from the oracles of Christ.
Since Jesus hath put me into this dignified office,
and hath assured me of his assistance and reward, let
me shew myself a workman that needeth not be a-,
shamed, rightly dividing the word of truth, and giv-
ing every one his meat in due season, in correspon-
dence to their respective stations, conditions,, and
inclinations. Let me so preach the grace of the gos-
pel, to promote an humble and universal dependance
on Christ; but mean while condemn the sluggish and
74 SELECT RiEMAINS.
careless professor. Let me labour to screw into,
every man's conscience the divine truths suited to
his case. Let me distinctly explain and enforce par-
ticular duties, and oppose particular lusts and vices.
After searching my own heart, and much prudent
pains to understand the spiritual condition of the va-
rious persons of my charge, let me labour so to apply
my doctrines, that every one may know himself and
his circumstances before God : so as the ignorant
may be instructed, scoffers and gainsayers convinced,
the stupid and secure awakened, the slothful roused
and excited, the legalist and moralist have his hopes
slain, the hypocrite may feel his covering too narrow
'to wrap himself in, the afflicted may be comforted^
the wanderer reclaimed, and the sincere asker of the
way to Zion may be directed.
In fine, holding fast the form of sound words, * in
* faith and love which is in Christ Jesus' and keep-
ing that good thing, office, gifts, and grace, commit-
ted to me * by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in
me' let me carefully lay the foundation, in a fre-
quent and pointed explication of gospel truth relative
to Jesus's person, righteousness, and sinners' union
with him, and justification through his imputed a-?
tenement. Let me, in the most clear and convincing
manner, point out the nature and circumstances of
regeneration and turning to God together with the
real marks of a gracious state, and the difference be-
tween spiritual and saving changes of the heart ef-
fected by the Holy Ghost, and the counterfeits there-
of. In nothing let me study more accuracy than in
explaining the nature, progress, and circumstances ojf
gospel sanctification.
S-ELECT REMAINS.. 75
TRACT VIII.
On Conditional Election and Freewill*
OBSERVING that our Arminian friends loudly
insist that their scheme of conditional election, and of
Christ's death for all men without distinction, and of
men's ability to believe, and of the possibility of fall-
ing from grace, is extremely adapted to promote the
honour of the divine perfections and the comfort and
holiness of men, I could not but enquire if these
things were so ; and, upon the most unbiassed exa-
mination, find them quite the reverse. Is that for
the honour of the Deity, which supposeth him inca-
pable to fix the plan of his whole work j relative to
rational agents, before he commences it ? that sup-
poseth him incapable to fix any plan, but when a cre-
ated freewill is his counsellor ; or to prosecute any
plan but as freewill allows him her permission and as-
sistance ? Is that scheme honourable to God, which
supposeth him to have created a freewill in rational
agents, which it is beyond his power to keep depen-
dant upon himself, or manage for answering any fix-
ed purpose ? Where is the immutability of God j if
he be obliged to alter his schemes as the freewill of
mankind shall please to deport itself? Is this the
standing of his counsel and the doing of all his plea-
sure ? Where is the boasted universality of his benev-
olence^ unless he hath provided a Saviour for devils
a"s well as for men ; and given them, who are his
creatures, and no less excellent, an equal throne for
their eternal salvation? Where was his wisdom or
equity ; and where his love to his eternal Son, if he
took pleasure to bruise him, to make his soul an offer-
ing for the sin of all mankind ; for the sin of those
Tvho, at the very time, were in hell, suffering the due
reward of their deeds ; and for millions who, if om-
76' SELECT REMAINS*
niscient, he foresaw would follow them thither in-
due time ; or to make him throw away ^his life for
men upon the improbable supposition, that such as-
were in the flesh, in their natural state, should please
God with their faith and repentance? Where is his
wisdom or power, his kindness or candour towards
us, if his choice of us to eternal life, if the death of
his Son for us, if the striving of his Spirit with us,
have their whole efficacy in our favours suspended
upon this impossible condition that our heart, de-
ceitful above all things and desperately wicked, our
carnal mind at enmity against God^and which is not
subject to his law, neither indeed can be, shall gra-
ciously convert itself, and lend its assistance to the,
Deity for the securing of our eternal happiness, and
effectuating that which was too hard for the Lord? '
Where, my Arminian friends, is the comfort, the
blessedness for men, of which you speak ? If I am
deeply sensible of the corruption of my heart, what
comfort can it be to me, that God will fix his choice
on me will render the death of his Son the price of?
my eternal life will render the striving of his Spirit
prevalent to my eternal salvation, if I perform the
(to me infinitely impossible) condition of faith and
repentance, persevered in unto the end of my life ?
What though Jehovah hath said to my soul, I have
loved thee with an everlasting love ; his loving kind-
ness may endure but for a moment,. and the everlast- ;
ing covenant of his peace be removed ! What j sup-
pose he began to do me good, he may not be able or
willing to finish it! he may break his everlasting co-
venant, ordered in all things and sure, and turn away
from doing me good ! What, suppose he hath writ-
ten my name in heaven, in the Lamb's book of life-
it is less tenacious than my parish register : my name
may be blotted out ere to-morrow. Suppose Christ
hath loved me', and given himself to the death for me.
SELECT REMAINS.' f
it is no more than he did for millions at that instant
in hell, and for millions thatrshall be eternally damn-"
ed. His death can therefore be no more comfortable
to me than my creation ; and yet perhaps it had been
better for me that I had never been born. Suppose
the striving of the Holy Spirit should, in some happy
moment, have concurrence, or at least the permis*
sion, of my freewill to change my nature, and im-
plant in me gracious principles; they are put into a
bag with holes, and may be lost ere to-morrow ! Sup-
pose I had taken my place on the celestial throne,
perhaps, by an inadvertent slip of my freewill, I may
be tumbled headlong into hell, as multitudes of an-
gels once were !
As good methinks be a reprobate according to the
Calvinist scheme, than an elected person according
to the Arminian ! According to the Calvinist, God
will save no man but in consistency with his 'own
purpose. According to the Arminian, God neither
will nor can save any man without the permission,
the assistance, of the man's freewill; or without our
performance of an infinitely impossible condition of
true faith and gospel repentance, produced from a
carnal mind at enmity against God!
According to the Calvinist, the divine purpose lay
no bar in the way of our freewill's performing its du-
ty ; and whosoever believeth shall be saved. Ac-
cording to the Arminian^ it is not one act of believ-
ing, nor perhaps a thousand acts of faith, repentance,
and sincere obedience, that will fix my state.? Alas !
miserable comforter, and physician of no value !
Doth the Arminian scheme promote the earnest
study of true holiness ? Let experience speak. How
many in Britain suppose themselves capable to re-
pent and believe at pleasure, and that Christ died fpr
78 SELECT REMAINS.
all j at least, if they be sincere, and 80 the best they can ?
yet, what students of holiness are these/? Let hell blush
at the thought ! How many of them blaspheme as dev-
ils, and tempt their fellows to abomination ! How
many riot in drunkenness, 'gluttony, and whoredom !
How many are ignorant of the first principles of our
holy religion, and cannot so much as rest in the lite-
ral knowledge of the law ! How many live as brute
beasts, unthoughtfui whether they be possessed of
immortal souls ! In what thousands of closets and
families the stated worship of our Maker, is equally
observed as in the stable or sty ! Let reason shew
her opinion. According to the Arminian scheme,
God cannot help me much if he would. ' He cannot
make me willing in the days of his power, or able to
serve him in the beauties of holiness ; but can mere- .
ly strive with my conscience, and try to sooth my
freewill into a good humour. '
The law of God indeed binds me to holiness, but
that is the very case with devils, whose good works I
suppose to be but few. What benefits I have reciev-
ed from God, are so insignificant and common, that
I scarce owe him distinguished thanks. His choice
of me, the death of his Son for me, and the striving
of his Spirit with me, and even his bestowal of grace
upon me, do not avail, unless my freewill, take heed
to herself; they cannot for a moment secure me from
hell. What : pleasure my freewill, if left to herself,
can take in the ways of holiness, I cannot conceive.
When my eternal life is in danger every moment,
how can I draw near to God with a true heart in the
full assurance of faith? How carf I be stedfast and
immoveable, always abounding in the work of the
Lord, knowing that my labour shall not be in vain in :
the Lord ? If I attempt to give thanks, what if an en-
trance into hell turn my song into howling? If I owe
my happiness more to the management of my own.
....:, SELECT REMAIN*. 79
freewill than to God's election, Christ's death, and
the striving of his Spirit, why should I deny myself,
have no confidence in the flesh, but rejoice .in Christ
Jesus ? In heaven I owe no more praise to God or
the Lamb, than those in the lake thatburneth with
fire and brimstone. Let my song then be not,
" Worthy is the Lamb, &c"." but, " Worthy art
" thou, my freewill, to receive honour and glory,
"-and dominion and blessing, for thou hast taken
" care, and hast redeemed me to God. Salvation
" to our freewill that sitteth on the throne, and to
tl the Lamb!"
TRACT IX.
The Parliament dissolved.
WHERE strife and contention, are, there is con-
fusion and every evil work. The late dissolution of
parliament no way that I know of affects my private
interest. Scarce any, such as I could have freedom,
to choose for my representative, viz. * able men,
* fearing God, and hating covetousness,' will be turn-
ed out, and perhaps as few brought in; by the change.
But when I consider the terrible scenes of deceit,
bribery, drunkenness, ignorant and profane swearing
or perjury, that will be thereby occasioned, it sinks
iny.spirits, and I look on the dissolution as a means
of hastening our ruin. Alas ! what numerous, what
heavy curses of Jehovah, the King of nations, the
wickedness committed in the electioneering work
will draw down ! And what court, what 'kingdom,
can prosper under so many fearful curses of almigh-
ty God ! It is neither N. nor F. nor P. that I either
80 .SELECT REMAINS.
fear>or trust, but along provoked, and exceedingly
angry God. Who may stand before him if once he
be angry? Who knows the power of his wrath? If
he be against us, who can be for us ? Till our mad-
ness and profligacy in diversions, elections, and many
things else, and the fearful murder, deceit, and rob-
bery, committed in our East-India trade, and our ha-
tred and contempt of Christ and his gospel, be turn-
ed int6 weeping, mourning, and girding with sack-
cloth, I cannot expect any blessed prosperity for
Britain. Nay, i m astonished that God, in his in-
finite patience, hath borne so long with us, and hath
not dissolved us from being a nation.
But turn thine eyes, O my soul, to a much more
solemn scene. In a little our lower world snail be
dissolved ; the heavens shall pass away with a great
noise j the elements shall melt with fervent heat;
and the earth, and the works therein, shall be
burnt up. The great archangel shall sound his
awful trumpet, calling all the quick and the dead
to their last judgement. Not one ambitious wretch
shall then post through countries, to secure votes for
. himself or his friend. No carousing and drunken-
ness, no unruly or selfish polls, no frantick shouts of
carnal joy, shall take place. But graves shall open ;
seas, earth, and hell, shall give up their dead. While
thousands of angels fly every where, tp gather God's
elect from the four winds of heaven ; millions un-
numbered of ransomed men shall be caught up to
meet their Lord Christ in the air, and to be set down
with him on his great white throne. Mean while,
countless multitudes of those who had pushed them-
selves into places of power and trust in church and
state, and of those that had helped them forward,
shall be left behind on the earth, weeping, wailing,
and gnashing their teeth cursing the day and means
of their advancement, as well as of their birth; and
SELECT .REMAINS. '81
that they, for a paltry bribe of money, friendship^
or liquor, contributed to set .up a manifest enemy of
the Lord and his Christ, to be his deputy in the state.
Or ambassador in the church. But hark ! how the
King eternal, by his final sentence, 4 Come ye blessed
* of my. Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for
4 -you from the foundation of the world j' and, c De-
* .part from me, ye cursed into everlasting fire, pre-
..*. pared for the devil and his angels,' dissolves the
vast assembly of mankind. Aiid c these (wicked)
'^b, all "go "a" way into everlasting punishment, but the
'righteous into life eternal.' Ah, what principalities
and powers, kings, nobles, and other rulers, shall
then be cast down into tenfold depths of destruction!
rrr how political combinations shall be turned, into
mutual hatred and rage ! how jovial roarings shall
b^e changed into dreadful bowlings! and bribes, of
every form shall, like fire, torment ths consciences of
both givers and receivers, and that to all eternity!
_ A.nd, my soul, what shall be my lot in that great
day of the Lord? Shall I appear with Christ in glo*
ry?, Shall I sit at his right hand? Shall I, clothed
,with his own righteousness and grace, attend him
from his judgement-seat into his heavenly palace?
Shall I be for ever with the Lord, and enter into his
joy? Shall I for ever sing Hosannas to the Son of
David, * Hosanna in the highest? Salvation to our
* .God that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb?'
grace, grace, grace unto it ! Not unto us, not unto
me, but to thy name, O Lord, be. the glory,
mercy and thy truth's sake. /
- H
80 .SELECT REMAINS.
fear >or trust, but a long provoked, and exceedingly
angry God. Who may stand before him if once he
be angry? Who knows the power of his wrath? If
he be against us, who can be for us ? Till our mad-
ness and profligacy in diversions, elections, and many
things else, and the fearful murder, deceit, and rob-
bery, committed in our East- India trade, and our ha-
tred and contempt of Christ and his gospel, be turn?
ed into weeping, mourning, and girding with sack-
eloth, I cannot expect any blessed prosperity for
Britain. Nay, i gm astonished that God, in his in-
finite patience, hath borne so long with us, and hath
not dissolved us from being a nation.
But turn thine eyes, O my soul, to a much more
solemn scene. In a little our lower world shall be
dissolved ; the heavens shall pass away with a great
noise; the elements shall melt with fervent heat;
and the earth, and the works therein, shall be
burnt up. The great archangel shall sound his
awful trumpet, calling all the quick and the dead
to their last judgement. Not one ambitious wretch
shall then post through countries, to secure votes for
himself or his friend. No carousing and drunken-
ness, no unruly or selfish polls, no frantick shouts of
carnal joy, shall take place. But graves shall open ;
seas, earth, and hell, shall give up their dead. While
thousands of angels fly every where, to gather God's
elect from the four winds of heaven ; millions un-
numbered of ransomed men shall be caught up to
meet their Lord Christ in the air, and to be set down
with him on his great white throne. Mean while,
countless multitudes of those who had pushed them-
selves into places of power and trust in church and
state, and of those that had helped them forward,
shall be left behind on the earth, weeping, wailing,
and gnashing their teeth cursing the day and means
of their advancement, as well as of their birth j and
SELECT .REMAINS. '81
that they, for a paltry bribe of money, friendship^
or liquor, contributed to set up a manifest enemy of
the Lord and his Christ, to be his deputy in the state,
or ambassador in the church. But hark ! how the
King eternal, by his final sentence, 4 Come ye blessed
* of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for
* you from the foundation of the world j' and, 4 De-
*. part from me, ye cursed into everlasting fire, pre-
*, pared for the devil and his angels,' dissolves the
vast assembly of mankind. And 4 these (wicked)
'.shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the
'righteous into life eternal.' Ah, what principalities
and powers, kings, nobles, and other rulers, shall
then be cast down into tenfold depths of destruction!
7--how political combinations shall be turned into
mutual hatred and rage! how jovial roarings shall
be changed into dreadful bowlings! and bribes of
every form shall, like fire, torment the consciences of
both givers and receivers, and that to all eternity]
, And, my soul, what shall be my lot in that great
clay of the Lord ? Shall I appear with Christ in glo-
ry?. Shall I sit at his right hand? Shall I, clothed
.with his own righteousness and grace, attend him,
from his judgement-seat into his heavenly palace ?
Shall I be for ever with the Lord, and enter into his
joy? Shall I for ever sing Hosannas to the Son of
David, * Hosanna in the highest? Salvation to our
'.God that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb?'
O grace, grace, grace unto it ! Not unto us, not unto
me, but to thy name, O Lord, be. the glory, for thy
mercy and thy truth's sake. /
H
$2 -SELECT REMAINS-.
TRACT X.
The Grand Poll.
TERRIBLE confusion having happened amorig
mankind, their original state was totally dissolved by
the great King, the Lord of hosts. It was therefore
necessary that they should be represented and direct-
ed by a new head. Two candidates, of very different
characters, appeared to solicit their votes. Beelze-
bub, a prodigal rake, who, in a few days of his youth,
had spent his large patrimony, and rendered himself
and many millions of his friends absolutely bankrupt
and miserable ; but who nevertheless became more
and more proud, and, by his impudence, flattery,
falsehood, and other arts, gained the character of a
most fashionable and prevalent orator was the one.
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the most high
Ood, whose abilities for management, and his fideli-
ty as well as his true love to God and men, were ab-
solutely infinite ; and who had the tongue of the
learned, to speak words that are spirit and life to eve-
ry attentive hearer, was the other.
An assembly of some hundred thousand millions
"being convened, though not all precisely at the same
time, Beelzebub had the presumption first to ascend
the hustings, and, with a fawning smile and loud cry,
begged their favourable attention. The whole as-
sembly, except a few, heard him several hours with-
out so much as a wandering eye or thought, or the
very least impatience. He harangued them to this
purpose :
4 My dear princes, noblemen, gentlemen, clergy-
* men, and commons, with your respective princesses
4 and ladies, you cannot but be deeply sensible of my
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* near relation to you as your common parent, and
4 of my constant abode and familiar condescensions
4 among you. My zeal for your present established
* constitution hath, since our first connexion, been
* steady and ardent. In every possible form, I have
* constantly contended' for your unlimited liberty
* both religious and civil : I have even permitted
' you to comply as far with the doctrines and laws
4 of mine adversary, as can consist with your natural
* inclinations, or can tend to promote your true
* pleasure, honour, and wealth, in this world. For
* your manifest'advantage, I have contended for and
* encouraged yqur unallayed rejoicing in the days of
* your youth, and your unbounded liberty to fulfil
* -the desires of the flesh and mind, and tp walk in the
4 ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes ;
4 and to live in a truly easy, cheerful, genteel, and
4 fashionable manner, in the lust of your flesh, the
4 lust of your eye, and the pride of life j withhold-
4 ing nothing from yourself that your soul desireth.
* Your small services to me, I have been always
4 ready to reward with the riches, crowns, or king-
* doms of this world. I have almost racked my
4 wits, and expended my treasures, in inventing for
4 you new forms of manly principles, exquisite plea-
4 sures, exalted honours, and immense riches, that I
4 might cause you to enjoy a very heaven upon earth.
4 Instead of the mean, dull drudgery of prayer, rant-
4 ing of psalms, searching of bibles, and hearing of
4 canting harangues, concerning Christ and eternity,
4 heaven and hell, I have largely furnished you witH
4 a set of customary oaths, excellent novels and ro-
4 mances, stage-plays, puppet-shows, masquerades,
4 balls, assemblies, merry carousals, processions,
4 horse-races, cock-matches, cards and dice, and
4 many other diversions infinitely delightful. By
4 the care of myself and my servants, the most of
' you have the good sense to discern that that pitiful
84 SELECT REMAINS.
* scribble, called the Bible, is but an arrant impos-
* ture, whose principles are a disgrace to human na*
* ture; and its laws, unless as they forbid gross
-* thefts in civilized nations, an intolerable burden.
To render your minds as composed as possible, we
have alb irrefragably proved that hell is a mere
bugbear, scarcely believed by one preacher of a
hundred; and that, if there be a heaven 6r eternity,
and a God, he is natural!)' obliged to exert himself
to his uttermost in making all his creatures happy :
and so, instead of damning any of you, must be-
* stow upon you an everlasting happiness, answera-
* ble to your natural appetites.* Let therefore your
* so richly deserved gratitude determine each of you
* to support me on this important occasion ; the
* which if you do, I solemnly promise, on my word
* of honour, to exert myself for your true and pre-
; * sent welfare, to the very utmost of my power.
* . *,- My only opponent scarcely deserves your or my
* notice. With pleasure, my lords and gentlemen,
* I know that you have the good sense to hold him
"* in sovereign contempt. Most of you never so
* much as heard of him till this very day. His own
4 -account of himself, if it had any truth in it, repre-
-' sents him as absolutely despicable ; a man of sor-
* rows ; r-a worm, and no man ; mean in his birth ;
* debased, poor, and hated in his life, and infamous
4 in his death ! Not learned doctors, princes, noble-
4 men, or gentry, but some infatuated, or pitifully
4 weak dregs of mankind, have ever marked the least
* regard for him. And indeed, n9ne in his wits
'. will ever prefer one who allots nothing, but a life
* of trouble and torment to his friends; requires
' them to deny themselves, and threatens eternal
< damnation for the most trifling deviation from his
* absurd commands.*
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This flattering speech was received with such mul-
titudes of loud huzzas, that earth and hell rang again
with No Jesus Christ, but Beelzebub for ev.tr!
Beelzebub for evert Beelzebub for ever!
Notwithstanding this horrid affront, Jesus Christ,
in infinite compassion to the multitude, mounted the
hustings, and in the most solemn -and serious manner
begged their attention. But such was their hubbub
and outrageous clamour, that, had not his voice been
as of the Almighty when he speaketh, he had got no
hearing at all. And indeed, till about the evening
tide, almost no man regarded him. He addressed
such as did not run off, in this manner, with the tear
in his eye :
'. To you, O men, 51 call, and my voice? is to the
* sons of men. How often would I have gathered
* you as a hen gathereth her chickens under, her
4 wings, and ye would not ! Ye have been called to
'. the Most High, and none would exalt him. I have
* called, and ye refused ; I stretched out my hand,
4 and no man regarded. Ye have set at nought all
* my -counsel, and would none of my reproof; ye
4 would have none of me. What shall I do unto
* you, O sinners, O children of disobedience, who
4 are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your
* father ye do ! How shall I give, you up ! How
4 shall I make you eternal monuments of my wrath,
4 as Admah, and as Zeboim ! Mine heart is turned
4 within me, and my repentings are kindled together.
4 Ah ! you have destroyed yourselves, but in me is
* your help. How long, you simple ones, will you
'. love simplicity ; and you scorners, delight in scorn-
'. ing; and ye fools, hate knowledge? Turn ye at
4 my reproof; behold, I pour out my Spirit upon
4 you, and make known my words unto you. Hear,
4 O my people, and I will speak ; I will testify against
H 2
B SELECT REMAINS*
4 you: I am God, even thy God. And, as I live,,
4 saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of
' the wicked ; but that they should turn and live j
' turn ye, turn ye j why will ye die ? What is a man
* profited if he gain the whole world, and lose his
* own soul ? or, what shall a man give in exchange
' for his soul ? In my own, and my Father's name, I
4 beseech you to be reconciled unto God j for he hath
* made me who knew no sin, to be sin ; to be a curse
* for you, that you might be made the righteousness
4 of God, and for ever blessed with all spiritual
4 blessings in me. God so loved the world that he
4 gave me, his only begotten Son, that whosoever
4 believeth in' me might not perish, but have ever-
4 lasting life. He hath sanctified, sealed and sent
4 me into the world, to seek and to save that which
4 was lost : hath sent me forth in the likeness of sin-
4 ful flesh that I might give my life a ransom for.
* many ; hath sent me, a Saviour, and a great one, to
4 deliver you ; to give you repentance and re-
1 mission of sins, and bless you in destroying the
* works of the devil, and turning every one of you
* from his iniquities ; hath given me for a covenant
4 to the people, alight unto the Gentiles, and his
4 salvation to the ends of the earth. -Having loved
4 you with an everlasting love, I from eternity, co-
1 venanted for you as your surety, and undertook to
4 pay all your infinite debt to an offended God. In
4 the fulness of time I became your brother^ born
* for your adversity. God in your nature, as wel\
c as on your side. In your stead I myself bore your
4 sins, and all the. curses, punishment, and death, due
* to them; finished transgression, and made an end
* of sin ; and fulfilled all righteousness required by
* the broken law ; nay, magnified the law, and made
* it honourable. Having thus loved you, and given
* myself for you to God as a sacrifice of a sweet-
* smelling savour, a propitiation for the. sins of the
SELECT REMAINS. 87
fr world, I "was raised again for your justification,
4 ascended up on high, and received gifts for men ;
* yea for the rebellious also, that the Lord God
* might dwell among them ; had all things, all pow-
4 er in heaven and earth, delivered unto me of my
1 Father, that I might give eternal life to as many as
* I will; was exalted to his right hand, that, by con-
* tinual intercession, I might be able to save to the
4 uttermost all them that come unto God by me. Let,
1 therefore, all his multitude know assuredly, that
4 God hath made me Jesus, whom ye have despised
''and crucified, both Lord and Christ; that I am
* made of God unto you, ignorant, guilty, polluted
1 and enslaved sinners, wisdom and righteousness,
4 sanctification and redemption, that ye may be saved
4 in me with an everlasting salvation. Look there-
* fore unto me and be ye saved from every plague
4 and misery, and to every form or degree of true
4 happiness, in time or eternity ; for I am God, and
4 there is none else; a just God and a Saviour;
4 there is none beside me; no salvation in any
* other no other name under heaven given among
* men by which you can be saved. Incline your
4 ear, and come unto me : hear, and your soul shall
4 live; and I will make with you an everlasting co-
' venant, even the sure mercies of David ; abundant
4 pardon and acceptance through my blood ; adop-
4 tion into my family ; newness of heart in conformi-
* ty to my image ; comfort in fellowship with me ;
4 and God himself as your God. Come unto me,
4 all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will
4 give you rest. My son, give me thy heart. If
4 any man thirst, have any need, let him come unto
4 me, and I will give him to drink of that water,
4 which shall be in him a well springing up unto
4 everlasting life. If any man hear my voice, I will
4 give to him eternal life, and he shall never perish,
,'* nor shall any be able to pluck, him out of mine or
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* my Father's hand. For this is the will of him,
* that sent nae, that every one that seeth the Son, and
* believeth on him, may have everlasting life. All
4 that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and
4 him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast
4 out. Now is the accepted time ; now is the day
* of salvation. Harden not your hearts. How shall
' ye escape if ye neglect so great salvation ! if ye
4 tread under foot the Son of God, and count the
4 blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified,
4 an unholy thing, and do despite unto the Spirit of
4 grace!'
He pronounced these, and many other like words,
with such amazing earnestness, power, and life, that
multitudes, even of those that had most heartily
voted for Beelzebub, recanted, and, with great melt-
ing of heart, cried out, Behold, we come unto thee,
for 4 thou art the Lord our God;' 4 God my Sa-
4 viour- my master my Lord and my God !'
4 O Lord, our God ! other lords beside thee have
4 had dominion over us ; but by thee only will we
4 make mention of thy name.' 4 This is a faithful
4 saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ
4 Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom
4 I am chief.' ' Thine I am, O Jesus, and on thy
4 side, thou Son of God!' ' Blessed be he that
4 cometh in the name of the Lord to save us;
4 Hosanna to the Son of David! Hosanna in the
1 highest!'
Beelzebub, nevertheless, attempted to support
himself by his numbers : but, his cause being tried,
it was found that all the fair and legal votes were for
Jesus Christ. And Beelzebub, and all his obstinate
adherents, were, for their villanies, committed to
perpetual imprisonment, in a lake which burns with
fire and brimstone, where they have no rest day nor
SELECT REMAINS.
night, but are tormented in the presence of the holy
angels, and of the Lamb.
TRACT XL
State of Britairfs Debt to God.
FINDING that amidst all their pretensions of re^
gard to the British constitution, and concern for the
indebted and dangerous state of the nation, neither
old nor new ministry had in the least adverted, to the
extensive accounts between us and our God, I pre-
sumed to give them some, (alas ! too little) serious
consideration; and find that we stand infinitely deep
in debt to his rich mercy, for favours innumerable
received from him, and to his. avenging justice, for
-innumerable provocations committed against him.
Of the first sort are,
I. The infinitely precious blessings of redemption
through Christ: such as, (l) God's gracious thoughts
in his electing purpose and covenant of grace, Psalm
xxxvi. 23. xl. 5. Ixxxix. 3,4, 19 37. Prov. viii.
2331. Isa. liii. to. 2 Tim. i. 9. Tit. i. 2. (2) God's
prepai;itig the way for his Son's coming into our
world, by visions, types, promises, and marvellous
providences; Heb. i. 1. ix. x. 1. xi. 10. Col. ii. 17.
Acts x. 43. Rom. iii. 21. (3) The actual appear-
ance of the Son of God in our nature, Isa. vit. 14.
ix. 6. xi. l.-Jer. xxiii, 5. xxxi. 22. Zech. iii. 8. Matt.
i. 17 25. Gal. iv. 4, 5. 1 Tim. iii. 16. John i.
14. (4) The great God in our nature made under
the broken covenant of works, fulfilling all righteous-
ness of obedience and satisfaction for men, 2, Cor.
9d SELECT HEMAINS.
viii. 9. v. 21. Matt. iii. 15. v. 18. xx. 28. Luke
xxiv. 26. Dan. ix. 24. Gal. iii. 15. Eph. v. 2.
1 Pet. i. 18, 19. ii. 24; iii. 18. 1 John ii. 1, 2. iv.
3. v. 8. iv. 9, 1O. (5) God's accepting of this righ-
teousness of his Son in our stead, and rewarding hint
for it to our everlasting advantage, 1 Tim. iii. 16.
Isa. 1. 8. Hi. 13 15. liii. 10 12. Rom. iv. 25*
Psal. Ixviii. 18. Col. i. 19. Phil. iv. 19. 1 Pet. i*
2O, 21. Heb. ii. 1O. iv. 14 16. (6) Christ's
laying out himself in the whole of the work of his
glorified state, to promote our eternal salvation, by*
continual intercession, instruction, and government,
John xiv. 19. Rom. viii. 32 34. Heb. vii. 25.
John xiv. 26. xv. 26. xvi. 7 14. Matth. xxviii. 18.
20. Ephes. iv. 1O 13. Psal. ex. 1 3. (7) The
publication and free offers of Christ, and his pur-
chased salvation to sinful men, in the gospel, Mark
xvi. 15. 1 Tim. i. 15. iH. 8. Ephes. iii. 8. i. 13. Acts
xiii. 26. Rom. xv. 19. Col. i. 26, 27. (8) God's
erecting a church or new covenant-society of sinful
men on earth, Gen. xvii. 7. Exod. xix. 5, 6.
Matt. xvi. 18. Ephes. ii. 18 22. iv. 8 13. Rev.
viii. 9. xi. 15. (9) God's blessing men with all spiri-
tual blessings, regeneration, justification, adoption,
sanctification, and comfort in Christ, on this Dearth,
Ephes. i. 5. ii. 5. 1 Cor. i. 30. Col. ii. 1O. iii. 11.
2 Cor. v. 17 21. Ezekiel xxxvi. 25 29. (10) The
eternal glorification of men through Christ in
heaven, Ephes. ii. 4- 7. John xii. 26. xiv. 2, 3^
xvii. 24. Psal. Ixxiii. 24, 26. xvi. 1O, 11. xvii. 15.
1 Thess. iv. 17. Isa. xiv. 17. Ix. 19. Rev. xxi*
xxii.
II. In subordination to the above great and pre*
cious blessings of redemption, there are multitudes
of personal mercies, for which every one in Britain
doth or ought to stand indebted to God: as, (1)
Being born in a land :of gospel light, Prov, xxix, 18>
SELECT REMAINS. 91
i
Eph.il. 12,19. (2) Being descended of Godly pa-
.rents, Exod. xv. 1. (3) Being early and seriously
devoted to the Lord, in baptism, and in often repeat-
ed fervent prayers, Psal. xxii 1O. (4) Early instruc-
tion in the knowledge of Christian principles by pa-
rents, masters, ministers, or others, Prov. i. vii. xxxi.
Gen. viii. 19. Deut. vi. 6, 7. 2 Tim. iii. 15. (5)
God's providential hedging up of his elect to serious
concern for their souls, Hos. ii. 6, 7, 14. Ezek. xx.
37. Lament, iii. 2729. Job xxxiii. 15 30. (6)
His convictions of our conscience and allurements
of our affections, by the strivings of his Spirit,
1 Samuel ii. 26. iii. 1 1O. 2 Chron. xxxiv. 3. (7)
Our being brought into \ state of saving union to,
and fellowship with Christ, 1 Kings xiv. 13.1 Cor.
xv. 8. Gal. i. 15, 16. John iii. 3, 5. (8) Our preser-
vation from offensive stumbling in, or out of, the
Lord's way, Psal. Ixxi. 17, 18. Isa. xlvi. 3, 4, (9)
Gracious visits from Christ and his Spirit to our
souls, Gen. xlviii. 3. Psal. xxxiv. 6. xl. 1-^3. cxvi.
1 7. (lO) Well grounded hopes of eternal life,
2 Tim. i. 12. iv. 7, 8. Psalm Ixxiii. 24 26.
III. We are indebted to him for multitudes of
family mercies : as (l) His wonderfully preserving
the members, notwithstanding their many dangers,
particularly in childhood, Acts xvii. 28. Psal. Ixvi.
9. (2) His kind maintenance or restoration of health,
Exod. xv. 26. (3) His providing agreeable relations^
husbands, wives, parents, children, servants, neigh-
bours, Psal. cvii. 41. Ixviii. 6. cxliv. 12. (4) Peace
and order in families, Prov. xxxi. (5) Piety arid de-
votion, that make the house a church, Psal. ci. Josh,
xxiv. 15. Gen. xviii. 19, 2 John iv. Philem. ii.
Col. iv. 15. Rom. xvi. 5. Acts x. 2. xvi. 34. (6)
Provision of convenient food, raiment, and otner
temporal accommodations, Deut. viii. 16. Isa. xxxiii.
17. Acts xiv. 17. xvii. 25. 1 Tim. vi. 17. (7) Pro-
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.tection from dangers, Deut. xxxiii. 25 29. Psal.
xci. 1 10. (8) Seasonable, and especially sanctified,
affiictions, Ps. xciv. 12. Heb. xii. 5 11 Rev. iii.
19. (9) A pleasant prospect of a seed for the Lord
Christ trained up in the family j Isa. xliv. 3 5. Gen.
xvii. 7. Jer. xxxi. 1. Isa. lix. 21. (10) When
. deaths in families are not only so ordered,, as to in-
crease love and friendship among the survivors, but
even to awaken their consciences, and stir them up
to seek and follow the Lord, 2 Kings iv.-l. with Isa*
Ivii. 1. , " '
IV. We are indebted to him for a multitude of
publick national mercies : as (1) His ancient gracious
purposes, and his many express promises, concern-
ing the islands and the ends of the earth; which we
now see to have peculiarly respected Britain ; and on
which we may plead for mercy in every time of need;
Isa. xxiv. 15. xlii. 4, 10, 12. xlix. 1. li. 5. Ix. 9. Ixvi.
19. xlv. 22. Psal. xxii. 27 31. Ixv. 5. Ixxii.. 8, 10.
with 2 Pet. i. 4. Heb. iv. 1. (2) His early intro-
duction of the gospel of salvation into Britain, about
forty years after Christ's death ; and not long after
into the north parts of it, notwithstanding its distance
from Jerusalem, and notwithstanding the poverty,
and dreadful barbarity, and savage customs of our
ancestors, Isa. Ixvi. 19. (3) His thereafter con-
tinuing the gospel light and Christian church in this
island, notwithstanding cruel persecutions, by the
heathen inhabitants, and notwithstanding the dread-
ful and long-continued ravages of the Saxons, and all
the craft, cruelty, error, profligacy, idolatry, and su-
perstition of the papists, for more than fourteen hun-
dred years, Psal. cxxxii. 13, 14. (4) His reformation
of the country from popery about the middle of the
sixteenth century, notwithstanding all the exorbitant
power and wealth of the Romish clergy, and all the
gross ignorance, superstitious inclinations andprofli-
SELECT REMAINS. 93 '
gacy of the people and notwithstanding all the ca-
price of king Henry VIII. and the cruelty of queen
Mary in England, and all that the house of Guise
and courts of France and Scotland could do to oppose
it, Zech. iv. 6 r 7. While the more strict and faith-
ful party in England were marvellously supported
under the persecution which they suffered from
queen Elizabeth and her agents, those in Scotland
were enabled, amidst great poverty and mani-
fold oppositions, to carry the reformation of their
church to a remarkable degree of purity and order-,
Deut. xxxiii. 25. 2 Chron.xiv.il. (6) Notwith-
standing all that king James and Charles his son
could do, by alterations of the Scotch church, by cor-
respondence with popes, by courtship or marriage
with papists, by authorizing sports on the Lord's
day, by high commissions, and by imprisonments,
banishments, or tortures, he enabled his faithful
ministers and people to cleave to his truths, and
made even their persecutions a means of their subse-
quent deliverance, Rev. xi. 3. Dan. xi. 32, 33. (7)
Amidst no small confusions, civil wars, and no doubt
many selfish designs of political managers, he, be-
tween 1638 and 1660, not Only laid the foundation
of our civil liberties, but also furnished the nations
with a multitude of pious and laborious ministers,
whose faithful preaching of the gospel he blessed to
the conviction, conversion, or edification, of perhaps
millions of souls ; and produced such an appearance
of serious godliness and devotion, throughout the
, most ofi the island, as was never before nor since
known^in it,.Dan. ix. 25. Hos. ii. 6, 7, 14. v. 15. vi.
1 3. (8) Notwithstanding all the shocking profane-
ness, blasphemous oaths and bonds, and cruel perse-
cutions, introduced by king Charles II. and con-
tinued by James his brother, the Lord enabled mul-
titudes of his people to be faithful unto fines, impri-
sonments, banishments, tortures and death, Zech. x...
94 SELECT REMAINS.
8, O.JMatt. x. 19. Johnxvi. 33. Zeph. in. 12, 18, 19.
(9) At the revolution, when all things were prepared
for the establishment of popery and slavery, ., he
wrought a marvellous deliverance, and made the ve-
ry seas, winds, and storms, as well as a branch of pur
enslavers' roots, to fight for the re-establishment of ,
our protestant religion and liberties, Deut. xxxii. 36.
Psal. xciv. 12 15. cxxxv. 14. (10) When popish
pretenders to the crown, by assassinations, invasions, .,
and rebellions, of Jacobites, have repeatedly attempt-
ed to overthrow our religion and liberties, he hath
always defeated their attempts, and made them de-
structive to themselves, Isa. vii. 5 7. viii. 12, 15.
(11) When the gospel doctrines of the free grace of
God, reigning through the imputed righteousness of
Christ, were fearfully buried, perverted, or mixed by
the general prevalence of Arminian or Neomian er-
rors, the Lord, by means of Mr. Hervey and others
in England, and by means of Boston, the seceders,
and others, in Scotland, revived and spread them
into many dark places of the islands, to the conver-
sion and edification of multitudes, Ezra ix. 8, 9.
Isa. lix. 19. (12) The late peace, after a most ruin-
ous, and perhaps on all hands a most unnecessary
and sinful war, he not only granted us, but mercifully
timed it for the preservation of many thousands from
perishing by the famine; the corn provided for the
army, supplying many in want ; 'and the ships which
brought victuals frofn abroad, having a free and safe
passage. Mean while a generosity in providing for
the poor, never before known, at least, in North Bri-
tain, remarkably prevailed. Gen. xxii. 14. ^
Hath Britain rendered unto the Lord according to
these, and innumerable other benefits which he hath
bestowed upon her ? No; but by primes innumerable,
and highly aggravated, hath plunged herself into an
infinite debt to his avenging justice by (l) General
SELECT REMAINS. 95
misimprovement of his mercies, in forgetting, under-
. valuing, and. contemning them; by abusing them as
means or occasions of wickedness, and spurning
away and treading under foot such as are of a spiri-
tual nature, Psal. cvi. 13. (2) Gross atheism and ig-
norance of God and of his word and works, that nei-
ther law nor gospel, nor the most common and ne-
cessary points of truth, are understood or studied by
millions, E ph. iv. 18. Isa. xxvii. 11. Hos. iv. 1, 2, 6.
(3) Proud and unbelieving contempt and rejection
of Jesus Christ, and his great salvation offered in the
gospel, John i. 11. Heb. ii. 3. x. 29. (4) Contempt
and neglect of the precious ordinances of the gospel^
.not receiving them, not observing and keepin'g them
pure and entire, as means of communion with and
conformity to Christ ; but, instead thereof, living as*
brute beasts, without either secret or private daily^
worship of God, and even much absenting from his ,
publick worship, fearfully profaning his sacraments,
,Isa. Ixiii. 22. Jer. x. 25. Heb. ? x. 25. (5) Fearful pro-
fa*ation of God's- name, by-_swearing $- broad "or
Klmced oaths in common conversation, and by im=
posing unnecessary or sinful oaths, or by dispensing
and taking these or other oaths in a profane^ light,
and careless manner, Ex. xx. 7. Zech. v. 3, 4. Jer.
xxviii. 1O. Hos. iv. 2. x. 4. and by breach of sacra-
mental and other solemn vows to God, Prov. xxx.
25. (6) Notorious profanation of the. sabbath," in
omitting the religious exercises of it, and spending
it as a season of idleness, wickedness, or worldly
employments and recreations, Ezek. xxii. 26. Jer.
xvii. 2F. (7) General impiety of rulers both in
church arid state. Civil rulers are not, as they ought
to be, men fearing God and hating covetousness,
Exod. xviii. 21,,but such as by bribes, influence, or
the like can push themselves into honour ; and too
often clergymen are such as run unsentby Christ,
and neither understand nor love the gospel of his
96 SELECT REMAINS.
grace, nor have conversation becoming it; but ad-
dict themselves to plays and romances intead of their
Bible ; have scarcely a shadow of the daily worship of
God either in secret or in their families, but spend
much, of their time in improper diversions, or in
familiarity with graceless great men, Isa. i. 21, 23.
ix. 16. Ivi. 1012. Jer. v. 5, 7, 8. Ezek. xxix. 24
28. Mic. iii. Hos. vi. 1 . (8) Shocking murder of
multitudes of precious souls under Charles II. and
James his brother of infants by unnatural parents,
of duellers by venting their pride of, I suppose,
about twelve or fourteen millions of poor heathens,
in carrying on the East- India settlements^and the
African slave-trade and of I know not mrw man^r
millions of precious souls by the bad examples of
.magistrates, ministers, parents and masters, and their
^Carelessness about those under their respective charg-
es, Hos. iv. 2. Ezek. xxij. 3, 6, 9, 12, 13, 45. xxiv*
-'" 7, 23. Matt, xxiii. 34, 35. (9) Drunkenness and
gluttony many making their eating and drinking,
2nd 4heir care about them, the principal business i of _
their life ; and even wasting their precious time, and
ruining their bodily and intellectual constitution
.thereby, Prov. xxiii. 21, 29, 3O. Eccl. x- 16,17.
Isa. xxviii. 1. (1O) Uncleanness, fornication, adul-
tery, &c. many, particularly those of rank, rather
seeming to prosecute, and glory in such wickedness,
as an honourable accomplishment, while magistrates
generally neglect to punish, and church rulers to
censure the same, Hos. iv. 2, 11. vii. 4. Mai. iii. 5.
Jer. v. 7 9. (1 1) Dishonesty, theft, robbery, prodi-
gality, fraudulent bankruptcies, over-reaching in bar-
gains, oppression, extortion, bribery, and the like,
Hos. iv. 2. Zech. v. 4. Mic. ii. iii. vii. 2 5. Isa. i.
23. Ezek. xxii. 12, 27. Amos, v^ 12. viii. 4, 5, 6.
(12) Lying, falsehood, deceit, dissimulation, un-
faithfulness to promises or trusts, reviling, backbi-
ting, slander, perjury, misrepresentatiqn of causes m
.SELECT REMAINS.
judicature, Sec. Hos. iv. 2. Jer. ix. 2 8. Isa. lix.
4, 8, 13, 14, 15. Mic. vii. 2 5. (13) Covetousness,
envy, imcharitableness, discontentment, and an inor-
dinate inclination and study to push ourselves into
the honours, property, or trade, of our neighbours,
Jer. v. 8. Mic. v. 2. Hab. ii. 9.
These are a few of the leading articles of Britain's
debt to her God. The value must be stated from
the greatness of God, the holiness and authority of
his law, and worth of his Son, and the infinite impor-
tance of an eternity either in heaven or hell. How
infatuate^ then must we be in makiug such work
about hundreds of millions owing to men, and yet
overlooking so many infinite sums owing to our
Maker and Judge, and neglecting to have them hap-
pily discharged by an application of Jesus'/s blood,
which purchaseth all mercies, and cleanseth from-
all sin !
TRACT XII.
Briiazrfs Sole Preservative.
LET our political managers project what schemes
they will, for the reformation and salvation of pur
nation they will but issue in vanity and vexation
of spirit. The Lord hath rejected their confidencies,
and they shall not prosper in them. Nothing but a
remarkable out-pouring of the Spirit of God can
prevent our superlative miseries, answerable to our
heaven-daring national iniquities. As no civil so-
cieties have any existence in the future state, nation-
al sins must of necessity be pufiished with national
I 2.
98 SELECT REMAINS?,
judgements in this world, Jer. v, 9, 29. HOP. iv.. 1-=-
3. Isa. xxiv. 5", 6. (l). The' Jewish nation, to whose
mercies and crimes- those of Britain are peculiarly
similar in different ages, were shut up to fearful
judgements,- for want of an eiFusion of the Holy
Ghost. Not all the faithfulness of Moses, their
other governours, nor all the piety of Aaron and his
sons,, and of the faithful Levites in their church, nor
all the laws they received from God himself, and the
innumerable miracles which they saw and felt, could
preserve that sensual generation, destitute of the Spi-
rit, from tremendous ruin in the wilderness. Not
all the fervent prayers and faithful sermons of Isaiah
and his fellow prophets, nor all the remarkable re-
formation carried on by pious king Hezekiah, could
prevent the miserable calamities of the Jews in their
time, as the Spirit was not poured out. Nay, not all
the labours and miracles of Christ himself and of his
apostles,, and the pious lives and fervent prayers of
many thousand Christian Jews, could, without the
pouring of the Spirit on them, prevent the tremend-
ous ruin of their nation in. that period.. Why then
should we hope for deliverance by any other method ?.
Dare we pretend that we are dearer to God than his
peculiar people, the seed of Abraham, his friend?.
(2) The sins of Britain at present are so great, many r
universal, heaven daring, heart-hardening, and con-
science stupifying, and, in every respect, so aggra-
vated, that tloe nation can neither be duly convinced
of them, nor the blood of. Christ answer-ably applied'
for the remission of them, without a remarkable ef-
fusion of the Holy Ghost, John xvi. 7 14. Ezek..
xxxvi. 25- 29, 31, 32.'Mic. viL 13, 19. (3) The
wicked manners of Britain have been so long-conti-
mied, and are become so universal arid fashionable,,
aid are so much encouraged by such as should be
-eprovers and reformers and men's consciences,
hereby so much blinded, biased, or hardened,, that.
SELECT REMAINS. 99.
there can be no national reformation of them, with-
out a remarkable out-pouring of the Spirit of God,
Hos. iv. 1, 2, 6. Isa. i. 2, 3, 4, 5. lix. 1 15. Ivii. 17.
Jer. v. 1 9. (4) So many thousands of unsent,
' careless, indolent, unholy, and erroneous preachers
in Britain, by their legal, Arminian, or blasphemous
doctrine, and by their impious and unedifying ex-
ample, lay a fearful bar in the way of all the ordina-
ry work of the Holy Ghost, Hos. 5 v. 1. Gal. iii. 2.
Ezek, xiii. 22*
But, notwithstanding all these things, an abundant
.effusion of the Holy Ghost would prevent our super-
lative ruin, (l) It would excite and enable all the
fearers of God, in the nation, to strive . together in
prayer for our preservation and proper relief, Zech.
xii. 1O. Isa. Ixii. 1, 6, 7. Ps. cii. 17. (2) In conse-
quence of this, it would furnish our land with a pro-
per number of well qualified ministers, who, having
received their mission from Christ, would clearly,
faithfully, assiduously, and earnestly preach the gos-
pel of his free grace, and by fervent prayer, holy ex-
ample, and every other method, travail in birth to
win souls to him, Jer. iii. 15. Isa. Ixii. 6, 7. Psal.
cxxxii. 9, 16. John xx. 21 23. Eph. iv. 10 13.
(3) It would furnish these faithful ministers with
proper messages from God, suited to his own gra-
cious purposes, and to the spiritual state of the hear-
ers, and would enable them to deliver them in a
' lively, serious, and affecting manner, Ezek. iii. 3, 4,
10, 11, 17 21. xxxiii. 7 9. Mic. iii. 8. Acts xvin.
25, 28. Col. i. 28, 29. 1 Thess. ii. 4, 5. 1 Cor. ii.
2 -5, 13. iv. 2. 2 Cor. iv. 2. v. 11, 22. 2 Tim. iv. 2.
Acts xx. 19 21, 26, 27. (4) It would procure large
and attentive audiences to hear these faithful minis-
ters, Acts ii. xiii. xviii. xix. 1 Cor. xvi. 9. Acts xvu
14. .Isa. xlix. 1. Iii. 15. (5) It would, in carrying
<home the 'word of God into men's consciences and
10O SELECT REMAINS.-
hearts, convey to them the spiritual benefits of the
new covenant conviction of sin, union to Christ^
regeneration, justification, adoption, sanctification,
and comfort, Luke v. 17. John vi. 63. Heb. iv. 12.
1 Thess. i. 5. ii. 13. Acts ii. 36 4,7. (6) It would
incline, direct, and enable those ministers and people
to such an holy conversation towards God and men,
as would adorn and enforce the preached gospel of
Christ, and make others to,<onsider and fall in love
with it, 1 Thess. ii. 1 10. v. 12 25. Rom. i. 8.
Acts ii. 41 <17. iv. 13. Phil. ii. 15, 16. Matt. v. 16.
Tit. ii. 9 14. iii. 8, 14. Psal. ci. 2 8. (7) It would
render all ranks, in their respective stations, active
and skilful in spreading the knowledge of Christ and
his truths, and in repressing the now fashionable
abominations, Gen. xviii. 19. Josh. xxiv. 15. Deut.
vi. 6, 7". Mai. iii. 16. Psal. ci. 2. Chron. xvii. xix.
xxix xxxii. xxxiv. xxxv. Song ii. 15. Tit. iii. 1O,
11. Rev. ii. 1 Thess. v. 14. 2 Tim. iv. 2. 1 Tim. v.
20.- (8) By enabling multitudes to discern truth from
error, and sin from duty it would render unsound
and indolent ministers despised and shunned as fear-
ful plagues, and vile impious persons abhorred, and
so ashamed to exert themselves in their wonted evil
ways. -Zech. xiii. 2- 6. Psal. cxv. 4. cvii. 42. 1 Sam.
ii. 30. (9) By means of these things, together with
the fervent prayers of such as believed in Christ, or
fell under spiritual concern, many others would be
daily added to the Lord and to his church, Isa. Ixii.
1. 2 Thess. iii. 1. Isa. ii. 3 5. xlix. liv. Ix. xliv. 3
5. Zech. viii. 20 23. * (10) In consequence of all
this, the Lord would graciously defer, mitigate, or
sanctify those fearful calamities which our nation in
general, and each of us in particular, have richly de-
served, Isa. xlviii. 9 11. vi. 13. Zeph. iii. 12. Dan.
ix. 25. Zech. xiii. 9.
Let therefore every Briton, that wishes well to hia
SE1ECT REMAINS* 1O1
country, cease from trusting in men, and their carnal
atid selfish politicks, and cry mightily to God, that he
may think onus, that we perish* not; that he may
plentifully pour out his Spirit from on high upon all
ranks. Let us plead the gracious promises which he
hath given us on this head, and patiently wait for
their fulfilment, Prov. i. 23. Isa. xxxii. 15. xliv. 3
5. Ezek. xxxvi. 27. Joel ii. 28. John yii. 37 39.
xiv. 26. xv. 26. xvi. 7 14. Zech. xii. 10. Luke
xi. 13.
TRACT XIII.
Christ the best Minister of State.
UPON our sovereign's advancing his present
young minister, while multitudes strive who shall
most condemn or defend the British premier, let me
turn mine eyes, my heart, and my tongue toward
Jesus Christ, to whom the Majesty of heaven hath
committed all judgement, and given all power and
fulness in heaven and on earth. Unless for an intro-
duction to a better subject, jt is not much worth my
while to think or speak of British managers of state.
Grey hairs assure me, that 1 shall soon be put out of
their reach, with respect to both their good and their
evil. But, blessed be God, I hope never to be out of
the beneficent reach of the administrator of the new
covenant ! Aud whether I look backward or forward
on his administrations, in earth or in heaven, I find
them all full of infinite wisdom, condescension, faith-
fulness, mercy, and love. The more I know of him,
or deal with him, my apprehensions of him are the
Snore exalted and heart-engaging. When his eternal
102 SELECT. REMAINS.
Father chose and appointed him to his office, he ask-
ed no lucrative salary, but the eternal salvation of
his elect enemies of mankind ; nay he undertook to,
give his life a ransom for us, pay all our infinite debt
and supply all our unbounded wants. No sooner
had sin rundered us miserable in Adam, than he be-
gan, and for four thousand years continued, to inti-
mate his gracious designs in different forms, to bind
himself by great and precious promises, andTto bestow
manifold blessings on sinful men ; yea and all of these
were but presages of blessings far greater to be af-
terwards bestowed.
When the fulness of time came, such was his grace,
' that, though he was rich, yet for our sakes he be-
* came poor, that we through his poverty might be
* made^rich.' ' He came not to be ministered unto,
* but to minister, and to give his life, a ransom for
* many.' By wearing thej||keness of sinful flesh,
by being made under the broFen law, matle sin, made
a curse for us, and by his perfect obedience to every
precept ; and by his enduring poverty, hunger, thjrst,
weariness, reproach, temptation, desertion, persecu-
tion, and an ignominous death, he fully paid our
debt, magnified the law and made it honourable^ and
purchased our eternal happiness. His infinitely va-
luable righteousness he hath consigned to the hand
of the just and righteous Jehovah, as an inexhausta-
ble fund of pardon, acceptance, grace and glory to
men. In him men shall be blessed; and because he
lives they shall live also. ' If we sin, we have an
* advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righte-
1 ous, who is the propitiation for our sins. Who
1 then can lay any thing to the charge of God's elect ?
1 It is God that justifieth. Who is he that con-
4 demneth ; It is Christ that died, nay rather, who
4 is risen again, and is even at the .right hand of God,
* making continual intercession for us,' Therefore
' ~
SELECT REMAINS. 1O3
now there is no condemnation to them that are in
(Christ .Jesus. We are the righteousness of God in
him. The price being delivered into his hand, Je-
hovah must bestow the purchased blessings on men.
I we ask the Father any mercy in Jesus's name, he
will, he must, grant it. He is faithful and just to
forgive our sins, cleanse our natures, and fill us with
grace and with glory.
To render the communication more honourable to
himself, and more sweet to us, it hath pleased the
Father that in Christ all fulness should dwell. ' He
1 hath received gifts for men, yea for the rebellious
also, that the Lord God might dwell among them,
4 and daily load them with his benefits.' God in
love to him hath delivered all things into his hand,
and given him power over all flesh, that he may give
eternal life to as many as he will. His darling maxim
is, 'That it 4? more blessed to give than to receive.'
His liberal nlart deviseth liberal things, and by libe-
ral things his glory stands. From eternity to eter-
nity, he never thinks of imposing one hard^assess-
ment on poor and needy men, but how to save and
bless them, and to feed them, and lift them up for
ever. When he opens his budget, nothing is to be
seen or heard but mercies, mercies and loving kind-
nesses for ever and ever; sure, mercies of David;,
blessings of Abraham ; exceeding great and precious
promises of eternal life of Christ and his Spirit
of all the fulness of God, given, freely given, unto
sinful men. Instead of squeezing collectors and ex-
cise-men, his officers are appointed to go into all the
world, and preach the gos,pel of salvation to every
creature to preach among the Gentiles the un-
searchable riches of Christ, and to call and entreat
sinners, to take them freely without money and with-
out price. Alas! that, instead of Christ's evange-
104 SELECT REMAlNSr
lists, Britain should be so overspread with legal and
Arminian tax-demanders !
Under our blessed minister of state, how freely we
enjoy all things ! Our marriage with the Son of God
is free. He is God's free gift to us. We are be-
trothed to him in loving kindness and mercies. Our
receipts and notes of obligation are free. We are
justified freely by his grace, and are accepted in him
to the praise of the glory of his grace. Our charters
and rights are altogether free given promises, an
everlasting covenant but to us, even sure mercies of
which this is the sum, ' I will be to them a God, and
they shall be to me a people.' Our house eternal in
the heavens, and God as our dwelling-place is free.
Our eternal life is the free gift of God through Jesus
Christ. Our light, both of the night and day, is free.
Christ, the light of the world, is the unspeakable
gift of God. Our birth is free j of hisjpwn will he
begets us again to a lively hope, and we are born of
the free Spirit. Our baptism is free ; we are buried
with Christ in baptism, baptized into Christ, and put
on Christ. Our food is free bread, which the Father
giveth us from heaven; water of life, which we are
required to take freely, and wine and milk bought
without money and without price. Our raiment
is free ; a gift of righteousness and grace, and gar-
ments of salvation. Our person is free j for whom
the Son makes free, he is free indeed. Our trade
is' free ; whosoever will may use it, however poor or
wretched." Our property and inheritance is free ;
what is good the Lord gives. Our riding to heaven
in the chariots of salvation, or on horses of gospel-
promises, is free. All the service that men and an-
gels can give us is free. He that sitteth on the throne
causeth us freely to inherit all things. Our death,
or burial, our resurrection, our last sentence, and our
eternal glory, are all free ; grace much more aSound-
SELECT REMAINS.
'ing where sin had .abounded, and reigning through
righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesas Christ our
Lord. All things are ours because we are Christ's
and -Christ is God's: we are heirs of God and joint
heirs with Christ.
Not only doth our great administrator allow us
all things freely, but he himself provides, prepares],
.and gives them to us out of his own fulness. We
have all and abound, by receiving out of his fulness,
and grace for grace. We have life because he died,
and as a quickening Spirit conies that we may have
life, and have it-more abundantly. Our food is his
flesh and blood, which he giveth for the life of the
-world. Our raiment is his everlasting righteousness,
and purchased grace, put on by himself. Our wealth
is his unsearchable riches. He himself is our all and
,in all. We are blessed with all our spiritual bless-
ings of election, spiritual marriage, new birth, par-
don, acceptance, adoption, sanctification, perseve-
. ranee, 'holy conversation, happy death, and everlast-
ing glory in Christ Jesus. Thrice blessed, infinitely
: unparalleled manager of our new covenant state, who
.contrived and purchased all, and who freely disposes
and distributes all good things to us ; nay, in and of
himself, is our all and in all ! Let my soul rejoice in,
and for ever boast of him as my God and my all !
my God and my all ! my God and my all !
For six thousand years past, he hath managed the
whole concerns of the great king, the Lord of heaven
and earth ; and hath dealt so prudently, that omnis-
cience itself cannot find a flaw in his administrations.
Not one of the -new covenant subjects, or angelick
-servants, but is ready to attest, that he hath done all
. things well. His namels but stiii in the bud. His
name shall endure for ever. It shall beget children
before the sun. Men shall be blessed in him, and all
K
106 SELECT REMAINS.
nations shall call him blessed. The knowledge and
glory of him shall fill the whole earth, and all the
ends of the earth shall see his salvation and fear be-
fore him. The kingdoms of this world shall become
the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. There
shall be one Lord over all the earth, and his name
one. God shall cause his name, which is above eve-
ry name that is named, to be remembered in all gen-
erations, and the people shall praise him for ever and
ever. ,
When, at the last day, he shall come in his own
and his Father's glory, with all his holy angels, he
shall judge the world in righteousness, and the people
in equity. Not one conscience of the whole assem-
bly, consisting perhaps of some millions of millions,
but shall at every step of his conduct cry out, Righ-
teous artthou, O Lord, and righteous are thy judge-
ments. Even Belzebub, infidels, hereticks, profane,
formalists, and their fellows, who had persevered till
the last, in reproaching and blaspheming him in his
absence, shall, with hanging heads and trembling
hearts, confess themselves to have been impudent
liars, and that he is Lord, to the glory of the Father.
Even in hell every conscience, to the eternal anguish
and torment of its owner, shall perpetually attest the
wisdom and equity of his whole conduct, and the
justice of their own damnation, as reproachers of,
and rebels against, him.. In heaven his equity,
wisdom, mercy, and love, and the righteousness and
holiness of all his works, are and shall for ever be,
the ravishing wonder of every heart, and the de-
lightful burden of every song. In the view of my
being for ever thus employed, let my h,eart now
meditate good matter concerning my King, and in
speaking to his honour, let my tongue be as the pen
of a ready writer.
SELECT REMAINS* 1O7
TRACT XIV.
Bldnchard's Travel excelled.
9
WHEN I read and hear of the modern bustling
about air balloons ,. what multitudes assemble to be-
hold their motion, and from what distance; and
think what useful money, and still more precious
time, is spent in that unprofitable contemplation, it
makes me with great grief and shame to thin k,-
4 Lord hast thou made men in vain?' Hast thou
made them more thoughtless and improvident than
the grasshopper, or more stupid and unnatural than
the ostrich, that most live altogether unconcerned
about either time or eternity ? Have they no bodies,
no families to provide for? have they no just debts
to pay ? no occasions of giving to him that needeth ?
have they no souls to be for ever saved, or to be
eternally Bamned? Is it possible for men, who have
souls, to run or ride scores of miles to behold a
large and full-blown bladder mounting into the air,
who nevertheless would grudge to travel -one or two
to behold the glory, and see the goings of my God
and my King in the sanctuary ? Is it possible that
such as have immortal and precious souls, should 5
spend more time in one day, in this pitiful contem-
plation, than ever they spent in serious searching of
their heart, or solemn prayer to their God ; in taking
heed to their way ; in looking to Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith ; to God that dwelleth in the
heavens above them ; or to the infinitely important
eternity that is before them ?
; But rejoice, O my soul, that, by the grace of God ?
1 have taken my seat in that divine balloon, the ever-
lasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure ! and
this is all my salvation, and all my desire. I am on
108 SELE'CY REMAINS*
the very point of setting off, not for France, or its
dangerous wood, but for the paradise of G'od r the
palace of my king, in whose presence is fulness of joy,
and at whose right hand are pleasures. for evermore.
Perhaps next moment I may begin my journey, not
over the straits of Dover, but over the deeps of death.
Yet I shall not die, but live and praise the. Lord*
Because Jesus liveth, I shall live also. He hath the
ieys of hell and death. He did and he willswallow
up death in victory. He hath redeemed me from
'death : 4 O death, he was thy plague : O grave, he was
* thy destruction !' Be not, therefore, my soul, afraid,
but only believe, and thou shalt soon see the glory of
God. 4 While I walk through the valley of the sha-
* dow of death I will fear no evil ; for God shall be
* with me ; his. rod and his staff shall comfort me**
' O death, where is thy sting ? O grave, where is.
* thy victory?' Though in my dying moments the
ivinds should rise, the rains descend, and floods come
and beat upon me,- 1 shall neither fall nor sink, nor
be driven out of my way.. Go.d hath said to me,,
* Fear not, for I will be with thee. Be not dismayed,
* for I aih thy God. I will help thee, yea, I will up-
* hold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
4 When thou passest through the waters, I will be
* with thee j and through the rivers, they shall not
* overflow thee. When thou walkest through the fire
* thou shalt not be burnt, nor shall the flame kindle
* upon thee. Why shouldest thou then be cast down v
4 O my soul ? Why shouldest thou be disquieted
within me ? still trust in God, for I shall yet praise
^ him ; for he is the health of my countenance and my
* God. J Though I should walk in the midst of trou-
ble, I shall have life from him. Though the waters,
should swell even to the brim, they shall not overflow
my soul, nor come near unto me. Thou shalt hide me.
from trouble, and shalt compass me about with songa
of deliverance.
SELECT REMAINS. 109
Arise, O my ransomed soul, and go over, go up to
mount Zion, to the Lord thy God! Arise, for the
Master is come, and calleth for thee. It is the voice
of my beloved who speaks, and says to tne, c Arise,
' my love, my fair one, and come away ; for the win-
' ter is past, and the rain is over and gone.' My
4 desire is to depart and to be with Christ, which is
* far better.' Why tarry the wheels of his chariots ?
and why is he so long a coming? Stript by the grace
of God of this body of sin and self, and of this frail
and mortal frame, I shall mount as the eagle, shall fly
and not be weary, ascend and never faint. Adieu,
you subtle self, you filthy lusts, you molehill earth
I will have nothing more to do with you. Hoisted
up by Jehovah's love, attended by his hymning an gels,
all inflamed by his Spirit, I sing and soar away. You
malicious, murdering powers of air, shall see it, and
shall gnash your teeth, and melt away. You wander-
ing planets, you enlightening sun, you glittering stars,
in whom I have often discerned the glories of God,
toy God I bid you all farewell. I am on my way
to far brighter worlds, where you can never be seen ;
where God shall be my sun, my moon, my stars, my
everlasting light, my glory, and my all in all. While
the ravishing musick of heaven meets my ears and
transports my heart, I see the pearly gate cast wide
open, to give me an abundant entrance into the king-
dom of my Lord. I perch, not on the top of wood-
land trees, but on the Tree of Life. In the arms of
my God, I enter the New Jerusalem. I am brought
into the palace of my king with gladness great, and
mirth on every side. Methinks all heaven is moved
to meet me at my coming, and crying, with sweet
wonder, ' Who is this ? what unparalleled monument
of redeeming grace is this ?'. Not French grandees,
but an innumerable company of angels, and the gene-
ral assembly of the first born, the spirits of just men
made perfect ; God the judge of alU T^'sus the medi-
K
SELECT REMAINS,
ator of the New Testament, and the blessed Spirit
of all grace, welcome me in the most delightful
forms ! Now I enter into the joy of my Lord, and sit
down with Christ on his throne. I am, and shall be*
ever with the Lord. I see the redeeming Godhead
as it is, and am filled with all the fulness of God, and
know him even as I am known. I am perfectly-
conformed to his image. My heart is inflamed, and
my mouth filled, with his praise and honour all the
day. Lord, what am I, that thou hast brought me
hitherto! What can the first rate sinner more say |-
Js this the manner of.men, O Lord !
TRACT XV.
A sore-vexed soul delivered.
: * A WOUNDED spirit who can bear?' My heart
knoweth its own bitterness, but strangers do not
intermeddle with my joy. Lately I lay in the belly
of hell. My soul was sore vexed, and sunk in deep;
waters, where there was no standing, in an horrible
-pit and miry clay indeed. (1) My mind was fear-
fully overwhelmed with continual" thoughts of the
holiness, equity, and Majesty of God r Psal. Ixxxvii..
3. (2) I looked on God as mine inveterate enemy,;
intending my hurt in all that he did or said. As I
had rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit, I suspected
that he fought against me,.Isa. Ixiii. 1O. Lam. Hi. 3 <
13. I apprehended his words, his_ works, as all
breathing forth threatenings, curses,, and slaughter,
against me. I apprehended my life and my death r
heaven and hell, as working together a far more ex-
ceeding and eternal weight of misery forme. (3) All
SELECT REMAINS, 11
my evidences of former grace were utterly lost. I ap-
prehended all my former experiences to have been
delusions, or but common workings of the Holy
Ghost ; and all my religious exercise to have been
but hypocritical dissimulation with God and men r
Psal. ixxiii. Ixxxviii. 4. Lam. iii. 2. Hos. xi. 12*
(4) In the form and aggravations of my sin, and in
the dreadful and long continued hardness of my
heart, I apprehended that I saw fearful tokens of my
reprobation, sinning against the Holy Ghost, or out-
sinning my day of grace, Psal. Ixxvii. 6 1O. Gen.
\i. 3. Rev. xxii. 11. (5) Even my thought of Jesus
Christ, and his great salvation, filled me with an~
guish ; as I looked on them as for ever lost to me :.
nay, through my rejection ot them, fearfully instru-
mental of my eternal and unparalleled damnation,
2 Cor. ii. 16. and iii. 14. and iv* 3,, 4. Rom. ix. 31,
32. 1 Pet. ii. 8. Heb. x. 26, 27, 29, 31. 2 Thess. i.
7 9. Rev. i. 7. (6) My thoughts, fixing on every
thing dreadful, drew terrors from every object, into
every faculty of my soul, and filled them therewith,,
Job vi. 4. Psal. Ixxxviii. 15. (7) Every view con-
tributed to produce the most agonizing fears in my
soul. I could not think of God, but as wrathful; of
heaven and salvation, but as lost; of hell, but as
infallibly secured ; of my life, but as miserable andr
ripening me for greater damnation; and of my
death, but as an entrance into everlasting torment,
Isa. xxiv. 17, 18. Heb. x. 26,27. (8). I lost all heart
to pray for relief* and all life and ease of mind in es-
saying it ; my thoughts were in such a confused hur-
ry, or so unsettled, that I could scarce speak sense y
or speak a word. This, together with the apprehen-
sion of the Lord's rejecting my prayers, and turning-
thern into sin filled me with such- sorrow as quite
damped my soul, restrained all exercise of faith,
hope, or love, spoiled my duties, and became so
great, that I could not vent it, Psal. lx::iv. 4. Job v.K
112 SELECT REMAINS.
2, 3. and x. 15 17. and xxiii. 2. (9) Hence my soul
lost all patience, and raged like a wild bull in a net
under my distress, Isa. li. 20. Job xviii. 4. Psalm,
xxxviii. 8. and xxii. 1. (10) Having lost all views of
either the probability or possibility of my deliver-
ance, I considered the intermissions of my agony, as
but a breathing to prepare me for new racking and
torture, Psal. Ixxvii. 6 10. (11) Satan being let
loose upon me, exercised his malice and cruelty to
the very uttermost, and improved every thing, pre-
sent or future, in heaven, earth, and hell, as instru-
ments of his torture. Ah, the vile, the blasphemous,
the horrible, the dreadful suggestions, he violently
threw into my soul ! 2 Cor. xii. 7. Psal. cix. 6. Luke
ix. 39 42. (12) My despair became exceeding
deep, fixed, and dreadful, Ezek. xxxvii. 11. Jer. ii.
25. Psal. Ixxvii. 7 1O. Acts xxvii. 2O. (13) I con-
sidered my present troubles as a certain and dreadful
earnest, if not immediate introduction into everlast-
ing misery, Isa. xxxiii. 14. i(14) All comparison of
my soul's present condition, with that which it had
been, or with that of others, did but add to my an-
guish, Job xxix. 2 5. Psal. xlii. 3, 4. (15) While
my apprehension of the infernal torments were so
dreadful, that I was afraid to sleep lest I should have
awakened amidst them, my inward torments were
so insupportable, that I indulged an aversion at the
continuance of my life, and an anxiety to know what
would be the worst of my misery in hell which Sa-
tan violently improved in tempting me to murder
myself, Job vi. 8, 9. and vii. 3, 4, 14, 15. and x. 1.
and iii. 20, 23, 24. (16) Hence I could not refrain
from, nay even indulged, outrageous expressions
against the Lord and his dealings with me, 2 Kings
ii. 33. Job iii. vi. x. Psalm Ixxiii. 2 13. and Ixxvii.
4 IO. and Ixxxviii. 2 18. Isa. xlix. 14. Jer. xxy.
7 18.
SEJLBCT
r
But, atec weeping had endured for a night,
came in. the morning. .By his. sovereign gracious,
return to ray s.oul, (1) The Lord made Satan tp
leave me, and flee off, Luke ix.. 4.2. Rom. xvi. 2O*
Gen. iii. 15* and even before he went, off, gaveine
strength to resist him, 2. CoiTxii, 9. 1 Cor. x. 13
Isa. lix. 29 r31. (2) He commanded such a calm in
my mind, that I could attentively listen to his words,
Psalm xlvi. 10. and xlv. 7. cvii. 2.9. (3) He spoke
home* his gracious declarations and promises to my
heart, with s.uch pointed power, light, and life, that
every sentence appeared exactly formed for me, and
pleasantly penetrated to the very centre of my soul ;
particularly Isa. i. 18. xl. 1, 2. xiiii. 25. xlv. 22. xlix.
15, 16, 24-T-26. liv. 117. and Ivii. 1520. Ezek.
xxxy'u 25-^-29. Hos. xiv. 4. (4) By these words he
conveyed into the respective powers of my soul such
abundant pardon, peace, light, life,. liberty, health,
strength, akd holiness, as made it, which had been so,
long like a very hell of wickedness and misery, a
meet habitation for himself by the Spirit, Isa. I. 4.
John vi. 63. Luke xviiit 7. 1 Thess. i. 5. and ii. 13.
(5) Hence my inward graces revived as the corn,
My spiritual knowledge, faith, hope, love, and re-
pentance, were quickened, excited, and enabled to
make a proper improvement of his words to, and
gracious work on, me, John i.. 16. Psalm xxxviii. 3-
and cxix. 50. Eph. i. 17 19. and iii. 16 -19* Phil,
i. 19. and iv. 13, 19. Col. i. 911. (6) Hereon
my soul was filled, and even ravished, with peace
and joy in believing. I thought that, though I had
been a thousand years in hell, all my torment and sor-
row were fully over-balanced with the abundant conr
eolations of Christ, 1 Pet. i. 8. Rom. xv. 13. and v.
15, .11. 2 Cor. i. 37. I saw that, in all my for-
mer affliction, the Lord had been but enlarging and
seasoning my soul for an amazing, an eternal fill, of
all the f illness of God as my exceeding joy* O t
114 SELECT REMAINS;
my heart heaved in joy, and my lips burst in praise !
Not a song in all the Bible but I could sing with
sweet application to myself, particularly Psalms
xxxiv. 1 8. xxiii. 16. xviii. iii. cxvi. cxvhi. cxlvi'
cxlvi. cxlviii. cxxxviii. Isa. xii. xxv. and liii. 7". Psal*
xl. 1 5. (7) Being thus constrained by the love of
Christ and his Father and blessed Spirit, in making
such unparalleled stretches pf mercy towards me, I
was led out in a most earnest activity in running the
way of his commandments. I was sweetly nonpluss-
ed how to get enough of fellowship with him in his
ordinances, and how I might best honour him in the
way of holy obedience. My viewing of his law as
the commandments of my God, had the force often
thousand motives on my heart, 2 Cor. 14, 15. Psalm
cxix. 32, 115, and cxvi. 12, 16. 1 John iv. 9, 10, 19.
(8) While I clearly perceived my eternal happiness
founded in the infinite grace of God, and surety-
righteousness of Christ, and no more on my best
works than on my worst, it gave me inexpressible
pleasure that, in a little time, I should be as near
him, and as like to him, and as perfect in love to him,
as my heart could wish f^and I was led out to great:
diligence in duty, not to purchase heaven, but to pre-
pare me for receiving it, as the free gift of God
through Jesus Christ my Lord.
Let me from experience beseech you distressed
souls, (1) Labour to avoid all expressions that can
dishonour God, or discourage others from following
Christ, Psalm xxxix. 1. (2) In your distress earnest-
ly attend to every point of duty, whether spiritual or
temporal, Isa. Ixiv. 5. (3) Deal much in searching
your heart and way, in order to pour out your con-
fessions and complaints before the Lord, Lam. iii,
4O. But it is not safe for you to examine yourself in
order to discover your spiritual state, while you are
overwhelmed with trouble. (4) It is very proper for
SELECT REMAINS. 115
you to reveal your case to some experienced minister
r Christian ; but, above all, deal much in pouring
out your heart to God, Psalm Ixii. 8. cii. and cxliii.
(5) Meditate much oil the infinite worth of Christ's
blood to over-balance all your sinfulness, and on the
infinite power of God's grace and mercy to relieve
you, 1 John i. 7. and ii. 1, 2. Mic. vii. 18, 19. (6)
Labour earnestly to apply closely to your own soul
and case the gracious promises of the gospel, parti-
cularly those which suit the very worst of sinners,
and \Vorst of cases on this side hell. Such promises
as Satan, and your own unbelieving heart, can least
pretend to be above your reach, as Isa. xli. 17, 18.
and xliii. 24, 25. 'Matt. ix. 13. and xviii. 11. Luke
xix. 10.1 Tim. i. 15.
: ii6
AtJfHOK's VflXC JtJyriCE 7*0 HIS
CHILDXEStr. . .
My 'Dear Children,
BELIEVING that God hath made with me,
and with my seed after me, his everlasting covenant,
to be a God to me and to my seed, I did, in your bap-
tism, and often since, and now do, before God and
his angels, make a solemn surrender of you all into
the hands of my God and my father's God, and of
the God of your mother, and her father's God ; and
in the presence of that God ; and as ye shall answer
at his second coining, I charge you.
1st. To learn diligently the principles of our
Christian and of our Protestant religion, from your
catechisms and confession of faith, but especially
from your Bible : God's word hath a light and life,
a power and sweetness in it, which no other book
hath, and by it your souls must be quickened and
live, or you must be damned for ever ; and the more
closely you press the words of the Bible to your own
hearts, and pray, and think them over before God,
you will find them the more powerful and pleasant.
My soul hath found inexpressibly more sweetness
and satisfaction, in a single line of the Bible, nay, in
two such words as these, Thy God, and my God, than
all the pleasures found in the things of the world,
since the creation, could equal.
2d. Give yourselves to prayer ; Jesus hath said,
4 Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come
1 unto me : for such is the kingdom of heaven. I
* love them that love me ; and those that seek me
* early shall find me. Remember now thy Creator
c in the days of thy youth. The Lord is good to
4 them that seek him. He is the hearer of prayer ;
SELECT REGAINS.
* and therefore to him should all flesh come.' The
Lord, the father of the fatherless, takes an especial
pleasure in hearing the prayers of the fatherless
young ones.
When I was left destitute of a father, and soon af-
ter of a mother, the Lord dealt so with me; and
though I was too bent on childish diversions, the
Lord on some occasions made prayer more pleasant
to me than any of them. By prayer improve the
Lord as your father, consulting him and, asking his
direction in all your ways ; and seeking his blessing
on your learning, and on whatever you do agreeable
tohiswilL
3d. Sialdy earnestly to love, honour and obey
your mother, and to be a comfort to her. Much
trouble hath she had in bringing you so far in the
world, and much affection hath she shewed you. She
hath now a double charge and authority over you.
The Lord now observes particularly what is done to
her. Oh, for the Lord's sake, do not dishonour^
her, nor break her heart, by your disobedience and
graceless walk.; otherwise the Lord's dreadful curse
will light upon you, and ye will readily?sbon perish,:
for think what .God hath said, Prov. xvii. 25. * A
* foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to
* her that bore him, Chapter xx. 20. 4 Whoso curs-
* ethjKis father or his mother, his lamp shall be put
* out in obscure darkaess.' See also Lev. xx. 3, 4.
Deut. xxi. 1,8, 19. Prpv. x. 1. xiii. 1. xv. 5, 20. xix.
13, 26. xxviii. 7, 24. xxx. 17.
4th. Avoid, as plagues every light, frothy, and wick-
ed companion. Be not a disgrace to me, and cause
of damnation, to yourselves, by keeping company
with idle talkers, swearers, drunkards, tipplers, frothy
,or. lewd persons. Scarce any thing more infallibly
L
118 SELECT
brings persons to misery in this world, or to hell in the
next, than loose and trifling companions. Prov. xiii.
2O. 4 He that walketh .with wise men shall be wise ;
but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.' c chap,
xxviii. 7. ' Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son ; but
he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his
father.' See also Prov. i, ii, v, vi, vii, and ix. and 1
Corinth, v. 9, 11. Never make any your compa-
nions, with whom you would not wish to appear at
the judgement seat of Christ, and with whom you
Svould not wish to live for ever.
5th. JVIind earnestly the infinitely important con-
cerns of your eternal salvation. I hereby constitute
these addresses, annexed to my%lforter and larger
Catechisms, a part of my dying directions to you.
Oh, ponder and practise them ! Wo to you, if, by
your carelessness and wickedness, you thrust the
grace of God out from among my posterity ! Ah, my
dear young children, shall I at the last day have tp
echo my Amen to Christ's sentence of your eternal
damnation ! In order to stir up your concern about
eternal things, let me beseech you to read Boston's
Fourfold State, Pearce's Best Match, Rutherford's
Letters, Guise's Sermons to Young People, Allen's
Alarm, and Baxter's Call; but beware of some legal
directions in the last two. Read also the lives of
Elisabeth Cairns, of Alexander Archibald, and espe-
cially the lives of Messrs. Thomas Halyburton,
James Frazei-, and James Hog. Perhaps also my
-Journal may be useful to you ; but, above all, read
the Book of Inspiration.
6th. Never affect conformity to the vain and vile
fashions of this world: if you do, you disobey God,
and hazard the ruin of your own souls. Rom. xii. 2.
* Be not conformed to this world, but be ye trans-
* formed by the renewing of your mind. Jam. iv. 4.
SELECT REMAINS. HJ9
* Know ye not that the friendship of this world is
* enmity with God? whosoever, therefore, will be a
4 friend of the worldyis the enemy of God. 1 See also
1 Cor. vii. 31. 1 John ii. 15, 17. iv. 5, 6. v. 4, 19.
John vii. 7. xv. 18, 19. Psal. xv* 4. -cxxxix. 21 S .
cxix. 53, 115, 136, 158.
7th. Never marry, nor take one step toward mar-
riage, without much serious and solemn consultation
of God, and patient waiting for his direction. By
means of rash marriages was the old world defiled ;
and it was partly on this account that it was drown-
ed : ,Gen. vi. In consequence of these examples,
Esau's posterity were cast out from the church of
God to all generations : Gen. xxvi. 34, 35. Judah's
family was disgraced and killed j and it is to be fear-
ed that his two sons perished : Gen. xxxviii. Not
only Jehoshaphat's family, but even the kingdom of
Judah, was almost ruined : 2 Chron. xxi, xxii. How
dreadful for your own souls, and for those of your
children, if you take into your bosom an uncoiiyert-
ed lump of wrath! For the Lord's sake leit^no
beauty, no affability, no wealth, decoy any of you
into this dangerous snare, which may exclude the
grace of God from your family, till the end of.
time. 1 Cor. vii. 39. Deut. vii. 3, 4. Ezra ix. 2,
3, 12, 14.
8th. If the Lord give you families and children,
bring them up for God. I have essayed to point out
your duty in this respect, in my two sermons at
Whitburn and Innerkeithing, which, were printed :
I pray you seriously to peruse these, and to comply
with the advices given in the same.
9th. Set the Lord always before you as your Sa-
viour, witness, master, pattern, and future judge.
David saith, Psalm xyi. 8. 4 1 have set the Lord
120 SEtECT REMAINS.
* always before me: because he is at my right hand
' I shall not be moved.' It is the command of God,
1 Cor. x. 31. ' Whether therefore ye eat or drink,
* or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.'
lOth. Adhere constantly, cordially, andJionestly f
to the covenanted principles of the church of Scot-
land, and to that testimony which hath been lifted
up for them. I fear a generation is rising up, which
will endeavour silently to let slip these matters, as if
they were ashamed to hold them fast, or even to speak
of them. May the Lord forbid, that any of you
should ever enter into this confederacy against Je-
sus Christ and his cause ! This from a dying fa-
ther and minister, and a witness for Christ.
JOHN BROWN.
> \ Narrative of the Author's Dying Words*
FOR some years before Mr. Brown died, he was
troubled with a weakness in his stomach. In the
months of January and February, this weakness
remarkably increased. His friends observed it with
grief, and accordingly desired him to desist at least
from part of his publick work. Eager to warn sin-
ners of their danger, and fond to commend his Lord,
he told them, c I am determined to hold to Christ's
work so long as I can. How can a dying man spend
his last breath better than in preaching, Christ?' On
the 25th of February, which was his last sabbath in
the pulpit, he preached from Luke ii. 26. * It was
revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should
not see dearth till he had seen the Lord's Christ.'
In the close of his sermon, he took a solemn farewell
SEI.ECT REMAINSV 121
of his own congregation; and plainly intimated^
that in the pulpit they would see his face no more-.
Though now he was scarce able to support himself,
yet he continued his evening sermon, and seemed
to preach with more earnestness than ever. He
preached his last sermon from Acts xiii. 26. l To
you is the word of this salvation sent.' As in the
afternoon he had addressed the people immediately
connected with himself, in the evening, foe in a very
affecting manner, bid adieu to his hearers, mostly
members of the established church.
March 2d. A friend observing that he ought to
be more careful in the use of means for his recovery,
he replied, c If Christ be magnified whether in >niy
life or death, that is the great matter.'
March 3d. One happening to talk in his presence
about reading history, he remarked, 4 Often we read
history as atheists or deists, rather than as Christians.
To read of events without observing the hand of Go'd
in them, is to read as atheists: to read, and not ob-
serve how all events conduce to carry on the work
of redemption, is to read as deists.' In the evening,
his spirits being apparently sunk, and his relations .
taking notice of it, he told them, ' A piece of history
sometimes hath amused me, when my natural spirits
were low, but now I find no pleasure except in medi-
tating on the promises : I wish to begin with that in
Genesis, " The seed of the woman shall bruise the
head of the serpent," ,and to delight myself with it, and
all the rest that follow, to the end of the Revelation
of John,'
March 4th. An acquaintance saying to him, that
it was pleasant to see the great Mr. Hervey insisting
so much on grace reigning through righteousness.
4 Yes,' replied he, 4 that is the doctrine which is- good
to live with, and good to die with.'
L 2
122 SELECT REMAINS*
, This being sabbath he went out to hear a sermon.
After he returned to his house, he cried, ' Oh,
what a happy life a Christian might have, if he were
always persuaded of the love of God, which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord! If there were such a thing
as exchange of learning, I should willingly quit with
all my acquaintance with languages, &c. to know ex-
perimentally what that meaneth, " 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 me, and gave himself for me."
In the evening, being asked if he thought himself
better ; he answered with a great deal of composure,
' I am no worse : but I do not wish to have a will in.
that matter only I would not desire to live, and
yet not be able for Christ's work, though perhaps,
were God so ordering it, he would enable me to bear
that too.*
March- 6. He called his two eldest sons into his
room ; and as they were about to leave hini for a
time he exhorted them, in the most earnest manner,
to trust in the Lord, and to be doing good. ' No
doubt/ said he, ' I have met with trials as well as
others ; yet so kind hath God been to me, that I
think, if God were to give me as many years as I
have already lived in the world,, I would not desire
one single circumstance in my lot changed except
that I wish I had had less sin.*
March 2Oth. He became much weaker than he was
before. His memory was much impaired, but his
judgement continued as entire as ever. He conversed
like a man that quite overlooked earthly things, and
seemed to have his affections almost wholly set on
things above. Some of his expressions were as follow :
SELECT REMAINS. 128
* I have often wondered at the favour which
4 men have shewed to me, but much more at the
4 favour of God to such a grievous sinner.
4 Oh, to be with God, to see him as he is to
* know him even as he is known ; -it is worthy, not
1 merely of going for, but of dying for, to see a
1 smiling God !
4 About the year God said to my soul, I
* have loved thee with an everlasting love ; and oh,
4 how faithful he hath been to that since !
4 TThere would not have been more grace
4 shewn in the redemption of the chief of devils, than
4 in saving me ; the same price would have ransom-
4 ed them the same strivings would have overcome
4 them.
4 Men may talk of the sovereignty of redeeming
4 love as they will; but had it not been sovereign,
4 infinitely sovereign, I had been as surely damned,
4 as if I were in hell already.
4 Were it not that God foresaw our sins and
4 provocations from eternity, he never could have
4 continued his love to me, the grievous sinner the
4 arrant rebel : yet I think he is now preparing me
4 for being ever with himself. Oh, what is that ! I
4 have done all that lies in my power to damn my-
4 self; and, though I will not say, that God hath
4 done all that he could to save me, yet I am sure he
* hath done a great deal.
4 If angels and men knew the raging enmity, of
4 my heart, what would they think of redeeming
4 love, which hath pitched on me!
4 O, what a miracle to see me, the arrant rebel,
4 sitting on the throne with Jesus ; and I hope* I shall
4 be seen there What cannot jfesus do 1
SELECT REMAINS.
1 O, how these words, " He loved im, and gave
4 himself for me" once penetrated into my heart, and
4 mad me cry, " Bless the Lord, O my soul, and
' let all that is within me, be stirred up to bless his
4 holy name."
A friend asking him if he had any appetite for his>
supper, he replied, 4 Yes, Oh, if I had but as good
4 an appetite for the fulness of God, as I have for
4 earthly victuals ! r
One observing to him, that under all his weakness,
his mind seemed to be very composed : he answered,
4 Indeed I am composed ; God hath put a bridle in
' my mouth ; and though I have been a most per-
4 verse wretch, yet he hath strangely restrained me :
* and, Oh, how amazing ! he hath done this chiefly
1 by loving kindnesses and tender mercies j and is
' 4 not that a strange bridle for such an imp of hell as
' I have been?
* I cannot say that I have found God's words and
* eaten them; but truly his words have found me,
* and have been given to me, and have been to me
4 the joy and rejoicing of my heart.
4 Oh that is a sweet little sentence, " We shall be
4 for ever with the Lord !" -Oh, how sweet \-for
1 ever with the Lord! And that which makes the
* wonder is this, that it is ive that are to enjoy this
* happiness ; we pitiful wretches are to be for ever
* with God our Saviour, God in our nature !
4 How amazing the mystery of redemption, in
* which the rich deservants of hell are exalted to the
* throne of God, and that by the blood of our Lord
4 Jesus Christ!
* Oh, to be brought to this point,
SELECT REMAINS-.
Then will I. to God's altar go,
To God MY chiefest joy;
Yea, God, MY God, thy name to praise
My harp I will employ. Psalm xliii. 4.
' ^desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is
e far better: and though I have lived sixty years ve-.
* ry comfortably in this world, yet I would gladly
4 turn my back on you all, to be with Christ. .1 am
* sure Christ may' say of me, " These sixty years
1 this wretch hath grieved me."
March 21st. In the preceding evening, when he
fell asleep, he seemingly left his heart with Christ ;
and, if we might guess his meditation by his words,
this morning when he awakened, he was still with
him : among the first words which he spoke were
these j 4 Oh, it is pleasant to enjoy fellowship with
* Christ ! Any small acquaintance I have had of him
4 cortvinceth me of this. And Oh, how much more
* pleasure might I have had, had it not been for my
* own folly and wickedness! ,.
* I think now that I could willingly die to see him,
4 who is white and ruddy, the chief among ten
4 thousand.'
When at breakfast, he expressed himself thus.
4 How amazing that a rich deservant of hell should
1 get such a meal! how much more that a rich de-
4 servant of hell should get a Christ!
Addressing himself .to his two sons in the minis-
try he said, with peculiar earnestness, 4 Oh labour ,
* labour for Christ while ye have strength ; I now
4 repent that I have been so lazy and so slothful in
4 his service. Oh, commend Jesus! I have been
4 looking at him for these many years, and never yet
4 could find a fault in him, but what was of my own
4 making ; though he hath seen ten thousand thou-
126 SELECT REMAINS.
* sand faults in me. Many a comely person I have
' seen, but none so comely as Christ ; many a kind
' friend I have had, but none like Christ in loving
' kindnesses and tender mercies.' ^
Some short time after he said unto them, ' I know
not whether ever I shall see you together again or
not ; but, Oh, labour, labour to win souls to Christ ;
there is none like Christ there is none like
Christ there is none like Christ! I am sure a
poor worthless wretch he hath had of mej but a
precious, superlatively precious Christ I have had
of him. Never grudge either purse or person for
* Christ ; I can say this, that I never was a loser by
* any time spent, or by any money given, for him*'
* Oh, the pains which God has been at to save me,
* and the pains which' I have been at to destroy my-
^ self ! but he hath partly gained, and Tliope; that he
' will completely gain, the victory.' ^
After taking a ride in a chaise, when he came into
his house he observed, 4 Reading tires me, walking
* tires me, riding tires me; but, were I once with
* Jesus, fellowship with him will never tire : " Q
* shall we be for ever with the Lord !"
In the afternoon he lay down on his bed; and
being asked, after he awaked, how he was, he replied,
' I am no worse; I am just a monument of mercy,
* and that is a great deal for such a sinner, especially
' when I add, that I am hoping for redemption
* through Christ's blood, even the forgiveness of
' my sins, according to the riches of his grace.'
* If doubting, disputing, and trampling on his
* kindness could have made him change his love, it
* had never been continued towards mei Though I
SELECT REMAINS. 127
* have not been left to commit gross crimes, yet He
* and I know the outrageous wickedness of nay
* heart: -such wickedness as would have provoked
* any, but a God of infinite love, to have cast.me into
4 hell: yet, lo, instead of casting me there, he
4 - taketh me into his bosom and tells me, I have loved
4 thee with an everlasting love^ and -with loving kind-
4 ness have I drawn thee. I will heal their backslid-
4 ings, and I will love them freely.*
1 Oh, how the Lord hath borne and carried me !
* He hath indeed given me my stripes, but never
* except when I richly deserved them.' " Oh, that
*, men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and
' for his wonderful works towards the children of
4 men."
4 I was young when left by my parents ; yet their*
4 instructions, accompanied with God's dealings,
* made such impressions on my heart, as I hope will
* continue with me to all eternity. I have served
1 many masters, but none so kind as Christ; I have
4 dealt with many honest men, but.no creditor like
4 Christ; had I ten thousand hearts, they should all
'be given to Christ ; and had I ten thousand bodies,
4 they should all be employed in labouring for his
4 honour.'
' '&
Seeing two or three persons of his acquaintance
sitting round him, he said. 4 Now, sirs, I have
4 sinned longer, and in more aggravated forms, than
4 any of you; but what sins cannot the blood of
4 Christ wash out what cannot mercy forgive ?
" The Lord passed by and proclaimed his name ;
4 the Lord, the Lord God, -merciful and gracious,
4 long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and in
4 truth." Oh how astonishing, that the Spirit of God
4 should enter into our vile hearts, contrary to our
128 SELECT "REMAINS.
' strivings ! Even so it seemeth good in his sight.
* Let praise flow, for ever flow !'
March 22d. He had no sooner sat down to break-
fast, than, like a man enraptured with the views of
glory, he gave vent to his heart, in the mention of
.the following lines :
-Stei
They with the fatness of thy house
Shall be well satisfied :
From rivers of thy pleasures thou
Wilt drink to them provide. Psalm xxsvi. 8,
He repeated these lines thrice, changing the words
they and them into we and us, after which, he added,
' Oh, how strange, that rivers of pleasure should be
* provided for the murderers of God's Son, and the
* contemners of his word!'
One of his sons alledging to him, that he seemed
to be quite indifferent about things here : he replied,
* Indeed I am so ; only I would wish you my sons,
* my friends, my congregation, the church^ and all
the world, so far as is consistent with the decree of
God, were with Christ j-^-from all other things
my mind is weaned : yet, if the influence of God's
Spirit were to be withdrawn for a moment, Oh ?
how horridly my heart would blaspheme !'
t;..
To one of his hearers, whose father was an emi-
nent Christian, he tendered the following advice,
4 Well- mind these words, " Thou art my God j
* I will prepare thee an habitation; my father's
* God ; I will exalt thee," We should reckon him
4 a madman that would throw away a father's estate,
* but he is much more foolish who throws away a
* father's God,
Being told that the day was cold, and therefore
his taking a ride would perhaps hurt him; he said,
SELECT REMAINS.
* .Oh, to whivto the everlasting day of fellowship with
* Christ,,' then shall we reflect with pkasure on all
* our c&ld and sorrowful days here.'
* For a poor .Mati, a dying man, a man that hath
"* much to do, there is no friend like Christ.'
Washing his face in the water, he said, 4 Oh, to be
* washed in the water of life!' One remarking that
he looked better than he did, * It may be,' replied
he ; * however, when I am conformed to the image
of Christ,- 1 shall look far better still.' This last fie
uttered with a pleasant smile.
Stepping into the chaise to take his ride, and finct-
r ing his inability to do it himself without assistance,
he desired his friends to look and see the propriety of
that advice, " Let not the wise man glory in his wis-
dom ; neither let the mighty man glory in his might;
let not the rich man glory in his riches ; but let hina
that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth
and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exerci>-
seth loving hindness, judgement, and righteousness
In the earth."
Upon his return from his ride, being asked how
he was j he answered, 4 Well, well for such a sinner!'
To another, who inquired if he felt himself any
easier ; he replied, 1 1 cannot say that I am, but I am. .
* just as well as my heart could wish, if I were but
1 free of sin.'
When a third acquaintance proposed a similar
question ; he observed, * I am weU ; for it is with
* both body and soul as it pleaseth God ; and what
* pleaseth him as a new covenant God, I desire to
* say, pleaseth me too.' Reading to him a saying of
Dr. Evans's, shewing his resignation to the rod,j
* Well,' said. he, * that is just what I would have
'* been at too : Oh what kindness God has heaped
M
i30" -SELECT REMAINS.
* upon me since the year .....! what kind strug-
-' glings! what kind smilings! what kind overlooking?
1 of my outrageous wickedness ! but he hath shew-
4 ed himself to be Godsend not man in his dealings
1 with me.
* In my mad attempts he hath often stopped
* me ; my mad wishes he hath refused to grant ; and
* my mad words he hath often seemed to.overlook.*
Being asked if he remembered of his preaching on
this text, Psalm Ixxiii. 22" So foolish was I and
ignorant, and as a beast before thee :'* he replied,
* Yes, I remember it very well ; and I remember
* too, that when I described the beast, I drew the
'* picture from my own heart. But Oh^ amazing
4 consideration! "Nevertheless, I am continually
* with God, and he holdeth me by my right hand !"
"When the-evening was coi/ie, and a friend propo-
sed that his clothes should be taken off; he said,
* Very well I would not wish to be a man of strife,
4 on 'the borders of eternity ; and especially when I
* am as sure that the redeeming God is mine own.,
* as that there is an eternity. 7
March 23d. Conversing with him about a sermon
which he once preached on these words, Isa. xlvi. 4,
" Even to your old age I am He" he observed, that
he remembered discoursing on this text ; and then
added, with a sort of cheerfulness, 4 1 must say, that
* I never yet found God to break his word in this ;
* no, notwithstanding all the provocations of which J
* have given him.'
Walking in the Grass Park, which is contiguous
to his house, and finding that he was scarce able to
move forward, by reason of a boisterous wind, he
said to a relation, yf\\o attended him, ' I find that I
am' but weak but,
SELECT REMAINS* 131
Soon may the storms of trouble beat
The bouse of bondage dotyn,
And let the prisoner fly
WATT3,
f
When he had taken his rest in the afternoon, he
awakened with these words, * Oh what a wonder
* that I have not slept into eternal life ! rather, Oh,'
4 what a wonder if I should thus sweetly sleep into
* eternal life ! Oh, what is this P s
Having sat down to tea, he seemed to be so much
under the constraining influence of the Holy Ghost,
that he could not forbear making mention of the
mercies of the Lord; ' Oh,' cried he, * God is love,
4 there is no enmity in him at all ! Again,, there are
4 three things which are very sweet ; the sovereign-
* ty, the freeness, and the fulness of grace.* In a
short time after, he broke out in the following
. expressions, * Oh, wonderful, wonderful subject,
4 grace! Oh, wonderful, wonderful means, by which
4 it vents, the righteousness of Christ I and wonder-'
* ful, wonderful issue, eternal life P ~~
An acquaintance asking him if he really wished to
be strong; he replied, ' I rather wonder that I have
4 so much health and strength as I have: many
* of my fellow sinners, and many less sinners than I,
' are now roaring in the place of torment, without
* any hopes of deliverance, while my body is easy,'
4 and my heart is in some measure filled with his-
* praise. The strength which I wish now, is strength
4 to walk up and down in the name of the Lord.'
March 24th. At breakfast, seeing his friends >
sitting around, he said, ' Oh, sirs ! when shall I take
4 the last Christian meal with you ? I am not weary
4 of your company, nor have I any cause; but I
c would fain be at that, " I will go to God's altar-,-
* even unto God my exceeding joy."
132 SELECT REMAINS.
One of his little children. coming to inquire form's
welfare, he desired her to come near ; and, putting his
hand upon her head, he spake to her in the following
manner : ' Now, my little dear. Oh, mind to pray
unto God : your father must soon leave you ; bue
cry unto Jesus " Thou art my father, and the
guide of my youth ;" and then, though you will not
have a room like this, to come and see your father
in, you will be taken to a far better Father's room.'
Being told that his eldest son was gone home, he
took occasion to remark, how happy he should be, if
the time of his departure into the eternal world were
arrived. ' Oh,* said he, ' that I were ready for going
I home too ! About the year these words were
' sweet to my soul " There remaineth a rest' for the
* people of God." ' Are you not willing, sir,' (said
one) ' to live and preach Christ? 1 lie answered, ' I
4 would love to preach Christ, if 1 live ; but, as to my
* life, I have no will in that matter; I wish to have
* my inclinations subordinate to the will of God.'
A friend observing that the gospel was said to be
spreading in the established Church of England
* Oh,' said he, * well, well may it spread: the gospel
* is the source of my comfort, and every sinner is as
* welcome to this source as I. And Oh, how plea-
* sant, that neither great sins, nor great troubles, do
4 alter these consolations ! These words were once
* sweetly impressed upon my heart^ Where sin a-
* bounded, grace did "much more abound." Oh,
* how it delighted me, to see God taking the advari-
* tage of my great sinfulness, to shew his great
* grace !' '
* Oh the sovereignty of God ! I think that he hath
* used more means, to bring down the enmity and
* rebellion of my heart j than he hath used for ari.hun-
II dred beside.
SELECT REMAINS. 133
- ?*.--
*
.Receiving' a glass of wine, he observed, ' How
41 astonishing that God's Son should get gall and.
c vinegar to drink, when his thirst was great ; and
f yet that I should have such wine, when my thirst
* is by no means excessive !' Afterwards, on a sim-.
ilar occasion, he expressed himself to this purpose,.
' I long to drink of the new wine in my father's-,
fc kingdom, which will neither hurt head nor heart..
c Oh, that I had all the world around me, that I
' might tell them of Christ !' .
A friend reminding him that through his instru-
mentality, as a teacher of divinity, about sixty or se-
venty ministers were engaged in preaching Christ : he-
replied, 'Had I ten thousand tongues, and ten thou-
*' sand hearts, and were I employing them all in
4 commendation of Christ, I could not do for his
* honour as he hath deserved, considering his kind-
* ness to such a sinner.'
When at tea, he gave vent to his grateful heart in
the following words : i I. am much obliged to you all,
4 and particularly to you, (addressing his wife,) for
* your kindness to me : yet I must go back to this,.
" Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is.
* none upon earth that I desire besides thee."
" He hateth putting away :" *' I am sure I have
found that ; for, oh ! the provocations which I have
given to God to cast me off; and yet to this day he
crowneth me with loving kindnesses ! How aston-
ishing the necessity of the love of the Son of God] .
Once I thought that I got a ravishing sight, of the.
necessity of his loving me, the sinner; he said,
" Other sheep I have ; them,! must bring."
" - *
* Oh, his kindness, his kindness ! I have shared-
* of his frowns, as well as of his smiles: little*
' '' *
134 SELECT REMAINS.
4 frowns in comparison of what I deserved^- yet
* when I even abused these frowns, as well as his
4 smiles, he hath often overcome me with .tender
mercies.'
To some, who asked him if he was any worse, he
made this reply: ' I am weak, but I am well, cony
* sidering that I am such a sinner. I may say,
" Goodness and mercy have followed me all the
* days of my life;" and I hope to " dwell in the
* house of God for ever."
Speaking to him about his, supper, he cried out,
* Oh, to be there, where they 4C hunger no more, nor
* thirst any more ; but are filled with the fatness of
God's house!"
One of his younger children he exhorted in this
form ; ' Now cry to God, Thou art my Father : I do
* not think that I was much older than you, when
* God caused me to claim him ; and Oh, God hath
* been good to me J It is long since he said, " Leave
* thy fatherless children upon me, and I will pre-
* serve them alive, and let thy widows trust in me."
* As I know not but I am dying of this distress,
* I have essayed to cast you on the Lord ; see that
4 you cast yourself on him.'
March 25th. * Long ago I thought to have known
* by experience what i& meant by " dying in the
e Lord ;" that is a lesson, however,, which I have
* no yet learned, but I will not quit hppes of learning
itstilL
' Were it not that the blood? of Christ eleanseth
* from all sin, damnation would be my lot ; but " in
* him I have redemption through his blood, accord-
* ing to the riches of his grace. 7 * Aad if Christ be
Sfit&TT REMAINS.-.
* glorified to the highest, and I ashamed to the
* lowest, I am content.
4 These words were once sweet to my soul, I am
tl less than the least of his mercies." 1 1 that thought;
* that I was not worthy of the smallest favour, yet I
* aimsd to apprehend the greatest gift. Qfy amaz-
4 ing scheme, redemption ! Amazing contrivance o
* it by God the Father! Amazing work of the Son
* purchasing it! Amazing application, of it by the
' Holy Ghost I ^and amazing possession of it by
c men!
* It is now many years since God put me into
state, that I could not totally apostatize from him ;
though no thanks to me, for I have 4one my utmost
against him, and yet he hath held me ; I know not
if there ever was a sinner, such a perveirse wretch
One asking him if he remembered who it was thaf
said on his death-bed, that God had fulfilled all the
promises in the 91st Psahn to him but the last, " His
eyes shall see my salvation," and. now he was goingto>
receive the accomplishment of that f He said. ' No ;*
and added, raising his voice, * But I know a man; to
* whom almost all the lines of that Psalm have been
* sweet : I think, if ever God touched my hieart, he
4 went through that Psalm with
March 26th. Being asked how he had slept,
replied in his common style, ' Good rest for such a
1 sinner.' ^-Said the friend, ' You know that he gi v-
4 eth his beloved sleep.* * It is true,* replied he^ but
* sure God hath no cause to love me.*
* Long ago Jehovah silenced me with this^ * Is there
* any thing too hard for the Lord ?* and to this day
SELECT REMAINS.*.
' I have never found out the thing, though perhaps
* I have resisted his Spirit more than ever a sin-
* nerdid.*
* I wish to be at that point, " He. hath put to me.
' the everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and
6 sure ;" " for this is all my salvation, and all my
* desire."
Expressing his resignation in this manner, ' I am
* entirely at the Lord's will;' an acquaintance re*
marked to him, that ' such resignation was not the
* attainment of every Christian :' he answered
* This is rather what I would be at than what 1 have
* attained.'
Happening to speak about the students of divinity,
who had been under his charge ; he said, c I wish
* them all more serious and diligent than ever I have
4 been ; I hope, however, that God will not cast me
* off as a slothful and wicked servant : I am sure
* that he " hateth putting away."
A _ friend observing, that * It is an unspeakable
4 mercy, that God does not deal with us according
* to our works j' he replied 4 Ah, if God were to
4 deal with men that way (I will 'not except the apos-
* tie Paul) the hottest place in hell would be the lot
4 of us ministers !'
* I think the early death of my father and mother,
* the death of a wife, and of children, in a remarka-
* ble manner, wrought for my good. I could not but
4 notice, that when God took away these, he always
* supplied their room with himself: May he deal
* thus with you when I die J
* My mind is now so wavering, that I have little
> remembrance of what is past, little apprehension
REMAINS. 137
** of what is present, and little foresight of what i&
* future : but, Oh what a mercy, that when once the.
' everlasting arms of Jesus are underneath he will
t not lose his gripe. u Israel shall be saved in the
'Lord with an everlasting salvation."
" * Here is a wonder a sinner saved by the blood
* of God's Son ! There are wonders in heaven, and
' wonders in the earth ; but the least part of redemp-
* tion work is more wonderful than them all.'
March 27th. When some of his relations express-
* ed their wishes for his recover} 7 ; ' I wish,' said he,
4 that God may do what is most for his glory, and
* for the good of my soul. Were it left to me, whe-
* ther I would choose life or death, I would not turn
* a straw for either, but would refer it wholly to God
* himself. All my days I have been, rebelling
4 against, and vexing, his Holy Spirit ; yet I may
1 say, this has been the sum of his conduct toward
4 me-r- u He wrought for his name's sake, that it
v should not be polluted."
* Oh, how God hath exemplified that law in his
f conduct toward me; " if thine enemy hunger/
4 feed him ; if he thirst, give him to drink ;" and in
4 so doing I hope he hath heaped hot melting coals
* of fire upon my head.*
One of his brethren in the ministry coming in to
see him, he addressed him to this purpose : l Now
4 I am obliged to you for your kindness ; but, Oh
* entreat Christ to pay me a visit: I do you no
* wrong when I say, that I would not give half aa
* hour's visit of Christ, for days, or months, or years,
' of yours.
* Any thing that I know about religion is this, that
138 SEtECT
* I have found weakness and wickedness about my %
* self 5 and grace, mercy, and loveliness about Jesus. J<
When a 1 friend observed to him, that we must run
deeper and deeper in grace's debt; he replied 4 Oh,
* yes ; and God is a good creditor ; he never seeksi
* back the principal sum, and indeed puts up with a-
* poor annual rent.*
.
A number of his acquaintances sitting round him.
while he dined, he broke out with these words:,
* Well, sirs, may we at last all meet at the table,
* above, and enjoy a feast there : no pain, no com-.
4 plaining, no trouble, there ; but there is everlasting
* joy and peace.
4 Oh, how strangely Christ hath stuck to me ! per-
* haps not one in hell ever gave more opposition ;
* his cords of love, which he threw about me, I cast
* away ; the words which he spake to me I contemn-
* ed ; yet I think he hath made me to yield.
* I never deserved another word but this, * Depart
4 from me ye cursed into everlasting fire :* but Christ
* hath spoken far other words to me ; and, Oh, how
* enlightening, melting, and healing, their influence
* hath been J "
* What a mercy that God himself enableth us to
* believe ; for that unbelief of our hearts would call
4 all the promises rank lies, if God did not stop its
* mouth.'
Asking if this was Saturday, he was told, No, it
was Tuesday, and that he seemed to long for the
sabbath : ' I do/ replied he, 4 weary for the sabbath ;
4 and I would fain be at wearying for the everlasting
* sabbath ; then shall I have no need of the assist-
* ance of preachers.; nor will I even need the blessed
SELECT: 1 REMAINS-
t Bible itself: God's face trill serve me for preachers
* and Bible too.' - '
March 28th. 4 Oh, that is a strange text, " God
*' so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten
* Son, that whosoever believeth in him might not
* perish, but have everlasting life.": This declara-
* tion would set our hearts all on fire, if they were
' not infernally frozen j and, indeed, closely applied
1 by the Holy Ghost, it would set them on fire, even
1 though infernally frozen. He once applied it. with
' such power to my soul, that I think the application
* would have inflamed the heart of a devil, had it
* been so spoken to him.'
To his sons in the ministry, he repeated the exhor-
tations which he gave them before. 4 Oh labour,
* labour to win souls to Christ; I will say this for
* your encouragement, that, when the Lord led me
4 out to be most earnest in this way, he poured in
"*' most comfort into my own heart; so that he gave
* me my reward in my bosom: arid when I have
* tried to help -vacancies, the Lord hath repaid me
* well with glimpses of his glory. Were the Lord
4 to make me young again, I think that I should
* study to devise other means For the gaining of souls
* than those which I have used, and to prosecute
4 them with more activity than ever I did.'
To an acquaintance^ that inquired about his wel-
fare, he gave this account : 4 I am but weak ; but
4 it is delightful to find one's -self weak in everlasting
4 arms ; - Qhj how much do I owe my Lord !
' What a mercy, that once within the covenant,
*< there is no getting out of it again: now J find my
* faculties much impaired.' His relations answer-
ing that it was only Ijis memory which seemed to be
" SELECT
' affected with his distress : 'Well,* saidhe, *b
* how marvellous that Godr hath b continued my
J judgement, considering how much I have abused
* it ; and continued my hope of eternal life, though
4 I have misimproved it !# " But where sin hath
.* reigned: unto death, grace, hath reigned through
* -righteousness, unto eternal life,, by Christ Jesus
* eur Lord."
* My memory is much Failed ; but, were death
* once over, I will remember God's heaping of mer*
* cies, and my multiplied provocations : and when I
* view the first on one side, and the last on the other,
* on a new covenant footing, I will sing thanksgiv-
-* ings to God for ever.'
Speaking about sermons, he remarked, * So far as
< ever I observed God's dealings with my soul, the
* nights of preachers sometimes entertained me >. but
* it was scripture expressions which did penetrate
* rny heart, and that in a way peculiar to themselves.'
To one, who alleged, that if he were not happy
afterwards, many had reason to be afraid, he gave a
reply to the following purpose : 4 i have no-other
* ground to be happy, than what is by redemption
* through the blood of Christ, and that is suited to
* you as well as to me.'
Expressing his resignation to the will of God, one
of his relations observed, 4 that he seemed to sway to
one side, and his friends to another:' * I own,' said
he, ' that I do sway to one side, for I desire to, de-
4 part, and to be with Jesus, which is far better, and
* you selfishly wish me to live with you.' The rela-
tion answering, that he hoped it was not wholly sel-
itshness with them; perhaps it was for the good of
tfee church, that they desired his life prolonged j- b.
SEXECT % BEMTAINS. 141
replied, * Indeed it may be selfishness with us both';
* I confess it may be selfishness in me to wish to be
with Christ j but Oh, that God had never seen any
"* other selfishness in me than that !'
4 Oh, what must Christ "be in-himself, when he
* sweetens heaven, sweetens scriptures, sweetens or-
* dinances, sweetens earth, and even sweetens trials !
4 Oh, what must that Christ be in himself!'
' f*
*
* Oh, to have all our troubles sanctified to us ! and
* then, when in the eternal world, we will with plea-
4 sure look back and see, that through fire and water,
* he brought us to the wealthy place.'
One of his children saying to him, c Father, we
4 would fain have you to live:' he answered, i Well,
4 I believe so, but I would fain be with Christ.'
4 But would you not wish to take us with you ?' said
the other. He replied, l It is not I, but Christ,
* who must do that: however, as to my' departure,
4 I will not set the time of it to God j he is wise, and
4 I am a fool.' Being told that he done much good
to souls since the year 1764, when he said he wished
to be gone 5 he observed, t Oh, how strange, that God
* should make use of one so sinful as I to do good to
* others ! But I believe that he was wiser than me ;
* and I shall see this more clearly when in the eter-
* nal state.' Reading to him Mr. Erskine's poem,
which is called The Work and Contention of Heaven,
he remarked, * Well, though I should never wish to
* see contention in the church on earth, yet I should
' be willing to join in Ralph's contention above.
* Were I once in heaven, I think that I would con-
' tend with the best of them ; and I know that our
.* contentions there will not raise heats, but excite
* love to one another.' When he received a glass of
wine, he with a sinile addressed his friends*
N
SELECT?
* Now, sirs, I wish you all new wine In the kingdbm .__
* of the Father at last, and new wine from the king*
* donv of the Father-, while you are on the way t<8
it. J ' ;
At supper, with his: usual cheerfulness, he men-:
tioned these lines :
" They with the fatness of thy house
" Shall be well satisfied:" &c.
and then added, l If earth transformed, partly by the;
* instrumentality of men, is so delicious, Oh, what
* must the fatness of God's house be, the flesh and
* blood of the Son of God !' v - '
-March 29th. Among the first words which he'
littered were these; * Oh, what a rebellious child I
* have been to God ! and Oh, what a kind Father he
'* hath been to me ! I need not go farther than myself,
* to see " that God is love," for ever in my trouble'
* he treats me as a mother doth her only sucking
* child.'
A friend happening to say, c I suppose you make
* not your labours for the good of the church, the
* ground of your comfort ;' he, with a sort of un-
common earnestness, replied, 1 No, no, no ! it is
* the FINISHED RIGHTEOUSNESS OF (CHRIST which
^ is the only foundation of my hope : I have no more
* dependance on my labours than on my sins. I ra-
* ther reckon it a wonder of mercy, that God took
* any of my labours off my hand: "Righteousness
* belongeth unto him, but unto me shame and eon-
* fusion of face." If the Lord were to render unto
* me according to my works, the hottest place in
> hell would be my reward ; yet by Christ's works
* eternal life to the most worthless wretch, is but $
* .suitable recompense,' "
SELECT REMAINS*,.
\ Taking- a walk through the house, as he stepped
along, he cheerfully repeated these lines in the aOth
Psalm :
' la brightness of thy face, O Lord,
" They ever on shall go ;
' They in thy name shall all'the day
" Rejoice exceedingly ;
" And in thy righteousness shall they
" Exalted be on high."
Oh that will be sweet, when the redeemed of
* the Lord shall walk thus in heaven,' said he ; and
then added, with tears in his eyes, 4 And I am sure,
that I may think shame to appear among them ;
but the more shame and disgrace I deserve, the
more glory God will get. Oh what strange
things God hath done to save me ! By afflictions
on my own body, by the deaths of my parents, by
bringing me to ordinances, by reproofs of consci-
ence, he hath striven with me for my salvation.*
Walking out te the grass park, and happening to
apeak about the A r meeting house, which is at
a small distance from it, he could not forbear shew-
ing his zeal for the good of souls. * I would be
* happy,' said he, l if my A r brother had ten
* for my one, as crowns of joy at the last day ; though
* I must say, that I would wish to have as many as
* possible j but Oh, it will be a strange honour for
4 such a wretch as I, to have half a dozen.'
March 30th. To one who inquired about his
welfare, he said, l l sit here an instance of human
* frailty ; and, I would fain add, an amazing instance
4 of God's kindness in redemption.' Some persons
speaking about -an ill bargain in his hearing, he took
occasion to remark, ' Oh how happy to have an in-
fc terest in Christ^ that is a bargain which will never
*, break ; and, by that, we,, though naturally heirs of
144 SELECT JR.EMAINS.
*"
4 hell, are entitled unto eternal life.* Often he erred
out, * I find that I am not strong ; but, Oh, it is a
4 wonder that I am not damued! I bless God, that
* at least I know thus much about religion, I am
* convinced that I am as a bjeast before
March 31st. ' I remember that aboutthe year
* I was breathing out slaughter against the Lord
* Jesus; but that was "always the turn of the tale,
61 Yet I obtained mercy." If I were offered the
* crown of Britain, instead of the fellowship with
-* Christ, which I then enjoyed, I would not hesitate'
* a moment about ehaqsing the latter. 7
. * Oh the debt of grace is a strange kind of debt!
'-Were I even now, two or three hundred pounds in
* debt to any man, it would considerably distress
* me-; but the views of my debt to free grace, rer
* markably refresh my heart;'
April 1st. * Were I once in heaven, a loolc of
* Christ will cure my broken memory, and all my
* other weaknesses. There I shall not need wine,
* nor spirits to recruit me; no, nor shall I mind
* them, but as Christ was through them kind to me.*
Seeing the fire stirred, he said, ' Oh to have my
' heart stirred, and set in an eternal flame of love to
* that dear Son of God, of whom I think I can say,
^ he loved me, and gave himself for me ;" and I am
sure, in point of worthlessness, he 'might as well
* have loved Beelzebub himself.'
April 3d. Sitting down in the park, and the sun
shining bright upon his face, he cried out in a kind
of transport, ' Oh, how pleasant to be forever behold-
1 ing the Sun of Righteousness in heaven, and ha\*
* pleasant even in time to see him by faith !'
SfittECT
One of Ms brethren in the ministry paying him a
visit, arid saying, among other things, ' Sir, we could
( ndt well want you:' he replied, 4 Oh yes, you;
* could easily wan,t me, and I would wish to be with
* Jesus j mean time I am wholly at the Lord's dis-
f posal. If the Lord would make me useful in the
4 church, I have no objections against living; but if
4 not, I would rather die.' Upon his friend observ-
ing that the Lord seemed to be very kind to him ;
he said, 'Yes, God hath been heaping' fay ours upon
* the sinner, these forty years past ; and I will say t<3
4 his honour, that he hath made my days of afiHctioat
f always the happiest j indeed I think that I hav6
4 seldom had very sweet days, except when I hav
4 met' with affliction one way or another.' Beih^
asked' by his brother, if he felt no uneasiness at leayi
ing his family and congregation^ he answered, 'I can^
4 riot say that I feel any such uneasiness ; not but
4 that I regard them ; but I know that a God iri
r Christ can infinitely more than supply my room.
4 r might be spared, and be of little use to thenr; bjit
4 God will be infinitely useful. My parents werS
* taken from me when I was young, and God* hath
*-been ; far better to me since, than they could haver
* been.' c What think you,' said the friend-, ' of the 4
present state of the church ?' He replied, '.The?
church at present is in a very pobr condition, 1 bu
the Loxd can revive her : I have often found, thaf
when wicked lusts and wicked devils, have caused?
great disorder in my heart, the Lord hath brought
Border out of confusion. This partly encourages
*' me to'believe, that though wicked men and' wicked?
* devils cause disorder t in the church, yet the Lordf
4 will make all things to work together for goody tc?
4 :_ his own elect. I do not expect to see it ; yet : it i$
* .the joy of my heart, that the N time is coming^ ^vhenl
4 the kingdoms of. this world shall become the kingi*
* doms of our' Lor4 and Saviour Jesus Christ".-
N V 2 : ' ' ' .
4,46- ft&KECT
c Dead churches shall yet be quickened? apostate
* churches shall yet be recovered; and churches-
* shall be planted where there were none before*'
April 4th. Finding himself very feeble, he ob~*
* served, ' My legs are of little use,., my head is of
'* little use, and my hands are of little use ; but my
* God in Christ is the same to me now as ever.*
Speaking about the synod, which was to meet m
the month of May, he said he believed he should
not be able to attend - f and then added, ' Oh, if the
* Spirit of God would bring me to the general synod
* of the church of the first-born, that would be far
* better ; no idle words, no angry speeches, no sinful
* ignorance, no haughty pride there ! After all, it is.
* a mercy that Jesus, the great manager of the
* church, can overrule even our contentions here for
* his own glory. 1
April 5th. When he took his walk in the park,
he pointed to several spots, where he said, that hisr
soul had be'en ravished with the views of free grace t
* Yea,* said he, ' on certain occasions, my soul ha&
* been so transported there, that as the apostle 'speaks,
*' Whether I was in the body or out of the body, I
* l could scarce tell:" and perhaps it is superstitious
* in me, but I confess that I have a peculiar. k>ve to
* these very spots.'
After he came into his house, and found himself
tired with his walk, he expressed the wish of his
heart ia these words j ' Oh, that will be a pleasant
*' journey, " The ransomed of the Lord shall return,,
* 4 and come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy
* l upon their heads j they shall obtain joy and g
^ 'ness, and sorrow and sighing shall ^
SElECT REMAINS.
Talking about mercy, he observed, * I could wish
*: to live and die a deep, deep debtor to mercy ; and
*- that none of my works should ever be mentioned,
4 but as manifestations of mercy, in enabling such a
'sinner to do any thing for the honour of the God
fr of mercy, and for promoting the work of mercy in
*.- the welfare of others.*
To an acquaintance, who came to ask for his wel-
fare, he spake in the following manner : 'Well,
' you see I am a prisoner here in my own house ; but T
* Oh, that is a happy (I do not choose to call it an
* imprisonment, but a) sort of confinement, in
* a Redeemer's arms, and in the covenant of grace.'
April 6th. * How true is that saying, " Man in-
*' in his best state is altogether vanity !" I am not
*- one of the oldest, yet I find myself exceedingly
l -. feeble; however, although I am weak, I have
* reason to be thankful I am not damned.'
4 Oh the sovereignty of God in permitting some,.
' both of angels and of men, to fall into misery j
* while it secures the happiness of the rest to all eter-
* nityT
As an evidence of the tenderness of his conscience,
he frequently gave this hint to his consort: 1 1 hope
4 you will take care, when I am speaking to any
* acquaintance, that I do not say any thing trifling to-
* them : it is not my honour that I mind in this, but
4 I should be vexed, now that I am a dying man, if I
4 should say any thing to the dishonour of Christ, to
4 the grief! of the godly, or to be a stumbling block to?
* -the wicked j indeed it would be ill on my part ta
*. act thus.*
April 9th Being asked how he was now* h&
f4ff &ELECT REMAINS..
, t I
*
replied, c I am weak ; but the motto of each of my
*' days is, " He hath not dealt with us as we have
*. sinned, neither rewarded us according to our ini-
4 quities."
Sitting down in the gark, and finding his eyes una-'
ble to bear the bright shining of the sun, he remarked,
' Oh how pleasant to be in that place, where they
fc are so overcome with the glory of the Sun of
' Righteousness, that they have to cover their faces
4 .with their wings !'
Having occasion to converse about young metf
coming out to the ministry, he observed, l Well,
4 though pride prevails much in my heart, yet I think,
* I would trample it thus far under my feet, as that
* I would be glad to see all my students, and not only
*- they, but all the faithful ministers of Jesus.,- bring-*
*- ing hundreds or thousands of souls with them into*
* heaven, though I should have but five or six,;'
Taking him into his meeting house, he looked
isound him and said, l Now, weak as I* am, I would?
4 try ta preach yet, if I had none to preachrin my stead.
1 Oh, what sweet fellowship with Christ I have had:
* here ! and that pulpit hath been the best place in
* all the house to me.?
A yourtgsur'geo'n paying him a visit he thought it j
proper to tender' some advices' to him ; among'other*
things he observed,- that persons in this prdfession^
l?ad ex?eellenti oppdrtrimities <sf Conversing with dying 1 *
s^nners-ab'oivt'their^ eternal state 1 ; that their patients 4
tvould- prbbafely pay more atteritidtt to reiigioas";hints }
ilem^thennU than ft(jm ; some other-s ;-^-that while they^
gave cures to others, they should never forgWtq'-ap-*
ply to Christ for spiritual healing themselves. As
SEIiECT "REMAIN* 449
of his relations reminded him, that he was exhaus-
ting himself, and begged him to forbear, for a little,
He made this reply- 4 Well^ I shall say no more even
- c *tiow ; butj Oh, to be at. that,-r~
** My mouth the praises of the Lord
" To publish cease shall never;
Let all flesh bless his holy name
*' For ever and for ever." . Ps. cxlv. 2i.
May 6th. Lying on his back in the bed, and
Being exceedingly faint, he observed, with a low tone
of voice, 4 Here is a lecture on that text, u Vanity of
'* vanities ; all that cometh is vanity and vexation of
* spirit ;" for what a poor useless creature- am I now I
* But Oh, what a mercy that Christ can raise glory
* to himself out of mere vanity !* In. uttering these
last words, his heart seemed to be quite overcome.
'_ "
When a friend alledged to him, that. he appeared
to be sunk in his spirits ; he replied, ' I am so j but
* it is not in the least through any terror, but just
i through weakness.'
Being asked if he was not afraid to enter into a
world of spirits, he answered, * No ; a persuasion
* that Christ is mine, makes me think, .that when I
4 appear in that world, as a new incomer, all the
* spirits there will use me well on Christ's account,*
It being remarked by an acquaintance, that consi-
dering him as a dying man, he seemed to be as
eas^ as he well could be ; 4 Yes,' said he, * I really
* am so ; for in my body I am not much pained, and
* as to my mind, it is composed, or rather cheerful*
f I mean not that I have what the world call mirth,
* but I possess a sort of cheerfulness which ariseth
* from views of certain texts of scriptureo*
150 SELECT REMAINS,
* '
May 7th. c As I have had fulness all my daysT, v i
' believe that I could not now easily bear with pinch*
* ing want ; yet I think to publish the gospel of Je*
* .sus, I could willingly meet with want or any thing^
r else.' . :
Riding in the chaise, and observing how pleasant-
ly the corn and the grass were growing, he cried out,
* Oh, I think that I should love to see that promise
r accomplished, * The wilderness, and the solitary
* place, shalt^ be glad for them ; and the desert shall
* rejoice and blossom as the rose : it shall blossoih
* abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing.
* The glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it ; the
* excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the
4 glory of the Lord^and the excellency of our God.*
f - Oh, I should love to see. all this ere- I die,
* though I would wish that it may not be long till
* the event take place. I should love when I depart
* to heaven, to be able to tell this news to the re
* deemed millions, that the Holy Ghost had been
"'* remarkably poured out in East Lothian, and that
4 there was not now a family, in which the worship
4 of God was not observed. I dare say it delights
* the redeemed above, to hear of Christ's glory being
f displayed, and of souls being saved, on earth.'
When he ^observed the concern which his ~wife
shewed about his welfare, he said, c Now, no doubt,
4 you do not wish to hear about my departure ; but
f thy "Maker is thy husband; the Lord of hosts is
4 his name :" he can infinitely more than supply the
* want of me.'
May -8th. Passing by the door of his study, and
looking into it, one observed, ' Sir, you never go in
v > there now:' he answered, ' No; the closet I wish
* now is the place of God's immediate presence';
face ef God will jserve'me instead of a$I
* my books.'
-, Address ing himself to one f his sons, he
* Now I am easy, whether ever you or any of my
* family be what the world call rich, but I should
* wish you all to be fearers of God. Next to seeing
Christ as he is, I think that I would desire to see
you, and hundreds at your back, all debtors to free
f grace. Qh, I would be happy to say, " Lord,
here am I, and the children which thou hast
* Ever since God dealt properly with my heart, I
* never had any comfort in a thought that my sins
* were little, but in the belief that the virtue of
* Christ's blood was infinite-^-" Blood that cleanseth
' from all sin ;" and in the consideration of God's
* -mercy being higher than the heavens.
* I once thought that text, " I will have mercy on-
\ whom I will have mercy," had just been made for
* tne ; and that it was so full ofgrace, just that it might
* suit my condition. Were it possible for his majesty
* and I to become young again ; and were it left to
' my choice, whether I would have his lot or my
^ own, I would, without hesitation, choose my own :
* if I have not got such grand entertainment for the
* body, J have got feasts on texts of scripture, the like
* of which perhaps he never obtained:- " Goodness
* and mercy have followed me."
Talking about death, he observed, * It might be
* written on my coffin,-^-" Here lies one of the cares
* of Providence, who early wanted both father ^nd
'* mother, and yet never missed them."
May 9th. Speaking about submission to thefo8
SELECT REMAINS.
of God, he made the following remarks: ' I woul4
* not wish that foolish question ever, put to me,
* Would you go to hell if that were the .Lord's will?
* for it is God's promise, securing my salvation, that
* has much influence in making me resigned. God
* said to me, " I am the Lord thy God.;" and
* and if he were not to be mine for ever, he would
* forfeit his word, which is impossible. 7
Being desired by a friend, to give an assignation
of his right to his books, for the good of his familyl
he replied, c No, no ; 1 would not wish that ever
'* there should be the least appearance of avarice of the
' world in me; I can trust my family to Providence;
* and if, when I am in heaven, it appear that there
* was one converted by means of any thing that ever
4 I wrote, I will mark down an hundred pounds ; if
1 there should be two, I will say there is two hun-
' dred pounds ; and if twenty, there is something of
. * more value than two thousand pounds ; that is the
* reward which I wish.'
Two young ladies coming in to see him, he asked
how they were ; upon their answering, Very well, he
said, " It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not
* consumed ;" and, Oh, never say that you are very
* well to your own consciences, until you have good
* evidence of your interest in Christ. Be earnest
* to have acquaintance with Jesus ; no connexion so
* glorious as union with Christ ; no pleasure like that
* which is enjoyed in fellowship with him.'
To one, who observed, that some who saw him
thought that he was rather better, he replied, .' All
* my wish is, that if God spare me, I may have gifts
4 to serve him while I live ; and, if I die, I wish to
^ praise him while I have any being, 1
SELECT REMAINS.
"May lOth. Hearing some talk abo.ut the endor-
sing ,of a bill, he said, 4 Oh, how pleasant ! the bills of
4 God's promises are my heritage. I have often for-
* gotten them ; but I : am sure that Jehovah minds
*' them, and I .know too, that the .Spirit of God will
*'. never deceive me.'
+.
Talking concerning his weakness, he observed,
* God deals so tenderly with me in my affliction, that
*. indeed I think the strokes, as it were, go nearer his
*. heart than they do mine.'
May llth. The command is " Owe no man any
4 thing." What a mercy that there is no such pre-
* cept as this, Owe a Saviour nothing ; or even this,
4 Study to owe him as little as possible.
4 I confess that I would not love to stand at our
4 town cross, with a paper on my breast, declaring
that I was a bankrupt to men ; but, Oh, I think that
I should love to stand in the most publick ; place.of
heaven, having- all the redeemed pointing to me as
the greatest sinner that ever was saved ;yea,I think
their very staring at me, as the chief debtor to free
* grace, would, rejoice my heart.'
May 14th. When one observed ta him, that his
memory seemed to be much failed, he replied, 4 It
4 is so j' and then shutting his eyes, he, in a devout
manner" presented this prayer : " Lord, I am a
4 stranger on this earth, hide not thy commandments
4 from me." Some alledging, that he would not get
out in his chair, on account of the wetness of the day ;
4 Well,' said he 4 if God would send his new cove-
4 nant chariot, death, and transport me to heaven ere
* night, I shoulij be happy, let the day be what it will*
\
: * -Oh what a mercy, that my admission into etefnsd
154 SELECT REMAINS.
* life, does not in the least depend on my ability for
* any thing ; but I, as a poor sinner will win in lean-
* ing on Christ as the Lord my righteousness ; on
* Christ, " made of God unto me righteousness,
* sanctification, and redemption !" I have nothing to
* sink my spirits but my sins ; and these need not
* sink me either, since the great God is my Saviour. 7
To one that inquired for his welfare, he said, I am
* sitting here, trying to wait for the salvation of
4 God. I should love that my departure was nearer
1 than perhaps you would wish; but I will not
murmur.'
Taking a walk from one room to another, he, in a
sort of transport cried, 4 Oh it will be pleasant to
* enter into Christ's light room above ! Sure when
4 I am there, and when I reflect on the opportu-
* nities which I enjoyed in this world, I shall won-
* der at myself as a fool in the misimprovement of
4 them ; but what shall I say ? when Christ is the
4 way to heaven, " a wayfaring man, though a fool,
" cannot err therein."
Advising a young man to honour his father and
mother, and being told by a friend that the persons
which he named were dead, he took occasion to
make the following remark : ' Oh, what a me.rcy,
* that you can never tell me that my friend JESUS is
4 dead, when so many of my earthly acquaintances
4 are gone ; if you say of him that he was dead, I
4 can answer but now he " is alive, and lives for
44 evermore ; and hath the keys of hell and of
44 death."
June 4th. When he heard the bells ring, he ask-
ed what they meant ; and upon being informed that
it was the king's birth-day, he said, 4 Oh when will
SELECT REMAINS. . 155
* that glorious solemnity arrive, when all the artil-
* leryof heaven shall be let off: that day of Jesus,
* when angels and saints shall join in a general shout
* to his honour. Then fires shall be in the heavens,
' and fires on the earth; "the heavensr shall pass
" away with a great noise, and the elements shall
" melt with fervent heat : the earth also, and the
** works that are therein shall be burnt up."
Sometime after, observing the bells continuing to
ring, l Oh,' said he, 4 blessed be God that we have a
* better king's birth -day to celebrate! - u Unto us
" was born, in the city of David, a Saviour, who is
" Christ the Lord." On account of that event, the
* gospel bells have l>een sounding for ages past, and
* they will ring louder and louder still. Oh, a Savi-
* our ! the Son of God our Saviour ! Oh, his kind-
* ness ! his kindness ! a Saviour ! a Husband to sin-
c ners, and to
Conversing about the manner in which the gospel
call is addressed to men, he observed, * It has been
* my comfort these twenty years, that not only sen-
' sible sinners, but the most stupid, are made wel-
* come to believe in Christ.*
Throwing up his victuals to a great degree^'as soon
as he was able to speak, he said, 'Well, I" am sure
that God will not kill me, till my work is done ; and
when that is over, I would not wish to live any
longer. But, Oh, to have my soul filled with
Christ's new wine in the kingdom of heaven, I
know that I would not throw up that !'
When he lay down on his bed, one asked him
how he was now 5 he answered, ' I lie here in the
* everlasting arms of a gracious God.' 4 Are you
* not afraid,' said the friend, ' to appear at the tribu-
SELECT
* nal of God ?' He replied, Were I looking to
* give the account in my own person, considering nn$
* sins, indeed I might be terrified : but then I view
4 Christ the judge as my advocate and my accompt-
* ant, and I know that I do not owe more debt than
* he has paid.'
June 5th. An acquaintance going to leave him,
and saying that probably he would soon see some of
his brethren in the ministry ; ' Tell them,' said he,
* that it is my desire that they may labour to win
* souls to Christ, for now I am not able, tho* evej-
4 so willing : meantime you must say, that Christ
4 hath been a kind master to me. Many a visit he
* hath given to me already, and I expect to be with
* him in heaven by and by. Tell them too, that I
* desire theijf prayers, that, with submission to the
* divine will, I may depart to be with Christ, which
'' is far better.'
Being urged to take his breakfast, ' I will eat,*
said he, 4 as much as I am able ; the food is very
i good in itself, and it is a memorial of my spiritual
* provision, and I love it not the worse n that &&
4 count.' .
When* he coughed sore, and a relation expressed
his grief to see him in that distress ; * Why not
-' cough ?* replied he, ' Oh it would be happy, if each
* of these coughs and throwings, would hasten me
' to God as my exceeding joy.' N
One remarking to him, that his tongue seemed to
be very foul; he answered, * It may be so, but what
' a mercy that it is not tormented in flames ! Oh,
* the power of free grace, that can make a tongue,
* which is a world of iniquity, an everlasting praiser
* iof Christ in- heaven 1 -But what need t ; say "for
C. *' .... . ' - .,.'.,'
SELECT 1R.EMAINS.
J ? the.heart is deceitful above all things, and despe-
" rately. wicked," and yet it is made an, eternal habi-
* tation of God and the Lamb !' ' . ;_.... -
When;he came in from his ride, he was scarce set
down, when he began expressing his admiration of
the love of God ; ' Oh the sovereignty of grace !
How strange that I, a poor cottager's son, should
have a chaise to ride in ; and what is far more won-
derful, I think God hath often given me rides in
the chariot of .the new covenant: in the former
case, he hath raised me from the dunghill, and set
me with great men j but in the latter, he hath ex-
alted the man, sinful as a devil, and made him to
' sit with the Prince of the kings -of the earth. .Oh,
$ astonishing ! astonishing ! astonishing !'.
' ' J
Being offered a little wine, he objected against
taking it; 'For,' said he, 'lam afraid that it will
* hurt me, .and I would not wish to hurt that head,
* which, as well as my heart, is Christ's ; let him d6
* with it as he pleaseth, but I would not wish to have
' any hand in hurting it myself.
* No doubt I would love to be at my publick work
* again ; and had it been any other than God that
* had restrained me, I would not have taken it well,
but as it is the Lord, I desire to submit.
' Were God to present me with the dukedom of
* Argyle on the one hand, and the being a minister
'*-. of the -gospel, with the stipend which I have had
* on the other, so pleasant hath the ministry been to
* me, notwithstanding all my weakness and fears of
4 little success, that I would instantly prefer the last.*
To some acquaintances who came to visit him,~he
-said, * Here, sirs, take warning, that ye must die. r
" ' - ' ; " ' "- ; " -" - "'-
158 SELECT REMAINS.
* Now I think it is come to dying work with
* but, if Jesus hold me up, though I die, all is well :
" Blessed ate the dead who die in the Lord."
A minister asking him what was the best method
a person could take, when a consideration of his own
sinfulness terrified him in preaching ? He made this
reply, e Attempt to believe, just as a sinner,- -asi
* the chief of sinners. These promises have been 1
* sweetest to me which extend to men, if they are
* but out of hell."--'"- "It is a faithful saying, and
** worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came
" into the world to save sinners, of whom I am
" chief." Once these words were sweet to my soul;
I thought, ill as I was, I could, not be worse than
the chief of sinners : conscience said, that I was
the most wicked wretch that ever breathed ; and
that I had shewed myself to be such, especially by
rebelling against convictions, and by trampelling
on Christ's alluring words : yet since Christ cam
to save sinners, even the chief T why, thought I,
should I except myself.'
When he rose to take a walk through the house,
he found himself so feeble, thdt he was in danger of
falling almost at every step ; however he comforted
himself and his friends in this manner : ' I am now
4 very weak; but were I in heaven, " I shall renew
** my strength; there shall I mount up with wings
u as an eagle : I shall run, and not weary ; I shall
" walk, anct not faint." No staggerings there.'
, After family worship in the evening, he observed,
* Oh, it would be pleasant if our experiences in ordi-
* nances were such here, as that they would fit us
* for the exercises of heaven; our prayers here^ a
* stretching forth of our desires for the enjoyment of
* G.od, and of the Lamb ; and our praises here a
.^tuning oif pjjr hearts for the songs above**
SELECT AEMAINS* 159
-June 6th. One asking him this question, 'Sir,
does it not strike you with fear, when you think of
being confined in a grave ?' He answered, 4 No ;
such is my -esteem of Christ, that I think lam easy,
though they should bury me in a dunghill, if my
soul were but with him.* 'But,* said the other,
are you not sorry to part with all your family ?'
le replied, i I must own, that I have a concern about
my wife and children ; but when my heart enters
properly into these words, " Be with the Lord,"
the leaving of them diminishes into a very small
point; and although natural affection for them is
*" as strong as ever, I hope that when I am away,
* Christ will far more than supply my room to them,
* and then, you see, we shall be better on all hands/
Seeing his relatives assisting him under his weak-
ness, he often said, ' I really wonder at the kindness
' of then to'tne : but especially I am amazed, when
'* I reflect that it is all the kindness of my God
< through them.'
When on any occasion his little children were ga-
thered around him, he used to commend his Lord
in such words as these : ' There is jione so glorious
* as Christ! he is altogether lovely; -if you could
* put all the gold and silver into one heap, the glory
* of Christ would far exceed all : I say this, having,
* I think, seen Jesus; but as yet, I have only seen
* him through a glass darkly j after this I hope to
* see him face to face.'
To one of his sons in the ministry he gave the fol-
lowing advice : * Oh, try to run as deep in Christ's
' debt as possible, and take his own way of paying,
* viz. by acknowledging his kindness y and when you
4 mind your own debt, remember your father's debt
-* toos say *^ Thou art my God I will praise thee 5
160 SELECT ...&EM A INSU ;
* my father's God, I will exalt thee." Again, ph.
* labour, labour to .win souls to Christ ; souls are
* well worth the winning; and Christ .is far more
4 worthy of winning them too. It gives me; plea-
* sure now, to think that I did not indulge myself in.
* idleness in my Master's service ; not but that I was
* idle, only I do not remember of indulging myself
4 in it.'
-*
June 15th. A friend saying to him, * You are not
* now travelling to Stow sacrament, as you used to
4 do about this time of the year :' he replied to this
purpose : * No I wish to be travelling to God, as my
4 exceeding joy ; in the mean time I must say, that
* at Stow I have had such sweet hours, that neither
* Christnor I shall ever forget.'
Being asked what he thought of free grace, after
living so many years a minister, ' I,' said he, * have
' * altered my mind about many things ; but I am now
* of the same mind that ever I was, as to grace and
4 salvation through Christ.
4 Where are now all your anxieties about .
* church?' said one 9 he replied, 1 1 have left my
* anxiety about it, and about every thing else, <pn the
* Lordj and indeed, were it not for a God in my
4 nature, I would reckon the present case of the
< church very hopeless ; but in the view of Christ, I
< am persuaded that she will yet remarkably revive
* on earth.'
June 17th. He.wasnow become extremely weak ;
but, as the outward man decayed, so the inward maa
was strengthened day by day.
Lying on Ins bed, and scarce able to speak, he
looked up to one of his brethren. in the ministry., and
SELECT REMTAIfcB. 161
said, with a smile, 4 O Mr. - , " the Lord is my
* strength and my song ; and he also is become my
' salvation."
June 1 8th. Seeing him much distressed with the
fajling of nature, a friend said to him, ' Sir, I hope
4 the Lord is not forsaking you now ;' he answered,
4 No ; God is an unchanging Rock.'
Being asked by another how he was, he replied,
* Oh, it is strange that the Lord Jesus encourageth
* us to pray even at the last!
Fixing his eyes on two or three of his relations
at his bedside, he addressed them in the most affect-
ing manner : c Oh, sirs ! dying work is serious ! se-
* rious work indeed ! and that you will soon find,
8 as strong as you are.'
June 19th. He seemed to be frequently engaged
in speaking ; but, OAving to the change of his voice,
it was only a very few of his words which could be
understood.
Upon "a friend saying to him, c Sir, you seem to be
* ,sore distressed,' it was thought that he made this
answer : * The Lord hath his own way of carrying on
*;his own work.*
The last words which he was heard to utter were
these: MY CHRIST!
About four hours after he fell asleep in Jesus, June
19th, 807.
" Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright;
"for the, end of that man is peace."
162 SELECT REMAINS,
THE AUTHOR'S DVING ADVICE TO HIS CONGREGATION
AND OTHER HEARERS.
DEAR HEARERS,
HAVING, through the patience and mercy of God,
long laboured among you, not as I ought^ far, very
far from it, but as 1 could, I must now leave you,
to appear before the judgement seat of Christ, to give
an account of my stewardship. You cannot say that
I ever appeared to covet any man's silver or gold, or
apparel, or ever uttered one murmur about what you
gave me j or that I sought yours, not you. You
cannot charge me with idling away my devoted time
in vairi chat, either with you or others, or with
spending it in worldly business, reading of plays,
romances, or the like. If I had, what an awful
appearance should I soon have before my all-seeing
Judge. You cannot pretend that I spared either body
or mind in the service of your souls j or that I put
you off with airy conceits of man's wisdom, or any
thing else than the truths of God. Though I was not
ashamed, as I thought Providence called me, to give
you hints of the truths presently injured, and the
support of which is the declared end of the Secession,
yet I laboured chiefly to show and inculcate upon
your consciences the most important truths concern-
ing your sinfulness and misery, and the way of sal-
vation from both through Christ ; and laboured to
hunt you out of all your lying refuges, and give your
consciences no rest but in Christ, and him crucified.
The delight of my soul was to commend him and his
free and great salvation to your souls, and to direct
SELECT REMAINS.
and encourage you to receive and walk in him. I call
heaven and earth to record against you this day, that
I labqured to set death and life, blessing and cursing,
before you, and to persuade you to choose life, that
ye might live. By the grace of God I have endea-
voured (however poorly) to live holy, justly, and
unblameably, among you. And now I leave all
these discourses, exhortations, instructions, and ex-
amples, as a testimony for the Lord against you, if
you lay not your eternal salvation to heart as the one
thing needful, the better part that shall not be taken
from you.
But I have no confidence in any of these things
before God as my judge. I see such weakness, such
deficiency, such unfaithfulness, such imprudence,
such unfervency and unconcern, such selfishness, in
all that I have done as a minister or a Christian, as
richly deserves the deepest damnation of hell. I
have no hope of eternal happiness but in Jesus's blood,
which cleanseth from all sin ; in redemption
through his blood, even the forgiveness of my sins,
> according to the riches of his grace. It is the ever-
lasting covenant of God's free grace, well ordered in
all things and sure, that is all my salvation and all
my desire.
Now I die firmly persuaded of the truth of these
things which I preached unto you. I never preached
Unto you any other way of salvation than I essayed to
use for myself. I now, when dying, set to my seal
that God is true. After all that I have said of the
sinfulness of your hearts, I have not represented to
you the ten thousandth part of their vileness and
guilt. Knowing, in some measure, the terrors of the
Lord, I endeavoured to persuade you that it was a
fearful thing to fall into the hands of his wrath ; bitf
who knows the power of his wrath ! Knowing, in
164 SELECT REMAINS;
some measure, the deceitfulness of sin and devsces^of
Satan, I laboured to warn you of them. But what
especially delighted my heart was to set before you
the excellencies, the love, the labours, of our Re-
deemer, and God in him, giving himself, and apply-
ing hiijj>self to sinful men ; and to represent to you
the work of God on the heart in the day of his power,
and the exercise of the heart in its diversified frames.
What I saw, and tasted, and handled, both of the bit-
ter and the sweet in religion, delivered I unto you.
Little as I am acquainted with the Lord, I will leave
it as my dying testimony, that there is none like
Christ ; there is^iothing like fellowship with Christ.
I dare aver before God, angels, and men, that I
would not exchange the pleasures of religion which I
have enjoyed, especially in the days of my youth, for
all the pleasures, profits, and honours, of this world,
since the creation till this present moment, ten thou-
sand times told. For what then would i exchange
my entrance into the joy of my Lord, and being for
ever with him ? Truly God hath been good to a soul
that but poorly sought him. Oh, what would he be
to yours, if you would earnestly seek him ! with what
heart-lavishing power and grace he hath testified a-
gainst my wicked and unbelieving heart that he is
God, even my God? And now whom have I ia
heaven but him ? 'nor is there any on earth whom I
desire besides him. My heart and flesh fail, but
God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for
ever. Left early by both father and mother, God hath
taken me up, and been the orphan's stay. He hath
given me the heritage of those that fear him. The
lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. I have a
goodly heritage. God is the portion of mine in-
heritance, and of my cup ; he maintaineth my lot.:
yea, mine own God is he ; my God that doth me
save.
SELECT REMAINS.
Had I ten thousand worlds in my offer, and these
secured to me for ever, they should be utterly con-
temned. Doubtless, I count .all things but less for
the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my
Lord ; and I do count them but dung to win him,
not having mine own righteousness, which is of the
law, but die righteousness of God, which is through
faith.
Now, when I go to give my account to God, think
what it must be ! Alas ! must it be that, in too great
conformity to your careless neighbours, some did not
attend the means of grace at examinations, meetings
for prayer and spiritual conference, as ye ought ?
Must it be that, after labouring so many years among
you, I left less lively religion in the congregation
than I found in it at first ? Must it be that ye were
called, but ye made light of the marriage with Christ,
and of his great salvation ? Must it be that ye con-
tented yourselves with a form of godliness, without
knowing the power of it ? Must it be that some few
trampelling on their most solemn engagements, for-
sook me, having loved this present world ? Must it
be that others were not careful to train up their seed
for the Lord ? Must it be that ye often heard the
most searching sermons, or the most delightful, and
went away quite unaffected ? Or must it be that ye
were awakened ; that your souls looked to Jesus,
and were enlightened ; that ye believed with your
heart unto salvation ; that ye harrowed in the seed
of the truth, which I sowed upon you, by serious
meditation and fervent prayer ; that ye laboured to
win souls to Christ ? ^ Alas ! I fear many of you
will go down to hell with a lie in your right hand ;
ga down to hell with all the gospel sermons and ex-
hortations you ever heard in your conscience to as-
sist it to upbraid, gnaw, and torment you! My
dearly beloved hearers, shall I see you next in ever-
P
166 'SELECT REMAINS.
lasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels i
Shall I see these faces all in flames at the last day, and
these eyes, which often looked at me, looking lively
bright horror at the judgement-seat of Christ ? Must
I hear that Redeemer bid you depart from him, as
cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil
and-his angels ? And must I, who have so often
prayed for your salvation, and preached for your sal-
vation, add my hearty Amen to the sentence of your
eternal damnation ? God forbid !
Let me then beseech you now, without a moment's
delay, to consider your ways. Oh, listen to the
Lord's invitations ! believe his self-giving declara-
tions and promises, which times without number
have, with some measure of earnestness, been sound-
ed in your ears ! For the Lord's sake dare not, at
your infinite peril, to see me again in your sins, and
refusers of my glorious Redeemer and Master! Oh,
give him your hearts, give him your hearts ! I ne-
ver complained of your giving me too little. Nay, I
thought myself happier than most of my brethren as
to all outward matters. But I always thought and
complained that you did not use my master Christ as
I wished, in your hearts, lives, and houses. And
now I ask nothing for myself, or any of my family,
but make this my dying request, that you would now
receive my master Christ into your hearts and houses,
Could my soul speak back to you from the eternal
state : could all my rotting bones and sinews, and
every bit of my body, speak back to you from the
grave; they should all cry, Oh that ye were wise!
that ye understood this ! that ye would consider your
latter end ! Oh, that ye would give my master
Christ these ignorant, guilty, polluted, and enslaved,
hearts of yours ! that he, as made of God to you
wisdom^ and righteousness, and sanctification, and
redemption, might enter in and fill them for ever
SELECT REMAINS.
with -his grace and truth ! Oh say not to a dying, a
dead minister, rather, Oh say not to a. living Re-
deemer, and to his Father, and to his blessed Spirit
Nay.
Dearly beloved, whom I wish to be my joy and
crown in the day of the Lord, suffer me to speak
from the dead to you. Let me exhort you, by all
your inexpressible sinfulness and misery ; by all the
perfections, words, and works of God; by all the
excellencies, offices, relations, labours, sufferings,
glory, and fulness of Christ ; by all the joys of heaven
and horrors of hell ; now to make serious work of the
eternal salvation of your souls. Try what improve-
ments you have made of all my ministrations. Call
to mind what of my texts, sermons, or other instruc-
tions, you can ; and pray them over before the Lord,
apply ing. them closely to your own conscience and-
heart. Wash yourselves thoroughly, in the blood
of Jesus Christ, from all the sins of holy things since
you and I met together.
I recommend to you, young persons, my two Ad-
dresses annexed to my Catechisms ; and to you, pa-
rents and masters, my Address in the Awakening-
call, and my Sermons on the raising up children to
Christ, as a part of my dying words to you. They
will rise up in judgement against you if you contemn
them. .
With respect to your obtaining another minister
let me beseech you by much fervent prayer to get
him first from the Lord. And let it be your care to
call one whose sermons you find to touch your con-
sciences. May the Lord preserve you from such as
aim chiefly to tickle your fancy, and seek themselves
rather than Jesus Christ the Lord. Let there be no
strife among you in calling him. And when you get
SELECT REMAINS,
him, labour at his entrance to receive his message
from Christ with great greediness. Let your vacan-
cy make you hungry and thirsty for the gospel. And
let all hands 'and hearts be intent on raising up a seed
for Christ in poor withered and wicked East Lothian*
Oh, how it would delight my soul to be informed,
in the manner of the eternal state, that Christ had
come along with my successor, conquering and te
conquer ! How gladly should I see you and him by
hundreds at the right hand of Christ at the great day^
though I should scarcely have my ten! Oh, if Christ
were so exalted, so remembered, among you, as to
make me scarcely thought of, I desire to decrease,
that he may increase !
.. Now, unto him" that loved us, and washed us from
dur sins in his blood, and hath given us everlasting
consolation and good hope through Christ, be ho-
nour, and glory, and dominion, and blessing, for ever
and ever! ,
This is a faithful saying, and. worthy of all accepta-
tion, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save
sinners, of whom I am the chief.
Your once affectionate Pastor,
JOHN BROWN.
THE END OF SELECT REMAINS..
ADDRESS
TO
Students of Divinity.
MT DEAR PUPILS,
FOR my assistance in instructing you, this
Compendious View of Natural and Revealed Religion^
was formed. To gratify a number of you it is nojar
published. Being formed, not to make you reaq% hut;
to make you think much, it must now appear dry an<jSL
meagre, as stript of its additional remarks :-rrand no
doubt some 6f its expressions admit of a sense \vhicjj
I never intended. To- render you mighty in the
^scriptures, readily able to support the several article?
of our holy religion by the self-evidencing and conscir
ence-commanding testimony of the Holy Ghost, and
accustomed -to express the things of God in his owa
language, multitudes of texts are ordinarily quoted,
which I have laboured to lodge in your memories,.
To manifest the extensive connection of divine
truths, some leading articles relative to the perfec-
tions of God, the person of Christ, &c. are trace.pl
through many others, in a manner which will perhaps
be accounted a digression. Few insignificant, local,
or dormant controversies, have been brought on tfye
field : Nor, that I know, have the enemies of the
* The Address to Stxidents of Divinity is introductory to our
author's " Compendious View of Natural and Revealed Reli-
gion."
P 2
IfO Address to Students of Divinity*
i
truth been unfairly represented or indiscreetly an-
swered, in others. The deceit or wrath of man
worketh not the righteousness of God.
While I have been occupied in instructing you,
your consciences must bear me witness, that my
principal concern was to impress your minds with
the great things of God. Now when I am gradu-
ally stepping into the eternal state, to appear before
the judgement-seat of Christ, permit rne to beseech
you, as you wish to promote his honour, and the
eternal salvation of your own and your hearers souls,
1. See that ye be real Christians yourselves. I
now more and more see, that nothing less than real,
real Christianity is fit to die with, and make an
appearance before God. Are ye then indeed born
again, born froin above, born of the Spirit f created
in Christ Jesus unto good 'works ? new creatures
in Christ Jesus, having all old things passed away,
and all things become new $ Are ye indeed the cir-
cumcision which -worship God in the Spirit, habitually
reading, meditating, praying, preaching, conversing'
with your hearts, under the influence of the Holy
Ghost? Have you no conjtdence in the flesh, no confi-
dence in your self-righteousness, your learning,
your address, your care and diligence, your gifts
and graces ; but being emptied of self in every
form, are poor in spirit, less than the least of all
saints, and the least of all God's mercies ; nay, the
very chief of sinners in your own sight ? Has it
pleased God to reveal his Son in you ? and to instruct
you with a strong hand, to count all things but loss
for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ
as your Lord, and to count them but dung, that you
may win him, and be found in him, not having your
own righteousness, but the righteousness which is of
JJod by faith, -and to know the pov/er of his resort
Address to Students of Divinity* ITt
rection, and the fellowship of his sufferings,- and td
press toward the mark for the prize of the high
calling of God in Christ Jesus, John iii. 3, 5, 6.
Eph. ii. 1O. 2 Cor. v. 17. Gal. vi. 15. Phil. iii. 3.
Matth. v. 3. xvi. 24. Eph. iii. 8. Gen. xxxii. 1O.
1 Tim. i. 15. Gal. i. 15, 16. Phil. iii. 7, 14. If
you be, or become, either graceless preachers or
ministers of the gospel, how terrible is your condi-
tion! If you open your Bible, the sentence of your
redoubled damnation flashes into your conscience
from every page. When you compose your sermon,
you but draw up a tremendous indictment against
yourselves. If you argue against, or reprove other
men's sins, you but aggravate j^our own. When you
publish the holy law of God, you but add to your
rebellion against it, and make it an awful witness
against your treacherous dissimulation. If you_an-
nounce its threatenings, and mention hell with all its in-
supportable torments, you but in feoff yourselves in it,
and serve yourselves heirs to it as the inheritance
appointed you by the Almighty. When you speak of
Christ and his excellencies, fulness, love, and labours,
it is but to trample him under your feet. If you take
his covenant and gospel into your mouth, it is but to
profane them, and cast them forth to be trodden under
foot of men. If you talk of spiritual experiences, you
but do despite to the Spirit of grace. When you com*
mend the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and in-
vite sinners to new-covenant fellowship with them,
you buttreacherously stab them under the fifth rib,
betray them with a kiss,' and from your heart cry,
This is the heir, the God, come let us kill him.
While you hold up the glass of God's law or gospel
to others, you turn its back to yourselves. The gos-
pel, which ye preach to others, is hid, is a savour
of death unto death to you, the vail remaining on
your hearts, and the God of this world having
blinded your minds. Without the saving, the heart-
172 Address to Students of Divinity*
transforming knowledge of Christ and him crucified^
all your knoAvledge is but an accursed puffer up, and
.the murderer of your own souls. And unless they
grace of God make an uncommon stretch to save you,
how desperate is your condition ! Perhaps no person
under heaven bids more unlikely to be saved, than a
graceless Seceding minister ; his conscience is so
overcharged with guilt, so seared as with an hot iron,
and his heart so hardened by the abuse of the gospel.
Alas ! my dear pupils, must all my instructions, all
the strivings of the Holy Ghost, all your reading, all
your meditations, all your sermons, all your evangel?-
ical principles, all your profession, all your prayers,
as traps and snares, take and bind any of you, hand
and foot, that, as unprofitable servants, you may be
cast into utter darkness, with all the contents of your
Bible and other books,- all your gifts and apparent-
like graces, as it were, inlaid in your consciences,
that, like fuel or oil, they may forever feed the flames
of God's wrath upon your souls ! After being set for
a time at the^gate of heaven, to point others into it,
after prophesying in Christ's name, and wasting
yourselves to shew others the way of salvation, and
to light up the friends of our Redeemer to their hea-
venly rest, must your own lamp go out in everr
lasting darkness, and ye be bidden, Depart from
me, I never kneiu you, ye ivorkers of iniquity !
Must I, must all the churches behold you at last
brought forth and condemned as arch-traitors to our
Redeemer ? Must you, in the most tremendous man-
ner, for ever sink into the bottomless pit, under the
weight of the blood of the great God, our Saviour,
under the weight of murdered truths, murdered con-
victions, murdered gifts, murdered ministrations of,
the gospel, and murdered souls of men !
2. Pondermuch, as before God, what proper fur-
niture you have for the ministerial work, and labour
to increase it. To him that hath shall be given.~
Address to Students of Divinity*
Has Jesus bestowed on you the Holy Ghost? What
distinct knowledge have you of the mysteries of the
kingdom ? What aptness have you to teach, bring*
ing out of the good treasure of your own heart things
new and old? What ability to make the deep mys-i
teries of the gospel plain to persons of weak capaci-
ties, and to represent things delightful or terrible in
a proper and affecting manner ? What proper quick-
ness in conceiving divine things ; and what rooted
inclination to study them, as persons devoted to mat-
ters of infinite importance? What peculiar fitness
have you for the pulpit, qualifying you, in a plain,
serious, orderly, and earnest manner, to screw the
truths of the God into the consciences of your hear-
ers ? With what stock of self-experienced truths and
texts of inspiration did, or do you enter on the min-
isterial work ? Of what truths, relative to the law of
God, or relative to sin, Satan, or the desertions and
terrors of God, has your soul not only seen the evi-
dence, but felt the power ? What declarations, pro-
mises, offers, and invitations, of the glorious gospel,
have ye, with joy and rejoicing of heart, found and
eaten, and therein tasted and seen that God is good?
Of what inspired truths and texts can you say, 'Even
so zve have believed, and therefore we speak : what
we have seen and heard with the Father, and tasted
and handled of the word of life, that we declare unto
you. Thrice happy preacher, whose deeply-experi-
enced heart is, next to his Bible, his principal note-
book ! John xx. 22. Matth. xiii. 22, 12, 52. 1 Tim,
iii. 2. Tit. i. 9. 2 Tim. ii. 2. Isa. 1. 4. xlix. 2. Jer.
xv; 16. 2 Cor. iv. 13. 1 John i. 1, 3. John viii. 34.
3. Take heed that your catt from Christ and his
Spirit to your ministerial work be not only real, but
evident. Without this you can neither be duly exci-
ted or encouraged to your work ; nor hope, nor pray
for divine success in it ; nor bear up aright under the
difficulties you must encounter, if you attempt to be
174* Address to Students 6f Divinity;
faithful. If you run unsent by Jesus Christ and hieir
Spirit, notwithstanding the utmost external regularity-
in your license, call, and ordination, you, in the whole
of your ministrations, must act the part of a sacrile-
gious thief and robber, a pretended and treacherous
ambassador for Christ and his Father, and a mur-
derer of men's souls, not profiting them at all.*.
What direction, what support, what assistance, what
encouragement, what reward, can you then expect ?
Ponder, therefore, as before God : Have you taken
this honour to yourselves ? or, Were ye called of God
as was Aaron ? Has Jesus Christ sent you to preach
the gospel, and laid upon you a delightful and awful
necessity to preach it? While he powerfully deter-
mined you to follow providence, and avoid every
selfish and irregular step towards entrance into the
office, as a mean of eating- a piece of bread, or enjoy-
ingcarnalease or honour, did he breathe on youj and
cause you to receive the Holy Ghost, filling you
with deep compassion to the perishing souls of men,
and a deep sense of your own unfitness for such ar-
duous work, and fervent desire, that if the Lord
were willing to use you as instruments of winning
souls, he would sanctify you, and make you meet for
his work ? Perhaps, providentially shut out from
other callings, to which you or your parents inclined,
did you, in your education, go up bound in the Spirit
by the love of Christ burning in your hearts, and
constraining you cheerfully to surrender yourselves
to poverty, reproach, and hatred of men, for promo-
ting his name and honour, and the salvation of men
in the world ? What oracles of God, powerfully
impressed on your soul, have directed and encou-
raged you to his work ? Know you in what form
Jesus Christ gave you your commission ? Whether
to open the eyes of the Gentiles, and turn them from
darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto
God, that they may receive forgiveness ofsins^ and
Address -to Students of Divinity. ITS
an 'inheritance among them ivho are. sanctified by
fait h in him : Or to go make the heart of this people
fat, their ears heavy, and to shut their eyes ? Jer.
xxiii. 21, 22, 32. Isa. xlix. 1, 2. Jer. i. Ezek. ii;
'iii ; xxxiii. Matth. x. Luke vi ; x. John x. Acts i,
Heb. v. 4. Rom. x. 15. 1 Cor. i. 17. ix. 16. Acts
xxvi. 17, 18. Isa. vi. 8, 9.
4. See that your end in entering into, or executing
your office, be single and disinterested. Dare you
appeal to him, whose eyes are as a flame of fire, and
who searcheth the heartsund tryeth the reins, to give
to every man according to his works, that you never
inclined to be put into the priest's office, that you
might eat apiece of bread, and look every one for his
gain from his quarter ; that ye seek not great things
for yourselves ; that ye covet no man's silver, gold, or
apparel; that ye seek not men's propeity, but them-
selves, that you may win them to Christ for their
eternal welfare ; that ye seek not your own honour,
ease, or temporal advantage, but the things of Christ
and his people ; that ye seek not honour or glory of
men, but the honour of Christ and his Father, in the
eternal salvation of souls ; and have determined to
prosecute this end, through whatever distress or
danger the Lord may be pleased to lay in your way?
Jer. xlv. 5. 1 Sam. xii. 3. Acts xx. 33. Isa. Ivi. 11.
2 Tim. iv. 19. 1 Cor. ix. 12, 16. 2 Cor. vii. 2. xi.
9. xii. 13, 14, vi. 4, 19. Phil. ii. 21. 1 Thess. ii. 4,
9. John vii. 18.
5. See that your minds be deeply impressed with
the nature, extent, and importance of your ministerial
work, that therein it is required of you, as ambas-
sadors for Christ as stewards of the mysteries and
manifold grace of God, to be faithful ; to serve
the Lord with your spirit, and with much humility
in the gospel of his son ; to testify repentance tow-
176 Address to Students of Divinity
ards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ,
not keeping back, or shunning to declare every part
of the counsel of God, or any profitable instruction,
reproof, or encouragement; and, not moved with
any reproach, persecution, hunger, or nakedness,
to be ready, not only to be bound but to. die for the
name of the Lord Jesus, in order to finish your
course with joy. " Bearing with the infirmities of the
weak, and striving together in prayer, that the word
of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified,
and your messages provided by God, and made ac-
ceptable to your hearers, you must labour with much
fear and trembling, determined to know, to glory in,
and make known, ndthingbut Jesus Christ and him
crucified, ^preaching the gospel, not with enticing
tuords of man's wisdom, as men pleasers, but with
great plainness of speech, in demonstration of the
Spirit, and with power, speaking the things which
are freely given you by God, not in the words which
. man's wisdom teaches, but in words which the Holy
Ghostteach.es, comparing spiritual things with spiri-
tual, as having the mind of Christ, always triumph-
ing in him, and making manifest the savour of the
knowledge of him in every place, that you may be a
sweet savour of Christ in them who are saved, and
in them who perish ; as of sincerhy, as of God, in
the sight of God speaking in Christ, and through the
mercy of God, not fainting, but renouncing the hid-
den things of dishonesty ; not walking in craftiness,
nor handling the word of God deceitfully, or corrupt-
ing the truth, but manifesting the truth to every
man's conscience, as in the sight of _God>< not
preaching yourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord,
and yourselves servants to the church for his sake,
always bearing about his dying, that his life may be
manifested in you ; and knowing the terror of the
Lord, and deeply impressed with the account which
you and your hearers must give to him of your
Address to Students of Divinity. 71 7
whole conduct in the day of judgement, awed by
his infinite authority, constrained and inflamed by
his love, you must persuade men, beseeching them to
be reconciled unto God, and making yourselves
manifest to God, and to their conscience, -and, as
their education requires, changing your voice, and
turning yourselves every way, and becoming all
things to all men, in order to gain them to Christ,--
jealous over them with a godly jealousy, in order, to
espouse them, to him, as chaste virgins, travelling
in birth, till he be formed in their hearts. You must
take heed to your ministry which you have received
in the Lord, that you may fulfil it ; stir up the gifts
which were given you, give yourselves wholly to
reading, exhortation, and doctrine ; and persever-
inglytake heed to yourselves, and to the doctrine
which you -preach, that you may save yourselves and
them that hear you ; watching for their souls, as
they who do and must give an account for them to
God, rightly dividing the word of truth, and giving
every man his portion in due season, faithfully warn-
ing every man with tears, night and day, teaching
every man, particularly young 1 ones, and labouring to
present every man perfect in Christ Jesus, and war-
ring, not after the flesh; nor with carnal weapons, but
with such as are mighty through God to the pulling
down of strongholds, and casting down imaginations,
and subduing every thought and affection to the obe-
dience, of Christ. Having him for the end of your
conversation, and holding fast the form of sound
words in faith- in, and love to him, not entangling
yourselves with the affairs of this life, nor ashamed
of the Lord or of his cause or prisoners, but ready to
endure hardships as good soldiers of Jesus Christ,
and to endure all things for the elects sake, that they
may obtain salvation with eternal glory j ye must
go forth without the camp, bearing his reproach, and,
exposed as spectacles of sufferings to angels and men,
Q
i 78 Address -to Students of Divinity.
must not faint under your tribulations, but feed the
flock of Go.d which he has purchased with his own
blood, and over which the Holy Ghost has made you
o < %erseers,r preaching the word in season and out o
season^ reproving, rebuking, and exhorting with all
long-suffering and doctrine, taking the oversight
of your people, not by constraint, but willingly, not
for filthy lucre of worldly gain, or larger stipends,
but of a ready mind, neither as being lords over
God's heritage, but as examples to the floek, -exer-
cising yourselves to have a conscience void of offence
towards God and towards man, having a good
conscience, wilting in all things to live honestly,-r-
exercised to godliness, kindly affectioned, disinter-,
ested, holy, just, and unblameable, prudent exam-
ples of the believers in conversation, in charity, ia
faith and purity,- fleeing youthful lusts, and follow-,
ing after righteousness, peace, faith, charky, r-not
striving, but being gentle unto all men,-? in meek-:
ness, instructing them who oppose, themselves,--^
avoiding foolish, and unlearned questions, and old,
wives fables, fleeing from perverse disputings and
wordly,mindedness, as most dangerous snares;j and
following after righteousness, godliness, faith, love,
patience, meekness ;- fighting the goodiight of faith,
and la3 T ing hold on eternal life, keeping your, trust
of gospel truth and ministerial office, and without
partiality or precipitancy, committing, the same to.
faithful men, who may be able to teach others $ and,
in fine, faithfully labouring, in the Lord, to try and
confute, and censure false teachers, publicly rebuke
or excommunicate open transgressors, restore such?
as have been overtaken in a fault jh the spirit of
meekness, and having compassion on them y to pull-
them out of the fire, hating-even the garment spotted
by the flesh, and never conniving at, or partaking
with any in their sins. Who is sufficient for these
things ? May your sufficiency be of God j and as
Address 'to Students of Divinity. f
your days are, so may your strength be, Ezek. ii.
7. iii. .9, i-5 r ,- i -21. xxxiii. 7,- 9. Isa. Iviii. 1; Jer. i.
17, 18. xv. 19, 2O. Mic. iii. 8. Mai. ii. 6, 7. Matth.
x. l6,-^-39.: xix. 28, 29. xx. 25,- 28. xxiii. 3, 42.
xxivi, .42 j 51. xxviii. 18, -20. Acts xviii. 24, 28.
xx. 18, ^35. xxiv. 16. xxvi. 16^23. 1 Cor. ii.
ly 5, 9, 12, 13. i, v; ix: xii,-^-xiv. 2 Cor. ii,
vi; x, xnV Rom. i. 9, 16. ix. 1, 2, x. l.-.xii; xv.
Gal. i. 8, 16. iv. .19., Eph. iii. 7, 8, 9. iv. 11,
15. vi. 19, 20. Col. iv. 7, 17. i. 23, 29. ii. 1, 2.
1 Thess. ii; iii; v. 12. 1 Tim. iii, vi. 2 Tim. i,
iii. Heb. xiii. 7, 17, 18. 1 Pet. iv. 10, 11. v. 1, 4.
Jude 22, 23. Rev. ii; iii; xi. 3, 7. xiv. 6, 11.
&. See that ye take heed to your spirits, that ye
deal not treacherously with the Lord. In approach/-
ing to, or executing the ministerial office, keep your
hearts with all diligence ; for. out of it are the issues
of eternal life, or death to yourselves andjjthers.
Building up yourselves in your most hofy faith, and
praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the.
love of God} looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus
Christ unto eternal life. - If you do notardently love
Christ, -how can yovifaithfully and diligently feed his
lambs his sheep ? Alas! how many precious sermons,
exhortations and instructions are quite marred and
poisoned by coming through the cold, carnal, and
careless heart of the preacher, and being attended with
his imprudent, untender, and lukewarm life ? If you
have not a deep felt experience of the terrors of the
Lord-,- of the bitterness of sin, vanity of this world,
and importance of eternity,- and of the conscience-
quieting and heart- captivating virtue of Jesus*s bleed-
ing love, how can you be duly serious and hearty in
preaching the gospel ? If, all influenced by a predo-
minate love to Christ, your heart be not fixed on
everlasting things, and powerfully animated to an
eager following of peace and holiness, how can you,
18O Address to Students of Divinity.*
without the most abominable treachery, declare to
men their chief happiness, and the true method of
obttiniing it ? If your graces be not kept lively, your
loins girt, and your lamps burning, all enkindled by
the heart-constraining love of Christ, how cold, how
carnal, and blasted must your sacred ministrations
be ? If your work, as ambassadors of Christ, be to
transact matters of everlasting importance between
an infinite God and immortal, butjjerishing, souls of
men ; if the honours and privileges of it be so inva-
luable, what inexpressible need have you of habitual
dependence oh Christ by a lively faith? What self-
denial, what ardent love to Christ and his Father,
what disinterested regard to his honour, what com-
passion to souls, what prudence, what faithfulness
and diligence, what humility and holy zeal, what
spirituality of mind and conversation, what order,
what plainness, what fervour, what just temperature
of mildness and severity,-? is necessary in every part
of it! If, while you minister in holy things, your
lusts prevail and are indulged, you. have less of real
or lively Christianity than the most weak and uncir-
cumspeet saints under your charge j-^-if your evil
heart of unbelief fearfully carry you off from the
living God, and you can live unconcerned while the
powerful and sanctifying presence of Godis withheld
from "yourselves or your flocks, how sad is your
and their case \ If your indwelling pride be allowed to
choose your company, your dress, your victuals, nay,
your text, your subject, your order, your language ;
if it be allowed to indite your thoughts, and^ to the
reproach and blasting of the gospel of Christ, to deck
your sermon with tawdry ornaments and fancies, as
if it were a stage-play, and to blunt ancl muffle up
his sharp arrows with silken smoothness and swollen,
bombast j if it be allowed to kindle your fervour,
and form your looks, your tone, your action ; or to
render you enraptured or self- conceited, because of
Address to Students of Divinity. 181
subsequent applause ; -or sad and provoked, because
your labours are contemned, how dreadful is your
danger and that of your hearers ! How can minis-
terial labours, originating in pride, spurred on by the
fame of learning, diligence, oc holiness, hurt the
interests of Satan, from whose influence they pro-
ceed: If -pride be allowed to cause you to envy or
wound the characters of such as differ from, or out-
shine you, or to make you reluctant to Christian
reproof from your inferiours, how fearful is your guilt
and danger! Pride indulged is no more consistent
with a 'Christian character, than drunk enntss and
whoredom. If you take, up or cleave to any princi-
ple or practice in religion, in the way of. factious con-
tention; how abominable to God is the, sower of dis-
cord among brethren ! If you undervalue the peace
and prosperity of the church of Christ, and are not
afflicted with her in all her afflictions, how cruel and
unchrist-like your conduct! If, in justly proving
your opponents deceivers and plasphemers, you; -by
your angry manner, plead the cause of the devil, will...
God accept it as an offering at your hands? If you
are slothful in studying or declaring the. truths of
Christ, if to save labour or expense, you are inac,-
tive or averse to help such as have no fixed ministra-
tions, or to contrive and prosecute projects for ad-
vancing the kingdom of Christ, and promoting the
salvation of men, how great is your baseness, how
dreadful your hazard ?; Think, as before God, did
Jesus Christ furnish you for, and put you into the
ministry, that you might idle away, or prostitute
your devoted time, tear his church, conceal or man-
gle his truths, betray his interests, or starve and
murder the souls of men? Are not your people the
flock of God, which he purchased with his own blood?
Will you then dare to destroy his peculiar .property
and portion, and attempt to frustate the end of his
death? Did Jesus die for men's souls ? And will vou
Q2
1 82 Address to Students of Divinity.
grudge a small labour or' expense to promote his
honour in their eternal salvation ? If the Son of God
was crucified for men, crucified for you, will you
refuse, through his Spirit, to crucify your selfishness,
your pride, your sloth, your worldly and covetous
disposition, in order to save yourselves, and them
that hear you. While your own salvation, and the
salvation of multitudes, are so deeply connected with
your faithfulness and diligence, while the powers
of hell and earth so set themselves in opposition to
your work, that, in your falls, they may triumph
over Christ, your Master, and his church, while so
many eyes of God, angels, and men are upon you,
why do you ever think or speak of eternal things, of
heaven and hell, of Jesus's persen, offices, righte-
.usness, love, and free salvation, without the most
serious and deep impression of their importance I
While perhaps you preach your last sermon, and have
before you and on every hand of you, hundreds or
Scores of perishing souls suspended over hell by the
frail thread of mortal life, not knowing what a day
or ail hour may bring forth,- souls already in the
.hands of the devil, and, as it were, just departing to
be with him in the lake which burns with fire and
brimstone, souls already slain by the gospel of our
salvation blasted and cursed to them, partly by your
means, why do not tears of deep concern mingle
themselves with every point you study, every sen-
tence you publish in the name of Christ? When
multitudes of your hearers, some of them never to
hear you more, and just leaping off into the depths
of hell, are, in respect of their needs, crying with
an exceeding bitter cry, Minister, help, helpi rve pe-
rish, zve utterly perish pluck the brand out of the
fiery furnace, why spend your devoted time in idle
visits, in unedifying converse, useless reading, or
unnecessary sleep ? What, if while you are so em-
ployed, some of your hearers drop into eternal
Address to Students of Divinity. 183
flames, and begin their everlasting cursing of you for
not doing more to promote their salvation ? When
Jesus arises to require their blood at your hand, how
accursed will that knowledge appear, which was not
improved for his honour who bestowed it ?-r that ease,
which issued in the damnation of multitudes ! that
conformity to the world which permitted, or that
unedifying converse which encouraged your hearers
to sleep into hell in their sins ! that pride or luxury
which restrained your charity, or disgracefully plung-
ed you into debt .'Since, my dear pupils, all the
truths of God, all the ordinances and privileges of
his church, the eternal salvation of multitudes, and
the infinitely precious honour of Jesus Christ and his
Father, as connected with the present and future
ages of time, are intrusted to you, how necessary,
that, like Jesus, your Master, you should be faithful
in all things to him who appointed you ? If you do
the work of our Lord deceitfully, in what tremen-
dous manner shall your parents, who devoted and
educated you for it, your teachers who prepared
you for it, the seminaries of learning in which you
received your instruction, the years which you
spent in your studies, all the gifts which were be-
stowed upon you, all the thoughts, words, and
works of God in the redemption of men, all the
the oracles, commands, promises, and threatenings of
God, which direct, inculcate, or enforce your duty,
all the examples of Jesus Christ, and all his apostles,
prophets, and faithful ministers, all the leaves of
your Bible, all the books of your closet, all the
engagements you have come under, all the ser-
mons which you preach, all the instructions which
you tender to others, .all the discipline which you
exercise, all the maintenance which you receive,*-
all the honours which you enjoy or expect, all the
testimonies which you give against the negligence of
parents, masters, ministers, or magistrates,
184. Address to Students of Divinity.
vows and resolutions which you have made to Te-
form,-~and all the prayers which you have presented
to God for assistance or success, rise up against
you as witnesses, in the day -of the Lord!
7. See that ye, as workmen who need not be
ashamed, earnestly labour rightly to divide, the word
of truth, according to the capacities, necessities, and
particular occasions of your hearers, giving every
one of them their portion in due season. -Never
make your own ease, your inclination or honour, but
the need of 'souls, and the glory of Christ, the regu-
lator in your choice of subjects. Labour chiefly on
the principal points of religion, to bring down the
fundamental mysteries of the gospel to the capacities
of your he'arers, and inculcate on their consciences
the great points of union to arid fellowship with
Christ, regeneration, justification, and sanctification,
these will require all your grace, learning and labour.
Never aim at tickling the ears or pleasing the fancfes
of your hearers ; but at convincing their consciences,
enlightening their minds, attracting their affections,
and renewing their wills, that they may be persuaded
and enabled to embrace and improve Jesus Christ as
freely offered to them in the gospel, for wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. La-
bour to preach the law as a broken covenant, the
gospel of salvation, -and the law as a rule of life,
not only in their extensive matter, but also in their
proper order and connection. It is only when they
are properly connected, that the precious truths of God
appear in their true lustre and glory. It is at your
infinite hazard, and the infinite hazard of them that
hear you, if you, even by negligence, either blend or
put asunder that law and gospel which Jesus Christ
has so delightfully joined together. No where is it
more necessary to take heed^ than in preaching up
of holiness. Let all be founded in union
Addrrss to Students of Divinity. 185
\
to and communion with Christ, all enforced by the
pattern, love, righteousness, and benefits of Christ,
Eplviv; v; vi. Col. Hi; iv. 1 Pet. iii ; iv. See
Diction, art. Gospel and Sabbath Journal.
t ' ' ' '
- 8. You have stated yourselves. publick witnesses
for Jesus Christ, who profess to adhere to, and pro*
pagate his injured truths, and to commemorate
with- thankfulness the remarkable mercies which he
has bestowed on our church and nation, and to tes-
tify against, and mourn over our own and our fathers*
fearful backslidings from that covenanted work of
reformation once attained in our land. See that ye
be 'judicious, upright, constant, and faithful in your
profession. I now approach death, heartily satisfied
with our. excellent Westminster Confession of.Faith^
Catechisms, and Form of church government, and
cordially adhering to these Covenants, by which
our fathers solemnly bound, themselves and their
posterity to profess the doctrines, and practise the
duties therein contained. I look upon the Seces-
sion as indeed the cause of God, but sadly misman-
aged and dishonoured by myself and others. Alas !
for that pride, passion, selfishness, and unconcern for
the glory of Christ, and spiritual edification of souls,
which has so often prevailed ! Alas ! for our want
of due meekness, gentleness, holy zeal, self denial,
hearty grief for sin, compassion to souls in immedi-
ate connection with us, or left in the established
church, which became distinguished witnesses for
Christ. Alas ! that we did not chiefly strive to pray
better, preach better, and live better than ourneigh-
bours.-r-Study to see every thing with your own
eyes, but never indulge an itch after novelties : most
of those, which are now esteemed such, are nothing
but old errors, which were long ago justly refuted,
varnished over with some new expressions. Never,
by your peevishness, contentions,, eagerness about
$86 Address ta-JStudents .of Divinity*
\
wordly things, or the like, make others thinlc lightly
of the cause of God among your hands. If I mis-
take not, the churches are entering into a fearful
cloud of apostacy and trouble. But he that endures
to the end shall be saved. Be ye faithful unto the
death, and Christ shall give you a crown of life.
But if any man draw back, God's soul shall have no
pleasure in him.
9. Always improve and live on that blessed en-
couragement which is offered to you as Christians
and ministers in the gospel. Let all your wants be
on Christ. Jtty God shall supply all your need accord-'
ing to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Cast all
your cares on him, for he careth for you. Cast all
your burdens on him, and he will sustain you. If
your holy services, through y pur mismanagement,
occasion your uncommon guilt, his blood cleanseth-
from all sin. You have an Advocate with the Father ,
Jesus Christ the righteous, -who is the propitiation
for your sins. If you be often difficulted how to
act, he, hath said, The meek zvill he guide in judge*
ment : the meek-will he teach his -way.- I -will instruct
thee and teach thee in the way which thou shall go. I
-will guide thee -with mine eye set upon thee. I will
lead the blind in a way which they know not. .-If yon
be much discouraged because of your rough way and
your want of strength, he has said, When the poor
and needy seek -water and there is none, and their
tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear 'them,
I the God of Israel will not forsake them. . I will,
open rivers in high places. Fear not; for lam with
thee: be not dismayed, for I am thy God. I will
strengthen thee : Tea, IwilFhelp.thee ; {will uphold
thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Fear
not, worm Jacob, I will help thee, saith the Lord thy
redeemer. I will make thee a new sharp threshing-
instrument, and thou shaft thresh the mountainsf
Address to Students of Divinity.
My grace shall be sufficient for thee : for my strength
is made perfect in -weakness. As thy days are, so
shalLthy strength be. If your troubles be many, he
hath said, When thou passeth through the waters, J
will be with thee; the rivers shall not overflow thee:
When thou walkest through the fire, thou sha.lt not
be burnt, nor shall the flame kindle upon thee. If
your incomes be small and pinching, Te know the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was
rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that We
through his poverty might be rich. He shall see his
seed the travail of his soul, and be satisfied:
and he has promised, / will abundantly bless her
provision, and satisfy her poor with bread. I will
satiate the soul of her priests with fatness. A sa-
lary of remarkable fellowship with Christ, and of
success in winning souls, is the most delightful and
enriching. If your labours appear to have little suc-
cess, be the more diligent and dependent on Christ.
Never mourn as they that have no hope. Let not the
eunuch say lam a dry tree. Jesus hath said, I will
pour water on him that is thirsty, and floods on the
dry ground. I will pour my Spirit on thy seed, and
my blessing on thine offspring. A seed shall serve
him. . The whole earth shall be filled with his glory.
The kingdoms of this ^vor Id shall become the king-
doms of our Lord and his Christ. Believe it on the
testimony of God himself: believe it on the testimo-
ny of all his faithful servants ; and, if mine were of
any avail, I should add it, that there is no Master so
kind as Christ ; no service so pleasant and-profitable
as that of Christ ; and no reward so full, satisfying,
and permanent as that of Christ. Let us therefore
beginall things from Christ; carry on all things with
and through Christ ; and let all things aim at and end
in Christ.
FINIS.
Cramer, Spear & Eichbaum
HAVE PUBLISHED,
: A T THE FXANKLIN HEAD BOOKSTORE,
BROWN'S DICTIONARY OF THE HO-
LY BIBLE, containing an historical account of the
persons ; a geographical and historical account of the
places ; a literal, critical, and systematical description
of other objects, whether natural, artificial, civil, reli-
gious, or military : and the explication of the appel-
lative terms, mentioned in the writings of the Old
jand New Testaments. The whole comprising what-
ever important is known concerning the antiquities,
of the Hebrew nation and church of God j forming
a sacred commentary ; a body of Scripture History,
Chronology, and Divinity ; and serving in a great
measure as a Concordance to the Bible. 2 vols. 8vo.
price 7 dollars.
PRECIOUS TRUTH; or some points' in Gos-
pel Doctrine, vindicated in a series of letters address-
ed to Christians of every denomination, by the Rev.
John Anderson. 12mo. price one dollar.
WILLISON'S, FAIR AND IMPARTIAL
TESTIMONY, essayed in the name of a number of
ministers, elders, and Christian people of the Church
of Scotland unto the laudable principles, wrestlings,
and attainments of that church. 12mo. price 88 cts.
DUTY OF PRAYER RECOMMENDED:
with some thoughts upon societies for prayer and re-
ligious conference. By the Rev. Alexander Pringle,
" Praying always with all prayer and supplications hi the
Spirit, and watching- thereunto with all perseverance, and sup-
plication for all Saints." Eph. vi. 18.
THE HAPPY VOYAGE COMPLETED^
and the sure anchor cast. A Sermon occasioned by.
the death of Capt. Jonathan Parsons, By the Rev.
John Murray.
SHORTLY WILL BE PUBLISHED,
THE CROOK IN THE LOT; or the sove-
reignty and wisdom of God in the afflictions of men
displayed. Together with a Christian deportment un-
der them. Being the substance of several sermons.
By the reverend and learned Thomas Boston, late
minister of the gospel at Ettrick. To which will be
added " Worm Jacob Threshing the Mountains."
A Sermon preached on a sacramental occasion. By
the same author.
Worm Jacob thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat
them small, and shalt make the hilts as chaff, Isaiah xli. 14, 15.
. " All the mountains that stand before Worm Jacob, are
burnt mountains, so they are far easier to thresh than one
would think."
The Crook in the Lot shall contain about 20O
pages ; price to subscribers seventy-jive cents single,
those who subscribe for 20, shall have three copies
gratis.
PROPOSALS HAVE BEEN ISSUED
FOH. PUBLISHING BY SUBSCRIPTION,
THE CHRISTIAN JOURNAL; or Com-
mon Incidents, Spiritual Instructors. By the Rev.
John Brown, late minister of the gospel at Had-
dington.
To be spiritually minded, to be habitually dispo-
sed, with pleasure and attention, to think of, and de-
sire after spiritual objects, is life and peace* In eve-
ry creature we discover a Maker, a Saviour's perfec-
tion ; we hear his voice that our souls may live.
Detesting the romantick, the too fashionable amuse-
jnent of folly, of lewdness and blasphemy, we re-
create ourselves with contemplations, which neither
defile for the present, nor sting for the future ; and
have our conversation in heaven, from whence we
look/or the Saviour. Brown's Preface.
The Christian Journal shall contain about 350
pages; price to subscribers one dollar single copy,
those who subscribe for 20, shall have three copies
I
FOR SALE AT THE FRANKLIN HEAD
BOOKSTORE,
Sacred Biography, or the History of the Patriarchs.-
To which is added, the history of Deborah, Ruth,
?. and Hannah. 4vols. 8vo.
Scripture account of the faith and practice of Chris-
tians ; consisting of an extensive collection of per-
tinent texts of scripture, given at large, upon the
various articles of revealed religion. By Hugh
Gaston, V. D. M. member of the Root Presbyte-
ry, county Antrim, Ireland.
A Treatise on the Millennium. Showing from scrip-
ture prophecy, That it is yet to come ; When it
will come ; In what it will consist. By Samuel
Hopkins, D. D.
The Family Expositor; or a paraphrase and version
of the New Testament j with critical notes, and
a practical improvement of each section. In. six
vo'ls. Volume first, containing the former part of
the history of our Lord Jesus Christ,, as recorded
by the four Evangelists. By P. Doddridge, D. D.
Blair's Sermons, 2 vols,
The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul. Il-
lustrated in a course of serious and practical ad-
dresses suited to persons of every character and
circumstance. By Philip Doddridge, D D.
A Commentary on the book of Psalms; in which their
literal or historical sense, as they relate to king
David, and the people of Israel, is illustrated.
Discourses on the credibility of the Scriptures; in
which the truth, inspiration, and usefulness, of the
scriptures are asserted and proved. By the late
reverend Benjamin Bennet.
The Assembly's Shorter Catechism^ explained by way
of question and answer.
The Select Minor Works of John Bunyan.
The Scripture Doctrine of Regeneration; consider^
ed in six discourses. By Charles Backus.
Pike & Hay ward's Cases of Conscience.
SHORTLY WILL BE PVALISHEty
THE CROOK IN THE LOT; or the sove-
reignty and wisdom of God in the afflictions of men
displayed. Together with a Christian deportment un-
der them. Being the substance of several sermons.
By the reverend and learned Thomas Boston, late
minister of the gospel at Ettrick. To which will be
added " Worm Jacob Threshing the Mountains."
A Sermon preached on a sacramental occasion. By
the same author.
Worm Jacob thou shall thresh the mountains, and beat
them .small, and shalt make the hilts as chaff, Isaiah xli. 14, 15.
."All the mountains that stand before Worm Jacob, are
burnt mountains, so they are far easier to thresh than one
would think."
The Crook in the Lot shall contain about 20O
pages ; price to subscribers seventy-jive cents single,
those who subscribe for 20, shall have three copies
gratis*
PROPOSALS HAVE BEEN ISSUED
FOR PUBLISHING BY SUBSCRIPTION,
THE CHRISTIAN JOURNAL ; or Com-
mon Incidents, Spiritual Instructors. By the Rev
John Brown, late minister of the gospel at Had-
dington.
To be spiritually minded, to be habitually dispo-
sed, with pleasure and attention, to think of, and de-
sire after spiritual objects, is life and peace.- In eve-
ry creature we discover a Maker, a Saviour's perfec-
tion ; we hear his voice that our souls may live.
Detesting the romantick, the too fashionable amuse-
ment of folly, of lewdness and blasphemy, we re-
create ourselves with contemplations, which neither
defile for the present, nor sting for the future ; and
have our conversation in heaven, from whence -we
kokfor the Saviour. . Brown's Preface.
The Christian Journal shall contain about 356
pages; price to subscribers one dollar single copy,
those who subscribe for 20, shall have three copies
FOR SALE AT THE FRANKLIN HEAD
BOOKSTORE,
Sacred Biography, or the History of the Patriarchs-
To which is added, the history of Deborah, Ruth,
r and;Hannah. 4vols. 8vo. ' :
Scripture account of the faith and practice of Chris-
tians ; consisting of an extensive collection of per-
tinent texts of scripture, given at large, upon the
various articles of revealed religion. By Hugh
Gaston, V. D. M. member of the Root Presbyte-
ry, county Antrim, Ireland*
A Treatise on the Millennium. Showing from scrip- .
ture prophecy, That it is yet to come ; When it
will come ; In what it will consist. By Samuel
Hopkins, D. D.
The Family Expositor; or a paraphrase and version
of the New Testament ; with critical notes, and
a practical improvement of each section. la six
vols. Volume first, containing the former part of
the history of our Lord Jesus Christ r as recorded
by the four Evangelists. By P. Doddridge, D. D.
Blair's Sermons, 2 vols.
The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul. Il-
lustrated in a course of serious and practical ad-
dresses suited to persons of every character and
circumstance. By Philip Doddridge, D D.
A Commentary on the book of Psalms; in which their;
literal or historical sense, as they relate to king
t David, and the people of Israel, is illustrated.
Discourses on the credibility of the Scriptures; in
which the truth, inspiration, and usefulness, of the,
scriptures are asserted and proved. By the late
reverend Benjamin Bennet.
The Assembly's Shorter Catechism, explained by way
of question and answer.
The Select Minor Works of John Bunyan.
The Scripture Doctrine of Regeneration; consider-
ed in six discourses. By Charles Backus.
Pike & Hay ward's Cases of Conscience.
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
47 552 490
BX
9178
.B8
1810
1457
Brcwn
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