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H a Sermons hasS endeared himfeif%jne By
^.w^ fome PoEMSj which he publiihelitftltier
the Name of Gofpel-Sonnets, This being a
Word very old in the Englijh Tongue, and ne-
ver, as I remember, ufed in religious Matters^ I
cannot but fear, that as the Title was not well
underftood, that excellent Work will be lefs en-?
quired for. I would therefore take this Oppor-
tunity oi recommending what I have fo much
admired, thofe Hymns and. Spiritual Songs,
for the Sweetnefs of the J^erfe^ the Difpojttion of
the SubjeBsy the Elegance of the Co?npoJition^
and, above all, for that which animates the
whole, the Savour of divine and experimental
Knowledge, As Poetry has very often no more
in it than great and /welling Words of Vanity^
diftorted Images, and monftrous Allulions ; .fo
it is a Pleafure to fee the Things of another
"World delivered without any heatheniih Figures
and Phrafcs, but in fuch an Adorning as be-
comes the Gofpel of Jesus Christ.

Thefe Sermons were printed at feveral Times
in Scotla?7d. They aire coUeded from a greater

A 2 Number

ii PREFACE.

Number, and I could have wiflied they had
been ranged in fuch an Order as would agree
to the Times of preaching ; and had I k^n
them before they were committed to the Prefs
in London^ I would have taken the Libe/ty ei-
ther to have alter d or explained fome Phrafes
that are never heard in the Souths tho' no t only
common but very expreffive in the North.

The Reader may be furprized at t]\Q familiar
Enlargements that feem to draw out thefe Dif-
courfes to a greater Length ; but that will be
no Offence, if he conliders, that not one of them
was ever defigned for the Prefs, nor writ out by
the Author in that view. Thefe are only a
Tranfcript of his original Preparations by fome
that were able to read his fhort-hand, which
he looked over, and then left them to the Dif-
pofal oi particular Friends. He himfelf never
made a GolleEiion of them, though without his
Knowledge they have had fever al Editions,

The fame Account may be given of Mr.
Ebenezer Erjkine's Sermons. They, with feve-
ral others, were defigned for a large unlearned
Audience^ and have been greatly bleffed to the
Edif cation of many, efpecially the Poor of the
Flock,

I am told by the Author^ ( Mr. /?. E. ) that
he and his Colleague have their JVork among
Seven Tboufand Perfons^ whom they exannne.

And

PREFACE.

Ill

And as thefe Sermons were preached on Sacra-
mental Occajions^ it may be proper to acquaint
the Reader with their Method^ becaufe it is fo
different from what obtains among us here.
For almoft a Year, there is a particular Exami-
nation of all thofa whopropofe themfelvc:) to be
Cofmntinicants ; and, after the Miniftcrs are fa-
tisl^y'd about their Knowledge^ the Names of the
Ferfofis are read over, that there may be a pro-
per Enqtciry into their Converfation ; and lb
they are either rejected or received by the Voice
of the People.

In moft Places the OrdinaiKe of the LordV
Supper is adminifier'd but once a Year, in the
Summer, which makes a great ConJlue?2ce of
Hearers andCo?n?nunicantSy2inA efpecially where
the Solemnity is ferved by thofe who have con-
tended earneftly for the Faith once delivered to
the Saints ; fo that by a Circulation of thefe
Meetings, they have an Opportunity of frequent
eating that Breads and drinking that Cup^ du-
ring the Seafon. The People who live in neigh-
bouring Congregations do ufually meet their
own Minifters in the Place of general Con-
courfe, or otherwife they bring Tokens along
with them from thofe who are latisfy'd in them.

The Numbers on thefe Occafions are often-
times fo great, that they are obliged to have
a tent fet up on the outfide of the church, for

the

iv PREFACE.

the Service of fuch as could not find Room
within.

The firft of thefe DifcourfeSy as they now
ftand, was deHvered in three Sermons on Sa-
ttirday^ Lord's-Day, and Monday ; and thus it
was in moft of the reft. As to the little Pre-
face before the fecond Work^ it might have been
dropt in this Edition, as it relates to an Affair
not known in England^ and haf)pened lome^
time ag5 in Scotland, Thefe Things i thought
proper to be mentioned, which I do upon the
befl: Information.

The Sermons have no need of ,my Recom-
mendation, You will find in them a faithful
Adherence to the Defign of the Gofpel, a clear
Defence of thofe DoBrines that are the Pillar
and Ground of Truths a large Compafs of Tho't,
a ftrong Force of Argument, a happy Flow of
Words that are both judicious and familiar.

May the Lord of the Harveji long continue
fuch faithful Labourers, and encreafe both their
Numbers and their Succeffes ; that though it is
not likely I fiiall gyqv fee the Faces of thefe Bre-
thren in the Flefo^ I hope our Hearts may be
comforted, being knit together to the Acknow-
ledgement of Christ Jesus; to whom be
Glory for ever and ever.

London, March 3.
1737-8.

Thomas Bradbury.

The CONTENTS.

I.

THE main Queflion of theGofpel-Catechifm, What think
YE OF Christ ? being the fubftance of feme Sermons on
Matth. xxii. 42. — ■ What think ye of Chrijl ? Page i
By Mr. Ralph Erskine.
11.
Chrift in the Believers Arms. In a Sermon on
Luke ii. 28. '^hen took he him up in hisArms^and hleffed God. 79
By Mr. Ebenezer Erskine.
III.
The rent Vail of the Temple : Or, Accefs to the Holy of Holies

by the Death of Chrift. In a Sermon on
Matth. xxvii. 51. And behold the Vail of the 'Temple was rent in
tzvainfrom the 'Top to the Bottom. 11 1

IV.
Chrift the Peoples Covenant. In fome Difcourfes on
Isaiah xlii. 6. I will give thee for a Covenant of the People.' 143

V-

The Comer's Conflid : Or, the Beginner's Battle with the Devil,

when efTaying to come to Chrift by Faith. In two Sermons on

Luke ix. 42. And as he was yet a coming, the Devil threw him

down, and tare him. The firft Serm. 206 The fecond 21^

VI.
The female Preacher -, Or, the Woman of Samaria's, Sermon to
the Men of the City ; or, the felf-humbling and Chrift- exalting
Influence of divine Difcoveries. In a Sermon on
John iv. 29. Come ^ fee a Man which told me all Things that ever
I did, is not this the Chrijl ? 226

By Mr. Ralph Erskine.
VII.
Couragious Faith. In a Sermon on
Psalm xxiii. 4. 2''ea, tho' Iwalkthro^ the Valley of the Shadow of
Death, I will fear no Evil: for thou art with me, thy Rod and thy
Staff they comfort me. 268

VIIT.
The Believer's Journey from the Wildcrnefs of this World to the

heavenly Canaan. Being the Subftance of fome Sermons on
Song viii. 5. PVho is this that cometh up from the IVtldernefs
leaning upon her beloved. 293

Ia.
God's little Remnant keeping their Garments clean in an evil

Day. In a Sermon on
Rev. iii. 4. TLou haji a few Names even in Sardis, which have not
defiled their ^ Garments -, and they fJjall walk zvith me in white :
for they are worthy ^A-^

The CONTENTS.

X.
The Wind of the Holy Ghoft blowing upon the dry Bones in tine

Valley of Vifion. In a Sermon on
EzEK. xxxvii. ^. Come from the four Winds ^0 Breathy and breathe
upon thefeflain, that they may live. 9jj±

XI.
The grones of Believers under their Burdens. In a Sermon on
2 Cor. v. 4. We that are in this 'iaheryt^ck do grone being bur-
dened. ^qj

ByMr. Ebenezer Erskine.
XII.
Law-Death, Gofpel-Life : Or, The Death of legal Righteoufnefs,
the Life of Gofpel-Holinefs. Being the Subftance of feveral
Sermons on
Gal. ii. 19. I thro" theLaw am dead to the Law, that I might live
unto God. 41 5

XIII.
The Harmony of the divine Attributes difplay'd, in the Redemp-
tion and Salvation of Sinners by Jefus Chrift. In a Sermon on
Psalm Ixxxv. 10. Mercy and Truth are met together : Righteouf
nefs and Peace have kiffed each other. 498

XIV.
The befl Bond, or fureft Engagement. In a Sermon on
Je REM. XXX. 21. For who is this that engaged his Heart to ap-
proach unto me ? faith the Lord. 542
And a Discourse after the folemn Work.

XV.
The gradual Conqueft : Or, Heaven won by little and little.

In two Sermons on
Deut. vii. 22. And the Lord thy God will put out thefe Nations be-
fore thee by little and little. 588
By Mr. Ralph Erskine.
XVI.
The Rainbow of the Covenant furrounding the Throne of

Grace. Being the Subftance of fome Sermons on
Rev. iv. 3. — And there was a Rainbow round about the Throne^
in fight like unto an Emerald. 6j^6

By Mr. Ebenezer Erskine.

The

Tthe main §lueftion of the Gofpel-Cate-r
chiftfiy What think ye of Christ ?

BEING

The Subftance of fome SERMONS preached
at Port77ioah^ &c. on a Sacramental Occafion.

By the Reverend Ralph Erskine, M. A.

M A T T H. XXII. 42.

What think ye of CHRIST?

Y friends, if you have any regard to the voice of
^3©S?Si^^ the Son of God, fpeaking to you in this text, then,
l^?vr' A/T/u^X^'^ to be fure, the application of it is begun, before
^W^^'^P^ ever we come to the exphcation of it. And in-
^^Ivillfe^ deed, if the Lord himfelf would open and apply
^s\S!,^'i5ri^^^) it to you, you would fee more in it than we can
tell you. Perhaps many that are here, when the minifter reads
his text, turns up their Bibles, and put a mark upon the place of
Scripture : Very well, but then they think there is the minifler's
text, and fo no more of it ; as if it were only the minifter's con-
cern, or at moft, that it is only the minifter's bufinefs to fpeak to
his text, and their bufinefs to hear what he fays. But, my friends,
you ought to know, that you have here more than a text -, and
it IS my bufinefs at this rime, not only to read you a text, but to
afk you a queftion ; and I cannot refume my text, without pro-
pofing it, iVhat think ye of Chrijl ? And it is your bufinefs, not
only to hear ferioufly what is faid, but to anfwer folemnly before

B God

2 The main Q^uestion,

God what is ask'd, namely, l^hat think ye of Chrift ? If you un-
derftand it only fimply as my text, you will think your felves
little concerned with it ; but if you apprehend it as Chrift's
queflion to you, then your Concern is great. It is not my que-
ftion only, but as Chrift propofed it to the Pharifees here, fo
your hearing it repeated to you in Chrift's name, and from his
word, makes it his queftion to you, PFhat think ye of Chrift ?
At fuch folemnities as this, you have occalion to hear much of
Chrift; but now the queftion is. What think ye of Chrift, of
whom you hear fo much ? Many people, the more they hear
of Chrift, the lefs they think of him; like If meJ, when they had
the manna fo plentifully rained down about their tent-doors,
they thought very little of it : But woe will be to you, who
hear much of Chrift, and yet think little or nothing of him. If
any man love not our Lord Jefus Chrift, fays the Apoftle, if he
hath no efteem of him, let him be Anathema Maran-atha. Ifyou
have the facramental fupper in view, you know Chrift hath or-
dered you to fearch and try before-hand,faying,Lef a man examine
himfelf, and fo let him 'eat. And now, if you would examine to
purpofe, I cannot fee a more fliort and fubftantial queftion in
all the Bible, to try yourfelves by, than this is, IVhat think ye
tf Chrift ? Solomon fays, Prov. 23. j. As a man thinketh in his
heart, fo is be; where he declares the man's ftate to be accord-
ing as the thoughts of his heart go. Now, fo it is here ;
truly according as you think in your heart, efpecially concern-
ing Chrift, fo are you, and fo is your ftate in God's fight : Ac-
cording as you think highly and duly of Chrift or not, fo are
you either a gracious or a gracelefs man, either a believer or
unbeliever, either a man fit to goto a communion-table or not;
and therefore inquire into it, What think ye of Chrift ? The
trial here comes to a narrow point, wherein God only can be
the witnefs, who will be the judge. You may deceive men
with your words and works, which is all we ha^^e to know you'
by ; but here you are called to try your felves by your
thoughts, before that God who fearches the heart, and fees
the thoughts, What think ye of Chrift ?

Theoccafion of Chrift's propounding this queftion, was this,
the Pharifees hd.d propofed feveral queftions to him concerning
the law, by which they thought to have expofed him, while
yet they did but expofe themfelves; particularly from ;;fr/f 15,
and downward, thinking to intangle him, they fent forth th^r
difciples with the Herodianiy faying^ Mafter, ij^hat thinkeft thou ? is

it

What think ye of Cn^HT 7 3

it lawful to give tribute to Casfar or not ? what is latvftd ? or^nihatfays
the law concerning thisl Chrift anfwers the queftionto their afto-
niflimencandconfufion. Again, from ver. 23. and downward,
the Sadducees, who denied the refurreftion, come to him with a
queftion on that head; and they flart a difficulty out of the law of
MofeSy which they thought was irreconcilable with thedoftrine
of the refurre6lion ; But Chrift anfwers that alfo, and puts them to
filence. Again afterwards, from ^;^r/^ 34, and downwards, the
Pharifecs finding that the Sadducees were filenced by him^they ga-
ther together their forces to puzzle and tempt him; and one of
them that was a lawyer comes with another queflion to him, {"ay-
mg,MaJler,what is the great commandment in the law'? Now, they
having asked fo many queflions of him, and he having anfwered
them all, it was time for him to ask them a queftion ; and he does
it while they are gathered together in confederacy againfl him :
Tho' their forces were unite, and every one prefenttohelpano-
ther,yet he puzzles them;forGod delights to baffle his ad verfaries
and conquer hisenemies, when they think themfelves ilrongeft,
and have all the advantages they can defire. Now Chrift asked
them a queftion,which they could eafily anfwer : It was a queftion
in their own catechifm. What think ye of Chrift? and, Whofe
Son is he ? They anfwer truly according to fcripture, that he was
the Son of David. This they were taught from Pfal. Sg- 35, 3 6.
and feveral other places, fliewing, that the Mejftas was to be the
feed of David, the rod out of the ftem of ^ejfe. But now Chrift
ftarts a difficulty upon their anfwer, which they could noteafily
anfwer; nay, which filenced them, and all that fought occafion
againft him, ver. 43, 44, 45. If Chrift be David's fon, how then is
he David's Lord ? Chrift did not hereby intend to infnare them as
they did him,but to inftruft them in a neceflary truth which they
were to believe ; namely, that the expefted Meffias is God as
well as Man, David's Lord as well as David's Son, and fo both the
root and offspring of David ; Rev. 22.16. Now, herein they were
puzzled,and put to filence. Many are proud of their knowledge,
becaufe they can anfwer fomequeftions of their catechifm, as the
Fharifees here did in genera! ; but yet they have reafon to be a-
ihamed of their ignorance : When the queftion is opened up,
they cannot abide by the truth which they aflert, nor reconcile
one truth with another, no more than the Fharifees here could ;
by which it was evident, that tho' they anfwered, yet they did
not underftand his queftion, which hepropofed, (i.) More ge-
nerally, What think ye of Chrift the Meffias ? (2.) More

B 2 particularly.

4 The mm (Question,

particularly, Whofe Son is he ? It is the queftion, as propofed
m general, that I confine myfelf unto, yet not excluding the other
branch of it, as the fubjeft may bring it in. When Chrift pro-
pofed this queftion to the Pharifees^ IVhat think ye of Chrift ? no
doubt they reckoned their thoughts of the MeJJias were found
and right every way, while they thought he was the Son of
David; but like the damnably deluded ^rw» doftors of our day,
they did not think fo highly of him as to apprehend him to be
the Son of God^they aid not thinkfo honourably of him, as to
own his being the fupreme God, equal with the Father : for
all their knowledge, there was more in that queftion than
they underftood, What think ye of Chrift ?

The Pharifees had asked Chrift feveral queftions concerning
the law, the great precepts of the law; and now it was fit that
Chrift fliould ask them a queflion concerning the great promife
of the Gofpel : They were fo taken up with the law, they had
no tho't of the Gofpel j theytho't fo much of MofeSy thu they
had no thought of Chrift; therefore fays he, What think ye
of Chrift? Many are fo full of the law, that they forget him,
who is the end of the law for righteoufnefs to every one that be-
lieveth. Here is a queftion to check the pride of Legalifts, PFba^
think ye ofChrifil There is a depth in every place of Scripture,
which tho' it feems to be very plain to the carnal eye, yet the
fpiritual depth thereof cannot be founded without the help of
the Spirit of God : There is alfo a great depth in this queftion ;
Angels cannot found the depth thereof, they pry into it, and
cannot think enough of Chrift ; they can never think too
much of him : And what fhall men fay in anfwer to it, What
think ye of Chrift ?

To divide this text too critically, would, I fuppofe, be the
way to confufe it ,* but I think every word of it hath an emphafis
in it. I . There is an emphafis in the i.nterrogative particle what.
What think ye of Chrift ? what place do ye give him ? what
value do you put upon him ? what grandeur and glory do you
afcribe to him ? what efteem have you of him? And fo, 2. There
is an emphafis in the verb think: Some think not of him at all;
God and Chrift is not in all their tho'ts ; fome think meanly,
fome think bafely, fome think difhonourabJy, fome think hardly
of him : But what think ye ? what is your judgment of Chrift ?
what is your opinion of him ? what is your fentiment'about him?
what is your apprehenfion of him? howftand you afFefted to-
wards him.? and what confideration have you of him? 3. There

is

What think ye of Christ ? 5

is an emphafis in the pronoun ye : What think ye of Chrifl 9
jQPharifees Siud Sadducees,W hut thinkyeof Chrift? ye that are
fobufy inflarting of queftions about the law, what think ye of
Chrifl, the end of the law? ye legalifts and felf-rfghteous per-
fons, what think ye of Chrift ? Yea, though it was put to the
Pharifees in particular, yet it concerns all in general. The
trying queftion that is propofed for the convi6lion of hypo-
crites, and to find them out, is ufeful for the confolation and
confirmation of believers, and for difcovering their upright-
nefs. While the daughters of Jerufalem think no more of
Chrifb than of another beloved, hfmg^What is thy beloved more
than another ? the fpoufe of Chrifl thinks him to be the chief
among ten thoufand. Therefore it comes to you all. What think
ye ojf Chrifl, believers and unbelievers ? Surely to them that
believe, he is precious. 4. There is an emphafis in the objeft or
matter of the queftion Chrijt: What think ye of Chrift ? what
think ye of the Mefilas ? what think ye of the anointed of
God, the Chrifl of God? It is remarkable, Chrift fays not here.
What think ye of me? but. What think ye of Chrifl? that is,
God's anointed, and the MeiTias promifed to the Fathers : And
hereby it is intimated tons, that as Chrift loves to magnify his
office, as the fent, and fealed, and anointed of God ; fo we can-
not have right and becoming thoughts of him, unlefs we appre-
hend him in his faving offices, to which he is authorifed of the
Father: And fo,when he fays not. What think ye of me? but,
W'hat think ye of Chrifl? he does not fimply commend himfelf,
but his Father alfo, who anointed him to that office ; and him-
felf, as bearing his Father's commiffion, and invefled with his au-
thority to fave finners: What think ye of Chrift? Here is the
proper objeft of efteem of rational creatures, and efpecially
mankind-fmners, on whom their thoughts ought to terminate.
It is not. What think ye of God abfokitely confidered? for God
out of Chrifl is a confumingfire. It is not. What think ye of
Mofes? You magnify Mofes d.nd the law ; but a greater than
Mofes is here, even he by whom the law is magnified and made
honourable. It is not, What think ye of miniilcrs and their
fermons? O! they are nothing but the image of death with-
out him ; but the queflion is. What think ye of Chrift ? The
word itfelf is but a dead letter witiiout Chrifl. It is a remark-
able fiiying that Chrifc hath tothatfamepurpofc, ^o/;. 5. 39,40.
Search -the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life^ and
they are they that teftify of me : And ye mil not cows to me that

B q ye

6 The main QuESTt^N^,

ye might have life. You think you have eternal life in the
Scripture, but the Scripture tedifies of me ; yet ye will not
come to me,tho' the Scripture teftifies that eternal life is only
to be had in me. Chriffc is the true God and eternallife, ijoh.5.
20. And this is the record^ that God hath given us eternal life, and this
life is in his Son, ver. 11. Seeing then that the Scripture tefti-
SesofChrifl, that eternal life is in him, in vain do men think to
have eternal life, even in the Scripture, while they will not come
to Chrifl; that they may have life. People may think refpeft-
fiilly of thCj Scripture, and yet perifli in their ignorance, and
die inadelufion,while they do not think refpeftfully ofChrifl,
in a fuitablenefs to the teflimony that the Scripture gives of him ;
therefore the great quedion is ftill, What think ye of Chrift?'

Observation.

That the great queflion of the Chriftian catechifm, hy which the
people are to try themfeheSy is this, iVhat think ye of Chrifll

Here you fee, Chrifl:, who is the catechifl that puts the que-
flion, is alfo the catechifm, the matter of the queflion. It is
to this fame purpofe that Chrift demands an anfwer to this
queftion, both with refpe6l to the people in general, what they
thought ofChrifl;; and alfo with refpe6l to theDifciples them-
felves, what they thought of him, Luk. 9. 18, ipj 20. Whom fay
the people that I am ? What is the fentiment and opinion of
the people about Chrifl? It is anfwered for the people, that
fome took him for John the Baptift, fome for Elias, fome for one
of the old Prophets : They had an efteem of Chrifl, but not
according to his worth and excellency, his grandeur and glory.
Well,, but fays Chrifl to his Difciples, Wlwmfay ye that lam?
What is your thought and judgment ? Peter anfwers in the
name of the refl, faying, Thou art the Chrifl of God. Believers
only can anfwer this queflion to ipuvpoCe^What think ye of Chrifl?

The method which I would here endeavour, as the Lord may
aififl, to profecute, fliall be, I. To premife fome general re-
marks for clearing of this do6trinc. II. Tofliewwhat is the
import of this queflion in the feveral parts thereof.. III. Offer
fome reafons of the do6trine, fliewing why this is the leading
and trying queflion in the chriflian catechifm. IV. Deduce
fome Inferences, and fo make application of the point, for in-
forming of our minds, trying of our flate, and dire6ling of
our thoughts and affetlions concerning Chrifl.

The

JVhat think 3'^ r/ Christ ? j

The firft head propofed is, to offer fome general remarks V
for clearing of the do61rine.

jft Remark. That rnan is a thoughtful or a thinking
creature. God created him with a thinking faculty, capable
of difcurfive thoughts and ratiocination; capable of rational
cogitation concerning God, and fpiritual obje6b, and celefdai
things, which beafts, that have fome fort of thoughts, yet arc
not capable of. 1 need not infift upon this ; for fome of you
know, than even pagan Philofophers are acquainted with
this, and that heathen Poets have infer'd it from the very
frame and ftru6lure of the human body; as Ovid,

Pronaque cum fpe^ent animalia ccetera terrain,
Os homini fiiblime dedit : CcBlumqiie ttieri
JuJJit, S ei-e^os ad fidera tollere vultus.

Man was endowed above beafls with a faculty capable of
celeftial contemplation. It is peculiar to the creatures called
Men and Angels, to think of God, and to think of Chrifl ; other
creatures are not capable of fuch thoughts : This is plainly fup-
pofed in this queftion, tVhat think ye of Chriji?

2d Remark. That man's thoughts, together with all thefacul-
ties and powers of his foul, have got fuch a daih by the fall of y/-
dam, that they were fet a wavering after other objefts befides
God, the chief good ; Yea, the fall in a manner dalh'd out his
brains ,• and his head being broken, God went out of his head,and
the creature came in. Since that time, he could never have a
right thought of God in his head, yea, God is not in all his thoughts ;
but innumerable other things fill up the room which God fliould
have. ^ He created man upright, but they have found out many
inventions, infomuchthat now every imagination of the thought of
his heart is only evil continually^ Gen. 6.5. I'he world, and the lufts
thereof, do monopolize and ingrofs all the thoughts of the chil-
dren of men, and God is thruft out of them ; there is no room for -
God or the Son of God. This wrong fet of the thoughts is alfo
here fuppofed in the queftion. What think ye of Chrifl"?

'^d Remark. That whatever confufed thoughts and dark appre-
henfions men may naturally have, now in their j-allen ilate,
concerning God and his law, like the confufed Chaos,L<j(?«: il
2. without for 7n and void, and darknefs upon the face of the Jeep ;
yet thoughts of Chrift-, or of God in Chrift, are what no man
could ever have had the leaft glimmering idea of by nature,
without divine Gofpel-revelation. Mim fallen retained fom^

^ 4 awfd

8 The main Q^uestion,

awful and terrible thoughts of God,- but no thought could he
ever have had of Chrift, unlefs God had revealed him as the
feed of the woman that was to bruife the head of the Serpent.
This is the myftery that was hid from ages and generations.
ThQ great myfiery of godlinefs, God manifefted in theftefh, God in
Chrifi reconciling the world to himfelf, could not enter into our
thoughts. Some natural impreffions men have of God as a
lawgiver, ftanding upon terms of obedience with them, accor-
ding to tlT£ firft covenant, namely of works made with the
firft Adam ; but God in Chrift, as the end of the law for righ-
teoufnefs, and fulfilling the righteoufnefs of the law in the fin-
ner's room, is fuch a hidden myftery, fo far above the natural
thoughts of man, that even where the objeftive revelation of
this myfiery is made, without the fubjeftive, internal, faving
illumination in the knowledge thereof, men cannot have or
entertain any due apprehenfions of it, but remain doting upon
their legal dreams and imaginations concerning God, as in the
old covenant-relation to them. This was evident in the Pha-
rifees here, notwithftanding of the gofpel-light they had both
from the old teftament prophefies and promifes of Chrift, and
from the rays of the Sun of righteoufnefs himfelf now arifen
among them ; ftill they were doting upon the law, and had
fome dark thoughts of God with relation thereto : therefore
Chrifi, to dire6t their tho'ts in the only way to God, he leads
them to himfelf. And as the Difciples themfelves, being bud
partly inlightned herein, need to be direfted in their faith and
spiritual thoughts of God, that they be not legal, terminating
upon God absolutely, but evangelical, upon Chrifi, or God in
him, ^oh. 14. I. 2> believe in God, believe alfo in me', fo much
more do blind Pharifees need to be direfted to the right road,
as here our Lord does. Ye think of God, but, What think
ye of Chrifi?

^th Remark. When Chrifi is revealed, people may think of
him, and yet think amifs, unlefs their thoughts be fpiritualifed
by a fupernatural change of the mind, and a faving illumina-
tion of their underflanding in the knowledge of Chrifi. Tho'ts
may be confidered as either rational and fpeculative, which is
jufl the work of the brain, and lies only in a bare theory of
divine things; or as pra6lical and fpiritually operative, which
dees not reft in the head, but affe6ls the heart, and fets the affec-
tions in motiDn towards divine things, and raifes the fpiritual
eilimation thereof. Now, whatever tho'ts of Chrill the natural

jnan

JVhat think ye of Christ "^ 9

man may have in the former fenfe, yet no fuitable tho'cs of Chrifl
can he have in the latter fenfe, till a fupernatural change be
wrought by faving illumination. Ic is as impoffible for a man
in ablackftate of nature to think upon Chrift or fpiritual things
in a fpiritual manner, as it is for a man that was born blind to
judge of colours, or to be taken up with their beauty and luftre;
I Cor. 2. 14.. The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of
God, they are fooHjhnefs unto him^ neither can he know them, for
they are fpiritually difcerned. 'I'his difcerning he cannot have,
till he be tranflated out of darknefs to God's marvellous light,
and till the God, who commanded light to fliine out of darknefs,
fliine into his heart, ^c. 2 Cor. 4.. 6. People then may think of
Chrift, and yet think amifs, without this faving illumination.
This is alfo fuppofed here in the queflion ; for the Pharifees did
not want fome thoughts of Chrifl the Mejfias, and partly right
thoughts too upon the matter, while they thought he was the
Son oi David; yet they were fo far from being right thoughts
of Chrift, as God -Man, and as to the manner of their thinking
of him, that they had no due efteem of the true Chrifl ; nay,
he was defpifed and rejefted of them, as a root out of a dry
ground, and as having no form or comehnefs, Ifa. 53. 2, 3. And
thus he is flill undervalued of multitudes, who yet judge they
have right enough tho'ts of Chrifl ; they think of him, but think
amifs: And therefore the queflion is not merely concerning the
aft of thinking, but the quality thereof ; it is not. Have you
any thoughts of Chrifl? do you ever think of him? but it
is, What think you of him ?

^th Remark. That man's thoughts are within God's jurifdifti-
on, and under his authority. The commands of God extend
not only to the outward, but the inward Man of the heart, and
confequently further than ever any earthly command could go.
Where was there ever a monarch that could give out fuch laws,
as would bind the heart and thoughts of men ? If any mortal
iliould make a law, that his fubje6ls lliould not dare, upon their
peril, to welcome a traitorous thought againfl his royal perfon,
otherwife he would be avenged upon them; really fuch an one
woulddcferve tobe laughed at for his pride and folly -jnore than
CalUguJa, who threatned the air, if it durfl rain when he was at
his paflime, and yet durfl not look upon the air when it thun-
dered. It were the height of madnefs, for any crown'd head
in the world, or potentate on earth, fo far to forfeit their rea-
fon^as to think, that the thoughts of mens hearts were within

their

10 Th2 main Q_uestiok,

their territories or jurlfdiftion : But behold, they are all under
the authority of God ; for his name is KardiognSJiees, the
fearcher of the heart, and the trier of the reins of the children
of men. Think not that thoughts are free, any more than your
words or a6lions before God. It is his prerogative to lay bands
upon the inner man, and to judge the fecrets of men, Rom. 2.16.
by Jefus Chrift, who is here the catechill, putting the queflion
to you ; and he is the fitteft hand, for he knows what courfe
your thoughts are driving: He is the witnefs, and will be the
judge of your thoughts, which are all under his jurifdiftion.
Therefore it is his unqueftionable right, to call you to an account
for your thoughts ; thoughts areas vifiJDle and evident as aftions
to him, Heb. 4. 12, 13. The word of God, the effential word, the
word that was made fiefli, h quick and powerful, &:q. a difcernerof
the thoughts and intents of the heart ; neither is there any creature
that is not manifeft in his fight, hut all things are naked and open to
the eyes of him with whom we have to do. He knows our thoughts
afar off, even before we think them, and thoughts are actions
before him ; heart-thoughts are heart a6ls, and real deeds in his
fight ; the adulterous thought is adultery before him, and will be
judged as fuch ; the covetous thoitght is idolatry before him,
the malicious thought is murder, and the unbelieving thought
is unbelief, the contemning thought of Chrift is contempt itfelf ;
He is an infinite Spirit, that fees your thoughts better than men
fee your aftions ; and therefore anfwer for your thoughts to
him, fVhat think ye of Chrift ?

6th Remark. That as men may expe6l to be catechifed and
examined of God, with refpeft to their thoughts, as well as
their a6tions ; foefpecially about their thoughts of Chrift. And
as God will judge us by the thoughts we have of Chrifl, fo we
ought to try and judge our felves by this rule ; for as our thoughts
are, fo are we; yea, God's thoughts of us are according to out
thoughts of Chrifl. If we think nothing of Chrifl, God will
think nothing of us ; if we think highly of Chrifl, God thinks
highly of us in him : For, as God's thoughts of Chrifl are very
high and honourable, he being theFather'^ darling and delight,
Ifai. 42. 1, fo, when our thoughts of Chrifl in fome meafure a-
gree with God's thoughts af him, and we think highly and ho-
nourably of him, as God does ; furely it is evident, that we
Iiave the Spirit of God, and that as God is well pleafed with
Chrifl, fo he is well pleafed with us in him. Now, if our tlioughts
and hearts condemn us in this matter, God is greater than our

_ hearts

lVl)at think ye of Curist ? ii

heart?, r.nd knows all things; but if our hearts and thoughts
condemn us not, then we have confidence towards God, i ^ob.
3. 20,21. It is true,the natural confciences of men, and their
thoughts, may accufe or excufe, and fo condemn or jufbify
them, according as they do good or evil, Rom. 2. 15. and to be
thus condemjied or juflified, is no evidence of the man's ftate
before God ; for this only fliews the work of the law, written
in our hearts by nature, even the covenant of works, which
fliys. That the doer of the law Ihall be juftified, vcr. 13. and
the breaker of the law fliall be condemned. Thefe are fome
of the beams of nature's light. All men may find themfelves
condemned here; and they that think themfelves juflified here
before God by their good deeds, they but difcover their igno-
rance of the law, which condemns all vain and evil thoughts,
as well as evil deeds ; and therefore no man can have his heart
and thoughts juflifying him before God, nor a good confci-
ence or confidence towards God, till once he come to think
duly of Chrift, from whom the law hath got full fatisfa6lion to
all Its commands and demands, and by whofe blood the fiery-
law is extinguiflied. The confcience being fprinkled with
that blood, and fo purged from dead legal works to ferve the
living God, the man hath confidence towards God according
to the meafure of his faith, and regular thoughts of Chrifl. The
more a man thinks upon the law, the more his thoughts con-
demn him, if he underftands the fpirituality of the law : But
the more he thinks of Chrift as the end of the law for righte-
oufnefs, the more will his thoughts and confcience fmile upon
him, and give him confidence towards God; for we have bold-
nefs to enter into the holieft, and come to a holy God, by the
blood of Jefus, Heb. 10. 19. They that think much of them-
felves and think little or nothingof Chrift, they are leaflinthe
kingdom of heaven, yea they are not of that kingdom at all ;
they defpife Chrifl, and Goddefpifes them : But they that think
little of themfelves, or think nothing of themfelves, but think
of Chrifl, and think every way highly and honourably of him,
they are great in the kingdom of God ; Chrifl is great in their
eye, and they are great in God's eye, being accepted in the
Beloved : Therefore the great queftion is, M^hat think yc- of
Chrift ?-

'IhcfecondHead propofed, was, To fiiew the import of the
quQ^ion,What think ye of Chrift "^ That people may not deceive
ihemfeives with tranfcieat thoughts they may have of Chrift, I

would

12 The vmin (Question,

would more clofely open up the meaning and import of the
queflion ; and this being the main head upon the doarinal part,
we muft explain the feveral branches of the queflion, and fo
Ihew the import of it, I. Obje£lively, with refpedb to the obje^^
Chrift. II. Adtively^ with refpe6l to the a^ of thinking. III.
Formally, with refpe(Sl to the quality of the a6l, what fort of a
thouglu it is ; What think ye of him ? IV. Subjectively, with
refpe6b to the fubjefts, ye ; What think ye of Chrift ?

/zVy^then, I am toconfiderthe import of this queflion, with
refped to the object or matter of our thoughts, namely, Chrifl;
What think ye of Chrifi ? And here I own it is impofTible for me
to go through all that I thought might be faid here. There
are fo many things in Chrift that I found to be the matter of
the queflion, he being All in all, and all the fulnefs of the
Godhead being in him, that, before ever I was aware, there
were more than a hundred queftions occurred to me, that might
be put upon this one particular ; and therefore I found a necef-
,ty of reftrifting myfelf. • And though, if the time will allow,
in the application I may thro' grace infift upon fome of thefe;
yet at prefent I fliall confine myfelf to what I judge precifely
to be the fcope of the text and context, and the intent of the
Spirit of God in this queflion, IVbat think ye of Chrifi ? That
is, I. What think ye of his righteoufnefs ? 2. What think ye
cf his pedigree? 3. What think ye of his perfon ? 4. What
think ye of his anointing ? Thefe four, I fuppofe, we fn.all
find to be the fpecial import of the queflion here.

Firfl, What think ye of his'^righteoufnefs ? This I place firfl,
becaufe I judge, from what goes before as the occafion of this
queflion, that the great defign of Chrift therein was to lead off
thefe felf-righteousP/;^r//^^j- from the righteoufnefs of works and
of the law, about which all their queftions were put to him, and to
lead them to another righteoufnefs, eventohimfelfas theLord
their righteoufnefs, the end of the law. You think tobejuftified
by the deeds ofthe law; but how is that pofTiblCjfince by the law
is-the knowledge of fin ? Roni> 3.20. If ye willfland clofe to thefe
old covenant terms with God, then let the law itfelf catechize
you ; Where is your righteoufnefs of nature andpra6lice, that
the law requires ? Where is your righteoufnefs of thought,
word, and deed, that it requires? Where is your righteoufnefs
of affeftion and aftion, that it requires ? Where is your per-
feft, perfon al and perpetual obedience, your righteouihefs inr
ternal in heart, external in life, and eternal in duration, which

the

What think ye of Cukjst? rj

the kw requires? For, curfed is every one that continues not in all
things written in the book of the law y to do them. Gal. 3. lo. The
law will tell you, thac tho' you keep it wholly, and yet oiFend
in one point, you are guilty of all, Jam. 3. 20. Now is there
no point wrong in your flate, nature, heart, or thought all your
days, not to fpeak of your Words and anions ? If there be,
then you're guilty of all ; and fmce by the law is the know-
ledge thus of your fm and guilt, how can you be juftified by
the law? Can that holy righteous law pronounce you jiift and
righteous ? No, no ,• in vain do you think of righteoufnefs
by the law : therefore what think ye of Chrift the Meflias,
who is called Jehovah Tfidkenm^ th Lord our righteoufnefs, Jer.
22. 6. It is he that came to fulfil the righteoufnefs of the law
in his own perfon really and aftively, that the righteoufnefs
of the law might be fulfilled in us imputatively and paffively,
Rom. 8. 4. Is not this the only righteoufnefs that magnifies the
law, and makes it honourable ? You magnify your own righ-
teoufnefs, which does but difgrace and diflionour the law; buc
what think ye of Chriit ? Do you magnify and honour him,
as the Lord the righteoufnefs? Ought not you to magnify thac
righteoufnefs that magnifies the law, feeing it is more than an
angelical righteoufnefs ? It is not the righteoufnefs of a man
only, or o^ David's Son ',h\\t the righteoufnefs of God,and of Z)a-
-yi^'sLord. If you think no more of Chrift, but tliat he is David's
Son, no wonder then you be hankering after the law, and a poor
pitiful righteoufnefs of your own ; you have never feen the
glory ofChrift's righteoufnefs: But if you think duly of Chrift,
you'll fee him to be the Lord Jehovah, and his righteoufnefs to
be a glorious divine righteoufnefs, fo as you will count all but
lofs and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of him, and to be
found in him, not having your own righteoufnefs that is after the
law, but the righteoufnefs which is of God in Chrift by faith , P'lii.
3. 8,9- Let all your queftions about the law then, might Chrift
fay, give way to this great queftion. What think ye of Chrift,
and his law- binding righteoufnefs? Your righteoufnefs will not
abide the firft fire of the law, when it comes to be difcharged
againft you, and to exaft obedience and fatisfaiSlion ; but Chrift's
obedience unto Death anfwers the whole charge of its precept
and fanftion both to the full ; Therefore, what think ye of
Chrift, and what think ye of his righteoufnefs ? This is the
firft thing imported in this queftion, as it ftands here.
Stccndly^ What think ye of his pedigree? That this is im-
ported

'o

14 The viain Q^uestion,

ported in the queflion, appears from the connexion a\Co,Pf^'hofi
Son is he ? What think ye of his pedigree ? They though tic
was eafy to anfwer that queflion, by faying only, he is David's
Son. They might have known it was not fo eafy to anfwer
that queflion, if they had confidered the queflion of the pro-
phet Jfaiah, ch.53» 8. Who fmll declare his generation! And the
defcription which that prophet gives of him,7/^f. 9. 6. that the
name of the MeJJtas, the child born and fon given to us,
fliould be wonderful, counfellor, and the mighty God, the everlaji-
ing Father y the Prince of peace. What think ye of his pedigree
as he is a man ? No doubt this was partly implied in the que-
flion ; for Chrift did not difapprove their anfwer, tho' it was
but to the leafl part of the queflion : He is David's Son, fay
they ; and it is right to think of him as the Son of David, cloth-
ed with our nature. Here was the great myflery of godlinefs,
God manifejied in the fleflo. It was no myflery for the Pharifees
to think only that he was the Son of David; David had other
fons, and a numerous feed: And if that be all, that he was the
Son of David, they might thus think of Chrifl, and yet think
nothing of him. But it is another thing to think of him as God
in our nature. If we think duly of Chrifl as the Son of David,
or in his humane nature, then mufl we not think that God is
come very near to us, fo as that there is a natural relation betwixc
him and us, he being bone of our bone, andflefJj of ourfiefh ? Muft"
we not think, that he wonderfully emptied himfelf of his divine
glory, and humbled himfelf unto death? Tho' he thought it no
robbery tohe equal with God, yet he fufFered himfelf to be divefled
of his glory, clothed with rags of our flefli : God calls him the
Man that is his fellow, yet he was made a fellow to thieves and
malefa^ors, and a murderer preferred before him. Tho' he was
the Prince of life, yet, as the word may be rendered, he evacua-
ted or emptied himfelf unto death ; and yet, to them that know
him, he is mofl lovely, even in his greatefl abafement. What
think ye of Chrifl as man, as the fon of David, the Son of man,
a man of the fame infirmities with us, except finful infirmities?
He was made in all things like unto us, fin only excepted ; He be-
came a poor man in all outward refpe6ls,'adiflrefs'dman,a wa/i
offorrows and acquainted with grief ; a tempted man, toffed and
tempted of the devilfometimes, he going thro' all the ages of a
man, firfl conceived, then born, then a babe, then a youth, asd
at lafl the perfect flature of a mian .' He became a mortal mar,
and accordingly was put to a painful and fliamefttldeath ; yet a

holy

\

What think ye of Cnkist 1 is

holy man, a wonderful man, a God- man .* What think ye of the
man Chrifl: Jefus ? But the main thing imported in the queflion
here, with relation to his pedigree, is, what think ye of his pe-
digree as he is God ? What think ye of Chrift, in 'this refpeft?
For to feparate Chrifl from God, is to make him no Chrifl ; there-
fore the queftion is, What think ye of Chrifl,whofe Son is he,with
refpe6t to his divine nature, as weJl as his human ? That this was
the import of his queflion, appears from his reply to their anf-
wer, Hoiv then does David call him Lord? He is Lord Jehovah,
the only-begotten Son of God, the brightnefs of the Father's
g]ory,&c. by whom all things weremade; Johni. 3. Heb. 1.2,
It is the y^n'^w blafphemy, to affirm him to be no more but Ho-
moioufios Patri, but not Homooujios, that is, like unto the Father,
but not the fame effence and fubflance with him. He is, ac-
cording to his Godhead, arrayed with all glory. All the crea-
tures are to him as the drop of a bucket ; yea, as nothing, and lefs
than nothing and vanity ; he hath a name above every name,
and all the creatures are but fhadows to him, who is the fub-
flantial image of God : He is the eternal Son of God, by an
ineffable generation; whatever Avians and Atheifis think of
Chrifl, yet Chrifl himfelf tho't it no robbery to be equal with
God, Fhil 2. 6. therefore. What think ye of Chrifl ? Is he no
more but the Son of David ? The Jews looked upon Chrifl as
an ignorant clown will look upon the fun, and, it may be, will
think it no bigger than his bonnet, or at mofl, no larger than
a milllone ; fo did the Jevjs : The Fharifees looked upon the
Son of God, faying. Is not this the carpenter s Jon ? But their
highefl tho't was, that he was the Son of David, they did not
fee him to be theSon of God.What think ye of Chrifl? Do yei.fee
all the attributes of God to be in him, and all his aftions, ^^-^.iiiyr
ator, to be dignified with infinite virtue and value ; that ftf >vgs:
able to fatisfy infinite juflice ; that he is able to fave to the ut-
termofl; that he is the adequate obje6l of divine worfhip, aiida
full fuitable portion for an immortal foul, becaufe he is the Son of
God as well as the Son q^ David'? All this is imported in the que-
flion, JVhat think ye of Chrijl 9

Thirdly, What think yeof hisPerfon? Thisqueflior. ■•' ili
plainly imported in that, Wmt think ye of Chrijl , namely, as ne
isGod-man in one Perfon, and the fecondPerfon of the glorious
Trinity ? It is plain that Chrifl fpeaks of himfelf here as perfon-
allVcoiiiicered, and as having two diflinft natures in one Perfon.
Nowj the humane nature of Chrifl is not a Perfon diltin^l from

the

it5 The main Q^uestion,

the divine; tho* the natures are diftinft, the Perfon is one. But
the anfvver of the Pharifees lo this queftion fliewed they had no
diftinft knowledge of this myflery,* for they anfwer, He is the
Sonof David, without knowing tliat he was the Son of God, as
well as the Son of David in one Perfon ; which madeChrift here
to declare his fovereign Lordftiip and Godhead, as well as his
manhood. The myftery of the queflion then, which they did
not underftand, was, What think ye of that wonderful perfon
God-man,in whom the humane nature is advanced to fuch an un-
fpeakable dignity, as to be united to, and of the fame perfonality
with, the Son of God ? Here is matter of tho't, to the intelligent
mind : What think ye of the wonderful manner in which fmful
men may come to be partakers of the divine nature, even by
the holy Son of God his being a partaker of the human nature?
Here is a glorious fubje61: for thought and contemplation. What
think ye of the wonderful way that God in his infinite wifdom
hath taken, to bring God and men together, even in and thro'
him, who is both God and man, and partaking of both natures
in one perfon, is fit for bringing both God and man into one, and
to lay his hand upon both parties ? What think ye of fuch a glo-
rious Perfon as Finite and Infinite, Time and Eternity, Creator
and Creature joined together.? J^ohn 1. 14. The word wai made
flefo, and dwelt among m, and we beheld his glory, as the glory of the
only-begotten of the Father, full of grace arid truth.

Fourthly, What think ye of his zi72(??fow or anointing ? This I
fuppofe mufl alfo be the import of the queflion objeftively con-
fidered,as it is here generally propofed; for Chrifl fignifies A-
minted, in the Hebrew it is Mejfias, in the Greek it is Chrijl, and in
our language it is the Anointed : And this being the main word on
which the weight of the general queflion itfelf lies, it is the more
rieceifary that this be particularly opened. The queflion then
comes to this in general, What think ye of his Father the A-
noijiter ? John 6. 27. hr him hath God the Father fealed ; How ? See
Tfal 45. 7. God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oilef gladnefs a-
bovethy fellows. How much pains is Chritl at, in the gofpel, to
recommend his Father, as fending and authorifing him to his me-
diatorial work ! Again, What think ye of his office, to which he
is anointed? He hath not taken the honour of the mediatorial of-
fice upon him, without being called of God, and anointed of God
thereunto, Heb, 5.5. We do not think honourably enough of any
of his faving offices, unlefs we at the fame time apprehend his
divine uniSlion thereunto. Again it comes to this, What think

ye

JVhat think ye 0/ Christ ? 17

\e of his Spirit,the ointment wherewith he is anointed ? Ifa.Ci.i.
'I 'heSpirit oftheLord God is upon me, for he hath anointed me. Ha . 4.2 . i .
Ibavepiit my Spirit upon him, and he ^jall bring forth judgment to tb e
Gentiles. There is the meaning oFthe quclhon in general, v.-ith
refpeft to this C/;r//?, who is the fubjeft-matter of thequeftion:
But there is much in this name Chrijl, and more than we can tell ;
I only namefome particulars further here imported, (i.) What
think ye of his prophecy and teaching? For, asChrid, he is a-
nointed to be a Prophet: Who teaches like him, fays Elihu? Job
36. 22. Other prophets and teachers have no wifdom but what he
gives them; but in him are hid all the treafures of wifdom and
■ knowledge : Other prophets may err, but he teaches infallibly ,•
for he is truth itfelf, full of grace and truth ,• Other teachers may
be daflit, but he teaches authoritatively ; he fpeaks as one having
autiiority, and not as the Scribes : Other teachers may fail in their
defign, and prove unfuccefsful in their work ; but he teaches effi-
caciouOy: Men work upon a capacity, but he can give the capa-
city j the entrance of his words giveth light, he gives underfland-
ing to the fimple. The excellency of his teaching is fingular, if
we confider his ability and fidelity ; the matter of his teaching is
fmgular, if we confider it as the whole will of God for our Sal vati-
tion > the manner of his teaching is fingular, if v/e confider it is by
his Word and Spirit, and even by a human voice, he can convey
his divine power; the extent of his teaching is fingular,if we con-
fider it extends to all forts ofperfons, Je'vos and Gentiles, Rud to all
forts of things neceffary to eternal life : This anointing teaches all
things, I ^ohn 2. 27. In a word, none have authority to teach, but
by commifTion from him ; neither can any other teacher preach
himfelf : We preach not our fclves, but Chrifl Jefus the Lord,and
to him gave all the prophets witnefs ; but it is his prerogative a-
bne,to preach himfelf, hying, Com^e to me all ye that labour, &c.
Look to me and be faved ; 1 am the rofe of Sharon, I am the light
ofthe world, I am the way, the truth and the life. O then, was
there ever any prophet or teacher that could compare with him :
TheSpirit of the Lord God is upon me, faysChrift, for he hath
anointed me to preach glad tidings to the meek : He is the ChriH:,
the anointed Prophet; and what thinkyeof Chrift? (2.) What
thinkyeofhisP?7>//;oo^ ? For, as Chrid, he is anointed to be a
Prieft for ever, after the order of Melchifedeck. All the Leviiical
Priells were but fliadows and types of him, who was the true
prieft, the true temple, the true altar, the true facrifice, all in one.
Wkathigh tho'ts may we have of his oblation, or obedience unto

C deathj

M The main Question,

death, even the death of the crofs ? For here was the grand con-
dition of the covenant of redemption or grace fulfilled. The
covenant of grace was all grace with refpedt to God, who of his
grace found out the ranforn, and with refpe6l to us who are faved
by grace : But with refpetl to Chrift, it is a covenant made upon-
terms and ccnditions ; namely, his obedience, righteoufnefs,
paffion, and oblation ; whom God hath fet forth to be the propi-
tiation thro' faith in his blood, 8^c, Rom. 3.25. O what a free, full,
perfeft, holy,fweet and fatisfying facrifice did he offer up of him-
feif, even a facrifice of a fweet-fmelling favour unto God, where-
by juftice was fatisiied, wrath appeafed, fin expiated, God aton-
ed, death vanquifli'd, hell quenched, heaven purchased, and the
devil's kingdom deflroyed ; for by death he deftroyed him that
had the pov/er of death, that is, the devil. What may we think of
hisintercefTion, grounded upon this oblation ? for he is able to
fave to the uttermoft all that come to God by him, becaufe he ever
lives to make interceffion. Here is the antidote againflall charges
and accufations, Rom. 8. 33, 34. the antidote againft all temptati-
ons, Heb. 2. 17, 18. and 4. 14, 15. an antidote againfl all the
fnares of the world, ^ohn 17. 15. againfl all fins, failings and
infirmities, i ^obn 2, 1,2. againfl all fears^ through fenfe of
unworthinefs, to draw near to God's throne of grace, Heb. 4.
15, 16. 10. 19,20,21,22. and againfl all fears of apoflafy and fall-
ing away, John 1 7, 1 1 . 0 his promife, his power, his prayer, give
great fecurity, and greater cannot be given : He hath prayed for
the Spirit, and the conflant abiding thereof, John 14. 16, 17. Sec
John 4. 14. Chrifl's interceffion is founded on his oblation,and the
Father is fo well pleafed with the oblation, that he cannot refufe
his intercefTion ; nay, he hears him always: Therefore, What
think ye of Chrift ? 3. What think ye of his kingdom and
royalty ? The queflion, What think ye of Chrift ? imports this
alfo ,' for, as Chriil, he is anointed to be a king, FfaL 2. 6. I have
fet my king, or as it is in the Hebrew, anointed my king, upon my
holy hill o^Zion. Is not all power in heaven and earth commit-
ted unto him, having oq his veflure and thigh this name writ-
ten, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords ? He is the King
eternal and immortal, the government is upon his fliouJders, and
of the increafe of his kingdom and government there fliall be no
end. His delivering up the kingdom to his Father, at lafl,_ is but
a changing the manner of his admitiiflration, and delivering i>p
all his members, of whom his kingdom confin:s,unto hisFather,to
be eternally crowned and glorified ; he will reign through eiierni^
ty,andthechildr-enofZio«willbejovful in their king, and fing

thro^"

What think ye of Christ ? i^

thro' eternity. I might herefliew, what a powerful and peace-
able, mild and merciful, wife and holy, jufl and righteous King
our Lord Jefus Chrifl; is; and then ask you, "What think ye of
Chrifl: ? But it is not poilible to give fo much as a hint at the thou-
fandthpartofhis glory and royalty ; His kingdom is fpiritual
and internal. If you be his fpiritual fubje6ls, his kingdom is
within you; yea, tho' yoube yet fubje6ts to thedevil, lie hath
power over all hearts, and can foften the harded, and bhid the
Itoutefl:, and make the people fall down under him : Yea, as he
is able, fo is he willing; for he is not only the God of power,
butthePrinceofpeace, //^. 9. 6. and therefore, as 2l Prophet he
preaches peace ; as a Pri'efi, he purchafes peace ; and as a Kingy
he proclaims peace ; jeci, creates the fruit of the lips, peace, peace
to him that is afar off, and to him that is nigh. As a powerful poten-
tate, he is able, and as prince of peace he is ready, to fave to the
iittermoft. As he is full of power, fo he is full of pity ,• and his
power &peace both are joined together, for the encouragement
of finners to come to him J fa. 2^.5. Let him take holdofmyflrength,
that he may makepeace with me, and he/Jjall makepeace with me. Per-
haps, fome poor foul is thinking,0 but I have no ftrength to take
hold of his ftrength. Well, it is right fo to think of your felf, and
of your own weaknefs and wickednefs : But no ftrength comes
in by that thought, while poring on your felf only ; that is, but
the halfofwhatyouare to think, when you think right of your
felves, as weak and wicked. But what think ye of Chrifl: our glo-
rious King ? If you can think honourably of him, as able and will-
ing to help you, O you would find ftrength coming in with fuch a
thought: And high thoughts of a powerful and merciful King
Jefus, is one of the ways of taking hold of his ftrength. Jf you
luppofe that you think he is able and ready, andye'tyou find no
ftrength coming in, O fufpefl your own thought of him, that it is
but a misbelieving and difiionourable thought ; For I affure you,
rightthoughts ofChrift will fet the heart all in motion towards
him. But now, O there would be no end in fpeaking of the roy-
alties pf King Jesus, his royal thronof his royal crown, his royal
vi6lories, liis royal triumphs, and the royal entertainment that he
gives to his fubjefts at his table above, and even below, wlien he
brings them tohisbanqueting-houfc. Ifliall only add, that as it is
idiido^ Solomon, there was no king like him,fo behold a greater
thcLU Solomon is here : There is no king like him who is the king of
Zion; he hath all other kings under his check and controul; and
what think ye ofChrift then ? Other kings have their dominions,

C 2 for

20 The main Q_UESTioi!i,

for the mofl part, by ufurpation, by incroachment ; but.Chrifl: k
king conftiiLite of his Father, P/^/. 89. 27. Ill make him myfirjl-
born, higher than the kings of the earth ; and all this for the good of
his people, Eph. i. 22. He bathput allthings under his feet, and given
l)im to be head over allthings unto his church. This leads to another
import of the qiieflion; that is,

( 4. ) What think ye of his. authority and ability, commiffion,
fiilnefs, furniture, and fitnefs for executing of thefe faving offi-
ces? For all this is impHed in the delignation of Christ, thea-
nointed; thatis, one commiffioned and qualified of God, by a
fupereminentun6lion, John 2,- 34. Behold his excellency here,
above all that ever had the like offices. Behold he is anointed, for
the concurrence of all thefe offices, whether general, as faviour,
furety^ redeemer; or particular, as prophet, pried, king. Some
have been prophets, fome prieils, fome kings anointed, but ne-
ver any was anointed to all thefe but Chrift : What think ye of
Chrifl ? Behold the matter of his anointing,- others have been
anointed with material oil, but he is anointed with holy oil, the
Holy Spirit : And whereas others have had the Spirit in fome ref-
pe6ls, therefore behold the meafure of his anointing ; others
were anointed in meafure, but he without meafure: They may
have a fulnefs of fufficiency, but he hath afulnefs of redundancy ;
they afulnefshkethefulnefs ofa velTel, buthis the fulnefs of an
ocean; they a plenitude, but he a fountain. Behold and view the
duration of his anointing : his faints and fervants may have the
Spirit fometimes working, fometimes ceafing, fometim.es flow-
ing, and fometimes ebbing ; but Chrift is anointed with an endur-
ingun61;ion, Joh. i. 33. The Spirit that defcended on him, did re-
main and reft upon him ; fee Ifa. 59. laft. Hence behold alfo the
equality of his anointing with himfelf: The Spirit given to others,
that were invefted with any office in God's houfe, did work with
them as mere men ; there was no equality betwixt them and the
Spirit given to them : But as Chrift is anointed with the Spirit,
as he is Mediator God-man, fo as God he is co-equal v/ith the
Spirit wherewith he is anointed; yea, the fame inTubftance, e-
qual in power and in glory with the Father and the'lioly Ghoft.
And what think ye of Chrift, his authority, ability, and furniture
for his work ? In a word, behold the efficacy of his anointing, and
the communicable nature thereof: He is anointed above his fel-
low?, yetfo, as he hath fellows to whom he allows fellowlhipia
the farne anointing : He hath not received the Spirit of all grace^
and gifts for himfilf only, but he received gifts for men, evea

for

PPlmt think ye of Cukist ? \i

for thee rebellious, PfaL6H. i8. Hence, according to his plea-
fure, he allows the oil to drop down CO the skirts of his garment ;
yea, like rain upon the mowngrafs, orfliowers that water the
earth, P/«/. 72. 6. It is true, miniflers anointed with the Spiric,
5re faid to drop, Ezek. 20. 46. Son ofman^ drop thy ii'ords to-vjards the
foutb: And Mofeshys, My doSbrine (hall drop as the rain. But as
the clouds from whence the rain defcendshave not their water
originally in themfelves, but from, the fea, and moifl places of the
earth, exhaled and drawn up by the heat of the fun ; fo no mini-
ller of Chrift hath a faculty of teaching heavenly and divine
things, and faving gofpel truths of himfelf ,• but it is drawn up
out of Chrift, as out of a full fea and ocean of all wifdom and
knowledge ; and is conveyed unto them, by the heat and vigour,
not of their own fpirit, but the Spirit of Chrift, who is anoint-
ed, to anoint others. And Ofor a liberal fliare of this anoint-
ing among us at this occafion! In a word, the name Christ im-
ports fuch an anointing, as that he is qualified with all authority
and ability, all furniture and fitnefs for his work of faving finners;
with all fulnefs of divine perfeftions, and all fulnefs of me-
diatorial gifts and graces : And all this is imported in the
queflion. What think ye of Chrijl 1

(5.) What think ye of his aromatical favour ? For this is in
his name, Chrifl the anointed. His ointment cads a perfume
thro* heaven and earth. How fivoury is he to God ? Why,
his facrifice was of a fweet-fmelling favour unto his Father, Eph.
5. 2.Theflinking fmell of fm is extinguiflied thereby, and the
perfons and performances of believers perfumed,* and hence,
how favoury alfo to believers, Song 1. 13. His lips are like Hllics^
dropping fweet-fmelling myrrh. What think ye of his favoury
name? Songi. 3,5. Bccauje of the favour of thy good ointments,
thy name is as ointment poured forth ; therefore do the virgins love
thee. Were it no more but the name Jesus a Saviour, may ic
not be fo delightful to fmners, as to caufe their hearts to leap
within them when they hear ic, as !fohn leapt in his mother's
womb for joy, at the voice of the bleifedVirgin's falutation,LM/:j
1.44. O what think ye of the fwcet name Jesus ! It fliould even
pluck your heart out of your bofom,and tranfplant it into the
bofom of Chrift. Flow delightful is the very naming of a
temporal Saviour to them that are in mifery, when they hear
his ability and readinefs to deliver them. ? And may not you.'
hearts even dance within you for joy, when you hearns fpeak
to you of fuch a Saviour as favcs from fin and wrath ? O fweec-

C 3 fmeiling

22 The main Q^uestion,

fmelling name! O have you no fenfe of fmelling: PFhat think
ye ■ of Chrijl ?

(6.) What think ye of his beauty and comelinefs? Thisisalfo
imported in his name Christ, and fointhequeftion,/^«f r^m;^
ye o/C/;r7y^ the anointed ? Ointment and perfume rejoice the hearty
fays Solomon, Prov. 27.9. Now Chrifl is anointed zvith the oil of glad-
nefs, Pfa). 45. 7. ciud a glad heart makes a cheurful countenance ; yea,
ml makes the face to Jhine, Pfal. 104. 15. A famt, that hath but a
fprinkling of this oil, how will his face ihine, and his counte-
nance, like Hannah's, be no more fad ; How did Mofes's face
Ihine when Tome of this oil was upon him ! But O what think ye
of thefliining glory and comelinefs of Chrifl, who is anointed
from head to foot ! Is he not altogether lovely ? Is he not 'johite and
ruddy, the chief amonghnthoiifands ? Is he not a perfe6l- beauty?
j^ll God's fulnefsis in him, all God's beauty is in him, allGod's^
glory is to be feen in the face of ^efus, 2 Cor. 4. 6. O then, ^hat
think ye of Chrijl ?

( 7. ) What think ye of his worth and precioufnefs ? This is
alfo imported in the name Christ, andfoin the queition, fVhat
think ye of Chriji, the anointed ? for it is precious ointment, Pfal.
133. 2. Ointment was reckoned of great worth and efteem a-
mong the y^wi" ,• it was among the precious prefents that were
fent unto kings, Ifa. 57.9. Hof 12. i. Ohow great is the preci-
oufnefs and worth of Chriil: I It is the delight and recreation, the
fludyand occupation of ele6t Angels, to pry into the preciouf-
nefs of Chriil, to look upon the frameandfabrickoffalvationto
mankind-fmners by Chriil, that they may therein obferve the
glorious attributes of God, his wifdom, power, hoHnefs,juflice,
truth, mercy, all fliining and glittering in it, like bright ftars
in the firmament. Let a profane world think what they will
of Chrifl,- let them flight him and his gofpel; let them fcorn
him, and caft him at their heels ; let them trample on his blood
and pafllion as their manner is, making it a common and worthlefs
thing; let them defpife his high and celeflialmyfleries; we need
not care for their thoughts ; it is enough that God the Father
hath honoured and exalted him, that the holy Angels do reve-
rence and worfliip him, and that all the Saints do magnify him.
To themthat believe, he is precious: O his blood is precious blood,
his promifes are precious promifes, his love is precious love, and.
every thing about him is precious : IVhat think ye of Chriji ?

(8.) Again, to add no more here, What think you of his vertue
and ufefuinefs? This, I fuppofe, is alfo imported in the name

Chrijl,

JVhat think ye c/ Christ ? 2%

thrift, and in the queftion objc6livcly confider'd, /^FS^t think ye
of Chrift the anointed"? For as ointment was and is of manifold
ufefulnefs, fo is Chrifl. Efpecially oil hath a tu^ofold vertue
ijt, A mollifying vertue, and a foftning quality ; fuch is the'
Vertue of Chrift. Were the heart never fo hard, he can foften
and mollify it ; a drop of that oil with which he is anointed, I
mean the fmalleft faving motion of his Spirit, can melt anddif-
folve the heart, tho' it were harder than a ftone or ^dcHnsLUt^Ezek.
36. 26. 2dly, It hath a medicinal vertue. Hence it is faid of
the Samaritan, Luke 10. 34. that he poured oil into the wounds of
the diftrefled man. Chrift is the tender-hearted Samaritan ; his
Blood and Spirit is the ointment for curing all the wounds that
we got by the old ferpent. What wounds, what plagues, what
deadly difeaies and defperate maladies are among you ? Behold,
there is nodifeafe out of hell thatfurmounts the medicinal ver-
tue that is in Chrift ! O then, PVhatthinkyeof Chriftl Is there
none here to think highly of him ? Now, thefe particulars that I
have mentioned are imported in the very name Christ, andfo
implied in the queftion obje6lively confidered, or withrefpe61 to
the obje6l thereof ; Wlmt think ye of Chrift?

The 5^co7z^ thing here propofed, was, Tofliewthe import of
this queftion a^ively confidered, or with refpeft to the act of
thinking; What think ye ofChriJll Now the full import of this
queftion, thus viewed, may comprehend more than people are
ready to imagine. It is not a tranfcient thought, or fleeting im-
agination; we ought not to explain the words of Chrift by the
motions and notions of our own fpirit : We need the Spirit of
Chrift to explain the words of Chrift according to the mind of
Chrift, I Cor. 2. lajt. We may befure, as the Apoftlefays, 2 Cor.
2. 5. thatiu^ are not fufffcient cf oiirfehes, to think any thing as of
ourfehes; our fu-ficiency viuft be of God : And if we can think of
nothing aright of ourfelves, far lefs can we think of Chrift: And
as none can fpeak duly of Chrift, nor call Jefus Lord, without the
Spirit ,-fo neither can we think duly ofChrift, without the Spirit
of Chrift. What then is the meaning of this queftion relating to
its aft of thinking; What think ye of Chrift ? There are thefe
following particulars, which I fuppofe arc implied therein, and
which I fliall alfo propofe by way of query, that you may ftill
fearch yourfelves and make application as we go along.

(i .) What think ye ofChrift^ ? that is. What know ye ofChrift ?
what underftand ye of Chrift? Surely ye cannot have a right
thought of that which ye do not know or underftand. Have you.

C 4 got

jj-. "fhe main Q^uestion,

£0t the Spirit of 'vo'ifclom and revelation in the knowledge of Chrijl'^
Eph. J- I?- Hathr/j^Gofl', ixiho commanded the light to jhine out of
darknefs^ fohied into ^'our hearts^ to ghe you the light of the knowledge
of bis glory in the face ofjefus Chrijt ? iiath God revealed his Son in
you'^ Gal. I. 1 6. Have you feentheSon ? Hethac fees the na-
tural fun in the firmament, hath a thought of it fuitable to the
fight he hath thereof; but a man that hath been born blind, and
never faw the hght, he cannot have a right notion or thought of
the fun, tho' youfhouldfpeakneverfomuchoftheglory of it to
him. 1 have heard of a man born blind^ on whom a great deal
of pains was taken to let him underftand what a glorious creature
the fun was, and what bright beams and rays it fends forth thro*
all the world ; but he was fo far from having any right thoughts
about itj that, after all the pains taken on him that was poffible,
he cries out, O kow ( fays he ) / know what it is, it isjuji like the
found of a trumpet. Poor man / there was the befl notion he could
frame about it, for he never had eye?. So it is here, Sirs, we are
all born blind, having no fpiritual eyes, 'till God opens the eyes
of the underflanding, and enlightens theraindin theknowlege
of Chrifl: Wemayfpeak of his glory and excellency; but the
bed you make of him is, O he is like a very ftately andmajef-
tick pcrfon as ever you faw or heard tell of; and fo you frame
the image of a great man, fitting on a lofty throne, compaflTed
about with fo many fparkling attendants in fine robes ; And
Vv^hat you have heard with your natural ears of any perfon, or
feen with your natural eyes, or can conceive with your natural
underftanding or reafon, helps you to, or furniflies you with
materials for framing fuchanotionof him. But what is all this?
It is nothing but an image oi your own brain, a carnal, fan-
tafi;ical thought; the true Chrift is the image of the invifible
God, the wifdom of God, and the power of God, God-man in
one perfon. Now, have you got a fpiritual difcerning ? for
the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God ; they
are fcoUfhnefs to him^ neither can he know them, becaufe they are
fpirituaily difcerned. The world cannot think of Chrifl:, far lefs
think much of him, becaufe they do not know him: Like^^p's
cock, contenting himfelf with, and thinking more of a barley-
corn than a pearl, becaufe he knew not the worth of it ; fo the
world think more of the barley-corn of temporal good things.
than they think of the pearl of great price, becaufe they know
it not : Therefore thequefl;ion imports. What know ye of Chrift?
(2 .) fVbat think ye ofCbtiJt ? that is. What believe ye of Chrifl?

Knowledge

JV})at think ye of Christ "? 25

Knowledge and faith are like the two eyes of the foul ,* knowlege
is the difcerning and apprehending eye, faith is the a'pplying
and appropriating eye. And as faving knowledge is objective
faith, and faving faith fiducial knowledge ; fo without know-
ledge we cannot think duly of Chrift, with refpe6l toAvhat he
is in himfelf, and without faith we cannot think of Chriflwith
refpeft to what he is to us, fo as to receive the record of Godj
namely, That God hath given us eternal life f and this life is inbisSon^
I Joh.5. II. whichiQCord whofoever believeth ?iot, hath made God a
liaffVQw 10. That the queftion concerns this believing tho't of
Chrifl, is plain from the context, wherein Chrifl fliews they
had but unworthy thoughts of him, if they did not fee him to be
David's Lord, that is, the true God, and eternal life ; in and thro'
whom, as the God-man, this hfe was to be conveyed from God to
man. This queftion then is atrial of our fa.iih,whichfaithisthc
evidence of things notfeen. -And, I fuppofe, one of the reafons why
Chrill here fays, fVhat think ye of Chrifl ? and nor, fVhat think ye of
me^ is, becaufe, tho' now they were fpeaking to him and feeing
him with their bodily eyes; yet their faith was not to terminate
on what was the obje6l of their fenfe.We have no more fiiith than
an ox or a horfe,if we believe no more than we fee and feel. The
brute-beafts think they have what they find they have by feeing
and feeling ; but what do you, that are rational creatures, think of
things that cannot be feen or felt ? Faith is the evidence-of things ?iot
fien/ThePharifees hei^,they faw Chrift, they faw his m.iracles : but
yet,- for all that, they faw not the true Chrifl by Faith, while they
law not his invifibleGlory,his invif]bleGodhead,nor theinvifible
feal appended to his commiffion for faving finners. Therefore it
is not, What think ye of me ? Your eyes fee mjc, as if I were no more
but a man like your felves ; but, fFhat think ye cf Chrifl ? Do
you believe no more of Chrifl than you fee? If fo, then you
have no right thoughts of Chrifl: at all, becaufe you have no
faith. My friends, the queftion concerns you alfo : Itis nor^
What fee or feel you of Chrifl: ? bur, IVhat believe ye of Chrifl 7
There is a threefold feeing or feeling, that is to be fcparate from
believing. The/;y?isarw/)or6'^/fceingorfeehng: Thomas tho't
it a better way to believe Chrift to be rifen, by feeing and feeling
him, than by running to the promifes without fight of him ; and
we all naturally follow him : But Chrift tells him,that the beft and
moft bleffed way v/as quite contrary to that, Jc/;72 20.29. Blcfjcd
lire they that have not fc en, and yet have believed. Again, 2 , There is a
rational feeing, that is to be feparate from believing. Tho'' none
can believe, without the exercife of their rational faculties fpiri-

toalized^.

26 The main (Question,

tualized, and tho' it be the higheftreafon to believe what God
ipeaks ; yet to make natural reafon the rule or ground of faith, is
DOC to believe at alljbut the way to doubt of all that ever God faid.
rZ'6'7;2i7i'conrulted with reafon, and reafon confulted with death
and the grave, whether they could fend their guefts away back
and alive again into the world; and fo he believed not. li Abraham
had not feparatedrhe fight of reafon from his faith in the promif-
ed feed, where would his faith have been ? Natural reafon might
fay, Hearkyou, Abraham, Is it poffible that you and Sarah can
now have a Son betwixt you, when you're both come tofuchan
age,that you're but dead flocks ?But,when reafon began to fpeak,
Abraham ftopt his ears ; he confidered not the deadnefs of his own
body, nor oi Sarah's womb, Rom. 4. 19, 20, 21. Hefiaggerednot at
the promife of God through unbelief, but was Jirong in the faith, giving
glory to God, being fully perfuaded that he that hadpromifed was able to
perform. It may be, reafon is whifpering into the ears offome
here, faying, O man, woman, you're but a dead ftock, a dead
ilone,' do you ever think tohe a. child of Abraham, oy that you'll
bring forth fruit unto God? But, if you believe with Abraham,
you'll fay, Hold your peace, carnal reafon; you're but a blind
fool in the matters of God : Cannot God out of flones raife up
-children to Abraham ? And as he is able, fo he hath given me ma-
ny promifes in his word, which he allows me to build upon, and
commands me to believe. Unbelief builds always upon fenfe
and reafon, but faith builds upon the power and promife of God ;
What^^/zVi/'^youof Chrifl? 3. There is a ^/pirm^a/ feeing, that is
to be feparated from faith. It is true, there 1.^ a fpiritua: f ieing
of fanftified knowledge and underftanding, which T 1 v>keof
already, that is elTential to faith ; there can be no l^eJit-vin <; with-
out this feeing : He that fees the Son, and believes in him, hath cver^
laftinglife. Butthere isafpiritual feeing of experience, or c;x-
penmental fenfe and feeling, which is to be feparate from believ-
ing,- fuch as fpiritual mourning, fpiritual joy, fpiritual enlarge-
ment, or fjch like workings of the Spirit. Where rhefe are, they
Ihould indeed be cherifliedvvdththankfulnefs, as being a tafte of
heaven, and a comfortable means of glorifying God on earth:
But it is dangerous to make them the ground oi faith; for they
are always ebbing and flowing up and down, it may be twenty
times in the fpace of one fermon ; and your faith that is built
thereupon will be up and down therewith. If you believe no
longer than you fee and feel, no wonder that you are always
doubting, when you are not feeling. And fo you're never living

by

What think ye 0/ Christ? " 27

by faith ; for you're not properly believing,when you're feeling :
faith is one thing, and feeling another. Or, if you build partly
on the feeling of God's work withinyou, and partly oii thetruth
of God's word without you, then you're like one that would build
a houfe partly on the thawing ice, an d partly on a firm rock ; fure-
ly that part of the houfe that was built on the ice, will tumble
down whenever the ice melts : But, were the building of faith
wholly upon thefirmrock, that changes not with thechangesof
your fenfe and feeling, you would find no more caufe of doubt-
ing when ycu have,than when you want thefe changeable things;
you would be thankful when you have them, and yet not doubt-
ful when you want them. Unbelief, which builds upon things
feen and felt, fays and thinks, inthe want of thefe, O all is gone,
and fo razeth the foundation; but faith, which is the evidence of
things not feen, fays, even in the want of thefe, All is yet well and
fecure; Chriilis what he was, the promifeis what it was, the
truth of God is what it was, however I be changed. Thefe are
the different thoughts of faith and unbeUef ; and what think ye ?
I true, when the meaning of the queftion is. What believe ye of
Chrift ? the mofhparc will find, that either they have no faith, or
very little.

Thus P^z// believed contrary to fenfe and feeling, when he goc
the promife of his own life, and the life of all that were in the
fliip with him, Jffts 27. 25. 1 believe God, fays he, that it fljallbe
even as it ims told me. See in what circumftances he was, when
he thus believed, 'y^;/^j 15, 18, 20. their light was gone, theteni-
peft was on them, and all hope from outward appearances was
gone; yet P«m/ was allured and perfuaded, that God would do as
he had faid. Why, might unbelief fay, if the fun were iliining,
and a fair wind blowing, if the Sun of righteoufnefs were Ihining
on me, and the wind ofheavenly influences blowing, and I were
fair before the wind, than I would believe : But now, when there
is nothing but darknefs, tempeits, how can I believe ? No indeed^
you cannot, while you make fenfe and feeling the ground of your
faith, and not the truth and veracity of God in his word of grace
and promife. Thus it is in the matter of Juftification before God.
The believer is to look upon himfelf as righteous, through the
righteoufnefs of Chrifl ; to believe himfdf perfeft in Chrifb, and
fiducially to think himfelf righteous in Chrill ; No, fays unbelief)
I cannot think that, becaufe I feel tlie contrary ^ I feel my own
unrighteoufnefs, iin and corruption. Why,, if there were no
fenfe or feeling of fin, there would be no room for faith ; If you

had.

28 The main (^uestiot,

had a righteoufnefs of your own, and a feeling thereof, then you
would have no need of Chrift's righteoufnefs ; but, now, that
you have a feeling of your unrighteoufnefs and fin, there is room
for faith ; according to fuch a word as that, 2 Cor. 5. lajl., He
hath madehimtobefiuforiis^ that ixie might be made the righteoufnefs
ofGodinhim. The very eflenceof faith here is to believe the
quite contrary to what we fee and feel in ourfelves, faying. In
my felf I have no righteoufnefs, no ftrength ,• but furely in the
Lord have I righteoufnefs and ftrength. Now, tho' I fliould
fliew no more of the import of this queftion. What think ye of
Chriji? but thefe two, namely, What know ye of Chrirt;,? and
what believe yeofChrift? furely it is a matter of eternal confe-
quence to anfwer this queflion, thus explained,- for if you mifs
the right anfwer to thefe two branches ot this queflion, your
doom at the great day will be dreadful, 2 TheJJl i. 7, 8- He will be
revealed from heaven in flaming fire , taking vengeance on them that
know him not., and obey not theGofpel; that is, whenever had fuch
thoughts of Chrift, as to know him, and believe in him as the
ChrifiofGod. Again,

(3.) Whatthink ye of Chriji? Thatis, what love yeofChrift,
and what favour have ye for him ? As they that know him will
believe, and put their truft in him ; fo they that believe in him
will love him, for faith works by love. It muft be a loving tho'c,
that Chrift here intended by this queftion, while in the context
he fets forth himfelf not only as David's Son, but David^s Lord, a
God-man, and fo a glorious object of love, altogether lovely.
Were our affections enlarged wider than the highefl heaven,
there is lovelinefs enough in a God-man to fill it ; and could our
hearts hold an ocean of love, there is infinite lovelinefs in Chrift
to beftow it all upon. Every thing in Chrift is lovely ; and there-
fore thequeftion. What think ye of Chrifil muflbe. What loi''e
ye of Chrift ? If any man love not our Lord Jefus Chrift, let him
hQ Anathema Mar anat ha., fays the Apoftle. Surely they are not
believers that are not lovers of Chrift. It is true, Chrift hath
many pretended lovers, that love him only for his bounty, but
not for his beauty, and that fay they love him ; but it is not ^o,
if you ccnflder the qualities of their love, i/?. It is an eafy love,
they came eafily by it, without ever getting their natural enmi-
ty difcovered or broken: They were never humbled for their
want of love ; fuch a love is no t worth a farthing. Or, 2dly, It is
an idle love, it does not lead them to his fervice, nor draw them to
their prayers ; his commands are ftill grievous to them. Or,

3%»

What think ye of Christ ? 29

^dly, If it be not an idle, it is a legallovt : It may be the law comes
to them, and fays, as Fharaoh faid to the Jfraelitcs, Ye are idle, ye
areidle, £a;o^. 5.17. and fo they fall adoing for their life, accord-
ing; to the DO and live of the firfl covenant. But it is not doin^
from love to Chrift : It is not a Gofpel-love to him as a la'x-ful'
filler^ but a legal love tohimasonly a/^w-o-f'D^'r, and as if he was
Hill ftanding upon the old covenant terms with them. Or, /\.thly^
If it be not a legal love, it is a kofe and licentious love they have to
him : It is a love with a latitude, allowing as much room for the
Devil as for Chrift, as much room for the world as for Chrift, and
as much room for lufts. Surely they that have no otjier love to
Chrift, but fuch an eafy, idle, legal, loofe or licentious love, they
are not true lovers; nay, they are true haters of him, and ene-
mies to him. Let them fay as they will, that they love Chrift,
yet they think nothing of him. But, believer. What think ye
of Chrift ? When the meaning of the queftion to you is, Simon,
Jon of Jonas, lovejl thou me more than thefe ? O, can you anfwer it
with an appeal. Thou, that knowejl all things, knoweji that I love
theel or at Icaft, can you anfwer it withafigh, Wo's me that I
cannot love him as I ought ? Surely, if you have not a love of de-
light, rejoicing in him, you have a love of defire, lamenting after
him. Sometimesthe loving foulgoesto acommunion, andthe
fecret groan is, O let me find Chrift at this occafion .' OI muft
have him, I muft have him! Why W2Z(/? you have him? evenbe-
caufehemufthaveyou, yo/;72 10. 16. Other Poeep I have, zvhichare
not of this fold; thefe alfo Imiifi bring, andthey fljall hear my voice.
He hath faid firft, I nnift have you, and that hath brought you to
fay, I mufi have him. Here are tvv^o neceftlties meeting, his ne-
celTity and your necefllty, hisneceftity indeed is a pure necef-
lity oUove, but your firft neceftity was the neceffity ofzvant : But,,
fmcehefrom /ow hath a need of you, as well as you from ivaut
have a need of him, you muft ofneceilTty" meet together in love.
You love him, becaufe he firft loved you ; you feek him, becaufe
he firft fought you : Therefore henceforth, as he feeks you from
love, fo do you not only feek him from want, that is too felfilh ;
but alfo let your way of feeking him grow up to more confor-
mity tohiswayof feekingyou, namely, from love, faying, Sa^D
ye him ijohom my fuul loveth ? Tell him that I am fick of love. O
what think ye, Vv^hat love yeofChrift? Again,

( 4 ) PVhat think ye of Chrift ? that is, Wiiat efteem ye of Chrift,,
or what eftimate and valuation have you for him ? This is plain-
ly imported in tlie queftion here. Why^ might Chrift fay, ye

Pharifees

30 The mam (Question,

Pharirees are iliewing your ignorant efleem of the law, by all the
quefcions y ou are propofing about it ; but what think ye of Chrift,
who is the Lord of the law, as well as David's Son and Lord ? You
have an ignorantly high opinion of M^/^j, but what think ye of
Chrifl; ? what honour and refpeft do you put upon him ? Surely,
to them that believe^ he is precious, or as the word imports, he is
honourable. Where there is true knowledge of Chriil:, there is
£iith; where there is faith, there is love,- and where there is
Jove, there is a higheileem. Somethings, the more they are
known, the lefs they are efteemed ; But it is not fo with Chrifl;
they that know him mofl, do efteem him mod. God the Father
knows him bed, and heefleems him mofl highly, Ifa. 42. i. Saints
and Angels in heaven know him next beft, and how they efte^m
him,youmayfee,i^^i;. 5. 8,9, 10, II, 12. The more that an^j^
earth knows him, the more do they efteem him; and only thefe
that do not know him, do not efteem him, iCor. 1.21,22,23^ 24.
They that are befl judges, think highly of Chrifl- What judge ye,
what efteem have ye of him ? There is a fourfold lodging or room
that the efteem of Chrifl hath in the fouls of them that duly e-
ileem him. i. In their intelle^ive faculty, that is, in their un-
derftanding this efteem lodges, faying, O ! I determine to know
nothing but Chrifl! O, Sirs, if a man had the knowlege of all the
univedities in the world concentered in him, and yet knew not
Chrift, he is but a poor filly fot. Paul, bro't up at the feet of Ga-
haliel, had a great deal of knowlege and human literature ; but as
foon as he came to know Chrift, O, fays he, Icount all but dung for
tJye excellency of the knowledge of Chrifi Jefus my Lord. 2. In their
eletlive faculty, that is, in their choice does this efteem lodge. O
they that efleem Chrift, they fele6l and fingle him out for a head
and^ husband, with whom they refolve to live and die, faying,
fVbotn have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon the earth that I
dcfirebefidesthee. 3. In theii' profecutive faculty, that is, in their
affections does this efteem lodge, thefe do ardently and vehe-
mently purfue after him. As nothing can fatisfy a hungry man
but food, fo nothing fatisfies fuch a foul but Chriift ; hence pro-
ceeds their induflry in the ufe of means and ordinances. 4. In
ihi^iT retentive fcLCuhy, that is, in their memory will this efteem
alfolod^e; while their efteem of him makes them remember
him, and their meditation of him to be fweet. ffhen I remember
thee upon my bed^ and meditate on thee in the night-watches, my foul
Jljallbefatisfieda.y with marrow andfatnefsy and my mouth fMllpraife
thee with joyful lips, PfaL 63. 5, 6. What we love and efteem, will'

have

tVhat think ye of Christ 7 31

have a lodging in our minds and thoughts. And^ where does the
flrain of our thoughts and medications run ? is, no doubt, implied
in the queflion, PFhat think ye cf Chriji ? What room do you give
him in your heart and thoughts ? Now thefe four particulars,
nameiy, i. What knoiv ye, 2. What beiieve ye, 3. What love
ye, 4. What efieem ye of Chrifl? are here im.plied.

The Third I'hing here propofed, was. To fliew the import of
this queflion formally confidered, with relpeft to the quality of
the aft. I have fhewed what may be implied in the queftion,
with relation to the adl of thinking : Now the interrogative par-
ticle JVhat, pointing at the quality of this a6l, may furniili us with
fome further thoughts about the import of the queftion, for-
mally confidered. It is the What in the text that now I am ef-
pecially upon ; and befides the general PFhat is your opinion of
Chrifl? What is your judgment about Chrifl? there is a four-
fold What here implied. ( i ) What good do you think of him ?
You Pharifees think much good of your felves ? who but you, arrd
your righteoufnefs, your alms, your facrifices, your temple, your
zeal for Mofes and the law ? But, What think ye ofChriftl Is he
no more in your view than a mortal Ton of a mortal man? No
wonder then, in this cafe, you think little good of him. Can you
afcend no higher in your contemplation to apprehend him as the
immortal Son ofthe immortal God, the eternal Son of the eter-
nal Father, the righteoufnefs of God, the gift of God, the true
facrifice, the true temple, the antitype of all the types, thefub-
flanceof all the fhadows, the fulnefsof all the prophecies and
promifes? What, do you think him good for nothing, but to be
defpifed, debafed, and trampled upon ? What good do you think
of him? (2.) What g/or}/ do you think to be in him ? Do you not
darken his glory, when you look upon him only to be the fun of
David, and not alfo to be the Lord o^ David, and the Lord of glo-
ry, the root and offspring q^ David; not only the offspring o^Da-
vidas man, but the root of David as God ? What think ye of
him as the glory of God, andtheGqd of glory, bringing inadif-
penfation much more glorious than that of Mofes, which glory-
was to be done away, 2Cor. 3.7, 8,9. Chrifl as the fent of God,-
being anoipted with the Spirit f^or that end. If the miniftration of
death written and engraven on flones was glorious, howfliall not
the miniftration ofthe Spirit be rather glorious j' If the miniilra-
rion of condemnation be glory, much more does the miniflration
of righteoufnefs exceed in glory. And whatglory do you think
So be in ChriftjWho is the glory of all this glory? Do you fee Chrifl

to

32 The main (Question,

to be thus glorious, and me to be the Chrifl: ? Tho' now, might he
fay, this glory is under a vail of i^efli, a vail of exinanition and hu-
miliation; yet this mean appearance that I'm making now, as if I
were no more but a frail mortal man, was clearly foretold to you
by the prophets concerning Chrift, even that he fnould be a man,
and a manofforrows; Can you fee nothing of my glory and ex-
cellency under this vail? Is there no glory in the fun, becaufe
there is a cloud betwixt you and it? (3.) What nfe do you think he
is of ?For,if he were only theSon oiDamd^ho. could be of no greac
ufefulnefs to a periihing world of finners : But, do you think and
confider, that herein is the myftery of divine grace ,• Godfo loved
the 'world, that hefent his only begotten-Son, that whofoever believetb in
him, 7night not perifjj, but have everlafting life ? If the brafen fer-
pent, which was but a type of Chrifl:, was of ufe to the (iung^If-
radites. What think ye of Chrifl: ? can any thing in the world be
fo ufeful to linners as Chrifl: ? Of what ufe is the law, whereof
you're boafl;ing ? It is but a dead letter, a killing word, a fentence
ofcondemnation,adeath-fummons,adead-warrantagainfl: them
without Chrifl:, who is the end of th£ law for righteoiifnefs. Who
but Chrifl: can reconcile God to man, & ingratiate man withGod?
Who but he can fulfil the law andfatisfyjufl:ice for them, pay
their debts, heal their difeafes, juflify,fan6tify, and fave them,
vanquifli fin, death and hell for them, and at lafl: raife the moulde-
red carcafe from corruption toincorruption, andinvefl:itwitha
ftate of everlafting glory in the higheft heaven,with/i//K^y> of joy,
andpkafiiresfor evermore at his right-band ? Is he an ufelefs Cin-ifl; to
you, tho' he fills all in all,and alone can give abundant fatisfadion
£0 the immortal foul ; whereas all things elfe are but dry and emp-
ty without him, and leave men defbitute ? O dry means, dry mi-
mfl:ers, dry ordinances, dry facraments, dry fermons, and dry
prayers, if Chrifl: be away! O dry breafl:s ifhebenotthe milk,
dry branches if he be not the fap, dry clouds, dry wells if he be not
the water ! O what u fe think ye he is for ? What work and fervice
have ye for him? (4.) Whatworf/j do you think he is of? Your
thoughts are employed, might Chrifl: fay, how to tempt me with
your quefl:ions about the law, undervaluing that Lord God that
gave the law, and that now is come in the perfon oftheMefJlas to
fulfil the law ; & is he unworthy to have a room in your thoughts ?
or what worth do you think him of ? If you judge rightly, and
think duly of him, you'll find he hath more real worth than all the
world beflde : For, put all the creatures in heaven & earth in one
fcale and Chrifl; in another, you'll find them all to be lighter than

vanity.

What think ye of CnRisr ? 3^

vanity. This is plain, if you confider, that when all the world of
nien,angels & creatures were weighed in the balance with divine
■juftice, they were found too light to counterpoife it, or give fatis-
faftion toit ; all they together could not make up the fu^l fum or
value that (liould fatisfy that juftice: It cofl more to redeem a foul,
than all that they were worth: The redemption of the foul is precious^
and ceafes for everyCays thePfalmift.ButChriftjhavingunfearchable
riches, is a mafs of treafure big enough for the purpofe ; & there-
fore, whenhe was laid in balance with infinite juftice, he was
found of weight enough to poifeit, without any creature's help
to hold down the fcale : Nay, he looked and there was none to help,
9ione to uphold; therefore his own arm brought fahation; and he trod
the wineprefs alone, andof the people there were none with him, Ifa. 63.
3,5. Who among the creatures could go thorow, conquering and
to conquer, as Chrift did, when he had heaven, earth and hell to
grapple with? What think ye of Chrift then ? What worth do
you think he isof ? Upon the whole, before I leave this point,
Ictmeaskthefe twoqueftions, to bring home this one, concern-
ing what worth you think Chrift is of^ The firft Queftion is.
What price would you buy him at, if you were to buy him ? Sure-
ly, if you had a due tho't of Chrift, and a difcovery of the pearl,
you would for joy fell your all to buy it; Mat. 13. 44,45, 4.6.
And when all is done, you would fee your ^// to be nothing at all,
and the pearl to be all in all. Indeed this treafure is fo great, this
pearlisfb precious, that it cannot be bought at any price; and
therefore the price of it is, no money, no price, altogether free, Ifa.
55.1. To buy here, is to beg, and take freely : yet if the quefti-
on be. What would you gize for him, if he were to be bought ? Sure-
ly, if you knew your own need, and his infinite fulnefs and fuit-
ablenefs for you, the queftion will fuggeft fome great thought of
Chrift. Oa thoufand thoufand worlds, if I had them, would I
give for him ! Yea, but there are fome that hold him at a very low
price, they would not give a groat or a fixpence for Chrift or his
intereft ; they would not part with a fliilling or a crown for Chrift
or his caufe, Chrift or his Gofpel ; nay, they will not part with a
beaftly luft for him, their idols and the world are of greater price
to them. But there are others that know his worth better, and
are willing to forfake all for him, Mat. 19. 27. M^e have forfaken
all and followed thee. The holy martyrs thought not their lives
and their hearts blood too dear for Chrift^ 7^^?;. 12. n.They loved
tiot their lives unto the death,!, e. they defpifed their lives in com-
parifon of Chrift ; they expofed their bodies to horrible and

^ painful

54 I'he main Q^uestion,

painful deaths, their temporal eflates to the fpoil, taking joy ful-
ly the fpoiling of their goods, and expofing tKeirperfons to all
manner of fliame and contempt for the caufe of Chrifl. O but a
foul that by faith apprehends the worth of Chrift, will cheerfully
and willingly give all for him ; and, having won a Chrift, will go
away rejoicing, and think his pennyworth to be very good, very
great. The fecond Qiieflion is, PFhat rateixould ye fell him at,
if ye were to fell him ? Judas fold him, and the high prielb bought
him, for thirty pieces of filver, a goodly price that I was prized at
of them, Zech. ii. 13. It is ironically fpoken, a bonny price indeed
for a God-man, Cafl it to the Potter , fays the Lord. Men of dark-
ned underflandings, corrupt minds, and depraved afFe6lions, will
fell Chriil and his caufe, Chrift and a good confcience, for a trifle ,*
yea, many betray his caufe for fome poor worldly confideration.
O for fuch a Spirit as I read of in the forty martyrs, that fuffered
fo valiantly under LiciniuSy anno 300, that when Jgricolaus his de-
puty, one of the devil's agents, fetupon them feveral ways to
draw them to deny Chrift, and at laft tempted them with an offer
of money and preferment, they all cried out with one con-

fent, 0 eternity, eternity, give us money that mlllafito

eternity, andgoldthatwillabide forever, fuch as Chrifl can give us :
They flighted that pitiful wealth which was current only in this
beggarly world, when coming in competition with Chrift and his
durable riches ; they would not fell Chrift for a world, nay not iox
a world of worlds. O at what rate would you fell Chrift ! Surely,
if you think duly and highly of him, you'll buy him at any rate,
but fell him at no rate. It is eafy indeed to frame a tranfcient
thought, O who would put Chrift in the ballance with any thing !
But ftay till a day of trial come, and the queftion be brought clofe
home, Novj, mil you quit Chrifl and his caufe, or will you qui* with
father and mother, and wife and children, andejlateandfortune, houfss
and yards, and life and all ? I believe that would be a hard queftion;
skin for skin, and all that a man hath, will he give for his life, he will
quit all before he quit with his life. Surely, if Chrift be your
life, you would quit all other lives for him, a natural life, a tem-
poral life, a life of pleafure, a life of honour, a life of eafe and
worldly accommodations ; and if you think much of him, there
is fome life you have quit for him already, atleaftinpart, and in
defire and endeavour; namely, a life of fin, a life of felf, a life of
jegal righteoufnefs, that the life you live may be a life of faith on
the Son of God. Now, I fuppofe all thefe ^jats are imported
in the queftion, i. What good do you think of him ? 2. What^/o-

PTJmt think ye c/ Christ? 35-

ry do you think to be in him ? 3. What ufe do you think he is for ?
4. What "voorthdo you think he is of, when he is to be bought or
fold ? This queflion bears all thefe in its bofom, What think ye of
Chrift ?

'I'he Fourth and /^ thing propofed upon the explication of the
import ofthe queflion, was, to fliew the import of icfabje6lively
confidered, or with refpeft totheperfons that are the fubjefts
thereof, 'or to whom the queflion is put, in the pronoun, ye,
IVbatthinkyeofChriJt? And under this confideration we may
take a fourfold view of the queflion, ( i . ) View it as it was put
to the Jews in general, for fo were thefe to whom Chrifl is here
fpeaking ,• Ye that are J^wr, What think ye of Chrifl ? Ye are
the people, of whom, concerning the flefli, Chrifl came, for (as
ye own concerning Chrifl ) he is the Son of David ; and ye
are the people to whom he and his Gofpel behoved firfl to
come, for falvation is of the jPews, Joh. 4. 22. Ye are his
own people, and what think ye of Chrifl ? Alas ! he came to
his own, and his own received him not, they thought nothing of
him when he came; and therefore, as Paul fays, A&s 28.28.
The falvation of God isfent to the Gentiles, and he adds. They will
hear it. Now, ofconfequence, Chrifl and the Gofpel, and this
queflion with it, comes to you Gentiles, faying, What think ye of
Chrifl ? O will ye think nothing of him, or will ye make PmU
liar, who faid ye fliall hear it ; or rather will ye give the lie to the
Sp.ir-it_Qf God ? Nay, whatever the mofl part do, yet as many
as were ordained to eternal life, will be brought to think highly of
Chrifl, by getting the faving knowledge,faith, love and efleem of
him. (2. ) View the queflion as it was put to the Pharifees,z
fet of hypocrites and felf-righteousperfons : Ye that are Pbari-
fees. What think ye of Chrifl ? Ye are ftri6t obfervers of the let-
ter of the law, and think much of your long prayers, your giving
alms of all that you pofTefs, your fafling twice a week, your being
no open drunkards, whoremongers, extortioners, nor like this
or that publican ; but while you,thinkfo much of yourfelves and
your own righteoufnefs, and think nothing of Chrifl, publicans
and harlots go into the kingdom before you ; therefore, what think ye
of Chrifl the Son oWavid, the Lord ofDavid,the Lord of the law,
by whom alone everlajling righteoifnefs is brought in, anfwering
the fpirit, and not the letter of the law only ? The queftion then
comes to bepropofed to all of the fame kidney with thefe Pha-
rifees,*"Yethatare hypocrites and felf-juflifyingperfons, What
think ye of Chrifl ? Ye that are thinking, O you're an honefl

D 2 ' man

36 The main Question,

raan, you have been a good neighbour, jufl in your dealing, civil
in your carriage, and To you fancy yourfelf to be touching the
Jawblamelefs; What, man, are you contented to be judged by
the law ? then to Ccefar let us go, 'to the law let us go : But only
look the law broad in the face, look not only to the aut-fide of the
law, like a man looking only to the back and outfide of a looking-
glafs, or to the frame and edge of it, where he does not fee him-
felf, but look to theinfide of the looking-glafsof thelaw, to the
fpirituality of it ; fet your face to the face of the glafs, and as you
will fee what a deformed filthy creature you are, fo you will find
it curfing you to your face, and curfing you to hell foF every wick-
ed thought as well as adlion, faying, Curfedis every one that conti-
nues not in all things ivrittenin the book of the law to do them ; there-
fore you have need to think again, and think better than ever
you did, aboutalaw-juftifying righteoufnefs, and to think there
is need of this queftion. What think ye of Chrifl ? ( 3. ) View the^
qucftion as it was put to the Sadducees; for it feems they were
combined with the Fharifees here againfl Chrifl, if you compare
"oerfes 23 & 34. Now, thefe Sadducees were a fet of people that der
nied the immortality of the foul, the refurreftion of the body, the
exiftence of thefpirits and angels, A6l;s 23. 8. in a word, they
were half atheifts, if not wholly fo, like the gracelefs wits of our:
day, that call themfelves Free-thinkers : Well, fays Chrifl:, What
think ye of Chrifl? WhofeSonishe? If you could view him as
not only David's Son, but David's Lord and God ; and as the God .
of Abraham, Ifaac, 2.nd ^acob, not the God of the dead, bmrofthe-
Hving; would you perfiffc in thefe atheiflical tenets, concerning-
the refurre6lion of the body, the being of fouls ? No, no. The
queflion then is applicable to all that fort of people :. Ye that are
Atheifts, Deifts, and damnably erroneous Free-thinkers^ O what
think ye of Chrifl? No doubt, with Herod and his men of war^^
you fet him at nought: But, O, will you think again, and recal
your thoughts : Let them fix upon Chrifl a while, and yoii fhall
find all the truths of the Bible cleared and vindicated by him who
is the truth itfelf; and that this eternal Son ofGod is lent from
the Father, on purpofe to confirm them by his do6lrine, deatli
and refurreftion. Again, ( 4. ) View the queflion,, with refpeft
to its general defign, which is ( together v/ith all other Scrip-
tures ) the profit of all to whom it comes, for their reproof, cor-
redlion, or inflru6lion in righteoufnefs, 2 Tim. 3. 16. andfor con»
vinclngof finners, or confirmingof faints; And fo it 'comes to
aUaod every one of us, miniflers or people, high and low, rich

and

PTljot think ye of Ckkist? ^7

and poor, What think ye of Chrifl:? Andhere Ihave occafion
to look round about me, and ask the queflion at all and everyone
that hears me ; and indeed we may begin firft at ourfelves. O we
that are minifters, what think we of Chrifl? Is he the Son and
Lord of David, the eternal Son of God ? Surely we cannot think,
orfpeak, or preach too much of Chrifl. It is our honour, if we
can fay, we preach not ourfelves, but Chrifl Jefus the Lord ; and
that to us, who are the leafl of all faints ( may fome of us fay )
faould this grace be given, to preach among the Gentiles the un-
iearchable riches of Chrifl: But, while we fpeak of Chrifh to
others, what do we think of Chrifl ourfelves ? To be fure, if we
do not thinkof Chrifl as we ought, we will not fpeak of Chrifl as
we ought: Chrifl in the heart, and Chrifl in the mouth, make
right preaching. If any preach Chrifl out of envy, as the Apoflle
fays, it is well that Chrifl is preached ; but as it mufl be but me-
lancholy bungling work to fuch, fo they would do well to confi-
der,.that the queflion is not. What preach ye of Chrifl ? but,
What think ye of Chrift ? Again, O ye that are the people, what
think ye of Chrifl? Whatever be your ftate or condition, fex
or quality, the queflion comes to you; and let none of you dare
. to neglect the pondering on it: When Chrift himfelf is putting
;it to you, 'U)hat think ye of Chrijl ? Ye that are magiff:rates,orin
'places of power, trufl, authority, what think ye of Chrift'^ Are
^you employing your power for Chrifl, and his caufe and Interefl?
Ye that are maflers or miflreffes of families, what think ye of
Chrifl^ Is it the language of your foul. As for me and my houfe,
we willferve the Lord''^ Are you defiring, with Abraham, to com-
mand your children, and your houfliold after you, to keep the
ways of the Lord, and praying for them, and inflru6lingthem in
the knowledge of Chrift ? Again, Ye that are children under
your Parents, O what think ye of Chrift ? Whofe Son is he ? Do you
know him to be the Son of David, and the Son of God too ? And
would it not be your great happinefs, to be fons and children
of God in him ? Your father and mother may die and leave you,
therefore it is your befl to feek an interefl in him to be your ever-
lafling Father.

Ye that are fervants, what think ye of Chrifl? Would you
have him for your Maflcr and Lord? Is it not the greatefl hon-
our to be his fervants, who is David's Lord ? He that was David's
Son, was David's Mafler ; and as Davidin Spirit called him Lord,
fo fliould not all that is within you call him Lord ? Serve your
mafters honeflly, but let him who is Lord ofLordsbea mafler a-

D 3 bove

3,g The main Q_tJESTioN,

'bove all maflerstoyoii. Ye that are tradefmen, what think ye

' of Chrift ? Hnve you no trading with heaven ? Does your civil

' trade in ihe world take up all your thoughts? Surely ic is either

an unlawful trade, or unlawfully ufed, that cannot confifl with

•this Chriftian trJide, ofgiving the chief of your thoughts to him,

that is the chief among tenihoufand. Ye that are husbandmen,

what think ye of Chriil ? Do you think more of your ploughs and

oxen, or corn and cattle, and barns and goods, than of glorious

■ Chrifl; ? Do you not know, whe';her you be tenants, leafe or free-
holders, that you are tenants to him, and hold your all of him ?

■ Are you more taken up in thinking of a great crop, or a good
harveft, than ofhim who is the Lord oftheharvefl, both in a na-
tural and fpiritual fenfe, and Lord of all that you have? Ye that
are mean cotters, what think ye of Chrift ? Wo's me, does your
cote-houfe, and your cow, and your kail-yard, lie nearer your
heart than precious Chriil? O! if you were acquainted with
communion with him, you would find a mean cotrage with Chrift
better than a princely palace without him. Ye that are poor
beggars, what think ye of Chrift? To the poor the Gofpel is
preached ; to you is Chrift and his unfearchable riches offered ;
but I fear there are fome of you think more of a halfpenny than
you think of Chrift : Everlaftingpoverty and mifery will be your
portion, if your thoughts be not changed and renewed. You
come to communion-occafions only to beg alms, not knowing
that then you are at the beautiful g-xio. of the temple, where you
might get an alms that would enrich you for ever. You have the
art of begging from men, and from door to door, but perhaps you

-never think of begging at Chrift's door : O will you begin to
think, and to think of Chrift, before the door of mercy be ihut!
Again, ye that are rich, and wealthy in the world, what thinkye
ofChriftl Hath he given you riches, think you, to fteai away
' your hearts from him, or rather to improve them for, and confe-
' crate them to his honour, and for the good of others, efpecially
of the houinold of faith ? Men may court your favour, but you
are to be pitied, as a poor miferable wretch, if you have your por-
tion only in this life, tho' you had all the gold of Op/&/r, without
Chrift you have nothing but a ftiadow, you are deftitute of the true
fubftance. You that are wife, mighty or noble, i^bai think ye of
Chrift ? May it not ftartle you a little, that he hath faid. Not
many wife men after the flefii, not many mighty, not many noble
are called ; but God hath chofen the fooHfli, weak, bafe and daC-
picable things of the world : You have no reafon to defpair, for

he

Wlmt think ye of Christ ? ^ 39

lie hath not faid not anyo^ them; but yet you have^reafon to
think where you are, for he hath faid /zofwz^K}' of them. And in-
deed, as an evidence of this, look to the great men of our days,
you'll fee, that the generality of the nobility and gentry of Scot-
land and England^ they think very little of Chrid. You that are
fcholars, and lludents, 'what think ye ofChrift ? What will all the
wifdomand literature, liberal arts and fciences, and beftaccom-
plifliments in the world avail you, without Chrifl; ? ' They will
qualify you to be more eminent fervants to the devil, and his in-
terefl, if you learn not Chrift together with them. You may be
ftudentsofZa^m, Greek 2Lnd Hebrew, ftudentsof philofophy, af-
tronomy, aflrology, geography and mathematicks, yea, and flu-
dents of divinity too, and yet lofe all your pains, if you do not
fludy Chrift. Ye that are ignorant and iUiterate perfons, 'what
think ye of Chrifl ? It may be ye cannot read the Bible ,• you were
never at a fchool ; your parents died when you were young, or
elfe were poor, and could not, or gracelefs, and would not, fet
you to the fchool; orifyoucanread, that is all: You know not
fo much as the firft principles of the do6lrine of Chrift, and can
hardly tell whofe Son he is. If you could be brought this day
to think highly ofChriftj then fiiouldyou know, and follow on
to know the Lord. O negleft not henceforth the means of the
knowledge ofChrift ; if you learn of him, he will make you wifer
than the reft of the world, for as far behind as you are , even wife
unto falvation. Ye that are old men and women, 'what think ye
efChriJl'? How many thoufands and millions of thoughts have
you beftowed upon the devil, the world, and your lufts, and idols,
in your time, which would have been better beftowed upon
Chrift, and the concerns of your eternal falvation? And now,
thac death, judgment and eternity are hard at hand, O, how can
you think of going down to the grave, and into an everlafting
ftate, without being able to anfwer this queftion to purpofe, PFhat
think ye ofChrift ? You that are young men and women, "what think
ye of Chrift"? Youarenowintheflower of your age ; 0,{liallnot:
Chrift have the flower of your thoughts, that, according to the
Father's promife to him, he may have the dew of his youth, by
your dedicating to him the dew of your youth, and fleeing all
youthful lufts ? Ye that are children and little-ones, young men
and women, boys and girls, capable t.o think, O 'what think ye of
Chrift ? Alas, children ( I would fpeak a word to you ) you may
fee what ill hearts you have, that make you think more of little
plays and trifles, nignays and butterflies, than you think ofChrift :

D 4 Vou

40 The main Question,

You mind any thing fooner than your Creator or Redeemer,
whom God calls you to remember in the days of your youth.
Therefore, after this, when you are playing, will you think more
of pray ing ; for God fays, / love them that love me, and they thatfeek
me early jloalljindme ; And think more of reading the Bible, like
young Timothy, who, from a child, knew the holy Scriptures,
in a word, if there be any body here that thinks I have mift them,
know that the queftion is to all and every one of you, IVhat think
yeofChrift 1 O gracelefs world ! how unworthily do you think of
Chrifl ? The covetous man thinks more of a groat than of Chrifl,
like Demas. Ambitious men think more of a hat, than of Chrifl ;
like Haman, or as Said, who faid to Samuel, Honour me before the
people. The voluptuous man thinks more of a bafe luft, than of
Chrift. The drunkard thinks more of a hearty cup, than of Chrifl.
The glutton thinks more of a hearty meal, than of Chrift. The
proud man thinks more of himfelf, than of ChrifV- Pride of
righteoufnefs thinks more of prayers, and attendance on ordinan-
ces, than of Chrift. Pride of grace thinks more of a good frame,>
than of Chrifl. Pride of wifdom thinks more of a wittieifm, or a
fine difcourfe, tlran of Chrift. Pride of beauty thinks more of
a skin-deep complexion, than of Chrifl. Pride of apparel thinks
more ofa fine fuit of clothes, than of Chrift, tho* the filly flieep
wore it on her back before them. Behold how Chrifl? is villified
and undervalued in the world ! But, O believer. What think ye
of Chrift? Surely, if you be a gracious perfon, Chrifl will be to
you a precious perfon ; and you'll wonder at the folly and mad-
nefs of the world, that fets every thing above Chrifl in their
thoughts and efteem. Why, they are ignorant of Chrifl, and
Ignorant of themfelves; if they were convinced of their fin and
mifer}^, they would think much ofa Saviour and Redeemer; if
they knew their difeafe, they would think much of fuch a phy-
fician to heal them ; if they knew their nakednefs, they would
think much of fuch a garment to clothe them ,* if they knew their
pollution, they would think much of fuch a fountain to wafli them
in ; if they knew their deep arrears to divine juflice, and infol-
ventfiate, they would think much of fuch a furety to pay their
debt. Surely, if they knew, they would not thus deipife the Lord
of glory. However, be it known to all and every one of youj.
that this queftion is put to you ; and you ought to put it to-your
felves^ before God, for difcovering what you are,, and where yoiSr
ftand. And now, luving opened the import ofthequeflion, in
the feveral branches of it, I proceed- next to

: The:

iVhat think ye of Christ'? j i

'J'he Third general head propofed, namely, to offer fonie
reafonsofthcdo6trine, why thisisthe great leading quellion in
the Chrifliancatechifm, by which people are to try therafelves;
or why thisqueftionisputas a couchftone for difcovering what
metal we are of, H^hat think ye of Chrijt ? Why,

I. This qiieHion is puz, IVhat think ye of Chrijl ? bccaufe with-
out right thoughts of Chrift, there is no right thoughts of God ;
and without the knowledge of Chrift, there is no true knowledge
of God. God is an invifible God, and Chrift only is the image of the
invifible God, CoL 1. 15. I'hereare three ways to know, fee and
apprehend God. One is, by the creatures he hath mide, Rom. i.
20. 1 he invijihle things of God are clearly fcen from the creatiQU of the
iwrld, even his eternal poiver and Godhead; another is by the Scrip-
tures, for they make God known ; but the third and only faving
way of knowing and apprehending God, is by Chrift. Now, the
knowledge of God,, that we have by the creatures, is like the
knowledge we have of a man by his workmanlhip, which he hath
wrought. If the workmanftiip be rare and excellent, and fuch as
hath required great art and ftrength, then we conceive the man
that hath done it, hath been a wife man, a ftrong man, and the
like, according to the nature of the workmanfliip. So, when we
know God by the creatures, we conceive,that the God that made
them, muft be a great God, a wife God, a powerful God. But next,
The knowledge that we have of God by the Scriptures, I mean
the literal knowledge, is like that knowledge that one gets of a
famous learned man, by reading what he writes : If in his writing
he hath difcovered much learning,vaft fenfe, and folid judgment,
accordingly we conceive him to be a fenfible judicious man. So
by reading the word, we may conceive of God's excellency,as we
do of a man by his writing," but the knowledge of God, that we
get by Chrift,. is like that knowledge which one gets of a king, by
jiavingfeenhisimage, or rather his fon^ who is as like him as l:e
can look. Now, Chrift is fo like the Father, and fo truly and real-
ly his image, that tho' blind Avians cannot fee the eftential glory
of the Father in him yet he fays to P/;i//]?3 Joh 14. 9. He that hath
feen me, hath the Father. Now, in the book of the creaturewe may
fee the being of God, in the book oi the Scripture the will of God.
But above ail thefe, we have another book written, as it were,
with therays of thefun,.even Chrift, whom we may call abook,
for he is ftill the Logos -- — the word of Gad ,• but he.is'.not made
with ink and paper,, he is a living book, a living picture and rep re-
fentativeofcheFacher,the brightnels of his glory,, and cheex^

42 The mn'm Q^uestion,

prefs image of his perfon, Heh. i. 3. The faving knowledge of

God is by Chrifl", John i . 1 8- and in Chrift, 2 Cor. 4. 6. And again,

lience,

2 . This queftion is put, PVhat think yeofChrift^ ? becaufe, with-
out right thoughts of Chrid, there can be no religion, and confe-
quently nofalvation. There is no coming to God, but in Chrift,
^fyohn 14.6. lam the imy, the truth and the life ; no man cometh to the
Father, but by me. Without believing thoughts of Chrift then we
cannot worfliip God aright or acceptably, for without faith it is
impofiible to pleafe God, Heb. 11.6. And I have fliewed you al-
ready, that right thinking is believing; and without believing in
him, there is no falvation : He that believes not fhallbe damned ; for
there is no name given under heaven, isohereby we mufi be faved,
neither is there falvation in any other, Ad;s 4. 12. A man that cannot
think of Chrift as he ought, cannot perform a religious aftionas
he ought: As the evilman, out of the eviltreafure of his heart, brings
forth evil things; foa good man out of the good treafure of his heart,
brings forth good things, Matth. 12. 35. Now Chrift in the heart,by
his Spirit, is indeed a good treafure ; and as natural tho'ts produce
natural a6lions, carnal thoughts carnal aftions ; fo fpiritual tho'ts
bring forth fpiritual a6tions, and Chriftian thoughts Chriftian ac-
tions. True religion begins and advances with the right thoughts
of God. I defy a man, that knows the Lord, to pray or worfhip
God comfortably, without fome due apprehenfion of Chrift ; for
as in Chrift alone God is well pleafed, fo it is in the view of Chrift,
or of God in him, that the foul is well pleafed.

3. This quQikion is put, fFhat think ye of Chriji 7 becaufe it is
thebeft rule of felf-examination ; feeing, as men's thoughts of
Chrift are, fo is their ftate ; as men think in their heart, fo are
they, Prov. 23. 7. If a man be rifen with Chrift, then his thoughts
and afFeftions are feton things above, where Chrift fits on the
right-hand of God, Co/. 3. 1,2. If you be Chriftians indeed, then
youhaveChriftinyou, the hope of glory. Col. 1.27. and if Chrift
be in you, he will have a high room in your thought and efteem ;
and therefore it is laid down as the beft rule of examination, 2
Cor. 13. 15. Examine yourf elves, prove whether you be in the faith,
prove yourfelveSf know ye not your own felves, how that Chrifl Jefus is
in you, except ye be reprobates ? If any man have not the Spirit of Chrifl,
he is none of his, Rom . 8.9- Now, they that have the Spirit, do mind the
things of the Spirit, the things of God, and particularly the Christ of
God.

4. This queftion is put, fFhat think ye of Chrifl ? becaufe this

queftion

tVhat think ye o/* Christ ? 43

queftion comprsliends all other queflions in religion. After
the Pharijces had done with asking their critical queflions a-
bout the law, Chrift propofes this queftion, which fwallows
lip all their queflions, and comprehends all that is necellary to
be known ,• and if we could anfwer this queftion to purpofe,
weftiouldbeinacafeto anfwer all queftions that concern both
the law and the gofpel ; for Chrift is the end of the law, and the
fum of the gofpel. They that know Chrift, they know where to
find all the righteoufnefs that the law requires, and all the grace
that the gofpel promifes ; and fo this queftion is the compend of
l\\Q Chrijlian catechifm.^z.ndihit not only with refpe6l to know-
ledge, but alfo with refpeft to pra6lice and experience. Chrift
is the fum of pra6lical godhnefs, for without him you can do no-
thing, and by him ftrengthening you, you can do all things. And
Chrift is the fum of experimental religion alfo. That experience
is not worth much, that hath not Chrift for the fum-total of it, for
it is out of his fulnefs we receive grace for grace. And when a
mancanfay, beholding his glory, I have been changed into the
fame image, it is a rich experience. In a word, all queftions that
relate to Chriftian experience may be reduced to this one. What
thinkyeofChrifi ? Ifthe queftion be. What know ye of convic-
tion ? Whatknowyeofconverfion .^ What know ye of illumi-
nation ? What know ye of regeneration ? What know ye of
juftification ? What know ye of fanftification ? Whatintereft
have ye in Chrift ? What part and portion have ye in tlie fon of
J'ejfe ? Whatftiarehaveyeof his grace, and what hope of his
glory ? All fuch queftions may be anfwered with the anfwer of
this, IVhat think ye of Chrift ?

5. This queftion, JVhatthinkye of Chrift ? is put, becaufe he
"would, by this, put a ftop, and give a check to all unneceftary cu-
rious queftions. They were but curious queftions at beft, that the
Saddncees2i.n<iPharifees\\^d asked of Chrift; but here Chrift gives
a check to them, by a queftion of everlafting moment. Some,
that are ignorant profeflbrs, fliew a deal of curiofity in fome of
their queftions, fuch as, W1)0 'was MelchizedeckV father ? and the
like; butO here is a more neceflary queftion, Who-vcas Chrijl's
Father^ what think ye of Chrift, Siudivhofe Son is he? Kere is an oce-
an of wifdom, thatyou may profitably dive into, and yet never
get to the bottom of it; for who can anfwer that queftion about
Thrift's Father, Prov. 30. 4. IFhat is his name, and 'u^hat is his
Sons name, if thou can tell ?

6. This queftion is put, What think ye of Chrift ? becaufe cur

thouglits

44 27;^ main (Question,

tho'ts are but loO;, if they be not laid out upon him. 'Till we be
bro'ttothinkof Chrift, duly, all our tho'ts are but loll tho'cs, and
vain tho'ts ; O Jerufalem, wajb thine heart from wickednefs,ho'Uj long
(ballvain tho'ts lodge within thee ? The Lord fees the tho'ts of men
to be but vanity ; our tho'ts are like birds flying from mountain
to mountain, and skipping from place to place ; and like children
running after butterflies, their pains are lofl; and fo are our
thoughts lofl:, while they are not terminate upon Chrifl.

7. This queftion is put, ^hat think ye of Chrifi ? becaufe there
are fo many miftaken thoughts of Chrifl in the world ; He is defpi-
fed andreje^ed of men. The world is filled with prejudice againft
him, laying, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth ? Therefore
we ought to come and fee, and conflder what he is, and whofe Son
he is, that we may not run into the fame common millake with the
rell of the world, and that we may not take him for a root out of a
dry ground, Ifa. 5 3 . 2 . having no form or comelinefs.

8 . This quellion is put to us, (Vbat think ye of Chrifl ? becaufe
we have miilaken thoughts of other things,, while we have not
right thoughts of Chrill. The Pharifees had miilaken thoughts
of God and his law, becaufe they had not right thoughts of Chrill;
therefore Chrill propofes this queilion. And indeed Sirs, we
millake God, we miftake the law, we raiHake the Gofpel, we mif-
take ourfelves, we millake our duty, we millake every thing, as
long as we are ignorant of Chrill. A man may millake fo far, as
to think that he is about his duty to God, and yet may be fighting
againll God, while Chrifl is not known or thought upon, y^cls 26.
9. I verily thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name
ofjefus of Nazareth, fays Faul ; and accordingly he was perfecut-
ing Chrift in his members ; yet he thought he was doing God fer-
vice, till once Chrill difcovered himfelf, and cried to him, i^d^y^
ing, Saul, Saul, why perfecutefl thou iM ? Then he began to think
of Chrill, faying, W'ho art thou, Lord ? Why, Ia?n Jefus whom thou
■perfecutcfl. Whenever he began to think duly of Chrifl, then he
faw he had been in a miftake. People may think verily they
ought to do this and that againft fome of God's Children ; but, if
they had other thoughts of Chrill, they would have other tho'ts
oftheir duty, and would fee that verily they ought not to do fo.
Again, P«w/ thought his own righteoufnefs gain, before he knew
Chrift j but then he thought it iofs : IVhat things were gain to
me, thefe I counted Iofs for Chrifl.

9. This queilion is put, JVhat think ye of Chrifi? becaufe thus

you

PPlmt think yff 0/ Christ ? 45

you may come to underfband what are his thoughts of you. It is
true, His thoughts are not our thought s, nor his ways our i:cays ; for as
the*beavens are higher than the earth, Jo are his thoughts higher than our
thoughts. And hence hemayJiave thoughts of mercy towards a
poor foul, that thinks there is nothing but wrath in his heart a-
gainft it. But this I fay, that as to your knowing and undcrffcand-
ingofhis thoughts towards you; as on the one hand a man in a
natural ftate cannot have high, believing and becoming thoughts
of Chrift, and fo cannot conclude that Chrift hath any favourable
thoughts of him, while he remains thus in unbelief and defpifmg
of Chrift; nay, he may know and underftand,ifhe remain in that
ftate thoughtlefs of Chrift, and difregarding him, that Chrift will
comein flaming fire and take vengeance on him, 2 r/;^ i. 7, 8.
fo, on the other handjthe man that hath got fuch difcoveries of
Chrift, a&to create high, fpiritual and elevated tho'ts of Chrift, he
may from thence underftand, that Chrift thinks well of him,<and
that his tho'ts towards him are tho'ts of peace &not of evil,to give
himanexpeftedend. Itistrue^.Chrift's tho'ts of the believer are
not high and low, as the believer's tho'ts of him are ; nay, Chrift's
thoughts are unchangeably the fame. But, when the believer's
thoughts ofChriftareraifed, then he is in beft cafe to know and
underftand Chrift's loving thoughts towards him : Why,, even
as a fountain may be known by the ftreams, fo it is here,- our
knowledge, faith, love, and efteem of Chrift, are but ftreams that
flow from Chrift^s kind heart towards us : JVe love him, becaufe he
firjt lovedus ; we think of him, becaufe he firft thinks of us. And
therefore, by what we think of Chrift, we may knov/ what he
thinks of us : Ifyou think honourably of him, you may thence
know he thinks favourably of you; ifyou think much of him, ,
you may know he thinks much of you. O, may a believer fay, 1
have reafon to think much good of him for he is fairer than the fins
of men, the fpotlefs Lamb of God ; but he hath reafon to think
much ill ofme, for I am all black and deformed like hell and the
devil. But I'll tell you,believer, that as his thoughts of you make
you to be in him, what he thinks you to be in him however de-
formed you are in yourfelves, and fee yourfel ves to be ,• yet, I fay,
as his tho'ts make things to be (for he but thought there lliould ba
a world, and there was a world ; whenever it was his mind that it
fliould be, then it v/as ; and whatever he thought it to be^that it
was, according to his thought) and as his thoughts of yoa make-
youtobeinhim, whatyou areinhim : So, ifyou think him fair
and altogether lovelyjhe is not behind with y oujfor he thinks yoa.:

fair-.

^6 7'Z>i? main Q_uestion,

fair too. Hence, to the fpoufe, that was admiring his beauty, he
fays, Song 4. 7. Thou art all fair, my love, there is no/pot in thee. And
he does not fay any thing but what he thinks, his words ex-
prefs his thoughts ; for he cannot lie, who is the ftrength of
Jfrael. Now, believer, if you cannot think or believe that
you're altogether fair in him, becaufe you fee yourfelf altogether
foul in yourfelf; know, that if you faw yourfelf to be all fair in
yourfelf, there would be no need of, or room for believing that
you're all fair in him : Hence he hath left deformities about you,
that there may be room for faith ; therefore let the feeling of your
deformity make you humble, but let it not hinder your faith,
which mud not Hand upon feeling, but muffc a6l contrary to it up-
on Chrifl's word : For, If you ground your faith upon what you
feel in yourfelf, you'll never believe what Chrifl: fays concerning
your being allfair, and your being made the right eoufnefs of God in
hi?n,2 Cor. 5. laji. If your faith then can a6l fo as to raife your
thoughts of Chrifl as altogether lovely, fair and fpotlefs, you
have ground to conclude, by that fame a6l of faith, that he hath
high thoughts of you, as l3eing all fair and fpotlefs in him, what-
ever deformity you feel in yourfelf Chrift is infinitely more to
you, believer, than you believe him to be : But, whatever you
believe him to be, you may be fure he is that to you, you have all
that you fee in him ; for faith's feeing and having is all one, even
as believing is explained by receiving, and receiving by believ-
ing, John 1. 12. What you believe then youreceive, and.what
you receive you have, and what you have in him you are in him ;
having beauty, and riches and-righteoufnefs in him,you are beau-
tiful, rich and righteous in him ; and confequently, when you be-
lievingly think he is all fair and glorious, you may know he thinks
you all fair and glorious in him, and he thinks no more of you than
v/hat you really are in him. The queflion then is put, becaufe you
may know, by what you think of Chrift, whatChrift thinks of you.
10. Thisqueftion is put. What think ye of Chrift"^ becaufe we
can never think too much of him, who is the God-man, David's
Son and Davids Lord, being God as well as man. O what a glo-
rious object of our contemplation is here ! You may think too
much of yourfelves and your own righteoufnefs, but you cannot
think too much of Chrifl; and his righteoufnefs : Yea, when you
think any thing of yourfelf and your righteoufnefs, you think too
much of it ; but when you think as much as you can of Chrift and
his righteoufnefs, you think too little of him. You may think too
much of creature?, but you cannot think too much of Chrifi.

Yea,

JVlmt think ye of CnKisT 9 47

Yea, you may think too much of angels, as the apoflle John
did, when he fell down to worfliip before the feec of the an-
gels, Rev. 22. 8' To think of the nature of angels, with that
inward reverence and adoration which we are to have when
•we think of Chrifl, would be idolatry ; and to think of Chrift,
with the fame frame of heart as we do of angels, would be pro-
fanenefs: Thus we may think too highly and reverently of an-
gels ; but we cannot think of Chrifl: too highly,too reverently, nor
too much of him, who is the Lord of angels, and whom we are to
honour even as we honour the Father. Thefe are the reafons of
the queftion.

The i^«/;t/; general head propofed, was. To make application
of the whole. Audit may be applied for thefe following ufes.
i.Y or information. 2.¥ovconvi^ion. "^.Yoy trial. 4.. Yov exhorta-
tion and direction.

I . It may be applied for information., in thefe and the like lefTons
following, (i.) Hence we may learn, feeing the great queilion
in the Chriftian catechifm is, TVhat think ye of Chrifl ? Then the fum
of Chridian knowledge lies in this one word, namely, Christ.
It is not in God abfolutelyconfidered,by what he is in himfelf.;
but in God relatively confidered, by what he is to us, namely, in
Chrift : Therefore, I obferve, the queftion is not, JVhat think ye
of God? but, IVhat think ye of Chrift ? For, as God out of Chrift
itands in no relation to us linners but that of an enemy, and a con-
fuming fire; fo the nature, eftence, and immenfityof God, and
what he is in himfelf, is not the great Chriftian queftion ; but ra-
ther, what he is to us, and fo what he is in Chrift. All the faving^
manifeftations of God to his people in Scripture were ftill, not of
God, abfolutely and eftentially, in what he was in himfelf, and in
h js nature ; but relatively, in what he was to them ; and fo it was
always in Chrift. Thus when he came to Abraham, he faid, / am
thy flfield, and thy exceeding great reward: lam thy God, and the God
cf thy feed, 'which feed "ivas Chrift, G^]. ^. 16. in whom that cove-
nant andpromife waseftabliihed x.o Abraham and his off-fpring.
And when God manifefted himfelf to the patriarchs that came of
Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob, his ordinary way was to make himfelf
known upon that ground of the new-covenant eftabliflied in
Chrift, Abraham's feed. Hence when he came to them, he ufed to
fay to them/tW2 the GodofAhii:a.h?Lm,the God o/lfaac, and the God of
Jacob ,• that is, he manifefted himfelf to them, not abfolutejy, by
what he was in his nature ; but relatively, by what he was to them
m Chrift the promifed feed. If we begin to dive into that quel-

tion^

48 The main (Question,

tion, I'Vlmt think ye of God ? we may foon lofe ourfelves, and come
tothephilofopher's demand of^ day to anfwer that queftion, and
then a week, and then a month, and then tell it is impoffible to
anfwer it : Nay, we ought not to be curious in fearching into the
nature of God, left we get a dalli; for human philofophy cannot
reach it, yea, I doubt if angelicaiwifdom can. It is the only plea-
fant, faving, and profitable enquiry, to ftudy this queftion, tVbat
think ye of Chrifi ? Here we may find what God is to us. To en-
quire what God is in himfelf, abfolutely and efTentially, is no fav-
ing or profitable enquiry. What profit is it for a man, who lives
under the north pole, and fees not the fun for one half of the year,
though he fliould count the courfe of the fun all that time that he
fees it not ? or, what profit were it for a man to go and-count what
rent the king of Morocco or the emperor of Chinahcis every year,
and he get none of it? Asfoolifli is it for us to begin and ftudy
what God is abfolutely in himfelf, and not what he is relatively to
us ; therefore the queftion is not, fV^hat think ye of God"^ but, fVbat
think ye of Chrijll And this fliews the difference that there is be-
twixt learned fools and wife Chriftians; why, the learned fool
feeks to know and comprehend what God is, what this my fiery
of the Trinity is, and the like, and there he mires himfelf ;
he feeks to know what God is in himfelf, and not what he is
to him : But the poor Chriftian is herein wifer than that lear-
ned clerk, for all his wit ; for the Chriftian ftudies Chrifi^ and
foknowswhatOodistohim, better than all the kamed Rabbies
and their curious fpeculations. Though yet the poor foul may
otherwife be very ignorant and illiterate, yet he is wife unto fal-
vation, becaufe he knows Chrifi, and Chrift is made of God to
himwifdom, righteoufnefs, fanftification and redemption. And
when he knows Chrift, he is upon the fureft & fafeft way to know-
God ; for he ^QQs, God in Chrift, and God related to him in Chrift,
for Chrift is our relation as God-man-mediator. And indeed. Sirs,
to believe in Chrift, is to believe God's relation to us, and God re-
conciled to us : For, when v/e look to Chrift, we fee God in him ;
and when we fee God in him, we fee that he is reconciled in him
to us, and well-pleafed in him with us, 2 Cor. 5. 19. God is in
Chrifi reconciling thetvorld to himfelf. Mat. 3.1afL This is my belo-
ved Son, in 'mhdm I am well pleafed. I own indeed, a man may be 3
believer, and yet apprehend God to be his enemy ; but then he is
not believing, he is not thinking of Chrift by faith. It is an unbe-
lieving thought he hath then of God ; for a believing thought of
■C-lirift would give him another tho't of God, even as a friend and

father

Wlat think ye of Ctikist ? 49

father in him. This then, I hope, is anufual inference, that the
fum of Chriftian knowledge is Chrift.

2dly, Hence fee what is the befl matter for meditation, and the
befl rule for felf-examination. Here is the mod noble fubjedl of
meditation, namely, to think of Chrid ; and here is the mofc ex- '
cellent rule for felf examination, namely, to ask our fouls that
queflion. What think ye of Chrift ? Meditation and felf-examina-
tion are duties much neglefted among us ; they are fpiritual exer-
cifes, dire6lly crofs and oppofiteto our vain, wandring, idle and
unfixed hearts. A man will rather go betwixt the flilts of a plough
from morning to evening, than travel betwixt thefetwo duties
for one half hour,though yet they are like the ftilts of that plough
by which the fallow-ground of the heart mufl be plowed up ; but
when the tho'ts begin to come in betwixt thefe two ftilts of medi-
tation& felf-examination,behold on a fudden(to fpeak it in broad
Scots') they quit the plough y and run away with the harrows. No doubt
you will know this from fad experience, that your thoughts are in
this matter like wild, vitious horfes, running mad here and there
thro' the fields, without keeping any road, or obferving any rule;
but here is the beft matter and rule, both for regulating our tho'ts
in meditation and felf-examination. As for meditation, the belt
way is to think of Chrift : Why, you may think upon a promife,
but our of Chrift you'll find no comfort in it, for all the promifes
are yea and amen in him ; and fo you will not find it your own, but
by looking to Chrift. Yea, you may think upon God, but out of
Chrift you'll find no comfort in him, Pfa. 77. 3. Iremembred God,
and was troubled : But the antidote againft that trouble is believing
thoughts of Chrift ; therefore fays Chrift to his difciples, Joh. 14.
I. Let not your hearts be troubled; ye believe in God, believe alfo in
me. If you think upon the law, you'll find there you're drown'd
in debt both to the command and curfe, till once you look toChrift
the end of the law for righteoufnefs. If you look upon your duties
that God calls you to, you'll find them a heavy task, till once you
look toChrift,&then you'll find his yoke is eafy,& h is commands
are not grievous. Again,as to felf-examination,the beft rule here
is to fay to your foul, What think yc ofChriJi ? They are but proud
felf-conceited perfons that do not think highly of Chrift, and God
approves them not. 2 Cor. 10. laft. He that glories, fays the apof-
tlc, let him glory in the Lord : For not he that commends himfelf is ap-
proved, but whom the Lord commends ; intimating,that they that glo-
ry only in the Lord, they difcommend themfelves, and are com-
mended and approved of God ; but they that do not glory in tha

y^ Lord,

50 I'he main (Question,

Lord, nor think highly of him, they commend themfelves, but
are difcommended and difapproved of God;, yea, they deceive
th'emfelves, Gal. 6. 3. If any man think himfelf to be fomething,
when he is nothing, he deceives himfelf . Self-conceit is felf-deceit ;
sind as they are all felf- deceivers who are felf-exakers, fo they are
all felf-excikers who are Chrifh-defpifers; they think not much
of Chrill, who think much of themfelves : And fo, to enquire
whatyou thinkofChrifl;, isthebeft way tofindyourfelfout,what
you are in ftate or frame. You may by this rule know how to*
judge of your own thoughts : You may think of a thoufand good
things, you may think of fermons, you may think of death, jud^g*
ment and eternity ; but though you may think ferioufly on thi^
fubje61:s,yetthe rule whereby to judge of the reftitude of your
thoughts about them is here, do they lead you to high thoughts of
Chrilt, in whom alone we can think of death without horror,
judgment without terror, and eternity without fear or dread ?

Q^diy, Hence we may fee, that Chrill himfelf is the bed judge
of men's (late ; for he can look into the hearts and tho'ts of men,
and fay, PFhat think ye of Chrifl ? All judgment is committed to
the Son of God, and he will cali m.any whom the world approves ;
becaufe, whatever men think of them, yethe knows that they
think little of him and his Father. Alfo, he will approve of fome
whom the world cafts ; becaufe, however the world thinks little
of them, yethe knows that they think much of him and his Fa-
ther ; for they know him, and whofe Son he is. Chrift's queflion
ihews that he knows our thoughts ; for, to whom (liall we give an
account of our anfwer to this queflion ? None in all the world
knows what we think, but God himfelf, and Chriil is God. Chrift
difcovers the ignorance of thePharifees here alfo, and fhews that
he knew their thoughts were amifs : If he be David's Son, fays he,
hoiv does David in fpirit call him Lord ? Here they were confound-
ed, and might have been convi61ed that their thoughts were
naught. Indeed, this was one of thefe things that old Simeon de-
Glared concerning Chrifl:, that He foouldhc a fign that fljouldbefpo-
ken againfi, that the thoughts of many hearts might be revealed, Luke
2. 35. Ihus, when Chrifl met with the woman of Samaria, he re-
vealed many thoughts of her heart to her, and gave her a view of
all her lewd tricks ; Come, fee a man, fays llie, that told me all things
that ever I did; Is not this the Chriji'l As Satan prefented to our
Lord Jefus the whole body of the world at a glance, fo Chrifl can
let us fee a black fight of all our fins at once, fo as to force us to
acknowledge that he is the Chrifl, that knows our hearts and
thoughts. But, 4f/;/y

JVhat think ye 0/ Christ ? ' 51

4.th!yy Hence we may fee, what is thegreatendanddefignofa
gofpel-miniflry, namely, to difcover Chhft, and remove the pre-
judices of peoples minds againfl him, to rectify their miflakes a-
bout him, and to fill them with a high opinion of him. The fum
of agofpel-minifter's bufinefs, is, to commend his mafler, faying,
^Vbat think ye of Chrijl ? and that both in his preaching, and pray-
ing, and cacechifing, and vifiting. The whole of their dottrine
and pra6lice is, as it were, a voice preaching Chrift. If they
preach the law and its curies and threatnings againft chrifllefs
and impenitent finners, it is to lead them to Chrift, and to drive
them to the city of refuge. If they preach faith, they make
Chrift the author and finiiher, as well as the Obje6l of it. If they
preach repentance,they make Chrift, as exalted at the right-hand
oi Qfodiytobea prince and Javiour to give repentance, the fountain
of it-; and Chrift crucified, viewed by faith, to be the immediate
root of it. If they preach duties and new obedience, they make
Chrift the alpha and the omega of it. Minifters may indeed fpeak
much of Chrift in their fermons, and yet not preach Chrift : As
for example, if one fliould preach of Chrift mainly as a lawgiver
to be obeyed, and little or nothing of Chrift as a lawfulfiller, to be
believed in, and ferved from love, becaufe of his having faved us
from the yoke of the law : For a covenant of life and death,
upon doing or not doing, may be preached, and called the Gofpel
of Chrift, in a miftake, while it is only the law that is preached,
and not thrift theendofthelawforRighteoufncfs. And you may
know it by this, among other things, the tendency of fuch old-
covenant doftrine, is to lead men to this queftion, nor, ^hat
thinkyc of Chrift? hui,fVhat think ye of yourf elves'^ and, PVhat are
you doing, that you may have eternal life ■? Why, the man begins to
think God is ftanding upon fome doing-terms yet with him ; and
therefore, in order to life, he muft do fo and fo : Thus he is led to
himfelf, and not to Chrift. But gofpel-do6lrine tends to lead a
man wholly out of himfelf, and wholly into Chrift; for, whate-
ver be the text, theftrain of gofpel-doftrine is,>^/;^f think ye of
Chrift ? It is not the defign of gofpel-minifters to commend thcm-
felves, but Chrift. There is afetof minifters, fay fome, that fet
upthcmfelves above others, and ftudyonly to commend them-
felves, to the difparagement of all others^as if none but they were
gofpel-minifters ; but, my friends,if any man's concern forChrift's
caufeandintereft, orfor his mafter's glory, fliall commend him,
he needs not think ftrange tho'the. \vov\d of Fhari fees envy him,
as they did Chrift himfelf when his do'flrine and life commended

E 2 him.

52 The main Question,

him. I'll tell you what commendation a gofpel-minifler hunts
mofl after ; it it that of Paul, 2 Cor. 3.1,2,3. it is to have an epif-
tle-commendatory in the hearts of hearers, by the power of the
Spirit of Godfavingly accompanying the word, and leaving an
impreffion there, that it is indeed the word of God, and not of
men, and that God is in it of a truth. He would defire, with the
fame Apoftle, 2 Cor. 4. 2. to commend himfeJf by the manifeflati-
onof the truth to every man's confcience in the fight of God.
Let truth be nick-nam'd and reproached as it will, the evidence
of truth will commend itfelf to the confciences of all the lovers
thereof. Mean time, it is poffible that a man may commend
Chrift in order to commend himfelf as an evangelical preacher ;
for fuch a g^ood work he is indeed commendable,but for fuch a bad
end it is to God only that he is accountable. But it is poffible alfo
to know if a man intend not himfelf by preaching Chrift j for
fometimes there is fuch a power and virtue attending the word,
and fuch a fmell and favour of heaven with thepreacher,as carries
afecret demonftration of his fpirituality andpurity of intention
into the heart even of the carnal by-ftanders, much more thofe
whom he hath enlightened with the fpirit of difcerning, to know
the voice of Chrift from a ftranger. However, Sirs, think of mi-
nifters what ye will, the great queftion is, Wliat think ye of Chrift?
Wo to us, if our only defign be to bring people to fay fVhat think
ye of fticha mini/ler ? and zvhat think ye of fuch afermon? If we
make Chrift a covert for raifing our own applaufe, he can inftant-
ly command an angel to fmite us, as he did Herod, and order us to
be eaten up of worms, for not giving God the glory. O what
ftiould ye think of us ? Though we magnify our office as ambafta-
dors of Chrift, yet in ourfelves fome of us are frail, feeble, finful
pieces of duft as any of you ; we are among the chief of fmners
as well as you; we need the Blood and Spirit of Chrift to juftify
and fanftify us, as well as you ; let us decreafe, but let Chrift in-
creafe : If any of us be madeinftrnments of good to your fouls,
let it engage you to think the more of Chrift, that could work fuch
a work by fuch fimple and unlikely inftruments : He puts the
treafurein earthen veflels, th^Ll the excellency of the power may be
(f God^ and hot of us. Whatever honour God calls you to put
upon them for their work's fake, yet if your efteem centre upon
the minifter or his work, faying, 0 1 think much of the minifter, and
Jthinkmuchof the fermon^ you need to begin to thinkbetter; for
the grand queftion is, ^mt think ye of Cljrift ?It is indeed the beft
fermon that works the higheft thoughts of Chrift.

The

Wlmt think ye of Cukist 2 53

The 2^^/^ is for conviftion and reproof to all thofe that are fil-
led with unworthy and unbecoming thoughts of Chrift, with igo-
rant and erroneous thoughts of him. Some have nothoughtsof
Chriftatall ; fome think little of him ; fome think hardly and
harflily of him; fome think meanly and bafely of him: To fpeak
of all the bafe and mean thoughts of Chrifl that the world is filled
with, would be impolTible. O how bafely do the Arians think
of Chrift, and his fupreme Godhead / If I had not found it necef-
fary to confine my felf to the firfl branch of Chrift's quefiiion here,
What thinkye of thrift "? the other branch, namely, fVhofe Son is
he? might have led me particularly to have treated the doftrine
of Chrifl's Sonfhip, and eternal Godhead, and Co-equality with
the Father, in oppofitionto that damnable herefy, which fome
tell us is creeping into Scotland, as well as it is raging in England
^r\d Ireland. I fiiallonly fay, that thequeftion concerns them, as
well as theP/j^n/f^'j-ofold, What think ye of Chrift, 2ind zvh of e Son
is he ? O, can they fay no more than, with the Pharifces, that he is
thefon of David'? Then^ how does Davidin fpirit call him Lord ?
And if he be David's Lord and God, how can he be fo, and yet not
co-equal with the Father? For we have not two Lords, or two
Gods; the Lord our God is one Lord, we have but one fupreme
God and Lord; therefore Chrift, being Lord, muft be one with
the Father elTentially : Chrifl is the true God, and eternal life.
But Icanfiot now enlarge on this fubjeft. Omay Arian doctors
begin to read over the Chriflian catechifm again, and learn to an-
fwer this queflion, IVhat think ye of Chrift ? Again, as Arians think
nothing of his Godhead, but as if it were an inferior deity ; fo
fome that pretend a greater refpe6l to him, yet think but bafely of
him. Papifts think nothing of the imputation of his righteouf-
nefs ; Soclnians think nothing of the facrifice of his death ; Armi-
^jf^wj think nothing of the power of his grace; Oj//2^frj- think no-
thing of his word; Atheifts ihmk nothing of his Spirit; Deifts
think nothing of his revelations. If we lock oat to the world,
the Pagans have no thought of him at all ; the Mahometans think
him nothing but a great prophet at bed, and inferior to Mahomet :
they^wj think him nothing but an impoflor, and that he is not the
Chrifl, but only the carpenter's fon, or, it may be, a blafphemer,
that had a devil. And again, if we look into the church, even the
purefl churches in this world, among which I would willingly
hope the poor church of Scotland hath not yet lofl: the vogue ; yet,
O how many dark and confufed notions, yea, unwarrantable and
unworthy thoughts of Chrid, may be there difcovered, even a-

E 3 mong

54 The main Q^uestion,

mong thefe churches that are fuppofed to be pure, Chriflian, pro-
teflant and reformed churches ! It were endlefs, to fpeak of doc-
trinal and practical errors thatfwarm in the churches, whereby
contempt is poured uponChrift and his doftrine, his truth, his
gofpel, and his yoke, his loving yoke of gofpel-obedience. What
low tho'ts of Chrift appear in that drain of doctrine that tends
to confound the old and new covenant, law and gofpel, faith and
w/orks, without duly keeping up the old land-marks betwixt
Chrift and all his rivals and competitors, that feek to (hare with
him in the glory of falvation-work ! What low tho'ts of Chrift
appear in that fort of pra6lice, that confifts either in a life of le-
gal righteoufnefs, or a life of open wickednefs / What low tho'ts
of Chrift,as our righteoufnefs, appear from every thing that tends
to lead fmners back to the law, as a covenant of works ! And
what low thoughts of Chrift, as our fanftification, appear from
every thing that tends to lead fmners off from the law, as a rule of
holinefs ! How is Chrift, and his merit and righteoufnefs difeftee-
med, to the encouragement of felf and felf-righteoufnefs ! And
how is Chrift, and his Spirit and Grace difefteemed, to the encou-
ragement of fin & licencioufnefs ! It is not my bufmefs, to expofe
the nakednefs of any : They are fingular perfons, that are help-
ed to guard again ft all right and left-hand extremes,.fo as to think
no lefs of Chrift as a Lord,, than Chrift as a Saviour ; and to efteem
a whole Chrift, without feccing up one part. of Chrift againft ano-
ther ; but my work efpecially is, to ftrike at the root of all that
difefteem of Chrift,that takes place in the world, efpecially in the
vifible church. Whence is it, that the world thinks fo little of
Chrift, and fo naughtily of him? Why, ijllgnorance isjiC2i\x^Q o^
it, ignoti nulla ciipido. As it isimpoflible for them to underv^alue
Chrift, who have the faving knowledge of him ,• fo it is not poffi-
ble that any can prize him, whom they do not know. Many are-
like Fejliis, Jd;s 25. 19. who told Jgrippa, that Paurs enemies had
queftions againft him, concerning one Jesus ; Chrift is to them a
certain man, one^efus, but for their part they know Uttle of him,
and are indifferent about him. As a bhnd man, what he does not
fee, he cares not for, though he be told of it as never fo fair and
beautiful ; fo natural men are blind, 2Cier. 4. 4. they can fee no
beauty or comelineis in Chrift, for which they lliould defire him...
Therefore, though they may hear of his glory and comelinefs,./
and be a little moved therewich, yet they care not fomuch for
bim,as to give him the higheft room in their tho'ts and efteem.
2diy, Unbelief is ^noihQi caufe why people think little of Chrift.-

TVhat think ye of Cukist? ^^

If they could believe,they would fee the glory ofGod in him,and
fee him a glorious and lovely objeft ; But through unbelief, Chrift
is lothfome inftead of lovely ; hence his doftrine is loth feme, his
righteoufnefs,hisholinefs,hiscrofs. Unbelief makes people think
Chrift is a cheat, and God is a liar, and that he fays what he hath no
mind to do ; it makes them think that he is not able to favc, or
that he is not willing to fave. O how bafely does unbelief think*
of Chrift ! Unbelief alfo will make a man think God Uke unco
himfelf and an approver of his fm, Pfalm 50. at the clofe, Thou
thought ejt that I was altogether fuch an one as thy f elf ; and fo ic
makes them think of Chrift but very bafely. 3^/}-, Pride andfclf-
right eoiifnefs is another caufe why people think little of Chrift,
Rom. 10. 3. While people think much of themfelves, and their
doing, they cannot think much of Chrift, and his righteoufnefs.
This is that legal principle that makes men to do with the garment
of Chrift's righteoufnefs, as the Ammonites did with the garjiients
of David's meflengers, they dipt them fo ftiort, that they v/ere
not able to hide theirfliame. Butif it was a terrorand fmicins
to David's heart, to cut off but a little of the lap of Saul's garment,
ought it not to be a terror to us, to cut off a lap of Chrift's gar-
ment, or clip it fo ftiort, as to think that it cannot cover us com-
pletely, without fomeragsof our own rotten righteoufnefs few-
edto it ? Again, it is this legal principle, that makes believers
themfelves think it cannot be that they are accepted as righteous,
perfeftly righteous in the fight of God, thro' the righteoufnefs
of Chrift imputed ; why, becaufe they want a feeling of that righ-
teoufnefs in themfelves, which the legal heart is ready to make
the foundation of pardon and acceptance : But, as Luther faid,
we muft not feel, but believe, that we are thus righteous ; yea, it
is this hidden principle of felf- righteoufnefs, that will make a mi-
nifter preach Chrift alone for righteoufnefs, as if he were as much
for exalting Chrift, as any that ever preached,- and yet, before
ever you know well where you are, you'll find him bringing in
fomelegalduty of qualification, in order to your being juftified,
that will fpoil all your former beauty ; juft like an untoward milk-
cow, that will let down a good deal of milk very well, but then,
with an unhappy kick of her foot, fliewill tumble it all down to
the ground, when file hath done : Even fo the fincere m.ilk of the
"•word of life, and juftification through Chrift's righteoufnefs a-
lone, may be let down abundantly, that you would think the man
as evangelical sisPaul himfelf, or any body that ever preached
"the Gofpel ; but, behold of a fudden the legal foot gives it a kick^

1^^ 4 and

^6 The mam (Question,.

andfpills all when he hath done, orelfe the law fetsher foota-
mong the midil of the milk ; I mean, mixes fome dirty righteouf-
nefs, and quahfication of our own, with the fair and clean milk of
Chrift's righteoufnefs, fo as the poor exercifed foul's heart rifes to
take a drink of it. Why, I thought yonder milk was for me, and
yonder righteoufnefs of Chrift was for me; but there came in a
quahfication that before ever I could be jultified, I behoved to do
foand fo, and tobefo and fo humbled, and penitent, andfure I
am I want fuch a qualification, and therefore all is lofl to me.
But, poor foul, whatever comes in this way, tending to make you
look into yourfelf, and ftand off from Chrift, you may know it is
but a fwitch of the law of works ; flight it, and fet it off, if it hin-
der you from thinking of Chrift as your all, and from buying and
drinking his wine and milk without money, and without price.
^thly^ Carnal Reafon is another caufe why people think little of
Chriil ; for the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit
of God, they are foohfhnefs to him, i Cor. 2. 14. There is na-
tural reafon, which is fo much cried up at this day, when a man
goes about' to meafure God's truth, and fpiritual myfleries, with
this fnort line of human reafon ; and finding that reafon agrees
withthefe myfleries, no more than the found of rams horns, in
the view of carnal fenfe, was like to bring down the walls of Jeri-
cho ; behold, no fault, mufl be found with lady reafon, but Chrill's
Gofpel, and the myfteries thereof, muft bear the blame, namely,
that they are f ooliili and abfurd, and therefore not to be receiv-
ed or efteemed by fuch wife heads as they are, who httle remem-
ber the Apoflle's admonition, i Cor. 3. 18. If any man will be
"wife, let him become a fool, that he may be mfe. Hence Luther gave
it as an infallible mark that the Gofpel was not truly preached,
and was not the Gofpel, indeed namely, if it was fo brewed,
fitted and adapted unto reafon, that all approved of it, and
yielded to it peaceably ; for how then iliould Chrifl be a
fign that fliould be fpoken againfl:, Luke 2. 34. and afione
of Jtumbling, and rock of offence ? This leads me to a jf/; caufe
why people think fo little of Chrift, namely, the calumny cafl up- •
on the Gofpel of Chrift, and the difpenfers of it. Is it poffible for
the wifdom of the world to hold her peace from fpeaking againft
that which fhe judges to befoolifiinefs? How then fhall Chrifl
be not only for the rifing, but the falling of many in Ifrael ? Mark %
{zys Luther, where this fall is, even in Ifrael, in that people that
feemed to be Chrifl's only people, and upon Chrifl's fide. It it e-
ven in IfraeHhzi many fall, and in Ifrael that Chrift is fpoken a-

gainft.

JVhat think ye of Christ 9 57

gainfl.. Thus, when he came to be a minifler of the old and an-
cient truths of God, to confirm the promifes made unto the id.-
thevs, Rom. 15. S. whenhebegan to preach the fame, the great-
eft: part of the multitude cried ouc^ IVhat nezv do^rine is this ?
Mark 1 . 27. Whence we may fee, that when a church hath gone
off from any ancient truth, or old way of exprelTmg it, no fooner
arethefeold truths received, or fet in their ancient frame, than
prefently it is called anew fcheme of do6lrine : However, by
this means Satan gets much of his will ,• for it tends to make peo-
ple think little of Chrift; and his Gofpel. 6th!y, Divifion is ano-
ther caufe why people think fo little of Chrifl;. There is a two-
fold divifion that I mean ; there is not only an outward church-
divifion, but an inward heart-divifion. No doubt the former
hath a great hand in making many to flight Chriil ; for when a
Church is divided^ the generality of people are apt to be ft:um-
bled: Why, fay they, we know not whom to believe, and what
fide to turn to; every part^ fays they arefor Chrift, and there-
fore the indifferent fort of people think we will even let Chrill
and them both alone. But it is efpecially inward heart-divifion that
I mean : When the heart is divided betwixt Chrifl; and the world,
betwixt Chrifl:, and idols or lufts ; the world, and lufts thereof,
will be fure to carry away the heart, that it cannot think highly
of Chrifl, while it thinks fomuch of other things. A man may
as foon with one eye obferve the flars, and with the other mea-
fure the earth at the fame time, as he can think highly of Chrifr,
and of his idols too : Therefore, when Satan, like the pretended
mother, fays, let it be neither thine nor mine, but divide it ; God,
who is the Lord of the heart, fays, let the devil rather have all,
for God will either have all or none. Now, when men have any
approved idol in the heart, Chrift is defpifed, his rival gets all;
the divided heart then is a heart feparate and joined to idols ; and
this divifion caufes difefleem of Chrifl, fo as the man (pannot thinl;:
of Chrifl, he muft, of neceflity, think of fome other tf\\ng^Liik. 14.
1 8- See how they that were invited to the great flipper, the Gof-
pel-banquet, put it off with excufes, Ihave bought apiece of ground,
andlmiijt needs go and fee it, fays one : Mark the phrafe, Ii?niji
needs go; he pleads neceflity, and neceflity hath no law. W^hen
the heart is not wholly for Chrift, of neccffity it will be for the
world, and the lufts thereof; and he that is not for Chrift, Satan
will find him always enough of bufinefs to take up his tho't>,
and which the man will reckon fo neccflary, that he will have no
leifure to think of Chrift. Now, when this queflion is propofed,

^ban

58 The main (Question,

JVhatthinkye of Chriftl or when Chrifl is offered, there are two
forts of perfons that ?i\&\v very little elleem of him ; yea, that
fliew they do nothing but defpife him in their heart : The Apofile
compares them to dogs and fwine, 2 Pet. 2. 22. i. There are
fomelike fwine, namely, the prophane worldly people : forasfwine'
think more of the mire, than any thing elfe; lb, if one go to
drive him away from the mire, he only gives a grmit, and away
he goes to the mire again, or elfe rooting his fnout in the earth :
So prophane and worldly people love to wallow in the mire of
fin, and to be rooting in the earth ,* and if any go about to drive
them from fin, and to pull their nofes out of the earth, they go
away granting and grumbling in their heart, that they cannot be
allowed their neceifary pleafure and profit, and they return to
the wallowing in the mire, and rooting in the earth, as eagerly
as ever. All the anfwer they give to the queftion, ^/;af tbink
ye ef Chrifl ? is a grunt : They are difturbed a little about it, and
moved a little to mutter fome words, according as they are af-
fe6led ,* but away they go grunting, with their mouth towards
the dufl; it is not Chrifl they are thinking of. 2. There are
others like dogs, namely, kgal'ifts and felf-jufticiaries, that are
worfe enemies to the Gofpel of Chrifl, than the worldling, or
openly prophane; for as a dog thinks more of a /linking car-
cafe than any thing elfe, fo, if you go about to drive the dog
from his vomit, or flinking carrion, he will be either ready to
bark or bite, or fly in your face. : Even fo legalifts and felf-
jufliciaries think more of the flinking carcafeof their own righ-
teoufnefs, and legal duties, than any thing elfe ; and when any
goes about to draw them away from the high efleem of the
filthy rags of their own righteoufnefs,fliewing the lothfomnefs
and vilenefs thereof, the abfolute neceffity of being v/holly
denied thereto, and adorn^^- with nothing but Chrifl's perfedl
righteoufnefs for juflificapi^in before God ,• if we fliew them
how God jufljfies the ungodly, and how the righteoufnefs of God,
'without the ^vorks of the lave, is manifefled in the Gofpel ; why,
then they go away frofii the ordinances, barking, and biting,
and Handering, cakimniatingthe Gofpel, which they do not un-
derfland or efteem, as if it were a doftrine of licentioufnefs, and
an encouragement of fin; and they return to their vomit, their
ilinking carrion, negle6ling the heavenly carcafe to which the *^
believing eagles gather together, that they may live by faith
upon the Son of God. Now, both thefe forts of perfons, hov.'-
e\ er differently afi'c61cd, yet agree m their flighting of Chrifl,

upcn

What think ys of Curist7 <;c)

upon different grounds. What do they think of Chriil ? No-
thing at all : The Lord convince and awaken fuch.

'I ^t third life v[\2.^ h^^ox examination d^nd trial. Let this great
queflion of the Chriftian catechifm be a touchftone to try what
metal you are of, and to underftand what is your flate now, and
what will be your lot forever. It is according as you anfwer
this queflion, PFhat think ye of Chrifi? For helping you into this
enquiry, I would dire6l:youcotry it, i.By thequalidesof your
thoughts. 2. By the objeft thereof.

Firjl^ Try yourfelves, upon this queflion, by the qualities of
your thoughts; for it is not a limple tho't, like a flying vapour,
that is here intended ; but a qualified though t, that you are to try
yourfelves by. For example, (i.) Right and becoming tho'ts
of Chrifi are preferring and iliperlative thoughts, Chrift is beyond
comparifon to the man : The language of fuch a tho't of Chrift
isthis,0 what can he be compared unto I If you compare him to
a rofe, he is the rofe of Sharon : If you compare to a lillie, he is
the lillie of the valley : If you compare him to a fun, he is the fun of
righteoufnefs ; If you compare him to a frar, he is the bright and
morning-flar : If you compare him to a chief and honourable
worthy, he is the chief among ten thoufand ; If you compare him
to a head, he is the head of principalities and powers : If you com-
pare him to a flower, he is the flower of the flem of y^d-: If you
compare him to a branch, he is the branch of righteoufnefs : If
you compare him to an advocate, he is an advocate with the fa-
ther: If you compare him to a counfellor, he is the wonclerful
counfellor ; If you compare him to a king, he is the king of kings,
and Lord of Lords: If you compare him to a prince, he is the
prince of peace, the prince of the kings of the earth : If you com-
pare him with men, he is fairer than the fons of men : If you com-
pare him with angels, he is the Lord of angels ; let all the angels
of God worfhip him. I'he man does, in his tho't, prefer Chriil
to all things in heaven and earth. Whom have I in heaven but thee /
and there is none upon the earth that I defire befides thee. In all things
he gives him the pre-eminence. Col. i. i8. Then again, (2")
Right and becoming thoughts of Chrift are admiring and adoring
thoughts, exalting and extolling thoughts ; if you have duQ tho'ts
of him in your heart, you'll find in yourheart toblcfs him,fa.y-
'ing, as Pfal. ir8. 26. *.

Blefj'ed is he^ in God's great Name
That Cometh us to five :

We from the houfe which to the Lord

Fertains, you blejfed have. Au'l

6o The main (Question,

And, O magnify the Lord with me ; you would wifli that all the
world would fall a bleffing, and praifing, and extolling him.
They are glorying and glorifying thoughts ; the man's heart
glories in the Lord, and glorifies the Lord, and would defire his
glory may be advanced above the heaven: Why, becaufe, (3.)
Right and becoming thoughts of Chrifl are fpiritual and fubli-
mated thoughts. Natural thoughts can rife no higher than na-
ture, I Cor. 2. 14. but fpiritual thoughts being managed by the
conduft and influence of the Spirit of God ; the Spirit fearches all
things, even the deep things of God. Indeed the Spirit of God is the
all in all of thefe tho'ts ; for he comes, according to the pro-
mife, and glorifies Chrift, by receiving the things of Chrifl, and
fliewing them unto the foul,yo^. 16. 14. They that are after the
fle^j, do mind the things of theflejh ; hut they that are after the Spirit ^
the things of the Spirit, Rom. 8. 5. Indeed, the things of
Chrifl and the things of the Spirit are the fame, no human natu-
ral wifdom can reach to them. Wife naturalifts may indeed
dream of them, and fpeak of them, like a man fpeaking in his
dream of the light of the fun, while yet it is dark night with him,
and he was never awakened, ^c. (4.) Right and becoming
thoughts of Chrift are applying and appropriating thoughts, in-
fomuchthat the man takes Chrifl into his foul, as he takes meat
and drink into his body, ^ob. 6. 54. This is that believing thought^
without which a man receives no benefit ; any more than a man
that wants meat can have benefit by thinking upon meat without
eating thereof. The man takes in Chrift to himfelf for his owd
good. To think of Chrifl, without applying him, is like a man
thinking of meat and drink, without taking it, which does no
good. Qiieft. But can there be no right thinking of Chrift, with-
out applying ? Indeed, man, the thought is but a vain thought,
an unbelieving tho't, an unprofitable tho't, if it be not either
an applying thought of Chrifl, or a thought of Chrifl in order to
application; like a fick man receiving a cordial out of his phyfi-
cian's hand, he takes it from him, not to hold it in his hand, and
no more, but in order to make it his own, by drinking it down
for his refrefJjment f healing, and flrengthening. The man's ta-
king the cordial in his hand, is not properly the taking that the
phyfician means, but his taking it into hisflomach, is the pro-
per taking of it; yettheformer taking of it in his hand is right,
in ^o far as it is in order to the other : So here,^ bare thinking oi
Chrifl is of no avail, unlefsitbe ^n applying tho't, or a tho't in or-
der to application. And tho' the tho'ts of Chrifl, in order to ap-
plication,

What think }'^ </ Christ ? 6i

plication, be not application itfelf properly, yet it is good, info
far as it is like a taking Chriflinto your hand, in order to take him
into your heart, and that for your own foul's refrelhment, life,
health, and everlafting falvation. (5.) Right tho'ts ofChrift
are finking and ferious tho'ts, in oppofition to the fvvimming,
roving, and indifferent thoughts- Some have a wild thought
about Chrift, that if he be good for any thing, theyfliall have a
fhare of him, as well as others : But what he is, and how they
Ihall come by him, they never deeply pondered ; for they were
never touched with a fenfe of their fin, mifery and undone (late
without him. A fwimming tho't of Chrifl is like that of fome
ignorant creatures crying out in afurprife, Chrijl, have mercy on
us ; but the tho't that finks deep, is like that of the Publican,
fmitingon his breafi:, and crying, Z-or^, have mercy on me ajinner.
But there are learned fools in the world as well as ignorant ones,
that have nothing but fwimming tho'ts, roving fpeculations ;
and yet it may be, they can fpeak of Chrift to better purpofe (you
would think) than one that is exercifed to godlinefs : But yet
thefetwo forts differ as far as the pleading of an orator differs
from the pleading of a malefaftor ; the one vents his great wit, but
the other his heart-concern. Again, (6.) Right tho'ts of Chrifl
are trading thoughts. The man hath it for his conftant trade, to
think highly of Chrift, and give him the chief room in his heart
and efteem. In this refpe6t, his heart is fixed, trufting in the Lord.
The dejire of our foul is to thy name, fays the church, Ifa. 26. 8,9>
and to the remembrance of thee. With tny foul have I defired thee in the
night, and with my Spirit within me zvilllfeek thee early. There was
a trading with heaven late at night, and early in the morning.
Yea, Davidm^kQs it morning, and evening, and mid-time of the
day ; yea more, feven times a day; andyetmoftofall, whenhe
fays, My foul breaks for the longing that it hath to thy righteous judg-
ments at all times. It is a conftant trading. True, indeed, there are
innumerable intermilTions in the believer's Chriflian thoughts
and defires. But as we fay, it is fuch a man's trade to buy and fell,
while he follows that employment, tho' it is not every moment
he is thus occupied ; but tho' there be feveral intermiflions in the
exercife of his employment, yet the bent of his mind goes that
way : So here, we may call this the believer's conftant trade, be-
caufe, whatever intermiffions there are in this his mental trading
with heaven, yet th-e bent of his foul is towards Chrifl : Yea, it is
not only his bufinefs, but his pleafure, and that makes him go on-
If a man thrive at his trade, he takes pleafure in it ; and if not, he

is

52 Tloe main (Question,

is in danger of giving it over. We go fometimes upon bufinefs to
thofe whom wc never law, nor care for feeing again, and whom
we take little pleafure to converfe with : They that never go to
Chrift but merely upon bufinefs, and never find any pleafure in
converfing with him, furely they are too great Grangers to him.
Certainly, believer, there is too much ftrangenefs betwixt Chrifl
andyou, if yourbufmefs you have to do with Chrifi: be feldom
your pleafure, or if it be merely bufinefs that takes you to him,
faying, I want a pardon, I want a promife, I want this and that.
But, is there never a love-vifit you make to him, faying. Lord, I
have got a pardon, and I am come to blefs thee for it ; 1 have got
a promife, and 1 am come to praife thee for it ; thy company is
fweet,and 1 am come to get thee in my arms,thaL I may have more
of thy embraces ? Ofvveet trading ! My meditation of him fo all
he fiveet. Indeed, thefe thoughts of Chrifl: that are right, are glad,
joyful, fatisfying thoughts.

(7.) Right thoughts of Chrift are humbling thoughts, and yet
emboldning thoughts. O but thefe that think highly of Chrift,
cannot but think meanly of themfelves, faying with Job, Now
tni'ne eye feeth thee ; "-iXsherefore I abhor myfelf, andrepent in dujt and
ajhes. I'he believer, that thinks duly of Chrift, hath both the
higheft and loweft thoughts in the world ; the higheR thoughts of
Chrift, and the loweft thoughts of himfelf; and yet this humility
doth not hinder his boldnefs, for he hath holdnefs to enter into the
holiejl by the blood of Jefus, Heb. 10. 19. The more he thinks of
Chrift, the more humble thoughts he has of himfelf ; and yet the
morehethinksof Chrift, the more bold he is towards God. It is
a bold humility, and a humble boldnefs ; hence, when he isiuor-
(hipping God in the Spirit, two other things concur, Philo^. 3. name-
iy, d. rejoicing in Chrifi J'efus^d.nd a. having no confidence in the flefio,
O, fays the ioul, I have no ground of confidence in myfelf, but 1
have all ground of confidence in Chrift ! Unworthy wretch am I,
as ever was out of hell ; but behold, there is a worthy blood, a
worthy righteoufnefs of Chrift, the Lord our righteoufnefs ; there-
fore, unworthy as I am, I am warranted to be bold in claiming all
thro' Chrift ; I fee the holy of holies is open to me thro' this blood
of Chrift.

(8.) Right thoughts of Chrift are affimiilating thoughts, fanc-
tifying and transforming thoughts, 2 Cor. m.lafi. They that fee
Chrift, cannot but love him, and defire to be like him ; for there ■
is a transforming favour in his face. They that are in heaven
are like him, becaufe they fee him as he is ; the beatifical vifioh

brings

tVhat think ye of Cuvlist^ (J3

hr mgs in full confonnity to him: Now, afpiritual thought and a
believing thought is a mental fight, a fiducial vifionof him; and
the more of this, the more conformity to bim in hoUncfs. The tho'c
that indears Chrift, imbitters lin ; a man cannot tbmk duly of the
lovelinefs of Chrifty without thinking of the lothfomnefs of fin. O,
when the fun ot righteoufnefs arifeth, there is a heat that accom-
panies the light, and warms the heart. And indeed high tho'ts
of Chrifl do warm the heart, and make it burn within him ;
and fuch heart-warming thoughts are thefe, burning thoughts,
tending to burn up and deftroy corruption ; for, according as
Chrift comes into the heart, fi.n muft go out, according to the
meafure and degree of his coming : As a talent of gold, or fome
weighty m.etal, falling into a Teflelof water, dailies out all that
is in thevefiel to make room for itfelf ; fo Chrift's coming into
the heart, dailies out im to make room for himfelf. And indeed
they that have honourable tho'ts of Chriil in their hearts, can-
not have favourable thoughts of fin; becaufe, whenever Chrift
comes into the thoughts, if he do not dafliout the life, yet he
dailies out the love of fin. What, man ! will you fay that Chrift
is in you, and that you have faith, and yet the love of fin as great
as ever, and you can indulge yourielf in whoredom, and drun-
kennefs, and lying, and fwearing, ^c. You'll never make a
good man believe that Chrift is in you, or that you have faith, e-
ven though you fliould fwear by your faith, as fome do, who e-
ven thereby teftify to the world that they have no faith at all, be-
ing fo prodigal of it, as to fwear away the faith which they fay or
think they have. So far as Chrift comes in, fin goes out. It is
poiTible, indeed, that a believer, that hathChrift in him, may think
thathehath more fin than ever, and that Sin is on the growing
hand, inftead of decaying,- butheismiftaken. It is in this cafe
as it is with acupof water, put filverand gold into the cup, and
the water fwells up; and the more you put in, tlie more will the
water fwell and run over, that you would think there is ftill more
water than before, the more gold is put in. Chrift is the tried
gold; and the more theveffelof the believer's heart is filled with
it, the more may fin appear to rife and fwell, and run over all its
banks. This frights and terrifies the poor ibul, becaufe now he
fees that which,it may be, was hid in the velfel of his heart before,
and out of his fight. But it is not that there is more fin, more
water than before, but more goldcaft in; only every dafli per-
haps makes the water fiy about, that he thinks he was never fo
full of fin and corruption as nov/ : Yet ftill it holds good, Chrift's

coming

64. The main (Question,

coming in makes fin fly cut ; and the more it feems to rife
and fwell, the more does the foul's indignation rife and fvvell
againfl it. All right thoughts of Chrifl: are fanftifying
thoughts. In a word, high thoughts of Chrift are new tho'ts.
They that fuppofe they have thought well enough of Chrifl: all
their days, and continue to have no better thoughts, no higher
thoughts, no weightier thoughts, no clearer tho'ts of him than
ever they had, furely they arefl:rangers to this efteem of Chrifl:
that we are enquiring into. If any man be in Chrift^ he is a Jiew
creature ; old things are done away, and all things are become new,
and new thoughts among the reft. Where grace comes, there
the wicked man does forfakehis way, and the unrighteous man
his thoughts, his carnal thoughts, his legal thoughts ; they are
changed into fpiritual thoughts, evangelical thoughts, fuch as he
never had before : And new thoughts of Chrift will bring in new
vv^ords and new aftions; the words follow the thoughts. You
may then turn the queftion. fFhat think ye of Chrifl ? to another,
fVhat fpeak ye of him ? for, out of the abundance of the heart the
mouth fpeaketh. If you think it ill breeding, orungenteel man-
ners, as many do, to fpeak of Chrifl and fpiritual thmgs, and can-
not drop a word for him from fabbath to fabbath, who can be-
lieve that you think highly of Chrift ? Nay, that which is moft in
yourheartand thoughts, will be moft in your lips. The aftions
alfo follow the thoughts : Can you think highly of Chrift, and yet
do nothing for him ? Nay, new and precious thoughts of Chrift
will bring in n^w gofpel-obedience from a principle of love to
him. Thus you may try yourfelves now on this queftion, fVhat
think ye of Chrifl ? by the qualities of your tho^ ts. Examinati-
on is the very defign of the queftion, namely, to difcoverwhat
our tho'ts of Chrift are ; and therefore 1 infift mainly upon this.

But, having tried yourfelves by the qualities of vour thoughts.
2dly, Try yourfelves by the obje61: thereof, namelv, Chrift ; tVhat
thinkyeof Chrift? And here fuch a large field prefentsitfelf, that it
is impoflible I can go thro' it all. Befides what was faid in the doc-
trinal part, I would ask fome further queftions concerning Chrift,
not only for examination, but for raifingyour efteem of him.

(i .) What think ye of his eminent ftation he is in as Mediator
betwixt God and you, and his relation to God and you, his relati-
on to God by nature as his eternal Son, and by office as his righte-
ous fervant ? God calls you to wonder at him in this ftation, 7/^.
42. 1. Behold my fervant, ivhom [uphold, &c. His Father called him
forth to ferve hmiand you, and to ferve him for your fake ; to

ferve

TVlmt think }-? 0/ C H R i s t ? 6$

ferve him as a Redeemer to ranfom you ,* to ferve him as a
furety to pay your debt ; to ferve him as a phyfician to heal
your fouls ; to ferve him in all the offices that your need re-
quires : And what think ye of him ?

(2.) What think ye ofhis travels, in order to accomplifli the
works that belongs to that flation and relation wherein he (lands
:o God and you V The travel of his eternal mind before time,
when his delights 'mere 'with the Jons of men ; the travel of his foul,
and the travel of his body in time ; his travel from heaven to
earth, and from earth to heaven again; in all his mediatory ac-
tions, his incarnation^ birth, life death, refurreStion, afcenfion and
interceffion ! O but the Lord can give a glance of his glory in the
very naming of thefe things ! How did he travel as in birth,
when he went about his Father's bufinefs ! Luke 2.. 49.

(3.) What think ye ofhis treafures, his unfearchable riches
that are flored up in him for the benefit of poor fmners, hav-
ing received thefe gifts for men ? All the treafures of wifdom
and knowledge are hid in him ; all, and infinitely more than
we loft in the firft Jdam, is treafured up in the fecond Adam.
O, what may a poor, ignorant, witlefs fmner think of a trea-
fure of wifdom for his illumination / What may a guilty fmner
think of atreafure of righteoufnefs for his juftification ! What
may a filthy fmner think of a treafure of grace for his fan6li-
fication ! And what may a miferable fmnsr think of atreafure
of mercy for his compleat redemption ! Yet all thefe treafures,
and infinitely more than we can name, are in Chrift, i Cor. i.
30. Pf^ho of God is made unto us -wifdom^ righteoufnefs^ fan&ifica-
tion, and redemption. O the fulnefs of grace that is in him, that
out of his fulnefs we may receive and grace for grace I He is
the ftore-houfe of all God's treafures ; for all is treafured up
in him that we may be complete in him, who will by faith
make ufe of him : And what think ye of him !

(4.) What think ye of his thoughts ? Pfai 139. 17. Hoiv
precious are thy thoughts unto mc, O God ! ho'us great is the fun of
them ! Jf I count them, fays he, they are more in number than the
fand ; 'when I a'wake, I am fill with thee. O his tho'ts ! Dwell
with wonder and admiration upon God's thoughts. Is it no-
thing to you, that ever he had thoughts of love towards tliC
like of you, thoughts of pardon, thoughts of peace, thoughts of
good and not of evil, to give you an expelled end ? O believer,
his thoughts are not precious to the reft of the world ; but
what are they to you ? Think you nothing that his thoughts

F and

5(5 I'he mam (Question,

and care fhould have been about you from all eternity, and
now manifeiled in time ? Having loved you with aneverlafl:-
ing love, how is he drawing you with loving-kindnefs ? be-
fides all his providential care in bringing things about for your
good, and that in a way beyond your contrivance and fore-
fighl;, yea, in fuch a manner as never entred into your tho'ts. You
little tho't what was his defign in ordering your lot in fuch a part
of the world, and fuch a fpot of his vineyard, and bringing you to-
fuch a fermon, or under fuch a miniilry. O how innumerable
are his precious thoughts ! and what think ye of him ?

(5.) What think ye of his words,as well as his thoughts ? Sure-
ly, if you think duly, you'll think themfweet words, Pfal. 119.
1 03. HoTO fweet are thy ivords to my tajle ? Sweeter than honey to my
mouth. Does the Spirit never take fome of his words, and put a
fpiritual majefly thereupon? Though many times,like6'(^wz/^/,you
miftake the Lord's voice, believer, and think it is jE/uhat fpeak^^
and cannot difcern the voice of Chrifl; from the voice of Mofey,
the voice of grace from the voice of the law; yet when the Spi-
rit comes, and rounds-in a word from Chrift fometimes, what
think ye of it ? It is the voice of my beloved, behold he cometh skipping
upon the mountains, and leaping upon the hills I What think ye of his
inviting words, faying, Come to me, all ye that arezveary and heavy
ladenl What think ye of his expofhulating words, fay ing,/^^;}/ zvill
ye die,0 hoiife oflfrntl? What think ye of his intreating words, and
his promifing words, his / zvills, and ye /balls, I ivill be your God,,
and yejhall be my people ? Do ye think fo much of them, thac
your hearts fay amen to them? What think yeof his;;?^;y-Z'^'j- ?
Believers will think muchof a7«^}'-Z?^from him fometimes. It
may be he will be gracious ; it may be ye fliall be hid in the day of
the Lord's anger. What think yQO^ his [JmH- bis 7 'J'here are
jhallbe's for tlie church in general ; upon all the glcry he fliall be a
defence ; in the mount of the Lard it fiiall be feen : What think ye
of thefe ? There sivc fjall-be's for yourfelf in particular. There is
a p.mll-be for your protcdion, a man (hall be a hiding-place from the
/form. This man fliall be the peace, ivhen the AfTy rian jhaUcome in-
to our land. I'here is a fljallbe for your provifion, bi-ead fhall be
given thee, and thy u\:f f r flial 1 be fire. There is a fhallbe for your
inftruftion, they lliall be all taught of God. There is a /hall-be for
your juftification ; bis name Ihallbe called, the Lordjur rightcouf-
nefs. There is a fljall-be for your falvation from fin and wrath,
hi.- w^"/e"fhal! he called ]}:svs, becaufe he faves his people from their
jins, even 'J'fis, which delivers from the wrath to come. There is a

jhall-be

^^ PThat think ye of CuRist ? 6^

fiall-ha^oY your happy death, death fliall be fwallowedup in victory.
There is a jhall-be for a liappy welcome at the day of judgment,
they Ihall be 7niney in the day that I ?nake up my jewels. There is a
jhall-be ^0^3. happy eternity, ^wi/oit'i? (liallbv- ever mth the Lord.
What think ye of all thefe words and fl^all-be^s ? Is there any
faith here, faying, amen, fo let it be, fo Inall it be ? What think ye
of his verily s ? We cannot go through thefe, to tell you how
oft he hath confirmed his words with a verily, verily, I fay unto
you: Many a wrathful "um/jagainffc his enemies, that tliink no-
thing of him ; many a loving wrf/y towards his people, that think
much of him. 0,do youefteem them all to be the truth, and
that verily it is and iliall be as he hath faid ? What think ye of his
dying words, and when he faid upon the crofs, L is finifhed ?
What think ye of his living words, / am he that was dead, and am a-
live, and behold I live for evermore ? O what think ye of his words ?
Cannot your heart fay, Lord, to whomjhalllgo ? thou haft the words
of eternal life : O what think ye of him 1

(6.) What think ye of his works ? even his v/orks of creation,
what think ye of thefe ? For by him all things were made that were
made, and without him was nothing made. Job. 1.3.0 when you be-
hold the heavens, the work of his hands, the moon and the ftars, which
he hath ordained, may you not fay, what is man, that thou art mind-
fid of him, &c ? What think ye of his works of Providence ?
For he upholds all things by the word of his power ! Heb. 1.3. If you
wonder how he can raife your dead bodies at the great day, and
fever your dufl from other duft ; may you not as well wonder,
how he every day raifes up in your view innumerable ftalks of
corn out of the duft, and gives to every grain of feed bis own body ?
as the Apoflle argues, i Cor. 15. 35. "&c. How will he raife the
believer's vile body out of the filthy duft, where it rots, and make
it like his own glorious body? O fools that w^e are, and flow of heart to
believe,how does he raife the beautiful lilies out of the dung? Solo-
mon, in all his glory, is not comparable to one of thefe; and all the world
cannot make one of them to rife, without his powerful provi-
dence. Thefe miracles of providence are common every day
in our view, and fo we think nothing of them,- but we might fee
the power of Chrift in them. If you wonder how it was poffible
forChrift to turn the water into wine, or multiply a few loaves,
and a few filhes,as to feedfo many thoufands; we needed not
wonder fo much, if we but tho't how his providence is doing
that every year: The waterfalls from the clouds, and the vine,
by his order, turns it into wine; and by tliefpawn offuchfilhes,

^^2 and

68 The main (Question,

and the grain of fuch loaves, he is feeding millions every day.
Wo's us, that we cannot think of him, and his works, as we
ought! Above all, what think ye of his works of grace, and re-
deeming love? All his other works are as a drop of the bucket,
in comparifon of this ocean ; for herein we may fee him appear,
in his own, and his Father's pomp and fplendor, manifefting all
the glorious perfeftions of God, even his infinite power, and
wifdom, holinefs, juflice, mercy, truth, faithfulnefs, and all
God's attributes. I might here mention his works of grace for
us, and his works of grace in us ,• but it were endlefs to fpeak
of the thoufandth part. His work of grace for us lies in his bring-
ing in everlafting righteoufnefs, efpecially if we fpeak of his
good works ; furely it is a good work, that can fulfil the holy
precepts of that good law which we have broken, and can anfwer
therighteons threatening ofthejuftlaw which we have incurred.
Well, here is the doing and dying of the Son of God, for both
thefeends, that divine holinefs may be vindicated, and Juftice
fatisfied, in the way and manner of our falvation through him.
The law of God is a perfe6l law, and exceeding broad ,• but here
is a righteoufnefs as broad as it can be, fo as to magnify the law,
and make it honourable: O what think ye of that good work?
His work of grace in us is alfo much to be thought of; and that
lies mainly, 1 think, in his imputing that perfe6l righteoufnefs to
us forourjuflification, and implanting another righteoufnefs be-
fideitfor our fanftification, which he carries on to perfeftion.
This internal work of grace may be begun with fighs and groans,
advanced in battles and conflidls ; but it will be completed in
victory and glory. But in this fliort glance of his works, what
think ye of them? May ye not fay, as Pfal. iii. 3. His work
is honourable and glorious, and his righteoufnefs endures for ever :
And when you notice his works, what think you of himfelf ?

(7.) What think ye of his Gofpel, and the terms of it ? That
Gofpel, which we preach in his name, wherein his righteoufnefs
is revealed from faith to faith : If you think highly of him, you'l
think highly of it, as the beft news, and gladeft tidings that ever
you heard ; Ho^jo beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of them,
&c ? Some are ready to think the Gofpel of grace, and falvation
thro'Chrill, is too good news to be true with refpeft to them, as
if it were nor to be fuppofed that God will beftow fb great falva-
tion fo freely upon fo great finners ; not confidering,|that God
in the Gofpel aims not at our glory chiefly, but at the declarati-
on of his own glory, and the magnifying of his own free grace;

and

fVhat think y? 0/ C n R i s T ? 69

and that therefore we ought to take freely what he gives freely.
It is a manifefbation of free grace, fovereign grace, which is nei-
ther hindered by ourevil, nor furthered by our good, iiom.3. 24.
and regards neither ourworthinefs to deferveic, norour unwor-
thinefs to impede it, Rom, 9. 15. Hence Luther alledged, that
mens minds were fo occupied with fantaflical imaginations of
their own works, that the glad-tidings of the gofpei will feem
ftrange matters to them: Men will be afloniflied at the great-
nefs of his grace, asitis,y^r. 33. 8,9. Many think of the Gof-
pei, as if it were a ne'vo law^ wherein God ftands upon fome eafier
terms with us than in the covenant of works; thus confounding
Law and Gofpei, and making a hotch-potch of both. Indeed if
we fpeak of law-terms, upon which our falvation ftands, they
are no eafier than ever they were : A perfe6l righteoufnefs is the
only condition of falvation ,* and we not having that in our-
felves, theGofpel offers it in Chrift, and there is the ground of our
eternal falvation : But if we fpeak of Gofpel-terms, we need not
■fay, you mufl come up to them ; but rather, come down Zaccbem,
for this day is falvation come to thy houfe : Salvation is come to
you, and offered freely to you^ wit hoi{t money, and without price ;
come down and take it. And indeed faith, which belongs to
the order and method of God's applying the Gofpei, is a coming
down from all our legal hopes of falvation for fomething to be
done by iis, in order to our being obliged to another, even to
Chrift for all, //«. 55. 1,2. Rev. 22.11. Come down from the fy-
comore-tree of your vain hopes, and get all freely; that is the
Gofpei : Whatthinkyeof it ? This is indeed a hard faying to
proud flefli and blood, which thinks rather they fhould go up, and
do more for their juflification and falvation, than come down,
and be obliged to another to pay all their law-debt completely.
He will do all for you, or nothing : And, Oman, what think ye
of him and his Gofpei ? But then,

(8.) What think yeof hisfervice, and his wages? When a
man is once bro'tinto the Gofpel-terms, and underfi-ands them,
then, and not till then, does he come up to the Gofpel-rule ; for
faith works by love, and love is the fulfilling of the law as a rule,
fromthankfulnefs to him that hath delivered from the law as a
covenant. If you think his fervice hard and uneafy, it feems
you are not thinking much of ChriO, but rather of the law which
is a heavy yoke, that neither we nor our fathers were able to bear :
But Chrifi:'syoke iseafy, and his burden light, Mat. ir. 29^^30.
becaufe in this fervice the man hath no law-debt to pay, for Chnfl:

r -; ' huth

70 The main (Question,

hath done that to his hand, but only a love-debt. If you love
me, keep my commandments ; and thus, His commandments are not
grievous. Here grace is all and all, both of the fervice and wa-
ges. Grace fays. Up and be doing, man, in my Jirength ; for the
great efl ixiork is done to your hand, and novo my grace Jhallbe fufficient
for thee. Grace fays alfo, Behold a croivn of glory, a reward of grace
awaiting you, after you have fought the good fight of faith ; therefore
have an eye to this recompence of reivard. Death is the proper -wa-
ges of ^m, and it is a juil debt ,• but grace's wages is free : The gift
of God is eternal life, through, Jefus Chrijt our Lord ; that is, there is
here no promife of hfe upon our doing, but a promife of grace
to do, and of glory to crown our doing, and of both grace and
glory as the reward of Chrift's doing all; and therefore, WhaC
think ye of him and his fervice ?

(9.) What think ye of his livery? If you would anfwer this
queftion. What think ye of Chrifl ? I would ask. What wear ye of
Chrift ? The raiment of his righteoufnefs and the garment of his
grace, foas to be all glorious within and without, like the kings
daughter, will be precious to you. If you be clothed with the
fcarlet robe of his blood and righ teoufnefs, by which you are per-
feiSlIy righteous before God, then to befure you'll think it very-
indecent for you to be clothed with nafty apparel before men.
If a poor maid be married to a rich king, and yet go abroad like a
beggar in filthy rags, would not every body cry, Ihame on her,
that having fuch a husband, fliould difcredit him and herfelf ? If
you be married to Chrift, and think much of your husband and
his righteoufnefs, furely you'll think it becoming to wear his li-
very, and not go abroad with foul mouths and filthy hands, like
the reft of the world, to the diflionour of your Lord.

(10.) What think ye of his love, and the reafon of it ? Who
can underftand the height, and depth, and length of hisjove ? It
is without all dimenfion. And why does he love any of the loft
pofterity of Adam ? He tells us the reafon, Dcut. 7, 7, 8. He lov-
ed you, becaufe he loved ym. Do you think he loves you for your
beauty, O black and ugly finner ? Nay, he urges his love and
kindnefs upon you in the Gofpel freely, not for your own beau-
ty's fake, but for his own name's fake : And his grace, love and
good- will, as revealed in the Gofpel, is to be believed with Ap-
plication to yourfelf, for no other reafon but beciufe it is his will
and pleafure. His love muft make you beautiful, but cannot find
you fo. And if you cannot believe his grace and good-wiii to
you, becaufe you have lio^auty, you're but rejecting the reafon

of

What think ye of Ckrxst ? ^r

•of his love, defpifing the freedom of his grace, and ftanding upon
the terms of the Old Covenant of works, flighting the grace of
the New Covenant: This is fuch a natural difeale to mankind,
that even believers in Chrift, when they are helped to perform
duty with any lively frame, are ready to fay with Leah^ Jacobus
wife, when {lie bro't forth feveral children to him, Now my huf-
band will love Die, becaiife of my fruitfulnefs ; fo fays the believer,
when he is helped to bring forth fruit unto God, and finds his
fpirit revived in duty, his foul ftrengthened, his heart enlarged,
and a great deal of comfort there, O notu, fays he, viy husband will
love me, becaufe of my fruitfulnefs : But what comes of it ? The
perfon having fuch a legal fet, the Lord, to corre6l it, takes away
all his fruitfulnefs out of his view, in a manner, and leaves him
barren : 0, fays the believer then, where is my former fiveet hear-
ing, and fweet praying and praifing^ and fweet meditation"^ Why,
the Lord hath cut off thefe,thathe may cutoff your legal pride
of being loved for your beauty and fruitfulnefs, and that you may
return to your firft husband, for then was it better with you than now.
You mult begin, believer, where you began at firft, and think of
his loving you merely becaufe he loves you. They that build
their conjugal comfort only, or mainly, upon their righteoufnefs
of fandlificadon, andfo fecretly hanker after the law, will find
their fouls very unfettled, even up and down with their changea-
ble frame. But again, I might ask. What think ye of his Joveli-
nefs ? O, is he white and ruddy in your view ? O fee how the
fpoufe dcfcribes him, Songs- lo. &c. in the beauty of his head,
his locks, his eyes, and all and every part of him ; his belly or
bowels of mercy : His nmtth is moft fweet, fays file. O the words,
the fmiles, the kiffes of his inou.h, his kind embraces ! I have
read of onQjgatho, that was a mem fo holy, that with a kifs he
cared one of the leprofy,- whether ti'ijii be true orfalfe, yet what
I intend by telling it, is true, 'Ihatiuchis thevertue of Chrifl,
that a kifs of his mouth, a fmile of his countenance, will cure
the foul of fpiritua! leprofy ; yea, a word of his mouth will do it.
Now are you clean thro' the word that I have fpoken, John 15. 3. A-
gain. What think you of his favour and his blefling? Surely if
you efleemhim duly, you will think his favour is life, and his lo-
ving-kindnefs better than life, and that it is his bkffing only that makes
rich. Efpecially, what think ye of thefe bleffin^s and benefits that
cannot be enjoyed by feeling, butby faith, nor by fight of fen fe,
but by the ughto^hkh.We walk byfaith,andnot by fight, fays the
-Apoftle. But it is the fault even of believers, that they can hardr

F 4 ly

-J1 The main Q^uestion,

ly believe they have any more than they feel ; and hen(^e, when
they are in the darknefsof defertion, they think they have no-
thing, they have loil his favour, becaufe they do not feel it ; they
have Jou: his rigtueoufnefs, becaufe they do not feel it : But re-
member, that when 4AP^ ^^^"^5 Hath the Lord forgotten to be gra-
cious "^ Hath he in anger jhiit lip h'ls tender mercy? He added, Thh
was my infirmity. You know, in a houfe where it is dark, all things
are there that were before, though you fee them not ; fo it is
with you, believer, though you be in darknefs, yet all abides:
Do you think ail is gone, becaufe you cannot fee it? Well, you
never walk by faith, but by feeling ; nay. He that walks in dark-
nefs and hath no lights lethimtruft in the name of the Lord, andftay
himfefiipon his God. The name of the Lord ftill abides, his God
remains, the objeft of faith continues as much as ever, and the
jiift PmllUve by faith. Will you not believe the fun is in the fir-
mament where it was, becaufe a cloud hath come and intercept-
ed the light of its beams ? IVhy, fays one, hit my mifery is, when
Lm in the dark nighty I fear it was all but delufion that ever I met with,
and thattb^efe was nothing realorfaving in it. This I find is a com-
mon thought among ferious fouls ,• but all that I (hall fay to it, is
by enlarging the former fimilitude: Ask a man when it is dark
night, 1 low do you know that ever you faw the natural fun?
Ic may be you was but dreaming, and deluding yourfelf; it was
nothing but a ftrong Imagination. Why, fays the man, lam
fare I faw it, becaQfemy eyes were dazzled with the light of it,
and I was warmed v/ith the heat of it, and I faw to work by it, and
by the light of it I faw every 'thing about me. So may you fay,
believer ; when a dark night of defertion or temptation comes
on, the tempter fuggefts, It may be all was but a delufion. Why,,
man," were not your eyes enhghtened, was not your heart wanrx-
ed, did you not fee to work, and went on in your work joyfully,
the joy of the Lord being yourfirength ; and did you not fee every
thing about you? You faw God in his glory, you faw fin inks
vilenefs, youfawholinefsinits beauty, you faw the world in its
vanity, you faw the creature in its emptinefs, Chrift in his ful-
nefs, you fliw your felf in your loathfomnefs; but now, when the
light 'is \vkhdi-3i\vn,lVhat think ye of Chrijil Is there no fun, be-
caufe it is fet to your view? Do you think it never flione upon
you, becaufe it is not now fliining? What think ye of an abfent
Chrifh ? Do yon think nothing of him, becaufe he is abfent ?
Surely, believer, that is not thought like a believer. ^Qn^^ is
many times denied you, that you may learn to believe more

than

TVhat think y^ 0/ Christ? 73

than 3'ou do. Biity fay you, "whenheisnotprefentwithme I can--
not believe : I lliall tell you my mind here, there is a poii^erful pre-
fence neceflary to believing ; but there is 3.fe?ifib!e prefence, that
is not neceflary to it, but rather ufualiy comes in immediately
after faith. Now that powerful pref^snce of God that is ne-
ceflary to believing, does open up the objedl of faith, and
draw out the foul to the embraces thereof. Hence, when a
man begins to think upon the proper obje6l of faith, namely,
ChriiVsrighteoufnefs, God's promife, the truth of God, the blood
of Chrifl ; power is fometimes infenfibly exerted, not by any
outward open violence upon the man, but by an inward, fecret,
andfweetinchantment,as it were : E're ever he is aware, and
before ever he knows that it is divine power that is doing the
work, he finds the obje6l of faith, that he is thinking upon, mak-
ing room for itfelf in his heart, and drawing out his foul as it were
infenfibly to it ; and thereupon comes in fenfible prefence after
that, £p/;. 1. 13. Jfter ye believe, ye were fcaled.

Now, if you fay you cannot believe without this powerful pre-
fence, that is true ; divine power muil; be exerted to every acl of
faith : but then this power does ordinarily put forth itfelf infenfi-
bly and unawares,while we are thinking on or viewing t!ie obje6l
of faith, Pf. 39. 3. While I was mufwg, the fire burned. The Spi-
rit of God clears the obje6l of faith, that being viewed and appli-
ed, the heart is fet on fire with it ; there is his povv^erful prefence
ufliering in the fenfible prefence. But if you fay, you cannot be-
lieve till you have his fenfible prefence; that is to make fenfe the
foundation of your faith, and not the Word of God, or the Chrifl:
of God : Therefore, in order to believe, let not your qucflion
be firft, What find you in your felf ? but rath.er, ffl:at think ye of
Chrifl? You will find noneof thefweet eflefts of faith, till you
think on Chrifl the objeft of it. Again, What think ycof his
invifible glories ? Faith is the evidence of Things not fccn. Faith fec5
not the things that are feen and felt ; fenfible enjoyments, for ex-
ample, are not the obje6lof faith, but fenfe: liut faith fees the
things that can neither be feen nor felt; it believes contrary to
fenfe, yea, things incredible to human reafonjConfidcring only the
power of God that fpeaksin the Word, as you fee in the faith of
Abraham, Thegreatefl glory of Chriflis invifible and incredi-
ble to nature; therefore we do not think much of him, if our
faithdoesnot terminate on things not feen. Again, What think
ye of his tabernacles and ordinances ? Surely, if you think much
of Chrifl^ his tabernacles will be amiable to you. The fiighter

y^ The main (Question,

of his ordinances is a {lighter of Chrift, a {lighter of prayer is a
{lighter of Chrilt, a {lighter of the word is a {lighter of Chrift :
He that dcjpifeth you, defpifes me, &c. What think ye of his caufe
and intereif, fuch as the much-forgotten reformation-work in
Scotland ywh'ich our fore-fathers e{labh{lied by folemn national co-
venants? If, the more it is forgotten among mini{lersand pec*
p!e, the more nearly it Hestoyour heart, and the more you long
for its reviving, it were an evidence that you think fomething of
Chrift, when others think little of him. But, O, if the generation
tho't more of Chrift, there would be more zeal for his intereft, ho-
nour, and public reformation-work ! And perhaps the confufiors
of our day, the heavy bondage we are complaining of thro' the
land, will never ceafe to grow to a height of terrible wrath, till we
be bro't to a fenfe of our defe6lion,& a humble confelTion & refor-
mation. Further, What think you of his crofs, and of his crown V
Is his crofs your crown ? Surely they think much of Chrift, that
can fay with Paid, God forbid that I fJoould glory, fave in the crofs of
the Lord Jefus Chrifl. Mofes tho't his crofs better than a crown,
efteemingthe reproach of Chrifi greater riches than allthetreafiires^f
Egypt. They that think much of Chrift, muft refolve upon it,
that the world will not think much of them, but that they will be
crofted, reproached, and nicknamed ; but, if Chrift was nick-
named, for us, and endured the contradi6lion of fmners againft
himfelf, we may well bear a reproach for him, efpecially when
he hath faid, If ye he reproachedfor the name of Chrifi, happy are ye ;
for thefpirit of glory and of God refteth on you : On their part he is evil
fpoken of, but on your part he is glorified ; and confidering that his
crofsmakes way for his crown, and in the meantime his fweet-
nefs fwallows up all the bitternefs thereof. What think ye of h's
friends and his foes ? If you think highly of him, furely hi«
friends and followers will be efteemed as the excellent ones of the
earth, and his foes will be difefteemed by you. What think ye
of his enemies? Tho' they were appearing in never fo much
worldly pomp, you'll think very little of them, if ye know
them to be his enemies. 0 my foul, come not thou into their fecret ',
to their ajjenibly, mine honour, be thou not united. What think ye
of his enemies within you? When you find thefe like thorns in
the flelli, like fplinters run into the ilefli, does it not make you,
with Paid, to befeech the Lord thrice, yea, to pray thrice and
thrice, and a hundred times thrice, with fighs and groans, to be
freed from them? What think ye of his enemies about you? I
•inean, the world and the lufts thereof, the-lufis of the fiep:), the

lufis

\

What think ye of Ck-rist 1 75

lufts of the eye^ and the pride of Ife. I have read a pretty
ftory, which 1 reckon ufeful no other way than for the moral
of it, how an angel and an hermit fhould have been travelling
together; TVhen firjt they went by a dead carcaje the hermit Jlcpt
hisnffe, and the angel f mile d'^ and, after thai' , they ivent by a wanton
Jirumpet proudly drejjed, at which the hermit fmiledy and the angel
fiopt his nofe. The moral fliews us, that, in the fight of God and
angels, no carrion is fo noifome as pride is. But the more highly
that any think of Chrift, furely the more humble they are, and
pride will accordingly be hid from their eyes, Again, What
think ye of the world's thoughts of Chrift? If you think highly
of him, you'll wonder why the world think fo little of him. O
ftrange, that all the world are not taken up with him! What
think ye of your own tho'ts oi him ? Surely, if you think duly
of him, you'll think you have but very poor thoughts of him,
you'll think that you cannot think enough of him. Thefe
are fome probatory queftions, by which you may take your
own heart 10 task before the Lord.

But I cannot ftand to enlarge on thefe things ,' and I
mufloMHi the thoufandch part is not faid that might be fpoken
from this text : for as the whole Scripture does teftify of Chrift,
either direftly or indireftly, fo I might go thro' all the Scrip-
ture, and ask, what ye think of Chrifl, in a fuitablenefs to what
is faid of him, in this or that place of Scripture ?

This doftrine might again be applied by way of lamentatian
over all Chrifi-defpifers^ who either ftand upon a legal bottotii,
trufting in themlelves, and- their own righteoufnefs ; or wH6
flight Chrift and his ordinances, not loving the place where his
honour dwells ; who delay and poftpone their clofing with him^
giving away the prime and virginiLy of their affeilions to the
world, proftituting their precious fouls to their lufts„and the ig-
noble things of time ; who fit down facisfied and content without
Chrift, never mifs him, nor /(?^/ a want of him, nor feek after union
and commiiniomvith him. O whence is it, that you defpife Chrift
at this rate! Alas, it is thro' ignorance and unbelief, that ^-oufee
no form or comlinefs in Chriji, wherefore he fijould be defired;u.nd the
Cod of this world hath blinded your minds who belicoenot, left the light
of the glorious Gofpel of Chriji, who is the image of God, fJjould Jbine
unto them. Do you confiderwhat a miferable cafe you are in,
while you defpife and think fo little of Chrift? You are in im-
minent danger of temporal judgmiCnts ; for God, in his holy
providence, may refent the injuries done to his Son, he may

leave

y6 The main Question,

leave your houfe defolate. You are expofed to fpiricual Judg-
ments, fuch as that, Ifal. 6. lo. and to eternal wrath, even
everlafting deflriiftionr from his prefence ; He that believes
not, fjall be damned.

Now let me olter a cyori of exhortation. O feek the fpirit of
wifdom and revelation in the knowledge of Chrifb may be fent,
that beholding his glory, your tho'ts concerning Chrillt, maybe
changed; and you may be bro'c to efteera him, and to go home
with the rofe of 67;aro/2 in your bofom, Chrift in your heart. O
will you tell me, do you think it worth your while to take Chrift,
and embrace him before you go ? If you fay you cannot believe,
you cannot repent, you cannot mourn for fin, you cannot pray,
you cannot obey ; and fo, becaufe you have no grace, no flrength
to do any thing, you are difcouraged : I mufl tell you, (inner,
when you conceive religion to be fome great difficulty above
your power, and thereupon are difcouraged and damped, you do
not think of Chrift as you ought, but of your felf forfooth, as if you
were the fountain from whence thefe good things fliould fiow.
The law may and does difcourage finners, yea, curfes every •
Chrifllefs finner unto hell; but the Gofpel offers no difcourage-
ment to finners, but all encouragement. Perhaps you'll find us
that are minifters fomecimes going off from our moft Gofpel-texts
that we can chufe ; and when we explain faith, we will tell you
how many things it includes, fuch as theforfakingqfaUfin, and
the performing of allduty,andftudyinguniverfal holinefs: But
whatever be the fruits of faith, which the Lord makes to grow
out of his grace, yet faith itfelf is a great myftery ,• and whatever
you hear us fay, that leads you off from this queftion, JVhat think
•ye of Chrifl 1 fufpe61: it. I'll tell you in the Lord's name. That to
believe, imports no more than to take Chrift for all,- it is to think
you have nothing, and can do nothing, but that he hath all, and
can do all, and therefore you'll take him for all. You think you
cannot believe: Well faid, but ivhat think ye of Chrift? If you
think 10 bring faith out of your own bowels, you think unwor-
thily of Chrift, who is the author of faith, and of his Father, who
is the giver of it. You think you cannot repent : True, but 'v^hat
think ye of Chrift? If you think to bring repentance outof your-
felves, you think unworthily ofhimwhois exalted, by the right
hand ofGod, to give repentance. You think you cannot do this,
or that duty you are called to,* hufujhat thinkye of Chrift? if you
fir poring on your felf, and your own abilities, never a good turn
will you do : Nay, you.think unworthily of Chrift, who hath faid.

Without

What think ye of Christ ? 77

IVlthout me ye can do nothing, but by me flrengthening you, ye can
do all things. You are difcouraged, becaufe you think you have
not this thing in yourfelf, or that thing in yourfclf: But that is
unbelief, man ; for faith lies in thinking, what am I in Chrifl:,//a?.
45. 24. Surely PmU one fay {^nd they iliall not only fay it with
their mouth verbally, but think it in their heart believingly )f«
the Lord have I right eoufnefs and Jirengtb : And becaufe, by the
mouth of two or three witnelles every word is confirmed, there
^TQ three In the Lords, in that one chapter, ver. 17. lfv^e\fballbe
favedinthe Lord^with aneverlajiing fahation ; ver. laft. Lithe Lord
/hall all thefeedoflCrsiel bejujlified, and /hall glory ; and in this 24th
ver. Inthe Lord have I righteoufnefs and ftrength. And if you be
once brought to this believing thought; inthe Lord have I righ-
teoufnefs, in the Lord I have ftrength, in the Lord I have Salva-
tion, in the Lord I have all, then you'll find your work eafy, and
all going right. Now, you that cannot be brought to think much
of Chrifl, O pray God, if perhaps the thoughts of your heart may
be forgiven you ; and whereas you think nothing of him now,
O confider what you will think of him in a day of challenges,
when confcience a wakens; inaday ofdefolation,//^zf. 10. in the
day of death, in the day of judgment. What will you think of
him, when you fee him mounting the tribunal, and when pro-
nouncing the fearful fentence, Depart from me, yecwfed? Surely
you muft have dreadful thoughts of him then, if you cannot be
brought to think highly of him now; now, when he is not come
to deftroy mens lives, but to fave. But you, believer, that now
think highly of him, whatever great thoughts you have of Chrift
now, yet what will you think of him in that day, when he who is
your life {hall appear, and ye fliall appear with him in glory ? O,
what will ye think of him, when he pronounces the fentence of
abfolution, Co?ne, ye bleffedof my Father, inherit the kingdom pre-
pared for you ? O, what will ye think of his palace, his attendants,
his throne, crown and glory ?

I would offer an advice to you that think much of Chrift, and
have a high efteem of him. Firji, That you would evidence
your efteem of him ; and that, Firjl, By the degrees of it, fo as to
efteem him above all things elfe, above all your relations. Mat.
10. 37. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not ixiorthy of
me. Our love to them muft be hatred, when it comes to com-
pete with Chrift. If any man come after me, and hate not father
and mother, heis not viorthy of me. Above all worldly advantages,
y eaj above life, Rsv, 2 1 . 1 1 . They loved not their lives to the death ;

their

78 TJjb mam (Question,

their pangs oF love were ftronger than the pangs of death. Se-
fondly. By che cffe&sof^ it, fuch as, (i.) Defire of converfe: If
vou think much of Chrifl, you'll defire his company in all ordi-
nances; you'll feek him in the temple, ^c. (2.) Entertaining
no rival, but faying, IVhathave I to do any more wit^ idols'^ Giv-
ing up all other lovers. (3.) Sympathy, grieving at thofe things
that are grievous to him. (4.) Prefer ving his memory, living
upon him: Like the woman that drank the powder of her dead
husband's body, mingled with her daily drink: fofliouldye, by-
faith, daily eat the flelh, and drink the blood of the Son of God.
A iS^co^z^ advice is, That you would do all that you can, to make
others thinkas much of him as youdo; and that, (i.) By com-
mending him, and telling others of his beauty, that they may ad-
mire him. Seethe practice of the fpoufe for this, 5oK^ 5. and
what influence it had upon the daughters of y^n/^i/e'w, their be-
ginning to think much of him, and feek after him alfo, Song 6. i.
Othen commend him to your families, your children, and your
neighbours. (2.) By adorning his Gofpel, and walking wortliy
of him, and wearing his livery. It is a mafter's honour and cre-
dit to have a good fervanr, and well arrayed ; they think much
of the mafl:er that hath fuch a fervant : And how does it proclaim
the praifes of Chrift, when they that profefs him are eminent for
piety ? I Pet. 2.9. In a Word, Let your light Jo (loine before jjien,
t hat others feeing your good works ^ may glorify God, and think much
of Chrift. O let your hearts be ftill thinking of him, your life
praifing, and your tongue fpeaking of him. Here is a fountain
for fpiritual difcourfe : If you have opportunity of converfing
with any concerning the great folemnity you ha^j^ been witneiT-
esto here; or if any ask you, Where was fuch or fuch amini-
fter's text ? here is a fair Occafion for fpiritual converfe ; for
you cannot in a manner tell them this text, without asking
them a queition, JVhat thinkye of Cbriji?

Christ

CHRIST in the Believers Arms :
In a Sermon preached at Strathmigfby May i o. 1724.

By the Reverend Mr. Ebenezer Erskiisje.

To the READ E R.

Candid Reader,

CJ^HE following dijcourje is onf of thofe fermo,-:: ivhlch zuere charged with he-

i terodoxy by Mr. A. A. before the la ft sommiffon of the General y//i9w/^/y,May

1725. Whether the charge was jujl or i?ijurious, I fubmit to the judgment

of every impartial reader, who refohes, like the noble ^cvcdLWS, not to fwallozu down

doBrims he reads or hears, by a Popifh implicit faith, but to learch the fcripturcs,

that he may know whether they will abide the trial of that bar. If the deprives

here advanced will not Jland before the law and the teftimony, let them perijh, as

having no truth in them ; but if they be agreeable to, and founded upon, the oracles

cf the great Ged, he who makes no difieulty to baptixe them the dottrine of devils,

would do well to confder, whether he falls under that heavy charge of changhig

the truth of God into a lie, Rom. i. or of putting light for darknefs, and darknefs

for light, llaiah v.

/ have ohferved it to be the practice offome, to raife a mighty hue avd cry againji
certain men, as errsrteous new Jchemers, maintairiing principles inconffent with the
Scriptures, and our approved ftandards of do Brine, without ever condcfccndlng upon'
one unfound pofition which they hold. I have obferved others frame principles or
errors out of their own dijlur bed fancy, and then fall to the co?ifutation of them, as
if thefe zuere the principles of the men they level againji , while they only palm their
own fi5lions upon them, and thus beat a man of ft raw, the creatures of their ozon
itnaginaticai. I humbly think, that zohen errors are broached in a church, he that
would atl a fair and faithful part in the defence of tricth, ought firji to make it
evident, beyond contradiction, 'ihat fuch errors are vented, and by zvhom, or in zvhat
books, a?id then to refute the/n folidh from Scripture and reafon. This, I apprehend,
is the mojl habile way, both tf gaining them that have gone afide from the truth,
and of guarding others agair.Ji tf. e infetlion of their principles ; but to ?nake a pother
and noife of error, without juch a particular condefcenjion utid cojifutation, is but
like the trumpeter giving an uncertain found ; in which cafe, who pall prepare
himjelf to battle ?

I blejs the Lord, I found his countenance in delivering the follozuing difcourfe,
I know he fealed it up'in the he art i of fome, zvho, I am perfuaded in charity, knoza
the voice of the great fhepherd. If he pall alfo accompany tt zvith the light cindfozver
t,f bis Spirit in the reading, it will more than compenjate all 'my pains and labour.
I am,

thy foul's friend and well wiiher,
Dec. 13. 1725. E. E.

Luke ii. 28.
Then took be him up in his yirms^ and hlcjfed God.

N the preceding context., from verfe 25. and downward, we have
the following particulars recorded concerning 5'//;7?(?«,of whom
my text fpeaks. Firji^ We have an account of l^s chara^cr.,

ver.

So Christ in the Believer's Arms.

VQW 25. He was a juji and devout man,, thatis, one that made con-
fcience of the duties of the firfi 2ind fee ond table of the law, juH
towards man, and de^^'out towards God. Note, That there are
no barren branches in Chrift the true vine : They that have be-
lieved in him, mil be careful to maintain good works ^ and will have a
refped; to all his commandments. Another part of Simeons cha-
racter is, I'hat he waited for the confolation of Ifrae! ,• that is, for
Cbri/i the promifed Mefilah, who is, has been, and will be the
matter and ground of confolation to all believers, in all ages and
periods of time ; And bleffed are all they that wait for him, for they
fljallnotbe confounded. Another part of his chara6leris, That the
Holy Ghojt was upon him ; and that both as a Spirit of prophecy^ and a
iSpirit nfbolincfs. It is the privilege of all true believers. That they
have thefpirit of glory ^ ofGodrefting upon them, iFqi.^. 14.. Secondly,
We have here a promifemade to Simeon, ver. 26 Andit was re-
vealed to him by the Holy Ghnjt, that he fJjould not fee death before he
hehadfeen the hordes Chrijt. In this promife, Simeon fawhim by
the eye of faith, before he fawhim by the eye of his body. Note,
That faith's views of Chrifl in the promife, makes way for the
fenfible manifeftations of him here,and the immediate enjoyment
of him hereafter, Eph. 1. 13. After that ye believed, yewerc fealed.
Thirdly, We have the time when, and the place where Simeon had
this promife actually accompliflied unto him, ver. 27. it was in the
temple, when tho. parents bro't the child Jefus,todounto him after
the cujiom of the law. Note, They who would have a meeting with
Chriji, muji wait upon him in his temple, and ordinances of his ap-
pointment ; for it is there that every one doth fpeak of his glory.
Fourthly, In the words of my Text, we have Simeons welcome
and kindly reception he gave to the Mefjiah, when he met him
in the temple, Then he took him up in his arms, and blejfed God.

Where notice, Firfl, Simeons privilege. He -took him up in his
arms, VIZ. in the arms of his body; but at the fame time, he em-
braced him alfo in the arms of faith, and took him up as the falva-
tion of God ,• otherwife he could never have bleffed God for him,
as the x>rQim^Q.dMeffiah,a light to enlighten theGQnti\es,and the glory
qf his people Ifrael. I am ready to believe, that there were many
who got Chrifl; in their arms, when he was an infant, who never
had been formed in their hearts ; but Simeon got him, both in the
arras of his body and foul at once. Some may be ready to think,
O what a happy man was Simeon, and what a fweet arms-full had
he, when he had the Great Mejfiah, Immanuel, God-Man, in his
bodily arms! 'Tistrue indeed, this was aprivilege; but yet his

greateft

Christ in the Believer's Arms. 8t

greatefl privilege was. That he had him clafped in his arms of
faich ; and though now his body be out of our neach, yet {lill
there is accefs to embrace him in a way of believing: And this
is what every true believer hath the experience of, either in lefs
or more. Secondly, In the words we have Simeon' s g\'2ii\iude for
this privilege : Heblejfed God. He is in a praifmg frame, being
filled "Jjith joy and peace in believing ; and, his heart is fo big with
praife, that he wiflies immediately to be gone to the land of
praife, where he might get a well-tuned harp put into his
hand, and join with the hallelujahs of the redeemed above ;
Now^ fays he, lettejl thou thy fervant depart in peace. So much
for explication of the words.

Before I proceed to the do61:rine I intend to infifl: upon, we
may obferve, from the text and context, Firfi, That God's word of
promife to his people is fure, and never fails of accomplifliment.
Simeon here had got a promafe from the Lord, That he [l^ould not
die, until he had feenthe Lord's Chrift ; and accordingly my text
gives an account of its accompliihment. O Sirs, venture on
God's ijjord of promife, and look on it as the befl fecurity , for faith-
ful is he that has promifed; his naked word is as good as payment ;
he never brake his word to man ; yea, it is impolTible for him to
lie. Secondly, Thatbelievers,willfindGodnotonly asgood, but
better than his word, when he comes, in his own time, to make
out his promife to them. Simeonhsidd. promife, That he fhould
only fee the MeJJIah before he died; but we find that he gets
more than a bare fight of him, for he gets him in his arms and
heart at once. Thirdly, That a true believer loves Chrift fo well,
that he would put him in his very heart. Simeon here takes
Chrift in his arms, and lays him in his bofom,asnear his heart as
hecould bring him : So the fpoufe. Song i. 13. My beloved is to
me as a bundle of myrrh, he /hall lie all night bctiveen my hreafts. O !
the mutual endearments betwixt Chriil and believers ,* he carries
them as lambs in his bofom, and they carry the Lamb of God in
their bofom, Jfa. 40. 11. Fourthly, That faith's embraces of
Chrift are fo fweet, that they render the prolpe6t of death not
only eafy, but defirableto the believer. Simeon here, when he
gets Chrift in his arms, is content that the union betwixt the
foul and body fliould be diflblved. But palling all thefe, the
Do61rine I defign to fpeak to at this time, is this :

DOCl RINE. Thar/a/r/;V embraces of Chrift fills the mouth with
praife. Simeon took him in his arms, and bleOed God,whereas 1 told
you, it was the arm of faith clafped about Chrift, that did fill him
with praife and gratitude, taking him up as the Lovd's MeJjlah.

G In

82 Christ in the Believers Arms.

In profeciuing this doftrine, I Ihall, thro' divine aflifiance,
I. Speak a litile concerning that arm of faith which embraces
Chrifl. 11. Notice fome of thefefongs of praife, which readily
fills the believer's heart and mouth, when he gets Chrifl in his
arms. III. Whence is it, that faith's embraces of Chrifl do thus
fill the heart and mouth with praife. IV. Apply the whole.

As to the Firji, viz. Concerning that arm of faith which
embraces Chrifl:, I would fhew, (i.) What it is. (2.) What
fort of an arm it is. (3.) How it embraces Chrifl.

For the firft, I have not time, at prefent, to open uf the nature
of faith at any length ; all I fhall do, is only in a few particulars ta
Ihew what it fuppofes and implies, ijt, Then it plainly fuppofes.
That there is a gift or grant ofChrifi made tojinnersy in the free offer
and call of the Gofpel. Receiving necefTarily fuppofes a giving ; and
totake what is not given, is but theft, robbery, or vicious intro-
miilion, Joh. 6. 32. Saith Chrift there to a promifcuous multitude,
thesreaceft partof whom were unbelievers, as is evident from
the fequel of the chapter. My Father giveth you the true bread which
is from heaven ; where 'tis plain, Thatgiving & offering are much
the fame thing, with this difference only, That the gift or grant
of Chrifl in the word to iinners, is the ground upon which the of-
fer is made. We read. That God hath given the earth to thefons of
fnen ; that is, he made a grant of it unto them, to be ufed and pof-
feffedby them; and, by virtue of this grant, before the earth
came to be fully peopled, when a man came to a piece of land,
andfet his foot upon it, he might warrantably ufeitas his own
property and polTeirion ; and the foundation of this was, that
God had given or granted the earth to the fons of men. In like
manner, God had gifted or granted his only-begotten Son, John
3. 16. For what end ? Tlmt luhofoever believeth in him, or takes
poireifion of him by faith, ?nay net perifJj, but have everlajling life.
'Tis true indeed, the eternal deflination^ the purchafe and appli-
cation of redemption, ispeculiar only to the ek^; but the reve-
lation, gift ^nd offer is common to all the hearers of the Gofpel,
infomuch, as the great Mr. Ruth erf oordQxprtfft^s it, the reprobate
have as fair a revealed ivarrant to believe, as the sle^ have. Every
man has an offer of Chrift bro'c to his door who lives within
the compafs of the joyful found ; and this offer comes as clofe
home to him, as if he were pointed out by name: So that none
have reafon to fay. The call and offer is not to me, I am not war-
ranted to embrace Chrifl ; for it is to you, O fnen, that 'ixre call,
and our voice is to the fons of men, Prov. 8. 4- We have God's
commifTion to preach this Gofpel, and cajbake offer of ^his Chrifl

#

Christ in the Believer's Arms. 8'5

to every creature fprung of Adam, Mark i6. 15. and the event of
the publication of this Go/pel among Tinners follows in the next
words, He that believeth this Gofpel, fJjall be faved ; he that believ-
eth not, [hall be damned. No man ever died, or lliall die under the
drop of the Gofpel, for want of a full warrant to embrace a Savi-
our. No,no,Sirs, your death and blood will beupon your own
h^ads ; your unbelief will be the great (Ground of your condem-
nation: God will upbraid you at the great day with this, That
you had Chrift in your offer, and would not embrace him ; 1 called,
but ye ref life J; IJlretchedout my hand, but no man regarded-, there-
fore mill laugh at your calamity, and mock --jchen yovr fear comet h,
Prov. I. 24, 26. 2dly, This embracing of Chrift fuppofes the
knowledge of Chriji ; for a man, when he believes, doth not em-
brace a bhnd bargain. Now, there is a twofold knoixiledge that faith
neceflarily fuppofes,''j/2;. a knowledge of ourfelves, anda know-
ledge of Chrift. (i.) I fay, it fuppofes the knowledgeof our-
felves, or a conviction and difcovery of that fin and mifery, thral-
dom and bondage, we are reduced unto, by the breach of the firft
covenant. I'he law tnuft be our fchool-majter, to bring us to Chrijl ;
^Vithout a difcovery of iin and mifery by the law, in lefs or more,
the finner will never flee to him, who is the end of the law for righ-
teoufnefs. The man, in this cafe, is juft like a mariner at fea, fail-
ing upon a broken and fliattered bottom, not far from a great
•wirock; fo long as he apprehends his vefTelto be good enough, or
fufficient to carry him to land, he will ftill cleave to it, refufing to
throw himfelf upon the rock for fafety ; but when the wind and
waves beat upon the fliip, and break her in pieces, then, and ne-
ver till then, will he caft himfelf upon the rock : So is it here,
while the iinner apprehends he can do well enough upon the bro-
ken bottom of a covenant of works, his own doings and good
meanings, he will never betake himfelf to Chrift the rock ot ages;
but when a hail-ftorm fweeps down the rfnge of lies, and lets him fee,
that if heftay on this bottom of the law, he muft inevitably fink
into the bottom of hell ,• then, and never 'till then, doth the man
cry with the Coaler, Men and brethren, what Jhall I do to be faved ?
The fame we fee in Paul, Rom. 7. 9. / was alive without the law
once, but when the commandment came-, fin revived, and I died. And
Gal. 2. 19. I through the law am deadto the law, that I might live un-
toGod, Thus, I fay, embracing of Chrift neceflarily fuppofeth
the knowledge and conviftion of our loft condition by the law or
covenant of works. (2.) It fuppofeth or implieth a knowledge of
Chrifi, as the hleffed remedy of God's providing ; and there is 'lq much
of this goes into the very nature of faith,that we find it frequent-

G 2 ly

g4 Christ i« the Believer* s Arms.

ly called by the name of knowledge, I/a. 53. 10. ^ohn 17. 3. and
this knowledge of Chrift is not a h^v efpeciilat he knozvledge of him,
attained by external revelation, or common illummation, for
there are many learned unbelievers ; biitic is an internal faving
knowledge of him, which comes by the Spirit of wifdom and re-
velation, accompanying the external difcoveries of him in the
Gofpel, which goes into the nature of true faith; God, ivho com-
?nanded light to jhine out of darknefs, 7imjl fhine into the heart, giving
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face ofjefus Chrift,
2 Cor. 4. 6. He, as it were, ftrikes out a window in the man's
breafl", w^hich before was like a dungeon of hellifli darknefs, and
makes abeam of faving, humbling, and captivating light to flime
into it ; and thus the man is changed from darknefs into a marvellous
light : And this light is called. The light of life, becaufe with ic, and
by it, a new principle of life is implanted in the foul, Eph. 2. i.
Toil hath he quickened, who were dead intrefpaffes and fins. (3.) This
embracing of Chrifl bears in it the foul's firm and fleady aflent
unto the revelation of the Gofpel concerning Chrifl ; fo that the
man cannot but join ifTue with Paul, i Tim. i. 15. It is a faithful
faying, That Chrift cameto fave finners. Now, this aflentof the
foul to the Gofpel-revelation, is not a bare hiftorical afTentjWhich
Jeans only to the teftimony of man, for thus reprobates may and
do believe ; but it is fuch an aflent, as is bottomed upon the tefli-
mony ofGod,or his record concerningChrifl:,in theGofpel; hence
it is called, J believing the recordofGod, afetting to thefealthatGodis
true. Faith that is of a faving nature, will not venture upon any
.-'thing lefs than the credit & authority of God himfelf ; thus saith
THE Lord-, is the ground and reafon of the foul's aflent : And this
is a firmer bottom than heaven and earth, For the fafhion of this
world pajjeth aimy, but the word of the Lord endureth for ever ; faith-
fulnefs being the girdle of his loins, and truth the girdle of his reins ; fo
that he will asfoon ceafe to be God, as ceafe to make good his
word, which is ratified by his oath ; thefe being the two immutabls
things, wherein it isimpojfible forGod to lie. (4.) Hereupon fol-
lows the receiving, embracing, or applying aft of faith. Chrifl be-
ing known in the light of the word and fpirit, and the truth of the
revelation concerning him afTentedto; the foul goes a degree
further, and, as it were, takes him home into its arms and bofom,
as a remedy every way fuited unto the foul's malady and mifery.
This embracing and appropriating a6lof faith is juft as it were
thefoufs e'cchounto the call and offer of the Gofpel. I offer
him for thy faviour, faith God ; and I embrace him as tny favioury
faith faith : I offer him for wifdom, to thee who arc a fooJ, fay s God >

and

Christ m the Believer's Arms. 8 ^

I embrace him for my wifdom, fays faith : I offer him for thy rigb-
teoufnefs and jiijiification, who art a condemned fmner, fays G^J ;
and I embrace him as the Lordviy righteoufnefs, faith faith : I offer
him for thy fan^ificati on, who arc a polluted filthy finncr,fays God;
and I embrace him for my fand:ificatim fays faith : I offer him for
thy redemption, who art a lawful captive, faith God ; and I embrace
him for my redemption, dind. my all, fd\ih faith. Thus, I fay, the
foul ecchoes to the voice of God in the Gofpel, when it believes,
much like that, Zcch. 13. and h{\.,I ijoill fay, it is my people ; and
they fljallfay, the Lord he is our God: And this is what we call the
ajfurance of faith, or an appropriating perfdoafion, whereby the foul,
as it were, takes feizin and infeofment upon Chrift, and all the blef-
lings of his purchafe, as its own, upon the ground of the Gofpel-offer
and Promife. What lay before in common, to all in the offer,the
foul brings home to itfelf in particular; and, juft like Simeon,
takes Chrifbin its arms and bofom, faying with Thomas, My Lord,
and my God. I do not fay, that the firfl language of faith is, That
Chrift died for me, or I ijoas ele^edfrom eternity ; no, but the lan-
guage of faith is, God offers a flain and crucified faviour to me,
and 1 take the flain Chrift for my fiviour ,• and in my taking or
embracing ofhim, as offered, I have ground to conclude, that I
was elefted, and that he died for me in particular, and not before.
I Ihall only add, that this appropriating a^^dothinfeparably attend
the knowledge and afjent hefoYQinentionQd ; and that they are all ,
jointly comprized in the general nature of faving faith ; which I '
take up as an a61 of the whole foul, without reftri6ling it to any
one faculty, or diftinftion as to priority or pofterity of time.

Nowthisfavingfaith, which I have been defcribing in its ef-
fential a6ls, is variouOy exprcffed in the facred oracles of the Scrip-
ture of truth ; from which fountain alone, our notions of it are to
be drawn : To the law and teftimony, iftheyfpeak not according to this
word, it is becaufe there is no truth in them, Ifa. 8.20. ift. Then it is
ca.\\Qd a receiving of Chrift, John i. 12. Tb<a;j many as received him,
&c. Co/. 2. 6. As ye have received Chrift J cf us the Lord, fo walk ye
inhim. This expreffion of faith leads us to conceive of Chrift,
under the notion of a gift freely offered and prefented to us in the.
Gofpel, and bears an appropriation in the very nature of it ; for,
where a man receives a gift, he takes it as his own, and it be-
comes his in poffeffion. 2dly, It is fometimes expreffed by a
refting or rolling ourfelves on the Lord, Pfal. 37. 5. Commit thy
way, or ^s'\t reads in the margin. Roll thy way ontheLord; and
ver. 7. Reft in the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Which ex- '
preflion may either allude unto a poor weary man, who is like to

G 3 fink

85 Christ f» the Believer's Arms,

fmk under a load, his legs not able to bear him ; he leans or refts
himfelf upon a flrong rock, which he is confident will not fink un-
derneath. Faith, in its juflifying aft, it is not a working, but a
refting grace; O! fays the poor foul, I am like to link into the
depths of hell, under the weight of mine iniquities, zvhich have gone
over my head, as a burden too heavy for me to bear : But I lay my
help where God has laid it ; 0-! this is my reft. Hence he that
believes is faid to enter into his reft. Or this reiling of the foul
on Chrifl, may allude to one's refting upon a bond, or good fecu-
rity granted to him by a fponfable perfon : He takes it as fecu-
rity to himfelf, and refls on the fidelity of him that grants it : So,
in believing, we refl upon the veracity of a promifing God in
Chrifl:, as a fufficient fecurity for the blefling promifed. 3^/3/,
'Tis called Si flying for refuge to the hope fet before us, Heb. 6. 18.
In which, there is an allufion to the man-flayer under the law, ^
who fled from the avenger of blood : The poor purfued man,
hewasnotto turnafide to any of the cities oflfrael; he was not
to fly to the temple, and to offer facrifice; but he was to fly
llreight to the city of refuge. So in believing, the foul is never
to refl in any thing on this fide of Chrift, who is a hiding-place
from the wind f and a covert from the tempejl; the hail fliall fweep
away every other refuge : But as the man-flayer, when once
within the gates of the city of refuge, was in fuch fafety, that he
could freely fpeak with the avenger of blood, without any man-
ner of danger ; fo the foul that is by faith got under the covert of
the blood and righteoufnefs of Chrift, is in fuch abfolute fafety,
that it dare fpeak to the law, and all its purfuers, faying with the
Apoflle, Rom. 8- 33. WlooPoall lay any thing to the charge of God' s
elect? it is Godthat juftifieth ; who is he that condemnethl it is Chrift
that died,&.c.4.thly, It is c^\\d,Afubmitting to the righteoufnefs of God,
Rom. 10. '^. A very ftrange expreffion ! Shall it be tho't fubmiJTion
for a condemned criminal to accept of pardon from his prince?
or for a perfon that is ftark-naked, to accept of a garment ? The
expreifion plainly points out the arrogant pride of the heart of
man; we are, as it were, mounted upon an imaginary throne of
our ownrighceoufnefs by the law, thinking, with Laodicea, that
we are rich, and ftand in need of nothing, difdaining to be obliged
to another for righteoufnefs: But now, when a man believes,
all thefe towering imaginations are levelled, he is emptied of him-
felf, and made to count all things but lofs and dung, that he maybe
found in Chrijt, not having his own righteoufnefs, but the righteoufnefs
that is of Godbyfaith,Vh\\. 3. 8,9- The language of the foul fub-
mitting to the righteoufnefs of God^ is that of the church, Ifai.

45.2,4.

1»*

^ 1

Christ in the Believer's Arms. 37

45. 2, 4. Surely lliall one fay, in the Lord have I righteoufnefs
and ftrength. Sthly, 'Tis called, a taking hold of God's covenant,
irai.56.4.The covenant of grace, as it lies in the external difpen-
fation of the Gofpel, is like a rope caft into a company of drown-
ing men; God comes by hisminifters, crying to linking fmners,
who are going down to the bottomlefs gulf of his wrath, Take hold
of my covenant^ and of him whom I have given for a covenant to
the people, and I will deliver you from going down to the pit.
Now, when a man believes, he, as it were, takes hold of this rope
offalvation, this covenant of grace and promife; and likey^r^-
miah, when the cords were let down to the pit by Ebedmclech,
puts them under his arm-holes, and lays his weight upon them.
The poor foul, in this cafe, fays with David, fpeaking of the co-
venant of grace. This is allmyfahation ; here will I lay the weight
of my fmkmg and periiliing foul. 6thly, 'Tis called, A yielding
ourfelvestotheLord, 2Chron.30. 8. Hezekiah, writing to the de-
generate tribes, exhorts them, to yield themfelves to the Lord', or,
as it is in the Hebreiv, give the hand to the Lord; alluding to men
who have been at a variance, when they come to an agreement,
they ftrike hands one with another, in token of friendjloip. The
great God, the offended Majefty of heaven, comes, inaGofpel-
difpenfation, ilretching out his hand all the day long to rebelli-
ous fmners, crying. Behold me, behold me; cafl away your rebel-
lious arms, and be at peace with me. Now, when a fmner be-
lieves, he, as it were, ftrikes hands with the Lord, according to
that, Jfa. 27.5. Let him take holdofmyflrength, that he may make
peace ijoith me, and hefoall make peace zvith me. 7thly, "Tis called,
jIn opening of the heart toChriJlyQ^.nt. S' '2" Rev. 3. 20. A6ls 16.
I4. This cxpreffion imports, that as the finner's heart is by na-
ture ihut and bolted againft the Lord ; fowhen he believes, ths
everlajiing doors of the underftanding, will, and affeflions, are lift-
ed up to the Lord ofhojfs, the Lord mighty in battle, Pfal. 24. ^thly^
*'J"is fometimes called, A buying, Ifa. $5- ^^ Buy ivine and milk
without money, and ijoithout price. Rev. 3. 18. / coiinfcl thee to buy of
me gold tried in thefire, &c. This buying does not import fucha
commutation, as if we were to give to God an equivalent for his
grace; for 'tis a buying without money, and without price; 'tis
a giving of poverty for riches, emptinefs for fulnefs, deformity
for beauty, guilt for righteoufnefs, pollution for holinefs, bon-
dage for liberty ; in a word, buying in Chrilt's market is nothing
elfe but taking, i^<?L'. 22. 17. PVhofocver zvilly lethimcomey and take
of the waters of life freely.
Many other expreflions the Spirit of God makes ufe of in the

G 4 word

gg ' Christ in the Believer's Arms..

word, to hold out the nature of faith; fome times 'tis called, Ths
Jubjlance of things hoped for ^ Heb. ii. i. becaufe faith, as ic were,
doch realize and fubiianLiate the proinife ; Jull like a man looking
to bonds, charters, or any other lecurities ; he will fay, There is
my fubflance, and all my flock, tho' they he but bits of paper; So
the believer, when looking on Chrid's righteoufnefs and ftilnefs,
as held forth in the free promife of the Gofpel, will be ready to
fay,There is my fub (lance, and everlafling all ; with DavidMe re-
joiceth in God's word of promife, as one that findeth great fpoil ;
yea, it is better to him than gold, yea, than muchfih e gold. Again, "cis
called, in the fame verfc, The evidence of things notfeen : The word
in the original rendered evidence, fignifies to convince to a demon-
ftration. Faith, afting upon the promife, convinceth the foul of
thereality of things invifible, as if they were before him, and he
faw them v/ith his bodily eyes : And this fight of faith is not fuch
a fight as Balaam got of Chrifl; when he faid, Ifhallfee him, but not
no^j}-; J jhall behold him, hut not nigh ; he faw him by the fpirit of
prophecy,as theredeemerofi/ra^/, but not by the fpirit of faith,
<ishis redeemer ^2ls Job 19. 20. Balaam faw him, without any per-
fonalinterefl ,' but Job faw him as his own redeemer, with appro-
priation ; /^/zocu, faith, he, that my Redeemer Uveth. Again, in
the 1 3 th verfe of the fame chapter, faith is called. An embracing of
the promife s, Heb. 11. 13. The word in the original fignifies a
kindly fakuation or kififing ; being an allufion. to two dear friends,
who, when they meet, clafp one another in their arms, in a mofl
loving and affedlionate manner. The grace of the promife era-
braces the foul, and then the foul embraces the promife, and hugs
it, and Chrifl in it, in his arms. The reverfe of this is the cafe of
the prefumptuous hypocrite, who, in fome fort, embraces the
promifeindeed ; but the fpecial grace of the promife not having
embraced him, he is like a man taking a tree in his arms^ he
embraces the tree, but not the tree him.

Again, faith is fometimes called. An eating the fle/h, and drink-
ing the blood of the fan of man, John 6. S'^- becaufe faith makes ufe
of, and applies Chrifl for the life, nourifhment, and fun;entation
of the foul ; juftasaman makes ufe of the meat and drink that
is fet before him for bodily nourifliment. Let a man have never
luch a rich feaffc before him, yet he will inevitably flarve, unlefs,
he apply it, and make ufe of it : So without faith's application of
Chrift, andhisfulnefs, we inevitably die, and perifh,* and, O \
howfad toperifiiinthemidfiiofplenty ? Lajtly^fsikh is called,
A trufling in the nameof the Lord, Ifai.50. 10. Ifai. 26, 3. We all
know what it is to trulljjiaman of honeily and integrity; when

he

Christ in the Believer's Arms. 89

hepalTes his word, we make no doubt, and have no hefitatioii
concerning his performing what he had promifed : So, faith
takes the promife, and trufts the veracity of the prnmifcr ; as 'tis
faid of/yZ'M/'^/w, Rom. 4. 20. " Pie ftaggcred not at thepromife
'^ of God, thro' unbelief, but was flrong in the faith, giving glory
" to God." Theperfeftions of God, fuch as his piJon\ hoUucfs,
gooclnefs, but efpecially his veracity, are pawned in the promife, as
grounds oftruji. Hence we are to trufl in his name, and when we
truft in him, and flay ourfelves upon him, we are ftill to take him
up as our God in Chrijf, for we can never truft him, while we take
him as an enemy.

The fecond thing propofed for opening up the firft general head
in the mothod, was to give you fome of the quahcies of this arm of
faith. FiyJi,'Tis leaning, a7idajlaying arm, Ccim.S- 5- JVho is this
that Cometh up from the ivildernefs^ leaning upon her beloved ? Ifai. 26.
3. Thou wilt keep him inperfed; peace, "ujhofe mind is flayed upon thee.
It is the office of faith to underprop the foul, when 'tis ready to be
overwhelmed with the burden of fin and forrow, darknefs and
defertion, iy^/. 27. 13. I had fainted, unlefs I had believed to fee the
goodnefs of the Lord in the land of the living, h leans and (lays itfelf
on him who is the flrength of Ifrael, even the man of God's right-
hand, ivhom he hath made flrong for himfelf ; and thus it bears
up the foul under the heavieft preffures. Secondly, 'Tis a win-
ning and a gaining arm. The Apofi:le, Phil. 3. 8. fpeaks of
mnning Chrifl, and being found in him ; and 'tis faid of the
wife merchant. That he went and fold all, that he might buy or win
the pearl of great price ; and this pearl can be won no otherwife,
but by receiving it, ^oh. i . 1 2 . Yea, faith is fuch a winning grace,
that it is ever taking, ever receiving outofChrifl'sfulneis, grace
for grace; it digs into the rock of ages, and makes up the poor
foul with unfearchable riches; it maintains atraffick with hea-
ven, travels zo the land afar off , and returns richly fraighted, and
loaded with the commodities of that better country. Thirdly, It is a
very wideand capacious arm. It is not little that will fill the arm
of faith; thcwhole world, and all the fulnefs thereof, cannot fill
the arm of faith : No, no, it flings them away like dung, that
it may get its arm filled with a God in Chrifl: ; I count all things
but lofs and dung, for excellency of the knowledge of Jefus Chrifl my
Xcr^, Phil.3. 8. ■ Yea, I may add, that heaven, and all the glories
o^ Immanuels land, bear no bulk in the arm of faith, wiihomCbrifl,
in whom thefulnefs of the Godhead dwells, Pfal. 73. 25. M^ljom have
Jin heaven but thee ? and there is none in all the earth that Ideflre be-
fides thee. Fourthly, 'lis a nwjt tenacious arm ,- its motto may be,

GRIFE

po Christ in the Believer's Arms.

GRIPE FAST : As the arm of faith is wide, and takes in much, fo it
keeps, 3.nd gripes f aft what it gets. Cant. 3. 4. I held him, fays the
ipoufe, and would not let him go. Faith is fuch a tenacious grace,
that it will wreftle with an omnipotent God, and refufe to yield to
him, when he feems to lliake himfelf loofe of its gripes, as we fee
in the Cdiie of ^acoby Gen. '^2. 24. and downward; there Jacob
gets a gripe by faith of the angel of the covenant : The angel fays
unto him, Let me go y]^Qoh ; a very ftrange word for the Creator
to become a fupplicant to his own creature : Well, what fays
Jacob's faith to this propofal ? I will not let thee go, except thou hlefs
me : As if he had faid, Let the day break, and let it pafs on ,*
let the night come, and let the day break again ; 'tis all one :
Lean Jacob znd the living God fhall not part without the bleffing.
To this purpofe is that of the Prophet, Hof. 22. 3, 4. By his
flrength, viz. by the ftrength of faith in prayer, /j^^a^^0'cUfrw/?/:>
God; yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed ', he wept and
made fupplication unto hi?n. O, Sirs, try to follow the example of
Jacob, and you /JmU be fed with the heritage 0/" Jacob your father,
Ifai. 58.14. Thus, I fay, faith is a moft gripeing and tenacious arm ;
the firfl: gripe that faith takes of Chriftis fo faft, that it never
cjuits gripe of him again thro' eternity ; it unites the foul to
Chrifl, and the union is fo clofe and intimate thro' faith, thac
the man becomes on^ body and one fpirit with /;///2, and fo indiflbl-
vable, as that neither death nor life, nor things prefent, nor things
to come, jl jail ever be able to make a feparation. fifth'y, Hence
it follows, that faith is a very bold and confident arm, it harh a
great deal of assuraiice in it, for it will maintain its claim to Ch-in;
upon the ground of the new covenant, even when hell and earth,
ftn^Q and reafon, and all feera to be againft it ; it will triift in
the name of the Lord, and ftay itfelf iipon its God and covenant,
even when the poor foul walks in thedarknefsofdtkniou,'m the
darknefs of temptation, in the darknefsof affli6lion, yea, in the
dark valley of the fliadow of death. Abraham's faith had much op-
pofition to grapple with, when he got the promife ofljaac, and in
him of the promifed feed, in whom all the nations of the earth
were to be blefled,* yet, fuch was the confidence ^and affurance of
his faith, that hcfta^gercdnot at the promife. The language of faith
is. When I fall, I/Jjall arife ; when I fit in darknefs,. the Lordfrnllhe a
light unto me ; he will bring me forth to the light, andlfloall behold his
right eoufnejs, Mic. 7. 8, 9- Yet I would not be here miflaken, as if
the poor believer did not apprehend Chrifl and the promife, v/ith
a tottering and trembling hand; nay, thebeliever, through the
prevalency of unbelief, is many times brought fo low, -as to cry

with

1

Christ in the Belie'oers Jrms. 91

with the Pfalmifl:, Is his. mercy clean gone 1 Hath he forgotten to be
gracious? Fails his promife for ever more? Pfal. 77. 7, 8,9- I^"^ ^^^
it be remembered, that this was not his faith, but his infirmity,
through prevaihng unbelief, which made him thus to ftagger ,• for,
let faith but get rid of unbelief, let it get up its head, andallow ic
to fpeakits proper language, its dialed will be, abba father, 7^o7«.
8. 15. and, doiibtlefs thcu art our father, tbo' Abraham be ignorant
of us, and Ifrael acknovokdge us not ; Thou, 0 Lord, art our father,
our redeemer, thy name is from everlajling. Sixthly, '7'is a very pa-
tient and smiting arm ; for he that believeth, doth not make hnfte, Ifa.
28. 16. Faith, although it firmly believes the accomphfh-
mentof thepromife, yet it will not limit the holy one of Ifrael, as
to the time of its accomplifliment ; I wilhvait for thcLord, that hi-
■deth his face from the houfeof Jacob, / ivill look for him, Ifa. 8. 17.
Thevifionis foran appointed time; and therefore, fays faith, tho'
it tarry, 'wait for it, becaufe it ijoillfurely come, it mil not tarry, Hab.
2. 3. Faith will not drawrafh or defperate conclufions, becaufe
the Lord hides or defers his vifits ; no, but it looks to God's word
of promife, and grounds its confidence there, faying with the
church, I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my faha-
tion, my God will hear me, Hof. 7. 7. Seventhly, Faith is a feeding
arm, it feeds upon thecarcafeof the lion of the tribe of Judah ;
and i\ms,\ikQ Sampf on, gets its /H^af out of the eater, and fweet out
of the ftrong. Hence, as you heard, 'tis called An eating of the
.fiefiJ, and drinking of the blood of Chrift ; and, in this view, Chrift
is prefented to us in the facrament of the fupper. Take, eat, this is
my body. There was a part of the facrifices under the law re-
ferved for food to the priefts, when the reft was burnt upon the
altar ; believers are fpiritual priefts unto God, and they live upon
the altar, and that blefTed pafiTover that was facrificed for us.
Eighthly, It is not an idle, but a working arm. Indeed, in its
jiiftifying a6i, it is not a working, but only a taking, ova refiing
arm ; 'tis like the beggar's hand, that takes the alms, without
working a ftroke for it. In j unification, faith is a pajfive, or a
recipient kind of an injlrument ; but in fan6tification it is an aitive
or efficient kind of an inftrument ; 'tis fuch an aftive arm in
fen6lification, that it purifies the heart, and a6luates and animates
all the other graces of the fpirit; it works by love, it works by
repentance, it works by hope, it works by patience, it works by
obedience ; dind faith without ivorks is dead, as the body is dead with-
cut the fpirit : In a word, the whole of Gofpel- obedience is the
obedience of faith ; and the obedience that flows not from faith,
is but dead works, which cannot be acceptable to a living God.

Ninthly:,

92 Christ m the Believer's Arms.

Ninthly, Ycikhis afighting and -warlike arm y Heb. 11.35. 'Tisfaid
of che worthies there. That they, by faith, waxed valiant in fight :
Yea, 'tis not only a fighting, but a vi6lorious arm; for it puts fo
fight the armies of the aliens. 'Tis by faith leaning on the arm of
omnipotency, that the believer's how abides in itsfirength, and the
arms of his hands become ftrong, to break bows of fteel in pieces.
By faith we quench the fiery darts of hell, and trample upon the
powers of darknefs ,• by faith we overcome the world, and fet the
moon under our feet : Yea, this gallant grace of faith, it will take
up the fpoils of Chrifh's vi6lory over fin and fatan, hell and death,
and triumph in his triumphs, even while it is in the field of battle,
and feemingly overcome by the enemy. Thanks be to God, that
caufeth us always to triumph in Chrift. My head and general, faith
faith, has overcome, and I have already overcome in him; for
we are more than conquerors through him that loved us, Rom. 8.
37- Lajtly, Faith is afaving arm. He that believeth /hall befaved;
there is an infeparable connexion efbabliOied, by the ordination of
heaven, between faith and falvation, John'^. 16. Whofoever be-
lieveth, floall not perijlo, hut have everlafting life. Although indeed
there is no connexion ofcaufality, yet there is an undoubted con-
nexion of order. Faith cannot but carry falvation along with it,
feeing it takes up Chriftthe falvation of God in its arms, as you
fQQ Simeon did.

The ?/?/>^ thing propofed here, was, To enquire how this zrm
of faith doth embrace Chrift. In general, I anfwer, it embraces
him jufl as God offers him in the Gofpel. There is a manifefi: pro-
portion betwixt God's offer, and faith's reception of Chrift ;
which I Qiall illuftrate in the/oz/r particulars following, ifi, Chrift
is/r*?^/}/ offered in the Gofpel, Ifa.ss- i-Rev. 22.17. So faith em-
braces him as the free gift of God. There is a natural propenfity "
in the heart of man, tb give fometing or other of our own, by way
ofexchange or equivalent for Chrift, and thebleffingsof his pur-
chafe. Proud nature cannot think of being fo much beholden to
God, as to take Chrift and falvation from him for nothing at all ;.
and therefore it would always be bringing in this or the other qua-
lification, as a price in its hand to fit it for Chrift : 1 muft be i^o pe-
nitent, {"o humble, fo clean and holy, before I come to Chrift ; and
then I will be welcome, he will pardon and fave me. But, Sirs,
whatever you may think of it, this is but a tang of the Old Cove-
nant of works, and all one as if a man ftiould fay, I muft firft heal
myfelf before I go to the phyfician ; I will firft wafh myfelf clean
before I go to the fountain opened up for fin, and for uncleannefs.
Beware of this, for 'tis a fecret fubverting of the order and me-
thod

Christ in the Believer's Arms. 93

thod God hath eftablifhed in the covenant of grace, this being the
very money and price, which he forbids us to bring to the market
of free-grace, i'aith argues at another rate, in its embracing of
Chrifl: ; O I fays the poor foul, lama difeafed finner, from the
foleofthe foot to the crown of thehead; and this qualifies me
for the Phyfician of fouls; I am a polluted linner, black like the
Ethiopian, fpotted like the leopard ; and therefore I will go to the
fountain : lam naked, andthereforelwill take the white, raiment
offered me, to cover the fliame of my nakednefs : I am blind, and
therefore 1 will take the eye-falve, which recovers fight to the
blind. Thus, I fay, faich embraces Chrift, as he is freely offered.
idly, Chrifl is fully and wholly offered in the Gofpel ; and accord-
ingly faith embraces him wholly, without dividing him. I own in-
deed, that the firft flight offaiih is to Chrifl: as a Saviour, Chrift as
a Priejl, fulfilling the law, fiitisfying juftice, and thereby bringing
in everlafling righteoufnefs ; this being the only thing that can
anfwer theprefentflraitand neceffity of the foul, under theav/-
ful apprehenfions of vindidiive juflice and wrath ; and therefore,
thither it flees for refuge, in the firft a61 of believing. But now,
although faith, at firft, fixes upon Chrift as a Prieft, yet, at the
fame time, it embraces him as a Prophet, fubmitting unto his in-
ftrudlion, and fubjefts itfelfuntohim^sa /u/z^g-, receiving the law
from his mouth : O ! fays the foul, lam more briitifJj than any maUy
I have not the underftanding of a man ; but this Saviour has pity on
the ignorant, and them that are out of the way : He opens the book
and loofes the feven feals thereof, and therefore I will fit down at
his feet, and receive the whole revelation of the mind and will of
God from him : I am a poor captive and vaffal of hell ; Other
Lords have had dominion over me, but now I will make mention of his
name : He is my judge, my king, and my law giver, even he that favcs
me. Thus, I fay, the arm of faith embraces a whole Chrift.
Thereisnothingof Chrift, fays the foul, that lean want ,• I mufh
have him all, and havehimallas mineown, asmy prophet, my
priefl, and my king. And herein the faith of the hypocrite or
temporary believer comes fliort of the faith of God's ele6l : The
hypocrite, he halves Chrift, or elfe inverts the order of his office,
in his way of receiving him ; either he receives him as.a Saviour,
only to keep him out of hell, but waves the acceptance of xhim as
a king to rule him; or elfe he profeffedly fubjetls him.felf unto
Chrift's authority as a king and a law-giver, hoping upon that
fcore, that Chrifl: will fave him by his blood and righteoufnefs, as
a priefl:,- and fo thereby makes up the defe6lsof hislarcc obedi-
ence : Which is, upon the matter, to put a piece of wvj cloth into

an.

94- Christ in the Believers Armr.

zm old garment, ivbereby the rent is made worfe. ^dly, God gives
Chi'iix cordially cLud affectionately in theGofpel : His very heart, as-
ic were, goes oucafcer iinners, in tiie call and offer thereof. It is '
not poffible to conceive any thing more affetlicnate, than the
word in which lie befpealvs finners, Ezek. 33.11. Hof. 10. 8. Ifa.
SS' I, 2,3. Now, I fay, as God offers Chrift moll affeftionately
and cordiaHy, in like manner does faith embrace him ; he embra-
ces a whole Chriff, v/iih the v/holc heart and foul ; the love, jo)--, •
delight and complacency of the foul, runs out upon him, as their •
very centre of reft : And thefc affections, like h many fprings of
Gofpel-obedience, fetallthe members of the body a work in hiS'
fervice;fo that the head will ftudy for him,the hand work for him, .
the feet run on his errands, and the tongue ready to plead his
caufe. 4?/;/}', Chrift is offered particularly to every man,- there
is not a foul hearing me, but, in God's name, I offer Chrift unto,
him, as if called by name and firname. Now, as the offer is par-
ticular to every individual perfon,fo faith embraces Chrift, with
particular application to the foul itfelf. When I embrace a Sa-
viour, I do not embrace him for falvation to another man,- no,
but I embrace him as my faviour, for falvation to my own foul in
particular. Beware, my friends, of a general faith, abjured in

our NATIONAL-COVENANT, AS A BRANCH OF POPERY. A general

perfwafion of the mercy of God in Chrift, and of Chrift's ability
and willingnefs to fave all that come to him, will not do the bufi-v
ViqCs; no, devils and reprobates may and do aftually believe it :
There muft therefore, of neceffity, be a perfwafion and belief of
this, with particular apphcation thereof unto a man's own foul,-'
for, if the mercy of God in Chrift be offered to every man in particU'
to', then furely faith, which, as I was faying, isbuttheeccho of
the foul to the Gofpel-call, muft embrace Chriff, and the mercy of
.God in him, with particular application to itfelf, otherwife it doth
not anfwer God's offer, confequently cannot be of a faving na-
ture. So much for the firft genera} head propofed in the profe-
cution of the doctrine.

The fecond thing propofed was, to take notice of fome of thefe
fongs, which readily the foul has in its mouth, when, like Simeon,
it gets Chrift embraced in the arms of faith. We arefaid to be
filled ijoith joy and peace in believing ; yea, by faith in an unfeen
Cbriji, the foul is repleniflied imthjoy unfpeakable, and full of glory ;
and ivhen this is the foul's cafe, it cannot but blefs God, as Simeon
did, and vent its heart in thefe or the like fongs of praife. (i .) It
cannot but^lefs him for eledting and everlafting love. Faith's
embracesof Clhriit helps the foul to trace the dreams of divine

love

Christ in the Believer's Arms. g^

love to their fountain-head, and to read its own name in the book
ofhfe, among the living in Jerufajem. O, bleiled be God, will
the foul fay, that ever I, wretched I, miferable I, Ihould have been
upon God's hearty before the foundations of the world were laid :
Glory to God in the highefl;, who hath drawn me with loving-
kindnefs ; whereby I know, that he hath loved me with an ever-
laftinglove. (2,) The foul, in fuch acafe, cannot but blefs God
for Chrift, and redeeming love through him, faying with the A-
pofl;le,T/;a«^j" be unto him., for his imfpeakahle gift ; glory to him in the
highefl^ that to us afon is given., to us a child is born^ 'ivhofe name is the
wonderful counfellor^ the everlajiing father, the mighty God, and prince
of peace. And then, when the foul views the glorious retinue of
blellings that come along with Chrifb, it cannot Ihun to join ifliie
with the Apoflle in his triumphant doxology, Eph. i. 2. faying^^
Bkjfedbe the God and Father of our Lord Jefis Chrijt, -ivho hath bkffed
us with allfpiritual bleffings in heavenly places, in Chrijl, And there
are thefe few, among innumerable bleffings, that come along
with Chrift, which the foul will readily blefs God for, in the cafe
mentioned. Firft, O blelTed beGod, will the foul fay, that in Chrifl:
he is become my God, even my own God. I was once without
God in the world ; butO ! what a happy turn is this ? Now I
can view him in Chriilj and fay. He is my God, my father, and the
rockof my fahation, the portion of my cup ; and therefore, the lines
are fallen to me in pleafant places, and I have a goodly heritage. Se-
condly,O I blefled be God, will the foul fay, that in Chrift the
fiery tribunal is turned into a mercy-feat, by his obedience and
death ; the law & juftice having got a complete fa' isfa6lionja way
is made for the empire of fovereign grace ; So that now gracs
reigns through righteoufnefs to eternal life, by Jefus Chrijt our Lord,
Rom. 5. lajt. And as it is the will of God, that grace fhould reign,
fo ^tis the defire of my foul, to make this name of his to be remem-
bered to all generations : O ! let grace wear the crown, and fway
the fcepter for ever ; and let all the Hallelujahs of the higher houfe
he to the praife of the glory of his grace. Thirdly., O ! blefTed be
God, will the foul fay, that in Chrill he has blotted out all mine in-
iquities, as a cloudy and as a thick cloud. There was a cloud of Cm
pregnant with wrath hovering above my head, but in Chrift I fee
itfcattered ; fVe have redemption in his blood, even the forgivenefs
of fins ; and therefore, Blefs the Lord, O my foul, and all that is with-
in me, blefs his holy name, who pardoneth all thine iniquities. Fourth -
/}', O I blefTed be God, will the foul fay, that in Chrifl I am bieflcdi
withanevcr'afling and law-binding righteoufnefs ; Chrifr, my
ever-blelied furety, he ivas made under the /a-uj^and has magnified it,

anl

p5 Christ in the Believers Arms.

mid made it honourable ; and the Lord is well pkafedfor his right eouf-
ncfsfahe ; and in him, and through him, the right eoufnefs of the laiv is
fulfilled in me; and therefore, I mil greatly rejoice in the Lord, my
foul floallbe joyful in my God, who hath clothed me with the garments
of falvation, and covered me zvith the robes of righteoifnefs, as a bride-
groom decketh himfelf with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth her [elf
with jewels, Ifa. 6i. lo. Fifthly , O ! blefTed be God, will the Ibul
fay, that in Chrifl he is become a father to the fatherlefs, and blef-
fed me with the bleffing of adoption and fonlhip. I may feal it
from my experience, thd.t in him the fat herlefs find mercy. I was
like an OLitcaft infant, and helplefs orphan, but the everlafiiiig fa-
ther took me up, and gave me a name andaplace in his houfe, and within
fyis walls, even an everlafting name, thatfJjall not be cut off. Behold^
what manner of love is this, that the father hath beftowedupon me, that
IfioouldbecalledafonofGod; i John 3. i. Sixthly, O ! glory to
God, will the foul fay, for the open door of accefs into the holied,
by the blood of Jefus. The door was once barred againfl: me, and
all ^^/(^?7z's poflerity, by the breach of the firft covenant ; but in
Chriftitis again opened, fo that we may come with boldnefs to a
throne of grace, for grace andmercy to help in time of need : An in-
carnate Deity is now become the way to God and glory. I might
tell you of many other bleffings that the foul is ready to blefs God
for, when it gets Chrift in the arms of faith ; but Idonotinfifl:. I
conclude this head, by referring you to two or three fcriptural
fongs, which will readily occur in fuch a cafe, i Pet. i. 3. Bleffed
be the God and father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who, according to his
abundant mercy, hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the refurrec-.
tlon of Jefus Chrift from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and
undefiled, and that fadeth not away, &c. Another you have, Ro?n. 8;
33. to theend of the chapter, zvhocan lay any thing to the charge of
God's eled;,&:c. A third you have, i Cor. 15. ss^ 56. O death !
were is thy fling ? O grave! %\)here is thy victory ? &c. Another,
with which I conclude this head, is that which concludes the
Bible, Rev. 22. 20. Evenfo come Lord Jefus.

The third tiling propofed was, to enquire whence it is, that
faith's embraces of Chrift doth thus fill the mouth with praife ?
Anfwer(i.) This flowsfrom the certainty that is in faith. Faith
is not a doubting grace ; no, doubts and jealoufies vaniili before
it, as the clouds and darknefsof the night do vanifli at the appear-
ance of the fun ; and the certainty offaithilowsfrom the ftabi-
lityofthefe foundations upon which it builds, which are more
firm that the pillars of heaven, and foundations of the earth ,- h
builds upon the word of God, the oath of God, the blood of God,

the

Christ in the Believer's Arms. py

the righteoufnefs of God, the power of God, the veracity of God ;
and feeing it builds upon fuch immovable foundations, how can
itmifs, tohavea certainty in it proportioned, in fome meafure,
unto the grounds upon which it ftands ? And hence it comes, that
it fills the mouth with praife. Let news be never fo good, yet, if
wehaveno certainty in our belief of them, it exceedingly mars
ourjoy and comfort: But now the glad tidings of the Gofpel, they
are no flying uncertain reports ,* no, 'tis God, that cannot lie, who
fpeaks, and thence comes the certainty of faith. (2.) This flows
from the applying and appropriating nature of faith, which 1
hinted at already. Let news be never fo true, though never fo
great and good, yetifwehaveno interefl:or concern in them, it
mars the fweetncfsand comfort of them. Tell a poor man of
mountains of gold and filver, what relief will that afford him, if he
hath no accefs thereto, orinterefl therein? But tell him that all
thefe treafures are his, and that he has the owner's warrant and
command to take and ufe them as his own, this will make him re-
joice indeed. Tell a hungry and llarving man of a rich feafl: or
banquet, what is that to him, if he be not allowed to tafl;e it ? Tell
a naked man, expofed to the injuries of the wind and weath er, of
fine robes, and excellent garments, what will it avail him, if they
be not for him, or for his ufe? But tell the hungry man, that the
feafl; is for him, and naked man, that the clothing is for him, this
will create joy and triumph. So here the Gofpel-report doth not
tell us of a Saviour and Salvation that we have no intereft in, no,
but it tells us, that to us is the "uoord of this Sahationfent ; that to us is
this Child born, and this Son given ; that he is made of God unto us ivif-
dom^righteoufnefs y fan ctifi cation andredemption ; and that as the great
truflee of hea\'en, he received gifts for men^ yea, for the rebellious al-
fo. Now, faith accordingly, applies all thefe good news, this
Saviour, and his whole falvation, to itfelf in particular ; and hence
it comes, tliat it fills the heart with joy, and the tongue with praife.
(3.) This flows from that fcnflble afliirancc of God's love, and of
grace and falvation, which commonly follows upon believing ;
according to what you have, Eph. 1.13. After that ye believed^ ye
ivere fealed'mith the holy Spirit of promife. ' There is a certainty of
fenfe, which very frequently accompanies or follows upon the
certainty of faith, as a natural fruit of it, and yet is not of the na-
ture and cflence of it, becaufe there may be true faith where there
is not this fenfible or reflex aiTurance of grace and falvation. Ilie
certainty of faith is built upon the word of God, the record of
God, and promile of God, which is a believing, becaufe God hath
fpoken, Pfal 60. 6, 7. compared,- God had made a promifeof

H the

98 Christ in the Believers Arms.

the kingdom io David', Godhathfpokenin his holinefs, faith he, /
will rejoice; and in the faith of this word of promife, he fpeaks
with llich certainty^ as if he were ah-eady in pofleffion ; Gilead is
mine, Manafleh is mine, &c. But now the certainty of fenfe
is a knowing chat we have believed, or the foiir.s reflefting
upon its own a6l of beheving. The certainty of faith is like
the certainty that a man hath of his money in a good and fufficient
bond, or the certainty that a man hath of his eftate, by a good and
fufficient charter. He refls upon his bonds and charters as good
fecurities to him. But the certainty of fenfe is like the certainty
that a man hath of his money, when he is handling it with his fin-
gers, or taking in his rents. By the certainty of faith, Abraham
believed, without daggering, becaufe he had God's word of pro-
mife for it ; but, by the certainty of fenfe he knew it, when he faw
Sarah delivered of his fon Ifaac, and got him in his arms. Now,
I fay, faith commonly produces this fenfible afllirance, fweet and
reviving experiences of the Lord's love to our fouls 3" and hence
it com.es, that it fills the mouth with praife.

The /i9f/r?^ thing was, The application of the doclrine. And
the firfhufe fiiall be of information. This doclrine informs us,
(i .) Of the excellency of the grace of faith ; it cannot but be an
excellent grace, becaufe it embraces precious Chrift. Henceic
is, that God puts fuch an eftimate upon it, that he cares for no-
thing wedo, if that be wanting; M^ it bout faith it is impojfible to
pleafe God ; 'whatever is not of faith, is Jin. Suppofe it were pof-
fible for a man to attain fuch a pitch of morality, as tohe touch-
ing the laiv blamelefs ; yet all his obedience, moral and religious,
ftands for a cypher in God's reckoning ; yea, is like the cutting
off a dogs necky and the offering of fimnes blood upon God's altar, if
faith be v/anting. Thus then, 1 fay, faith is an excellent grace of
abfolute neceffity, in order to our acceptance before God; only
let it be here carefully remembred, that 'tis not the a6l of faith,
but its glorious and ever-bleifed objeft, Jefus Chrifl-, whom it em-
braces, that renders us acceptable unto God. In point of accep-
tance, faith renounces its own aftings, and looks /or acceptance
only in the beloved; it rejoiccth in Chriji Jefus only , and hath no confi-
dence in the flejh. 2. See, from this do6trine, what a happy ahd
privileged perfjn the believer is; he gees Chrill the lamb of God
in the embraces of liis foul : And, O / what can the moll; en-
larged heart or foul of man wifii for more? This was the one
Thing ilvdt David defired^Pfal. 27.4. Wereadofonejn theGof-
pel. that faid to Chrift, BlelJed is the ■womb that bare thee, atidthepaps
that gave thee fuck; to which CArf/^anfwered, Tea, rather, bleffedare

Christ in the Believer's Arms. 99

they that hear the "joord of God, S keep /f,Lu]:.i 1.27328. A nd,who are
they that hear the word of God, and keep it, but believers, who
have him formed in their hearts, and clafpedin the arms of faith?
for he that thus hath the Son, hath life. And concerning fuch, 1
may fay, as Mojes faid concerning Ifrael, Deut. 33.24. Happy art
thou, O Ifrael ! ivbo is like unto thee, O people faved by the Lord ? No-
tice the expreflion, they are a people already faved, f/;^}/ have ever-
lafling life ; that day that Chrifl comes into the heart, the favation
ofGod comes, as 'tis faid to Z^cc/^^/r, This day is fahation come to
thyhoufe. (3.) See, from this do6lrine, the true way of joy and
comfort ; perhaps there may be fome poor foul going mourning
"Without the fun, faying, O that it were mth me as in months paft ; once
inaday, 1 thought I could fay, The candle of the Lord jUned upon my
head ; but, alas ! now the fcene is altered, the Comforter than
fliould relieve my foul is far from me, how fliall I recover my wor-
ted joy in the Lord? Well, here is the way to it, go forthoutof
yourfclves, by a dire6l atl of faith ; take Chrift a-new, in the em-
braces of your fouls, upon the free call and offer of the Gofpel,
and with Simeon ye fliall be made to blefs God. It is the wreck of
the comfort of the generality of God's people, in our day, that
they continue poring within themfelves, upon their graces, their
frames,their experiences,their attainments, without going forth,
by faith, unto the fulnefs of a Redeemer for relief : And while
"we do fo, we are juft like mariners at fea, while they fail a-
mong {hallow waters, near the fliore, they are always afraid
of flriking upon the rocks, or running upon fands, becaufe
they want depth of water ; but when they launch forth in-
to the main ocean., they are delivered of their fears, being
carried far above rocks and fands : So, while the believer
continues among the fliallow water of his graces, duties, experi-
ences and attainments, he cannot mifs to be harafTed with con-
tinual fears, becaufe the waters of divine grace are but at ebb,
while we flay there ; butwhenby faith we launch out into that
full ocean ofgracethatisin Chrifl, then fears, doubts and perplex-
ities vanifli : The foul is carried up above ail thefe, being flrong,
not in the created grace that is in itfelf, but in the grace that is in
Jefus Chrifl, in whom dwells all the fulnefs of the God-head. So
then, I fay, if ye would furmount your fears,and recover your joy
and comfort in theLord,fl:udy to live by faith upon the Son of
God; {'oTwearefilledivithjcy andpeace in heUeviufr. (4.) From
this doftrine we may may gather, what a delightfomc place hea-
ven will be, where the foul ihall live in Chrifl's embraces forever.
If the believer's heart be fo refreflied when he gets Chrift cmbru,

H 2 ccd

\

xoo Christ in the Believer's Arms.

ced by faith,what over-powering floods of joy muflflow upon his
foul, when he comes to immediate fruition, where no clouds fhall
ever intercept the rays of the Sun of righteoufnefs from him,thro'^
anendlefs eternity. No wonder, tho' fometimes the believer
break forth into fuch longing expreffions, when he thinks of im-
mediate enjoyment, as that oiFaiil, Idefire tobedijjhhed, and to be
iX)ith Chrifty which is beji of all.

Ufe l\. may beoftrial. Sirs, you have been in the temple this
day ; I would ask, have you fedri the Lord's MeJJiah there ? Have
you got him, like Simeon^ in the arms and embraces of faith ? O !
fay you, how fliall I know if I ever had him in my arms ? For an-
fwer, take thefe following things as marks, ifi. If ever ye have
embraced Chrift, Chrift has embraced you firft ; for there is a
mutual embracing betwixt Chrift & the believer, and it begins on
Chrifh's fide ; he firft takes hold of th^ foul by his Spirit,before the
foul takes hol4 of him by faith, Phil. 3.12. I follow after, if that I
may apprehend that for which alfo I am apprehended of Chrift Jefus,
O ! will the foul fay, I was wandering, like a loft flieep, among
the mountains of vanity, I had gone into a far country with the
prodigal,and never had a thought of Chrift,till he by his fevereign
grace held and drew me, with the cords of vi6lorious love and
grace,and then my heart laid hold and apprehended him : Never
a foul yet came really to believe in Chrift, but will be ready to own
thatit was not free- will, but free-grace that began the work: A^o
man can come to fne, except the Father which hath fent me draw him.
2dly, If ever ye had Chrift really in the embraces of faith, you have
been made to quit the embraces of other lovers ; Ephraim floall
fay, IVhat have I any more to do with idols ? Particularly, ye have
been made to part with the law, as a husband, Rom. 7. 4. Te are
dead to the law, by the body of Chrift , that ye may be married to a better
husband, even to him that is raifedfrom the dead. O, Sirs ! 'tis a har-
der bufmefs than many are aware of, to make a divorce between
a linner and the law, fo as to make him renounce all hopes of
falvation and righteoufnefs from that corner. It is much eafier,
to pull his lufts out of his arms, than to pull the law, as a husband,
out of his embraces ; and thereafon ofthisis plain, becaufe the
law gives a promife of life to them that obey it ; He that doth thefe
things, fhill live in them ; which fin and luft cannot do, in regard
they carry the ftamp of hell and wrath vifibly upon them, to the
eyeof a natural confcience : So that 'tis much eafier to convince
a man that his fm is an evil thing, than to convince him that his
righteoufnefs isfo : hence Chrift tells the Pharifees, thefe felf-
hghteuus wretches, that Publicans and Plarlots iliouJd enter into

the

Christ in the Believers Arms. loi

the kingdom of God before them ; Publicans and Harlots and
fiich fort of perfons, lie more open unto the Iharp arrows of con-
vi6lion, than fglf-righteous perfons, who make, as it were, a bari-
cadoofthe law icfeif, and their obedience to it, behind which
they lie intrenched, and fortified againil all the curfes and threat-
nings of the law, that are denounced againfl: them: They flill take
the law, for a friend, while they obey it as well as they can ; never
dreamingtnatnothingwillfatisfy thelaw, butan obedience that
is every way complete. But, now I fay, if ever ye have embra-
ced Chrift, ye have been made to part with tthe law as a covenant,
and with your own righteoufnefs by the law, as filthy rags, faying
with Paul, /, through the law, am dead to the law. At the fame time
thatthefoul quits the embraces of the law, as a husband, it parts
with other lovers alfo. The firfl view of Chrift by faith, makes
all the twinkling flars of created enjoyments to vanifli and dif-
appear ,* fo that the foul joins ifTue with David, Pfal. 73. 25.
Whom have I in heaven but thee, &c. o^dly, If ever Chriil was in the
embracesof thy foul, thou mayeft know it, by the defirable con-
comitants and efFefts thereof ; I fliall not ftand upon them, only,
in fo many words, youreflimateofChriflwillbe raifed, Fortoyou
that believe, he is precious : Your love to him will be infiamed,
for faith worketh by love; Your joy and peace will be increafed,
for, believing, we rejoice with joy unfpeakable, and full of glory :
Heart-holinefs will be promoted, for faith purifieth the heart :
And, in a word, your fouls will make their boaft in him, for
in him flmll all the feed of Ifrael be jujiified, and fJjall glory.

Ufe III. (hall be of exhortation to all in general. Sirs, before
we part this evening, I would fain have every foul hearing me,
going home with the great MeJJiah, the Son of God, in the arms
and embraces of their fouls; and then I amfure yefliould go a-
way, bleffing God that ye ever came here. We mud deal with
you asreafonable creatures, andperfwade you in a moral way ;
and, when we are fo doing, look up to God for the concurring ef-
ficacy of his Holy Spirit, whofe prerogative it is to perfuade and
enable you to embrace Jefus Chrifb, as he is offered to you in the
Gofpel; and therefore, by way of motive, confider, (i.)The
abfolute need ye have of this Chrifl, whom we ofrer unto you.
Without him, ye are condemned already ; without him, ye are with-
out God in the world, God is angry with you every day ; the law and
jufticeof God, like the avenger of blood, ispurfuing you; and
therefore, O fmners, flee to a Saviour : Turn to y our Jtrong- hold, ye
prifoners ofljope. (2.) Confider the matchlefs excellency of that
Saviour whom we call you to embrace. Angels and men are at
/ H q an

io2 Christ in the Believer's Anns.

an everlafling jfland, to fpeak of his worth and glory ; he is bef!
known by his own and his father's teflimony concerning him ;
and if ye would know the record of God concernk?,g him, fearch
the Scriptures, for thefe are they that teftify of him ; 'tis in this
glafsthat we behold his glory, as of the only begotten of the father y
full of grace and truth. 1 defpair that ever a finner w ill embrace
Chrili, 'till there be a true knowledge of his perfonal excellency
as hmnanuel, God-man. There is a feeing of the Son, which, in
order of nature, although not in order of time, goes^ before the
foul's believing in him, John6./\.o. (3.) Confider the ability
and fufEciency of this Saviour whom we call you to embrace ;
take the Father's teflimony of his ability, Pfal. 89. 20. / have laid
help upon one that is mighty: Take his own teftimony, If a. 63, i.
take the Spirit's teftimony, in the mouth of the Apoftle Paul,
Heb. 7. 25. declaring him able to fave to the uttermoji, all that come
to God by him. Thus ye have the three that bear record in hea-
ven attefting the fufficien cy of this Saviour. O then fet to your
fcal, that God is true, by believing the record that God gives of his'
Son', for if ye do not, your unbelief gives the lie unco a whole
Trinity, i J^&h. 5. 10, 1 1. (4.) Confider that this fufficient Sa-
viour is the SENT of God. 'Ihis is a defignation given to Chrift
thirty or forty times in the Gofpel, according to ^obn, and the or-
dinary argument with which Chrifl perfwades flnners to embrace
and receive him ; and nothing could have greater influence than
this defignation, if the weight of it were but duly weighed. O !
confider in what quality and capacity his Father has fent him.
Shall not God's ambassador-extraordinary get a hearing,among
acompany of condemned rebels? He is fent as a redeemer, to
fet at liberty the captives; andfhallnot captives embrace him ?
He is fent as a furety, and will not infolvents and bankrupts em*'
brace a furety ? He is fent as a phyfician, and will not the wound-
ed and difeafed finner embrace him, and his healing-balm ? ^c.
(5.) Confider that his heart and his arms are open, and ready to
embrace all that are willing to be embraced by him. O / may
the foul fay, fain would I embrace him, but I doubt of his willing-
nefs to embrace me. I tell you good news, he is more willing tO'
embrace you, by far^^ than you are to be embraced by him. He
fays he is willing, and you may believe his word, for he is the-
AMEN, FAiTHFiTL and TRUE WITNESS; and he fay s, that he will Call
out none that come unto him. .Pie fwears he is willing, and will
ye not believe his oath ? Ezek. 33. 1 1. As Hive, Ihavenopkafure
in the deathof fmners, faith the Lord.. Pray tell me, why did he,
•engage from eternity , and voluntarily give his hand co the Father,

in

Christ in the Believer's Arms. 103

in the counfel of peace, faying, Lo I I come, I delight to do thy wlily
O tny God ? Why did he aflume the nature of man, and the finlefs
infirmities thereof? Why did he, that is the great Law-giver,
fubjeft himfelf unto his own law ? Why did he, that is the Lord
of Hfe and glory, fubmit to the ftroke of death ignominioufly up-
on a crofs; why doth he fend out his minifterstoyou, with call
upon call? Why doth he wait all the day long, faying, behold
me, behold me ? Why doth he expoftulate the matter with you ?
Why is he grieved at the obflinacy of your hearts, if he be not
willing that ye fliould embrace him ? For the Lord's fake there-
fore, confider thefe things, and do not reje6l the coimfelof God
againftyourfelves. (6.) Confider what a glorious train and re-
tinue of bleflings come along with him, when he is embraced in
the arms of faith ; fuchas pardonof fin,i/(?Z?. 8- and A't/?; Peace
with God, Rom. 5. i. A complete juflifyingrighteoufnefs, Rom,
8. 3, 4. Adoption andSonlliip, Johni.12. San6]:ification, both
in the root and fruit of it, i Cor. 1. 30. Saving-knowledge of
God, and the myfteries of his covenant, 2 Cor. 4. 6. The crown
of eternal glory at lafl, John 3.16. All thefe might be particular-
ly enlarged on ; butl don't infift, but proceed to obviate fome
objeftions that fome may make againfl complying with this
exhortation.

OhjeSt. I. .Some poor foul may be ready to fay. Gladly would
i. embrace Chrift, with my very foul ; but ftill I entertain a jealou-
fy of my right and warrant to meddle with the unfpeakable gifc
of God,- he is fucha great good, that lam afraid it be butpre-
fumption in me to attempt the embracing of him. Now, for re-
moving any jealoufies of this nature, I {hall lay before you a few
of thefe warrants, upon which a loft finner may receive and em-
brace this Saviour, ift. Let defperate and abfolute neceffity be
your warrant: Ye muft either door die; there is no raids : He
that believe! h, /Jjallbe faved; he that believeth not, Jhall be damned.
Donotftandtodifputethe matter,- there is no time, no not one
moment of time, wherein a man is allowed to tofs this queftion in
his breaft, after the revelation of Chrift to him in the Gofpel ;
fliall 1 believe, or (hall I not ? Or if ye will difpute the matter, will
ye argue, as the Samaritan lepers did ; If we fit jlillhere %veperilh ;
hut if we go into the camp of the Ai^yrhm, per adventure weflMlllive :
So ye, if ye fit fi:ill in this finful and miferable condition, without
God, and without Chrift in the world, we unavoidably perifli;
but if we throw ourfelves into the arms of a redeemer, and upon
themercy of Godin him, beyond peradventure welhallbe fav-
ed: And therefore, I f^.y, let abfolute necelTity be your warrant.

H 4 2dly,

104 Christ m the Believer's Arms.

2dly, Venture to embrace this Saviour in the arms of faith upon
the warrant of the very defign of his Incarnation ; Why is there
a Saviour provided? Why was hemanifefledin the flefh? Up-
on what errand was he fent into the world, but tofeek andfave that
■which was loft. Well, fince this is the very defign of God in gi-
ving a Saviour, that fmners might be faved by him ; what can be
more agreeable unto him, or his Father that fent him, than that
a lofl linner fhould embrace and receive him ? s^/y, Let the
revelation of this incarnate Deity, in the glorious Gofpel, be your
warrant to embrace and receive him,* a bare revelation of a Sa-
viour, without any more, is enough to induce a finnerto believe
in him. Why was the brazen ferpent in the wildernefs lifted up
on the pole, but that every one in the camp of i/;-^^/, who were
ftung with the fiery ferpents, might look unto it, and be healed?
The very lifting up of the brazen ferpent, was a fufficient warrant
to any man to look to it : So the fonof man his being lifted up
on the pole of the everlafling Gofpel, warrants every man to be-
lieve in him, ^ohn 3. 14, 15. 4-thly^ Befides the revelation of
ChriH:, ye have a full, free, and unhampered offer of him,' in the
external call of the Gofpel ; and this diredled to every one, with-
out exception, 7^5.55. 1,2,3. Rev. 22.11. Marki6. 15. Prov.
8.4. Sirs, we offer a Chrifl to you, and the whole fulnefs of
grace and glory, merit and fpirit that is in him, as the free gift of
God, without the money and price of your own works and qual^
fications ; if ye bring any fuch price, to make a purchafe of the
pearl of price, ye fliall lofe him for ever : God loves to give his
Chrift freely, but he fcornsto receive any thing for him. Let
this then be your warrant, that Chrift is gifted and offered of God
in this Gofpel ; and let it be remembered, that in the matter of a
gift, there is no difference between man and man : The pooreft,
as well as the richell, may receive a gift prefented unto him,- a
condemned malefactor has as good a right to receive a gift pre-
fented unto him by the king,as the greatefl favourite in the court:
his being a guilty criminal is no prejudice at all to his receiving a
gift ; yea, his being fo, qualifies him for receiving the pardon. So
here, Chrift's being the gift of God, freely offered & prefented^
warrants the finnerto receive him without refpedt to any qualifi-
cations but that of his being a fmner : Hunger is the befl difpofmg
qualification for meat, nakednefs fits a man for clothing,^?^. And
thatChrill; feeks no other qual)fications,is evident from his counfel
to Laodlcea^ Rev. 3. 17, 18. Thou art wretched)andmiferable,and-na-
Led, and poor y and blind ; I counfel thee to buy ofmc gold, white raiment,
(ind eye fahc- Stbly, Ye have not only an offe? of Chrift, but aa

exprefs

Christ in the Believer's Arms. 105

exprefs command, requiring you to embrace him, for your war-
rant, I John 3.23. This is his commandment. That ye believe in the
name of his Son Jejus Chrifi. Sirs, 'tis not a thing left opcional to
you, toembraceChriftornot, asyepleafe; no, ye are concluded
under a law, fenced with the fevereft penalty. He that believeth not
is condemned already^ and the wrath of God abideth on him. Th e un-
believing fmnercounter-afts theauthority of heaven; and thus
ruflies upon God's neck, and the thick bojfes of his buckler. Ye have
no reafon to doubt, but that the command of believing is to you :
for if ye were not commanded to believe, your unbelief could not
be your fin : Where there is no law, there is no tranfgrejfion. Ye
do not doubt but ye are commanded, by the word of God, to
read, hear, pray, fan6lifythe fabbath,and to perform the other
duties of the moral law; and becaufe they are commanded, ye
mint at obedience : Now, believing is as peremptorily enjoined,
yea, rather more than any other duty, inafmuch as the fuccefsful
and acceptable performance of all other duties depends upon it ;
and therefore do not Hand difputing your warrant, againft the ex-
prefs authority of heaven. 6thly, Befides the command of God,
ye have a promife of welcome, to encourage you in believing,
Joh. 6. 37. Him that comet h to me^ I will in no wife cafl out, John 3 -
J 6. Whofoever believeth in him, f hall not periflo^ but have everlafling
life : Bnt, fay ye, Thefe promifes maybe toothers, and not to
me ; I anfvver, the promife is indorfed to you, directed to you in
the external call and difpenfation of the Gofpel, A^s 2. 39.
There the Apoftle is preaching to a company of men, whofe
hands hath lately been dipcin the bloodof the-Sonof God; he
calls them to faith and repentance : By what argument does he en-
force the exhortation ? Why, he tells them. The promife is to you,
and your children^ and to all that are afar off, and to as many as the Lord
our God Pmll call ; where 'tis plain, the promife is extended, firll to
the^^-^ui-, & then to the Gentiles., who, at that time, were afar off;
andthen, indefinitely both to y^'iy and Gentile, to whom the call
of the Gofpel Ihould reach : the external call, which is only here
intended, howfoever the Spirit of the Lord did internally concur^
being the alone foundation upon which the promife is to be recei-
ved, and not the internal call of one perfon, which can never be a
warrant of believing to another ; and therefore, as the Apoftle
faid to them, fo fay I to you, in the name of God, the promife is to
you, I mean, the promife of welcome ; JVhofoever of you believeth^
jhall not peri jh. This promife is not made to believers excluGvely
ofothers, but to every one that hears the Gofpel ; for if fo, we
could call none to believe, but fuch as have believed, which is

moll

io6 Christ iM the Believer's Anns,

mort: abflird. Well then, let God's promife warrant you to be-
lieve in Chrill ; and if ye do not think this fufficient, take his pro--
mife of welcome, ratified with his oath, Ezek. 33. ii. Thefe being
the t'Uio immutable things, wherein it is impojjible for God to lie. ythly.
Let the indefinite and abfolute nature of the covenant of grace,
be 5^our warrant for embracing the Lord Jefus. The covenant
ofgrace,asit lies in the external difpenfation of the Gofpel, is
conceived in the form of a blank bond, or teilamentary deed,
where there is room left to every man to fill up his name by the
hand of faith ; theflrainandtenorofitis, /wi//Z'^ their God, and
theyjloall be my people ; 1 -will take away theftony heart, and I will give
them a heart offlefh ; Iwillfprinkle them with clean water ; Iwillput
7ny Spirit within them ; I will be merciful to their unrighteoufnefs ; /
will fubdue their iniquities : Where you fee the grant runs in an
indefinite way ; no man's name mentioned, neither any by name
excluded : Why, what is the defign of this, but that every man
may be encouraged to fubfcribe his name, or to make application
thereof to his own foul, in away of believing, by which we are
faid to take hold of God's covenant ? O, Sirs ! the covenant of grace,
as it lies in the external difpenfation of the Gofpel (for now I ab-
flraft from hisfecret purpofes, which are not all themeafure or
rule of faith) isjuftlikearope caflin among a company of drow-
ning men ; he that throws it in, cries to every one of them
to take hold of the rope, promifing to draw them fafe on fiiore t
So God, in the Gofpel-difpenfation, propofes his covenant to e-
very one as a ground of faith ; afTuring them, that whofoever
takes hold of his covenant, and receives his Chrift, whom he hath gi-
"jen for a covenant to the people, jloall not periflo, but have everlajting
Ufe. For the Lord's fake, do not put this rope of falvation away
from you, under a pretence that ye know not if it be dcfigned
for you. Would ye not reckon it ridiculous madnefs, in any of
thefe drowning men now mentioned, to fall a difputing whether
the rope were cad in tothem, when they are at the very point of
fmkingto the bottom? Would not every one of them gripe at it,
%vith the utmofl ftrength and vigour, without putting any quefti-
on? Now this is the very cafe, Ofinner, thou art going down to
the pit of eternal mifery; God, by his minifhers, cries to you to
take hold of his rope of falvation : O then fee that ye refufe not
h..n that fpeaketh from heaven ,• do not difpute yourfelves away
from your own mercy, ^thly. Let the welcome that others hath
met with, in coming to Chrift, be your encouragement to ven-
ture alfo ; never any that really came to him, but they met with a
kindly reception. Ask the prodigal fon ; d.skMaryMagdaMe,Paul,

and

Christ in the Believer's Jrms, 107

and others, what entertainment they met with from this Saviour ;
they will be ready to tell you, that they obtained mercy- Now
the fame mercy that faved them, is as ready to fave you. You
don't doubt but Mofes, David, Peter, Paul, and other faints that
are now in glory, had fufficient warrant to believe. Sirs, you
have the fame grounds of faith as ever they had, the lame God,
the fame Saviour,the fameBible,the fame covenant,the fame pro-
mifes,the fame faithfulnefs of God to lean to,as ever they had; and
thefe Grounds of faith are fofirm, that they never difappointed
any that leaned to them ,• and therefore be encouraged to believe
as they did. O ! how will it gall and torment unbelieving finners
in hell for ever, when they fee others who believed upon the
fame grounds, that were common to them alfo, fitting down in
the kingdom of heaven, and therafelves fhut up in utter dark-
nefs, with devils and damned fpirits, becaufe of their unbelief ?
And, how will the devil himfelf upbraid unbelievers in hell, when
fallen under the fame condemnation with himfelf, that they had
fuch fair warrants to believe in Chrift, which he never had ?

Obje^. 2. You bid me embrace Chrift, but, alas ! he is far away
out of my reach; Chrift is in heaven, how fliall I win at him?
./^w/ber, Seeing ye cannot come up to Chrift, Chriflis come down
to you ; and we bring him near to you, in this word of falvation
which we preach, T/'^. 46. 12, 13. Hearken to me, ye fiout-hearted,
that are far from righteoufnefs ; I bring near my right eoufnejs, it
fhall not he far offhand my falvation fhall not tarry: And therefore^
fay not in thine heart, TVho Jloall afcend into heaven, to bring Cbrijt
down from above'? or 'mho fljall defend into the deep, to bring him up
again from the dead 1 for the word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth,
and in thy heart ; that is, the imrd of faith which we preach, Rom..
10. 6,7, 8. Sirs, Chrift is in this Gofpel, this word of faith, and
grace, which we, in the name of God, deliver unto you ; and
your faith mufl terminate immediately upon this word, other-
wife ye can never embrace him. As I believe or trufl a man,
by his verbal or written promife ; fo I embrace Chrift, by the
word of faith, orpromifesin the Gofpel. Suppofe a fponfable
nian,refiding m America, fhould fend me his bill for anyfum of
money, that man and his money are bro't near to me by his bill
and fecurity which he fends me : So here, tho' Chrift be in hea-
ven, and we upon earth, yet the word of faith, which we preach,
brings him, his kingdom, righteoufnefs, falvation, and whole
fulnefs nigh unto every one of us, fo that we need not afcend
into heaven^ or defcend into hell, in queft of him.

ObjeSi, 3, My Arms have been fo defiled with the embraces

of

io8 Ckkist in the Believer's Arms.

of other lovers, that I am afraid Chrift will never allow me to
embrace him. For anfwer, I only refer you to Jeremiah 3. i.
Thou haft played the harlot mth many lovers, yet return unto
me, faith the Lord. Bat fay ye, My fms are highly aggravated.
A^ifiver, Ifa. i. 18. Come and let usreafm together, faith the Lord,
though your fins be as fcarlet, they fball he as 'white as fnom ;
though they be red as crimfon, they foall be as wool.

Obje^. 4. You bid me embrace him ; but, alas ! I want an
arm ; I have no power to embrace him. Anfwer, If thou haft
a will to embrace him, the great difficulty is over, for there lies
the principal flop; Te'-joill not come tome, that ye might have life :
Where God gives the will, he gives alfo to do of his own good
■pleafure. You fay, you want the arm to embrace him ; then do
as the man with the withered hand did, mint to ftretch it forth
in obedience to the command of Chrift. Believing is a thing we
mufl: be elTaying, even before we can find the Spirit of God work-
ing it in us efFe6tually. We cannot pray, we cannot fandlify the
fabbath, we cannot think a good thought, 'till the Spirit of God
works it in us ; and yet we do not forbear thefe duties, becaufe
we have no power to do them : So, although we have no power
to believe, yet we fliould be trying to believe. The way that the
Spirit of God works faith in the fouls of the Ele61:, is, by making
them fenfible of their own inability, that they may turn the
work over upon his own hand, who worketh all oUy works in us^
and for us. ^

Objeth laft. Let me mint at believing, as much as I will, I
fliall never be able to efFe6l it, if I be not among God's ele6l;
for it is only they that are ordained to eternal life that do be'
Heve. Anfwer, This is an extraordinary fophifm of the
grand enemy of falvation, whereby he difcourages finnerj
from believing in the Lord Jefus ; and the fallacy, or weaknefs of
it, will eafily appear, by applying the objeftion to the ordinary
bufmefs of human life. When meat is fet before you, do you de-
cline to take or ufe it, for this reafon, that you do not know whe-
ther God has ordained it for you ? Don't ye fay, meat is for the
ufe of man, and this meat is fet before me, and therefore I will
take it. Ye don't fiiy, I will not plow or fow my ground, becaufe
I know not ifever God has decreed, that it fliall bring forth; orf
will not go home to my houfe, becaufe I don't know ifever God
has decreed I fliould come the length. Ye would reckon a man
mad, or beflde himfeif, who would argue at this rate in lifairs
of this nature. Why, the cafe is the very fame ; as the le;rct de-
crees of heaven lie quite out of the road in the managemeiit of the

affairs

Christ in the Believer's Arms. . 109

affairs ofthis life, fo neither are they at all to bejhe meafiire or
rule of our a61ings in the great concerns of eternity : Secret things
belong to the Lord, but things that are re'vcaled, to us and our Chil-
dren : And thegroundof your condemnation at the great day^
will not be,becaure ye were not ele(l:l:ed,but,becaufe ye would not
believe. The reprobatey^wj were cut off becaufe of their unbe-
lief,i^07«.i 1 .7,&2o. I fliall only add,Thar as ye cannot know that
the meat fet before yoUj is yours in pofTeffion, till ye take it ; fo
neither can ye ever know that Chrift was ordained for you, till ye
take him into your poffelTion by faith : And therefore ye muft
believe in Chrift, before ye know your eleftion ,• otherwife ye
fhall never know it, and Ihall never believe either. So much by
way of exhortation.

i fliall conclude this difcourfe with a fliort word to two forts
of perfons. Firji, To you who, like Simeon, have got him in the
embraces of your fouls, and who perhaps can fay, to your
fweet experience, with the fpoufe, / have found him whom my
Joiil loveth. All I fay to you Ihall be comprized in thefe two or
three words, (i.) OblefsGod, as Simeon did, forfuch a privil-
ege ; let the high praifes of God be in your mouths. I told you al-
ready of feveralfongs, ye have ground and reafon to fing, which
I fhall not Hand to refume ; Only, to engage you to blefs him,con-
fider, that this is all the tribute he expe6ls from you. Wiiowilf
ever blefs him, if not the people that he has formed for himfelf ?
Confider again, that this is the way to have blcilings multipli-
ed upon you : The thankful beggar is bcftfervcd at the door
both of God and man. The trumpeter loves to found where
there is an eccho, which brings back the found to his ears ,
fo God loves to beftow his bleffings, where he hears of them
again in fongs of praife and gratitude. Praife is the work
of heaven, through a long eternity : Now, they who are bound
to that land afar off, fliould be lifping out the language of the land,
before they come there. ( 2. ) Have ye got Chrift in the arms
of your fouls ? O then improve your golden feafon ; and while
ye are allowed to ride with the king in the chariot of the wood of
i^Z'^/zow, improve your intereft with him, both for yourfelves and
others : Particularly in.treat him. That he would revive his own
work, which is under fuch a fad decay in our land, at this day;
fludy to bring him into your mother^s hoiife^ and to the chambers of
her that conceivedyou. (3.) Have ye got l:im in your arn:is,then fol-
low the fpoufe's praftice. Cant. 3.4. Iheldhim^ and woti/d not let
him go: O ! keep him in the embraces of your fouls; hisprefence
difpels clouds^ and turns the fliadows of death into the m.orning ;

k

no Ci^Ri St in the Believer's Arms,

it is like oil tothe:'chariot-v/heeIs of the foul : Light, life, liberty,
peace, pardon, and plenty are his continual attendants ; and re-
inember that his departure is of a very dangerous confequence.
'Tis true, his real prefencefliall never depart ; butyethisquick-
ning, ftrengthening, and upholding prefencemay be withdrawn
to fuch a degree, that ye may go mourning without the fun ; and
if through untendernefs ye provoke him to withdraw, the quar-
rel may be purfued even to the gates of hell, fo that ye may be
made to cry out, The arrows of the Almighty are within me, the pot'
Jon thereof drinketh iipmyfpirits ; and the terrors of God fet them-
f elves in array againjl me, Job 6. 4.

And in order to your keeping him in the embraces of your
fouls, (i.) Bewareof every thing that may provoke him to with-
draw ; particularly beware of fecurity, which made him to with-
draw from the fpoufe, C(372f. 5. 3,6. verfes compared. Beware
of pride, for Godrefijteth the proud, and beholds them afar off. Be-
Vv'areof wordly-mindednefs, for the ii^iquity of his covetoufnefs, I
m)as -ivroth, and fmote him,l^d.\. 57. 17. Bewareof unbelief, that
root of bitternefs, which caufes to depart from the living God : Dif-
trufl znd jealoufy is the rage of a man, much more is it provoking
unto God. Under the law, God appointed porters to keep watch
atthedoorofthe temple, that nothing might be fufFered to enter
v/hich might defile the dwelling-place of his name : Thy foufand
body, believer, is the temple of God ; therefore guard againfl:
everything that may defile the fame. (2.) If ye would hoid
Chriflin the embraces of your fouls, keep grace in a lively ex-
ercife ; for thefe are the fpikenard andfpices, that fend out a fragrant
fniell for his entertainment. Keep the arm of faith continually
about him; let the fire of divine love byrn continually upon the
altar of thy heart ; let the anchor of hope be fixed within the
vail ; let the fountain of evangelical repentance be ftill running ;
and under your greateft attainments, be humbled, and take care
t D fet the crown upon Chrift's head, faying. Not unto us, not unto
us, but to thy name be the glory.

The fecond fort of perfons I would fpeak a little to, are thefe,
who perhaps are complaining of hidings and with-drawings, and
are perhaps faying, I came to the temple, to fee if I could get
Chrift in my arms, but I am difappointed ; yea, matters are come
that length with me, that I am ready to raze foundations, and to
conclude that 1 am an ut^er (Iranger to him. All I have to offer
to you, lliall be comprifed in thefe two or three things, with
which I conclude, (i.) Allowrae to ask,if therebe nota void
andemptinefsin thy heart, v/hich the whole creation cannot fill.

Christ in the Believer's Arnu. in

'till Chrift himfelf comes and fills it ? Are not ordinances, mini-
flers, word and facrament, empty without him, like dry breafts ?
That fays, Thou art not altogether aflranger to him; and there-
foredo not entertain harfli thoughts of thy felf, thy cal'eis not
at all unprecedented. What think ye of i^izt-ij, Pfal. 13. A-'
faph, Pfal. 77. Neman, Pfal. 88. yea, of Chrifl himfelf, who,
through the withdrawing of his father's love, was made to utter
that heart-rending cry, My God, my God, ijohy haft thoiiforfalen me ?
(2.) Know, for thy comfort, that thy hiding Loid will return a-
gain,- weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the
morning, Pfal 30. 4, 5. Ifa. 54. 7, 8- The very breathings and
]ongingsof thy foul after him, are a pledge of his return; for/jg
fatisfieth the longing foul, and fillet h the hungry foul "mth goodnefs.
(3.) When ye cannot get Chrift himfelf embraced, ftudy to em-
brace his word of promife, as the Old-Teflament Saints did, Hcb.
II. 13. As a loving wife will lay the letters of her abfent huf-
band in her breaft, and perhaps kifs his hand-writ ; fo Jay the
fweetpromifesof thy beft husband in thy bofom, and between
thy breaft, until he himfelf return. (4.) Maintain your claim
muohim on the ground of the'covenant when you cannot main-
tain it upon a ground of fenfe ; as a wife will maintain her relation
to her husband, though he be both angry and abfent. The Lord
loves to have his people threaping kindnefs, and maintaining
their claim upon the marriage-contraft of the new covenant,
'Uiken they walk in darknefs, and fee no Hghtjfd.sc. to. and fuch a car-
riage as this, commonly lands in a happy meeting betwixt Chrift
and the fouls of hispeojDle; for, after believing, comes fealing.

K^ rent Vail of the Temple : or^ Accefs to the
Holy (t/" Holies by the Death ^/CHRIST;

In a S E R M O N preached immediately after the Adminiftration cf the Sacra-
ment of the Lord's-Supper, at Carnock, the 12th Day of July, 1719.

By the Reverend Mr. Ralph Erskine.

B^ II I .1 I ■— —— ^ 111,1 ,, ■„. „,, . ■ ■ I , -,,..1-1. I ■- -■ ■ I ■ ^1 ■ ■ ■ ■ -.

M A T T H. xxvii. 51.
And behold the vail cf the temple was rent in twain from the
top to the bottom.

SOME here may think, what will the minifter make of that
text, and what relation hath it to the work of this day } In-
deed, I cannot promife to make any thing of it, nnlefs the

Lord

112 Tlje rent Vail of the Temple.

Lord himfelf make fomething of it to you. But, with his
help, we may find a feaflin it to our fouls, and afuitable feaft to
follow immediately after the celebration of the Lord's Supper.
Chrift hath been evidently fet forth crucified among you this day,
and as yoii have been called to feaft upon his paffion, fo now you
are called to feaft upon the fruits and efi'ects of it. Have you feen
him dying on a crofs for you ? O come and fee what immediately
followed upon his death, Behold the vail of the temple was rent from
the top to the bottom. That I may divide the words, and then ex-
plain them, you may nocice here, I. The connexion of this verfe
with what went before, in the particle <a:72^; intimating the time
of this miracle, that it attended the death of Chrift, verfe 50.
When he had cried with a loud voice, he gave up the ghoft. This loud
cry fignified that his death fliould be publick, and proclaimed to
all the world, as it hath been to you this day ; and his yielding up
the ghoft, fliewed that he voluntarily refigned his foul to be an of-
fering for fin, according to his undertaking as our furety, Ifa. 53.
10. Death being the penalty for the breach of the firft covenant,
Thou jloalt fiirely die ; the Mediator of the new covenant muft
make atonement by means of death, otherwlfe no remiffion.
Now he gave up the ghoft,and immediately the vail of the temple
ivasrent. 2. You have a note of admiration, ijc/;o/i! intimating
what a wonderful thing did immediately enfue. Several mira-
cles, befides the rending of the vail, are here mentioned, but this
feems to be the moft remarkable. We are told, that the earth did
quake, the rocks rent, the graves were opened, and many dead bodies of
ihe faints arofe ; but that which is put in the firft rank of thefe mi-
racles, is, that the vail of the temple 'was rent in twain; and we find
the EvangeliftM^r^ mentions this in particular, and none of the
reft ofthe miracles here named, as if this rending of the vail was
the mJracle moft to be noticed, as containing fomewhat moft my-
ilerious and fignificant therein, Mark 15. 37, 38. Where we
have the very fame words, Jefus cried with a loud voice, and gay e up
the ghoft, and the vail of the temple was rent in twain, from the top t'othe
bottom. And here it is uiliered in with a behold, turn afide and fee
fhis great fight, be aftonilhed at it. But what are we to wonder
at? 'Then, 3. See this object ofadmiration, the vail ofthe tem-
ple was rent in twain, juft as our Lord Jefus expired ; that vail of
■:.he temple which parted betwixt the holy place and the moft holy^
was rent by an invifible power. In this and the reft of the mira-
cles Chrift gave teftimony to his Godhead, putting forth the pow-
er of his divine nature at the fame time wherein his human na-
\\\x^, Jiis fuu! and body, was rent in twain, like the vail of the rem-

nle.

The rent Vail of the 'I'emple. 113

pie. It is remarkable, how the Evangelift defcribes the manner I11
which the vail of the temple was rent, fliewing, what a full and
intire rent it was. Luke fays, it zvas rent in the midjiy and here
Matthe'uo and Mark fay, /f -"cyr^y rent in twain , rent from die top,
rent to the bottom, and rent in twain from the top to the bottom,
an intire rent. But what was the meaning of all this? Whan
did the rending of the vail llgnify .? (r.) It was in conformity to
the temple of Chrift's body, which was now diflblved. Chrifl:
was the true temple, in ivhoni dwells all the fidnefs of the Godhead
bodily. When he cried and gave uptheghoft, and fo diflblved
and rent the vail of his flefli ,• the literal temple did as it were,
eccho to the cry, and anfwer the flrokes, by rending its vai!,
(2.) The rending of the vail of the temple fignified the revealing
ofthemyfteriesof the Old Teflament. The vail of the temple
was for concealment. It was extremely dangerous for any to
fee the furniture of themofl holy place within the vail, except
the high priefl, and he but once a year with great ceremony,
and through a cloud of fmoke: i'^ll which pointed out thedark-
nefsofthat difpenfation, 2 Cor. 3. 13. But now, at the death ot
Chrifl, all was laid open, the myfteries are un vailed, fo that he
that runs may read the meaning of them. ( 3. ) The rending of
the vail of the temple fignified the uniting o\je'uos and Gentiles^
by removing the partition- wall betwixt them, which was ihe ce-
remonial law. Chrifl by his death repealed it, and (cancelled that
hand-writing of ordinances, nailed it on the crofs, dSid^o broke dcwii
the middle-wall of partition 'y and by abolifliing thefe inflitution.s
and ceremonies, by which the Jews were diflinguiflied from all
other people, /^^ abolifJjed in his fefJj the enmity, even the law of com-
mandments contained in ordinances ; fur to make in himfelf of twain me
new man, Eph. 2. 14, 15. Jufl as two rooms are made one, by tak-
ing down the partition- wall. ( 4. ) The rending of the vail did
efpecially fignify the confecrating and opening of a new and liv-
ing way to God. The vail keptofl'people from drawing near to
themofl holy place; but their rending of it fignified that Chrifl,
by his death, opened a way to God for himfelf, as our blefled
High Priefl, andforus inhim. i. For himfelf. This was the
great day of atonement, wherein the great High Priefl, not by
the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, entred once
for all into the holy place, in token of which, the vail was rent;
Heh. 9. 7, to 1 3. Tho' Chrifl did not perfonally afcend to heaven,
the holy place not made with hands ^ that is, to heaven, till above forty
days after ; yet he immediately acquired a right to enter, and had
a virtual admiflion.His entrance into the heavenly temple, //^^; the

1 . holy

i'l4 The rent Vail of the Temple.

holy of holies J heg^n in his death,* having offered his facrifice in
the outer-court, the blood of it was to be fprinkled on the mercj -
feat within the vail, according to the manner of the priefts under
the law. But now the legal fliadows were all to vanifh ,• the
p;reat, the true High Priefl; having by his own blood entered, and
fo procured, 2. For us an open entrance into the true holy of
holies, as the Apoi\]e:ipp]ies it, Heb. 10. 20,19. ^e have bddnefs to
enter into the holiejt by the blood of Jefus, by a new and living way^
ivbich he hath confecrated for lis thro' the vail. We have now
free accefs to come with boldnefs to a throne of grace, to a
God in Chrifl, Heb. 4. at the clofe. The vail of the temple did
fo interpofe betwixt the people and the moH holy place, that
they could neither go in nor look into it, but only the priefl in
the manner that I faid before; but the rending of the vail fig-
nifies, that the true holy of holies, heaven itfelf, is now open to
us by the entrance of our great High Prieft, that we alfomay
enter in by faith as a royal prieflhood, following our forerun-
ner, who for us hath entred within the vail, Heb. 6.19. Nothing
can obftruft or difcourage our accefs to God in his grace and
glory, for the vail is rent. Now I am to touch a little at the
fpecial myflery here reprefented, Behold, the vail of the temple
was rent in tzvain from the top to the bottom.

Obferv. That Chrift by his death both rent the vail that interpofed
bet'wixt God and us, and obJlru8ed our accefs to him. He gave up the
ghod, and behold the vail was rent ; i Pet. 3.18. Chrift hath once
fuffered for fins, thejuftfor the unjiift. Why ? that he might bring
us to God ; and in order thereunto, that he might rend the
vail of guilt and wrath that interpofed betwixt us and him,
that he might take away the cherubims and flaming fword,
and open a way to the tree of life.

The method wherein I fliall fpeak to this fubje6l, fhall be to
fliew, 1. What is the vail that interpofed betwixt God and us.
II. How the death of Chrift hath rent that vail. III. In what
manner is the vail rent. IV. For what end is the vail rent. V.
Draw fome inferences from the whole for application.

There may be fome here that came to this occafion, to enquire
into God's temple, to fee his beauty and glory there, and to get
near to God,- but, ah! they are complaining, they have mifs'd
their mark: Why? they apprehended a vail betwixt them and
the glory ofGodandtho'titimpoirib!etoget thro' the vail; but
(may be ) you will not that the vail of the temple was rent, and
ihercforc vou have not feen the beauty of the Lord in his temple.
If )ou had known that the vail was rent from the top to the bot-
tom.

The rent Vail of the Temple. n^

torn, you would have gone in more boldly to che mofl holy place ;
and if yet you will believe that the vail is rent, 1 can promife that
you iliall not mifs a fight of his glory thro' the rent vail ,* did [ not
fay to thee, If thou wouldjt believe, thou fjalt fee the glory of God.
But I proceed in the method propofed.

Firfi then, What is that vail that interpofed betwixt God and
us ? Not to fpeak of the vail of Old-Teftament iliadows and ce-
remonies, now rent and removed by the death of Chrift, there are
fome vails that in a fpecial manner obftru6led our accefs to God,
and they may be reduced to thefe three. The vail of a broken
covenant, the vail of God's injured attributes, and the vail of
man'sfin. i. Thevailof a broken covenant, or law of works.
The covenant of works, you know, was do and /fw, otherwife you
flialldie ; Intheday thou eatejt, thou floalt firely die. In which.
covenant you fee there was a precept, a promife, and a penalty.
The precept was do, or perfect obedience ; the promife was life,
or eternal happinefs upon his obedience ; and the penalty was
death and eternal damnation, in cafe of difobedience. Now man
by his fin hath broken the precept of that covenant, & fo forfeit-
ed the promife of life, and incurred the penalty of death. If ever
■we have accefs to God, this broken precept muft be repaired, this
forfeited life muft be redeemed, this penalty mud be executed.
Here is a vail that feparates betwixt God and us, a vail that nei-
ther men or angels can rend, and yet a vail that mufl be rent, o-
therwife we die and perifli for ever, and this vail is the harder to
berent,becaufe of the following, namely, 2. The vail of God's
injured perfe6tions, particularly, his incenfed juftice, and injured
holinefs. Juftice, infinite jufi:ice, was a black vail that obftrufted
our accefs to heaven ,- for God became an angry God, a God fill-
ed with fierce wrath againft the finner. God hath fet his penalty
upon the law, commanding perfeft obedience upon pain of
death, God'sjuftice was engaged to make this penalty effeftual
upon man's falling into fin. Nothing can fatisfy juftice but in-
finite punifiiment ; the wages of fin is death, and God will by no means
clear the guilty : And fo if this vail be not rent by a complete
fatisfa6lion, the guilty finner muft go down to the pit. The holi-
nefs of God alfo was injured by the breach of the law ; fin is
a tranfgrelTion of the law, a tranfgreflion of the precept. Now,
as God'sjuftice ftands up in defence of the threatning and penal-
ty, fo his holinefs ftands up for the defence of the precept and
command of the holy law. God cannot jufi:ify the finner, nor
accept of him as righteous, unlefs he hath a complete righteouf-
nefs ; not a lame, partial and imperfeft righteoufnefs, but a righ-

• I 2 teoufnefs

ji6 The rent Vail of the Temple.

teoufnefs every way commenfurate to the extenlive precept of
the law, Will fatisfy an infiniLtly holy God. As infinite juftice
cannot be fatisfied without a complete fatisfaftion, anfwering to
the threatning and penalty of the law, fo the infinite holinefs of
God cannot be fatisfied without a perfe6l obedience anfwerable
to the precept and command of the law. Now our natural want
of ability to yield fatisfaftion, and our natural want of perfect
conformity to thelaw, makejuftice, and holinefs, and other per-
ieftions of God fiand in the way of our falvation, and of our accefs
10 heaven, like a vail that can never be rent by us ; efpecially
confidering, that there is a third vail, and that is the vail of fm^
on our part. I'his is a feparatinj^; vail betwixt God and us,Ifa,
59. 2. Tour iniquities bavefeparated bet'voixt you and your God. Now
before we can get near unto God, this vail muft be rent, the guilt
of fin muft be expiated ; for without Ihedding of blood there isno
remiffion. The filth of fin muft be purged ; for who fhall afcend
10 the hill of the Lord, and fland in his holy place, but he that hath
clean hands and a pure heart ? The power offinmuft be broken.
There is by nature in us all a power of ignorance, our minds are
become a dungeon of darknefs, and this is fuch a vail betwixt God
and us, that unlefs it be removed, there is no hope of mercy.
Therefore, fays the prophet,/? is apeople of no underjtanding,there-
fore he that made them will not have mercy on t hem, 6:c. There is in us
a power of enmity : The carnal mind is enmity againft God, &c.
We are enemies to God by wicked works : This is another vail
that muft be rent by an arm of almighty power ; for it is a vail and
curtain that the devil hath ftrongly wrought like a web with the
warp and waft of pride, carnality, fecurity, worldlinefs, and all
other wickednefs whatfoever, which are but fo many threads and
pieces of the web, this vail of enmity. There is a power of un-
belief, that is another vail that on our part (lands betwixt us and
theholy place, and feparates us from divine favour : He that be-
lieveth not, is condemned already.

The fecond thing, How the death ofChriH: hath rentthevail;
when he gave up theghoft, behold the vail was rent. i. By the
deathofChrift, thevailofa broken covenant was rent in twain,
fo as we might get near to God thro' that vail of the law; for the
law was fulfilled in every part of ir, by his obedience to the death.
Was the precept of the law a perfe6l obedience ? Well, Chrift by
his obedience to the death did magnify the law, and make it ho-
nour^ible, brought in everlading ri,2;h teoufnefs ; his death was
thefiniihing n:r(;ke,the highefl a6l of chat obedience whereby the
law was fulfilled. Was the promifc of life in the law or firlt cove-
nant

The rent Vail of the Temple. 117

nant forfeited by us ? Well, Chrifl: rent this vail, by redeeming
the forfeiture with the price of his blood ; he bought back the in-
heritance for us that we had lofl, making a purchafe of us and of
eternal falvation for us. Was the penalty of death in the law
jftanding alfoin the way ? Well, Chrifl comes in the finner's
room, endures this penalty, by coming under the curfe of the
]aw, becoming obedient to the death, enduring the wrath of God,
and delivering us from the wrath to come : And fo behold the vail
ofa broken covenant was rent. 2. By the death of Chrift, the vail
of God's injured attributes, that flood betwixt God and us, was
rent and removed. Chrifl hath fatisfied the juflice of God, by of-
fering himfelf a facrifice, Eph. 5. 2. This offering being thro' the
eternalSpirit, it was of infinite worth and value; here the altar
fanftifieth the gift; the altar was the Godhead of Chrifl, the of-
fering was made upon the altar of the divine nature, and there-
fore this blood of Chrifl is called the blood of God. This facrifice
was of infinite worth and value, for doing the bufinefs of poor
man in atoning juflice, and {'o rending this vail. But now, as Chrifl
hath fatisfied the juflice of God, by enduring the penalty and
threatning of the law, fo he hath vindicated the holinefs of God
by fulfilling the precept and command of the law ; which he noc
only did thro' the whole courfe ofhis life, but perfeftly finifhed
in his death. Now if Chrifl hath fulfilled the law, fatisfied the
juflice, and vindicated the holinefs of God, by his obedience to
the death, then we may fee and fay, Behold the vail ivas rent. But,
,^3. Thereisthe vail offmon our part,- how is this rent by the
death of Chrifl? Why, the lamb was facrificed to rend and re-
move this vail ; Behold the lamb ofGody that takes away the fin of the
'u.wrld. By his death the guilt of fin is expiated,/or Godfet him forth
to be a propitiation through faith in his bloody to declare his right eoifncfs
for the remifjion of fins, &c. By his death the filth of fin is purged,
for the blood ofChriJlcleanfeth from all fins, and that both meritori-y'
oufly, and eificacioufiy ,• for by his death the power of fin is alfg*
broken fundamentally, feeing by his death he purchafed the Spi-
rit, which in due time he pours out, and thereby a6lually removes
the vail on our part, which he hath done fundamentally and virtu-
ally on thecrofs. By this purchafed Spirit he rends the vail of
darknefs and ignorance : The God'who commanded light to/Fine out
of darknefs, /bines into the heart, &c. All the light ofnature, reafon,
education, and Iiuman literature, cannot rend this vail, till the
man receive the Spirit of wifdom and revelation in the knowlege
of Chrifl. By this purchafed Spirit he rends the vail of enmity,
iliedding abroad his love upon the heart,- and indeed the view

I 3 and

ii8 The rent Vail of the Temple.

and apprehenfion of God's mighty love iaChrifl, can rend that
mighty vail of enmity J for we love him whenever we fee that he
firfl loved iis^ i John 4. 19. When the foul fees the God, whofe
majefty he dreaded, is now a God in Chrifl, reconciled to the foul
through the facrifice that Chrift offered up, then the foul is recon-
ciled to God, and fo the vail of enmity is rent in twain. By this
purchas'd Spirit he rends alfo the vail of unbelief ; for as he is a
Spirit oflight to remove the vail of darknefs, and a Spirit of love
to remove the vail of enmity, fo he comes into the heart as a Spi-
rit of faith, and removes the vail of unbelief. He begins this rent
ina work of humihation, when he rends the heart in twain with
a fenfe of fin, and a fight of its undone ftate ; when he makes the
foul confefs its fin, and juftify the Lord though he fhould damn
him for his fin, he makes the rent of the vail wider by a gracious
manifefi:ation, like that, John 2. 11. He manifejied forth his glory,
and his difcipks believedon him Thus he rends the vail of unbelief,
and completes the rent ofthis vail, when faith is turned into vifi-
on. Thus you fee how by his death the vail was rent.

The third thing, In what manner was the vailrent '? All I (hall fay
on this head, fliall be in allufion fliortly to the rending of the vail
of the temple here, which we fee, was in a wonderful manner ufli-
eredinwitha Behold, i. Beholdit wasrent, not only drawn afide,
but rent. The curtain was not only drawn afide,but torn to pieces,
as ifGod had been angry at the vail of partition betwixt him and
us ; angry at the Vail of feparation, and enraged that there fliould ^-
have been any vail to fntercept betwixt him and us. God's heart *"■
was fet upon a reconciliation betwixt him and us, and therefore
his hand tares the curtain that was hanging up betwixt him and
ns; gave it fuch a rent, as it might never be whole again: All
the devils in hell cannot few up the rent, fo as to difappointGod's
defigh of bringing his people into union & communion with him.
2. Behold the vail of the temple was not only rent, but rent in
twain ; the vail that was one, was made two, that God and man,
who were two, might be made one. It was not half rent, but
wholly rent, rent in twain, a full and complete rent; fliewing,
thatChrid, by his death, would not be a half Saviour, but a com-
pleteSaviour, and the author of a full and complete falvation,
takingintirely outof the way whatever feparated betwixt God
and us, not leaving fo much as a ftitch of the curtain to hold tlie
two fides of the vail together ; no, the vail was rent in twain.
And not only m, but, 3. Behold, the vail was rent from the top to the
bottom. Tkevail was rent from the top ; the higheil thing that fe-
parated beiwixt God and us, was rent m twain I we could never

nave

The rent Vail of the Temple. rrp

have reached up to the top of the vail, yea, the hands and arms of
all the men on earth, and angels in heaven, were too fliort to reach
to the top of the infinite juftice and holinefs of God, that interpof-
ed betwixt him and us. The top of this vail, this wall of parti-
tion, was higher than heaven, what could we or any other creature
do for rending it from the top ? But Chrifl put up his hand, as it
were, to the top of the vail, and rent it from the top. The rent
begins at the top, but it does not flop here : For, 4. The vail is
alfo rent to the bottom. The bottom of this vail, that did fepa-
rate betwixt God and us, did reach as deep as the bottom of hell ;
whocoulddefcendtohellfor us, torend the vail from the bot-
tom ? According to the lamentation of one Joannes Seneca up-
on his death-bed, JVe have here., fays he,fome that mil go to the
quire for its, feme that will play for us,fome that will fay mafsfor
uSy andfome that will pray for its '.^ but where is there one that will go
to hell for us ? But, O happy believer, Chrift is one that hath gone
to hell for you, that he might quench all the fiames of hell with his
blood, and conquer all the powers of hell that were in the way be-
twixt you and heaven. He defcended to hell, in a manner that
he might rend the bottom of the vail. But there is yet more here,
he not only rends the vail at the top, and at the bottom; but, 5.
From the top to the bottom all is rent, both the top & the bottom, and
all that is betwixt the top and the bottom, and all the impedi-
ments betwixt heaven and hell are removed. Tho' heaven be
purchafed, and hell vanquiflied, yet there might be fomething
in the earth, fomething in the world, betwixt heaven & hell, that
might obftruft the paflage to the holieffc ; ay, but the rent is from
the top to the bottom, all that comes betwixt the top and the bot-
tom, is rent as well as both ends ; fo that there is accefs from the
loweft part of mifery, to the highefl: happinefs ; a long rent, in a
manner, from the top of heaven to the bottom of hell. We fell
as low as hell by fm, but Chrift by his death hath niade an o-
pen way from hell to heaven ,• for, behold^nhe vail was rent in
twain from the top to the bottom.

The fourth thing, For what end was the vailjtent-? I fliall tell you
only thefe two ends of it. i. That Chrift might enter into the
holieftasourhigh-prieltfor us. 2. That w^might enter in alfo
after him, and through him. ,1. Ifay the vail of the temple was
rent, that Chrift, our glorious high-prieft, might enter into the
holy of holies in our n^me. J told you,thatthe vailof the temple
was that which parted betwixt the /;o/3';)/^(7(?«;2^^!?(7 vwjl holy, and
which kept off people from drawing near to the mojt holy plicc
The vail was for concealment,& none might enter within the vai)

I 4 but

2 20 The rent Vail of the Temple.

but the high-pried, and he was not to enter in without blood, the
blood of the facrifice along with him, as you fee //^Z>.9.3,7. Now,
the moft holy place was a type of heaven. So our Lord Jefus
Chrifl having flied his own blood, entered within the vail into
heaven, the true /;o/}'o//7o//(?5-, carrying in with him the blood of
his own facrifice, Heb. 9.12. Not by the blood of goats and calves, hitt
his oivn blood, he entered in once into the holy place. Not that Chriil
did carry into heaven his own fubftantial blood in his hand, we are
not to underftand it fo carnally, but that in a fpiritual fenfe, and
virtually he did fo. Under the law, the day of atonement was
upon that day when the high-prieft went into the holy of holies,
Lev. 16.30. onthatday the people were pardoned all their fins,
and cleanfed from all their tranfgreffions ; when the high-prieft
had been ivithin the vail, in the holy of holies, then was the atone-
ment aftually made. Tho' the blood was filed without the camp,
yet the atonement was not made till it was bro'tinto the holy
phcQyLev. 16. 14, 15. What did this typify, but that our atone-
ment was perfeftly made upon Chrift's going into the holy ofholieSy
namely, heaven ? See Heb. 9. 24. For Chrijl is not entered into
the holy places made mth hands, which are thefigures of the trite; but
into heaven itjelf, now to appear in the prefence of God for us. Per-
haps you have thought hitherto that the work of our redemption
was perfeftly completed on the crofs, fo as there was no more to
be done ; But know, it was not enough for the facrifice to be kill-
ed without the camp, but the blood muftbe carried into the/jo/y
of holies, all was not done till that was done. Indeed when Chrifl:
died, the facrifice was llain, the blood wasflied, there was not
more facrifice to fucceed, all was finifiied in that refpeft ; but yet
all was not done until the true vail being rent as well as the typi-
cal, the blood of Chriil was carriedintotheholy place within the
vail, that is, into heaven. Though Chrift did not perfonally af-
cend, as I faid in the explication, to heaven till above forty days
after, yet he immediately acquired a right to enter, and had a vir-
tual admifiion ; fo that his entrance began in his death, and when
he afcended into heaven, he completed and perfected that in his
ownperfon, in the true holy of holies, heaven itfelf, which the
high-prieft did typically, in the figurative holy of holies, which was
of old under the law in the earth, and there hath Chrifl, in the
power and virtue of his blood, made atonement ;.and, as the high-
prieil did under the law, he carried in with him all the names of
all the tribes of T/yvzf/on his breafl, and by the power of this blood
of the facrifice, made a full atonement. But then, 2. Another
end of rending of the vail was, not only that h^ might make a way

fur

The rent Vail of the Temple. 121

for himfelf, as our prieft unto the moft h!)ly place, but that he
might make a way for us in him, that we might enter in alfo, and
haveaccefstoGod through him, accefs to heaven through him.
See therefore how the believer is faid to follow in after Chrifi: into
the holicfl within the vail, Heb, 6. 19, 20. They are faid to flee for
refuge to the hope fet before them, which hope -ive have as an anchor
of the foul, both Jure and ftedfaft^ entering into that ivithin the vail,
whether the forerunner is for us entered^ even Jefus, made^ an high •
friefl for ever after the orr/^r 0/ Melchifedeck. Heb. 10. 19,20.
fVe have boldnefs to enter into the holiefl by the blood of Jefus, by a
neiv and living way, which he hath confe crated for us through the vail,
that is tofay^ hisflejh. Where our way to heaven, or to the holied,
is faid to be thro' the blood of Chrift, or, which is all one, thro'
his fiefli offered as a propitiatory facrifice, by which, as by the
rent vail, we have boldnefs to enter. Now this entrance into the
holieft, or accefs to God that we have in Chrift, is twofold, eicher
inchoative here, or confummative hereafter, i . There is an in-
itial, inchoative, or begun entrance that we have into the holieft
in time. In the moll holy place was the golden altar, andfym-
bols of God's prefenceand glorious Majefly, and accefs thereto
was typical of our accefs to God and heaven ,• which accefs we
have now with boldnefs even in time, through the rent vail by
which our high-prieft hath entered into the holy place, Heb. 4.
laft verfe. Seeing then that we have a great high-prieft., that is paft into
the heavens, Jefus the Son of God, let us therefore come boldly to the
throne of grace. And foit is inferred from this fame doftrine, Heb.
ic. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full affurance of faith.
Queft. What is that nearnefs to God, and accefs to him, that a
n-an hath in time when he is bro't within the vail ? Anfwer, In a
word, it lies not only in the firfl: application of grace, and change
of the man's ftate, when in Chrifl: Jefus he that was afar off is
made nigh by the blood of Chrift; for, whenever the virtue of
that blood comes upon us by the Spirit of Chrift, Godcomesnear
to us, and we are brought near to God, • but there is ftill more and
more nearnefs enjoyed by his people. Exercifed Chriftians are
able to give a diftinft account of their having this nearnefs at
fome times, and of their want of it at other times. He may be
fufpefted indeed for an hypocrite, that hath no changes, Pfal.
55. 19. for the true Chriftian's sky is never long clear and without
clouds; change of weather, and change of way, is ufuallv found
by travellers to heaven. Every believer indeed hath ftill the
Spirit of Chrift dwelling in him ; for if any man have not the Spirit
of Chrift, he is none of his; but there are fome fingular, ourpour-

ings

122 The rent Vail of the Temple.

ings of the Spirit promifed and beftowed, and well known by all
believers, and they are precious enjoyments. This Spirit the
World cannot receive , becaiife it fees him not, neither knows him, fays
Chrift ,• but you knoiv him, for he dwells with you, and fjall be in you,
John 14. 17. This accefs to God within the vail, is fometimes
experienced in prayer, yea, moft frequently in that exercife is the
light of God's countenance lifted up, and the foul made to fay, /
love the Lord, hecaufe he hath heard the voice of my fupplication. Do
not ye believers, know this, that fometimes you have been fo
troubled that you could not fpeak ? Pfal. 77. 4. that your hearts
have been fo bound and ftraitned, that you could do nothing, and
fay nothing before the Lord, but fit as dumb and opprefTed, all
dark above, all dead within, and all doors Ihut upon you ? You
durft not negleft prayer, and yet you could not perform it; but
behold, you have quickly found the two leaved gates caflopen
to you, your hearts enlarged and mouths wide open'd in asking,
the windows of heaven open, and the banks of the river of life
broken down, and the flreams gufhing in upon you, like that in
Jfai. 44. 3. Ill pour water upon him that is thirfly,and floods upon
the dry ground. Alfo this accefs to God within the vail, is fome-
times experienced in fweet communion and fellowfliip with God;
Truly our fellowflfip is with the Father, and with his Son Jefus Chrifl.
This communion with God is a myftery, fweet indeed to them
that have it, and furpafling all the delights of fenfe and reafon ;
but to them that have it not, it is incredible and unintelligible,
a ftranger intermeddles not with this joy. Ye that know not
what it is, altho' the word be full of fuitable andfavoury expref-
fions of it, yet it is a riddle and dark parable to you, it is only tak-
ing of it that can declare its tranfc^^ndantfvveecnefs. Otafleandfee
that God is good! You that know what it is, tho' you cannot exprels
it, yet you can relifh and underflandfome found words about it.
It may be, you feel it fometimes at a communion-table, fome-
times in a barn or cow-houfe, fometimes in the fields, or under a
bufli,as Nathanael under the fig-tree : But what you felt, you can-
not make the world underftand ; only when the Lord direfts
the minifter to fpeak fomewhat fuitable to it, then you're rea-
dy to think, O it is jufh like the thing I felt at fuchatime and
fuch a place ; that which the minifter is faying from God's
word, hath a fweet found ofthat which I got yonder, when none
in all the world heard me or faw me : But (Nathanael) when thou
ivajl under the fig-tree, I faw thee, fays Chrifl:. I heard you groaning
to me, I faw you wreflling with me, I put vour tears in my bottle,
and poured in my comforts into your foul. O, knov/ you what it

is

The rent Vail of the Temple. 123

is to be brought near to him, and to have the clouds and vails that
are on your hearts, or on your faces, fcatcered, and the light of his
countenance lifted up upon you ? Have you not been fometimes
on the mount, fo as to to think, O how good is it to he here ? Have
you not known what the warm and healing beams of the fun of
righteoufnefs upon you are ? Have you not tailed that in his
company, that hath made all the wells of worldly comforts like puddle
-lu^r^r, lothfomeandunfavoury to you, yea, that hath made you
groan in this tabernacle, and long to be at that complete and un-
interrupted communion above, whereof all you tailed on earth is
but a fmall earneft ? However, the vail was rent, that you might
enter within the holieft, to a begun heaven even in time. Grace
being the fame fpecifically with glory, there is but a gradual dif-
ference; and therefore the believer, even on earth, is faid to be
cowzefo Mount Zion, the eity of the living God. the heavenly Jerufa-
lem, to the innumerable company of angels, to the general afjhnbly and
church df the firft- born that are written in heaven, to God the judge of
all, and to thefpirits ofjuft men madeperfe^, Heb. 12.22,23. Why,
when does the believer come to all this ? Even when he comes by
faith to Jefus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of
fprinkling, then he is come to heaven itfelf, the true holy of holies
inchoatively, or by a begun entrance. 13ut, 2. There is a con-
fummative entrance into the holiefi, that the believer fliall have,
as a fruit of the rending of the vail, and that is when he comes to
the heaven above, to the higher houfe, whither the forerunner is
for us entered, having rent the vail ; which was rent, that wc might
have accefs to God in glory, as well as in grace, and then the be-
liever will not be half in, as it were, but completely within the
vail : for then will his communion with God be completed j then
his knowledge of God, his love to God, his delight in God, his vi-
fion of God's glory, his conformity to God's image, will all be
complete, for that which is in part fjjall be done azvay, and that
which is perfect jhall come, i Cor. 13. 10. O what a fweet exchange
will that be, when faith will fay to vifion, I give place to you ;
when hope will fay to fruition, 1 give place to you ; when grace
will fay to glory, I give place to you; when partial communica-
tion will fay to perfe6lion, I give place to you ; when fhort tran-
fcient views will fay to uninterrupted everlafting joys,I give place
to you ? Little w^onder then, if believers long to be wholly within
the vail (butHnliftnot on it) for then indeed he fully enters into
the holiefl by the blood of Jefus. Thus vou fee the two great ends
for whicii the vail was rent ; namely, that way might be made for
Chriil's enteringinto the holy of holies, and fo for our entering

in

ioy|_ The rent Vail of the Temple.

in through him, and after him. But I come now to the
Fifth thing, viz. the application. Is itfo, that Chrifl; hath by
his death rent the vail that interpofed betwixt God and us, and
obftru6ledouraccers tohim.? Then, i. For information, hence
we may fee, (i,) What a full feaft of love we have to feed upon
on a communion day, namely, the love of Chrift, not only in dy-
ing, but in rendingthe vail, that he might enter into the holieft
for us. The apollle iliys, that Chrill: loved us, and how does he
prove it? Eph. 5. 2. He gave himfelf an offering anda facrifice to
God for a fiveet fine liing favour ; this favouryand fweec fraelling
facrifice, was the offering of incenfe, and where was the incenfe of-
fered under the law? Why, it was offered within the vail. God
tells Mofes, thsit Aaron lliould take his handful of fweet incenfe
beaten fmall, and bring it within the vail, Lev. 16. 12. Now
Chrift having given himfelf an offering and facrifice toGod,with-
out the camp in this world, he rends the vail, and goes to heaven,
and offers him.felf as incenfe within the vail. Perhaps you have
feenand thought upon the love of Chrift, in his dying upon the
. crofs, in his making himfelf a facrifice ; but, O fee his love alfo
in his incenfe within the vail. . We ordinarily feed too fparingly
upon Chrift, and therefore our faith is weak ; we eat for the mofl
part but of one difli, Chrifl as the Pafchal Lamb flain on the
crofs ,• but we fliould learn to feed upon Chrill as a prieft
gone in within the vail; our faith fliould not tarry on the crofs,
but we fliould carry it further, even after Chrift within the
vail, into heaven itfelf. Our faith fliould flee for refuge to lay
hold upon all the hope that is fet before us; the anchor of our
foul will not be ^o fure and fledfaft, as it might be, except it enter
within the vail, Heb. (5. 19. As the Apoftle fays of patience, Let
rt have its perfe^ work, fo we fay of faith, let it have its perfect
work ; let us follow Chrift within the vail, and view him, not on-
ly fliedding his blood, but entering into the holy of holies within
the vail, and fprinkling his blood upon the mjercy-feat and before
it, Lcv.iC.is.The priefts under the law fprinkled the mercy-fear,
which was within the vail,all over ,• and when Chrifl went to hea-
ven within the vail, he did that in fubftance which thepriefl did
in ceremony, in order to make a full atonement : And when faith
is afted upon all this, then the believer is faid to be come to the
blood of fprinkling. And we aft not our faith far enough, when
we a6l it not farther than the death of Chrift ,* for the atonement
was not actually perfe6led, though it was made fundamentally on
the crofs, yet not formally, 'till upon the rending of the vail, our
High-prieft entered into the holy place, and fprinkled the mercy-
feat

The rent Vail of the Temple. 125

feat with his blood, by which aft mercy and JLiitice are aftually
met, and kifs each other. (2.) If the vail of the temple be rent,
lience wemay fee the glory of theNewTeflament difpenfation,
beyond that of the Old ; the vail of the covering is rent, rh.c dark-
nefs of that difpenfation removed by the death of Chrifb, and
Old 'i'eftament myfteries unvailed, fo that now, he thai runs may
read the meaning of them. Now we fee clearly, that the mercy-
feat fignified Chriftthe great propitiation, the pot of manna fig-
rified Chrift the bread of life. Now we all with open face beholding
the glory of the Lord, as in aglafs, which helps the fight as the vail
hindered it, and that the vail of the temple was rent, it may give
lis ground further to expeft,that the vail fliall be taken away from
the hearts of the Jews, for even to this day, when Mofes is read, the
vail is upon their hearts ; neverthelefs,when it /hail turn to the Lord,
the vail Jhall be taken away, 2 Coy. ^. IS. (3.) Ifbythedeath of
Chrift the vail be rent, that is interpofed betwixt (rod and us,
hence we may fee what is the way to heaven, and what accefs we
have this way. Why, we have boldnefs tocometotheholiefi by the
blood of Jefus, by that new and living way that he hath confe-
crated through the vail. We may come boldly to the throne
of grace, for the vail is rent, by the blood of Jefus the way
is open. How fliall the unholieft of finners venture to come
into the holieil of all, or to God's prefence ? yea, fays the
Holy Ghofl, by the blood of Jefus, by the rent vail. There
are many miflakes about the way to the holy place: it is a dread-
ful thing to think, that many who have heard the Gofpel (it may
be) ten, twenty, thirty years, if they be ask'd of the way to hea-
ven, they will fay, why, if we do juftly, live honeftly and civilly,
and do as we would be done to, we fliallfurely befaved. But' I
tell you, you fliall furely be damned if no more be done. O fad,
that after all the light that hath fliined about the way of falvation
by theflain Son of God, that civility, that is to be found among
the heathens, is all the title a great many can give to eternal life.
Others, they hope to go to heaven by abetter righteoufnefs, but:
it is a righteoufnefs of their own ; they fay thev will do as well as
they can, they muft read,& pray,& hear,& the [ike,dc fo they find
out a way to heaven for themfelves. Some cannot endure to
hear any thing fpoken againfl felf-righteoufnefs, as if no-body
were in "danger to be ruined by it ; whereas this is a great part of
the fl:rong man's armour, whereby he keeps poflelTion of fouls. I
tell you, Sirs, your felf-righteoufriefs is fo far from being the way
to heaven, that true holinefs itfelf, is but the bufmefs that people

h;ive

126 The rent Vail of the Temple.

have to do who are in the way, there will never be another way to
heaven but Chrift ; holinefs is the walk,Chrifl: is the way in whicfi
we wal k, Col. 2.6. As ye have received Chrift Jefiis the Lord, Jo walk
ye in him. I am the way, no man comes to the Father, but by me.
This is the new and living way, confecrated through the vail.
The vail of the temple is rent, and the way to the holieft lies thro'
the rent vail. Every body thinks, that it is very hard to get to
heaven, and that it willcofta great deal of time, and pains, and
ftrugling ; but, fays one, here is the mifchief of it, people do not
know, that it is hard to know the way to heaven, and that flefli
and blood cannot reveal it, 'till God himfelf fend in a beam of
light upon the heart, and give the Spirit of wifdom and revelation
in the knowledge of Chrifl, who is the way, having by his death,
rent the vail. O this way is little known, and yet we let you to
know, chat there is free accefsfor you all this way, and nothing
to hinder your accefs to God and heaven this way, if it be not
your own ignorant unbelieving heart; nothing to hinder your
entring into theholieft, for the vail is rent, the lawis fulfilled,
juftice is fatisfied, holinefs vindicated, fin is expiated. Will
you go to heaven this way, man and woman ? for the door
is open for you, the vail is rent for you, to you is the word of
this falvation fent, to you old men and women, and to you
young men and women, whofoever hears me, to you is the
way to the holieft made paflable, and whofoever will, let him come
and enter in, and him that comet h, he will in no wife cajl out. What
in all the worldisto hinder you from coming in? Thelaw, how-
ever holy, needs not hinder you, here is a righteoufnefs ; juftice,
however awful, needs not hinder you, here is a fatisfaftion ; your
fins, however great, need not hinder you, here is afacrifice; all
thefe vails are rent, whatfliould hinder? Are there are any o-
ther vails to be rent ? O, fay you, the vail of darknefs, ignorance,
enmity and unbelief that is upon my heart. Well, let me tell
you, that needs not hinder you neither to come to Chrifl, and em-
ploy him to rend thefe vails on your part, that's jbut little for him
to do, who could rend fuch great vails as were on God's part ; O
he is good at rending vails, give him work, and the work is done.
Did he not rend a greater vail, when he fatisfied infinite juflice,
and ftoptup the fiood-gates of divine wrath? And if he hath
done the greater, O will you not employ him to do the lefs ?•
Why, fay you, if I knew that he rent that great vail for me, I
would not fear but he would rend theleffer; why, man, the vail
was rent for finners, and why not for you ? Chrift came to fave fin-
riers. But^ fay you, all fliall no t be faved and brought within the

vaiJ,

The rent Vail of the Temple. 127

\ vail, and perhaps not I. I anfvver. Tome (hall be faved, and why
notyou?. Wherefore are not all that hear his Gofpel faved, but
becaufe they will- not give employment to Chriflto favethem ?
Through unbelief they think he meant no favour towards them,
when he rent the vail, andfo ftand from him, faying, it was not
forme; but I declare in his name it was for you, man, for you,
woman, whoever will have the benefit of it. The Gofpel noti-
fies in general, that the vailis rent for you all, f3 far astliat God
ca]ls& commands you all to come into the holieft by this way, this
new and living way, confecrated through the vail, and if you do
not, you fliall be damned for your neglect of it. But as for your
particular perfonal knowledge of your actual intereft in the bene-
fit of this rent vail, it is impoffible for you to have it, 'till yoa
come to Chriilandfueforit, therefore let nothing hinder you to
enter, fince the vail is rent, and the way made plain ; you have
nothing to do yourfelf, for you cannot rend any vail, all that you
have to do, is to confent that Chrillfliould rend all vails betwixt
God and you, for he will be a complete Saviour, he will not leave
a rag of the vail for you to rend, but with his own hand will rend
all in twain from the top to the bottom. O fay amen to it,
that he may get all the work and all the praife-.

Ufefecond for examination. Try what interefl; you have in this
privilege, ifthe vail be a6lually rent from the top to the bottom,
with refpe<5l to you ; try whether or not you have gone in within
the rent vail of the temple, to the holy of holies. The vail Vv'as

• fundamentally rent, when Chrift gave up the ghofl, it was rent
formally, when he entered into the holieft, the vail is rent objeft-
ively, in the preaching of this Gofpel, and now the queftion is, if
the vail be rent fubjeftively, and fo as you have the a6lual faving
benefit ofit in your own perfon ? It is not enough that the vail
is rentdoftrinally for you, fo as you have liberty to go into the
holy place ; but whether is the vail rent effeftually to you, and in
you, fo as you haveftept into the holieft by thereat vail. And,
( I. ) If you be a believer indeed, to whom the vail is fav-
ingly rent, then you have got a humbling fight and fenfe of
the vail that interpofed betwixt God and you, and have feen
yourfelf to be without the vail. Did you ever fee fuch a vail
of wrath on God's pare, and fuch a vail of guilt on vouv
part? Such avail of broken law, incenfed Juftice, and injured
holinefs on the one hand, and fuch a vail of fin, darknefs, unbelit- f
and enmity on the other hand, as hath made you to defpair that
ever the vail would be rent by you, or any creature in heaven or
earth, and made you to feeyourfelfluftand undone, crying uur,

Men

128 The rent Vail of the Temple.

Men and brethren^ what poall we do to befaved ? Did you never fee
^OLir fad rtace, as having a black vail (landing up betwixt God and
you? Folks foul-exercife about religion isfufpicious, if they ne-
ver faw the vail. Some will fay, O I have {"qcu many ills about
me, and I have an ill heart, and an ill frame of heart; but I ask,
jnan, did you never fee yourfelf to be in anillftate, inaftateof
dirtance from God, inaftate of feparation from God, byreafon
of the vail that was betwixt him and you ? The efFeftual rending
of the vail begins here, namely, at a humbling fight of the feparat-
ingvail, the man fees himfelf without the vail, andfo within the
iloodmark of God's wrath.

( 2.)Ifthevailbeeffe6lually rentin you, then you have iheTi
the glory ofhim that rent the vail, and the glory of God through
the rent vail, fomething of the glory of God in Chrifl. The A-
ppftle tells us, Heb. lo. 19,20. That Chrifi's Jlejh, that is, hishu-
anan nature, is .the vail for us to enter by to the holy of holies, that
is heaven, or God's prefehce, God's face; fo that in his flelh,
or human nature of Ch rift, we may fee the very face, the very
brightnefsof the glory of God as inamirrour. Now, if the vail
be rent in you, and the face of the covering removed, then you
have^feen the glory of God in Chrifl:; you have feen God's law
fulfilled by him, God'sjufliice fatisfied in him, God's holinefs vin-
dicated'by him, and fo God's righteoufnefs declared in the way of
favingfinners thro' him, as the propitiation in his blood. Have
you feen his glory as the only way to heaven, as God's way to you,
and your way to God, as the render of the vail on God's part and
yours, the glory of his death in the value and virtue of it ,• in the
value of it, for rending of the vails that hindered God's accefsto
you; and in the virtue of it, for rending of the vail within you,
thathindred your accefs to God? Have you felt fomething of
this virtue, in rending the vail of darknefs and ignorance that
was upon your underftanding, and Ihiningin upon you with the
light of life? Theeffeftual rending of the vail, makes a man fee
fome glory that's within the vail ; have you feen God's glory
then thro' the rent vail, and that God's glorious attributes are all
glorified to the highefl: in this way ?

3. If the vail beeifeftually rent, then you have cafl the anchor
of your hope within the vaily Heb. 6. 18,19. After your foul, like a
weary veilel tofs'd upon the waves of convi6lions, fears, terrors,
could find no refl:, God hath brought you at lallinto this haven of
reft, to cafl: anchor within the vail; you have fedfir refuge to the
hope fet before you, which hope you have as an anchor, fare andfledfajl,
entering into that within the vail, whither the fore-runner bath entered.

Whither

The rent Vail of the Temple. 129

Whither have you fled for refuge, when the law and JLi[l:ice^&i^
God waspurfuing you for your debt, when they were ready -eft ;,
condemn you to helJ prifon ? Was you then made to flee for re-
fuge to the furecy that God fet before you, for paying of your
debt, and to fay, Lord, takebailof thy own Sonfor me, Idefpair
of ever anfwering fuch a terrible charge as Juflice and the law
hath againft me; but O look for a difcharge in the blood and'
righteoufnefs of Jefus, and let that anfwerthe charge. When
Chriftcnter'd into the holieft with his blood within the vail, he
fprinkled the mercy-feat, and when the foul takes hold of this
blood and righteoufnefs of Chrifl, as the ground of his acquit-
tance from the charge of Juflice, then he cafts anchor 'within the vail.
4. Ifthevailbeeffe61ually rent for you, then furely you can-
not but have a fuperlative love for that glorious High-prieft,
who by his death rent the vail, and went into the holieft for you.
O can you fay with Paul, He loved me, and gave himfelffor me ?
Or, can you fay with Peter, Thou that k?wixicji all things, bio'weft that
Ihvetheel Surely they that love him not, know nothing yet
favingly about the rending of the vail. It may be fome love
him, and dare not fo confidently fay it as Peter did ; but ifyou can
fay amen to two texts of Scripture, we may warrant yoi^at you
iovehim indeed. The one is a fid text, If any man love not the
Lord Jefus Chrifl, let him be anathema 7naranatha,i Cor. 18. 22. The
true lover of Chrift can fay, amen, let them be even accurfed
that do not love him, andfliall not love him. They that can fay
amen to that now, they fliall fit at Chrift's right hand at the great
day, and fay amen to the fentence of the great Judge, Depart
from me, ye ciirfed. The other is a fweet text, IVorthy is the lamb
that ixias flain to receive power and riches y andwifdom, and ftrength,
and honour, and glory, and blefjmg, Rev. 5. 12. The true lover of
Chrifl can fay amen, worthy, worthy, worthy is the lamb to re-
ceive all the praifes of all the redeemed to all eternity. They
that can fet the amen of faith to this now, they have begun to
join with the triumphant company already within the vail, and
they fliall join with them forever hereafter, faying. Salvation to
our God that fits upon the throne, and to the lamb forever and ever :
Indeed, if you love Chrift at all, you love him with a fuperla-
tive love, above husband, wife, children, lands, houfes, goods,
and worldly comforts. You do not love him at all, if you do
■not love him above all, and if you love him at all, the vail is
rent, and if you have got into the holieft in part, and if you'll
have patience, yet a little while and you fliall get in fully. It is
impolTible that a man that truly loves Chrift, fliould ever §0 to hell.

K 5. If

130 The rent Vail of the Temple.

5. If the vail be efFeftually rent, then all the vails on yourpaft
that continue to feparate betwixt God and you, are matters of fad
regret to you ; the vail of indwelling fin and corruption, the vail
of darknefs and ignorance, the vail of remaining enmity, the vail
of unbelief, thefe vails are all whole and intirein theunregene-
rate ; and tho' in believers thefe vails be rent, yet they are not re-
moved. Regenerating grace hath given them a rent that (hall
never be fewed up or healed again ; but yet, alas/ there are re-
maining vails within the believer, while here,- tho'they berenr>
yet they hang there, and many times fadly feparate betwixt God
and him; and hence he cries, 0 'wretched man, &c! O to be a*
bove corruption, O to be within the vail, that Imay fee him as he
is, and be like unto him. ' O, when (hall all vails be removed ? When
/hall the day break, and the fjadows flee away ? O, when fliall the;
curtain be taken down ? Chrift Hands behind the curtain, and
does not manifelT: himfelf. Hath he been a vailed Chrift at this
communion, then I'm fure, believer, your heart will be faying, O
that the curtain were drawn ! O that the vail were rent into ten
thoufand pieces I

6. If the vail be efFe6lualIy rent, then your heart will
beefFeftually rent alfo ; when the vail is rent the heart is rent,
and there is fomething it is rent for, and fomething it is rent from,
(i.) Something it is rent for ,• it is rent for fin. Indeed the fight
of the rent vail, or of God reconciled by the blood of Jefus, will
rend the heart of fin more than all the thunders of Sinai, or
flames of heil : They fjall look on him 'vohom they -pierced, and mourn.
When a man reads his fins, as they are written upon the crofs of
Chrift with the red ink of his fin-pardoning blood, O then he reads
them over with tears of joy, and his heart is kindly rent for fin,
then he cries, Behold^ I am vile. IVhen the vailis rent, the heart is
rent, not only for his own fins, but for the fins of others ; Rivers
of tears run down mine eyes, becaufeof the wicked that break thy law,
I beheld tranfgrejfors, and zms grieved. They that can fee God dif-
honoured, and hear men curfe, and fwear, and blafpheme the
holy name of God, and yet never be troubled about it, furely the
rD^//remains upon their hearts, otherwife their hearts would rend
for the fins of others, and of the generation: Seta markupon the
foreheads of them that figh, &c. Again, when the vailis rent, the
heart is rent for the Lord's anger and abfence ; nothing fears
them more than the Lord's anger. O rebuke me not in thy wrath,
neither chaftizeme in thy hot difpleafiire. Nothing affe6ls thera
more than the Lord's abfence ; foi* thefe things they weep, tnine
eye, mine eye runs duv^n with waters, becaufe the comfoi'ter that p.muld

rdie'oe

The rent Vail of the Temple. 131

relieve my foul is far from me. O the little lamentation after an
abfent God, an angry God, at this day/ Again, when ih^vail is
rent, the heart is rent for the calamities of the church, Jer. 9. i.
O that my head imere waters, and 7nifie eyes a fountain of tears, that I
might weep day and night for the /lain of the daughter of my people.
The miferies of the church, and the fins that bring them on, are
heart-rending things to the people of God ,• and particularly, their
hearts are rent for the rents of the church, For ^he divijions of Reu-
ben there were great thoughts of heart. For my own part, I am but
a perfon of little experience in the world, and therefore 1 defire
to bemodeftatthisjunfture, about the prefent rent 2imor)g us. It
is plain enough that the anger of the Lord hath divided us, and rent us
in twain, like the vail of the temple, from top to bottom. God is angry
becaufe we have finned. Surely, if we had been more valiant for
the truth, and zealous for a covenanted work of reformation
when we had fair opportunities for it, our rent had not come to
fuch a height. But yet, tho' I cannot jufiiify the ignorant zeal of
many profefibrs, whofe hearts are rent from minifiers, and they
know not for what, they can give no reafonable account of their
feparating courfes ; yet I hope there is a ferious remnant, whofe
hearts are daily rent for the rents of the church, and the finful
caufes thereof ; and I hope the Lord will help fuch to be regular
in the way of their diflenting from whatever they reckon, upon
folid grounds, to be thedefe6tion of the day they live in. But
that 1 may not digrefs too far, I am telling you, that if the "y^i/ be
effeftu ally rent with you, then there are fome things your heart
is rent for, namely, for your own fins, the fins of others, the fins
of the land, the fins of the church, the calamities of the church,
the rents of the church. The Lord's anger with her, and abfence
from her, may indeed make you weep when you remember Zion,
and hang your harps upon the willow-trees, while we are gone fo
far into captivity, and the glory is fofar departed. In a word,
if the vail be rent with 3'OM, your hearts will be rent habitually for
allthefe things, as alfo for all your heart-plagues. Your heart
will be fo rent for your acheifm, ignorance, enmity, carnality, hy-
pocrify, rovings, wandrings, worldlinefs, and fuch like,thatyou'l
be ready to fay, as Rebecca faid to Jfaac, in another cafe, / am
weary of my life, becaufe of the daughters of Heth. (2.) Jf the vail
be effectually rent, then, as there are fome things your heart will be
rent/or, fo there are fome things your heart will be rtxit from.
Why, your heart will be rent from fin, as well as rent foi-fin ;
your heart will fay with Ephraim, What have I to do any more with
idolsl What have I to do any more with Iqfts? All that expect

K 2 to

132 The rent Vail of the TEMfLE.

to get into the holy of holies m the heavenly temple, are fludents

of holinefs and purity. He that hath this hope, purifieth him-
felf even as he is pure. Chrifl: having rent the vail, entred into
the holiefl with blood ; and believers are daily fprinkling them-
felves with that blood that fo they may enter in all fprinkled over
with that blood alfo. Believers want not fin, and it cleaves to them
here ; but they are fo far from cleaving to it, that it is the defire of
iheirfoulto be rent from it, and therefore their daily fins oblige
them to make daily application to the blood of fprinkling. Again,
if the vail be effectually rent ^ihQn your heart will be rent from the
world. O but this globe of earth, and all the glory of it, looks but
like a filthy mote, apiece of dung, 1 0 the man ixiho hath got his heart
within the vail. The glory of God in Chrifl darkens all created
glory. What cares he for worldly pleafures, who hath Chrift for
his delight? What cares he for worldly profits, who hath Chrifl
for his gain ? What cares he for worldly honour, who hath Chrifl
for his crown of glory ? What cares he for the world's all, who
hath Chrift for his <afe///V2«//? His heart is rent from the worR A-
gain, whenthe vail is rent, the man's heart is rent from the law. He
that is married to Chrift, is divorced from the law, Rom. 7. 4. The
Jaw as a covenant ofworkSy the believer hath nothing to do with it.
He does not owe it a cup of cold water , as one fays, for Chrifl hath per-
feftly fulfilled the condition of the covenant of works ; and there-
fore, if the law challenges him, he fends it to Chrifl for a perfe6l
obedience; if the penalty challenges him, he fends it to ChriH:
for a complete fatisfaftion. I le defires with Paul, to he found in
Chrift, and would not be found in his own righteoufnefs for ten
thoufand worlds ; he ^qqs fo much unhohnefs in all his own holi-
linefs, fo much unrighteoufnefs in all his own righteoufnefs, fo
much carnality in allhisfpirituality, fomuch earthlinefs in all his
heavenlinefs, fo much fin in all his duties, that he is fure God may
damn hijii for all his befl: duties as well as his worfl fins ; and there-
fore he hath no expesStation from the law, but is rent from, it,
and joined to the Lord Jefus, faying, In the Lord only have I righte-
oufnefs and jirength. In a word, when the vail is effectually rent,
the man is rent from felf. 'Tis very hard indeed to rend a man
from himfelf, felf infinuatesitfelfmtoall our praying, preaching
'and communicating.. However, the power of felf is broken in all
true believers ,• inilead of felf-eflimation, he is brought to that.
Behold, lam vile ! He hath never a good word to fpeak of himfelf,
not a good thought to think of himfelf, but every time he prays,
every time he communicates, he cries out, Behold, I am vile! In-
llead of feif-juftifi cation he is brought to that, / willlay my band

upon

The rent Vail of the Temple. 133

upon my mouthy Iwillnotanfwer, Icannocjuftifymyfelf, but muft
condemn myfelf, and juftify the Lord. Inflead of felf-love, he is
brought to that, I abhor myfelf, and repent in duft and afhes. Self-
lothing and abhorrence takes place inftead of felf-will ; he 1%
brought to that,Lor^, what wilt thou have me to do 1 Inftead of felf-
eafe and carnal fecurity, he is brought to that, O what/Jjall I do to
lefavedl And after the firft foul-exercife about falvation hatli
landed in converfion, he is always exercifing himfelf to godlinefs,
giving employment to Chrift to carry on and complete his falva-
tion, and reftlefs till falvation be completed. Inflead of felf-
fulnefs and fufficiency, he is brought to that, In me, that is, in my
fiefh, dzvelleth no good thing ; he fees himfelf empty of all good, and
filled with all evil. Inflead of felf-confidence and falfe hope, he
is brought to that. We had thefentence of death in ourfehes, that we
jhould not triijl in ourfehes, but in God, which raifeth the dead. They
are brought todefpair in themfelves, and inflead of felf-righte-
oufnefs, of which before they are brought to that. All our right e-
mfnefjes are as filthy rags. Thus, in fo far as they fliare of the fav-
ing benefit ofthe?-^?2ft'af/,fo far are they rent from felf; and thus
by thefe things you may examine yourfelves, what intereftyoii
have in this privilege of Chrijt's rending of the vail betwixt God
and you.

Ufe third. For terror to unbelievers, who, tho' they hear the vail
is rent, and fo a free accefs to the holy of holies proclaimed, yet they
are not at all concerned about entering in by this rent vail. The
door of heaven is open to you, but you will not come in ,• the vail
ofthe temple is rent, but you will not enter. O wretched crea-
ture, how can you anfwer that challenge, John^.^o. Touwillnot
come to me, that you might have life 1 You have no grace, no holi-
nefs, no repentance, no good thing ; but, fays Chrifl, you will not
come to me, that you might have grace ; you will not come to
me, that you might have holinefs; you will not come to me, that
you might have repentance; you will not come tome, that you
might have all good things that you need. The vail is rent, the
door is open, but you will not come in ; 0 what will you do in the
iayofvifitation, &c. What will you do when he that rent the vail
lliall rend your foul and body in twain, and fay, O flighter ofthe
Son of God, come and give account ofwhatufeyou have made
ofthe fabbachs, fermons, and communion-feafons that you enjoy-
ed? Perhaps you're little thinking on death ; but what know you
but God will fay to you. Thou fool, this night thy foul JImH be required
cf thee ? I defy all the minillers on earth to allure you that you
fliall liv^e to get another offer of Chrift to-morrow. Many here

K q v/iU

i^v^ The rent Vail of the Temple.

will not come again to-morrow, and many here may never have
another venture for heaven. Owhat will you do, when he?/5>^t
rent the vail, that you might have accefs to God, will rendthefe
heavens, and come down to judgment ? Behold he cometh imtb
clouds, and every eye frjallfee him ! With what countenance will
you look him in the Face in judgment, when you did not care for
a fight of his face in mercy thro' therent vaiH O what a dreadful-
voice will that be to you, when he will fay. Rife, ye dead, andcome
to judgment ! Rife, ye under valuers of the Gofpel, and give an ac*^
count of yourfelves ! Do you knov/, that while you're negi*
]e6ling the Gofpel, and flighting the Son of God, you're faying
with the Jews, his blood be upon us and upon our children ? The guile
of the blood of Chriftis upon you, and upon the generations after
Toii, that follow your example; and O how terrible will it be,
when he comes to make inqaifition for blood, for the blood of
God which you trampled under foot! Ohow will you then wilh
to be rent and grinded in pieces, when you Ihall find all the curfes
of the Bible lighting upon you I O what will you do, when he
that rent the vail, fliall openly rend you from the company of
God^ Saints and Angels, and fet you with the goats on his left-
hand? When you mall fee fomeof your acquaintances that are
here, ftanding on his right-hand, how will you then think with
yourfelf, O what ailed me, that I did not confent to the Gofpel as
well as they ? You now join with them in the fame congregation,
but your hearts are disjoined from them ; you feparate from them
in your choice, your affeftions, your difpofition and converflon ;
but e're long there fhall be another kind of feparation. You that
will not come in among them through the renp vail now, there
fliall be a vail hung up betwixt you and them that fliall never be
rent; yea, the vail betwixt you and the glory of God; for you-
fjallbe punifhed mth everlajling dejlmSlion fromthe prefence of the
Lord, and from the glory of his power. He that rent the vail to pie-
ces, will certainly tear you to pieces, when there fliall be none
to deliver. Now the vail is rent betwixt God and you, fo as yoii-
may come to God's prefence with boldnefs,. through the nev/ and
living way that is confecrated through the vail, and you fliall
have God, and Chrifl, and Saints, and Angels all welcoming you,
for the Spirit and the bride fay. Come, and zuhofoever will, let him come',.
for the vail is rent ; but if once you go down by the fides of the
hoitomMs Tophet, the vail that then fliall be placed betwixt God
^n<^ you, will never,never, never be rent, fo long as etei'nity lafls.
You'll never hear again fuch a fweet word,-, and Owhat would
you then give for fuch a word as that^,b.eiialdthe ¥ail isrent, that

you.

The rent Vail of the Temple. i^5

you may come to God's favour and fellowihip? ButnofLiehnews
ihall be heard in hell; now, only «ow, is the accepted timer, no'W is
the day offahation : To day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your
hearts, but think of coming into the holy of holies, when you hear
that the vail is rent, and nothing to hinder you.

Ufe fourth. For confolationto believers, to whom the vail is fo
effeftually rent in twain, that from the marks given, they may
conclude they have made fome entrance within the vail, by co-
ming to a God in ChriH-, and cafting their anchor within the vail.
I have a word of comfort to fay to you, though perhaps you are
Hill complaining of many vails that feparate betwixt God and
you ; yet a little while, and you ihall have a triumphant enterance
miniflred unto you, into the holy of holies above, whether the
forerunner hath for you entered ; For behold the vail of the temple
was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, therefore you /hall come
into Zion withfongs, and everlajiing joy upon your heads ; you [hall
obtain joy and gladnefs, and forrow and Jighing /hall fy away, and
then all vails (hall be rent and removed for ever. Til tell you, for
your comfort, of a few vails that then fhall be rent ; for the rend-
ing of the vail of the temple promifes the rending of all vails in a
fhort while, (i.) Then the vail of Jin and corruption fhall be rent
in twain : All the rents, all the knocks that fin gets by the word,
the rod, the Spirit, never rends a body of death from you, but flill
you are groaning under afenfe of indwelling fin that feparates
betwixt God and you ,• but then, O then, believer, this vail (hall
be rent in twain from the top to the bottom, and from the bottom
to the top, both root and branch fliallberent and removed; for
when he Ihall appear, you fhall be like him, your conformity to
him Ihall be complete. You miifl go ro heaven dragging a body
of death aft^r you ; but whenever you come to the port of glory
there will be a joyful parting ; for you fhall take an everlafting
farewel of all your lufts and corruptions ; then you'll fay farewel
with all our hearts, and glory to God that we fhall never meet a-
gain. BlefTedbeGod, wefliallneverfee your faceagain. (2.)
Then (hall the vail ofdarknefs and diftance be rent in twain ; for
then darknefs will give way to light, glorious light : all diflance
will give way to prefence, glorious & everlafling prefence. Now
you fay, it cannot fee him, he is far away ; but Chrift fays. Father,
Iwill that thefewhomthouhajl given tne, be with me where lam, that
they may behold my glory. 'To be with me where I am, there is dif-
tance removed ; to behold my glory, there is darknefs removed.
Darknefs and diftance now create doubts and fears, but douhts
and fears will then take wings & fly away, never to return again ,*

K 4 fof

{^6 The rent Vail of the Temple.

for the face of the covering /hall be entirely removed, Ifa. 25. 7, 8. (3.)
Then lliall the vail o^ ordinances be rent in twain. Now any view
we have of God's glory is mediate, thro' the intervention of
means and ordinances, and every glimpfe we get of his beauty, is
tiiro'chedim glafs of duties and ordinances ; fovnowwefeethro' a
gkifs darkly, {a-ys the Apoi\]e, but the time comes, when the glafs
{hall be broken, and wefljallfee hini-as he is, in an immediate man-
ner, i^f-y. 21. 22. Ifawno temple there, for the Lord God Almighty,
and the lamb, are the temple of it. And then fhall the Saints be able
to fay, the half of his glory hath not been told, when they fhall fee
him face to face, & not his back parts, or the skirts of his garments
only. (4.) The vail 0^ f canty enjoyments zxid. interrupted views
will be rent in twain. The life of the Saints here is moftly alife
of deiire, hecan never get his defire fully fatisfied ; and when
you get any defirable meeting with the Lord, why, it is but
a tafte and away, your defires are but increas'd thereby, and
your melancholly wants remain unfupplied ^ but within the
vail all defire fliall be fatisfied, all wants lliall be fupplied ;
for in his prefence there is fulnefs of joy, and at his right-hand ri-
vers of pleafure for evermore. No clouds, no night, no defertion
there, no fuch complaint as this, O why hideft thou thy face ?
The beft comm.union and enjoyment here admits of interruption,
but that which is above is uninterrupted; no tempting devil, no
deceitful heart, no difmal cloud to darken their day, or interrupt
their vifionand fruition of God. Chriftis here only palling by
us, and as a way-faring man, that tarries only for a night, yea,
hardly for a night; no (boner does he enter, but he is away,* no
Iboner does the heart begin to open to him fometime, than alas
he is gone. Song 5. 6. I opened to my beloved, but be had zvithdrwdon
himfelf, and was gone. But then their enjoyment fliall be full, and
everlafting, and uninterrupted; for fo /JmH they ever be ijoith the
JuOrd. Partial enjoyments will give way to eternally full enjoy-
ments ; for when that ijohich is perfed; is come, that which is in part
/hall he done away. (5.) The vail of church diforders and confufion
iliall be rent in twain. Many times you have reafon to figh and
complain, that matters are all out of order in the church, the vail
•of confufion and diforderisupon it, and the glory departed, no-
thing but clouds in our sky. Indeed we would gladly expe6l the
rending of thefe vails that are upon the Church, even in time, and
-even wiili refpe6l to the Church of Scotland. It is with the Church
as it is with particular believers ; the Lord ufually brings them to
an exr.reniity, before he gives them a deliverance; thedarkefb
night may uiher in the cleared; day ; to them that fear his. name, the

Sun

The rent Vail of the Temple. 137

Sun of right eoufnefs fljallarife. Whatever dark eclipfe the fun may
be under at prelent, do not fay the fun is gone out of the firma-
ment, becaufe it is a cloudy day, the clouds may grow thicker and
thicker ; yea there may not only be clouds, but rain, and perhaps
a terrible Ihowerof wrath is coming, many things look like it :
But though there fliould be both clouds and rain, fay not the fun
is gone, and will never return andfliine again; he that rent the
vail, will rend the clouds in his own time. Yea, the rending of
the vail of the temple did foretell good to the church. It fays
that he will rear up a more glorious temple, fuchas is promifed,
J fa. 54. II, 12, 13. 0 thou affli^ed, toffed imth tempejis, and not com-
forted, behold^ I mil lay thy Jtones with fair colours, and lay thy foun-
dations with fapphires, and I will make thy windows of agats, and thy
gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleafantftones. Wh y, w h at
is the meaning of all this ? See it ^. 13. All thy children JJjall be
taught of the Lord, and great JJjallbe the peace of thy children. You
fay it is a time of great darknefs in the church, fo it is indeed ;
but here is a promife of light that fliall arife, all thy children /Jjall be
taught of the Lord. Is it a time of great divifion and contention ?
So it is, but here is a promife of great peace, great /hall be the peace
of thy children. We hope there will be a more full accompliili-
mentof this in the church, even in time; but when will all this
come to pafs ? Why, we may come to be toffed with another kind
of tempefl before it come to pafs; for fee how the promife is
ufliered in, O thou affli^ed, toffed with tetnpejt, and not comforted,
then follows the promife of a pleafant ifllie. But withal never
expe6l a perfeft church upon earth, we hope it will be more pure
but it will never be perfeft, t'lW that which is in part be done away.
The^ime is coming, when the bride, the lamb's wife, Ihall be
prefented to him without fpot or wrinkle, when the union of the
Saints fliall be entire, and the communion of Saints fhall be per-
feft; there will be no contention, no divifion, no diforder in the
general affembly and church of the firfl-born that are written in
heaven. _ (6.) The vail o^ militant graces w'lW be rent in twain,
and nothing but triumphant graces will have the throne; AV^y
remains faith, hope, and love, but the greateft of thefe is love. Why,
love is a triumphant grace, and faith and hope will refign to love
the chair of ftate. There will be no need of militant graces in
the church triumphant, no need of faith where vifion is, no need
of hope where fruition is, no need of patience where all tribula-
tion is at an end, dq need of any fighting grace where there is no-
thing but vidiory, Jight, life, love, liberty, joy, glory. You have
afightingli^eofit here,butthenafongof vi6tory, viftory for e-

vermore.

13,8 The rent Vail of the Temple.

vermore. (7.) Th e vail of nz/irm/f/>j will be rent in twain. Here
believers have infirmities on their bodies, that have no fmall in-
fluence on the adings of their fouls ; infirmities on their fouls,
darknefsand dulnefsin their intelledlual powers; infirmities of
the new nature, though created in Chrifl Jefus, though fupported
by his power, and guided by his grace ; yet ftill it is a weak thing,
like a new-born babe: But none of thefe infirmities are in them
that are within the vail, they are become perfeft ; then [hall ixe
all come in the unity of the faith to a perfect man in Chriji, Eph. 4. 1 3.
Then that Scripture Ihall be fully accomplilhed, Ifa. 30. 26. The
light of the moon /hall be as the light of the fun, and the light of the fun
flail be feven fold as the light of f even days. (8.) The vail of wor-
tality fhall be rent in twain, for this mortal flail put on immortality,
this corruption flail put on incorruption, and death flail be fwalloiioed up
in viSiory. The vail of flefh, the clay-tabernacle will be rent in
twain ; we know that if the earthly houfe of this tabernacle were dif-
folved, we have a building of God, a houfe not made with hands, eternal
in the heavens ; for in this we groan earnefily, defiring to be cloatbed
upon with our houfe which is from heaven, 2 Cor. 5. i, 2. O
was you ever brought to that man's faying, O mortalityj
mortality, O time, time, that will not hafte away, to let
eternity come ! Was you never content to (hake the fand-
glafs of time to get into eternity ? Was you never content
to take death in your arms, and fay welcome, welcome, O
friend, welcome news, that mortality ihall be fwallowed up of
life. (9.) The vail of incapacity will be rent in twain. Now
you are not capable of that glory which you (hall be able to
behold and contain in heaven ; your eye is fo weak, that you
cannot behold the fun of righteoufnefs fliining in his flrength.
The' light be the moll: pleafing thing to the eye, yet the me-
ridian brightnefs of the fun cannot be look'd upon without de-
H'roying tTie fight, becaufe the faculty is not ftrong nor capa-
ble to receive the objeft; fo it is here, we want a capacity to be-
hold the light of glory; but within the vail, or in heaven, the
faculty will be ftrengthened, and the capacity to hold an ex-
ceeding great and eternal weight of glory, the want of which
hath made fome in time, when their cup hath overflowed with
confolation, to cry out, Lord, hold thy hand, thyfervantis a clay-
z'ejjel, and can hold no more. Indeed it is little we get here below,
andic is little we can hold, tho' we fliould get our fill ; but in
heaven the capacity will be lb enlarged, that it will be able to
hold a fulnefs of God, a fulnefs of glory, afulnefs of the Spirit,
a fulnefs of joy at God's riffht-hand for ever and ever. (10.)

The

The rent Vail of the Temple. 13^

The vail of wearinefs fhall heren-t intwairu Here v/c foon wea-
ry of praying and preaching, we foon weary of fermons and fa-
craments. I doubt not many here may be wearied Co the heart
with this day's work, indeed little wonder that the carnal hearts
fay, what a wearinefs is all this work; for as one fays, you may
take a carnal man, tie him to a poft, and then kill him with pcay-
ing and preaching only. But even the fpiritual man himfelf, while
he hath a wearying body of death about him, he wearies of ordi-
nances, he wearies of God's fervice ; but in heaven within the
vail, they Ihall ferve him without wearying or farnting,/i^'u.22. 3.
There his fervants fhall ferve him. Their weary fervice here is
hardly to be called a fervice, but there his fervants Ihall ferve him
indeed, Owill it not be a myflery, and a great wonder, if we
who cannot pray half an hour to an end, and hardly hear an hour
to an end, but we'll be toil'd, as if we had done fome marvellous-
work, fliall be brought to heaven, and never weary of the fer-
vice of heaven I Here is comfort, believer, you fliall thro' all the
y^ars of eternity praifehim, and never weary, fn a word, all the
vails of troubles and trials will be rent in twain, ther^ remains a
rejlfor the people of God, The vail of fbrrow and anxiety fhall
be rent in twain ; for all tears fhall he nnipedfrom their eyes, for-
row and Jigbing fljall fly away. The vail ofiicknefs and uneafi-
nefs of body or foul fliall be rent in twain, the inhabitant of that
land fhall not fay, lam fick^ the people that dwell therein fhall be for-
given their iniquity. 1 he vail of wandering tho'ts and vain im-
aginations will be rent in twain, you fliall not have a wrong
thought or conception of God thro'out all eternity ; for allyour
heart-plagues, lulls and corruptions, that you have been wreft-
ling with all your days, will leave you, and I'm fure, you'll leave
them with fuch pleafure and fatisfciclion, and be fo glad to part
with .them,, that you'll hardly iliake hands with them, but rather
ftiy,the back of my hand to you. Many a fad hour, many a
figh and groan have you coft me, but happy am I now I am
quit of you for ever. And I cannot but fay, that they whonow
have a glad heart to think of parting vfith thefe,and a meeting
with Chrift for ever, they have gotten fome communion with
him this day. finally, The vail of time will be rent in twain,,
and the dreams of time will be fv/allowed up in the ocean cf
eternity.. O how will you fay with wonder then, O hath, fucli
a black and ugly creature as I was, gotten glorious Chriflin my
arms, never, never, never to part again ! Ohov/ will his kind
looks dart a fweetnefs and joy inex.prfciribl« into ye-ur hearts^,
when you Ihali be led with the Lamb about the ri\er.s of livin;]^

T3?acer,

140 The rent Vail of the Temple.

water, when timefliallbe no more? Take all this comfort into
your hearts, believers, for the God of confolation allows you
CO rejoice for ever, and to rejoice in the hope of the glory of Gody
which you fliall fee, and be for ever pofFeft of within the vail.

Ufe fifth for exhortation. All I thall now fay, is this, if the vail
be rent in twain by the death of Chrift,0 then come and fee,come
and take, come and wonder, come and enter, come and flng. (i.)
Come and fee. When the feal was opened. Rev. 6. then the voice
cried come and fee; fo whenihe vail is rent, O come and fee, come
and fee. Turn afide and fee this great fight, the vail of feparati-
on betwixt God and us rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
What was to be feen within the vail of the temple you are told,
Heb. 9. 4, 5. There was to be feen the golden cenfer, the golden pot, the
ark of the covenant, and over it the cherubims of glory overjloadowing the
mercy feat. What all thefe did fignify, I cannot (land to (liew ;
but, in fliort, they all pointed out the glory of God in Jefus Chrift.
Now is the vail rent, then look into the holieft, and fee the glori-
ous myftery of redeeming love ; fee the wifdom, power, holinefs,
juftice, goodnefs, and grace of God, manifefted brightly in the
face of Jefus, who by his death rent the vail, that we might fee
heaven and the glory of it. (2.) Come and take. The pot of man-
na was within the vail, as you fee in that forecited text, which fig-
nified Chrilt the bread of life. Now that the vail is rent, you may
come to the holieft, and take manna ; if you go away failing this
night, it will be your own fault, for you have libery tocome and
take, fmce the vail is rent. Chrift himfelf is the manna, and if
you take him, you take all things with him that you need. Do
you need a pardon ? why, the opening of the vail is a pro-
clamation of pardon, upjon a jubilee-day. In the year of jubilee,
the priefts entered within the vail into the holieft, and there was
a difcharge of debt, and liberty proclaimed ; fo here is our jubi-
lee, Chrift our high-prieft having rent the vail, and entered
the holieft, he iffues out his proclamation of indemnity, he pro-
claims pardon of debt. Many a bankrupt, drowned in debt, is in
this green ,• but behold, the cry is, go forth ye prifoners of hope.
There is a pardon in this pot of manna, if you'll but take it ; yea,
there is life to your fouls, & death to your fins, in this pot of man-
na, if you II take it. Obje^. But you'll fay, I cannot take what is
offered me: Jnfw. I wilh you indeed knew your own weaknefs,
and were fenfible of it. No man can come to me, fays Chrift, except
the Father draiv him ; but O, hath God drawn you fo far, as that
you're willing to take Chrift, though you can do nothing, & will-
ing that Chrift fliould take you ? Do you know what it is to be-
lieve ?

The rent Vail cf the Temple. 141

lieve ? It is not to do fome great thing by your own power ,• no-
It is a grace that hath two eyes ,• with the one it looks to a man's
felf, and fees his own utter weaknefs, faying. Not that lam fuffic'r
ent ofmyfelftoth'mk any thing as ofmyfelf; and with the other it
looks to'God, and kQs his infinite power, faying, My fufficicncy is
of God. So that to believe, is to fee that you can do nothing, and
to employ the power of God to do all things for you, and in you
that you need. Now, when you're called to take Chrift, you're
called to take & employ the power of God to do all things you're
called to do,but cannot do of yourfelf;this power ofGod is in your
offer,&ycu may give employment to itJfai.2S-5-Let him take hold
cfmyfirength, that he may makepeace i^ith me., and hefoalhnake pace
with me. Did you ever know before that the power of God was
at your fervice ? Take hold of his power, and give employment
to his power, faying. Lord, let this power of thine be put forth
upon a weakling, that I may take Chrift. Behold, the Father of-
fers him for wilciom,righteoufnefs, fan6lificationand redempti-
on ,• there is manna indeed, which you have for the taking in this
manner, faying, Lord, take me, and I'll take thee. Let thy pow-
er and grace be glorified upon me. If you be in earnefl:, it is a
bargain ; for he never called a fmner to take his Son upon any 0-
ther terms, but that they only confent that Chrifl take all the
work, and take all the glory. (3.) Come and wonder. Beholdthe
vail of the temple foas rent in tivain from the top to the bottom. Come
and wonder, that all hindrances are taken out of the way of your
accefs to God. Wonder at the love of God in fending his Son
to rend the vail, wonder at the love of Chrift in rending the vail,
that you might have accefs to God, wonder that it was rent at:
all, wonder tiiatit was rent in twain, wonder that it was rent froni
■top to bottom, wonder at the thing, and wonder at the occafion
of it. Chriji gaijc up the ghojt, and the vail of the temple was rent.
The rending of the vail cofl him his life, it coft him his foul, his
foul was made an offering for fin, and then the vail was rent ; O, .
is there nowondringat this? It would be an evidence of a good
communion to you, if you were filled with wonder.' A fhort won-
der is better than a long prayer. (4.) Come and enter. Not only
fee, and take, and wonder, but alfo boldly enter into the holieft,
not ftandjngin the outer court, as it were, or behind the vail ga-
zing, or only putting in your hand by the rent vail, but come
in wholly, and enter boldly. The vail is rent in twain, O
then come and enter by the rent. You may all come boldJy to
the holiefl, by this new and living way that is confecratcd
through the vail. O may fuch a dog, fuch a filthy dog as

I

142 T'h^ rent Vail of the Temple.

I come ? Yes, we ufe to fay, Open doors, dogs come ben^
the door is open, the vail is rent, lee dogs come in and get
a crumb. The Gentiles are called dogs in Scripture, and it is faid,
imthout are dogs, murderers, forcerers, whoremongers ; but to all the
dogs that are without the vail, we in God's name proclaim liberty
to come in, and get what will fave you and fanftify you. You'll
fay you have nothing tobring with you, no grace, no good: I
tell you, there is none here, but they have fomething to bring to
Chrift with them. What is that? Have you not much fin and
mifery to bring with you, have you not much want, weaknefs and
wickednefs to bring with you? Come with all your ills in order
to get all good,- come with your fms and get grace; come with
your guilt and get a pardon; come with your filthinefs and get
cleanfmg ; come with your wants and get fulnefs. Let dogs
come in and get a crumb, yeaafeaft; there is nothing to hinde]^
you, fmce the vail is rent. The law is not in your way, for that
is fulfilled ; the flaming cherubim is not in your way, for Chrift
hath rent the vail of God's wrath, and divided the Red fea of di-
vine vengeance, that you might pafs through. Have you a mind
for heaven, men and women ? Here is the way, it lies thro' the
rent vail ,* and if you take not this way, you fliall never enter
there : For there are two porters that will keep all unbelievers
out, namely, jujiice and hoUneJs. Jujiice will fay, 1 muft be fatif-
fied; Holinefs will fdj, Imuft be vindicated, orelfeyou (hall ne-
ver enter here. But if you come by this rent vail, you fliall have
open entrance into the heavenly kingdom. ^Chriftwill fay tojuf-
tice, letfucha man in, for I paid you all his debt ; holinefs, let
fuch a man in, for I gave you a perfed obedience for him,'
look upon him in me. This will fatisfy both thefe porters to let
believers pafs. O then come and enter through the vail that is
rent. Chriftlefs foul, who will fatisfy juftice and holinefs for you ?
Thefe porters will never be bribed by you : Therefore O come,
and enter by the rent vail, for there is no other way to heaven.
(5.) Comeandfing. If you have made entrance, Ofing glory to
God in the higheft that ever rent the vail. You might go home
fmging, if youtookup the true meaning of the text, and turn it
to a fong, and fmg it with underftanding. Behold the vail of the tern-
pk ''xas rent in twain, from the top to the bottom. Behold, the vail is
rent, and fliall never be whole again. Behold, the work is com-
pleted by the Son of God, the work is done, and fliall never
be undone. To the author and finiflier of this great work be
2;lorv for ever. Amen.

Christ

CHRIST the Peoples Covenant.

A SERMON preached immediately before the Celebration of the Lord's-
SuppER, at Dunfermling, Auguft 19. 1722. To which is annexed. The
Subllance of ibme Discourses after the Sacrament, upon tlie fame Subjed.

By the Reverend Mr. Ralph Erskine.

Isaiah xlii. 6.
7 will give thee for a Covenant of the People.

MY dear friends, if your ears be open, there are three things
that you may hear this day. i}?, You may hear what mi-
nifters will fay ; but that is a matter of fmall moment, and
it is but a poor errand, if you be only come to hear what a poor
mortal, finful, fellow-creature will fay to you : Little matter what
we fay, if God himfelf do not fpeak to your hearts. Therefore,
2^/y, You may hear what God fays to you : This is a matter of
greater moment •, for God's fpeaking can make us both hear
and live, though we were as deaf as flocks, and as dead as ftones.
He fpake the old creation out of nothing •, and he can fpeak a
new creation out of us, who are worfe than nothing. Indeed it
will be a wonder, if he do not fpeak terrible things in righteouf-
nefs unto us, becaufe of our fins ; and really, if he fpeak to us
out of Chrift, it will be dreadful. Therefore, 3^/y, You may
come to hear what God fays to Chrift, and this is of the greatell
moment of all. To hear what minifters fay to the congregation
is a little thing ; to hear what God fays to you, is a great thing ;
but to hear what God fays to Chrift, is one of the greatefl things
that can be heard, God in his word fpeaks to the fons of men,
and perhaps you have noticed that : But he fpeaks alfo to the
Son of God, to his eternal Son •, and perhaps that is what you
have little noticed to this day. Why, what fays he to Chrift p
Is it any thing that we the people are concerned v.ith ? Yea, what
he fays to Chrift is of the greatell concern to us, and it is this, /
will give thee for a covenant of the -people. O, might the great and
eternal Father fay to his great and eternal Son, who is one God
with him and the eternal Spirit j yonder is a company of people

meeting-

144 Christ the Peoples Covenant.

meeting in Dunfermling abouc a communion-table, with a view to
the feaiing of the covenant,- but their work will be to little pur-
pofe, if they view not thee, my beloved Son, to be the fpring,
tiie fpirit, the life, the all of the covenant : Their covenant will
be but a poor bargain without thee ; and therefore. Behold, I
mil give THEE for a covenant of the people / O a fweet faying as ever
was laid in the world ! And no wonder, for 'tis a part of a fermon
whereof God himfelf is the preacher, and Chriflis the text, and
the Spirit is the voice that conveys it. If we had much of this
Spirit with us, we might fee how fweetly this glorious preacher
handles this wonderful text, from the beginning of the chapter ;
O how fweetly does he fpeak of him in the firft four verfes, and
how fweetly does he fpeak to him from the fifth verfe and down-
ward ! Firft, How fweetly does he fpeak of him. Behold my fer~
ijant -ivhom I uphold, mine eleSi in whoin my foul delightethyScc. Tha t
Chrift is the fubjecl here treated of, you need notqueftion, if you
compare thisfirll verfe with Matth. 12. 18. where Chrift expref-
]y applies it to himfelf. And now, when the Father here fpeaks
of Chrift, every word is a word of commendation ; he commends
him for agoodfervantin his mediatory work, Behold my fervant,
&c. Recommends him for a well qualified Saviour, I have put
my Spirit upon him ; and hefloall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles ;
He commends him for a meek Saviour ; He fl^allnot cry^ &c. f. 2.
He commends him for a tender-hearted Saviour ; J bruifed reed
/hall he not break, &c. f. 3 . He commends him for an able Savi-
our, that will go through his work maugre all impediments ,* He
Jhall not fail, &c. f.4.. and the ijles /JmU wait for his lazv; theifle
of Britain not excepted, and not forgetting Scotland in the north-
end of it. Secondly, How fweetly does he fpeak to him from f.
5, 6. And here notice both the divine preface to this part of the
fermon, and then the divine difcourfe. (i .) The preface, fliew-
ing the glorious dignity of the preacher, f. 5. Thus faith the Lord.
Here the glorious y^/^oW; is commending himfelf, as it well be-
comes him, and none but him to do. Who is it that is fpeaking ?
Itis theLord, the great Lord of heaven, earth, andmankind; it
is the Lord of all the heavens that is fpeaking; he that created
the heavens, and flretched them out; it is the Lord of all the
earth that is fpeaking, he that fpread forth the earth, and that
which Cometh out of it ; it is the Lord of all mankind that is
fpeaking, he that gives breath unto the people upon it, and fpirit
to them that dwell therein. Why then, he is the God that hath
authority to make the following covenant with the Melliah, and
give a commiffion to him. Therefore^ (2.) Notice the divine

difcourfe

Christ the People s Covenant. 145

difcourfeitfelfjand what he fays to Chrifl:, t- 6. / the Lord have
called thee, &c. He had fpoken fweetly of him, and here he fpeaks
as fweetly to him ,• and in this fpeech is opened up to us the great
myftery of the covenant of redemption betwixt the Father and
the Son from eternity, and the opening thereof in time makes it
a covenant of grace to us. And here we may fee feveral parts of
the indenture he binds and obliges himfelf unto.

The firfl piece of the indenture is, I have called thee in righte-
oiifnefs. Here is his vocation ; he takes not this office, of being
Mediator, upon him, without being called thereto ; and God call-
ed him thereto in righteoufnefs. He was rightly called, for the
tight ofredcmption fell into his hand; he was rightly called, for
he was able for the work, and fit for it ; he was rightly called, for
he was willing to the work, and voluntarily offered himfelf; £0, /
come, &c. he was rightly called, for as God did him no wrong, fo
he did himfelf right, and provided for the glory of all his per-
feftions in this way.

The fecond part ofthe indenture is, I will hold thine hand ; that
is another thing he fays to him. Go, fays he, and I'll hold thee by
the hand all the way. Til bear the expences ofthathard fervice:
Chrift goes this warfare on God's charges, he bears equal burden
in the work of our redemption. Wearefoolsin our love, if we
Jove not the Father as well as the Son. The three glorious per-
fonsof the adorable Trinity had all one will to it, and they go
hand in hand about it ; / mil hold thine hand.

The third part of the indenture, or the other thing he fays to
Chrift is, Izmllkeep thee ; I, fays the great Jehovah to the God-man
Mediator, I will keep thee, when the fmsofanele6l world ihall
all meet upon thee ; when the curfes of the law, the terror of juf-
tice, the vengeance of heaven, and the fury of earth and hell lliall
invade and incompafs thee ,• I will keep and preferve thee, and
make all thefe red feas to divide, and make way for thee to pafs
through triumphantly.

The fourth part of the indenture is in the words of our text,
and it is one of the great and glorious things he fays to Chrift ,• I
<will give thee for a covenant to the people, a light fof/;^ Gentiles, &c.
Whatever be their malady. Til give thee to beafuitableremedy.
Have they broken covenant, I'll give thee to be a better cove-
nant. But whatof that, while they are ignorant? Why then,
rilgive thee for a light of the Gentiles. But what tho' they have
light, if they have no fight too? for a blind man hath no benefit
of the fun; why then. III give thee to open the blind eye's. But
what though they have both light and fight, if they be fi;i]lin a

L dark

14-6 Christ the People's Covenant.

dark prifon, bound and fettered there? why, I'll give uiec for
this end ; To bring out the prifoners from theprffon, and them that Jit
indarknefs out of theprijon-houfe. Obut thefeare fweet promifes
made to Chrift, and in fiim to us ; and the leading one, that com-
prehends the reft, isinthefe words; I will give thee for a covenant
of the people. Where, without critical divilloir:, you may notice
thefe two things, i. The gracious defignation and title that Chriffc
bears, a covenant of the people. 2. His glorious ordination and ap-
pointment thereto, 1 will give thee for that end. i. The graci-
ous defignation and title of honour that he bears, he is called a co'
venant of the people. And here he is defcribedby his relation to
the covenant, and by his relation to us by this means. His rela-
tion to the covenant is fuch, that heisdefigned the covenant ic-
h\f; he is the head and the heart of the covenant, he is the foun»
dation and top-ftone of the covenant, the bottom and top of the
covenant, the Jlpha and Omega of the covenant, thefirft and the
lad letter of the covenant, the all in all of the covenant. The
iirfl covenant-head brake and fell ; and he falling, all his feed fell:
The fecond covenant-head flands ; and he (landing, all his feed
ftand in him ; My covenant flMllftandfaJl in him. Again, his re-
lation to us by this means; to whom is he a covenant? Even a
covenant of the people^ of the Gentiles. O good news to us poor
Gentiles ! (2.) His glorious ordination and appointment unto
this bufinefs, / will give thee ; and here alfo every word hath fome
glory in it. Here is the glorious perfon ordaining him, in the
pronoun I, I Jehovah doit; here is the glorious perfon ordained
m the pronoun Thee, I will give Thee ; here is the glorious man-
ner of the ordination, it is by way of free and gratuitous gift, /
mil give thee ; and here is the glorious reafon and moving caufe of
the whole, even the fovereign will of God, / will give thee. But
the further explication of thefe particulars, I refer to the p'rofe-
cution of the do6lrine.

OBSERV. That, by divine ordination^ Chrift is the covenant of

the people. The only Scripture 1 name for the confirmation is,

Jfa.49. 8. where you fee the vifion is doubled, becaufeitistrue.

The method I would endeavour, through grace, to follow, is,

I. To offer fome remarks concerning the covenant in general.

II. Shew how Chrift is the covenant, and in what refpedls he bears
that name. III. Enquire for whofe behoof he is fo,* and thus
fhew that he is the covenant of the people. IV. By whofe au-
thority he is fo ,• and here fpeak of his divine ordination, and be-
ing given of God for that end. V. Offer fome reafons of the
do6lrine, why he is given to be acovenanc, and why a covenant
\ of

Christ the People's Covenant. 147

of the people. VI. Draw fome inferences for application.

The jirfi thing is, To offer fome remarks concerning the cove-
nant in general ; and I confine them to thefe four, which are im-
ported in the text and dodlrine. .

The /;y? remarkable thing imported in the text is, That the
covenant of works is broken, and cannot fave us ; and we are bro-
ken, and cannot fave ourfelves. There was a covenant of works
made with the firft Adam, and his feed, before the fall ; and there-
in God was upon thefe terms with man, ^0 and live ; and if you
do not, you fliall die. In this law of works, there was a precept
andafanftion. The precept is, Z)o ?/;?>; that is, perform perfe6l
and perfonal obedience ; the fanftion is, If thou do not, thou /Jjalt
die ; importing that the reward of obedience was eternal life.
The man that doth thefe things fhall live in them; and that the
puniflimentof difobedience was eternal death. The foul that
fmneth fliall die. Gen. 2. 17. Now, as by the fall of mankind,
the precept of doing is broken, and the penalty of dying is incur-
red, and eternal life forfeited ; fo our falvation is impofTible
without aperfefl righteoufn efs ; a righteoufnefs of obedience,
performing the precept of the law, and fo entitling to life ; a
righteoufnefs to fatisfa6lion,undergoing the penalty of the law,
and fo delivering from death : The former is impollible to us, for
we are dead in fms and trefpaffes, and fo can never perform any
duty acceptable to God, far lefs every wayperfeft obedience :
The latter is impofTible; for being both finite and finfu! crea-
tures, we can never give infinite andfinlefs fatisfaftion, and fo
we are broken and loft by the breach of this covenant. There
are four things upon this particular, that, I prefume, you all pro-
fefstoknow, namely, i. The tenor of this covenant of works :
That when God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life, or
works, with him, upon condition of perfed; obedience, forbidding him to
eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death.
2. The breach of this covenant; That our frjt parents, being left
to the freedom of their own will, fell from theefiate ZDherein they were
created,by finning againflGod,^nd particularly by eating the forbidden
fruit. 3. Our concern in this original apoflacy and fall in Adam ;
That the covenant being made with him, not only for himfelf, but for his
pofterity; all mankind defcending from him, by ordinary generation, fin-
ned in him, and fell with him in his fir ft tranfgrefilon : For, by one man
fin entered into t he world, and death by fin ; and fo death pajjed upm all
men, for that all have finned, or, in whom all have finned. 4. The fa-
tal,wofu' fcffefh of chis fall, and breach of the covenant of works;
namely, That, by this means wc have fallen into afiate of fin and mi-

.L 2 fery.

148 Christ the Peopk*s Covenant.

fery ; that our flat e is a finful ftate, we being guilty of Adam'j" firji
Jin, wanting original right eoufnefSf and our whole nature being corrupt-
ed, whence proceeds all our ad;ual fin ; and that our ft ate is a mifera-
bl-e (late, having lojl communion with God, being under his wrath and
curfe, liable to all the miferies of this life, to death itfelf and to the pains
of hell for ever. V^hy, The wages of finis death, and we arec/i//-
dren of wrath ; and, cur fed is every one that continueth not in all things
written in the book of the law, to do them. It may be, it is long fince
ye knew thefe things in your Catechifms ; but O, how long is it
fince you believed them? or, do you believe them yet? Have
ye feen your fall in ^^^ai^w, and your woful, finful, miferable ilate
by nature, through the breach of the covenant of works ? If you
were convinced of this, fiirely, the news of another covenant
would be welcome to you. But then,

The fecond remarkable thing imported in the text is, That
there is a covenant of grace provided for the recovery of fome,
bv Jefus Chrifl, from a ftate of fin and death, to a ftate of
ri-^hteoufnefs and eternal life ; or ye may take it thus,
God having out of his meer good pleafure, from all eternity,
ele6led fome to everlafting life, did enter into a covenant of
grace, to deliver them, ^c. Hence fuch fcriptural exprefllons
as thefe, By grace ye are faved, not by works of righteoufnefs that we
have done ; for if there had been a law, (namely of works) which could
have given life, verily righteoufnefs fuould have been by the law, GaL
3. 21. Now this covenant of grace may be confidered either
in its original tranfa6lion from eternity, or in its a6lual manifefia-
tionin time, i/^, Confider it in its original tranfaftion from e-
ternity betwixt the Father and the Son ; God having, in his eter-
nal decree of permitting the Fall, forefeen the ruin of mankind
by the breach and violation of the covenant of works, gracioufiy
purpofed, not to proceed againfl all mankind, according to the
demerit of their tranfgrefTion, in the execution of that death up-
on them, which that covenant threatened ; and therefore a coun-
cil of peace is called from eternity, and the propofal made con-
cerning the {hewing mercy to an elecl number, in a way that
iliould be to the honour and glory of God's holinefs, which fays,
they mufl do perfe6lly ; and of God's jufi;ice, which fays,
ihey mull die erernally. Well, none in all the creation of men
and angels were able tofatisfy this propofal; then fays Chriil,
Lo., I come, Pfal. 40. 8. I offer myfelf to be their furety, to give
aperfc^l: obedience to the law, which was the condition of the
covenant of works, and to give infinite fatisfaftion to offended
jultice, in anfwer to the penalty incurred through the breach and

■. ' violation

CHRIST IDS Pouple'S CoVENAiNi. x^.y

violation of that covenant. Lo, / cofne : Since the law cannot be
fulfilled without doing, nor juftice fatisfied without dying, lo I
come to do both; and feeing this undertaking mufl: be accom-
pliflied by one who is both finite, that he may die, and infinite,
that he may conquer death and wrath ; I ofi:er to do it in their na-
ture, and by an unfpeakable myllery to become flefli, Lo, I come;
let the impannelled criminal go free. The Father, being infi-
nitely wellpleafed with this confent, encourages his eternal Son,
enters into a covenant with him, calls him, qualifies him, promifes
to uphold him, in the whole work, and to give him for a covenant
of the people ; and that, for making his foul an ofi'ering for fm,
he Ihould fee his feed, and fee the travel of his foul and be fatisfi-
ed. If a. 53.11. This is called by many, The covenant of redemp-
tion; not that it is another covenant of grace, but I take it as
another confideration of the fame covenant. It was made with
Chrifb as the fecond Adam, and in him with all the eleft as his feed.
As it is made with Chrift, it is properly conditional to him, the
condition being perfe6l obedience, and complete fatisfaftion ;
but as made with the eleft in him, it is abfohitef confifting of free
and abfolute promifes to them. But, 2dly, Confider it in its
adlualmanifeftationin time; and here omitting, what might be
faid of the legal adminiftration of it under the Old Teftament,
and the evangelical adminiftration under the New, I iliall only
• fay. That as the tranfaftion betwixt the Father and Son from e-
ternity is the fountain, fo this manifeftation of it in time is the 0-
peningof the fountain; and the grace of God is manifefled in
this covenant of grace, feveral ways, (i.) Inthathe freelypro-
vides a Saviour for loft finners, lliewing by the gofpel that he hath
made this proVifion. (2.) In that he freely oflfers to finners a
mediator, and life and falvation inhim. (3,) In thathe not on-
ly calls, and commands them to come to him by faith, as the mean
tointereft theminhhii, and to believe in him for falvation ; but
(4.) Promifes his Holy Spirit to workin them that faith, and all
other laving graces. And though this, and all the other abfolute
promifes of the covenant, fliall be certainly accompliihed, and
a6lually applied to the eleft only ; yet in the external difpenfation
of tlie Gofpel, and adminiftration of the covenant, they are re-
vealM and exhibited in a general indefinite way and manner, with
an univerfal ofi'er and command to all and every one that hear this
Gofpel, to plead them, and lay hold upon them ; that in this way
the hearers of the gofpel may be left inexcufable thatpmbrace in
' not ; and that the ele6l may be gather'd in, made to believe, and
come under the bond of the covenant.

L 3 ^ The

i^o Christ the Teople^s Covenant.

The third remarkable thing imported in the text is, that there
is an onenefs and identity betwixt the covenant of grace, as made
withChrifl:, and as made with us in him: Both are one and the
fame covenant ; for here the Father is contra6Hng with the Son,
I ivill give thee for a covenant of the people '^ therefore that with
the Son and with the people belong to one and the fame co-
venant. And hence Ifind our ilandardsmake the covenant of
redemption and grace to be one and the fame covenant; Chrift
and the people are but two fubje6lsof one and the fame cove-
nant. With refpeft to Chrift, it had its conftitution from eterni-
ty, with refped to us, it hath its application in time, therefore it
is called, The grace givenus in Chriji before the world began, 2 Tim.
1.9. -And eternal life, which God that cannot lie promifed before the
world began. Tit. 1.2. As the firi^Jdam was our public federal
headland he and we included in one and the fame covenant of
works ; fo Chrifb, the fecond Jdam, is our pubHck head, and the
covenant of grace with him and us is the fame covenant, though
he alone is the head, furety and mediator, to whomfome promi-
fes and precepts are peculiar : However, he being the covenant
of the people, all things promifed unto, or to be performed by the
people, are fecured in the contraft with Chrift; all the conditi-
ons of life to be performed, are found in him; yea, he under-
takes, in that covenant, the removal of all obftruftions and impe-
diments from within, that would hinder their attainment of co-
venant-mercy, being given for a light to the Gentiles, to take a-
way the inward blindnefs that is found in them ; ^o that not only
all necellliries for redemption, but alfo all neceftaries for the pow-*.
erfuland efifeftual appHcationof that redemption, are firft pro-
mifed in the covenant to him, and then to us in him, upon his ful-
filling the condition of perfe6l obedience. Is juflification pro-
mifed? it isfirft to him, and then to usin him, Jfa. 53. 11. By
his knowledge, OY by the knowledge of him, /JmU my righteous fer-
yant jiijlifyjnany. Is fanftification and the Spirit promifed .^^ it
is firft to him, and then to us in him, f. iftof this chapter, /tozV/
put my Spirit upon him, and be /hall bring forth judgment to the Gen^
tiles. Is glorification promifed ? it is firft to him, and then to us
in him, Rom. C 17. Jf children, then heirs, heirs rf God, and joint-
heirs with Chrift. He and the people are all in one and the
fame covenant ; he, as the glorious head, furety, and repre-
fentative, having all fulnefs in him, both of grace and glory,
for our ui^ii and behoof; and we, as members of that body whereof
he is the head, and in a way of union to himby faith; for all the
promifes,not only fome,but all the promifes of God are in iiim,}'f^,

and \

Christ the People's Covenant. 151

find in him mnen : twice in him, importing, that as the covenant
of grace, which is the covenant of promifes, is made jointly with
him and us. So is the conftitution of the covenant, the promi-
fes are all made to him, and in the application of it, they are niade
tons in him; primarily and mediately they are made to him, fe-
condarily and immediately to us in him. Hence the fourth thing
remarkable imported in thetextis, ThatChriflis the centre, in
whom all the lines of the covenant do meet ; and fo, by an ufual
tigure, of the part for the whole, he bears the name of the whole
covenant; I will give him for a covenant of the people : The
covenant of grace is faid to be not onW made with him, but he
himfelf is the covenant. And this leads me to the

Second thing. To fhew how Chrilt is the covenant, and in what
refpeft he bears that name : And, (i.) Chrift is the covenant
of the people radically 3.ndfundamentaJly ybeing the root, bafis, and
foundation upon which the covenant of grace Hands, the alone
foundation. Other foundations can no man lay, than that is laid,
which is Chrift, i Cor. 3. 1 1. He is the fure foundation that God
hathlaidinZio«,7/^. 28- 16. The covenant of works being built
upon fomething in man, it was not fure work, and fo the fabrick
tumbled down ; but the covenant of grace and mercy is built up-
on a never-faihng foundation, it is fure work to eternity ,• and
therefore fays God, Mercy fijall be built up for ever ; Why^-- 1
have made a covenant with my chofen. Chrift is the antient and eter-
nal foundation of the covenant ; no other foundation is laid in
Zron in time, but that which was laid in the counfel of peace from
eternity. God hath promifed nothing to us in time, but what
he purpofed and promifed in Chrift from eternity ; he has cho-
fen us in him before the foundation of the iwrld, Eph. 1 . 4. and
promifed eternal life in him before the world began. He is the
foundation of all the bleifmgs and privileges of the covenant, be-
ing made of God to us wifdoiji, right eoufnefs., fandiification and redemp-
tion. He is the foundation of all the promifes, graces and com-
forts of the covenant. This is a large field, but I go on. (2.)
Chrift is the covenant relatively, in refpeft of the relations he
comes under to it. We find in Scripture,that he is called ihtMedi-
rtforofthecovenantj/ZcZ'.p.ij. Why? he brings God & man, that
were at variance, Co meet amicably ; by thji; price of his blood he
bringsGod to us, and by the power of his Spirit he brings us toGod
and makes up the difference. He is called the teftator of the cove-
nant,//(?Z'.9. 1 6. Where a teftament is, there is the death of the teftator :
He hath figned all the articles of it with his blood, & fo confirmed
it, and made it a teftament. He is called the meffenger of the cove-
i L 4 nant

152 Christ the People's Covekant.

nantj Ms/. 3.1. When God would communicate his njind to us,
it is in Chrift ; when we would communicate our mind to God, ic
is in Chrift. Whatever mefTage God hath to us, or we to him,
Chrift bears it, and makes the travel, be the journey never fo dan-
gerous ; for this is he that came by water and blood, i ^ohn 5. 6.
He came by fea, by a Tea of water for our fanftification, for if he
wafh us not, we have no part in him ; and by a fea of blood for
ourjuftification, for without fliedding of blood there is no remif-^
fion : a dangerous voyage for bearing the mefldge. He is called
the mtnefs of the covenant. Ifa. S5- 4. 1 Ughe himfora witnefs of
the people ; heis the true and faithful witnefs. As he was an eye
and ear- witnefs to the whole tranfa61ion of the covenant from e-
ternity ; fohefets hisfeal to the articles of it in time, and bears
witnefs by his word, by his blood, by his Spirit. This he does ef- -
feftuallyjfom.etimesin the hearts of his people, when he con- •
quers all their unbelieving doubts and jealoufies of his word, and
fufpicions of his love, or of his Father's kindnefs» He is called the
fiirety of the covenant, Heb. 7. 22. He is the furety both for
debt and duty : Surety for debt ; the law demanded of us a debt
of infinite fuffering, the juft demerit of our fins, which, if laid up-
on us, would fmk us for ever ; for the wages of fin is death : and
alfo, it demanded a debt of perfe6l obedience, and uni verfal holi-
nef? and righteoufnefs» Now, we are infolvent debtors, drown-
ed in debt, and unable to pay a farthing ; and unlefs there be a
furetyfor us, we cannot efcape the prifon of hell, and the ever-
lafting wrath of the omnipotent God. Behold, the furety fteps in,
in this hopelefs ftate we were fallen into, pays the debt to the
leaft farthing, and put his name into our bond, was made under
the law, to redeem thofe that were under the law. And then he
is furety for duty, promifing to put his Spirit within us, and caufe
us to walk in his ftatutes. He is furety for both fides of the cove-
rant, furety that all that God hath faid and promifed lliall be ac-
compliflied, and furety that all that we are obliged to do lliall be
done for us, and in us. O fweet and gracious covenant ! In a word,
heis the/fr-UiJ/^f of the covenant. Behold my fervant, &c. Wift ye
not, fays he to his parents that were feeking him, that I muft be
about my Father's bufinefs : What bufinefs ? what fervice ?
Theharcieftfervicethateverwas, even to fatisfy juft ice, to ful-
fil the law, to conquer Satan, to purchafe heaven, to fave an- ;
deft world, to endure the contradi6lion of finners againft himfelf,' \
in accomplilliing this fervice. He is the performer of the cove-
nant, yea, the performance itfelf Chrift, ftanding in all thefe re-
lations to the covenant, may well be called the covenant of the

people, i

Christ the Peoples Covenant. 153

people. (3.) Chriflisthe covtudS^i fubJlantiaUy, in refpeft of
his being the very matter of the covenant, the principal part of
it, the principal promife of it. Heis thefubftanceof all the pro-
mifes, thefirfl thmgpromifed ,• and whatever ispromifed elfe, is
for his fake. He is the promifed feed, fpoken of to Adam a " d
Eve^ io Jbraha?n, to Davidy Gen. '^. 15. &. 22. 18. Liikei. 32, 33.
He is the fubftance of the prophelies, to him gave all the Prophets
.:witnefs, ^^"^5-10.43. He is the fubftance of all the fliadows, and
Old Teftament types : He is the true brazen ferpent that heals
difeafed fouls, the true manna and bread of life, the true facrifice •
and pafchal lamb, whofe blood being fprinkled on the door-pofts
of the foul, faves from the deftroying angel : Of all the types he
is the antitype, the fubftance ; in a word, he is the fubftance of
the whole Bible, and of all the Scriptures, Thefe are they that teji'fy
of me. It is an odd text, that a gofpel-mimfter cannot find Chriil
in, fmce the whole Scriptures teftify of him, as if it faid nothing
elfe but Chrift, Chrift. Thus he is the covenant fubftantially.
i\gain, (4.) Chrift is the covenant eminently., in point of eminen-
cv, ornament and excellency : He is the very ornament of the
covenant, the excellency and fweetnefs of it ,• heis the blefllng
of all the bleflings of the covenant, the mercy of all the mercies,
the foul of all the privileges of the covenant : No blelTmg of the
covenant is a blefting without him, for all bleftings come with
him ; Hoiv fJjall he not with him freely give us all things ? Rom. 8.
32. The covenant is nothmg without Chrift, the bleflings of it
are nothing witliout Chrift ; he is the fweetnefs of all the blefl-
ings of the covenant, the marrow of all the mercies of the cove-
nant, and jhefulnefs of all the promifes of the covenant ; they
are all empty withoutChrift, for heisall inall : And therefore,
O empty ordinances, without Chrift ; O empty facraments, if
Chrift be not there ; O empty minifters, if Chrift be not with
them ; yea, O empty heaven, if Cinift be not there ; empty en-
joyments, empty comforts without Chrift. (5.) Chrift is the co-
venant merit or iotiJly,d.nd in point of acquifition and procurement ;
he does all that is neceftary for the procuring the bleflings of the
covenant : Hisrighteoufnefs is the great condition of the cove-
nant, the alone condition of it, properly fo called ; it is the.
caufe, the procuring caufe, of all covenant bleflings. All that is
promifed to Chrift, or to us, is upon the account of his obedience,
Jfa. 53. 10, II, 12. By the obedience ofonefloallmanybe made righ-
teous, not by the obedience of any man for himfdf, Rom.S- 19.
He is the procurer of juftificationji^(};«. 5. 18. The procurer of
lemiflion of iin, Roin 3. 24. The procurer of peace, Jfa. 53. 5-

Yea,

154 Christ the People's Covenant.

Yea, thefiimofic^for /;^ is our peace ; the procurer of accefs to
God, and communion with him ; all that are afar off, are made
nigh, only by the blood of Chrift ; the procurer of fanftifying
grace, 7^;. 53.10.^1 Cor. i. 30. and of eternal falvation. His death
isthepurchafeof the heavenly inheritance ; and fohe is the co-
venant 7/2 ^Tifonowyij, in procuring all the bleffings thereof. (6.)
Chrift is the covenant efficacioiiJJy or efficiently ; as he procures all
by the price of his blood, fo he applies all by the power of his
Spirit. By this powerful Spirit of his in the efficiency of his ap-
plication, by means of the law, he difcovers to men their fad con-
dition, while under a covenant of works; by the means of the
gofpel, he difcovers the excellency of the covenant of grace, and
alfo their claim to it, in, and by the indefinite general difpenfati-
on of the gofpel, and the promife of the covenant ; fo that who-
ever will, may come, and put in for afliare. But this is not all ;
Chrift, in his efficiency, does perfwade and enable the poor foul
to take hold of this covenant of Chrift, himfelf, as the all of the co-
venant, and that with particular application toitfelf, for its own
relief; and not only to accept, but to trufl: to it for all grace and
life ; and that upon the warrant of God's word of grace, renounc-
ing all other ways of falvation, and reftingonly upon this, i Tim.
1. 15. JSls 15. 6. Yea, after the perfonis brought within the co-
venant, Chrift is the great performer of all covenant duties, he
performs all our works in us, Ifa. 26. 12. We are to prefent no
duty of our own to God for acceptance, or in order to obtain life
and falvation by it; but to prefent him with Chrift, he being the
covenant to perform all for us, and in us, which we are obliged to.
In a word, he is engaged, as the covenan t of the people, to be all,
and to do all, to procure all, and to fee all made efFeftual that con-
cerns grace and glory : IidHI give him for a covenant of the people,
fays the Lord; I will not enter into covenant, or deal with them
in an immediate way, as with the firft Adam, but I will take a furer
courfe, I will give th~£e for that end ; thou flialt undertake all the
matter therein ; I will look to thee for the performance thereof.
Man hath broken covenant, I will not trufl him again ; but thou
jQialt be thee covenant, the promife of life lliall be made only
in thee, and the condition of life lliall be found only in thee,
thus he is the covenant.

The third thing was, Tofliewfor whofe behoof he is a cove-
nant; and fo tofliew, thaxheis the covenant of the people. Men
and women have a way of excluding themfelves by unbelief ;
butlam furemy text will exclude none this day, that are here,
from aright toacceptof this covenant, unlels it be the devil him-

■ ^ - felf.

Christ the People' e Covenant. 155

felf. He indeed and all the fallen angels, are excluded : And no
doubt he has come here among us this day, to tempt people to ex-
clude themfelves, becaufe he himfelf is excluded. But here is a
foundation of faith for all the people that hear this gofpel ; Chrill
is the covenant of the people, infomuch that whofoever of all the
people fnall fubfcribe to this covenant, and go into it by faith,
fliall have the everlafting benefit of it. Qi^efl. Why, fay you,
I'm (it may be) none of the people here meant, none of the e-
]e6l, whofe names are in that covenant and contract, and there-
fore my fubfcribing of it may be in vain ? Anfw. For the clear-
ing of this, thatChrifl: is the covenant of the people, you would
know and remember, that there are two copies of this covenant,
or, rather (if we may fo exprefs it) two writs of this charter, the
one is an original written in heaven, and the other is an extra61;
writtenin this Bible, (i.) Ifay,as to the original, it is written
in heaven, and hath all the names of the church invifible inrolled
in it, Heb. 12.23. They are called the church of the firft-born, that
are ivritten in heaven ; or, as it may be read, inrolled in heaven. In
this writing are the names of all the ele61, of all that ever were,
are,or iliall be aftually taken in within the bond of the covenant ;
and thefe are they of whom it is faid. They are chofen in Chrift be-
fore the foundation of the world, Eph. 1.4. And again, Whom he
did predejtinate, them he alfo called, Rom. 8. 30. And again, All
that the Father hath given me, /Jjallcome to me ; all that ivere ordain-
ed to eternal life, believed: A^nd of them Chrifl fays, / lay do-<xrn?ny
life for my [beep. This original draught of the covenant, is a
writ locked up in the cabinet of God's fecret purpofe ; and fe-
cret things beloffg not to us, but the things that are revealed.
Therefore, (2.) There is an extraft of this original writ, and this
extract is written in the Bible, which is the book of the covenant.
This you have among your hands, and this copy of the covenant
isfent open to you alltofign and fubfcribe, by giving faith's af-
fentand confenttothe covenant, or clofmg with ChriH;, the co-
venant of the people, as he is offered in the Gofpel. Now, tho'
this extract be a true copy, anfwering exadlly to the original;.

^ yet, for rendring all inexcufable, to whom thefe prefents are font,
if they do not fubfcribe, and forgathering in all the elect, this fair

^ extrad is directed to all, and every one of you, giving you full and
fufficient warrant to llgnand fubfcribe for yourfelves; for yoii
cannot pollibly fee your names in the original, till once you have
fignifiedyourconfent, by fubfcription toihe copy which is here
let down to the earth, to fee how you are pleafcd with it this day!
And if you f]gn the extract, as it isfent to you, then you may lay

eiaiiu

156 Christ the People's Covenant.

claim to the original, and fee your name there, which alone is the
privilege of thofe that make the extradt their own by figning it,
for the Jeer et of the Lord himth them that fear him, and he viill jhew
them his covenant ; he fliews them fometimes their name in the O"
riginal writ of the covenant. It is the fettled order of heaven,
that although fome, who by faith fubfcribe the extra6led copy,
are kept in the dark, about their names being in the original ; yec
none ihall fee their names there, but thofe who fubfcribe their
names here. Quefl. But, for what ferves my putting my name
to the foot of a bond, if my name be not in the bond itfelf "? Why
then read the direction of this Gofpel-covenant, and fee if your
name be there, and anfwer to your names ,• fori {liall endeavour
to be as practical, as I go along, as poffible, that I may have the
lefs to do in the application. For whofe behoof then is he thus
the covenant? Why, it is even for the behoof of thefe, whofe
names are here fetdown; and tho' they may not here find their
particular names, ^ohn, James^ Mary, Martha ; yet their general
names, yea, both their more general and their more fpecial
names are here, (i.) Their more general name is, the people,
he is the covenant of the people. And here all fmners of man-
kind, who hear of Chrift, have a claim to put in for a fliare in him,
feeing the covenant is dire6led to them ,• whofoever they be
that hear this Gofpel, all faving benefits are preached to them by
Chrift: Jefus, according to the miniflerial commiffion, Preach the
Gofpel to every creature, Mark 16. 15. and according as the Apof-
tle hath taught us to execute this commiffion, faying, To youis the
iDordof this falvation fent, A6ts 13. 26. And in this fenfe the A-
poftle fays. Tit. 2. 11. The grace of God, tbah^ringeth falvation,
haih appeared to all men; or, as it may beren(^d, as you fee it
in the margin of fome of your Bibles, the grace of God,' that
bringeth falvation to all men, hath appeared. Let them ftraiten
the Gofpel-offer who will, they do at their peril ; our commiffion
is wide and full, infomuch, that this covenant is direfted to all to
whom thefe prefents may com.e. If this be your general name,
that you are one of the people, be what you will otherwife, then
vou are concerned to anfwer to your name, and put in for a fliare
of the grace of this covenant, by fubfcribing, and faying, amen to
in. Why, fay you, that is a general name indeed,* I dare not
deny but that is my general name,- then, men and women, do
not put this covenant away from you. But, fay you, is there no
inore fpecial names of the people, whofe covenant he is. Yea,
(2.) I'heir more fpecial name is here fet down in black and
white J for who the people are, and what people in a fpecial man-

'4 ner

Christ the People's Covenant. 157

neris here meant, is cleared in the following words, J light to
the Gentiles, to open blind eyes, &c. And here you will find both
the name and lirname of the people intended; and, I believe,
your names and firnames, that hear me, will be found in it, ijl^
'I'he name is Gentile. 2dly, The firname is Gentile, dark^nd blind.
Gentile, bound and imprifoned. ijl, I fay, the name of the peo-
ple, whofe covenant he is, is Gentiles; and I know well that this
is the name of all that hear me, if there be not J'cixs here ; if I
thought there were any, I would drop fome promife of Chrift to,
and concerning them, that might draw them to him alfo, if the
Lord would put forth power with it. However, it is to you Gen-
tiles ilvdil am fpeaking; and O may I venture to fay with Paul
this day, Tome, ijoboam lefs than the leaft of all faints, is this grace
given^ to preach aynong you Gentiles the imfearchable riches of Chrijt I
'i'iiis IS a part of the myjlery of godlinefs, Chrift preached to the
Gentiles, 1 Tim. 3. 16. It was a myllery to the J^cuxand primi-
tive Chriftians, when Chrift was firft given by a preached Gofpel
to the Gentiles, Ad;s 1 1 . 1 7, 1 8. Why ? the Gentiles were called the
uncircumcifion, Eph. 2. 1 1. being abominable outcails, whofe en-
tring into the temple was enough to pollute it ; but now the Gof-
pel declares, God will juftify the uncircumcifion by faith. 7'he
Gentiles were Cci\hd, Aliens, 'withoutGod,'withoiitChriJl,'without hope,
.Aliens from the commonwealth of Ifrael,and jtrangers to the covenant of
promije, Eph. 2.12. But now the covenant of prom.ife is given and
exhibited to the people that were aliens. Gentiles were called
dogs ; It is not meet to take the childrens bread,and caft it to dogs, fays
Chrifttothe womanof C^w^^n, oneof the pofterity, it feems of
thefeaccurfed nations, that were devoted by that word. Gen. ^.
25. Curfedbe-^maan. AhdindttdihQ Gentiles ^nd Canaanites, :is
they were contemned by the Jews, and look'd upon as dogs ; fo,
in comparifon of the houfe oi'Ifrael, who were fo much bleffed,
dignified and privileged of old, Chrift feems here to allow it, and
aflertthatthey were curfed, that they were dogs : But now the
tables are turned, the Gentiles are called ; and, in this woman,
the Lord gives an inftance of what mercy was in referve for thefe
dogs ; and we Gentiles may plead the fame privilege at leafl,
with that woman of Canaan, Truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat the crumbs
that fall from the Mafteis table. The doov of Bethlehem, the houfe
of bread is open, yJth'14.. ^7- ^^^ hath opened the door of faith
to the Gentiles,even to dogs ; the door of the covenant is open and
wedarenotlhut the door upon any dog in all this houfe ; and
lherefoYe,a.sweuietoi'ay,Jt open doors dogs come in, allov^ me in
this homely comparifon ,- tor, as all the Gentiles y fo all the wicked

are

158 Christ the People's Covenant.

are called dog.'=',/?^i;.22. 15. Without are dogs, and forcerers^ ^ ixthorc-
mongers, &.C. Buc the door being open to all fmners by this Gof-
pel, you may come to Chriftfor falvation, as freely as a dog will -
come in at an open door; yea, more freely & boldly ; for dogs
many times come in uncalled, and therefore we beat them out a- i
gain ; but here is both a call to come, and a promife of welcome, ■
fVhofoeverwill, let him come ; and him. thatcometh,IwiIl in no wife
caft out. Well, I fay, the Gentiles are called dogs, and if that be a
part of your name, man, woman, anfwer to your name, and take
with your name, and take the bleffing that is offered to you by
name. Ifyouhavenobetter namethanthatof adog, come with
thatfame, and fetitdownatthefootofthe contra6l, by fubfcrib-
ing your confent to have Chrift to be your covenant ; and tho' it
be a bafe name, he will not refufe to take in your fubfcription. In
a word, the Gentiles are called heathens. Gal. 3. 8. The Scripture
forefeeing that God would jujlify the heathen thro' faith, preached be-
fore the gofpelumo Abraham, faying, In thee /hall all nations be blejfed.
Good news to heathens and pagans, fuch as we in our forefathers
were ; and this is theGofpelindeed, that was preached to ^Z^rfSt-
^(^zm long ago. Intheejhall all nations be bleffed ; in f/?^^, what thee,
the fame thee that is in our text, which preacheth the fame Gofpel
alfo ,• I ^vill give thee for a covenant of the people, even the people
that are called Gentiles, and Heathens, Uncircumcifion, Aliens, and
Dogs. Well, there is the name of the people whofe covenant he
IS, ihQy^iXQ Gentiles. 2dly, Thefirnameof the people is Gentiles,
dark and blind, Gentiles bound and imprifoned ; and fee if the
firname be not yours. Sirs, as well as the name. There are efpe-
cially two firnames here that the people have. Firfl: firmane is
dark and blind ; this is imported in thefe words, a light to the Gen-
tiles, to open blind eyes. Well, is this your firname "? Are you
darknefs itfelf in the abftradl, are you in the darknefs of ig-
norance, in the darknefs of error, in the darknefs of cor-
ruption, in the darknefs of confufion, in the darknefs of de-
fertion, in the darknefs of delufion ? O here is a brave co-
venant for you to fign : It is a covenant of light,- for he that is
the covenant of the people, is the light of the Gentiles. But all the light
in the world, without fight, will be uncomfortable ; and there-
fore is another piece of your firname blindnefs, as well as dark-
nefs ? Are you not only blear'd, and fee ill, but blind and fee none
at all ? Are you blind with refpeft to fin, and cannot fee it in its
power and guilt ? Blind with refpeft to duty, and cannot fee
what to do ? Blind with refpe6l to God, and cannot fee him in his
beauty and excellency ? Blind with refpe6l to Chrifl:, and cannot

fee

Christ the People's Covenant. 159

fee him in his glory, fiilnefs, and righteoufnefs? Blind with re-
fpeft to ordinances, and cannot fee the power and glory ot God in
the lan^liiary ; Blind with refpeft to providences, and cannot
difcern the figns of" the time ? Blind with refpeft to your incerelt
in Chrift, and cannot fee whether that be fecured or not? Blind
with rcfpedl to your warrant to intermeddle with Chrill and his
inllitutions ? Blind with refpe6t to all fpiritual and eternal
things ? Why, this covenant of the people is defigned to open
the blind eyes. And if darknefs and blindnefs be the firname of
the people for whofe behoof Chrift is the covenant, and if that be
your firname alfo, why then there is room at the foot of this cove-
nant to fet down your name and firname both ,* this covenant of
the people is a covenant of light to the people that are dark, and a
covenant of fight to the people that are blind. Let all them that
find this to be their firname, fubfcribe 10 this covenant and fay, I
am one of the dark people, and I come for light; lam one of the
blind people, and 1 come for fight ; there is my name. Lord, let
it be recorded among the dark blind people of which Chrift is the
covenant. Again, the fecond firname of the people is bound and
itnprifoned ; this is imported in theie^ftords, To bring out the pri-
fonersfrom theprifon, and them that fit in darknefs ^ out of the prifon-
hoife. Now, whatever prifon you are in, Sirs, if your firname be
a bound pri fmer, OUT textfpeaks to you. Are you in the prifon of
ljn,a-bond-flaveandafervantuntolufts? Are you in the prifon
offatan,in the devil's prifon, led captive by him at his pleafure?
Are you in the prifon of the law, a debtor to do the whole law, and
adebtortobear thewholecurfeof it ? Are you in the prifon of
carnality, clogged with the things of this world ? Are you in
the prifon ofa black league with death, and covenant with hell ?
Are you in the prifon ofa natural ftate, as a child of difobedience,
and a child of wrath ? Are you in the prifon of temptations, either
from without, or within, filled with dreadful fuggeftions and
blafphemous injeftions ; Are you in the prifon of afflidion, either
upon foul or body, ftate or f^.mily ? Are you in the prifon of
doubts, and fears, and defpondency, with your foul caft down
within you V Areyouin the prii'on of unbelief, concluded under
it, fo as you cannot for your life get artadt of faith elicite? Are
you in the prifon of wretched careleflhefs, unconcernednefs,and
indifferency, not caring whether you be loofed and delivered out
of prifon or not; Are you in the prifon of atheifm, and cannot
believe a God, a Chrift, a heaven, or hell ? Are you in the prifon
of death, and in bondage through fear of death ? Or, are vou in
the prifon of fecurity,feanng nothing, but lleeping in the arms

i6o Christ the People's Covenant.

of the devil? What prifon-houfe are you in, man? Anfwer to
your name, prifoner, infuch a prifon-houfe thatl have named.
Is the door of the prifon-houfe bolted and barred, that you cannot
get out, and the heavy chains and fetters of hell about you, fo as
you cannot loofe them any more than you can unhinge the axle-
tree of the univerfe? Behold, this covenant of the people is a
covenant of liberty for the people that are in prifon. If I have
not named the prifon, or the chamber of the prifon-houfe you're
in, name it yourfelf, and fay, I prifoner in fucha prifon-houfe, I
have been fo long and fo long in fuch a dark prifon, and lo I fee
down my name, to wit, a bound prifoner^ confenting to be liberate
by the Son of God, and confenting that he would work the con-
fenthimfelf, and do all that concerns my liberty: Why, man,
down with your name that fame way ,• and if you be not fet at li-
libertyin God's own time and way, you'll be the firft that ever
gave in a fubfcription and was not received : Nay, marked and
recorded it fhall be ; for the covenant fpeaks to you by name and
firname, faying, Go forth yeprifoners of hope ; the Spirit of the Lord
God is upon me, for he hath anointed me to preach and proclaim liberty
to the captives. Thisccwfnantof the people then is drawn up al-
ready and figned. See w^o hath fignedit, f. 8. I am the Lord,
that is my name. He hath figned it by a name by which he is
known in heaven and earth, even ye'/;oi;fl/;, Isim Jehovah, lam the
Lord, that is my name. O glorious name fubfcribing this bond I
That is his name; what is yours? Why, can you not fay, I am
one of the people they call Gentiles ? I'm a dark, blind, bound pri-
foner ; that's my name and firname both. Yea, be your name as
vile and black as hell, yet down with it in capital letters ; for the
infinitely fair name of the firft fubfcriber will fet it off, his name
will anfwerfor all the defe6lsand deformities of yours: And if
you wait 'till you be in a better condition, and have a better name
tofignwith, you'll wait 'till doom's-day, and perifii by the way ;
and all the money of your terms, conditions, and good qualifica-
tions, which you would bring as a price in your hands, will perifli
with you. Nay, you have nothing to do in this covenant, but
blefs God that brought it to your hand, and fign it with your
heart. Chrifl; hath a commiflion from his Father, and we in his
name, to take in the fubfcriptions of all the people, whofe name
and firname I have mentioned; and I hope, I have not mifs'd a-
ny one that is here. Thus you fee who the peopleare, for whofe
behoof he is the covenant ; and that he is well defigned the cove-
nant of the people, ^Q^'mg^W the people here named have a right
of accefs to the covenant,a warrant to fign and fubfcribe to it ; and

all

Christ the People's Covenant. i6t

all the people, that are fubfcribers, have a right of polTeffion to
the whole good of the covenant, and to the feal thereof, the Sa-
crament of the fupper.

The fourth thing propofed, was tofliew, by whofe authority
or by what authority, Chrift is the covenant of the people; and
fo to hint at his divine ordination to this bufinefs, in thefe words,
I ivillghetheej&c. Where you have, i. The glorious Perfon
ordaining,/. 2. The glorious perfon ordained, T^^^^. 3. The
gracious manner of the ordination, Grjf. 4. The gracious mo-
tive and ground, / will give thee. A iliort word to each of thefe.

iftt The glorious perfon ordaining Chrift to this work, / will
give thee; What I? ItheLord, I Jehovah, I the firfl: perfon of the
glorious Trinity. God the Father here is the firfb grand party of
the covenant ; yea, here is God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft,
eflentially confidered, contra6ling with the Son, and ordaining
him, perfonally confidered, to this work. Now, this glorious
perfon ordaining Chrift to this work, imports, i. The will of
God and of the Father, that Chrift, the fecond perfon, fliould
come and bear the whole weight of the covenant. Hence Chrift
tells us, he had commandment from the Father, and that he came
to do his will, ^ohn 6. 37,38, 39. God the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghoft, by unanimous counfel, ordained and appointed the Son to V
come in his own perfon upon the errand of man's redemption ;
and God the Father being the firft in the order of fubfiftency, and
fo the firft in operation ad extra, therefore, the giving is primarily
afcribed unto him. 2. His being the perfon ordaining, import's
the divine authority of Chrift's commiffion, in that he is given of
the Father, and came from theFather,yo/j.i6.2 8. &;i7. 8. where
Chrift commends that faith which believes his divine milFion, his
divine ordination to this mediatory work. 3. His being ordain-
ed of God, imports God's confidence in him, as being both able
for, and faithful to perform the whole work that he gave him to
do. He was confident thathe would be a faithful and righteous
fervant ; By his knowledge fljall my righteous Jervaut juftify fuany.
This is my beloved Son, in zvhom I am wcll-pleafed. 4. His being the
perfon ordaining, imports the Father's zealous concern for the re-
demption and falvation of men ; God fo loved the world, that he gave
his only-begotten Son ; I will give thee : His hand is firft at the
blefs'd bargain, fubfcribing this covenant,- lliewing that he will
do the whole work of the covenant by himfclf, and by his Son
Jefu-^i Chrift, and will get the whole glory of it : And hence the
ftrain in which he fubfcribcs, f. 8. is, I am the Lord, that is my
name, and my glory will I not give to another. He will let none fiiare

M of

1(52 Christ the People's Covenant.

of any of the glory of it but himfelf, either in the contrivement,
'commencement, advancement, or completement thereof.

2dly, The glorious perfon ordained, in the Pronoun Thee, '
namely, Chrift, the fecond Perfon of the glorious Trinity, and the.
other party of the covenant, 1 will give Thee. And Chrift being
the Perfon here ordained, imports, i. His having cordially af-
fented and agreed to the bargain ; God could not have given-him,
if he had notconfented: But as he and his Father are one, fo
there is but one will betwixt them; and hisconfent is recorded
among the decrees of heaven . In the volume of thy book it is writ-
ten rjf mey Lo I come. 2. His being the perfon ordained, imports
the jnfl.ifficiency of all others for the work of man's redemption ;
Him hath God the Father fealed ; facrifice and offering thou wouldji not,
•a, body.hajl thou given me. I'hough men and angels had put their
•Ihouldersto this work, it would never have been done; for the
redemption of the foul is precious., and ceafeth for ever^ as to the crea-
ture : He alone is the Meffiah, chofen, conftitute, promifed, ty-
pified, to whom all the prophets gave witnefs, and we are not to
look for another; infufficiencyisingraven and ftamp'dupon all
others. 3. His being the perfon ordained, imports the alone
fufficiency of this glorious'perfon for this glorious work. O the
glorious excellency of this perfon here given ! and, O the glori-
ous fufficiency of this perfon ! I will give thee. I have laid help
Upon one that is Mighty : This is he that is glorious in his apparel, tra-
veiling in the greatnefs of his ftrength^ mighty to fave : This is he that
comes from Edom, with died garments from Bozfah, who trod the
wine-prefs of the Father's wrath alone, and of the people there was none
with him. 4. His being the perfon ordained of the Father, im-
ports the unparallel'd love both of him that gave, and of him that
is given, both of the ordainer, and ordained: Herein is love, not
that we loved God. but that he loved us., and gave his Son to he the pro-
pitiation for our fins, I Joh. 4. 10, And herein is love, thatChrifl
fo cheerfully undertook this work ; He rejoiced in the habitable
parts of the earth, and his delights were with the fons of men, Pro v. 8.
31. Here are both the parties of the covenant, God and Chrift,
that glorious/, and that glorious Thee', I will give Thee : Two
v/onderful covenants. God forefeeing from eternity that man-
kind would be ruined, by violating the covenant betwixt God and
man, let on foot a better proje6l, even an inviolable covenant be-
twixt God and Chrifi:, two unchangeable parties, mutually enga-
ging for the relief and recovery of the loft finner ; and Chrid:
bearing fuch a part of the work, as to get the name of the whole ;
til give Thee for the covenant of the people,

3% >

Christ the People's Covenant. 163

3^/^, The gracious manner of this ordination, is imported in
the word give, I will give thee. yJ mans gift makes room for himy
f^Ljs Solomon, and gives himplace among great men, Prov. ig. 16.
Men are efteemedand refpcdled for the valuablenefsof the gifts
and benefits they give ; how much more iliould God's gift make
room for him? Chrift is God's gift, I'll give thee for a covenant of
the people. And this giving of Chrift implies feveral things which
concern the manner of his ordination, to be a covenant of the
people. I. In general and negatively, God's giving of Chrift
does not imply, that he was about to alienate his own right to
Chrift from himfelf to us; no, he is ftill his only-begotten Son.
When we give a thing to another, we alienate our own right to
it, but it is not fo here ,* what God gives we may have the benefit
and ufe of it, but God flill keeps a right over us and it. Hence,
fays the Apoflle, all things are your s, for ye areChrifi's, and Chriji
is God's. But, 2. More particula^rly and pofitively, God's giving
of Chrifl for a covenant of the people, implies (i.) His eternal
deftinationby the Father for this end, to be the covenant of the
people, before ever they had a being. They were not fo much
asconfulted in the matter, when the contra61was figned in the
council of peace betwixt the Father and the Son ; and we have
no reafonto complain of injury done us here, for we have no-
thing to contra6l on our part. The breach of the firfl covenant
left us worfethan nothing, for the fn'HJdam left us withabur-
de1ni of debt, a burden of poverty and wants, yea, a burden of cur-
fes from the fiery law; and all that we can do, is to increafe the
debt, inftead of being able to pay it off. Now, I fay, God's giv-
ing him,includes his eternal deftination by the Father for this me-
diatorial work, without our having any hand in it, or knowledge
of it, or any obligation lying upon Godfoto do as hicdid, in the
eternal tranfaftion with his Son concerning the people whom he
defigned tofave. There was no obligation lying upon Chrift,
to come inourftead, to be our furety,to take our guilt, and pay
our debt, previous to his ownconfent,- nor any obligation upon
God to accept of a furety inftead of the principal debtor ; there-
fore God's giving of Chrift, muft imply a tranfa6tion, wherein the
Sonconfcnted to be the covenant, and the Father confented to
fend him, and accept of his furetyfhip for loft finners. (2.) God's
giving of Chrift, implies his actual qualifying, and fending him to
accomplifli that which was contrived from eternity. How he
called and qualified him, you fee in the preceding verfe ; he call-
ed him in righteoufnefs, and qualified him with a fupereminenc
unftion of the Holy Ghoft, / will put my Spirit upon him, and he

M 2 fjall

1(54 Christ the People's Covenant.

flail bring forth judgment to the Gentiles : Accordingly he received
the Spirit above meafiire. How he fent him, you fee in many-
places of Scripture ; he gave him a body, a true body, and
a reafonable foul, and then he gave him to the death in the
fulnefs of time ; for it pleafed the Lord to bruife him : Ju-
fl:ice awaken'd againft him, Awake, O /word, againji my foep-
herd, &c. He was put in the wineprefs of divine vengeance
and bruifed there; he was not only bruifed in his name, being
called a mad-man, and a devil; not only bruifed in his eftate,
labile the foxes had holes, and the birds of the air had nefs, but the Son
of man had not ivihere to lay his head. Neither was he bruifed in his
body on'y, while they pierced his hands and his feet '^ but bruifed
in his foul, 'till it was exceeding forrowful, even unto death, and 'till
the agonies of his foul prelTed the blood out of his body, even
great drops of blood : No wonder, for he was plunged in the ocean
of God's wrath, and fuffered all the hell that was due tofm; fm
being imputed to him as the covenant of the people, juflice did
not fpare him, Rom. 8.32. He fpared not bis own Son., but gave him
to the death for us all. (3.) God's giving of Chrift, implies, that
the manner of his ordination for this work, was every way free
and gratuitous ; what freer than a gift ,• God gives Chrifl: for
a covenant of the people, without regard to any motive, merit,
or felicitation of the people, yea, and in oppofition thereto. This
gift is free, in oppofition to merit, either of condignity or con-
gruity. If we be for merit of our own, we muft be for helly for
ihat is all that we merit ; if wretchednefs, mifery, and a mafs of
cjnfufion and enmity, be accounted merit, then we may lay claim
to it, but no o.therwife. This gift is free, in oppofition to con-
flraint, force,or neceffity : God had nothing fromi without to con-
Itrain him to contrive the redemption of men,or to give Chrift for
that end : tho' all mankind fliould have for ever been drov/ned in
the flood of his wrath, God had remained as he was, as happy as
ever ; no force was upon him to contrive a remedy for man.
This gift is free, in oppofition to debt : God owed us nothing but
wrath ; but we owe many millions of talents to his infinitejuflice.
In a word, it is free,in oppofition to all motives from without God
himfelf. There was nothing about us, to move him to pity us,
ten thoufand things to move him to dellroy us. Upon what con-
dition in us could God be moved to give his Chrift to us, feeing
our befh condition, before he give him in poITeffion to us, is a con-
dition of fin and mifery, death and thraldom? But then again,
(4.) God's giving of Chrift /V J covenant of the people, his giving
him thus, I fay, implies a right and title chat the people have to
receive him : God's giving Ciirift is the foundation of our title to

receive

Christ the People's CovENANt. 165

receive him ; faith, which is the aaual acceptance of the gift, is
the mean of putting us in pofleflion ,• but it would be the height
of prefumption, thus to take and receive, if there were no giv-
ing, John 3. 27. No man recciveth any thing, except it be giyen him
from heaven. As this receiving then fuppofes a giving of Chrift,
prior to the receiving, fo this giving of Chrifl for a covenant of
the people, imphes the people's right, and title, and warrant to
receive him. There is a twofold giving of Chrifl. i/?, A giv-
ing of Chrift in point of aftual pofTellion ; and thus he is given to
the ele6l foul in the day of believing ,• and this giving is the foun-
dation of his title to all things in and through him ,* for, Ho-w 'imll
he not with him freely give us all things ? Rom. 7. 32. And 'till a
man have an interell: in Chrifl thus, he hath no faving right to a-
ny thing, no right to a communion-table ; nay, no covenant-
right to the food of his common table. 2dly, There is a giving
of Chrift in point of exhibition, and gofpel-offer ; and thus he is
given to the whole vifible church, in the difpenfation of the word;
and this giving is the foundation of our title to receive Chrifl,and
of our claim of right to take this gift out of the hand of the giver.
A right of poffelTion none have, 'till they believe, and take the
gift that is offered ! butarightof accefsand warrant to believe,
allhave, whether they believe or not, and whether they take this
gift out of God's hand or not. That Chrifl is God's gift to a
whole vifible church in thisfenfe, is a great privilege, whatever
the world think or fay about it ; and it is a part of my errand this
day, to tell you of it ; If it be choaking do6lrinetoany, and will
not go down, we cannot help it ; it is Bible-dnftrine, and gofpel-
dodlrine, and therefore we mufl preach it in his name, who com-
mands us to preach the gofpel to every creature. But, I think,
itfliould be welcome dodrine to all that hear me, that Chrifl is
given to all the people in this houfe, in the fame manner that the
Manna w^s given to all the people of old, John 6. 32. Where
Chrift, fpeaking to all the promifcuous multitude, and making a
comparifon betwixt himfelf, and the Manna that fell about the
tents of Ifrael in the wildernefs, fays. My Father giveth you the true
bread frotn heaven ; where the revelation and offer of Chrifl is de-
clared to be a giving of him, before ever he be received, or belie-
ved on. It is fuch a gift and grant, as warrants a man to believe
and receive the gift ; for this end he is given to a perilliing world.
Cod fo loved the 'world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whofoe-
ver believeth on him, might not perifj, but have everlafling life. As
the brazen ferpent was given for a common good to the whole
camp of Jfrael, that whofoever in all the camp, being flung by

M 3 the

1^6 Christ the People's Covenant.

the fiery ferpents, looked thereto, might not die, but live ; even fa
is Chrift given as a common good to poor flung finners, that,look-
ing to him, they may be faved. Chrift is given to all, in the dif-
penfation of this gofpel. And O, it fhould be glad tidings of
great joy to all people, that to u^ a child is born, to us a Son is given,
whofe name is called IFondcrful. I'his giving, in a general and de-
finite manner, to all, in the go fpel-offer, may be, and is, for the
moft part, where there is no receiving : but there can be no re-
ceiving of Chrift for falvation, where there is not this giving:
for a man can receive nothing, except it be given. This giving
then implies a right, and title, and warrant to receive ; he is fo
given to you, that all that are pleafed with the bargain, have
warrant to take pofTeflion. He is your 'own already, man,
woman, in the former fenfe, whether you take him or not ; as he
laid to the Jews, He came to his ozm, and his own received him not^
But faith's improvement of this gift and grant,among your hands,
would make him your own, in a peculiar fenfe, by a6l:ual poifef-
iion. Thus,wehavethe manner of his ordination, to be the co-
venant of the people ; it is even by a free and gracious donation.
The next thing here was,

Fourthly, ^ the gracious motive, ground and reafon of this
divine ordination, which is juft the divine will I will give.
This verb ; muft neceffarily be borrowed from the former
claufe, I will hold thine hand, and give thee for a covenant
of the people ; 1 will give, O fovereign reafon / No gift in
the world fo free as Chrift ; When men beftow gifts upon one
another, there is fome impullive caufe that excites them to it,,
drawn from their relation to, orintereftin one another; drawn
from fervices and favours received, or expefted from each other :
But no fuch impulfive caufe here ; we have no relation to God, but
as his enemies; we can do him no fervice, but fin againft him,
therefore can merit nothing from him, but his curfe. His reafon
of doing, then, mufl; be his own fovereign will. Men may rack
their wit, and difpiite about the reafon of God's actings ; but
there would be more calm reafoning in the world about gofpel-
truths,if all our reafoning did ftrikefail to the fovereignty of free
grace, and Itoop to that ; he will, becaufe he will ; / will give thee.
I think this w/7/ imports, i. A confent and agreement : The
eounfel of peace is concluded, parties are both agreed ; / will. 2.
A complacency and fatisfa^lion : God is well pleafed with this de-
vice of his mvn infinite wifdom, well pleafed with the ranfom and
ranfomer, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed'; I take
pleafurc in gi vin^g him to be a covenant of the people ; J will. 3. I

think

Christ the People's CovENANt. '16^

think it imports authority : The fupreme authority of the eternal
Godhead, Three in One, isinterpofedin this matter, for ordain-
ing Chriftto this work; I mil. And, 4. I think it imports an
exprefs command, I will give thee; and of this command Chrill
fpeaks, when he fays. This commandment have I received of ?ny Fa-
ther^ to lay doivn my life for juy ficep : And when he fays, Lo, I
come to do thy will ; by th e which will we arefati8ified through the of-
fering of the body of Jefus Cbrift once for all, Heb. 10. 10. In a
word, it imports, that the fovereign will of Jehovah is the reafon
of all. And this may lead us to, and Ihall make me the more
brief upon, the

Fifth thing propofed, namely, -the reafons of the doclrine,
why isChrift given for a covenant of the people? And here I
might (hew, i. Why he is given. 2. Why given for a covenant.
3. Why given for a covenant of the people of the Gentiles.

I. Why is he given,or exhibited by way of gift ? Why, the
grand reafon is told already, even his fovereign will. Chrift, the
great ordinance of God for man's recovery, is difpenfed freely by
a gr^iimiQUS g\h, that falvation may be by grace,^ndthcLzfree grace
may get the whole glory of it, from the foundation to the top-fione^
with ihoutings of grace., grace to it. The giving of Chrift to all,
in the gofpel-offer, is from fovereign grace, and muft be abfolute-
ly free and unconditional ; for what in all the world is the condition
of the offer? If men be in a fmful condition, in a miferable con-
dition, in a loft condition, that is all the condition andqualificatioHy
thati know, neceftary for making an offer of Chrift as a Saviour
to them. If any clog the gofpel-offer with legal terms and con-
ditions, they incroachupon the warrant minifters have to offer
Chrift toall^ and the warrant th^it all have to receive Imn ; yea, they
incroach upon fovereign grace, which hath made this grant and offer
of Chrift, not to devils, but to men in the moft extenfive terms;
ToyoUyOmen,do I call, and my voice is to the fons of men. Again,
the giving of Chrift to fome, in aftual poffeilion, is from fovereign
grace alfo : for tho' none can be poifefs'd of Chrift and his benefits,
till by faith they receive him ; yet this faith to receive, is given ,
as well as the gift received by it, Eph. 2. 8. By grace ye arefaved
through faith, and that not of yourf elves, it is the gift of God. It is
given, by vertueofanabfolute promife of the covenant, fuchas
that, Thy people fJpall be willing in the day of thy power ; and fo, the
hand to take the gift, being itfelf given out of the covenant, the
covenant takes hold of the man, before the man can take hold of
the covenant. But, ' •

2. WhJ is Chrift given for a-oivenanc? 1 offer you only on«
M 4 great

i6% ' Christ the People's Covenant.

great reafon of it; he is given for a covenant, that God might
have more glory out of the covenant of works, by the fecond
Jdams fulfilhng of it, than he loft by thefirli Adams breach and
violation of it. The law of ecernal life and death was irreverfibly
ftated only by the covenant of works ; and tho' we be changed,
yet the covenant of works is unchangeable; And as, by vertue
of the ftability of it, all the Chrifikfs world are condemned, curjedy
and die eternally ; fo, by vertue of its being perfe6lly fulfilled
by Chrifl, in whom only it is eftablifiied, all that are in him, are
freed from condemnation, and live etamally. What is the cove-
nant of grace? I may fay, it isChrift's fulfilling for us, the ccvi-
nant of works. We were debtors to the mandatory and mina-
tory pare of the law, arraigned, at the inftance of divine juftice,
to pay the debt : Chrift fubftitutes himfelf in our room, came un-
der the law, to pay the whole debt due thereunto; and now God
gets more glory, by his doing fo, than he loft by our fins. Herein
he glorified hisfovereign Majefl:y, whofe authority was fo hei-
noufly violated by fuch a bafe creature as man is, in that he receiv'd
him not into his favour, without a becoming reparation, made to
his honour, by the intervention of a perfe6l obedience and full
fatisfaftion. Herein he glorified his infinite wifdom,in findigf out
2. mean to reconcile jujtice and mercy '^ to puni/Jj the Jin, and yet to
pardon the Jinner', to take vengeance on fin, to the very utter-
moft, and yet to magnify his mercy, \v\\i\q the finner is jufhified,
accepted, and faved, without his own fufi^ering. This is that

manifold wifdom of God. Herein he glorified his

free love, goodnefs, and pity, in fubje6ting his life to fuch a
death, and his glory to fuch alhame, «wJ all to pur chafe fuch vils
and worthlefs creatures as we are, and to redeem us from eternal wo
andmifery : As alfo his almighty power is here glorified, infup-
porting the human nature of Chrill under tX^^'vajl load of divine
wrath, and law-curfes. Herein Be glorified his holinefs and faith-
fulnefs, in fulfilling not only the promife of the law, as a covenant
of works, even the promife of eternal life, made to perfedi obedi-
ence; which, tho' we forfeited in our own perfons, yet we reco-
ver in Chrirt ; the condition of life in the covenant of works
being per feft obedience p^r/o;?^/, and the condition of life here
being perfedl obedience imputed, and fo the promife of life, upon
the ground of a perfeft obedience, fulfilled to us in him : but alfo
divine faithfulnefs is glorified, in fulfilling allthe threatnings of the
law, while we, who come under the fentence of death in the firft
Mam, undergo that death in the fecond Adam. In a word, herein
he glorifies iiis juftice and righteoufnefs, in the remiflion of fins,

thro*

Christ the .Peoplis Covenant. 169

thro* the propitiation of Ch rift, Ro7n. 3. 25. fVhotu God hath Jet
forth to be the propitiation thro' faith in his blood, to declare his righ-
teorfncfs for the remiffion of fms that are pafl, thro' the forbearance
of God. Ikrein lb vindittjve JLifliccdilpiayed, in itsgreateft fe-
vcrity, in Chnll's being the facrifice and propitiation ; And here
is retributive }ui\icei\li]iXnoui]y declared, in thefinner's being re-
warded, jtiflified, faved, upon the blood and facrifice, the obedi-
ence and righteoufnefs of Chrill; yea, all the perfefticnsof the
great God ihine glorioufly in the face of Chrifl", as in a beautiful
and brip'it conftellation, 2 Cor. 4. 6. And for this reafon he
gave him for a covenant.

(3.) Why is he given for a covenant of the people, of the Gen-
tiles ■? Why ! not only to fhow his juft difpleafure at the'unbelief
of the^nuy, aswefee, ^^(^113.46, 47. i^o;/;. 11. 11, 19, 20. but
alfo tc.fliew his fovereignty, that he 'xill have mercy on whom he
'will bave7nercy; and to Ihcw his truth, in fulfilling the antient
prophecy concerning the calling of the Gentiles. It is long fince
God promifed by A^o<7/;, faying, God fiallinlarge Japhet, and he p:all
d'usellin the tents ofShe7n,Gen. 9. 27. Now of japhet came the Gen-
tiles, Gen. I o. 5. and of Shem came the ^cws. By tile pofterity
of japhet were the ifles of the Gentiles divided. The ifles were
folemnly by lot divided among them (and probably this ifle of
Britain among the reft) fothat as Japhct\ dwelling in the tents
of Shem is a clear predi61ion of the converfion of the Gentiles, and
their fucceeding to the Jcuos/in their church privilep-es; fo this
dire6ts us to underftand the promife in the conrcx:, The ifles fl?all
'wait for his law : Me is given for a covenant of the people, a light of
the Gentiles. In a word, he is given foracovcnant of the people, to
Ihow the extent and all-fufficiency of hjs grace, and the intrinfick
value of his blood. Suppofe a prince were fctting up a fanftua-
ry, or city of refuge, the privileges whereof are not reftrifted to
any fort of men, but extended to all, Gentiles as well as Jews ;
would not this declare, that the privileges of the place arc full and
ample, fo as, whofoever comes tothisfanftuary might be fafe ?
Herealfo, in like manner, the fufficiency of the merit of Ch rift,
and ihefulnefs of his righteoufnefs is declar'd,infomuch that none
can, with any fliadow of reafon, exclude themfelves, be they
what they will. People, Gentiles, Dark, Blind, Imprifoned ; feeing all
Gentiles, who are called Dogs, Aliens, Heathens, Uncircumcifed, are
included ; and feeing the motto written upon the out-fide of the
door of the fanftuary, is, whofoever will, let him come : All com-
ers are welcome, and refufers left inexcufahJe. *
TheJJaT^ thing propofed^ was the application of the v/holc.

'fhis

170 Christ the People's Covenant.

This do6lrine would admit of a vafl improvement, which we
mufl: confine to as narrow bounds as polTible ; and we may im-
prove it,

jfiy ¥ or information. If it be fo, that Chrifl, by divine ordi-
nation, is thus the covenant of the people; in the glafs of this
do6lrine, we clearly fee many precious gofpel-truths. And,

(i.)Hencewemay fee, in what way it is that the ruin we bro't
"upon ourfelves, by the breach and violation of the covenant of
works, is reparable. We have brought ourfelves into a moil: la-
mentable ftate by fin: and we are irrecoverably loft indeed, as to
all that we can do for our own help ; 0 IJrael, thou hafi dejlroyed
thy feJf. Who can repair that ruin ? 'I'here is a glorious Me
that lays. In me is thy help, Hof. 13. 9. Who that Me is, is ex-
plained in our text, even a God inChriffc, the glorious /and Thee;
I ivillgive Thee for a covenant of the people. There is no help, no
"juftilication for them now by a covenant of works; but I'll give
Thee for a covenant to them, which, tho' it be all works to thee,
yet it lliall be all grace to them. The world is bufy cafling the
law of works into this and the other handfomefliape, andpleaf-
ing themfelves with a fancy, that in this way of works, they
may have righteoufnefs and life, to the difparagement of the
way of grace, to the deftruftion of their own fouls, and to the
diflionour of Chrift, who alone is the covenant of the people.

(2.) Hence we fee the greatnefs of the love of God, to-
wards poor finners, in giving fuch a great and glorious perfon as
ChriJl^nndthdLtforfuch a great and glorious end, as to be a covenant
of the people ; God fo loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son,
&c. Chrill came not to be a covenant of the people, without com-
miffion, call, and ordination from his Father. He had authority
from the Father to do all that he did about the covenant; I will
give thee for a covenant. Let not our notions of God be fo grofs,
as to think, that God the Father is of an implacable nature, full of
feverity ; and that the Son only is of a pleafant meek nature, full
of lenity towards finners. Nay, God the Father was the firfi,
in order of nature, that made the motion about man's redempti-
on : Chrift was appointed, authorized and given of him. Behold,
the love of God hath gone to its utmoft height, in giving Chrifi:,
for he cannot give a greater gift ; and the love of Chrifl; alfo hath
gone toitsutmofl:, in confenting hereto, and giving himfelf, and
all this to be no lefs than a compleat covenant of the people. Becaufe
the people can do nothing, therefore he leaves them nothing to
do of tliemfelves; I will give thee for a covenant.

(3. Hence we may fee a tefl; of the true Religion. Allfchemes
- ■• . that

Christ the People's Covenant. 171,

tliat center not in Chrift, are to be rejefted ; and all fchemes of the,
covenant, that make not ChriflfoZ'^f/?^ all of n, are to he renounced..
in can find nothing in the covenant but Chrift, furely I find eno'„
and I find all that my text makes of it ; and if the world make iD
a new fcheme, at their peril be it. But this I fay, that every fcheme
that leads tofelf, and takes off from Chrifi, is a falfe and ruinous,
fcheme; yea, every do6lrine, that advances any thing to be a ri-
val with him, and mingles our filthy rags with his excellent robes. '
The fecond Adam came not to piece up and amend old y/(7(3w's
coat, asfome exprefsit, but to give us a wholly new garment of
his own making, and dyed with his own blood : /'// give thee for a
covenant. Our chief bufinefs as minifters of the Gofpel, is to
trumpet forth the tranfcendent excellency of Chrifi:, and tode-
fire to know nothing hut Chrift^ and him crucified, as the all of the
covenant, for making people both happy and holy.

(4.) Hence we may fee the believer's freedom from the law
as a covenant of works. He is not under the law, but under grace ',
having clofed with Chrifl, Chrift is now all the covenant that
he is under : He is freed both from the do and the die, the com-
mand and the threatning of the covenant of works. They are
made void to him thro' Chrift ; for he is not under it, either ta
be juftified or condemned; he is not under its command to be
juftified for his obedience, nor underits threatningand fanftion
to be condemned for his difobedience, as it is a covenant; for,
there is no condemnation to them that are in Chrijt. It is true, as the
law is a rule of obedience, he remains under it, as much and more
than ever, and ftands obliged thereby to ftudy perfedlion ; and
his difobedience may bring upon him rods and ftripes, and alt
the terrible effefts of God^s fatherly difpleafure, upon foul and
body; but as itisaruleof acceptance, a condition of life, or a co-
venant of works, he hath nothing to do with it, nothing to expccl
fromit, nothing to fear by it: He hath nothing to do with ic, any
more than a wife hath to do with a dead husband, i^o/;2. 7.4. Tears
dead to the law, by the body ofChriJi, that ye might be married to ano-
ther, even to him that is raifed from the dead, that ye might bring forth
fruit unto God. He is not to bring forth fruit any more to the dead
husband, the law, but to Chrift the living husband. He hath no-
thing to expect from it, no life, no righteoufiiefs, no happinefs,
no holinefs by his own legal obedience, but only by Chrift, a bet-
ter covenant ; and he hath notiiing to fear by it, no hel),no death,
no damnation^ no condemnation, no liableneis thereto.

And hence, (5.) We fee what place the believer's obedience
haih in the covenant of ^race. His obedience hath no place

here.

172- Christ the People's Covenant.

here, in point of caufalicy, or proper federal condicionality ; for
this were no turn it into the fame place it had in the covenant of
works: where, tho' there was no merit of condignicy (I know,
few will dare to fay fo) yet there was a merit by paftion ; that is
to fay, there was a promife of life made to works and obedience,
do and live. Bat in the covenant of grace, we aflert, againft all
popilh do6lrine whatfoever,that there is no fach reward of work,
obedience, or perfonal holinefs, upon compa6l and promife ; be-
caufe the tenor of this covenant runs upon the condition of
Chrifl's obedience ..and righteoufnefs, apprehended by faith.
Gofpel-holinefs is of manifold neceffity in the new covenant ;
but the promife of life is not here made to the work, but to the
worker; and to the worker, not for his work, but for the merit
of Chrifl : As forinftance. Be thou faithful to the deaths and I will
give thee the crozvn of life ; the promife is not made to fidelity, but
to the faithful perron,whofe fidelity is a fign that heisin Chriffc,
in whom all the promifes are yea and amen. If the law had
now the promife of life to our obedience, we fliould not have
life and falvation any other way but by the law, and by the
works thereof, Gal 3. 21. If there had been a lav: given that could
have given life, verily righteoufnefs fhould have been by the law :
Therefore our obedience now is not acaufe or condition, but a
neceffary effed: of the covenant, and qualification of all that are
within the covenant ; yea, all whom this covenant take hold of,
it makes them holy : And therefore, zvithout holinefs, no man fhall
fee God ; becaufe without holinefs, no man hath this effeftive
evidence of his being within this holy covenant.

(6.) Hence we may fee what are the motives that now fiiould
influence the believer in his obedience. If Chrifl be the all
of the covenant, and that he is loofed from all his former re-
lation to the covenant of works, he is not to obey either
from a legal hope of heaven, or flavifli fear of hell ; Not from a
legal hope of heaven, for the covenant fecures the purchafe of
that by Chrift's perfect obedience ; not from a flavilh fear of hell,
for the covenant hath fecured freedom from that by Chrift's com-
plete fatisfaftion. The principal motive is the love of Chrill con-
ilrainins!;, the love of a God in Chrifl, who is given for a covenant of
the people. God deals not with believers now according to the co-
venant of works, neither ought they to deal with him as if they
were under it : They ought to mourn for fin, to repent, to con-
fefs, to beg pardon, but not in a legal way, as if they had to do
with a wrathful judge, but as having to do with a merciful Father
in Chrifl; They are to yield obedience to the law, not out of a

fervule

Christ the People's Covenant. 173

fervile fear of hell and wrath, but out of a child- like love and will-
ing mind ; fo far as the believer afts otherwife, fo far he is under
a Spirit of bondage. Neither ought the believer to atl from a
dread and fear of his being difinherited ; fo far as he does fo, it is
notan a6l of faith, but of unbelief; for he cannot view this 'co-
venant, and yet fee himfelf left at an uncertainty. There is no
liablenefs to a forfeiture of its privileges, Chriftis the covenant of
the people.

(7.) Hence fee, if Chrift be the covenant of the people by
God's ordination, why the believer is to take the law only out of
the hand of a Mediator, and yet is not without law to God, when
he is under the law to Chrid. He is not to view it in the firffc
covenant- form in the hand of an abfolute God, but only in Chrift,
and as it is caft into anew covenant-form: And the original autho-
rity of the law is^iot hereby diflblved,nor obligation to obedience
diminiflied, but rather ftrengthened and fweetned, in regard that
this authority does now run only in this fweet andblefled chan-
nel, by the Father's ordination ; yea, the Creator's authority and
fovereignty is in Chrifl, and the whole fulnefs of the Godhead,
and by the voice of God the Father from the excellent glory,
faving. This is my beloved Son, in zvhoml aiwuiell-pleafed ; hear ye
him. We are ^0 much obliged, by the Father's appointment, to
obey him, and take the law only out of his hand, that, if we do ic
nor, we condemn the authority of the Father, and run crofs to
this divine ordination.

(8.) Hence fee, if Chrifl; be the all of the covenant, then be-
lievers have all things in Chrifl:. Chrifl; being the covenant of the
people, this covenant is allhis falvation, and all his defire. All his
falvationis here; and well may the believer fiy,in the exercife
of faith, in Chrifl I have all things at once, neither need I any
thing more that is neceflary to falvation; this covenant is all my
falvation. He may fay, in the point of juflification, Chrill is.
my righteoufnefs,my treafure,my work, my covenant, my all ;
yea, my all in all, for in him dwelleth all the fulnefs of the God- ^
head bodily : And believers are compleat in him, iu/jo of God is
made to them 'voifdom, righteoufmfs, fan^ification and redemption.

(9.) Hence we may fee, if Chrifl: be given for a covenant of the
people^ thsLt theGofpel,fl;ri6llyand properly taken, is a bundle of
good news, glad tidings, and gracious promifcs. Ouf text is a
fum of the Gofpel, and it is a free promife ; / will give thee for a
covenant of the people. There is no precept or command here ;,
the law is properly a word of precept, but not the GofpeL The
law commands all, and the Gofpel promifcs all, it were a difpa-^

ragement

174 Christ the People's Covenant.

ra'gement to the divine law, if it were not perfeft and exceeding
broad, if there were any duty we are called unto, not enjoined
therein. Why ? are there no commands in thegofpel, fay fome?
We are ready, Sir, to confound the difpenfation of the Gofpel,
with theGofpelitfelf; and this makes much wranglings on this
head. The Gofpel, largely taken for the difpenfation thereof,
hath the whole law in it, fubfervient thereunto; butftriftly ta-
ken, it is a quite other thing than the law of commandments.
Faith and repentance may be calledGofpel-commands, if you fpeak
of the difpenfation of the Gofpel ; but if you fpeak of the Gofpel
itfelf, they come in under another confideration. We are to dif-
tinguifli betwixt duties and graces : Faith and repentance, as they
are duties, are commanded in the law ; but as they are^r^r^j-^they
arepromifed in the Gofpel. We aretodiftinguiflibetwixtanew
commanded duty, and anew prefented obje61: ; the Gofpel pre-
fents a new objeil of faith, a God in Chrift : but the fame law
that was from the beginning, obliges us to believe whatever new
revelation God makes : If we underftand it fafely, then we may
fay, the law obliges us to believe the Gofpel; and therefore he
that believeth not the Gofpel, is condemned already by the law, ^ohjz
3. 1 8. And his condemnation fliall be more aggravated, than
if this new objeft of faith, had never been prefented, or if this
new light had never come into the world, f. 19.

(10.) Hence, if Chrifl: be given as the covenant of the people^
then we may fee the nature of faith, and its appropriating quali-
ty. When God fays, / will give thee as a covenant of the people,
faith fays fomething by way of anfwer correfponding with the
revelation and teftimony of God : God fays, I give ; faith fays,
I take,- God fays, I give him for a covenant; faith fays, I take
him for a covenan t ; God fays, / give him for a covenant of the peo-
ple', faith fays, lam one of the people,! take him for my cove-
nant, my own covenant, my own all. It is the people's cove-
nant in the general offer, but my covenant in the particular
application of faith ; faith breaks the fliell, and eats the ker-
nel. The general difpenfation of the Gofpel fays, he is given
for a covenant of the people ; the particular application of faith
fiys, he is given for a covenant to me ; God fays, I give him ;
faith fays, I take him as a gift, a free gift ; God fays, I give him,
it is I that give him; faith fays. Lord, I take him as thy gift, as
God's gift ; God fays, I mil give him, it is my will to do it ; faith
fays, thy will be done, evenfol take him according to thy will,
amen, fobe it; and all the people fJoould fay amen, and every one
for himfelf fhould fay amen to God's offer, and receive and reft
, upon

Christ the People's Covenant. 175

upon him alone for falvation, as he is offered ; and in ^0 doing
believe, that thro' the grace of the Lord Jefus Chrift they (hall
be faved, Ad;s 15. 11.

(11.) Hence, ifChrift be thus given for a covenant of the peo-
ple, fee the ground of faith that all the hearers of the Gofpel have:
Why ? the offer is univerfal to all that hear the Gofpel, I give him
for a covenant of the people. hetJrminians maintain, at their
peril, their univerfal redemption ; but we muft maintain, at our pe-
ri!, the univerfal offer : Neceffity is laid upon us, and woe to us,
if we preach not this Gofpel to every creature. Chrift is fo far
given to all the people that hear the Gofpel, that it is warrant-
able for them to receive the gift ,• it is no prefumption for
them to take what God gives, they fliall not be guilty of viti-
cus intromiffion in fo doing ; nay, they fhall be guilty, tbeyfhall
be damned, if they believe not, and take not God's gift. It is true,
reprobates will exclude themfelves, but this Gofpel-offer does
not exclude them ; they have as fair a revealed warrant to believe,
as the eleft have. We cannot fay, you are an ele6l man, you are
an eleft woman, therefore believe ; we have no fuch commiffion:
Nay, God, by this Gofpel, caff the covenant in among all the peo-
ple, faving, whofoever will, let him take ; whofoever pleafes, let
him take,and in taking, he fliall have a proof of his being an eleft,
As it is faid of the Jews, To them belong the covenant of thepromifes ;
£q fay I to you G^nt/V^j-, the covenant belongs to you, the oromife
is to you and your children ; you have a right and warrant to take
all, and this right was fealed to youinbaptifm, and is proclaimed
to you in this Gofpel, and you fliall be inexcufable if you improve
it not ; you will have none to blame for your damnation but your-
felves, and your own enmity and ilhvill; Towixtrllnot come tome
that you might have life. I 'mould have gathered ■ ;«, at J you would not.
(12.) Hence we may fee the certainty of leconverfionofthe
eleft ; whofe converfion in particular is God's great end and de-
fign in exhibiting Chrifl: as the covenant to the people in general.
It is with a defign to give Chrifl: to them in pojfejjton, that he gives
him to a viflble church in the gofpel-offer. It is for the eleft's fake
that the reprobate have an offer of Chrifl; ; and if once all the e-
ledl were gathered, thf found of this filver trumpet of the gofpel
fliall be heard no more. The difpenfation of the gofpel is the
mean which he fanftifies and bleffes to that end, for working and
begetting of faith in alltheeledl, whofe names, as Ifaid before,,
are all recorded in the original draught of the covenant, which
is indeed a fealed writ, that we have nothing to do with,, till once
we have fubfcribed the open copy that is here before us alL.
. However,,

176 Christ the People's Covenant.

However, this work is not left arbitrary to the will of men, o-
therwife none would ever be willing; for all are enemies, and
thepowerof enmity is infuperable by men: Therefore our text
promifes, not only the means, the general donation of Chrifl: in
the indefinite offer, but alio the power, the effe6lual application
of covenant-grace, to the converfion of all whom Chrifl did un-
dertake for. Why? The covenant here exhibited, is propofed
as a covenant of light, light to the Gentiles, to remove fpiritual
darknefs; a covenant of fight, to open blind eyes, andfo to re-
move fpiritual blindnefs ; and a covenant of liberty, to remove
fpiritual bondage to fin and Satan : all which denote effeftual vo-
cation, which is a being brought from darknefs to light, and from
the power of Satan unto God. And hence we fee, how effe6lual
vocation and faving faith followed upon this very gofpel-difpen-
fation, J^s 13. 47, 48. So that an effectual application of cove-
nant-grace is here promifedto Chrifl, inbehalf of allthat were
given to him : It is abfolutely promifed, that he Jhallfee his feed,
andfee the travel of his foul. Tlie election Ihall obtain, and all that
the Father hath given him, fliallcome to him; and yet we fee
that the accomplifliment hereof, is by ways and means of his ap-
pointment, in the general invitation and call of the Gofpel.
Godfby his will of precept revealed, commands all, wherever
the gofpel comes, to believe,* and he mocks none, for all that do
believe, fliall certainly be faved. And though none have power
to make the means effe6lual, yet the utmofl attendance to the
general call of the gofpel, is of the utmofl concernment to your
Ibuls for eternity ; for who knows that he is not of that number,
whom Chrifl covenanted for, and will make itefFeclual unto?
But fovaflandcomprehenfive is this doctrine, that I might be-y
gin anew, to give a bundle of more inferences therefrom.

( I .) Hence we may fee the miferable circumllances of all un-
believers, that hear this gofpel, and yet refufe God's gift of Chrifl:
as a covenant. They continue under a covenant of works, both
in its commanding and condemning power. That they are
under its condemning power is evident ,• for, fays Chrifl,
He that believeth not, is condemned already : And that they are
under its commanding power, is evident alfo ; for, fays the
Apoflle, they are debtors to do the whole law, Gal. 5.3. In Adam's
covenant, they remain under obligation to duties and punifh-
ment, as long as they are not interefled in the new covenant.
Though by the gofpel they are obliged to feek a title to life rhro'
Chrifl's obedience, and freedom from wrath, through his fknsf^c-
tion,- yet, while this covenant is flighted, they remain obli/red,
in their own perfons, to yield perfe6t obedience, upon pain of

damnation.

Christ the People's Covenant. 177

.damnation. If they be not under the command with the pro-
mife, Do, and live ; they are under the command with the threat-
ning, Do^ and be damned. They are in a miferable ftate ; for the
leail failure, in obedience to the command, brings them under the
whole curfe of the threatning, and wrath of the eternal God,
while they will not have abetter covenant.

2. Hence we may fee the folly of all that prefer any ruining^
covenant to this covenant, which God gives for our relief. The
covenant of works is now a ruining covenant, yet many prefer
this covenant to Chrift, the covenant of the people. Tiiey pre-
fer their doing to Chrift's doing, while they cannot believe they
iliall have acceptance with God upon Chrilt's doing and obedi-
ence ; and yet they will hope, that if they do their bed, then
God will accept of them. O proud devil, that thus makes the
dung of thy duties of more account than the perfeft obedience
of the Son of God ! The covenant with hell is alfo a ruining co-
venant, and yet the world prefers this alfo to this glorious cove-
nant, while they are in league with their lufts, and prefer their
bafe idols to the Son of God, &'c.

(3.) Hence we may fee the difference betwixt the law, and
the gofpe], the covenant of works, and the covenant of grace.
The law promifes nothing but upon our doing; the gofpel4)ro-
mifes nothing but upon Chrift's doing ; he is the covenant of
thepeople. Thecovenantof works promifes life, if we obey in
our own perfons ,• thecovenantof grace promifes life, if we o-
bey in our furety . The condition of the covenant of works, and
the covenant of grace both, is perfe6l obedience ; but here lies the
difference, the condition of the covenant of works is perfe6l obe-
dience perfonal; the condition of the covenant of grace is perfe6l
obedience imputed, and conveyed to us by a faith of God's ope-
ration. Yet both law and gofpel are fweetly fubfervient, the
one to the other, and work to one another's hand, while the law
declares what obedience God requires, and the gofpel provides
that obedience, and points out Chrifl as the all of it; fo that faith
does not make void the law, but efbablillies it, and makes it hon-
ourable, Sc. Chrift hath fulfilled the condition of the covenant,
to the father's contentment ; The Lord is ivell pleafedfor his righ-
teoiifnefs fake, for he hath magnified the la-iv, and made it honourable.

(4.) Hence we may {"cq the difference betwixt Goa's cove-
nant of grace, and our covenant of duties. Our covenant of
duties js either private and perfonal, or publick and national. If
by perfonal covenanting be either meant believing at firO:, and
laying hold on God's covenant, or the believer's engaging, thro'

N ■ irrace^

178 Ch'Rist the People's Covenant.

grace, toferve the Lord in all the duties of religion; it is indeed
the duty and honour of every perfon, to be thus engaged. Pub-
lick and national covenanting is alfo the duty and honour of a
land; itwus the glory of Scotland, that we were folemnly in co-
venant, wherein our fore-fathers, for themfelves and their pof-'
terity, engaged, and fwore againfl: popery, prelacy, fuperftition^
and every thing contrary to the word of God, and to the doc-
trine, difcipline, worfliip and government of the reformed
church of 6Vof/^7;^; and that aswefliould anfwer tojefus Chrifb
in the great day, and under the pain of God's everlafting wrath,
andof infamy, and lofs of all honour and refpe6l in this world.
And, O may not our hearts bleed to think on our defection from
old covenanted principles, and violation of engagements ; yea,
of the burning and burial of our covenants, and many grave-
ftones laid upon the fepulchre ; alfo, the prevalency of ab-
jured popery in this land, without being duly lamented, and the
open introduftion of abjured prelacy, SLndEngliflj Popi/Jj cerenio*
niesandfervices, in many places of the land, without being duly
teftified againlt ; but the zeal of many running in another con-
trary channel I Is it any wonder then, that the infamy and lofs of
honour and refpecl in this world, mentioned in that covenant,
hath come upon us, while our honour as a nation, and glory as a
Ghurch,is funk into the horrible pit and filthy mire of infamy,
bondage, flavery, and contempt? However, covenant obligati-
on to duty is what weflillfland under; though many be afham-
edof, and refufe to ownthefe obligations, yet it is the glory of
our land, however it be now defaced. i\nd therefore, let us,e-
ven in our approaches to a communion-table, go forward, lamen-
ting our finful defe6Hon from the covenanted reformation, ac-
knowledging our folemn covenant-obligation, and hoping, thac
the Lord will, in due time, revive acovenanted work, and poup
out a fpiritof reformation. But let us withal remember, there
is avaft difference betwixt God's covenant and our covenant,
betwixt his promife andourpromife. We may break and change
a thoufand times, but the covenant of grace is unchangeable, and
{lands faft in Chrift. Many poor chriftians miftake matters fad-
ly, by confounding their covenant and engagement to duty,
with God's covenant of grace. They covenant to ferve the
Lord, and the next day they break it ! O! fays the Man, the co-
venant of grace is broken : Grofs ignorance ! the covenant of
^race is a quite other thing. Therefore,

(5.) Hence we may infer, if Chrift be given for a covenant of
the people, the tranfcendent excellency of this, above all other

covenants

Christ the Peoples Covenant. 17^

covenants, whether of legal works, or gofpel duties. For here
the Father is promifing to the Son, that he lliould be a covenant of
the people; and foit imports all the excellent qualities and pro-
perties, that can be in a covenant, i. If Chriil be given of God
for a covenant of the people ,• then it is a divine covenant,
a covenant of God's making, and not of ours. It was made
when we knew nothing about it; it was made when we were
nothing ; yea, when we were forefeen to be a company of
loft and undone finners : God made it with his Son, and
eflablillied all the articles, promifes, and bleflings of it, be-
fore the foundation of the world was laid ; yea, it is God
that makes the ele6t: foul, in a day of power, to take up the
extradlof it, to read it, to loveit, tofignit. Again, 2. IfChrifl;
be given for a covenant of the people, then it is a free covenant
altogether free,abfolute,and unconditional to us. It is a covenant
given of God, I will give thee for a covenant. Our legal hearts are
ftill for giving fomeching to God, and for giving him this and
the other fervice, in hope of pleafing and pacifying him, and do-
ing fo and fo, in order to acceptance with him. Nay, but fays
God, your givmg me is vain, unlefs I give you; your giving is
not the way of it, but I'll give, and you fliall take. The legalill
is always for giving, but the believer is always for taking; you
muft know that here you have nothing to give, but to take.
There is an order indeed obferved in the covenant, and in God's
giving : There is a condition of connexion betwixt one bleffing
and another. Firft the fpirit of faith is given, and then by faith
the man takes other blelFmgs, and receives of Chrift^s fulncfs, and
grace for grace. Here God gives all, and faith takes all. All
that is required, is given; and all that is given, is freely given.
Faith itfelf does but receive a right; it does not give one: It
afts in a way of taking what God gives; it takes the covenant
that God gives, it takes the righteoufnefs of Chrift, which is the
meritorious condition of the covenant, and fo is the means of our
being accounted righteous. Not a promife of life, or of the e-
ternal reward, can the believer lay claim to, but in Chrift ; for all
the promifes are in him y^a, and in him amen; in him, in him,
twice over, as I faid already. Why? we cannot claim any pro-
mife in our own name, upon performing any gofpel-condition,
though by the helps of grace: for then, though it were never fo
fmall, it were of debt to us: But our only claim is in him, that
is, in the right of our elder brother Jefus Chrift ; and thus it
is a debt to him, but only of grace to us. And thus God is
not a debtor to us, but to himfelf, to his own goodnefs

N 2 and

igo Christ the People's Covl^a^jt.^

andfaithfulnefs, and to his Son Jefus Chrift. If either faith or
obedience were a proper condition, then there were a fufpending
the a6ls of God upon fome a-^Ungs of the creature ; which, fays
an eminent divine (Dr. Oiven) cannot be without fubjefting eter-
nity to time, the firft caufe to the fecond, the creator to the crea-
ture. 3. i\gain, if Chrifh be the covenant of the people, then
it is a full covenant, having all things in it. It hath grace and
glory in it, happinefs andholinef> in it, peace and pardon, yea,
Chrift, who is all in all, is in it ,• for he is the all of it. Who can
tell me ofa grace, or gracious quality, that does not fpringoutof
thiscovenant, andthepromifesof it? It takes inallthepromifes
made to Chrift, and to us. Some promifes are conftitutive of
the covenant, as thefe betwixt the Father and the Son, con-
cerning a feed ; and here, Chrift hath fome peculiar promifes ap-
propriate to him, which are not afforded to us in the fame man-
ner and degree. Others are executive, or referring to the exe-
cution, and application of it, as Heb. 10. 11,12. Some are prin-
cipal, and concern the end, eternal life ; others lefs principal, and
concern the means, whether internal, as the Spirit and Faith, or
external, as ordinances, all is comprifed in the covenant. 4. A-
gain, if Chrift be the covenant, then it is a fure covenant, the Jure
mercies of D2Lvid. This foundation of God's ftands fure: This
.covenant is fecured by the oath of God to his eternal Son, Once
have Ifivorn by my holinefs, that I will not lie unto David. He hath
fworn, that the bargain fhall ftand,infomuch that if all the devils'
inhellihould attack the weakeft believer in Chrift, or that ever
looked towards a covenanted Chrift, they cannot ruin him, it is
impoffible; for the covenant, in which he is wrapt up, is efta-
bliflied, drawn up, and concluded betwixt two unchangeable per-
fonsjin prefenceof that confenting, unchangeable witnefs, the
HolyGhoft, one God, and of one and the fame Will efTentially
with the Father and the Son ; The Lord hath fworn, and will not
repent, thou art a prieftfor ever. The parties of the covenant of
grace are not God and man, but God and Chrift ; and the believer
is no otherwife a party, but in Chrift. And here is a bottom of
everlafting confolation, that Chrift and he, are within one and
the fame covenant; and it ftands as fure to them, as it ftands faft
in him. In a word, if Chrift be the covenant, then it is a glorious
covenant, a holy covenant, an everlafting covenant ; but I omit
a great deal of particulars, that I might here mention.

(6.) Hence we may infer, what is the marrow of the gofpel-
feaftin thefacrament of the Supper; it is even Chrift, given of
God to be the covenant of the people : For in the facrament,

Chrift,

Christ the People's Covenant. i8t

Chrill, and the benefits of the new covenant, are reprefented,
fealed, and applied to believers. To take the facramenr, is no-
thing but a mock, if people do not in it facramentally, really, and
believingly take Chrifl:, as the covenant of the people. Yea, the
facramentof the Supper is the feal of the covenant, confirming
to the believer all the promifes thereof; this is theneiv teft anient
inmy blood. The covenant is fure enough in itfelf; but the be-
liever is never too fure of it, while he hath unbelief in him : and
therefore God hath condefcended to give us all that we could re-
quire of the mod faithlefs and diflioneft man upon the face of the
earth, that we may believe him ; not only his word, and writ, and
oath, but his feal too ; and all hath enough to do, to confirm
the believer's faith ; yea, nothing will confirm and (treng-
then his faith, but the fame Almighty power of God which
wrought it at firft, even the power whereby he raifed Chrift from
the dead. Yet, in thefe means, he ufes to convey his power for
that end, and therefore the believer is to ufe them : I fay, the be-
liever, becaufenone, who by unbelief refufethe covenant, are
to meddle with the feal thereof, to profane it ; yea, they that ufe
the feal, and refufe the covenant, they feal their own condem-
nation : for, being under the covenant of works, they feal no o-
ther covenant, than that which they are under; and fo they feal
themfelvesup under the bondage and curfe of the covenant of
works, which is the heavy curfe of the great God. But now, paf-
fing all other ufes, I come to clofe with a word,

II. For exhortation. If God hath given Chrifl to be the cove-
nant of the people, then the native exhortation is, i. That all
the people cake the covenant that God is here giving them. And,
2. That all who take this covenant, take the feal thereof in the
facramentof the Supper. But at this time I confine myfelf to
thefirflof thefe. The firft exhortation is to all the people that
hear me, that feeing God makes offer of his Chrifl to you, and
gives hnn as a covenant of the people, you would take his gift ofl"
his hand. I am come to make an offer of Chrifl, as the all of the
covenant, to you in his name, who is the covenant, and in his
Father's name,who gives him for a covenant of the people. If you •
go to a communion-table,and take the feal of the covenant,before
you take the covenant itfelf, you'll but mock God, and fet a feal to
a blank ; yea, you'll feal your covenant with hell, & trample under
foot the blood of the everlafting covenant. And therefore, I call
you all, before hand, to come and take the covenant. 1 know not
how the call will be entertained; many will flight it, but yet we
mufl make the ofier inGod's name, who bids us preach the gofpel

N 3 to

i82 Christ the People's Covenant.

to every creature. I know, that you cannot and will not em-
brace the offer, without divine Almighty power be extend-
ed ; but he ufes to make the gofpel-offer the channel of his
power to win fouls to himfelf. I know, moreover, that as you
are unworthy of fuch an offer, and 1 moff unworthy to make
fuch an offer ; fo you would mind, it is not me you have to do
with, but the great and eternal God that is offering his Son to
you for a covenant this day : And as it becomes fuch a glorious
God to make fuch a glorious offer ; fo it becomes no vile finner
here torefufe the offer? Andchufe orrefufe you muff, there is
no middle; either you muff receive or rejeft Chrift this day, for
he is offered univerfalJy, to all the people here, for a covenant.
I know farther, that it is one of the hardeft things in the world,
for men to perfwade themfelves, that God is in earneftin offer-
ing Chriff to them, and giving Chrift to them in particular; and
yet,becaure this is the very porch and avenue of faith, O plead
that God would deliver you from fuch blafphemous thoughts, as
lend to give the lie to the God of truth, who fwears by his life,
that he hath no pleafure in your death. Men ftiall find to their coft,
that he called them in earneff to believe, when he damns them
in earneff for their unbelief,- for be that believes not, /hall be dam-
ned. I know further, that many deceive themfelves with a tem-
porary faith, thinking they take Chrift, when there is no faith of
divine operation, but a counterfeit faith of their own forging.
However, the covenant muff be opened, and Chriff offered, tho'
he fhould be a ftumbling block to many, over which they fall, and
break their necks; for the covenant will draw fome to it power-
fully and fweetly, to raife a divine building on a divine teftimo-
ny. I offer then a whole covenant, a whole Chriff to you, in his
Father's name, who gives him for a covenant,- will not you take,
when God gives ? It is true, God is not fpeaking immediately to
you in this text, but to Chrift, faying / will give thee for a covenant
of the people; but ftillfo much the better for you, feeing it is on
your behalf, that God, who cannot lie, the eternal God, is fpeak-
ing to his eternal Son in your favours. There is the furer ground,
•and ftronger argument for your faith, that you may fay,Lord I lake
thee at thy word, and it is not thy word to me only ; if it were
directed imm.ediately tomeat thefirfthand, I am fuch a black fil-
thy monfter of hell, that I durft not credit it ; but it is thy word,
tothefair, fair Immanuel, who is thy heart's darling and delight,
in whom thou art well-pleafed ; and I think thy word to him
nuiftbe afure word, and it is thy word to him concerning me.
Whatever Ibc, I am fure thou wilt not go back of thy word to

him j

Christ the People's Covenant. 183

him ; and lo, I take thee at thy word, and upon thy faithful word
to him, who is the true and faithful wicnefs; I agree to that con-
traft, and put in my name, confenting to have him for a cove-
nant to me. O fure work, if that be the way of it ! as fure as
God is faithful and true to his eternally beloved Son. Well, men
and women, do you find in your heart, thus to take the covenant
in the bulk ? Need I lay any more for motives ? Confider,

1. What for a Hate you're in, while you're out of this cove-
nant. You're under a covenant of works, and fo under the wrath
and vengeance of God, under the bondage andcurfe of the law;
yea, you're in covenant with hell and death by that contraft ;
you have nothing to expe6l, but a terrible death fliortly, and a
horrible hell eternally.

2. Confider, that this covenant is the lall bargain that ever
God will make with you or for you. The covenant of works is
broken, and you're damned for ever, if you be not under another,
for that bargain is blown up. This new covenant is a plank after
lliipwreck tho' it was contrived and tranfafted before the firfl
was broken, yea, from eternity, yet it is a new bargain propofed
to us after the old is gone ; and if you refufe this, there is not a-
nother covenant to faveyou: There remains nomore facrifice for
fin, but a cenainfearful looking for of judgment, and fiery ixirath, that
jhall confume the adverfaries.

3. Confider, that this covenant is a bargain made ready to your
hand. It is not a covenant of your making ; it1\^as made before
the world was made, and drawn up in the counfel of peace, and
the all of it prefented to you in Chrift, who is the great ordinance,
infhitution, and appointinent of the Father, for your relief and re-
covery from fin and mifery ; for him hath God the Father fcafed,
fealed and authorized him to be the bread of life to periihing
fouls, fealed and given him for a covenant of the people, God hath
fealed and made ready a covenant to you ,• and all that is required
of you, is only, that you will not difcreditGod, and make him a
liar, but through grace fet to your feal that God is true, receiving
his tedimony concerning his Son.

4. Confider, that you have a good claim and right to this cove-
nant, or a warrant to accept of it. You have a warrant, by the
call and command of God, to believe,- This is his comviandmenty
that ye believe in the name of his Son : You have a warrant fealed zo
you already by your baptifmal Sacrament; it was a fealed right
to believe in Chrift, and to take him for a covenant ; and you're
obliged thereby to take hold of this covenant, and if you will not fet
your hand to it this day, you practically renounce vour baptifm,

N 4 ' and

1 84 Cbkist the People's Covenant.

and the devil hath a ftrong hold of you. You have a warrant from
the general indefinite promife and publication of this covenant
to you : The promife is to you^ and to your children, cLudjoyou is the
'ujord of this falvationfent : / // give him for a covenant of the people, J
a light to the Gentiles. So that it is publilhed and directed to you,
man ; to you, woman ; you have a good claim to take it for your
own. It is a covenant for you, for every foul of you within the
four corners of this houfe; evenyou that are thinking, O it is not
me that is meant : Yes, it is you. Away with unbelief, and let
your heart fay, this is a covenant for me : That is a believing with
application; and wherefore ami fent here, but to tell you that
this covenant is for you? You're welcome to it, whofoever will.

5. Conilder upon what terms you may have this covenant. On
v/hat terms ? The condition of the covenant is already fulfilled ;
Chriflhath brought in everlafling righteoufnefs, and God hath
accepted it, andiswellpleafedwithit, and on this account pro-
mifes all other things freely : not a farthing have you to pay for
this covenant, it is God*s gift. III give thee for a covenant. There
are but two words necefifary to make up this whole bufinefs ,* the
one is a word from God, faying, / give him for a covenant ; the
other word is from you, faying, I take him for a covenant to me»
The firfh word is faid already, I give ; and if you want faith to fay,
J take, this the covenant hath in the bofom of it. The Spirii to
work faith is promifed in it ; for he that fays, I give him for a cove-
nant, faysalfo, I have put my Spirit upon him ^ and he /hall bring forth
judgment to the Gentiles : Yea, with the fame breath ihit he is gi-
ven for a coi;(?;2a«;, he is given for a light to open blind eyes, and for
liberty to open prif on- doors. Now, faith to take is covenanted, *ind'
this whole covenant-, and all falvation in it, is laid to your hand;
all is given, when the covenant is given. Why, Sir, I think yo:i
leave me nothing to do at all. Yea, as much as you can do, E^ni
that is juft nothing. If you can believe by your own power, then
I'll take back my word; but that I know you cannot do: And I
give you as much to do as my text allows, which off^ers all, when
it ofi'e'rs Chrift for a covenant to you. But will you tell me, what
the worfe are you, that you who can do noticing, getnoching to
do; andtliathe, who can do all things, gets all the work and all
the praife ? Are you not pleafed with thefe terms, to have all
freely, without money, and without price ?

6. Confider, that the moft part of the world rejefts this cove-
nant, and defpifes this free gift of God. The legal unbelieving
heart will not have Chrift atthateafy rate; the devilifli proud
fpiritofmanisnot fet for taking a covenant from God, but for

making

Christ the People's Covenant. 185

making a covenant with him : For as ill as they are at keeping co-
venants, they cannot believe that God will give allfornothing;
and theicf ore they will not take, without making Tome bargain of
their own ; yea, ihey think, that this way of taking Chrift for all,
is an enemy to holinefs. And, becaufe they thus contemn and
reproach this holy covenant of free grace, which only can furnifh
them With holinefs, therefore God hath blafted all their holinefs,
infonuich that tiiere was never lefs holinefs, ormore wickednefs
in a ciiriftian world. 1 fay, the mod part of the world reject Chrift
the glf ed covenant, few in the world will have him, few in Scot-
landwiWh-dve him: And, is it nothing to yon, all ye that pafs by ?
Do you think it a fmall matter, to fee the world crucifying the
Lord of glory, and, inrerpretatively, renewing the bloody tra-
gedy again, that was afted at JeniJalemxt^W'j ? And will ye have
a hand in the murder alfo ? The more they be that rejedl him, the
more ihould > e receive him. He hath long been fet before you
in a preached Gofpel, and you have long refufed him, and you
know not but this may be the lafl communion-olTer that ever
you'l get of him: Tb day if ye ivillhear his voicc,barden not your hearts.

7. Conflder, that you cannot pleafe God, nor glorify himfo
much any way, as by taking this gifted covenant out of his hand»
As Abraham jtaggered not at the promife through unbelief, but was

Jlrong in the faith, giving glory to God, fotakmg this covenant of
promife, is the way to give glory to God. You'll pleafe him bet-
ter than ever your fms difpleafed him, yea, it is impolTible to
pleafe him any other way ; for without faith it is inipojfible to pleafe
God: But in this way you'll pleafe him, and content his heart;,
yea, you'll give more fatisfa6lion to his juflice fora!I your fins,
than your everlafting damnation would do; For this is a cove-
nant with him by facrifice, a facrifice of fweet-fmelling favour,
giving infinite fatisfa(Slion ,• for he that is given for a covenant,.
is given for a facrifice, by which God is pleafed and glorifie<i to
the higheft.

8. To name no more, confider, that this covenant can anfwei*
all objeftions; and the verypropofal ofitin thetextis fuC'i, as
may obviate all, on whatever ground you ftate them. / II give thee

for a covenant of the people, alight of the Gentiles, to open blind eye Sy
andtobring outprifoners out of their prifon-houfe. There is no room,
no place for any objeftion here ; for the tenor of the covenant
anfwers all difficulties. Whatever be the prifon-houfe you're in,
this covenant not only knocks at the prifon-door, but breaks
open the door, and comes in, faying, there is my hand of power
to help you out, will you take my help t Olfracl, thou hafl de-
ft royed

i86 Christ the People's Covenant.

Jfroyed thyfelf, but In me is thy help : Will you have it ? Let your
heart fay, Lord, it is welcome. Areyouin theprifonof thelow-
eil liell, that ever any was in upon earth ? This covenant comes
fo low as to lift you up, if you donotrejeft thecounfel of God a-
gainft your felves. Would you wifli to be free of all that dead-
nefs, hardnefs, blindnefs, ftupidity and enmity, which you reck-
on make you unfit, and unprepared for coming to Chrift, and
taking this covenant ? Why this covenant is adapted for curing
thefe plagues ,' and when you takethiscovenant, youtake it as a
cure for all thefe difeafes, which never can be cured till you take
this remedy ; for to cure your felves, and then come to this cove-
nant, isimpofllble ; but to come to this covenant, and get the
cure of all maladies that afFe6l you, is God's inflituted means of
falvation. AVould youwiflito be free of that temptation, that
you are none of the eleft? Accept of this blelTed bargain, and
your ele6lion is fure. Who dare fay that you're a reprobate, poor
worm of yeflerday's date, will you fpeak as if you had been upon
the privy-council of heaven from all eternity? Will you rather
beguile the devil, by faying, whatever I be, this covenant confli-
tuces my duty, and therefore I'll venture upon the covenant at the
call of God? But, iflbenotoneoftheeleft, I will not get grace
to venture, or grace to believe. What mean you, man, by grace
to believe ? Is not Grace to believe conveyed by fuch a call as.
this ? And therefore, if you ilight this call, you (light the grace
that would make you believe ,* and therefore, O let not the devil
make a fool of you. Would you wifli to be free of that tempta-
tion, that you h^ve finned the fin againfi the Holy Ghofi, and that there
is no mercy for you ? Why, if you embrace this offer this day, yoii
may be fure you was never guilty, nor ever fliall. Tell me the
claufeofthetext, thatfecludes you from meddlingwith this co-
venant ; and why will you debar your felves ? What is the cafe
that this covenant cannot anfwer ? Are there any here, that
have fallc and fickle hearts, that break all bonds.? O here isa
fuicable covenant for you. If you cannot keep the covenant, the
covenant will keep you. The baftard covenants of your own
making, will not keep you, but this covenant will, ^er. 32.40.
Are there any here that want through-bearing in the world, and .
are fear'd fur ftraits, and even tem.porai difficulries ? Here is a
covenant that fays. Bread floall be given thee, and thy zvater [hall be
fure; yea^ t hou verily floalt he fed, and in the day of famine fhall be fa-
tisfied. Are there any here, that cannot get reft among all the
creatures? Here isa covenant thalfaySyComc to me, all ye that are
%veary and heavy laden, and I mil give you reji. Are there an y h er e,

that

Christ the People's Covenant. 187

that think them felves poor abje6l creatures, faying, Olam but a
burden to my felf, and a burden to all that are about me ; no bodv
cares forme, and I fear God cares not forme either; lam cait
out at all hands? Ohere is a covenant that fays. He ix)Ul gather
together theoutcajlsof Ifrael. Is there any here fear'd for death,
and knows not how to get through that dark trance? Oliere is
a covenant fit for you, that fays, O death, I will he thy plague, and
death fJoallbe fwallowed up in victory. Are there any here labour-
ing under defertion? Here is a covenant that fays, /// lead the
blind in a way they know not, Vll never leave you, or forfake you.
Are ye for this covenant ? Is there any here labouring under
temptations? Here is a covenant thatfiys, The God of peace izill
bruife Satan under your feet flwtly ; and my grace fMllbe fiifficient
for thee. Is there any here labouring under the power of lin and
corruption ? Here is a covenant that fays, / will put my Spirit
within you, and caufe you to walk in my Jtatutes ; 1 will fiibdue your
iniquity : Yea, he who is the covenant fays. For your fake I fancii-
fymyfelfthat youalfo might be fan£lified. And again. The water
that! [ball give him, Pmllbe in himawell of water fpringing upto c-
ternal life. Is there any here faying, I am a loft creature ? The
covenant is faying, / come to feek andfave that which zvas lofi. . Is
there any here faying, OI have fmnedto the uttermoftV This
covenant fays, He is able to fave to the uttermoft. If you fay, you
cannot believe, the covenant fays, Chrift, who is the all of the
covenant, is xhc author of faith; and the Spirit of faith is given
when the covenant is given, all grace is given whenitisjgiven.
Are you content to have this covenant, and all the grace of it ? If
you fay, you cannot repent, the covenant fays, Him hath God e.x-
alted with his right hand, to give repentance. What is the cafe that
the covenant cannot anfwer? Why, fay you, you're calling us
all, both wicked and godly, to accept of this covenant ; but does
not God fay to the wicked, what hajt thou to do to take my covenant
in thy mouth, feeing thou hateftinflruhion, andcnfteth my law behind
thy back. Very true, he fays "fo, Pfal. 50. 16. Yea, the voice
of God in the law, fays. Vengeance upon you ; and there is no ef-
caping that vengeance, but by hearing and believing what the
voice of God in the gofpel-covenant fays, and by taking it, not
in your mouth toabufe it, but in your heart to love and improve
it for your fanftification as well as for your juftification, for ma-
king you holy as well as happy. God's covenant is a holy cove-
nant, audit works out rm,and advances holinefs in a!l that are
under it. What, would you have nie believe in Chrift btfare
my life be reformed ? may fbme fay. Yea, 1 would have you be-
lieve

1 88 CvLKisT the People's Covenant.

lieve in Chrifl, in order to reformation, and taking him for a co-
venant, in order to your fanftification. Why then, fay you, I'll
take Chrift and my lufts both. I defy you, man ; if you take
him, you muft let thefe go away ; yea, it is impoffible to take
him, and keep your lufts too : for whenever the covenant of
grace is embraced, the covenant with fin and hell is abandoned.
Andjthereforeif any cometo this covenant, tofeeka flicker to
any one lufl; under it, it is no coming at all, it is no faith, but
fancy: yea, it is a mocking of God, and his holy covenant, and
will bring a curfe upon you, inftead of a blefling. To come
to this covenanr, is to come to the lamb of God, that takes
a-Joay the fin of the 'world; it is a coming to Jefus, to be faved
from fin. But O, fay you, I cannot think that the covenant
of grace fays a good word to me ; I have been making God to
ferve with my fins, and wearying him with mine iniquities. In-
deed tl.e law and covenant of works fays, you are a dead man,
the foul that finneth fl.iall die : but fee what the covenant of grace
fays, Ifa. 43. 24, 25. /, even /, am he that hlotteth out thytranf-
grejjion fonny name's fake. Take this covenant then, and par-
don with it, as well as purification. O, but what fays the cove-
nant to one who hath been neglefting prayer, and forgetting
God all my days ? Why, there is no word in the law for you but
fury. Pour out thy fury on the heathen^ and the families that call not
on thy name. The mcked fJjall be turned, into h^^K '^"^ ^^^ ^^^^ nations
that forget God. But there is a word even for fuch in the new co-
venant, I am found of them that fought me not. O come,and take the
treafure you was never feeking after to this day, and it will fweet-
ly determine you to feek his face all the days of your life. O but
what will the covenant fay to fuch, whofe cafe you have not
touched, and who think their cafe nameJefs, and that minifters
cannot find out a name for them, becaufe they are juft hidden a-
mongfi: the mift of the bottomblefs pic, among thg reek of hell,
fo as they cannot be found out? Why, the covenant hath a word
to you, Ifa. 62.1an:, Thouflmll he called, fought out, a city notforfaken ;
there is a name for you, thou /halt be called, fought out. This
covenant is fentthis day to feek you out from the bottom of the
dark prifoa that you are in, whatever it be ; will you take the be-
nefit of this covenant ? are you for it, men and women ? will vou
haveaChrill: to be a covenant to you? Young people, will you
h^ve him, that you may not live in the devil's fervice ? Old peo-
ple, will you have him, that you may not die with the devil in
your arms? Drunkard, will you have him, that you may get a
drink of the new wine of confolation ? Unclean perfon, will you

have

Christ the People's Covenant. 1S9

have him, to wafliyou, that you may befitted to walk with him
in white? Swearer, will you have him, that your tongue may
be fitted for ?i Hallelujah? Men and women who hath i^tvGn de-
vils in you, will you have him, who hath the fevcn fpirits that are
before the throne (that is, the eternal Spirit with his various o-
perations) that he may put the devil outof you, and put his Spi-
rit within you? Whofoever will, may have a covenant this day,
that will niake you up for ever. Is there any here that dcfpifes.
all this love, faying, 1 will keep my lulls and fins, fay you what
you will ; it is but a new fcheme, perhaps, out of your own head ;
1 have no fancy for that covenant ? Say you fo, man ! then as the
Lord lives, you havefpoken thisagainft your own life. I pro-
tefl againrt you, in the name of God, and I iliake the duO: off my
feet, in witnefs againft you, that on the 19th day of Aigufi ij2,2y
at a communion of Dunfermline, Chri(l,and in him all the covenant
of grace, was offered to you, and you refufed him; and if you
live and die in that mind, 1 fummon you to anfwer for this refufal,
before his awful tribunal at the great day. But, becaufe I am
courting a bride for my glorious Mafter,! would fain fpeak her
fair on a marriage day ; therefore, O refufer and defpifer of
Chrift, will you bethink yourfelf yet, and return again; many a
flight have you put upon this glorious Chrifl, and yet he is con-
tent to take you for all that, he is loth to take a. denial ; and there-
fore I would ask, in his name, before you give him a total refufa]j>
will you tell me, where will you do better ? Will a broken cove-
nant of works be a better bargain for you? or will the black co-
venant with hell, and with your lufts and idols, be a better bar-
gain for you? or, is the vain perifliing world a better bargain ?
No, no, the devil himfelf does not think fo, whatever he fuggeffc
to you. But, again, before you give him a total denial and refufal,
will you tell me, how you will do without him ? or, if you make a
ihift while you live, O how will you die without him ? and how
willyouflandin judgment without him ? and death and judg-
ment may be at hand. There are many dead, and gone to eterni-
ty, fince the lafl communion here ; and this may be the laft com-
munion-invitation that you ever will get : If you refufe Chrift
now, it may be the laft offer that ever you will get of him ,* he
hath taken many refufalsofyour hand already. And, finally, be-
fore you refufe him wholly, think again what you are refufing ; is
Chrifl a defpicable perfon, of no more worth but to be flighted by
you, and trampled under your feet ? Is he a hateful objeft, whom
yet the tongues of all the glorious feraphims are not worthy to
adore ? Is the everlafting covenant a matter of moon-fliine ? Is

ihe-

ipo Christ the People's Covenant.

the love of God, the blood of Chrift, the eternal interefts of your
immortal fouls, and the divine glory, all matters of indifFer-
ency toyou ? Is the greRt ^eh oval/ s giving Chrift to be a cove-
nant ofthe people, a contemptible thing ? -And is this a gift not
worth the taking ? O no, no, fay ye, furely it is a worthy offer.
Why then, by the awful authority ofthe eternal God, and by the
blood and bowels of his eternal Son, I adjure you to take him and
his Father's blelTing, and all the bleffings of the emrlafiing cove-
nant with him. O, fay you, I think I am gained and overcome
by this offer and propofal; but I know not if itbeapaffmgtho't
that will vanifli, or a real faith that will abide the trial; 1 fear it
be but loofe work, and a temporary flafli. Why, man, the cove-
nant canrefolve you in that difficulty; and it fays. Fear not, for
I am thy God, I willjlrengthen thee, I am thy fahation. Are you
content to take the covenant for this end, to difcover thedefefts
of your faith, and to work in you the faith of God's ele6l ? Can
you fay, that it is not in your faith, but in Chrift himfelf, that you
arefeeking falvation; that you are not building your faith upon
your faith, nor your hope upon your hope, but both your faith
and hope upon the covenant. Can you fay, that whatever be
wrong about you, and about your faith ,• yet you fee there is no-
thing wrong about Chrift and the covenant, but that it is well or-
dered in all things and fure, and fuch as can right all that is wrong
about you ? Can you fay, however I am in the dark about my
faith, yet I have fometimes found out my unbelief, and that I
could no more believe, than I could move the earth from its cen-
ter; but yet the joyful found of the Gofpel-grace hath touched
my heart, and made me take up fo much glory and excellency in
Chrift, that I think all the world nothing in comparifon of him ;
andl think my heart's defire is, Oto have him for my prophet,
to take away the darknefs of my mind ; as a prieft, to take away
the guilt of my fins ; and as a king to take away the power of my
lufts. Fain would I have him, that thus my foul may be bleftin
him, and his name may be gloried in me. Why then, whatever
you think of your faith, and of yourfelf,as theblackeft monfter
of fin and guilt that ever was out of hell; yetitfeems you have
the faith of God's ele^l. I would fain hope, that fome fouls in
this affembly are taken hold of by grace, and content to fign this
covenant with their heart: And woe's me, that there fliould be
any here that will let all this love and grace, and this good pri-^e
goby them, and they never have a heart to it. But yet, fome
that through grace have a heart to fign, may be faying, O
I cannot write, I cannot believe, I cannot fubfrnbe, though I think I

ivoiild

Christ the Peepk's CovENANt. 191

would doit ivith athoiifand good-ivills. Say you fo, man? Til tell
you good news, Chrift hath the book of the covenant in the one
hand, and the penis in his other hand, ready to fetdown your
name, and to fubfcribe for you ,• only declare before witneffcs
that you cannot write, and do you touch the pen, faying. Lord,
fct down my name, confenting to every article of the covenant,
and pleafed with the whole frame of it : If you fay fo ? well, it
is done, for he hath the pen of a ready writer ; your name is with-
in the bond already. Butif grace will help you to anewatl of
faith, a flronger acl, read over the covenant again, and hear how
thegreaty^/jaW;isfpeaking, andnoti, andfpeakingto his only-
begotten Son that lies in his bofom, faying, I idHI give thee for a
covenant of the people. Now, lee faith fay. Lord, 1 take thee at
thy word; I hear thee fpeaking to thy beloved Son concerning
me a poor, dark, blind, and bound Gentile ; wilt thou ever go
back of thy v/ord to thy Son? No, in defpight of the devil, I
think that is thefurefl: word that was ever fpoken; it is to him
thou fpeakefl:, and to me in him ; and therefore, behold, I take
thee at thy word: black and ugly as I am, the covenant can make
me fair and clean ; I'hy grace hath conquered me, thy love hath
drawn me, and lam pleated with the bargain; and I fee it is the
bed bargain that ever was, for advancing thy eternal glory, and
*my eternal good,* Ifeeit isallmy falvation, and allmydefire,- I
fee it is well ordered in all things and fure : Why then, the Lord
be thanked, that it is a done bargain, and that God's gift is recei-
ved. And therefore, having taken the covenant, never fland
to take the feal in the facrament of the fupper.

Xhe Substance of fome DISCOURSES after the
SACRAMEiy'r, upon the fame Subject.

NOW, my friends, it were not fit I lliould detain you, by
fpeakingto thefeveral fortsof people here; I fliall only
dropafew words in the general. 1 tbink,if my heart de-
ceive me not, the great thing I was helped to feek, fome time be-
fore this folemnity, was not only afliftance to minifters, and to
my feif, fo as to be carried through the work, for I thought that
would foon come to little account ; but I would have hac} a day of
power among you that are the people, that the glory of the Lord
might fhine among you. And now, what fliall I fay? O to whom
is the arm of the Lord revealed ? Hath the right-hand of the Lord
done valiantly, even the man of his right-hand, whomheharh
made flrong for himfelf ? Hath the Lord appeared as yet for as

much

192 Christ the- People's Covenant.

much of the work as is over ? or fliall we expeil that he will ap-
pear in the work that is yet to follow? or fliall our prayer jufl:
only return to our bofom again ? I would ask you, what welcome
entertainment hath Chrifl:, the Father's gifted covenant, gota-
mongyouthis day? He hath given him for a covenant of the
people, and who of all the people have welcomed the Father's
gift?' I fear there are many fools here, that have a price in their
hand, but no heart to the bargain. But to all the defpifers of
Chrifl:, and all the refufers of Chrifl in Dunfermline this day, in cafe
the Lord may catch you with a word yet before you go, I have
a word to fay to you, whether you have been at the Lord's table
or not. Altho' the facrament-table is drawn, yet the covenant-
table is not drawn, it is covered yet, and Chrifl is the feafl that is
fet upon it, and you are all welcom.e; for all that have eaten,
there is bread enough, and to fpare, in his Father's houfe. Chrifl:
as the covenant is off*ered to you, man, to you, woman, to you that
are before me, and behind me, and round about me in every cor-
ner of this place ; tho' I do not fee you, yet God's eye is upon you,
and his word is dire6led to you : Yea, this covenant is directed
and offered to you, he is the people's covenant; let the people
come, be who they will, even the vileft monfter of fin out of hell ;
God's giving him in this Gofpel, is your warrant for taking him:
And if you will not hearken to this Gofpel-offer of Chrifl for a
covenant to you, I charge you, in God's name, and as you will an-
fwer at his tribunal, to declare before him and your own confci-
ences, what ye have to fay againft him: Is it that you are not
holy ? Nay, you fliall not have that to fay, for to the unholiefl:
foul here this covenant is offered, for this end, to make you holy ;
and never fliall you be holy, till you come and accept of it. Is it
that you have not grace to come ? Why, man, when this cove-
nant is offered, Chrifl and all the graces in him is offered ; and
among the reft, grace to draw you : And if you will not put away
this grace from you, it will take hold of you. Is your objection
this, I fear my unbelief, enmity and ill-will, put away all that
grace? Why, that is the thing mofl to be feared; and yet, if that
be indeed your fear, there is the lefs ground of fear ; for this co-
venant is offered to you, to takeaway your ill-will and enmity.
Are you content to have God's gifted covenant for that end.^
Really I know not what good thing it is in all the world that you
want or need, but what is offered to you in this covenant, for
Chrifl is the all of the covenant; andhe, who is the all of it, is all
in all : And therefore I charge you again, before you bid him fare-
wel, to declare what,^^ou have to fay againft him, whom God is

giving

Christ the People's Covenant. 193

giving for a covenant. Shall I take your filence for a confelTion,
that you have nothing to fay againfl him ? Then, byihegloryof
God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, by the eternal falvationof
your immortal fouls, by all the joys of the redeemed, and torments
of the damned, I charge you all, and everyone of you, towel-
come the covenant of the people that God is giving, and that by
your hearty faying, even fo I take him, as the Father oiFers him
in the Gofpel, to be a whole covenant to me, to do all my
work in me, and for me.

What fay you, drunkard, fwearer, whoremonger, fcarlet-co-
loured iinner in Dunfermline ? what fay you communicant and
fpc6lator? It may be, the thing that keeps you back, is, O lam
umvorthy to have him. True ; but unworthy monfler of hell as
you are, if you think him worthy to be received, I charge you
again, by all the blood that he flied at Jemfalem, and by all the
bowels ofcompalTion that move within him, that you do not re-
fufe him, but welcome God's gift, welcome God's fent ; faying,
Blcffed is he that comet h in the name of the Lord. If, after all, you are
faying, flay, a little. Sir, let me take it to advifement for fome
days j no, no, men and women, I have no commilTion to allow
you a day, or an hour's delay ; To day ify£ mil hear his voice^ harden
not your heart : If you refufe to day,I know not but you may be in hell
to morrow. What if the next hour the breath fliould go out of your
body ? and if your foul be removed out of your body before it flee
in to Chrift, you are gone, you are undone forever and ever. If God's
.omnipotent grace and almighty power, which only can make you
willing to accept of his offer, be not accompanying this call, he
needs not our apology. He is the fovereign, that's obliged as a
debtor to none but himfelf, and his own pleafure, and his Son's
righteoufnefs ; yet flill you are obliged to obey his call, and your
wilful rejecting is inexcufable. And therefore, if, after a'l, this
^\\Ui{ Go{\ for a covenant of the people, ht^Li^ued by you, you not
bein^; content tiiat Crod fliould rend and tare the old contra6l that
v/asbeiwixtyouandyour Juft, but efteeming it above this cove-
nant, bccwixr God t\\& giver, and you the rcfufer, be it ; let him
and you reckon together, I hope I am free of your blood this day ;
for there wi'i be blood in the cafe. Ifyou will not have the blood
of the evei lafling covenant to wafli you, to juflify you, to fanftify
and fave you, n( ir be!ie\ e that God gives it to you to be received
for thar end, then rhcre will be blood for blood : He that belicveth
not,fhaU be damned. Remember what a free offer of Chrifl: you have
got thii. day ; you have nothing to pay for this covenant, I'll give
thee for a covenant ,• you have nothing to pay for a pardon, the

O condition

194 Christ the' People's Covenant.

condition of the covenant is fulfilled by Chrift, and in it is a full
payment of all debt ; and therefore, fo freely is the pardon and
life offered to you that you cannot have it till you have nothing to
pay for it. See how the creditor deals with the debtor in the pa-
rable, Luke 7. 42. fVhen they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave
them both. Now, the legal old covenant-heart of many fays, with
the wicked fervant, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee
all ', I will grow a better man, I will fall a repenting and reform-
ing, and then I hope God will pardon me : That man hath fome-
thing to pay, at leafl he fancies fo, and therefore he hath no for-
givenefs.But when a poor foul is brought to this,0,I have nothing
to pay ; if I be the payer of my own debt, it will never be paid for
me; the debt of fatisfaftion will never be paid for me ; the debt
ofobedience, the debt of duty ; I have nothing to pay my debt ;
3iay, not the leaft farthing of the debt, were it but a good tho't, it
can never be paid by me. Why then, that man ftands fair for a full
remifiion, according to this free covenant ; fFhen they had nothing
to pay, he frankly for gave them both. Are you for this new covenant-
way of it, to come and bring nothing, and get all freely oat of the
covenant that belongs to grace and glory, debt and duty, happi-
nefs and holinefs ? Now, what fliall 1 fay to God, when I go back
to my clofet, where I was pleading the laft week, that he would
Ihew his glory, and draw fome of you to himfelf ? Shall I go with
a complaint upon you, and fay. Lord, they will not come ; they
prefer their bafe lufts to the glorious Lord Jefus ; the drun-
kard prefers his cups to thee ; the whoremonger prefers
his whoredom to thee ; the covetous man prefers the world
10 thee ; the legalifl prefers his own righteoufnefs to thee ?
Shall we complain to this purpofe ? or, will you give occaflon to
Chrifl to complain upon you to his Father ,• faying, Father, thou
didfl give me to be a covenant of the people, but yonder is a
people in Dunfermline, that care not for me, and defpife thy gift ;
Theywillnotcoinetome,that they might have life. O will not the
Father frown upon you, when the Son complains upon you ?
And, 0,Ifyou continue ofthat mind, he will frown you to hell.
ButO may we hope,that fome at leafl have fubfcribed their names
to the covenant this day ? We would go back to God with a fong
of praife in our mouths,and glorify his name for the wonder of his
grace; yesi,ifImayfoexprefsit, Chrifl would with a glad heart,
Ihew his Father the copy of the covenant that you have figned,
and that was offered and direfted to you,as to the Gentiks,to thefe
that were under darknefs,blindnefs and bondage, andinthepri-
fon of fin, death,and wrath. Will not the Father bepleafed^when

the

Christ the People's Covenant. 195

the covenant-roll is read over, with the names of all the fubfcri-
bers and aflenters to the covenant, and your name among the
reft? There is one that fubfcribed his name thus, I, one of the
people, one of the Getitiles ; I, one of the blind and bound prifon*
ers, alTenting and confenting. Well, may God fay, Was not the
covenant diredted and offered to the people of that name ? Yes,
Father, it was. Why then let the name ftand there regiftrate to
eternity, it fliall never be blotted out for me; him that cometh
I will in no wife call out. Since they had no better name to fign
withal, than the name of fmner, apoftate, back-flider, criminal,
leper, blackamore, flave, and hell's drudges ; yet afTenting and
confenting to this covenant, this covenant that they have fubfcri-
bed, fhallmake their names better than that of fons and daugh-
ters. They fliall have a name among the living in Jerufalem,
even a new name, and the white ftone, that no man knoweth but
hethatreceiveth it. Now, as we have a commilTion from the
Lord to tell you, that you're welcome to him ; fo, O fliall we
have a commiffion from you, to tell him that he is welcome to
you ? Since God the Father declares, that you're welcome to
his Son, faying, / mil give him for a covenant of the people ; (liall
we go and tell him, O God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrifl,
yonder people have taken thee at thy word, and are faying in
their hearts, thy Son is welcome to them? Oif Chrifl: and you
welcome one another this day, whether it be the firil welcoming
tofomeof you, or a confirmed welcoming to others, if he and
you, I fay, be welcoming one another this day, glory, glory to
God, that ever this day dawn'd. Eternity will be duration little
enough to praife him for this day. Glory, glory to God for the
three happy meetings ; glory to him for the happy meeting be-
twixt the divine and human nature in one perfon, that is the glo-
rious perfon given to be a covenant to you ,• glory to him for the
happy meeting betwixt juftice and mercy, who havekifs'd one
another, and faid, we are both pleafed, and are honoured by him,
who is given /or f^^ covenant of the people; and glory to him for
the happy meeting betwixt the Saviour and the fmner; betwixt
the covenant and the people ; is it a meeting indeed ? Hath the
Lord God of the Hebrews met with you in Dunfermline ? Hath
the covenant taken hold of your hearts? O glory to him then,
for it is a meeting never to part, the covenant will never quit the
hold again ,* and therefore, as you have received Chrifl, fo walk you
in him ; as you have received God's gifted covenant, fo make ufe
of it and improve it. When you find you have no righteoufn efs,
look to the covenant to furnifli you, for his name (liall be called

O 2 THE

ig6 Christ the People's Covenant.

THE Lord our Righteousness. When you find you have no
llrength, look to the covenant to furnifh you; for it fays. My
Jhength/hall beperfe^ in thy weaknefs. When you find you have
no fife nor hvelinefs, look tn che covenant to furnifli you ; for it
fays, / am the refurreStion and the life. When you find little of
the Spirit's infiuences, look to the covenant to furniili you ; for
it fays, i will pour water upon him that is thirjly^ and floods upon the
dry ground. When you find you have muchlin and guilt in and
about you, look to the- covenant for pardon ; for it fays, 7,
even I, am he that blottethout thy tranfgrejjions for my name's fake.
When you find your lufts and corruptions to be powerful and pre-
valent, look to the covenant for mortification ; for it fays. Sin
/hall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law, but under
grace. When you find little or no holinefs taking place in your
hearts and ways, look to this holy covenant, and it will make you
more holy than ever the covenant of works could; for this cove-
nant of grace does prefentthe law with a perfect holinefs, whe-
ther you take it as the law of works, or a rule of life in the hand of
a Mediator. As the law is a covenant of works, the believer
hath, by this covenant, a perfeft holinefs in his hand, a divine
righteoufnefs anfwering to that: And as the law is a rule of life
in the hand of Chrift, the believer hath, by this new covenant,
aperfeft holinefs alfo, not only by vertueof his union to Chrifl
the fountain of holinefs ; but in hisown perfon,he hath a perfefti-
on of parts here, and a perfection of degrees hereafter. But as
to this perfe6lion of parts in time, it is indeed many times fo low,
that the believer can hardly difcern it. Why, may one fay, the
thingthat frightens me, is, left I be a pra6lical antinomian^ and a
Gofpel hypocrite : becaufe, though I think my heart goes in to
the ofi'er of Chrift as a covenant, yet I can never find the power-
ful and fanftifying virtue of this covenant, to defi;roy my lufls
and corruptions, butfi:ill iniquity prevails againffcme : And can
I take comfort in the covenant, in that cafe, without abufing free
grace to licentioufnefs ? For clearing this, I Ihall only fay to you,
that if you can nourifhand cherifii fin, and yet take comfort in
the covenant, that comfort is fufpicious, and flows from a fancy,
and not from the faith of God's operation; for he that hath this
hope, purifieth himfelf, even as God is pure. Faith purifies the
heart, wherever it is in exercife ; and to take comfort in or from
the covenant, and yet takepleafureinfin, at the fame time, is a
dream, and a delufion that the believer cannot be under, unlefs he
beinafitof temptation. But as to fin prevailing, fin may prevail
againll a believer, and yet he may have comfort in the covenant ;

as

Christ the Peoples Covenant. 197

ri'i Da'ijidh2^A\Y\\Qr\\\c{^js^imqidtks prevail agairijl me ; they are
ngainft my will, againft my heart, againft my prayers, and againft
my inclinations ,• and he immediately adds, As for our traiifgref
fions, thou ii'ilt purge them aivay Pfal. 6s. 3. But thou, poor Ibul,
that fays you never found the fanftifying virtue of the covenant ;
why, did you never get grace to wrellle againft fm ? that is fome
virtue. Doth prevalency of fm never humble you to the duft?
that is fome virtue. Do you fee and lament your own unholinefs ?
that is fome virtue. Doth the fenfe and feeling of the power of fin,
never make you long for complete viclory and freedom from fin ?
that is fome virtue. Did the power of a body of death never make
you look upon yourfelf as wretched, faying, 0 I'jretched perfon
that I am, u'ho ixiill deliver me from hi that is fome virtue. Did
the prevalency of fin never drive you to the blood of Chrift, tlie
fountain open for fin and for uncleannefs? that is fome virtue.
Are you never glad of any viftory you got over your corruption ?
yea, that is fome virtue. ' How do you find it with you, when the
light of the covenant is fliining on your foul? Do you not find
your heart rifingagainfi: fin? then that is fome virtue. Howdo
you find it with you, at times, when iniquity is prevailing? Do
you not find yourfelf uneafy, and out of your element, till the
Lord-return ? that is fome virtue. Do not you deny the fanfti-
fying virtue of the covenant,- and what can be the reafonofit,
that even though you fignthe covenant, and go into it, yet you
findfo little of its powerful fanftifying virtue? I'll tell you one
reafonof yourficklenefs and inconftancy this way : It may be,
when you figned the covenant, you put not your name at the fooc
of the bond, but fet your name too far up, as if you were a party
covenanting ; you are to fign as a party confenting, but not as a
party contra61ing. The covenant was drawn up, and figned by
two unchangeable parties from eternity, the Father and tlie Son;
and you, forfooth, would have your name in the midll of the con-
tract, as if you were promifing, and contra6ling fomething for
your part conjun6lly with liim, who is thefirfi:, and the lad, and
the all of the covenant. Remember you arc but a poor aflenter
at thebefi, and therefore put your name lower down; for your
workis julVto do nothing, but to confcnt to take him, to do ail
your work in you, and for you ; for, fays the Lord, in my context
here. My glory ivill I not give to another. He accounts it the fi.aiT-
dingof his glory, to perform all that is within the covenant; and
he will not letany footy fcullionof hell, like you, or me, count
our doits among his gold. The higher place that you take for
your name in the covenant, the more lickle are you ; but the

O 3 lower

ipg Christ the People's Covenant.

lower place, the more liable : Therefore^ when you fign the co-
venant a-new, put your name further down, below his who is the
covenantor the people,* let him be the all of the covenant to
you, the worker of all your work, and you but an on -waiter ; for
his glory he will not give to another. Perhaps fome may be fay-
ing, OSir, the thing that fears me at this occafion, is this, I am
put all in confufion, with the differences that are among you that
are minifrers. What do I know, but the reproach of a new
fchemedots juflly belong to fome of you, and that I may be in a
delufion ? Whatdol know, but your way of opening the cove-
nant of grace may be fuch as others will call an enemy to theiaw,
and to holinefs ? Why, what llialllfayto you, poor thing? Lee
God be true, and every man a liar. The Lord forbid that we
ihould fpeak wickedly for God, and talk deceitfully for him.
\^ there be any perfon here, that never found this do6trine
of grace have any other tendency than to lead them to li-
centioufnefs, I'll pawn my life, that he is not a believer, but a
perfon ignorant of the myfleryof theGofpel. But what fay you,
believer, cannot your experience bear witnefs for God, and his
gracious covenant, that however vile and unholy you findyour-
felftobe, yet, when the new covenant cord of free grace is wxTV^t ^'
bout your heart, does it draw you to the love of fin, or to th^ love
of holinefs'? The more lively faith you have of Chrifl's being your
treafure, your righteoufnefs, your covenant, your all, for debt
and duty both, do you not find holinefs the more lovely to you,
and his love conflraining you the more to delight in his fervice?
Let the worn of God, and the experience of all thefaints, in an a-
greeablenefs thereto, decide matters of this fort. But, O poor
believer, do not caft out with Chrift, tho' even many of his friends
lliould caft out with one another ; be not Humbled in a day of re-
proaches and offences ; hlejfed are they that fimll not be offended at
Chrifi: ; let your hearts go in to the offer of Chrift as a covenant,
to make you both holy and happy. Now if you have got little this
day, leave the complaint upon yourfelves, for God and his ordi-
nances are not to blame ; your iniquities do feparate betwixt you
and your God : And yet, fay not you have got nothing, if you-
have got but a crumb, "for that portends that there is more coming
in the Lord's time and way. Why, what is a crumb? If you be
made more humble than you was, that is a crumb. Have you got
more light into the covenant ? thatisa crumb. Have you got
more defire after Chrifi ? thatis acrumb. Are you longing more
to be free of fin, and like unto Chrift? that is a crumb. Have you
got fo much as gives you a ftomach for anoth^ marriage- fup-

per?

Christ the People's Covenant. 199

per ? that is a crumb. If you have got not fo much as a crumb,
believer, it may be waiting for you in a clofet, or a fecret cor-
ner ; and, in the mean time, the Lord may be calHng you to
refleft upon fome old long fince experience, when you get a
more fenfible gripe of the covenant than now ; and to live by
faith, and wait at wifdom's door. And you that have been fed,
and feafled this day, O refolve, through grace, henceforth, a
flated war againfl all Chrift's enemies within you, and without
you ; and do all you can, to keep the ground you have gained up-
on enemies ; and fit not down fecure, otherwife Satan will foon
trip up your heels. Ly not down to (leep after meat, for God
hath fed you, to run the race that is fet before you, and to flrive
whofhall run fafteft in the way to heaven, Folhwing Chvijl the
fore-nmner ; you are to follow none, but as they follow Chrift :
The moft godly minifters are but limited examples ; you are to
follow them fo far as they follow Chrift, but no farther. Be ye fol~
towers of me (faid Paul) as I am of Chrift : Take the word of God
for your rule, and gofpel-truth for your ftandard, and the rather
that there are many in this generation, who M'ould be content that
fomegofpel-truthswercfcrapedout of the Bible ; but let your
prayer be. Lord, fend forth thy light and thy truth, that they may guide
me. Inaword, your life mull be a living by faith upon the cove-
nant, the unchangeable covenant, that is eftabliflied betwixt two
unchangeable parties, the Father and the Son. Here is a fure
ground of faith ,• whereas the reafon of your daggering is, be-
caufe you put in your felf as the one party, who are but a changel-
ing that changes every touch ,• but it is concluded betwixt two
unchangeable parties, whereof none of them ever rues the bar-
gain. O, fays, the poor foul, tho' I have been helped toconfent
to this covenant, and fubfcribe it with all my heart, yet I fear I
play the devil, and my heart break loofe again. Yea, it may be
fo ; but this covenant fays, I'll have you to heaven, if you were
even a devil ; I'll draw you back again, tho' you were even in
the very mouth of hell : And I think, you will find he hath done
fo heretofore, believer, when you thought you fo far down in the
pit, that the Lord would never return again to lift you up ; he
hath returned, and furprifed you, and, it may be, has done fo at
this occafion. O blcfs him, and ferve him, and improve his co-
venant ; yea, let me tell you,believer, you having embraced the
covenant, it lies upon God's honour to keep you, becaufe he
ftands engaged to his Son ; this word of honour is pafi:.

Some, it may be, are dill qiieftioning their right to believe.
their right to take Chrift, their right to fubfcribe to this cove-

O 4 nanc

200 Christ the People's Covenant. -II:

nant ; they fland, as it were, at the back of the door, faying,
what right have I V Indeed, if you were a party and aftor in this ^
covenant, you might fpeak at that rate ; but that you are not, you
are only to be affenter and confenter. Your legal heart dreams
alvvaysthatGod will not accept of you, unlefs you do fo and fo :
Butknovv that God andChriftdoallhere ; and they have bound
themfelves, by this covenant, to do all : Andif you willdoany J
rhing, flay till you be able to do more than God hath done, than
Chriil hath done ; and that will never be. God engaged, in this
covenant, to hold Chrift's hand, and to uphold him in the work of
redemption ; the Father bears equal burden in the work, and all
the three perfons of the glorious 1 "rinity hath one equal will to it ;
and therefore, feeing a Trinity hath done it, the work is com-
jDlecely done. O what fools are they then, that refufe to join
in with this covenant, becaufe of their own fliort-coming, and
becaufe they cannot do fo and fo ? Why, you can do all that you
are bound to do in this covenant, and that is juft nothing at all ;
for Chrift is the covenant, and the all in all of it. If ever you do
any thing acceptable in God's fight, it is the covenant of grace
that does it in you. But now as to your right to come to this cove-
nant, whati'ight would you have, but much mifchief and mifery,
to be a right on your part ; and the offer, call and command of
heaven, to be a right, on God's part ? There is all the right to be-
lieve that I know. You would have a right founded on fome
righteoufnefs of your own ,• you would have in your clouted
clokc with his fair robe 5 but God will have none of your black-
ned righteoufnefs. The right is now, welcome, hard heart, to
get foftening grace out of this covenant ; welcome, guilty foul,
to get pardoning grace out of this covenant ; welcome, filthy
finner, to get fanilifying grace out of this covenant ,• welcome,
chief of finners, finner above all finners, welcome, to come and
get falvation out of this covenant. Will you then object, and fay,
O I cannot turn from fin, and 1 mufi: do that before I come ? Why
rnan,wi]l you tell me,who but the devil taught you to take Chrifl;'s
room, and to take his work and employment out of his hand ?
His name is Jefus, becaufe he faves from fin. O let him in, and
he will fpeak for himfelf ; he will fay to the devil, fi:and by, for I
have broken your head ; he will fay to fin, ftand by, for 1 have
condemned you by the facrifice ofmyfelf : Hecondemn'd fin
in the fieili. Yea, he will fay to jufi:ice let me through toheaven,
with aj] my ranfomed at myback ,' for I have given you full
fatisfaclion. O let him fpeak for himfelf. Chrift hath got the
management of all about the covenant ; and when we take hiL:..

we

Christ the People's Covenant. 2or I

we take holinefs with him, we take perfedl holinefsinhimfor ^

juftiilcation, and we get an imparted holinefs from him for San6li-

fication. Whatisthereafonofyour wantofliolinefs ? Becaufe

you do not take Chrift ? What is the reafon that fome, who take

Clirift, have httle holinefs about them ? Even becaufe they take

him very aukwardly,if I may fo callit, they take himbackward-

]y. Ifwe were better at taking what God gives, we would find

more holinefs fpringingup ,• whole taking of him would make

whole holinefs to you, but your broken taking of him makes

broken holinefs. O he is the performer of the covenant, and

the performance itfelf, the doer of all our work in us and for us :

And ifour taking him, and believing on himj were more perfect,

our holinefs would be more perfeft too ; for faith purifies the

heart. A poor lean faith makes poor lean obedience and fanc-

tification. O if you could get Chril!: once in your arms, you get

all that the Father hath promifed: But, poor foul, the beft way

for you, when you find your own weaknefs and wickednefs, and

fear the Father's wrath, is to take Chrift, as it were, and fliut him

into the Father's arms, and that will pleafe him. When you gee

Chrift in your arms, you want no more, you have all you need ;

and v/hen God the Father gets Chrift in his arms, he wants no

more, he hath all that he feeks ; This is my beloved Son, in ivhoui

1 am well pJeafed.

Know this covenant, as it is inlarged upon, in the text and con-
text, (i .) It is a covenant for light, a light to the Gentiles. Chrift is
the wifdom and light of poor fouls, and teaches them all the good
leftbns that they learn ; What leftbns ? Why, he tells them that is
the way to heaven, faying, lam the 'imy ; he preaches himfe!f,and
it becomes him well fo to do : He (hews them how a man is made
full, by emptying himfelf; IVhenlam-Jocak, thcnlamjlrong. If
any fay, Fll domy part of the covenant, he his part, why that is
all wrong; if you make him not the all of the covenant, you
make him nothing. He teaches a man how to difcern his voice.
My /beep hear my mice. He caufes them to difcern a fpiritual
preaching, a gofpel-preaehing, a fpiritual prayer, a fpiritual
exercife. Some will tell us, it is the great and the learned folk of
the world that know preaching beft; yea, fome learning may
make them know how words clink together; but he who istiie
light of theCentiles m^kcs all whom hefavinglyenVi^lncns^to know
his voice in a preaching. The fpiritual man judges all things: he tea-
ches themto read God's will out of a providence, and to fee more
of God in fome providences, than others fee in all his ordinances ;
he teaches them to make ufe of the enemies weapons again ft

themfelves.

202 Christ the People's Covenant.

themfclves. Why, fays, Satan, will fuch a vile thing as thou art,
come to Chrift? Yea, fays the foul, becaufe lam vile, I am the
more fit. He teaches them how to dwell befide the fountain,
and how to live near God; and the man that doth this cannot
live upon two prayers in the day. You that never knew any
more about prayer, than your morning and evening fet times of
prayer, it feems you was never taught by him that is the light of
the Gentiles. O take him, and he will teach you how to cry Jbba
Father, d.ud to rejoice and work righteoufnefs. OwhenChrifl
comes, and difcovers himfelf to the foul, with his royal robe on
him, that foul is filled with joy and peace in believing.

(2.) It is a covenant for fight, to open blind eyes ; a man that is
called Jefus, opened mine eyes, fays the blind man. O there are
many forts of blind people, that need to goioChn^ for opening
their eyes. Some are blind Atheifls, who fay in their hearts, there
is no God ; they fee not the majefty of God, they fee not the
juflice of God, they fee not the grace of God, B'c. O that they
were flocking to him, who is the opener of blind eyes. Some
are blind civilians, they are very civil in their walk, but as far
from grace as the former ,• they do not difcern the things of
God, know nothing about cafes of confcience ; there are fome
men's prayers and preaching they underftand not, if they be
fpiritual and evangelical : The man knows not himfelf, but is
pure in own eyes ; his neighbours, it may be, will call him a good
man, an honed man, and he judges himfelf to be what people
call him, and yet he is a rebel and traitor to God ; he hath not
much ill that men can challenge, but O there are many things,
that God can challenge him for. God can fee his vice in the
thing that he thinks to be virtue and infiocence ; he may pray,
and is content, and conceited to hear himfelf pray, and he fees
no fault in his prayers. O, have not fuch need of Chrifl to open
their eyes ? Some are blind in the matters of religion, they think
all their fins are fins of infirmity. No doubt we are finn.ers, fay
they, and great finners, who want their faults more than we ? O
blind fouls! know thatChrift is the opener ofblindeyes.There are
blind folk that know their bodily cafe, but not that of their fouls ;
they obferve bodily providences, but not foul providences ; they
know not down-caftings&up-rifings of foul : Ogo to Chrift, &he
will lee you fee. Some are blind with refpecl to any diflin6l know-
ledge of the gofpel, they fee not the ground of faith; they would
build their faith on their little bit of holinefs, rather than onGod's
holy covenant, that only can make them holy; and hence their
holinefs is alway to feek : They fee not how a man is jufliued in

Christ the Peoples Covenant. 203

a moment, by an imputed righteoufnefs, a righteoufnefs com-
plete and full; they fee not how juftification can be complete,
without fomewhat of their own, to make it look fair in God's
fight: OfeekintoChrift, that he may open your eyes. Again,
many are blind with refpedl to true faith, they cannot givearea-
fon of their faith, they have loft their text, and cannot give a
ground upon which they believe : It may be, they will fay, they
have believed all their days. O ftranger to faith! the Son of
God is given to be the opener of blind eyes, he is a covenanted
eye-falve for all blind folk. But then,

(3.) It is a covenant for liberty, to bring the prifoners out of the
prifon-houfe. The Son of God is the loofer of prifoners, by
his covenanted indenture with the Father, the Spirit of the Lord
God is upon him, for he hath anointed him : Why, Chrift knows all
the prifon-houfes, and all the bands; he was made like unto us
in all things, fin only excepted ; fuch a High priefl became us, &c.
Yea, Chrift carries all the keysof thepriibn-houfe; the keys of
hell and death are in his hand; he opens, and nonefliuts; and
Ihuts, and none opens. The devil, it may be, hath the poor
foul bound hand and foot in the prifon ,■ but in comes the king of
nations, thegingleof whofe keys make all the devils tremble,
and he orders the goalerto remove his chains ; then. Dumb and
deaffpirit, I charge thee to come out of him^ fays Chrift to the poiTeO:
man in theGofpel : So fays he, when he comes to a loofe prifoner.
Thou wicked unclean fpirit, I charge thee to come out ; thou co-
vetous and worldly fpirit, I charge thee to come out; thouathe-
iftical unbelieving fpirit ; thou lying and fwearing, thou drunken
and debauched fpirit, B'c. I charge thee to come out, let that foul
go free; ^nd if the Son make you free, then are you free indeed. It
may be the law hath the man in chains ; for by the law is the
knowledge and convi6tion of fin. The law comes and feeks his
mafler's rent, faying, Pay what thou ozvefl ; and the Spirit of God
comes along with the law, and convi6ts the man ; and he every
day hears himfelf proclaimed a broken bankrupt ; he is carried to
prifon, and there he lies fearing the wrath of God, and the exe-
cution of the curfe andthreatningof the holy law: But behold,
the Son of God comes, faying, Open to me the gates nf righteoufnefs^
his name is the Lord our Righteousness. The law is exceed-
ing broad, but there is a righteoufnefs as broad as it can be. Ma-
ny are long in this prifon, becaufe they take a threatning, an J
dwell upon that; but if you believe the Gofpcl-prGmife, and hold'
to the Gofpel-righceoufnefs, you Ihallbe loofed. Others dwell
long in this prifon, becaufe, if they take a promifc, they take a

' conditional

204 Christ the People's Covenant.

conditional promife, and make no right life of it, fuch as that, To
you that fear my name, floall the Sun of right eoiifnefs ar'ife. There is
afweec promife, the Sunof righteoulhefs nis arifing; but then
the condition of fearing his name, that knocks oif their lingers,
and hinders them from applying it, becaufe they think they want
the condition : Therefore, man, either take an abfolute promife
that hath no condition in it at all, promifing the condition too ,• or
elfe, if voii apply the conditional promife, take Chrift for the con-
dition to make up all to y ou,and then you will find a loofing of pri-
fon-bands. If you will not be content, every day,& every hour of
the day, to be indebted to God & to free grace,you will lie & rot in
vour prifon. Many abide long in this prifon, becaufe they would
fain live to two husbands, both Chrift & the law. We cannot live to
Chrifl,unlefs w^ he dead to the law. Gal. 2. 19, 20. but the m^ii
-would embrace Chrift for a husband, and yet ftand feeking to an-
fwer the demands of the law : But whenever the law demands a-
ny thing of you, you muft fend the law to Chrift, that he may an-
fwer it, and then you will be loofed. Some abide long in prifon,
becaufe they build the faith of God's love on the work of God,
and not on the truth of God; and hence it is, that when God's
work within them divines, then their faith divines alfo ; but
faith will n'ever be firm and ftable, 'till it build more upon the
truth of the covenant. The ftable Chriftian lives by bills of ex-
change; but the weak unftable foul counts all by what he hatli
in his pocket, by what he hath in hand, and notby what he hath
upon bond. But how does Chrift, the covenant of the people,
open the prifon-door? Why, he even teaches the poor foul to
fay, let Satan, fin, juftice, and the law, come along with me to
Chrift,- and what I cannot anfwer, he can; whati want, he hath
enough to fupply. Come, and lay all my fins upon my back,
that I may away to Chrift with them, and get more mercy and
grace, for Chrift is the all in all of this new covenant : And in this
•way, theprifoner is loofed, to the devil's fiiame, and to Chrift's
honour. Stand to your liberty, poor foul, and let your fins and
wants haften, and bring you forward to venture upon Chrift, that
he may loofe you. O that the day of the Son of man were come,
v/henZ/o/z will get a thoufand atheifts at a draught, when Chrift
will get a multitude of prifoners fet at liberty.

(4.) It is a glorious covenant, contrived wholly for glorifying
God, and dehafing felf ; therefore it follows, I am the Lord, that
is my nanie, my glory ijoilll not give to another, nor my praife to graven
images, God accounts it theftanding of his glory, to perform
all that is in this covenant, and not to give any creature a fliare

of

Christ the Feopk's Covenant. 205

of it ; he will not break his credit, having once engaged himfelf
in covenant ; and he will not fuffer any to gather up the rent and
revenue of it but himfelf, My glory will I not give to another. It
flands on his glory, his word of honour, his word royal ; he him-
felf will do all, and no inftrument fhall have the glory of it. If
you give inflrumentsany of the glory, it is the way to blaft the
inftruirients; and blalled may they be, rather than that Chrifl:
fhnuld want any of the glory due unto his name. Therefore, for
the Lord's fake, if you get any thing this day, do not give the glo-
ry to any inftrument; for, fays God, I ajn the Lord, that is my
rame^ andmy glory mill not give to another: And, for his glory's
fake, do not think of doing any part of the work yourfelves ;
there fliall none get any of his glory but himfelf. Means belong
to you, and, in God's name, 1 charge you tomakeufeof them,
and the obligation to duty lies upon you : But if you have any re-
gard for the glory of God, let God have the glory of the whole
performance; not I, but grace: Either the Lord will bring you
to this, or he will bring you to nothing. Let it be y our maxim in
religion, to make always much room for the free grace of God in Chrift^
What fliall I make of all this you have been telling me ? Why,
have your hearts gone into the covenant of free grace? Then I
call you to a duty, fuch as you have, f. 10. Sing unto the Lord a
newfong, and his praifes from the ends of the earth. Whence you
may notice, that wlien God is giving a full and free covenant,
then it is a fit time to enjoin a duty ,• for then the man is at this, O
what fliall I render to the Lord ? Nothing advances holinefs fo
much as the getting a full and free covenant : Why, becaufe
Chrift walks in the midfl of the covenant, and he is the covenant,
and the whole of the covenant ; and when the covenant comes,
he comes ; and his very prefence warms the heart, and that
warmnefs inlarges it, and then the man is at that with it, 77/ rim
the ways of thy commandments, hecaufe thou inlargeji my heart. Yea,
when the free covenant comes to a man, and gets the throne,
then holinefs will run of courfe. The narrownefs of your tho'ts
of free grace hinders all your holinefs, for Chriit will not lit down
where the covenant gets not the throne. When the free cove-
nant comes, it makes/^y go to the door, and bids pride be-gone ',
for holinefs hath a charge never to lodge in the fame room with
pride. When the covenant comes in, pride goes out ; and when
pride goes out, holinefs comes in, for he gives grace to the hum-
ble; and ihtvao^ fweetly humbling thing in ail the v/orld, is a
view of the free covenant, where God gets all the glory, and fclf
nothing of it ; Nay, when the covenant comes, it makes fclf

ihinlt

20(5 The Comer's Conflict.

think fhame of itfelf, and hide its face with bluflies. In a word,
when the covenant comes, it contains in itsbofom all the furni-
ture that is necelTary for making a man holy ; and alfo this cove-
nant fliews to a man that much is forgiven him ; and when much
is forgiven him, he loves much; and where there is much love,
there is much holinefs, for the love of Chrifb conllrains him :
Therefore, where this covenant never comes, holinefs never
grows; but when the covenant of grace in its freedom and ful-
nefs takes place with a foul, there holinefs flourifhes. Would
you know wherefore there is fo much wickednefs, andfo little
holinefs in Scotland^ for all the talking of holinefs, as if the free
difpenfation of Gofpel-grace would mar it ? The very reafon is,
little of this covenant is known : men keep fad hold of their fins,
becaufe they will not take hold of this covenant. Where there
is nothing of this covenant, there is no holinefs ; where little of
this covenant, there is little holinefs ; and where much of this co-
venant takes place, there is much holinefs.

The new covenant brings in the new fong, -j^. lo. Sing unto the
Lord a new fong, and the new fong is the new obedience, and the
new obedience is the obedience of faith and love, and the obedi-
ence of faith and love is Gofpel-holinefs. O then, let the Gof-
pel- covenant have room, or holinefs will never thrive : Take in
the covenant, and it will make you fing. Sing to the Lord a new
fong, andhis praifesto the end of the earth; for he that off ereth praife
glorifieth God. And the more you glorify God, the more will your
holinefs be like that of the redeemed above, who are fingingthe
new fong in the new Jerufakm.

^ ^ ^

The Comer's Conflict : or, The Begijine?"'' s
Battle with the Devil^ when ejjaying to come
to Christ by Faith.

In fome DISCOURSES before and after the Sacra/netit of the Lord's- ^
Supper, at Kinglajfie^ July 20, 21, 1735.

By the Reverend Mr. RALPH ERSKINE.

Luke ix. 42.
And as he was yet a comings the Devil threw him down, and tare him.

ERE is the hiftory of Chrift's healing a lunatick child, whofe
father came to the difciples, and they could not cure him ; ^

and

TJje Comer's Conflict. 207

and now he cometh to Chrift. " As we ought to come to Chrift
ourfelves for healing, fo we ought to bring our cinldren to him;
and when fervancs and other means can do us no good, we ought
to go to the mafler, and look beyond all minillers and fervanrs.
After Chrifl had reproached the difciples for their unbelief, he
gives the poor man an encouraging word concerning his fon.
Bring thy fon hither y verfe precceding. Bring him to me. We
ought to bring our fons, our daughters to Chrift, to bring our dif-
eafes and all our various cafes to Chrifb. But after this encourage-
ment, follows a trial in the text, As he ivas yet comings the devil
threw him down, and tare him. Hereis, i. An excellent duty,
that is, coming to Chrifl:. 2. An eminent trial and heavy dif-
penfation that befel the comer ,• The devil threw him doivn, and tare
bim. 3. Thetimeandjunfturewhen this heavy trial and great
affli6tion befel him, namely, As he was yet a coming, the devil threiu
him down, and tare him. Hence obferve, i. l"he beft courfe
that any can take for relief from whatever ails them, is to come
to Jefus Chrifl: the Saviour. 2. They that come to Chrift for help
will be an eye-fore to hell and the devil ; he will be fure to fly up-
on them. 3. They that come to Chrift for help and healing, the'"
they may be fure he will help and fave them,- yet they may find
their cafe worfe before the relief come ,• they may be thrown
down, and torn as it were to pieces by the way. Or thus, Chrift
may undertake to deliver people, and yet their difl:refs may grow
upon their hand before their deliverance come. Here is Chrifl:
undertaking, Bring him hither tome. Hereis the perfon coming
with hope of deliverance, he is on his way coming to Jefus ; and
yet behold here is a dreadful dafli, a mighty trial to faith and
hope, both in the Father and the Son : Yea, after he was come
to the phyfician, and the healing word fpoken, as you iee, Mark
9. 25, 26. where this famehifl:ory is recorded with other circum-
ildJices, Th e fpirit cried, andrent him fore before he came out ofhim,znd
fo he was as one dead, infomitch that manyfaid he is dead. Why then.

People that come Chrill, and whom he undertakes to heal
and help, may have their difl:refs growing on their hand be-
fore their deliverance come, which yet will certainly come.

It is in this cafe as it was with Ifrael in Egypt, God faw their
affli61:ion,and undertook to come & fave them, and yet behold be-
fore their falvation comes, their bondage becomes heavier than
before.. The darkeft time of the night mav be before day break.
Thus it was with 7//Y?^/ in returning from Babylon to rebuild the
temple in the days of Ezra and Nehemiab. I'he King gives com-
mandment to go and build, God flirs up the civil authority to

give

2o8 The Comer's Conflict.

give encouragement to them ; but quickly the haters of Ziouy
mifreprefenting the work, procure an order to. caufe them to
defifl: from it This doftrine then in verified both with relati-
on to God's publick work towards a church, and his particular
work on the fouls of his people, as you fee it was with the ruler
ofthefynagogue, M^zr^ 5. 23. that applied to Chrift in behalf of
his daughter at the point of death, that he might come and heal
her. Chrift went with him ; but fee what fad news he gets from
his houfe. Trouble not the mafier, for your daughter is dead ; and now
they look'd upon the matter as hopelefs, though yet Chrift was
on his way to fave her. Method, I. I'll fpeak a little of coming
to Chrifh. II. Enquire ii>wh-at refpe6ls may matters grow worfe
with people, even when they are thus coming to Chrifl.- III.
Inquire into thereafons whence it is that people who come to
Chrift for help, and whom he undertakes to help, may find their
diftrefs grow before their deliverance come. IV. Make fome
application.

I. To fpeak a little of coming to Chrift. There are only two
things I notice here, ift, Coming to Chrift for help imports, (i.)
A view that vain is the helpofman, vain is the help of creatures,
vain is the help of minifters, means and ordinances of themfelves.
Thusitwashere with the Father of the child, I be/ought the difci-
'ples, but they could not help. So they that come to Chrjlt ^ndallo-
ther refuges fail them, Pfal. 142. 4. other phyficians were of no va-
lue : None come to Chrifl: till they can do no betcer, yec he is
content with fuch comers that fee there is no other fliift for them.

(2.) This coming to Chrifl imports a putring the work in his
hand, Mafler^ I befeech thee to look upon my fan : He prays, and
he brings aim to Chrifl at the Lord's call. I'hey that truly come
to Chrift for he]p,they put the work in his hand,and give him em-
ploy ment in his faving offices, looking on him as able, and will-
ing, and ready to fave ; the difeafe is half cured when i-c is laid at
Chriil's feet. Happy they that come thus to him, truil him with
their fouls, and trufl him with their cafes ; fee Pfal 37. 5. Commit
thy ivay unto t hi; Lord, truji a!fo in him, and he will bring ittopafs.

Thefccondhe^d propofed, was to enquire in what refpedls may
matters grow worfe with people, even when chey are thus com-
ing to Chrifl. Here are two things recorded. The devil threw him
dcwn, and he tare him. (i.) They that come to Chrifl before they
get the deliverance that is infured to them, they may meet with
down-cafling providences ; they may be caft down with dif-
eouragementanddefpondency for a while, caft down with fears
and doubts, cafl down with jealous apprehenfions, & unbelieving

*" thoughts.

The Comer's Conflict. 209

thoughts. BeUeving rouls after their coming to Chrifl, much
more as they are coming atfirfl, maybe greatly caft down, Pfal.
42. 6. 0 my God, my foul is caft down within me. They may be
cafl down with a multitude of perplexing thoughts, defpairing
thoughts, and manifold obje6lions and fcruples, their mind raifes,
or rather unbelief frames within them.

(2.) They may not only be thrown down, but fonz by the way :
The devil threw him down, and tare him. Whenever a man be-
gins to come to Chrifl:, and the devil fears he fliall lofe his pollef-
lion, then he rages againft that man, and would tear him to pie-
ces. Therefore think not flrange that beginners in religion, and
fuch as are coming, or but lately: coflje to Chrifl:_, or even thofe
who have come formerly, and are coming again to him, may be
mightily alTaulted and attacked by all the powers of hell. So long
as people remain at a diftance fromChrift, the devil does not med-
dle with them, He keeps the houfe, andthe goods are at peace: But in
coming to Chrift, they may lay their account to be torn by tor-
ments, torn by terrors, and blafphemous fuggeftions ; they may
lay their account with fiery darts : When we expe6l the Lord is
about to remove one burden, he may lay on another, that he
may have the more mercy on us.

The third head propofed, was to enquire into the reafon?
whence it is that people, who come to Chrifl for help, and whom
he undertakes to help, may find their diftrefs grow before their
deliverance comes : Whatever malicious hand the devil hath in
this matter, God hath a holy hand in permitting it. (i.) Itisto
fliewhis wifdomand power, i. His wifdom, how he can ad-
vance his work by the flops in the way of it, and enrich his peo-
ple by impovcrifliing them, enlarge themby imprifoning them,
and give them meat out of the eater, andfweet out of the jlrong. 2.
His power, and how he can fupport them under, and deliver
them from their diflrefs; which would not appear fo much, if
their diflrefs came not to a height. He fuffers them to bede-
je6led and torn, that his wifdom and power may appear the more
evidently in lifting them up, and healing them.

(2.) Itisto check the unbelief thatattends our faith incom-
ing to Chrifl. Somecimes when we commit our cafe to him by
faith, we do notexc-rcife this faith to a patient waiting for the
Lord. Chrifl's firflword to his people is. Come to 7/zd?, Mat. 11.
his lad word is, Ahide in me, John 15. It is well done to come,
but, alas ! we do not abide ; and therefore to check our unbelief
iu coming, as it were but a flep, and going back the next ftep, he

P ihews

210 The Comer's Conflict.

Ihevvs the need of going forward, by letting loofe the enemy,
and fiifFering matters to grow worfe with us.

(3.) 'Tisto raife the worth and efteemof his mercies in the
hearts of thofe that come to him. We ufually do not know the
worth of a mercy, till we be deprived of it, nor the worth of de-
liverance, till the diftrefs be extremely great. Help is then
highly efteemed, when we can fay, Iivasbro't low, and he helpedme,

(4.) It is to try our faith, whether or not it be fuch as will not
only come to Chrifl, but alfo flay with him till he works the deli-
verance ; and if we can keep our eye upon the deliverer, when
the deliverance is delayed, our eye upon thepromife, whencrofs
providences appear, and can hope againfl; hope. He defigns the
trial of faith for the prefent, and a more glorious ilTue thereafter.

TiiQ fourth head propofed, was to make fome application. Is
it fo, that people that come to Chrifl, and whom he undertakes to
heal and help, may have their diftrefs growing on their hand be-
fore their deliverance come, which yet will certainly come ? i/l,
Hence fee what a cruel enemy the devil is to immortal fouls and
their eternal falvation. For whenever a foul begins to mind re-
ligion in earnefl;, and to come to Chrift for help and deliverance,
then that foul becomes the obje6t of the devil's fpite and malice.
As long as people remain gracelefs, and chriftlefs, and formal,
the devil will let them enjoy themfelves, and hugs them afleep in
their fecurity ,- but whenever they begin to come to Chrift, then
he will attempt to caft them down and tare them, andftirsup all
his wicked inftruments either to difcourage and ridicule them, or
to tare their name and reputation to pieces, and to perfecute them
with tongue or hand, and to raife a hue and cry againftthem, as
if they were turn'd diftrafted, and out of their wits. As they
are coming, the devil throws them down and tares them.

2. Hence fee the reafon of all the melancholly moods, heavy
damps and great difcouragements of many beginners, that are
fetting on in the Lord's way ; though zvifdom's ways are ways of
pleafantnefs,yQt Satan, who is a liar from the beginning, would^
make the world believe that it is a bitter and unpleafant way,
and that the beginning of religion is but the beginning of forrow.

3. Hence fee the difference between the conviftion of the
Spirit, and the temptation of Satan : and the difference between
the diftrefs of foul that arifes from a law- work before converlion,
and that which arifes from the affaultof the enemy of our falvati-
on. Vs'hencver convi6lion begins, and the foul comes to be
troubled for fin, and under fear of hell and wrath, Satan indeed
fifties in the muddy water, and mixes his temptations with the

Spirit's

Tlje Comer's Conflict. 211

Spirit's conviclions, and if he can bring all convidlion to nothing,
either by force or fraud, he will do it, that the con\'inced foul may
never come to Chrift for cure ; Satan will ftand at hisrighthand
to refifb him. But the difference between them is,

(i.) The convictions of the Spirit are before a man comes to
Chriit, and tends, as afevere School-majler, to lead him to Chrifiy
Gal. 3. 24. But the temptations of the devil are efpecially when
a man is coming to Chrift, in order to keep him from coming. If
the Spirit of God by a law-work feem, as it were, to call down the
man, and tare him to pieces, the defignis to drive him to Chrift
for help and healing, and to provoke him to come to the Sa-
viour, and fly to the city of refuge. But the defign of the de-
vil's temptations, when he throws down and tares the ibul, is
when he is coming, or as he is coming to Chrift, in order to de-
tain him from coming, or difcourage him in coming.

(2.) The conviftionsof the Spirit are humbling, tending to
make the fouWefpair of help in himfelf, or in God out of Chrift.
The temptations of the enemy are terrifying, tending to make
the foul defpair of help in Chrift, or in God through him. The
former fliuts the door of hope by the law, but the devil would
fliut the door of hope by the Gofpel.

4. Hence fee there is HO ground to blame religion and religi-
ous duties, notwithftanding difcouragements and downcafting
trials in the way of duty. Though matters grow worfe with you
in the way of duty, and in the way of coming to Chrift, blame not
yourfelf for coming to Chrift, becaufe the devil attacks you by
the way. You have enough to charge yourfelf with, though you
charge not yourfelf fooliftily. It would be far worfe with you, if
the devil and your own wicked heart prevail to take you off from
the ufe of promifing means. When, like Peter, you caft yourfelf
upon the water to come to Chrift, be not frighted, though the
devil raife a ftorm, the Lord Jefus fits upon the floods, and is mightier
than the noife of many waters, Pfal. 93.4. Never think the worfe
of Chrift, though matters feem to grow worfe with you, when
you come to him for reft, and yet find trouble, for it is the devil
and the ill heart that breeds all the trouble. Ke^ up honourable
thoughts ofthe Lord Jefus, believe he can do for you, and wait
till > ou find that he will do. Fetch wind from all crofs providen-
ces to haften you nearer to your refhing place ; for all that come
to himfliall findreftinfpiteof the devil. Some begin reft here
in time, however difturbed by the devil from time to time, and
by unbelief, until reft be perfe6ted in heaven.
AgainyHQViQQ. fee the mark of a true believer & comer to Chrift.

P 2 If

212 The Comer's Conflict.

If the devil be no enemy to your faith, you may know it is a falfe
faith. Many have a faith that the devil is pleafed well enough
withj and therefore he never troubles them nor it ; but if you
have faving faith, it will be the eye-fore of hell, or if yoj^ be truly
coming to Chrift, you may expeft the devil will be upon your top.
Nofoonerdoth true faith begin, but the fight of faith begins.
Some'may blefs themfelves they were never affaulted by the de-
vil, and yet they are but fleeping in his cradle^he is rocking them.
Try your faith ; if it be from heaven, it will meet with oppofiti-
on from hell: PFe 'wrejlle not agahiftfle/Jj and blood, but againfi prin-
cipalities and powers, &.c Epb. 6.12. Therefore we are called,
as partof thechriftian armour, to idkt the fljield of faith, ijohereby
"j^e /Jjallbe able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, f. 1 6. The
devil may let you peaceably go about duty, read, and pray, and
communicate, becaufe you may dothefe things carnally and for-
mally, and go to hell when all is done : But if once you begin to
come to Chrift, or to go about any duty believingly, then you are
on the way to heaven, and if the devil can, he will draw you back,
and throw you down with difcouragements, and tare you with
temptations, either as you are coming, or after you a"re com^.
But it is always the befl faith that ismoft oppofed by the devil.
.Again, A word, (i.) To you that never yet came to Chrift for
help and falvation. O Hay not away from him for fear of
the devil, left he throw you down and tare you. Better be thrown
down by the way in coming to Chrift, than thrown down to hell
with the devil, at laft by the hand of God, who will throw you and
the devil down to hell, if you do not come to Chrift. Better that
the devil tare you to pieces when there is a Jefus at hand to deli-
ver you from him, than that God himfelf tare you to pieces when
there fliall be none to deliver, Pfal. 50. 22. Confider this, ye that
forget God, &c. Come, ocherwifeyou remain flaves to the de-
vil and yourlufls. O be fenfible of yourilavery and malady ;
know none can fave you but our Lord Jefus Chrifl; ; he is a migh-
ty Saviour, and a merciful one. No name is given under heaven
ivhereby a finncr cunbc favedbut thename-pf Jefus. Put the work
in his hllrid; put^pur foul in his hand. Bring him 'gcre to me,
fays Chrirt to tlTcTfi^n here. O come and bring your children
with you, hear him faying. Bring your fon to me, bring your
daughter to me, bring your foul and your cafe to me, O bring
your difeafe to me; bring your hard heart to me, and I'llfoften
it ,* bring your filthy heart to me, and Til cleanfe it ; bring
your heart poflcfs'd "of the devil to me, and I'll caft ou-t the
devil; bring-your feven devils to me, and I'Ucafl them out.

(2.) To

The Comer's Conflict. 213

(2.) To you that are coming in anfvver to his call, Obe not
difmayed, though the devil throw you down, and tare you as you
are coming. Here is a Jefus ready to lift up whom the devil
throws down, ready to heal whom the devil tares, ready to help
all that are hurt by the old ferpent; it is his trade to dejlroy the
'works of the devil. You may be always fure that it is an evil Ipiric
that is dealing with you, that would mar and hinder you in your
coming to Chrifl, forthevoiceof the Spirit of God is, Come^ the
Spirit and the Bride fay, Come. The Spirit of God, as a Spirit of
bondage, may cafl down the foul before it come to Chrift, and in
order to its coming ; but it is not the Spirit of God that cafls down
the coming believer ; no, fVe have not received the Spirit of bondage
again unto fear, Rom. 8. 15. After coming to Chrift, and believ-
ing in him, it is only the devil that cafts down and tares you.
Fear not the lion of hell, here is the lion of the tribe of ^udah to
defend you. It is unbelief, and departing from Chrifl, that may
bring you to the greatefl danger ; iherti^ore fear not, only believe.

Note, This application was enlarged in fome other inferences,
upon the Sabbath-day, but the notes of that fermon were not
written ; what follows was delivered upon the Monday.

SERMON II.

Preached on Monday July 21. 1735.

L u K E ix. 42.
And as he was yet a comings the 'Devil threw him down, and tare him.

THIS do6lrine may be applied at this time in an exhortation
or advice, particularly to thofe that are tempted and torn of
the devil, when they eflay to come to the Lord Jefus Chrifl:,
m order to your being fortify'd thro' grace againft his affaults and
fiery darts. There are only fix forts of temptations at prefent I
would endeavour to fortify you againfl:. i. With reference to
heart-biafphemy. 2. With reference to heart- wandering 3. With
reference to the omiffion of duty. 4. With reference to x}a^ com-
milfion of fin. 5. With reference to unworthy apprehcnfions
of God. 6. With reference to felf-murder. There are tempta-
tions with reference to all thefe,that you need to be fortified againft.
While you are coming to Chriil, Satan may attempt to throw you

P 3 down,

214 The Comer's Conflict.

down, and tare you in all thefe, and many other refpedls;
fciic I Ihall touch a little at each of thefe.

/fr/^-. There are temptations of Satan with reference toblaf-
phemy, whereby he would throw down and tare in pieces, as it
were, the fouls of thofe that would come to the Lord Jefus Chrift.
Theym.ay be tempted to dreadful bhfphemous thoughts, which are
not to be named, they are fodeteftable and abominable. They
ave fearful injections upon the mind, and very terrifying to the weak
believer that is coming to the Lord Jefus Chrift. In order to your
h^'m^fortified agaiujt thefe, I would offer you the following advices.

(i.) Be not terniied with them, {'mQ(i they harm you more by
theirhorror, than by their guilt. It is true,theguiltofthemis fo
great, that it is unpardonable to him to whom it belongs. Thefe
are Satan's fins, and not thine, and he fliall anfwer for them, and
not thou. Tho' he lay thefe brats at thy door, he is the father of
them. Such thoughts are Hke lightnings call into a room, they
have a great deal of horror ; but as the lightning fprings not from
any caufein the room,, fo thefe thoughts proceed not from any
thing in thee ; not properly from thy corruptions, for unregene-
rate men themfelves abhor them,'&tho' the feed of all fin be in our
nature, yet fcarce, if ever, doth this finfpringup even in repro-
bates : Nay the devil himfelf doth not think of God that which
thefe thoughts fignify. Since thou doll: not a61:ually, nor did ori-
ginally in Adam, give confent to thefe thoughts, they are not thy
fins. Suppofe fome villain ihould meet a chafte virgin in a neld,
and ravilh her, if ilie ftruggles and cries,flie is innocent by the law
of God : Thisisheraffli6lion,notherfin. She may mourn for
her fuffering, not her guilt ; efpecially ihe doing nothing to pro-
voke him. It may be the villain finds her at prayer, as the devil
doth find thee, when he cads in thefe thoughts. Therefore be of
good comfort, thou art more afraid than hurt : For a carelefs
wandering thought in prayer, hath more guilt in it than thefe
have. When Chrifi: was in the wildernefs, the devil appeared to
him in a vifible fliape ; he knew it to be Satan, yet he was not in
the leafi; terrified. We fliould endeavour to imitate him. If one
attempt fuddenly to ftrike our eye, tho' we know he doth not in-
tend to fi:rike it, yet it cannot but wink ; fo we can fcarce choofe
but be terrified with thefe thoughts, but wemufl:'refifi; and con-
quer fuch fears. I fay not we fiiould not abhor fuch thoughts, for
then we fiiould be worfe than heathens, but we fliould not be
terrified out of our faith, or duties, or comforts thereby.

(2.)_ Do not give over your duties for thefe blafphemoustho'ts
and injeftions ; for tho' thefe thoughts are not thy fin, yet they

may

The Comer's Conflict. 215

may be the caufe of thy finning, if they caufe thee to abftain from
prayer, ^c. You, may be, think it better not to pray than to have
thefe thoughts ; but thy prayers may do thee more good than
thefe can do thee harm, and how wilt thou conquer if thou caft a-
way thy weapons ? Neither haften from your duty, for thus you
do the devil too much homage ; his temptations fiiould make you
pray the more, not the feidomer, or fliorter.

(3.) Think not over thefe thoughts again, even when thou
goell to God to complain ofSatan and his dreadful affauks ; for if
thou yield not to the tempter, thefe blafphemies are not the mat-
ter of confeflion, but rather of complaint ; as a woman that is
ravifli'd doth not confefs, but lament her affliftion. Neither
fpeak them over, when you goto a minifter or Chriftian friend
for advice or comfort ; but only mention in the general, that
horrid thoughts and blafphemies trouble you ; they will under-
Hand what you mean, bur perhaps they had as good Satan (liould
injeft fuch thoughts, as to hear you name them.

(4.) Pray much againft thefe blafphemies, and thus ftudy to be
gainers by them, and to be avenged upon Satan, which you may,
if you do as they did, Acis 19. when they heard that fome would
fpeak againfl their goddefs Diana, they cried out for the fpace of
two hours Great is Diana of the Ephefians ; fo that wiiofocver
flinuld go about to fpeak againft Diana, could not be heard. Do
thou likewife, when Satan cafts in blafphemous thoughts, break
thou forth into blefTing and praifmg of God, and if thou canfl not
dofo, try toreador fmgfomepfalm full of praifes, as Pfal. 103.
105. 116. 145. ^c. and if thou art private enough, read or fing
them with a loud voice; and when Satan fliallfee that thou arc
the gainer by his temptations, he will be weary of tempting thee.
Thefe blafphemies are Satan's railings and revilings againft the
God of heaven ; therefore you are to do v/ith them as Hezekiah
did with RabfJjakch's railing letter, Ifa, 36. 2 1 . he went and fpread
the blafphemy before the Lord. He did not fo much as read over
the letter, but fpread it before the Lord. So, without naming over
that blafphemy, you fliould pray againft it, that God would fup-
prefs this fmoak that afcends out of tlie bottomlefs pic.

^ You may lawfully difpute and argue with Satan againft fome of
his blafphemies,- as when hetempisyou to queftion the being of
God, and the truth of divine revelation, as the archangel dispu-
ted with tlie devil about the body of Mofcs ; fo when you -are
tempted, for example, to doubt if the Scripture be the word of
God, you may confider the plain arguments that prove it, and ask
Satan, why doft thou fty before it ? "if the ark were not the ark of

P 4 Gogi

2i6 The CoMER*s Conflict.

"God, why doth Dagon fall before ic ? If it were not the word of
God, why dotii Satan tempt me not to believe it ? But do not de-
pend upon thy arguing, Satan is too ftrong for thy re:ifoning, be-
take thyfeJf to the Lord Jeflis by prayer. Though Satan may
ftandout againftthy arguments, he will not be able to ftand a-
gainft the prayer of faith. The archangel faid, The Lord rebuke
thee. Tho' he will not fly at thy rebuke, yet he will, and mufl,at
the rebuke of God. And by the way , fee the excellency of Chrid
above the archangel. Chrift rebukes Satan by his own power and
authority ; for he faid not. The Lord rebuke theey but. Get thee be-
hind me, Satan.

2. There are temptations of fatan with reference to heart-wan-
derings in duty. Satan knows, that if he can get thefe flies to come
and refl: in this precious ointment,they will putrify it. He knows if
the thoughts wander, God regards not what the tongue fays; and
if he can fpoil your prayers, he fears not what good any ordinance
can do thee. If your thoughts be earthly, he cares not how hea-
venly your words are. Herein Satan gets afliftance from the e-
vil heart, Matth. 15. 19. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts.
Theyarife out of the heart asfparks out of a furnace ; theyftay
not in the heart but are a6li ve, and afcend up to the head, and they
come out of the heart, not asfparks outof aflint, by concuffion
and violence, forc'd out; but they proceed outof' it, fays Chrifl; ;:
they come out of themfelves, and they proceed always in a con-
tinued a6l.

Satan's temptations to heart-wandering in duty are alfo fur-
thered by a multitude of bufinefs, and that two ways.

jjl. If we come from a multitude of bufinefs, for our hearts are
like the troubled fea, it muft have fome confiderable time before
it be compofed, though the winds that raifed the ftorm ceafe ; fo
when we come from bufinefs, there rauft be fome time after our
bufinefs is ended before our hearts can be fedate and quiet, and fit
for prayer ; nay, in this our hearts are worfe than the fea,,becaufe

2dl)\ Future bufinefs will diftracl us before it come. The fea is
not tumultuous before the wind blow; but the bufinefs we have
to do will trouble us before it comes to be done. It is a hard thing
to keep bufinefs out of our thoughts when we pray, and make it
ftay till our prayer is ended.

INFow to fortify againfl: thefe, I offer the following four advices
fliortly. (i.) Ofludytomortify the love of the world: Where
our love is, there will our thoughts be. To fet your love on. the
world, and your thoughts on God, you'll find altogether impoffi-
ble ; Hethathveth theworld^ the love of the Father is not in him. O
feek to mortify this. (2.) Lay

The Comer's Conflict. 217

(2.) Lay up your treafure in heaven ; For 'where your treafure is,
there vjillyour heart be alfo, Match. 6. 2 1 . The heart of the Jews
went after their covetoufnefs, £2^'. 32. 31. When they weYQ
hearing the word, they could not keep their tho'ts where their
bodies were, but they would be where their love was, and where
their treafure was.

(3.) Let not the world be your familiar friend, for familiar
friends C')me in without knocking or asking leave; therefore be
thou a Jiranger in this prefent world, Heb. 1 1 . 1 3 . They were noc
ftrangcrs in this or that part of the earth, but in the whole earth :
Be a ilranger co the worId,&the world will not vifit you in prayer.

(4.) Make prayer your delight, not your task. Children are
fubje6t Cu look off their books, becaufe they delight not in them ,*
but when they are playing, they are eager and earnefi:. The
bird flutters in the cage,buL lies quietly on the tree,and iin,2;s there.
1 ivill go to God, fa>s David, to God, my exceeding joy. Pial. 43..
When our thoughts find fatisfaftion, they fetup their ne(l, and
wander not.

'^dly, There are temptations of fatan with reference toomif-
fion of duty,' as for example, he reprefencs to them the diffi-
culty that there is therein. O I cannot pray nor he?.r aright, I
cannot meditate nor mortify aright, therefore 1 may lee it alone.
Now, in order to fortify againftthis temptation, confider,

(i.) That this is necellary ; you muft be exercis'd unto godli-
«<°/i', exercifed in keeping a con/cience void of offence towards God
and man, and be Jledfaji and immoveable always abounding in tic
'work of the Lord, knowing that your labour fljall not be in vain in tie
Lord, I Cor. 15. laft. As for the wicked, who are otherwife difpo-
fed, having no heart nor will to the Lord's fcrvice at all, what can
they expedl at his hand, but this,!^^^';? thcfe mine enemies, that 'would
not that ipjouldreign over them, bring them hither,andjlay them before
me ? Yea, he will come in flaming fire to take vengeance on them that
know not God, and obey not the Gcfpel ; it is therefore abfolutely
neceffary,

(2.) 1 0 con{Ider,that it is pofTihle to ferve the Lord acceptably
by his own grace. Tho' duty be difficult to nature, yet, if you ged
the Spirit of God to help you you'll do well enough, and God hath
promifed his help, Ifa. 40. clofe. He giveth power to the faint, and to
them that have no might he ericreafethjlrcngth, &c. They that wait on
the Lord jhall renew their fir ength. Hence all the faints of old,, and
of lare, have try'd the Lord's way, and found that the way of the
Lord wisftrength to them ; yea, that wifloni's ways are plea fantnefs :
Their ddight was in the law of the Lord y in keeping rf bis commands

there

2iS The Comer's Conflict.

there is a great reward. One fmile of God's countenance is worth
all your pains, the' you were at a hundred times more. There is
always fome fweets in religion that accompany the fedulous exer-
cife thereof. Tho' the foul hath nothing to claim on the account
of its own works or duties; yettheLord isgracioufly pleafed to
ownandcountenancehisovvn way, when the foul is found in it,
befkle the glorious and gracious reward that abides it in heaven.

Therefore let faich batter down this temptation of Satan, fay-
ing, What though Satan prefent difficulties in the way, Chrift un-
der-went greater difficulties: He hath born the burden and heat
of the day : I'm not called to go and fatisfyjuftice, Chrift hath
done that to my hand ,• I am not called to go and fulfil the law as a
covenant of works, Chrifi; hath done that to my hand,- lam not
called to work for life, but to work for love, to him that worketh
all my works in me, and for me, and who, as he calleth me to this
work of love, fo promifed to work in me both to will ^d to do ;
and therefore in his name and flrengthlwill go forward, making
mention of his right eoufnefs, and his only ; and in his name I'll
grapple with the devil himfelf, for Chrift hath conquered him
to my hands.

^thly, There are temptations of Satan with reference to the
commiffion of fin. He will fuggefl; to them that it is but a little
fin, and God will not be angry for a little fin,- fuch asalieinjeff,
an idle word, Sc. Can fuch a little fin indanger the foul ! Now,
to guard you againft this temptation, confider,

(i.) That the firfl fin which bro't all mankind into am.iferable
flate, was in appearance but a fmall and little fin : It was but eat-
ing a little forbidden fruit, the tafi:ing of an apple; yet, had it
not been for Chrifl;'s fatisfaclion, it would have deftroyed irreco-
verably all thepofterity o^ Adam. There wasaman, Sirs, that
. gathered a few flicks upon the fabbath-day, you would have tho't
that was but a little fin ; yet, God's thoughts are not your tho'ts,
for God thought that fin worthy of death. Num. 15. 33, and 35
verfes. Uzzah's putting his hand to the ark, and touching it when
it tottered, fcem'd to be but a fmall fin ; and yet you know he was
fmitten inft^mtly with death for it, 2Safn. 6.7. It is dangerous to
give even a little wrong touch to a tottering ark.

( 2. ) Confider the nature of every fin. 1 iiough fome are com-
paratively fmall, and others greater, that is, by reafon of feveral
aggravations more heinous in the fight of God than others ; yet
in themfelvcs none are fmall. I'heleaft fin is againft an infinite
God, an infinite authority, and cannot be expiated without
infinite fatisfaftion ; and it is not little promifes, or little threat-

nings

The Comer's Conflict, 219

nings that your little fins do flight,- yea, there is no little ingrati-
tude towards God in little fins : "riiere is great unkindnefs to
God in little fins. To difpleafe God, your beft friend, for a lit-
tle fin ; O ungrateful thing ! Is this your kindnefs to your friend ? The
wages of every Jin is death eternal. It is not little mifery that every
fin doth expofe you to. Will you make light of the wrath of the
infinite God? Then do not make light of little finS. In a word,
remember that boldnefs in little fins will be, an encouragement
to greater. Sin is of an incroaching and bewitching nature;
A little thief may open the way to a greater. The devil tempts
people to go from one degree to another ; he tempts them to
the reverfeof the bicjjed man, mentioned Ffal 1. 1. He tempts
them to walk in the counfelofthe ungodly ; having taken a walk with
them, he tempts them next to Jland in the way offinncrs, which is
more ; and then having flood a while with them, he tempts them
lailofall tojitinthefeatoftbefcornful, even to the height of wick-
ednefs. I'he devil firft makes vou fit down with the drunkard.
then to drink with him, andatlafl to be drunk. Thus he leads
people from unclean thoughts, touijclean looks, words and ac-
tions : Therefore let faith refift this temptation, and fet you upon
your watch againft that which you call a little iin. No man that
everfaw fin truly, can call any fin little or fmall, nor can it ever
be, till there be a little law to break, a little God to offend, a little
guilt to contract, a little wrath to incur ; all which are impofTible
to be, blafphemy to wifli, and madnefs to expect.

Sthly, There are temptations of Satan with reference to unwor-
thy apprehenfions of God. Satan may fuggeft very ftrange
thoughts of God, very bafe thoughts of God, moft unfuitable ap-
prehenfions of him, fuch as are not to be fpoken of ; and the
prince of this world hath much in us who are fo ignorant of God,,
to further thefe mifliapen thoughts of God. And to fortify you
againfl thefe affaults, there are thefe two dire6lions 1 would offer
concerning the way how we are to conceive of God.

(i.) We are to conceive of him as inconceivable : For the
thoughts we are to have of him are overwhelming thoughts. As
long as we are merely aftive, and are able to mafter our^ thoughts
of God, they are utterly unworthy of him. Whatfoever we
know, comprehenfivelylmean, except we fee it to be infinite-'
ly beyond us, that is not God, nor to be ador'd. I have read a
dialogue between a Chriflian and a Gentile : The Gentile feeing:
ihe Chriftian very fervent in prayer, and feeing no image be-
fore him, asked him whomhe worfhipped ; he anfwered,i know-
not. Why thendoyouworfliiphim ? I therefore worfhip him,,

laysi

220 The Comer's Conflict.

fays he, becaufe I cannot know him. It feems flrange, faid the
Gentile, to fee one fo ferioufly worfliip that he knoweth not.
More ftrange it is for one, faid the Chriftian, to worfliip that we
can comprehend. If we are not loft in our thoughts of God, our
thoughts of God are loft. When we throw a ftone into a pond,
it makes circles larger and larger, and quickly they come to the
fiiore : Butifonefhould throw a milftone into the midft of the
calm ocean, though it would make larger and larger circles, yet in
would not reach the Ihore, becaufe theftrength would befpenc
long before it come the length : So when we think on the crea-
ture, weeafily enlarge our thoughts fo as to fee an end of their
perfe61:ion,andto be more than comprehenfive of their excel-
lency ,' but when we think of God, we can never know him to
perfe^ion, Pfal. 119.96. Here our knowledge muft end in admi-
ration, and our love in extafy. Nay, we muft conceive of God as
above all words, above all knowledge, and above all admiration,
above all love, and above all excafy. But let us go to Scripture :
God knowstefthowtofpeakof himfelf, and we may fafely ac-
quiefce in Scripture exprelTions, Neh 9. 5. Thy name is exalted
above allpraife, above thepraife of men and angels ; this is a very high
expreiTion, bucdoch this reach him ? Nay,if itdid, God iliould
not be exalted above all praife, fince this would reach him.

(2,) We are to conceive cf God in Chrift : Chrift muft be ey-
ed in our addreffes and a6ts of worfliip. All the former confldera-
tions fetus but at a greater diftancefromGod, and make us afraid
of God, and fly from him, if we go no furtlier ; and indeed human
reafon can go no further. Theutmoftit can do, is but to think
of mercy without a promife, which is a very arbitrary ching ; and
we fee that God hath not fliewn mercy to the fallen angels ; for
never was any devil converted, therefore we muft neceflarily
have thoughts of Chrift. tVeare to honour the Son as ijoe honour
the Father ; And to honour him,

i/?, As a king. God hath exalted C\\n{\. far above all heavens^
and hath commandedus to do allin his name. Col. 3.17. And '•jjhatfo-
ever you do in ivord or deed, do allin the name of the Lordjefus. John 5.
23. l]QordeYSth3.t all men fJjould honour the Son even as they honour
the Father. Ifliall relate a hiftory to this purpofe ; it is this,
Theodofius the emperor having made an edi6l for the giving liber-
ty for the Arians to pre^ich, Ampbilocbius took this courfe for pre-
vailing with the emperor to recal that edift. Theodofius having
md.dQ Arcadius co-emperor and Ccefar with him, feveral bifliops
Came to falute the emperor, to congratulate Arcad'uis, and to figni-
fy their confent to Theodofius' s aft, and by their refpe6t and hon-
our

The Comer's Conflict. 221

our done to Jrcadius, to (hew that they took him for the fuccefToi*
of Theodofiiis in the empire ; among others came this Amphiloch'ms
biihop of Iconhim, who, after he had done obeifance very fubmif-
fively to Theodofiiis, was going away without fliewing any refpedl
to Arcadius, tho' he fat by Theodofuis in all his royal robes. Theodo-
fius therefore called to Amph'ilochius , faying. Know you not that I
have made ^rc^^mi" my fon emperor with me ; upon which Am-
philochhis went to Arcadius, and Itriking him on the head, faid, he
was a very hopeful boy. The odojiushe'mg very angi'y at this in-
dignity done his fon, commanded him to prifon. AmphilochiiiSy
after he had gone a little way, turned back, faying, 0 Theodo-
fius, you are angry that I give not your fon the fame honour I give you,
fmce you have made hijn equal in maiejty to your felf; and, think you,
God will be well p leafed that youfuffer the Arians to abufe Chrijb, ivhoni
hehathfet athis right-hand in glory , and will have all men honour the
Son as they honour the Father. Upon which the ediftwasreverfed.
. Imay fiy,Can you think thatGod will accept your worfliip to him,,
be it never fo great ; if you take no notice of Chrifl, be fure God
will rejedl you and your fervices. But then again,

2J/y, As God will have Chriftto have the glory of his kingly
office, fo alfo of his prieflly. Thus, fuppofe fome great monarch,,
his fon confenting, Ihould lay upon his fon the punilliment due co
fome rebellious fubje6ls, intending his fon's honour as well as
theirpardon; the king fends forth a proclamation to them, to lee
themknow that his fon had fatisfiedjufl:ice,& procured a pardon:
but many of them not trulling to this, would not come in, buC
would fend the king gifts and prefents to gain-his favour ; the em-
peror fcorns their gifts upon that account; efpecially they thus
robbing his fon of the honour of making their peace, and there-
by alfo plainly Ihewing, that they thought their crime was not i'o
great, but a fmall matter would make it up, fuch as their gifts.
Surely, if gifts would have done the bufmefs, his fon had greater
gifts than theirs,- fo that he needed not have died or fuffered.The
reddition of this fimile may be eafily made : God abhors our pray-
ers, alms, and all our fervices, if we bring them as fatisfa61:ory to
his juflice, and fprinkle our puddly waters, our tears, upon the
mercy-feat, and fill the holy place with the ftinking favour, the
ftinking vapours of our prayers, which are unperfum'd with the
incenfcof Chrift's righteoufnefs, or that are no better than the
reeking fleems of a dunghill; I fay, to go to the holy place with-
thefe, inlleadof theincenfeof Chrift'smerit andinterceilion, is
not to make an atonement, but a provocation,. This mTikes Popijh'
aujlerities. to bea6ts of pride,infl:ead of beingafts of mprtificationH

^ 222 The Comer's Conflict.

3J/3', God will have him get the honour alfo of his prophetical
office ; for it is by his Spirit that he inftru6ls and teaches us how to
pray as well as perform. By his merit we have acceptance, and
by his Spirit afliftance. If a child'iliould write fome excellent
rraftin themathematicks inGr^^^, we would infallibly conclude
fome did learn him, or dictate to him; fowhen you pray in the
Spirit, and fpiritually, for fiich or fuch fpiritual bleffings, who do
you think diftates to you ? This is not your mother-tongue ;
doubtlefs it is the Spirit of Chrift that helps your infirmities. In
a word, Chriftby his active and palTive obedience, whereby he
hath fatisfied juftice, ^c. hath a wonderful interefl: with God,
more than all the angels of heaven, infomuch that God delights
to pardon the greatell of fmners for Chrift's fake. Therefore in
prayer conceive of God as a great, an infinitely great God, and as
a God in Chrift. Look on God through Chrift, keeping the hum-
bling fenfe of your own diftance and provocation ; look upon
God as thro' Chrift the moft compaftionate fondeft Father in the
world ; if he give thee not cuery thing thou thus askeft,it proceeds
not from his unwillingnefs to give, but thine unfitnefs to receive.
Sixthly, There are temptations with reference to felf-murder.
Satan many times tempts people, particularly thofe that are com-
ing to Chrift, he throws them down and tares them, urging them
to tare themfelvesto pieces, to make away themfelves, and cut
off the thread of their own life. This is a fubje6t I feldom or ne-
ver took occafion to fpeak in this manner upon ; but now I chink
./ it the more neceftary that we are living in a time, wherein we are
compafled about with awful inftances of profeflbrs being left un-
der the power, and fwallowed up with the violence of this temp-
tation ; yea fuch inftances thereof, as have perhaps made the
hearts of many here prefent to tremble. Andfince what hath been
may be, and not knowing but in fuch a great company as is here,
fome one or other may be under fuch temptations, I would offer
thefe foWowing advices (honly, to fortify you againft thefe affaults.

1. Confiderthat felf-murderis alin againft the very light of
nature, and the very letter of the law of God, Thou /halt not kill ;
andyou may befure that no thought of this fort that enters into
your heart, can be from God, for it hath the very image of the de-
vil upon it ; he 'voas a murderer fro?n the beginning.

2. Yield not to the tempter ,• fortho' this is a temptation in-
cident to God's people, infomuch that perhaps there are few of
them that have not been thus tempted, as our Lord Jefus himfelf
was, to whom the devil faid, Cafi thy felf down from the pinacle of
the temple ; yet we read of no faint in Scripture that yielded to

the

The Comer's Conflict. ' 223

the tempter. We are therein told of none but' wicked wretches
that deftroyed themfelves, fuch as Saul, Jlchitophel^ and Judas ;
and fure you would notdefire to be like them.

3. Confider the contrary praftice of the faints in Scripture,
both in their befl and word time. Old Simeon got an armful of
Chrift, and did he now attempt to cut off his own life, that he
might get away to heaven? No, he willies to be away, but he
puts himfelf in God's will; Now lettejl thou thy fervani: depart in
•peace. Paul is wrapt up to the third heaven, and his defire of death
mull have been very great ,• yet he is content to flay till he was
dijfolved. Again, on the other hand, if pains of body, and ter-
rors of mind, might contribute to ftrcngthen fuch a temptation,
Job did not want his fhare of both ; yet inllead of putting a peri-
od to his own days, though indeed he curfed the day of his birth,
and wiilied for the day of his death, yet he fays, //// the days of my
appointed time will I wait, till my change come,

4. Confider that by fuch horrid fuggeftions as thefe, you are
tempted to afllime to yourfelf a prerogative that belongs to God
only, Deut. 32.39. It is he that lives for ever and ever, that fays, /
kill and I make alive^ I wound and I heal. Your life is not your own
to difpofe of, and as you cannot lengthen your life, fo you may not
Ihorten it. Therefore?f

5. When you are thus tempted, keep not the devil's counfels,
nor be thou his fecretary ; go to fome faithful minifter, or expe-
rienced Chriftian, and tell them how you are tempted; for this
temptation is partly conquered, when it is revealed.

6. Thefe who think they fhall be damned and go to hell when
they die, it is the greatefl: madnefs in the world for them to haften
their death. That the fear of hell fliould make them leap into
hell, isfo contrary to all common fenfe, that it is a wonderthata-
ny one fliould fo much ceafe to be a man, not to fay a Chriftian, as
to do a thing fo contrary to nature, and much more to grace. Let
me ask you, can you endure to be among blafphemers ? Can you
endure to blafpheme God yourfelf for a year together, or an hour,
and to fpend it all in curfing and blafpheming ? If thy foul abhor
this, why will you leap into hell, a place of everlafling blafphe-
my? I read of one, who having been a long time tempted to make
awayherfeIf,atlafl:rcfolvedto doit,forthe thoughts of the tor-
ments of hell were not prevalent enough to deter her; but as flie
was going to dcftroy herfelf,it was brought to her mind, that in
hell llie Ihould blafpheme God for ever, which fiie abhorring to
do, upon that very account forbore. If you were to be only in a
ftate of horror and torment it were fad enough ; but, for ihce to,

put

224 The Comer's Conflict.

piicthyfclf intoa ftateof blaiphemy, how canfl: thou endure to
think of it ? ,

7. Take heed of fighting againll;Satan with human reafon, for
this Leviathan laughs at the fliaking of this Jpear, his fcales are too
clofe to be pierced by it : But take the fword of the Spirit, which
is the Word of God, which divides between the joints and the
marrow, fay to Satan, It is 'xritten, thou fJjaltnot kill.

8. Pray, pray much ; for the fword ofthe Spirit muft be wield-
ed by the skilful arm of the Spirit. If thou goeO: out in confidence
of thy being able to manage Scripture by thy own ftrength
and skill, it will fare with thee as it did thefe, A^sig. 15, 16.
They thought to cajl out devils by the name of Jefus^ hut the devil rent
and wounded tbem, and made them to fly, faying Paul, / know, and
Jefus I kno'W, but who are ye ?

The great argument that the devil ufes to perfuade thee to
felf-murder, is by perfuading thee that thou art a reprobate; but
thou mayeftconfider that Satan cannot know that thou art a re-
probate : Was Satan, think you, on God's council when he made
his eternal decrees ? Satan, who is not fo much as one of God's
hir'd fervants, but a flave and a malefactor kept in chains, he is fo
far from being of God's council, that he is not fo much as one of
his family. If thou fayefl thy confcience tells thee that thou arc
a reprobate, know that no man living can tell who are reprobates,
nor can any man know himfelf tobe a reprobate, except he hath
committed the fin againfl; the Holy Ghofl:, which no man hath
committed, that is forry to think that he hath committed it ; for
it is impojfible thatfuch a ??ian fliould be renewed either by, or to repen-
tance, Heb. 6. 6.

You that walk in darknefs, and fee no light, that are haunted
with thefe temptations, confider what a God we have to do
with ; we ferve fuch a great Lord, that all the monarchs of the
world are beggars to him ; and fuch a gracious Father is our God,
that the tendereft parents in the world, and your deareft friends,
are tyrants ; yea, wolves and tygers compared to him. And if
we fliould provoke them, as we provoke him, and they could as
eafily crufli us as God can, we would quickly find that their ten-
dereft mercies are cruelty ; whereas the feveral providences of
God will be to thee not like the ^«// of q/pj, bitter and deadly, but
like God's rubarband aloes, by which thine iniquity fliall be purg-
ed, and all the fruit ofit/Jjall be to take away thy Jin ; and tho' for the
p-efent the aflid;ing hand of God upon thee, is not joyous but grievous^
yet if thou art exercised thereby ^ it will bring forth in thee the quiet f nut
of right eoufnefs. Lay afide therefore your fears of hell, and hard
thoughts^of God. • But

' The Comer's Conflict. 225

But now, to add no more particulars, let me exhort you, and all
that hear me, to come to our Lord Jefus Chrift whatever oppofiti-
on from hell Hands in your way ; and tho' the devil (lioulcl throw
you down and tare you as you are coming, yet Chrift will lift you
up and heal you. O what ails the world at our Lord Jefus 9 Will
youtellme,fmner, what ails you at Chrift ? what ails you at his
perfon ? is he not the hrightmfs of the Father s glory, and the chief
among ten thoufand '? Is he not the rofe ofparadifc, the heart of hea-
ven y What ails you at his oflices V Is he not a prophet that can
teach you, a prieft that can atone for you, a king that can conquer
for you ? What ails you at his relations ? ishenotafliephcrd to
feedyou,aphyficiantohealyou,a father to pity you, a husband
tocherilhyou ? What ails you at his doing to fulfil the law for
you, orhisdyingtofatisfyjufticeforyou ? What ails you at his
yoke, is not his yoke eafy and his burden light, his ways pleafant-
nefs and his paths peace ? What ails you at his grace and glory ?
What ails you at him Sirs ? O ! is he not worth your while, tho*
you (liould run through hell to come to him ? Is there not a heart
in all this company that would fain be at him ? Alas ! would
you rather go to the devil than come to Chrift. That a comely
Jefus cannot get two or three hearts in all this company, O pity,
pity ! and a thoufand pities, that the beauty ofthe godhead can-
not get a lover 1 Will you all be fo mad as to run by Chrift to 0-
ther lovers, while he begs your love, as if he were upon his knees,
and fends us to pray you in his ftead to be reconciled with him,
and come to him ? And therefore. Sirs, in his blefted name I pray
you, go not by him. I beg it as the befl favour you can do to my maf^
ter and me,thatyou come to him. Ibefeech you by the mercies of
God, and by the bowels of Chrift, that you come to him ; he will
ixelcome the worft of you that will come to him, & if you hutflrlve
to ftretch the wither'd hand, or put out the withered heart toward
him, he will help you to it, and embrace you with hand and heart
both. He is content to come to you on any terms, and will you
not come to him ? Heftandsatthedoorofyourhearc, and waits
that you'll but allow him to come in, and let him have accefs.
Have you a hard heart, he would be in to foften it ? arc you plea-
fed? llaveyouafilthy heart, he would be in towafliit? are you
content ? Have you a wicked heart, he would be in to renew it ?
are you fatisfied ? If you will not come to him, will you let him
come to you, that he may make you willing ? Confider what is
a coming. O is not a day of calamity coming, & why will you not
come to Chrift? Is not a day of death coming, and why will you
not come to him ? Is not a dav of judgment coming? and whv

Q. ' will

ii6 The Female Preacher. #

will yoii not come to him? Or why come you to anything elfe?
Why come you to ordinances, if you will not come to Chrill,
for he is the life of ordinances? Why come you to fermons,
if you come not toChriil, who is the llibftance of all fermons?
Why come you to a comrQ,union-table, if you will not come
to Chrift, for he is the heart of the communion? Why do you
hope for heaven, if you will not come to Chrifl, for he is the
all of heaven, the heaven of heavens ? A thoufand heavens
;ne lighter than a feather when laid in the balance with him.
Had 1 the tongue of a feraphim, I could not commend him enough
to you ; but O may he commend himfelf to your heart, and caufe
^•outo throw yoiir immortal foul into his faving arms, notwith-
j] anding all the difcouraging temptations of Satan, and whatever
objections & oppofitions rtand in the way of your coming to him.

The Self-humbling, and CnRisT-exalting Influ-
ence of Divine Discoveries.

Opened in a SERMON preached July 13, 1729. immediately after the
Celebration of the Sasrament of the Lord's Supper, at Dunfermline.

By the Rev. Mr, Ralph Erskine.

— I -■ - '

JOHN iv. 29.

Come^ fee a Man which told me all things that ever I did -, Is
not this the Chriji ?

F our glorious Lord Jefus has been here prefent this day, con-
verfing with us as he did with the woman of Samaria., difco-
vering us to ourfelves, and difcovering himfelf to us ; if he
isath been telling us what vile finners we are, and what a glori-
ous Saviour he is, fo as the entrance of his word hath given light to
us., to fee our blacknefs on the one fide, and his beauty on the o-
ther : furely it cannot but lead us to fome fuch felf-condemning
and Chrift commending exercife, as here this woman is employed
in. Come., fee a man that told me all things that ever I did j is not this
the Chrift ?

In the preceding part of this chapter, there flands recorded a
very notable converfation betwixt Chrift and this woman, the par-
ticulars whereof are too many to be confidered at this time, the'

fome

The Female Preacher. 227

fome of them may fall in our way when we fpeak of the circum-
(lancesofherconverfion : Only in the general, our Lord Jefus,
as a wearied traveller, fitting down by yrt<:(9Z''swell5 and this wo-
man coming to draw water, he asks a drink from her, both to
quench his thirft, and to take occafion of conferring with her,
with a defign of mercy to her foul. She apprehending him to be
a y^-ty, refufes to give him a drink, upon an old quarrel that was
between t\\Qjeixis and thcSamarnans^whQXQwpon Chrift (liews her
how file miftook her own mercy, and that he had better water to
give her than that which file refufed to give him, ^.10. and that
if ihe knew what a valuable mercy were at her hand, flie would
have turn'd a fupplicant to him, and not fufter him to be fo to her.
But (lie ftillreafoningagainft his offer, he points out further the
excellency of what he offered, f. 13, 14. This raifed fome natu-
ral defire in her : But our Lord refolving to take hold of her heart,
and knowing that the richeft offer of his grace in the world, will
work no defire in the heart of finners, further than what is natural
and carnal, unlefs he effedmally convince them of theirj^;^ and mi-
fery, zndjavingly manifefl himfelf to them ; therefore he takes this
method with her. iji. He convinces her of her /zk and mifery, and
lets her underftand that he knew all the lewdnefs and wickednefs
file was guilty of, by Ihewing her how many adulteries flie was
chargeable with, if. 18. Whereupon flie begins to conceive
fome high opinion of him as a prophet, and to feek further
light from him with reference to the right -imy of woriliip-
pmg God, there being controverfies about religious matters, and
particularly about the place of publick worfliip, betwixt the Jews
and the Samaritans. And indeed the woman's difcourfe here
fliews, that tho' flie was a profane Samaritan, yet flie was no igno-
ramus. She had knowledge of the controversy of the day flie lived
in, and the grounds thereof, and knew that the Mejjias was to
come ; yet her knowledge was no fan6l:ified knowledge. But now
her conicience being awakened with a fenfe of fin, flie is follicit-
custohaveher mind informed, and accordingly is inftrufted at
largeby our Lord Jefus, both concerning the place and the right
manner of worfliipping God. And thus from one thing to ano-
ther he leads heron, until, 2dly, He manifen:s himfelf to her, f.
26. ChrilVs difcourfe about the change of religion that was to
take place, brought the woman to mind of tlie Mc(]iah\ coming ;
Iknozv, hys (hCy that MejUiab Cometh, ivbich is called Cbrift ; -jjhef'
he is come, he ijoilltelliis all things : And while flie is expre'unjr; her
high efl;imation of,and great defire after this comir)gM(?/7?<3!j-,Jerus
fays unto her, I that /peak unto thee am he. Chrifl: may be preic-uc

Q_ 2 with

i228 The Female Preacher.

with people, and fpeaking to them, and yet they cant't know it,
till he reveals himfelf, as here he did to this woman, I that /peak
unto thee am he.

Nofooner didChrifl: ihuskindly difcover himfelf toher, than
immediately this iweet conference is broken up, by the return of
thedifciples, who hzd gone to the city to buy tneat, f. 8. I'hefweet-
eflfellowfliip with Chrift on the earth is but of a fliort duration,
and them.oft pleafant manifeflations may meet with very fudden
interruptions, and poor finners may havefuch a fweec time in
thrift's company, that even the company of difciples may be an in-
terruption to it.

But now how file was afFefted with this difcovery is evident
from two things. iy?,She forgets her errand that flie came upon ;
file left her water-pot, and went her way. Having got a tafte of
The excellency ofChrill, and a drink of the living water that he
gave her, flie minds no other water now, nay,ihe forgets all other
things that before were in a great efteem with her. 2dly, She
fpreads the name and fame of Chrift in the place where (lie dwelt.
Come fee a man, {"cLysihc, that told me all things that ever I did; is not
2 his theChrift? Wherein we may notice, i. An invitation, Cow^/^^ a
'iuan ; having got a tafte of his goodnefs,flie would have the men of
the city to tafte and fee with her. 2. A commendation, a man that
told me all things that ever I did ; a man that hath difcovered him-
ielf to be God as well as man, in that he hath ript up my heart and
life. He had difcover'd her lewdnefs to her, and thereby repre-
fented all other things to her as feen by him.T'here is here implied
-a humble fenfe {lie had of her fmfulnefs, which Chriflhath given
her a difcovery and convi6lion of, and by his fearching word llie
iinderftoodthathewasthefearcherof hearts, and fo commends
him SLS a man that told her all things that ever floe did. 3. A conclu-
iion,by way of interrogation and expoftulation. Is not this the
Chrift ? importing no manner of doubt about it in her own breaft,
but a ftrong affirmation pointing at him unto them. He had told
iier what flie was, and in this glafs (lie faw her own vilenefs ; and
hehadtoldherwhathe was, andin this glafs (lie faw his glory,
and by both thefe means he had difcovered himfelf to be the true
Mcffias, the God-rmn, the promi^QdEinanuel, God with us ; and
her heart being hili of Chrift, and overflowing with the living
water of the Spirit that he had given her, it vented itfeif and ran
over in his praife and commendation unto others, Co?ne fee a man
that told me all things than ever I did ; Is not this the Chrift ? 1 fliall
endeavour fome further explication of this text, upon a note of
doftrine. Faffing over many othcrb\ what I mainlv fixt upon is,

Obf.

The Female Preacher. 829

Obf. That thofe faving difcoveries of Chrifi^ that make perfons to
condemn and ahafe themfelves to the loweji, lead them at the fame time to
commend and exalt Chrift to the highefl.

Sclf-fearching, foul-humbling, and fin-clifcovering manifef-
tacions, iflue in Chrilt-exalting commendcUions. I think 'tis re-
markable in this woman, that kindly humiliation did not take
place in her, till after that Chrifl had clearly manifefled
himfelf to her, faying, I that fpeak unto thee am he. 'Tis true,
when Chrift firft difcovered her wickednefs and lewdnefs to
her, flie appeared to be felf-condemned and convicted, faying,
I perceive that thou art aprophct, and a true prophet indeed, that can
tell me how many a61s of lewdnefs I have been guilty of; her con-
fcience flying in her face, and fubfcribing to the truth of what he
told her ; But yet, as her firft convi61:ion appeared to be very par-
tial and weak, in that (asfome think, (lie feem'd to fliift any dif-
courfeaboutherown vilenefs, andftarted a queftion about a na-
tional difference betwixt the ^^■-cyi' and Aitw^r/f^/zj-, to divert thac
fubjedl: concerning her bafenefs ; fol think, we may conclude,
that her convictions before were very legal, driving her rather to
her works and duties than to Chrift, for inftantly ilie falls aquef-
tioning him about the means of worlhipping God, as if when now
(lie was convinced of her fm againfl God, her only way of getting
to his favour, was by endeavouring to pleafe him by her duties of
worfliip, whomihehaddifpleafed by her wickednefs and lewd-
nefs. And indeed the firft thing that an awakened confcience
looks to, is the law, thcfirjt husband. But now when once Chrift
difcovers and manifefts himfelt to her, file is kindly humbled un-
to a fenfe of her vilenefs, ^ea, and of all heart and life- wickednefs
reprefented to her under that, and in the light wherein Chrift dif-
covered himfelf, flie faw all her abominations ; he told me all things
that ever I did. She is now humbled and abafcd to the loweih
Why ? her fenfe offin is not now partial, but full, He told me all
things that ever Idid. Neitherisic now. legal, but evangelical ;
for it was now in the glafs of a faving manifeftation, in the glafs
wherein Chrift difcovered his glory and excellency, that flie faw
all her own filthinefs & deformity.' And while flie is thus debafed
and humbled by the difcovery of Chrifl, how does flie commend
ana exalt him to the higheft ? She commends him to her nc]gh-
bour-citizens and puts the greateft honour upon him, both as he
is the true God incarnate,that by his omnifcient eye could fee,and
fodec'ire to her. all that ever fl:e did, and as he is the true Mcfjias,
the anointed of Crod, Is not this the Chrift "? I'hc truth of this doc-'
trine might be cleared from many fcripture-paflages. That fav-

Q. 3 inir

230 Tl)e Female Preacher.

ingdifcoveriesofChrifl tend to make perfons condemn and de-
bafe themfelves^ and to commend and exalt Chrifl ,• as it was
with Job, chap. 40. f. 4, 5. God having manifefted his glory, he
cried out, Behold I am vile, what fljall I anfwer thee ? I will lay my
handiipon my mouthy as being unworthy to fpeak in the prefence of
fuch a great and glorious one ,• therefore he adds, Once have I
fpoken, but I will not anfwer, yea twice, but I will proceed no further ;
and Job 42. ^,6. See how the difcoveryof Chrifl makes the
Prophet.//?2f6j!^ to condemn and debafehimfelf to the loweft, and
to commend and exalr Chrifl to the higheft, 7/^^.6. 1,5. He faw
the Lord fitting upon a throne high and lifted up, and his train filling
the temple ; then fays he, M'^oe is me, for lam undone, becaufe lam a
man of unclean lips, and I divell in the midji of a people of unclean,
lips ; for mine eyes have feen the King, the Lord of Hofls. To
this purpofe we may fee Ifa. 45. 22. and downward. Look
to me and be faved, all ye ends cf the earth, for I am God and there
is none elfe. Why, what will iffue upon that faving fight of Chrifl ?
both the abafing of himfelf, f. 23. To him every knee/hall bow, and
xhe high commendation and exaltation of Chrifl, Surely, ver. 24,.
25. PmH one fay, in the Lord have Irighteoufftefs andfirength ; in him
fhall all the feed of Ifrael be juftified, and fijall glcry. But paiTrng
many other proofs, I fuppofe it will be found evident in the ex-
perience of all faints, that every manifeflation and difcovery of
Chrifl tends to work both thefe effefts at the fame time, even to
inakethem. condemn and debafe themfelves to the loweft, and to
commend and exalt Chrifl to the higheft. This fubjeft is very
large, but I defigii, for fliortning the work, to confine myfelf ef-
pecially to the circumflances and efrecls of the difcovery that
Chrift here gives of himfelf to the woman o^ Samaria in the fol-
lowing method. J. 1 fliall fliew what we are to underfland by
Chrifl's manifefling or difcovering himfelf to a pcrfon. II.
What are thefe fin-difcovering and fbul-debafing eftefls of Chrifl
manifefling himfelf ; or when may one be in cafe to fay, that
Chrifl hath told him all things that ever he did ? III. What
are thefe Chrifl-exalting commendations, wherein fuch dif-
coveries of Chrifl vent themfelves ; and fo notice the particular
import of what ihe woman here fays. Come fee a man that told me all
thinn^sthat ever Idid ; is not this the Chrift ? IV. I will fliew the
reafonsoFthedo6lrine ; whence it is that laving difcoveries of
Chrill have ^uc\\ a felf-debafing, and Chrifl-exalting influence.
And then, V. Make application of the whole.

I. T will fpeak a little of Chrifl's dilcov^ering and manifefling
himfelf to fmners. And here I -would confine myfelf to the cir-
cumflances

The Female Preacher. 031

cumftancesof the difcovevy that lie makes of himfelf to this wo-
man, which wrought this efFe6lin her, and which in mod particu-
lars will be found to agree with all the faving manifefcations that
• our Lord makes of himfelf to his people, either at liril converii-
on,orany renewed vifit he makes to them. And here we may
notice- i. Some things relating to the means of the difcovery
that Chrift makes of himfelf to this woman. 2. Some things re-
lating to the manner of it.

ifi. There are fome things in the context relating to the means
of this difcovery. i. One of the more remote means was his tak-
ing occafion to come to a place where (lie was alfo to come, and
fo cafting himfelf in her way as it were. This is noticed very re-
markably, i^. 4. of this chapter,vj\\QrQ. it is faid. He miifi needs go
through Samaria. Whatever other reafons there were for his go-
ing this way, here was a fpecial one ; he mud needs meet this
woman, and with thofe Samaritans (whom on this occafion) he
converted to the faith. If there be but one foul that Chrift hath
an errand to, the world will not keep him away from the place
where that foul is. He mull: needs go through that place ; there
is a fweet neceffity he lies under ; he muft needs bring a gofpel
miniflry there, he mult needs bring gofpel ordinances where he
has any fouls to meet with, and difcover himfelf favingly unto.
They to whom Chrifb hath difcover'd himfelf, will find a merciful
providence exercifed about them, in his ordering their lot fo, that
either they are brought to the place where Chrift and his ordinan-
ces are, or Chrift and his ordinances come to the place where
ihey are. A fecond more remote means of this difcovery is our
Lord's ordering matters foasher fecular errand is made the oc-
cafion of her fpiritual good and advantage, f. 7. There comes this
woman of Samaria to draiv water. Providence may be intending
much mercy to thofe who are both very unworthy of it, aiid very
unconcerned about it. Little was this iinful woman minffngany
other thing but to draw water, yet a happy providence made her
to meet v/ith the Saviour of finners. Some have come to ordinan-
ces, as this woman did to Jacob's well, with no other view, fave
upon fome fecular and carnal errand ; may be to draw the water
of damnation to themfelves, or to draw in fome applaufe to them-
felvesamongft their neighbours, or merely from cuftom and cu-
riofity, little minding any faving good, which yet the Lord hath
prevented them with. A third mean of this difcovery is, Cl/rift
falls a difcourfing with her, and upon occafion of his feeking and
her refufing him adrink of water, he fiiews his pity and compani-
on her, as an ignorant and unfenfible rinncr,having no knowledge

Q. 4 or

23- T^he Female Preacher."

orfenfeofherreal want and necefficy with refpecl to that better
^cvater vjhich he had to give ; and particularly he lets her know, that
the 'Uie II of living water zvas in his hand, to difpenfe as he pleafed;
and that as he offers his grace before we ask it, fo he will not re-
fufe it to them who ask it upon his ofFer and promife. If thou hadft
knoivu, thou ivoukr/i have asked, and I would have given thee living
water 5 and belides, in his difcourfe, he commends his water to
her, !(■'. 14. his gifts, his graces, his Spirit,as a well above all wells,
a well of water fpringing up to everlajting life, and all to be freely dif-
penfed by way of gift and donation ; and this is the way he deals
Hill with Tinners in the free difpenfiition of the gofpel. A fourth
mean of this difcovery, is his working a work of convi6lion upon
her confcience, byflievving her tranigreffionstoher, and fetting
lier fin in order before her, f, 18. and thereby difcovering his
prophetical office to her, and raifing fomeefteem of him as a pro-
phet, 1^. 19. Thefreeji offers do not prevail with finners, till they be
convinced of their linfulnefs and milery. Indeed it is not every
fight of fin that will convince the finner ; butChrifl: mud fet it home
upon the confcience, and difcover fin to them marked by his all fee-
ing eye,his allfearching eye,' for the woman knew pretty well how
matters were with her, and yet without any due fenfe; till he ript
up her bofom, and made her fee and nnderftand that all her fins were
naked andopenuntothe eye of him with whom (he had now to do; and
tho' lliedid not yet know him to be the Chrift, yet flie begins to
have fome high tho't of him as a prophet that had the mind ofGody
and by whom God was difcovering her finfulnefs'tQ her. But-
it does not appear as yet that llie perceived any thing in him a-
bove ordinary prophets ; fo gradually, by little and little, did he
manifcfl; himfelf to her. Only it is evident here, that in God's or-
der & method of working effectually on the hearts of finners, as
there is a difcovery of fin thatgoes before a difcovery ofChrifl:,
without which perfons do not fee their need of Chrift; fo the more
ihat Clirifi: diicovers fin, and touches the iinner's heart therewith,
it breeds the more refpesSt and eftimationof him, tho' it may be
very weak and low at firfl. A fifth mean of this difcovery is his
opening up to her the nature of true fpiritual and acceptable wor-
Ihip, t- 21, 22, 23, 24.. Here he gives her fuch inftrudlion, as
might tend to let her fee that he v/as a prophet above all prophets,
that knew what changes were quickly to fall out with reference
to the place of religious worlhip, and what fort of worfhip God
woi::d iiave, whatafpirit he is, and what fpiritual fervicc he re-
quires As faith comes by hearing, ^0 difcoveries of Chrift, the
gloriousobjettoffaith, coroeby the muans of inJl;ru6lion and di-
vine

The iFemale Preacher. 233

vine teaching, fuch as the Lord Jefiis here gives this woman. And
this paves a way to a fixth mean of this difcovery, namely, his
working in her heart a kindly remembrance of an high eileem of
the MeJjlaSy ver. 25. The longer llie con verfed with Chrifl flie is
the more enamoured with him. Tho' he difclaimed the Samari-
tan worlhip, and declared they had no warrant for their religion ;
vet having at the fame time fliewed that the Je-imP} worihip was
warrantable by the word of God, though yet their temporary
way of ivorfhip was what his coming to tiie world was to give a
burial to, and to aboliili, upon which a more excellent ijoay of wor-
fliipping God was to fucceed ; 1 fay, the more Ihe hears him
fpeak, the more llie is enamoured with his difcourfe, and filled
with great refped and regard to the MeJJtas, from whom Ihe ex-
pected fuch inftruftions as that ,• I know that Mejfias comes, which
is called Chrift ; ivhen he is come, be will tell us all things ; not know-
in as yet that ihe was fpeaking to him. She is fpcaking with a
very high eftimation of him, as the great teacher of his church,,
that would fully reveal the counfel of God concerning his fervice
and means of falvation. And now the woman by thefe means be-
ing brought to have precious thoughts of Chrid, and to give fuch
a notable evidence of her faith concerning him, then he difcover-
Q.d\\\m^Q\^,hymg-,Ithatfpeakimtotheeamhe : When people are
brought to fublime thoughts of Chrift, then it is certain Chrift is
not far off from them : Thus ye have the means. We iliali,

2^/}', Notice the manner of the difcovery that Chrift makes of
himfelf ; Ithhtfpeak unto the earn he. Here is a clear manifefta-
tion and revelation that Chrift himfelf gives of himfelf, / that
/peak unto thee am he. It is not ordinary for Chrill to give fuch tel-
timony of himfelf, there muft be fome rare thing here ; for when
Johns difciples came to ask him. Art thou he that flMllcome, or may
we look for another ? he does not fay, Ithatfpeak unto thee, am he ;
nay, but go tell John what ye hear and fee ; the blind receive their fio^ht\
the lame walk, the lepers are cleanfedy the deaf bear, the dead are rafed
upland the poor have thegofpel preached to them ; let him. draw the
conclufion from thefe premifes whether I am he or not ; but here
Matth. II. 5. hegivesus asclear adifcovery of himfelf as in all
tile book of God, out of his own mouth. We know Peter gave a
clear tefhimony. Thou art Chriji, the Son of the living God ; the j'a-
ther gave a great teftimony to him, This is my beloved Son, in whom
lamwell pleafed. But that Chrift gave as "clear a tefiimony of
himfelfis rarely to be found in all the New Teftament : Yea, this ■
difcovery of himfelf is the more remarkable, becaufe he forbad
bis difciples at that time to tell exprefly who he was ; and when,

■ rilatc,

23-i- The Femails Preacher.

Pilate, and Herod, and others ask him 'ujho art thou ? he either gave -
them a very dark anfwer, or none ac all. Chrifl is not lavilli
of his commendations in this manner ; therefore there is fome
fpeciality here, and yet there is fomething in the manner of
Chrift's manifeftmg himfelf to her that is common to ail the
children of God, to whom he favingly manifefts himfelf.

1. It was in a word, a home word fpoken to her heart, that he
difcovered himfelf, I that /peak unto thee am he. It was by fpeak-
in,2;toiier that he maniferted himfelf; fo it is in tlieword thathe
difcovershimfelf CO his own, that luor^ that comes into the ear of
others, comes into their heart; the joyful found goes thro' the
very foul of the man, in a fecret indifcernible manner. This is
p'ain in the cafe of this woman, both with refpeft to the zvord that
I'e fpake for her convitiion to difcover her fin, and in the zvord that
he fpake for her confolation difcovering himfelf as the Saviour.
In the former he had faid, / know this is not thy husband that thou
hift-y the vjQrd went to her hear t,that is a true 'word,fsLys {lie,fpoken
by a true prophet, for I am living in ivhoredom. I'hus God, in deal-
ing with iinners by his o^g;-^ externally, makesithavean internal
found in the heart; he whifpersin theearofafinner, and makes
him think, O that is very true, lamjufl: guilty of yon fin, I can-
not reclaim againft what the minifter fays, all is true, I muffc take
■with the charge of God's ii^ord : So with refpeft to the latter,when
he difco vers himfelf favingly, it is in the 'Vijoyd of grace, it comes
into the ear, but the finger of Godfets it down to the heart, the
God that commanded light to/Jjine out of darknefs fhines into the heart ;
and it is in the glafs of the iwrd that this light fliines, behold-
ing, as in a glafs, the glory of the Lord,

2. It was a particular difcovery, Ithatfpeak unto thee am he ; to
thee ; fo when God in Chrifl difcovers himfelf, it is a particular
difcovery, he calls his ownfljeep by name, John lo. 3 . As the word
ofconvi6tion is particular, fo the wor^ofgrace is particular, as if
God were dealing with none other but that perfon. O has he
fpoken to thee, man, to thee, woman, in particular, by his
-ivord, and fet it home upon thy heart ?

3. It was an immediate difcovery he himfelf made of himfelf,
Thisindeedisnottobeexpeftedin the manner that the woman
here was privileged with: But tho' it is not now in an immedi-
ate, but in a mediate way; yet where he favingly manifefts him-
felf, he takes the means in his own hand, and makes the foul find
that it is none other but himfelf that is dealing with it ; it is not
thevoiceofmenorminifl:ers, butthe voice of God that it hears,
1 Thejf. 'ih 13. The word com.es with fuch life, light and raajedy,

that

r^^- Female Preacher. 235

that the foul finds it is indeedthe wordof God, it has i hea\en]y
relifli with it. And hence,

4. It was a clear and demonftrative difcovery; I am he, fays
Chrift to the woman. Saving difcoveries are by way of demon-
ftration, as the word imports, ^uhn 16. 9. Thushemanifefl.s him-
fe!f to his people, as he does not manifeft himfelf to the world,
who remain encompafs'd and invelop'd. with the clouds and
mifts of grcfs darknefs and ignorance amidil aUthe literal know-
ledge they enjoyed.

5. It was a gradual difcovery, by little and little, from one ftep-
to another, till he made all hiS giory pals before this ivioman ; even,
fo where he manifells himfelf favingly, he does it gradually ; his
goings forth are prepared as the morning. 1'he 'ujork that is very
fudden, feldom proves very found. It is obferved of the bad
ground, that the feed fown did fuddenly fpring up. God's or-
dinary 'ucay of manifefling himfelf is gradual ; the path of the
jufi pfines more and more unto the perfe^ day. Then,

6. It was a fenfible difcovery that he gave of himfelf to this 'wo-
man ; her time wasatitne of love. After he had let her fee that (lie
was lying in her blood, and in the puddle of pollution, and after he
had filled her heart with precious thoughts of the Mejfias, the
Deliverer, he would no longer hide himfelf from her ; O how
fweetly and fenfibly does he manifeft himfelf to his people, when
they are apt to think he is far from them ! As this 'woman was
fpeaking of the MeJJias as the glorious perfon whom file wift not
ifever fne would have the happinefs to fee. Behold, faysChrifi:, I
that fpeaktinto thee am he. Ofays the foul, will ever I get a fight
of Chrid, I know not if ever I'll be fo happy ; why then
ufually he lets them know he is not far off.

7. It was a wonderful difcovery he made of himfelf to this v\''0-
man, there were many wonders in it : And indeed whenever
Chrift manifefls himfelf to any foul,it will fee fome fuch like won-
ders as fne faw. O wonderful, mi^htlhefay, is he fpeaking to
me, fucii a poor woman as I am, and fuch a bafe woman as I have
been I Why, as there was no likenefs or relation betwixt him and
her, but on the contrary afiiated enmity and alienation, for the
jeivshadno dealing with the Samaritans, yea but lie mufl deal
with her, though flie was no good 'woman ; nay, a common whore,
lying in whoredom. Ov/onderful, though ye were never fuch a
great finner, yet Chrift is content to fpeak to you, and to fpeak
with you, for your everlaftinggo.)d ; and it is an ill tale tliat may
not be heard ; will ye allow Chrift to fpeak to you ? Was ic not
wonderful that Chrift fhould fpeak to this 'woman, in fuch a man-
ner

23^ The Female Preacher.

ner as he did ? How kindly does he fpeak to her, that he mights
win her heart with his love, and kill her with kindnefs ; One
might have thought he would call her a bafe filthy devil, as it was
laid CO hipfelfmoft blafphemoully, Saywenot ive!l,thouart a Sa-
7n-aritan,andhajlade-vil; it was true of this woman o^ Samaria, (lie
^ \\?a's a Samaritan that had a filthy devil ; yea the ^civs- took all the
'Samaritans for incarnate devils, but does Chrift call her fo ? Nay,
and it adds to the v/onder of his difcovering himfelf to her, that
fne wasailighterofChriil, he was undervalued by her, ^Vr thou
greater than our father Jacob, fays flie, f. 12. yea, flie refafed him
a drink of cold water; yet he bears with all thefe affronts, and
manifcfts himfcif to her, even to her. O wonderful ! do not fe-
veral fuch wonders take place, when the Lord comes to fpeak
and manifeft himfelf to you, O believers, O finners, are there not
wonders enough to be obferved about this glorious perfon's
Ihewing himfelf ? He might dwell in heaven to all eternity, as
he.d welt in heaven from all eternity, and be for ever happy ; the
Father was good company to him, and he needed none of your
company, he had infinite delight in himfelf, more than in all his
creattires ; yet for all this, that he fliould fpeak and fliew him-
ielf to you, how wonderful is it ? His difcoveries are wonder-
ful, in that he feeks nothing of us : 'Tis true he made the fafliion
of feeking a drink of water fr om this worn an ^ but that was only
by the by, he got meat and drink enough when he got the zmman
to himfelf, the great thing he was feeking was to get the 'ijjoman
divorced from all her bafe husbands, and married to himfelf, yea
betrothed to him forever;, yea, Chrift's vifits to fome may be
wonderful, not only to the Tinner that gets them, but to the faints
and difciples that fee or hear tell of them. We are told v. 27. here,
that the difciples, -i-jhen they came, marvelled that he talked with that
woman; tho' theydurfl not challenge him, yet it was matter of
oiTence to them that he fo freely converfed with her. Chrifl can
demean himfelf, and (loop fo low to a poor fmner as is marvellous
toliefli and blood ; there is more kindnefs and humility in him
alone, than in all his friends. They being advanced by grace,
are apt to forget themfelves, and to become fo proud as to defpife
others, tho' they themfelves were once lifted out of the dungeon,
and chofenout'of the dufl:. But then,

8 f /'/}', It was a powerful difcovery that he made of himfelf to
iliis woman, as appears by the gracious effe6ls thereof. Now
Iier heart goes off all things elfe, Iheforgets her water-pot^ her
mind is fet upon fome greater things, flwran away to the city,that
the might invite others to follow him, who had fo wonderfully

mani-

The Female Preacher. 237

manifefledhimfelftoher ; andindeed all faving manifeflations
have a power attending them. The Gofpel comes not in aeri
only, hut in poiver ; ChriS's word has a drawing power. I le draws
withloving-kindncfs, while grace and love is poiHcd from his
lips. This word, wherein he viOts the Toul, has a winning power
that wins the heart from all things, and makes Chrifl: all in all. Aftd
liismanifeftations haveafan6lifying, transforming power ; Be-
holding his glory J we are changed into the fame image ; and efpecially
they lead to ielf-debafing and Chrift-exalcing excrcife. Which
brings me to the

lid Head propofed, namely. What are thefe nn-difcovering
and foul-debafing effefts of Chrifh's manifeiling himfelf ? or
when may one be in cafe to fliy, He toldmc all things that ever I did?
*Tis true, this is a part of what the woman fpoke to ChriiVs com-
mendation, as an all-knowing God, as well as to her own con-
demnation, as avilefinner, brought under a kindly felf-debafe-
ment, by thedifcovery fliehadofChrifl:, both as a kindly Repro-
ver, and a merciful Redeemer, a Chrifl:, a Saviour. To give
light to this particular, Ifliallonly touch at this, How all things
are told, when only fome things feem ta be told ? Plow can this
woman fay, he toldme all things that ever I did, when yet it was only
her whoredom and adultery that he difcovered ? or when may
the difcovery that Chrift makes of himfelf be fo humbling and a-
bafmg, that when but a fmall part is mentioned, yet all that ever ii'c
did'is difcovered ? 1 anfwer, jjt, It may be faid confequentially,
he told me allthings that ever I did, thd.lis, by plain confequence, as
we may fee what the conclufion is when the premifes are related,
what the root is when the fruit is difcovered, and v\'hat the foun-
tain is when the flreams are difcovered. Even fo when Chrifl tel's
aperfon what evil fruit he hath brought forth, that perfon may
eafily infer that he hath told him that he is an evil tree, and by the
ftreams of wickednefs in the life he leads people thus to the foun-
tain of wickednefs in the hear t&nature. When he tells one of the
black fmoke that comes out of the chimney of his heart, he tells
alfo by plain confequence that there is afire of corruption within^
and then is one abafed to felf- abhorrence, when by the difcovery
ofonefin,inthe light ofagracious manifeflation, he is led in a
fpiritually argumentative way to infer his total deprivation both
in nature and pradlice ; he may fay confequentially at leafl, he told
nieallthingsthatever Idid. 2 J/3/, It may be faid inclufively and
\inud.\\y, he told me all things that ever 1 did ; as be that offends in
one point of the law, is guilty of all, ]ara.2. 10. in regard of his coun-
teracting the authority t'lmt enjoins all, i^o he ilut is humbled

d-eply

238 The Female Preacher.

deeply for any one fin,i-nay fee therein that he hath broken all
the commands ofGod,andmay befaidinapart to havefeen the
whole. In tranfgreffing of one command, he may fee his being
atranfgrefTorof all the commands of God, and a continual tranf-
grellbr thereof in thought, word, and deed, becaufe, as every ima-
gination of the heart is e'uil, and evil continually, ^o out of the heart, as
out of a bitter fountain, proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries,
fornications, theft s,falfe-'witnej[Jmg, hlafphemy, and all other pollu-
tions befide. Allthefinsof people are included, inclofed, con-
ne6led together as links in a chain, fo that when one link is feen,
the whole chain may be faid to be feen. Suppofe a chain whereof
fome links are above the ground, and all the refl of it hang-
ing down into a dark and deep pit, when the upper links
are feen in their connexion with the whole, then one may
be faid to have feen all, becaufe all are included and inclofed
in what he faw. 3^/3', It may be faid potentially, ^(? told me all things
that ever I did, becaufe by that one inftance he gave a proof of his
ability fo to do. He that could tell me this, could tell me all ; he
that could obferve this, hath obferved all that ever I did, and can
as eafily tell me all as tell me a part ,• for none but the fearcher of
hearts, that fees all my goings, could have told me this. He that
canfaveto theutmofl, can feeto theoutermoft. /i^thly. It may
be faid reprefen tatively he told me all things that ever I did ; for this
difcoveryreprefented all other things, all my other fins. This
reprefentation is like that which is made in a mirrour ; if one fet a
iooking-glafs before you to fee a Spot in your face, when you fee
that, at the fame time you fee all the fpots there ; fo when Chrifl:
fets the glafs of his word before you, to fee fuch a particular fpot
and blot, in the fame glafs you have a view and reprefenta-
tion of all the fpots and all theblemiilies ofyour heart and way :
For we may conceive this reprefentation like that which is made
in a map ; if one fliew you, for example, a particular city in
the map of the world, why at the fame time heprefentsyou to all
the terraqueous globe, the whole world at one glance ; fo here,
when in the light of the Spirit, Chrifh difcovers to you one
fin, in the fame map you fee the whole world of wickednefs
a world of arheifm, enmity, unbelief, pride, felf, and other
plagues innumerable. Thus in the day of gracious mani-
fefl:ation, wherein Chrift the vSun of righteoufnefs difcovers
himfelf, the finner that is priviledged with it, cannot but
fee a black fight of himfelf, which makes him fay in-^^ffeft,
HetoIdmeallihciV.sthatcvcrl did, he told me what I have been,
and what I have done, that I have been a finner in ^^^//i, and a

tranf-

The Female Preacher. 239

tranfgrefTor from the womb, that I have done evil as I could, and
given innumerable inftancesofa carnal mind, which is enmity a-
gainft God, and of an unbelieving heart, which is enmity againft
Chrift, and ofrefiftance to the motions of heaven, which is enmi-
ty againft the Holy Ghoft. When the fun fliines into a dark houfe
by a fmall window, the beams difcover innumerable motes & ho-
vering particles ofduflin that part of the houfe where the light is
fhining, by which we are made to fee & iinderjland, that the whole
houfe is full of motes and duft ,• even fo here, when Chrift the fun
of righteoufnefs appears, and lliines in upon the dark dungeon of
a finner's heart, and difcovers any motes and blots that are there,
then it appears that the whole houfe, the whole heart and nature,
is full of the duft and fmoke of hell, which makes the foul cry ou^
with Job, Behold I am vile; and hence the more precious that
Chriftappearsinany man's eye, the more vile does he appear in
his own eye, and debafe himfelf to the lowed ; he thinks himfelf
the mofl lothfome finncr that ever wasfeen, when Chrift tells
him all that ever he did. So muchfliall fufficeasto the foul-de-
bafingeffefts of Chrift manifefting himfelf, imported in thatex-
preffion. He toJdme all things that ever I did; at one glance he gave
me a view of all the fins that ever I was guilty of.

'ihellld Head propofed was to fliew, What are thefe Chrifl-
exaking commendations wherein fuch difcovereies of Chrift vent
themfelves, and which are imported in the words of the woman
here. Come fee a man that told me all things that ever I did, is not
this the Chrift ? Here, confining myfelf to the matter and the
manner of the commendation in the text, notice

jft, The matter of the commendation, or in what refpefts flie
commends Chrift to her neighbours ; and it is particularly in two
refpefts which are very comprehenfive. (i.) She commends
him in his natures. (2.) In his offices.

(i.) In his natures, as the man-god, or the god-man, that told
me all things that ever I did. Here is his human nature ; but O
fiiefaw his divinity through the vail of his humanity ,• He told me
all things that ever I did, and gave me thus an infallible proof of his
being the fupreme God. Slie was neither an Avian nor a Socinian,
neither will any be fo that gets fuch a difcovery of Chrift as flic
got. And furcly the blafphemous Avians of our day bewray their
ignorance and want of true learning and fpiritual knowledge,
fuch as this poor woman had. O but a little glance of Chrift 's glory
can make a poor illirerace woman wifer than the learned Rabbles
that were never taught of God, and yet think themfelves the only
wits of the world. 'I'hofe to whom Chrift difcovers himfelf, as

liiCy

240 The Female Preacher.

they will fee, fo they will commend him to others as God in our
nature^ God manifeiled in the fleih. Whoever queftioned but the
Searcher of hearts, that knows all things, is the true and fupreme
God, that can give laws to bind the heart and confciences of men,
and then rip up their hearts to them and tell them all thefe things
wherein they have violated and broken that law in heart or way ?
YetChriftis here declared to be fuch an one. He told me all things
that ccer I did. Why, this can be no more denied, than it can be
queftioned whether it was the great God, the true and fupreme
God, that gave out the lav/ upon mount Sinai ? No body doubts
that, fay you. Why then it is declared in Scripture that it was
t his fame Jefus that did fo, Pfal. 68. 17, 18. TheLord is among
them, asin^m^z, in the holy phce, thou haft afc ended on high, thou
haft led captivity captive, thou haft received gifts for men^ even for the
rebellious ^that the Lord Godmight dooellamongft them : And of whom
all this is fpoken, the Apoftle lliews, Eph.A. 8- i^nd every believ-
er knows, he told all things that ever 1 did ,* he told me all my fins
and tranfgreflions of his law, which he gave forth at Sinai. By a
fanctified fight of fome fins, he opened my eyes to fee more and
more, yea to fee all my fins, and that I was nothing but a mafs of
lin, enmity, and pollution ; and thus Ifawtherevealerto be the
true and fupreme God, even the eternal Son of God, clothed with
human nature, a man that toldme all things that ever I did, a man that
told me what none but God can do, a man that proved himfelf to
be God by an argument of power upon my heart and confcience,
an argument drawn from his omnifcient eye and driven in upon
my heart by his omnipotent hand.

(2.) In his offices he is here commended and exalted, Is not this
the Chrift ? that is, is not this the true Meffias promifed, prophefi-
edofintheOldTefiament ? This is her Eureka, like that, John
1 . 45. JVe havefou^d him, ofivhom Mofes in the law and the prophets
did write ; even fo I have found him, might flie fay, he hath been
with me, and I have been with him. He hath fpoken to me, and I
have fpoken to him. He hath not only told me what I am, and
what I have been, and what I have done, but told me what he is,
and I have found him to be God as well as man. And who is he
then, but the promifed Emanuel, God with us, is not this Chrift ?
that is, ihc anointed of God, to the faving offices of prophet,
priefi:, and king ; this word Chriflefpecially imports, and has a
particular reference to. He is anointed as a prophet, to declare
the mind of God ; anointed as a priefi:, to make reconciliation
with God ; andanointedasaking, tofubduefinnerstoGod, and
make them friends that are enemies to God. He is anointed with

the

The Female Preacher. 241

the fpirit above meafiire, ]oh. 3. 34. To render him a fie prophcc,
he hath the fpirit of •ivifdom and imderftanding above mealure ; to
make him a lit pried, he hath the fpirit of love and compaiTion a-
bove meafm"e ; and that he may be a fit king, he hath the fpirit of
power and government ; Is not this the Chrijt ? that is, the fealed
andfentofGod^ clothed with a commiffion from God to feek and
fave lofl fmners, ^o/;. 6. 27. Him hath Godthefatherfeakd^ that is,
authorized, unto this work, according as himfelf declares, Ifa. 61.
I. compared with Lm^t. 4. 18. Is not this tJ^e Chrifi '^ namely, he
that is anointed that he may anoint, anointed ivith the oil ofgladnefs
above his fellows. Believers are faid to receive the anointing ;
but there is a vafl odds betwixt the anointing of Chrifr, and
the anointing of believers, for Chrill is the fountain from
whom all the flreams flow, the fun from whom all the beams
of grace fliine. Grace in believers is like water in a brook ;
but grace in Chrift, is like water in the ocean. Grace in the
believer is like broken beams, but in Chrift it is like the bright
center of all light. He received the Spirit of all grace for this very
end, to be bellowed upon others. The firft /^dam brought an
emp:inefs on the whole creation, but the fecond Jdam came to fill
all things and perfons, to fill ^cw and Gentile, that of his fiilnefs •lue
might receive grace for grace. The oil of grace and gladnefs was
poured out upon our Emanuel, on purpofe that he might pour it
down upon the barren mountains. Thus we fee in what refpeils
he is here commended, or the matter of the commendation. Lee
us view,

2dly, The manner of the commendation, or in what way foe
does. We may read, in the bofom of the text, feveral properties
of this exercife of commending and exalting Chrift, which faving
difcoveriesof him lead unto. And, (i.) Itisanopenandpublick
commendation of Chrift, for flic went away to the city, and fliys,
O people, come fee a man that told me all things that ever I did ; is net
this the Chrijl ? Shebeingformerly a lewd woman, had given o-
pen oftence, and open fcandal to the citizens, and now, upon the
difcovery of her fin, and the difcovery of the Saviour, fhe gave as
open and ready evidence of her repentance zndconverfion, by in-
viting them all to come aiid fee himthsLt had given her a conviction
of her fin and vilenefs, and a manifeflation of his glory and grace.
Saving difcoveriesofChrift will lead people as openly to glorify
and honour him, as they have before openly difnonoured him.
(2.) It is an experimental commendation of him ; fl]e commends
him from her own experience and feeling, Come fee a man that told
7J2C all things that ever I did ; I have feen his face, and heard his

R voice.

242 The Female Preacher.

voice, and felc his power, he has convinced and converted me,
therefore from my own feeling and experience, I commend his
grace unco you. It is like that, i John 1.3. That which we have'
Jeen and heard J declare we imto you, that ye may have fellow/hip wi'.b
z/4» Itwasfomcching like that of David, Pfal. 66. 16. Come and
hear, all ye that fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my foul.
Yea, he commends Chrift not only to believers, but co others,
usyoufeehisrefolutionis, P/z/. 51. 13. Upon his getting a new
vifit, and the Lord's reftoring to him the joy of his falvat ion, ^nd up-
holding him with his free fpirit, Then, fays lie, will I teach tranf-
grefjors thy ways, and finners floallbe convertedujito thee. Thus Paul
iec forth the abundant grace of God from his own experience, /
was a blafphefuer, a perfecutor, and injurious ; but I obtained mercy,
ojid the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant, &c. i Tim. 1. 13,
14. They that have experience of the things of Chrift them-
lelves, will be moft zealous in manifefting the things of Chrift to
others, and in prefling them to come to Chrift, as having proof
and experience of his grace ! and indeed they can beft fpeak
of Chriftjto whom Chrift hath fpoken,and ^viho believe, and therefore
fpeak. (3 .) It is a charitative comm.endation of Chrift. She is now
filled with fuch chriftian love to others, and particularly to thofe
ilie was moft concerned with,& interefted in,that flie would have
ihem all drawn to Chrift. She faid to the men, Co?nefee a man that
tokhne all things that ever I did. Perhaps there were Ibme of them
ilie had tempted to fm & wickednefs before, now ftie would have
them turned to Chrift ; a great change. They that have feen
Chrift cannot but defire that others may fee him'too, they would
have all to come and fee. O if all the world would come and
fee, come and wonder, come and admire him, as Abraham com-
manded his cnildren and fervants tofeek andferve the Lord ; fo if
one that hath got the Difcovery of Chrift could do it, he would
command thoufands to come and fee him, and ferve him. When
Chrift difcovershimfelf, and fpeaks into the heart of a man, it
makes the man fpeak good of Chrift. Again, a fight of Chrift's,
face fmites the foul with a likenefs to him in love ; and hence the
iinner, immediately upon the revelation of Chrift, is filled with a
Jlrange love, a love of complaifance to the faints, and a love of be-
nevolence to the fouls of others. (4. ) It is a judicious corn-

method Ihc takes, or would have them to take, flie is nc)t content
that ciicy reft upon her report only, but would have ih&mtajle ami

fee

The Female Preacher. £43

feethemfehcs : She knew that their lov^e could not terminate fa-
vingly upon her teftimony ; and therefore would have'them
come to Chrifl himfelf. Again, it is evident, how judicious it
was, from her endeavour to draw them to Chrifi^with the very fame
hook that catched herfelf. Chrift fpake many good words to her ;
but the firft thing that griped her heart, and catched her was this.
He told 7ne all things that ever I did. His heart-fearching and dif-
covering word was the means of her converfion, and (lie would
have them drawn to Chrift by the fame means, Come fee a man that
told me all things that ever 1 did '^ isnotthisthe Chriftl Icisevidenn
alfo, how judicious it was, from the gradation of her words,
or the gradually rifing fleps of her commendation : She be-
gins fomewhat low. Come fee a man ; flie goes on to a higher
note. He told me all things that ever I did ; and flie concludes
with the higheft commendation of him, Is not this the Chrifi ?
Not only God, but God appearing in all his glorious robes of
grace, even Emanuel, God with us. In a word, it is evident
how judicious it is, from the manner of her arguing ,• flie ar-
gues from his telling part of her fecret wickednefs, that he told
her all, q. d. he could as eafily have told me all things that
ever 1 faid, and all things that ever I defigned, and all things
that ever I thought, as he told me what 1 did : Yea, 1 got
fuch a broad look of all my fms in that one glafs of a difcovery
that he gave me, that I can't but own he toldme all things that ever
I did. Again, flie argues from the divinity that ilie faw was joined
with his humanity, that he was the true iTkZ^//?^i' ; and hence judi-
ciouHy infers. Is not this the Chrift ? She never was at a college to
learn how to frame an argument, but having been at Chrift's
fchool for a little pleafant while, flic there learned fome heavenly
iogick ; can fuch a man as tfTis be any other but the Chrift ? The
more clear difcovery that any gets of Chrift, the more skilful and
expert they will be in commending him to others; as we fee in our
Apoftle Prti//, after Chrift was revealed in him, what clear difco-
veries did he make of Chrift to others, as appears in the J^s of the
Apnftles, and in all his epiflles. (5.) It is a pathetick commenda-
tion of Chrift that iflues from the difcoveries of him. Her heart is
full of Chrift, and full of defire to praife, and exalt, and commend
himtoothers, and her heart vents itfelf in feveral pathetical ex-
preffions. Hence flie fpake firftin a hortatory manner. Come and
fsc, fays file ; O flip not this opportunity, when fuch a great fight
is to be feen. Next (lie fpake in an aflertory manner, fhe afTerts
fomeftrange thin<i;s concerning him, he is a man that toldme all
things that ever I did ,• he isafeer and rcvcaler of the fecrers of

R 2 men.

244 ^^^ Female Preacher,

men, and therefore mud be a prophet, and more than a prophet, a
revealerofthecoLinfelofGod. And, finally, fliefpake in a quef-
tionary and expoftulatory manner, Is not this the Chrijl ? he can be
none elfe but the true MeiTias, the Chrift of God. She is not con-
tent to commend him in one particular, but ilie mufl: go on and
infifi-in his praife and commendation, and can't think (lie can
commend himi enough. Is not this the Chrift ? She makes no quef-
lion of it herfelf ; and the defign of her queflion is to put it out of
queflion with them. Who can this be but the Chrift ? How can
i: be any other but the Chrift ? They that have met with Chrift,
and got the heart touched by his grace, it is in a hearty cordial
way they fpeak of him, and commend him to others. The fmner
that hath met v/ith a Saviour, O how fain would he trumpet forth
his praife if he could. There is fomething further here that points
out thepathetick manner of the commendation, and that is an
appeal to them as it were in the bofom of this queflion. Is not this
the Chrift'? I appeal to you, might ilie fay, if it be not fo, that he
is the Chrift, the anointed of God. I can't think but ye muftjudge
of him as I do, and who will not think highly of him as I do?
Indeed the enlightned foul is ready to think all the world
lliould be of his mind, the light and evidence is fo clear to
him. And hence they that have got adifcovery of Chrift, won-
der that any would efteem otherwife of Chrift than they. O
wonder that all the world is not wondring at his glory. O what
can blind them, v\diat can bewitch them at this rate, that they are
not of the fame mind with me concerning Chrift, and that they
are not admirers of him as well as I am. Surely there is nothing
appears with fuch evidence and demonftration as this glory and
excellency of a God-man. Who can be fo ftupid and fenfelefs
as to reckon otherwife, Is not this the Chrift ? The proof is fo plain
tome, fays the foul, and the light and power ^o great by which
Chrift is difcovered to me, that it is truly irrefiftable, and who in
all the world can poffiblyrefift the evidence of it, Is not this the
Chrift ? O how pathetick is the commendation. (6.) It is a
practical cominendation that iffues from a faving difcovery of

they would fliare themfelves of more and more of Chrift. Their
language is not gofte, but come fie. It would have argued no great
efteem ol Chrift, nor high commendation of him, lliould the vx^o-
manhayefaid, I have feen him already, go ye and fee him next,
ihcy might huve thought the had enough of him ; but come fie

him.

The Female Preacher. 245

him, fays file, g. d. come along with me, and I'll go at your head
like a captain, and lead the van my felf. I havefeen him to my
heart's content, and am fond to get another fight, anew fight 01
him, and I would have all the people in Samaria^ the whole town,
to go along with me. I have been an ill woman, a bafe woman,
that have led fome of you to fin, and may I now be the happy in-
ftrument of leading you to a Saviour. I have led fome of you to
the gates ofhell,0 let me now lead you to the gate of heaven ; if
I have tempted any of you to wickednefs, O let me now be inftru-
mental in turning you to righteoufnefs, y ea to the Lord my righ-
teoufnefs, whom I have gotafaving fight of, and therefore let
me give you a good example, for all the ill examples I have given.
Plere was a change indeed, and a pra6lical commendation. Surely
they commend Chrifl mofl effe6lually, who do it not only by their
profeffion, but by their praftice, not merely by their counfel, but:
by their example, and who can fay not only gofee^ but come fee a
man that told me all things that ever I did. It is a come fee that makes
others to go alfOjZ^J;. 8. 21. Let us go fpeedily to pray before the
Lord,andtofeektheLordofhoJls,Ii'oillgo alfo ; there is one ; v.
23. you find more following, PVe zvillgo ivith you,for i:oe have heard
that God is ivith you. Thus it was not only the church's commend-
ing of Chrift, but diligent feeking after him whom flie fo com-
mended, that made the daughters of y(?n//^/^7;2 fay, Song 6. i.
Whether is thy beloved gone ythat 'we may feek him ixiith thee ? And
we fee hov/effe6lual this praftical commendation of Chrifl was,
that the woman gave to the Samaritans^ as you may read, if. 30,

39 42. She was the blefs'dinftrument of drawing many there

to the Lord Jefus.

IVth Head propofed, was to give thereafons of the doctrine,
whence it is thdiX. favingdifcoveries o{Chn{\.-mikQ. perfons to con-
demn and debafe themfelves to the lowefl:, and to commend and
exalt Chrifl to thehighefl; or what influence a favingdifcovery
of Chrifl hath upon this felfdebafmg and Chrift-exalting exer-
cife ? I fliall confidcr the reafons of this twofold eifeft jointly, be-
caufe they neceffarily go together,and are influenced by the "fame
means. They are like the two fcalcs of a balance, that which
makes the one fcale fall and go down, makes the other rife and go
up; fo that difcovery of Chrift which brings down felf to the
duft, does at the fame time fet up Chrifl upon the throne. When
thehaughtinefsof manis brought down, then the Lord alone i? -
exalted, Ifa. 2.11. Firft re^Con then, why the favingdifcoverics
of Chrifl do humble felf to the lowefl, and exalt Chrifl to the
highefl, is from thefpecial light wherein Chrifl is fecn. They

R '3 that

2^6 Tl}e Female Preacher.

that fee the glory of Chriftwith the one eye, they fee their own
»in vvorthineS v/ith the other at the fame time.The fame light that
difcovers the hoUnefs of God, difcovers the vilenefs of the man. The
lame light that difcovers thefiilnefs ofChriJt^dii^QOXQrs the emptinejs
of the creature, 'lliat light that difcovers his infinite merit., difcovers ^
the infinite gu\k& demerit offin.WhQn the righteoufnefsof Chrifl: |
is feeiij the unrighteoufnefs of the firmer is feen at the fame time,
and in the fame Hght ; and hence no wonder while the poor foul is
afton idled with the view of God's glory in the face of Chrifl, he is
alfo aftoniflied with the view & apprehenfion of his own bafenefs
and brutiflinefs, and has the meanelt thoughts of himfelf when he
has the highefl thoughts of Chrifl. The more a man converfes
with Chrifl, the more he converfes with himfelf, and the light that
difcovers Chrifl, difcovers the foul to itfelf ; and therefore the
difcoveries of Chrifl cannot but tend to debafe felf and exalt
Chrifl at the fame time. Secondly .,When Chrifl is difcovered,then
1 he love of God to the foul is difcovered,& this fills it with humble
wonder. O thatGod'sloveismanifefled toonefofullof fin&wic-
kednefs IThis dcbafes the foul in its own fight, becaufe it knows it
felf to be fo unworthy of his Iove,this works humility ; but yet un-
rvorthy as it is, the love of God is manifefled to it ; this quickens
love in the foul,& love excites praife,0 how fliall I manifefl love to
him that hath manifefled love to fuch a one as me! Thus the love of
Chrifl conftrains both to the debafing of felf,and exalting of Chrifl.
T/;/V^ reafon is, from the fpecial work of the Spirit; there is a
fpecialityin the work of the Spirit upon the foul to v/hom Chrifl
is favingly difcovered, Job. 14. 22. Lord, fays Judas, not Ifcariot^
Uoivis it that thowwilt manifejl thyfelf to us, and not to the world ?
God manifeflshis love to the world in outward refpe6ls, but to.
liisown in his privy-chamber. It is the work and office of the
Spirit to fet home the love of God upon the hearts of his people,
-and to every one of them alone as it were, he takes them afide
ihat they may have fome private converfation with Chrifl, fuch
as this 'iv OJH an h;id, when Chrifl was the only preacher, and flie
was the only hearer. O but the view of this diflinguifliing grace
raifes in tlie foul, both David's note, IVhat am /, and'xhat is my Fa-
ther shoufe, that thouhaft brought me hitherto! and Marys note at
the fame time, My foul doth magnify the Lord. Fourthly, The in-
fluence that the difcoveryof Chrifl hath upon this felf-debafing
and Chrifl-exalting exercife, flows from the fpiritual end and de-
fjgn of thefe faving difcoveries and manifeftations of Chrifl ; this
is God's great end indifcoveringof Chrifl, i Cor. i. 29, 30,31.
Of God, he is made unto us wifdom, righteoufnefs, fandtification and

rede7Jiption>

The Female Preacher. 247

redemption. For what end ? that no fiefJj fmild glory in his fight y
but that he that glorieth, might glory in the Lord; that is, that feli"
maybe condemned and dcbafed, and ChriO: alone may be com-
mended and exalted. And this is the great end of the Spirit's
work, when he comes to teftify of Chrift, what is his defign ?
Why, fays Chrifl:, Joh. 1 6. p, 14. He 'wilt convince the world of fin^
and he fmll glorify me; that is, he will humble the finner on the
one hand, an exalt the Saviour on the other, and fo lead the finner
to condemn himfelf, and to commend Chriffc. Fifthly^ It arifes
from thefpecial power and efficacy that is infaving difcoveries
of Chrift, for working all faving effe6ls ,• why. Beholding his glory,
ive are changed into the fame image, 2 Cor. 3.1an:'y^r. and changed
as in other refpedls, fo in this particularly, that felf is pulled down
and Chrift fct up; we are changed from pride to humility, from
felf-love to felf- loathing, from felf-indulgence to felf-abhor-
rence, and from felf-feeking and felf-exalting, to aChrift-exalt-
ing difpofition and exercife. All the graces of the Spirit iffue
from a faving difcovery of Chrift, and come in that way to a
lively exercife, John i. 14, 16. fVe, beholding his glory, as the
glory of the only-begotton of the Father, full of grace and truth, of
hisfulnefs have we all received, and grace for grace. We cannot fee
his fulnefs without fliaring of his fulnefs ; yea, to fee his.fulnels
is to ftiareof it, this is the ftrengthof that/or which you have
in I ^oh. 3.2. JVefoall be like him, for wefJjallfee him as he is ; fo here
beholding his glory, his fulnefs of grace and truth, we receive out
of this fulnefs; now the moreof Chrift's fulnefs and Spirit that
one hath, the more will he have of Chrift's ends before him,
which is a debafing of the creature, and a glorifying of God, that
he may be all in all. Sixthly, This exercife does ariie from the di-
vine fplendor of the difcovery; for when Chrift difcovers his face,
then the gloryof Godin thefacc ofjefus Chrift is di'covered, 2
Cor. 4. 6. When Chrift is feen then the glory of God's perfec-
tions and the fplendor of his attributes is feen. Now every thing
in God daflics the finful man that fees it, and makes him nothing
in his own eyes, and at the fame time makes Chrift, in whom that
divine glory fhines, to be all in all to the man, fothat he cannot
but fee him above all, and give him in all things the prehemi-
nence. Thus you fee the reafon whence it is, that the difcoveries
of Chrift make the fubjecls thereof to condemn and debafe them-
felves to the loweft, and to commend and exalt Chrift to the
higheft,as the woman 0^ Samaria here does. Come, fee a man thai
told me all things that ever I did, is not this the Chrijl ?

The Vth thing propofed, was to draw fome inferences bv way

R4 ■ o'-

248 The Female Preacher.

nf application. Is it fo, that faving difcoveries of Chrifl; have
this cfFedl, to make one at the fame time to condemn and debafe
Jiimfelf, and to commend and exalt Chrift, faying. Come fee a man
that told ?ne all things that ever I did, is not this the Chrift ? From this
text and do6lrine we may fee and learn thefe following lefTons.

(i.) Hence fee why pride and felf conceit, felf-righteoufnefs
and felf-juftification prevail fo much in the world and in the vifi-
bie church, and what makes people, notwithftanding all that ever
they did, yet to be vainly puft up, inftead of condemning and
debafing themfelves ,• why, becaufe they have never got a
faving difcovery of Chrift ; Chrift hath never touched their
iieart, and told them all that ever they did, they are fhrangers to
the power of the word. It is ftrange how wicked men will jufli-
fy themfelves and their wickednefs, as thofe Joh. 8. 48. Say i^e
mot ^veil, that thou art a ScLmdintd.n, andhafl a devil ? Here was the
greatefhblafphemy imaginable to fay this of Chrift, yet they jufti-
iyiiJayL^e not -welUn this ? Chriftlefs men will juftify their ill
v/ords, and ill works, and ill actions. What fay you, fabbath break-
er ? why, was it not well done, fay y ou, it was but a work of ne-
ceifity, a needful bufmefs. What fay you, drunkard '? why, ic
Vv^as but a hearty bottle with my friends, and was it not well done"?
What fay you, whoremonger ? Why, it was but a trick of youth,
and what is the matter of that? What fay you, fwearer? why,
it was neither curfmg nor fwearing that I meant,it was but a word
and a word in palTion. What fay you, fcoldand railer? why,
fay you, I think they deferved all that Ifaid to them; its true I
ioofedmy tongue upon fuch a man, and gave him his holy-day's
3iame; and was it not wel! done and well faid.^ Indeed you'll
jhardlygetafmner at all, if you'll take every bodies excufe and
every bodies Judgment of themfelves, they will juftify all that e-
ver they did, or at leaft make it but a matter of indifference. A
common ftrumpet, fuch as this 'ujoman was formerly, may think
nothing of all her bafe and lewd behaviour. The moft notorious
fmner goes lightly under the burden of his fin, without any felf-
condcmnationox felf-debafe7nent yX\\\ Chrift and they meet together,,
and till by one glance he fliews them all things that ever they did.

(2.) Hence fee, that the greateft of fmners may conceive hope
of mercy at the hand of our merciful Lord Jefus, from fuch in-
llancesas this ,• yet let not wicked fmners indulge themfelves in
iin, and prefumc that God will not notice their kwdnefs^'axid fecret
as well as open ivickednefs ; for the time is coming, wherein Chrift
v/ill either in a way of mercy ovjudgmenitell you all things that ever
you did, Pfal 50.21. Thefe things thou haft done, and I kept fiknce :

Tboii

The Female Preachep. 249

Thou thought eji that I was altogether fitcb an one as thyfelf ; hut I-iviil
reprove tbee^ and fet them in order before thine eyes. Confider this, ye
that forget God, lefl he tear you in pieces, ivhcn there is none to deliver.
If this remarkable inftance of grace to fiich a bafe woman beabiil-
ed by you to licentioufnefs, and your opening a door of prefump-
tion to yourfelf, expefting mercy in a continued courfe of wick-
ednefs, you're under a terrible delufion ; for God will wound the
head of his enemies, and the hairy fcalp of him that g^oes on in his trefpaf-
fes : But if you would creep in at the door of hope that is opened
to you in fuch examples as this, Ofeek that in a merciful way he may
difcover your fins to you^fo as to make you know at ihe fame time
that he is the Chrift, the anointed of God to flive you from your nn»

(3.) Hence fee that the word preached does then do faving
good, when it comes clofe home to the heart, and when Chrifh is
feen there ; for here, fee how the word of Chrift came home with
power upon this woman's heart, he told me, he told me all things that
ever I did. The word was the fearcher and difcerner of the
thoughts and intent of her heart, and the fearching word wcs
the flrong hook that catchcd her ; and Ihe fnv Chrift therein, h
not this the Chrifi ? Then the word is effectual, and prevails, when
Chrift himfelf is feen ; C\m(\: is the hefi preacher himfelf,the only
powerful preacher, who, by his word, can open the eyes, and by a
fandlified fight of one fin, difcovers all to the man, and in that
difcovery fliews himfelf to be the Chrifi.

(4.) Hence fee thaty^'U/'/z^ 77/z/;/2?m7ffo?j is the befl antedotea-
gainft ^r/^?2/y/;z. Here the enlightened woman profeiTes her faith
of Chrift's Deity, and thereupon of his being the Chrift ; She fees
him to be the true God that told her all things that ever fJje did ; and
thence declares him to be the true Meffiah ; Is not this the Chrift ?
If Chrifi were not the true God, he could not be the true Meffiah ;
and confequently they that deny his fuprem^e Deity, deny that he-
is the Chrift ; and thus blafphemous Arians are guilty of denying
thee Lordthat bought them, and they that thus deny him, were ne-
ver enlightned by him. Afaving difcovery of Chrift will afford a
poor illiterate body an argument from experience and fpiritual feel-
ing, more ftrong and powerful (for proving the Supreme Deity of
Chrift) than all the learned^nd logical argumentations in the world,
whichamanmay befraughted with, and yet remain an Jtheifl.
And indeed ^r/^/zj are Atheijls, vv^hatever theyprofcfs ;. for he
that denies the Son, denies the Father alfo ', for to deny the necejfary
cxijlence of^ iheSoTifis to Q]Qny zhQ necejary paterr.iiy o^ the Fd^ihery
who yet is as neceffarily Father as he is God ,-. and to deny both
the Facher and the S^onj> is to deny the mccJ]hrypro:eJ]iQu oftheHoIy

{jhoji,

^\

2^0 The Female Preacher.

Ghojl frombodi ; fo that the Father, Son and Holy Ghoftis denied,
when the Supreme Deity of Chrid is denied. O but this atheiftical
world needs fach acajhf enlightening grace',^s this poor woman got.

(5.) Hence fee that perfuafion, with application is, in the na-
ture of faving faith, both objedlive and fubjeftive. Perfuafion
obje6live, alluring the man that this is the Chrift ; and fubjeftive
alio, alluring the man that as he is the Chrift, the anointed, fo he
isanointedformy behalf, anointed, as the woman here fuggefts,
as a prophet for me, to tell me all things that ever I did ; and at the
fame time that he told me all mylins, he told me that he was the
Chrijl anointed to fave me ; and hence flie glories in him as the
Chrifl:. Whenever he manifefts himfelf, faith brings in holy tri-
iimph in the Lord, even under a fight of the great eft finfulnefs. In-
deed fuch afight as this woman got, namely, of the guilt of all the
evils that ever llie did, would have caufed trembling inftead of fri-
nmphing. If faith's view of Chrift difcovered to her, had not car-
ried in the bofom of it a fiducial perfuafion of his being a Chrifl for
her, a Saviour for her, which, whenever flie faw, then Ihe was
kindly humbled ; which leads to another inference.

(6.) Hence fee that true Go/pel humiliation and evangelical re-
pentance ^oe-y not before, but is the fruit of faith, and of Chrift ma-
jiifeiting himfelf to the foul ; for then, and not till then, does llie
cry out, O he hath told me all things that ever I did. Now llie fees
all her fins in the brighteft light. By the light of the flars we
may fee fome things, by the light of the moon we fee more,
but by the light of the fun we fee moll of all. By the light
of nature people may fee fome fins, by the light of the law
they will fee more, much more, for by the law is the knowledge
oflin,- hv.tby theVight oi' the fun of righteoufnefs moftofall is dif-
covered : but with this difference, that the moon-light of the law
ihews thedifeafe, andnomore, leaving thefinner to die of that
difeafeandperilli; but the fun light of the Gofpel difcovers the
remedy, the fun of right eoufnefs arijing with healing under his wings.
And when no lefs than the blood and righteoufnefs of God is i^een
to be the healing medicine, then the difeafe appears to have been
infinitely great, and yet the fight is infinitely fvveet, becaufe it is
a fight of that wonderful healing under thefe wings and rays oUhe
fun of right eoufnefs; this makes kindly pleafant humiliation.

(7.) Hence iee that laving difcovcries of Chrift are very rare
in our day; for very few are thus exercifed, either in condemning
and debafing them'felves under a fenfe of all that ever they did, or
in commending and cx^/f/K^ Chrift, and dealing with otheh to come
and fee him. O how few humble walkers and hearty commenders of

■ ■ '" ' Chrifl

The Female Preacher. 251

Chriftare'tob^obferVed! Few taking kindly with their fins, and
few breaking forth into the praifmg commendation ofChrifl: ! Wiicn
xh'isix Oman got a difco-wery of Ch rift, flie kindly takes with her
ivh or ed 0172 s tin d all her fins thateverflie did, and zealoudy breaks
forch into thepraifes and commendation of Chrifb. But whence is it
that the land we Jive in, the church o[ Scotland, is not taking with,
and kindly acknowledging all that ever fhe did, and taking with her
aJ] her 'whoredoms and adulteries^ and treacherous breaking covenant
with her God, to whom ilie folemnly gave her hand? Whence
isittiiatthere is fo little zeal in commending and exalting Chrifl
in his Supreme Deity, in a day wherein Jrian hlafphemers open their
mouth againft him ? Whence is there fo little zeal for thereviving
of our broken covenants, national andfolemn league, even in a day
wherein the obligation thereof is denied ? Why are we neither
humbly condemning ourfelves, and taking with our national fins,
nor highly commending Chrifl, and exalting him in his injured
honours, truth and prerogatives, but rather winking at all the diflio-
nours done to him ? Why, what is the matter ? Saving dijcoverics
of Chrift, which fliould work the contrary effe6t, are very rare.
When tlie Lord hath a mind to build up Zion, he appears in his
glory, as he did in the days of our reformation ; but now he haiii
jz//?/}' hid himfelf from the prefent God-provoking,Chrift-defpif-
ing, Gofpel-flighting generation. But O if he would yet appear
and difcover his glory in the fanftuary, then we might expe6l re-
formation times : But as matters ftand, we look as if a jtroke and
judgment that hath been fo long threatened were fuddenly to light
upon us 'With. 2it err ible vengeance. There were little hazard of the
prefent rumour of war, if the Lord, who is a man of-ixsar, were not
againft us ; and if the Lord carry on his controverfy, it will be
little wonder, tho' we lliould fee the land turned into a field of blood
and defolation, before we fee another communion folemnity here.
God hath horn Ung with us,but how much longer he will do fo , who
can tell ? Forty years peace in the church is a wonder, &c. But

(8.) Hence fee that a meeting with Chrift makes a marvellous
change upon a perfonor people that arefo privileged. Before
this ivoman met with Chrift, or rather before he met with her, fne
was nothing but a common ftrumpet ,• but now flie is humbled to
the duft for the fins fiie had formerly indulged herfelf in, and
commends and exalts that Lord v/homiliehaddiriionoured. She
is bro*t/ro?« darknefs to light, and from the pcwer of Satan unto God ;
from being exercifed in corrupting and debaucliing her neigh-
bours, to a kindly concern for their fouls everlafting 'voelfarc re • gen
them bro't to Chrift. Saving illumination and acquaintance with
Chrift creates in a heart the fympathy with the cafe of poor

Chriftlefs

252 Ths Female Preacher.

Chriillefs finners. Come fee a man that told me all things that
ever I did', U «'^^ this the Chrifl ? This leads me to

y\j3 tife oi' trial and examination whether you have met with
Chrifl, and got a.faving difcovery of him at this occalion or for-
merly. O how Ihall 1 know, fay you, if I ha^^e met with Chrifl-,
and if he hath difcovered himfelf to me ? Why ? if you have,
then this difcovery has Jed you to thefe two things, ift, A
humihation of felf to the lowefu. 2dlyy An exalting of Chrilt
to the higheft.

ijt, What relf-humblingdifpofition and abafement hath been
wroughtinyou ? Are you laid low in the dull, and made vile in
you own eyes, by Chrifl difcovering you to your felf ? Have you
■got a difcovery of your ovv'n fmfuJnefs, uglinefs and unworthi-
nels ? Hath (Thrift fallen adifcourfmg with you, and told you all
things that ccer you did '1 Hath he told you of your ill life, your ill
heart, your ill nature ? Hath he told you of your unbelief ? For
when the Spirit comes, he r^proi;i?j-r/;^-iL'0/7^o/yz72, becaiife they be-
lieve not in him. Hath he told you of your Iccret fins, and difco-
vered to you vvdiat none but himfelf could tell you ? And have
you taken it from himfelf, without faying, who has gone and told
the minifters this and that of me ? Hath he told you of your wick-
ed thoughts and intentions, and made the word the difcerner of
of the thoughts and intents of your heart ? Hath he told you your
ipiritual wickednefs, your atheifm, ignorance, enmity, carnality,
pride, felf, and hypocrify, and made you to know the plagues of
your own heart ? Hath he told you of the figleaves you have
been covering your felf with, and the falfe refuges you have been
running to, and chafed you out of your refuges of lies ? Hath he
told you your fecret as well as open fms, and fo told you fome
things, as that thereby he hath difcovered the reft to you, and
have you been led by the flreams to the fountain of fm with-
in you ? And has he given you, by one glance upon the map of
your corrupt nature, a view of your total depravation ? Hath he
told you your proper name, by calling you a dog, and by making
you take with your name, faying, Truth , Lord, I am a dog, a devil,
amonfter ? Behold I am vile ? Why it is a glorious internal light
thatdifcovcrs this internal vilenefs. What makes you with Job
to abhor yourfelf? why ,\z^d-y?,, No'-jo your eyes fee him, Job 42.5,
6. What makes you with P<7m/ look upon yourfelf as lefs than the
leaf of all faints ; yea, as the chief of ^W finners, the worll; of all fin-
ners, the vileft of all finners ? why, it fays, He hath revealed his Son
in you._ It is not natural for proud man to think fo bafely of him-
felf; it is the Spirit of Chrifl that hath told vou what you are.

But

The Female Preacher 253

But here to prevent any miftake, it may be asked, Q^ipji- May
not one that hath not the Spirit of God, nor a renewed confer-
ence, be able to difcern his own vilenefs 5^ Avjh. There is ai
double knowledge or underftanding that men may have of them-
fclvesj fpeculative and pra6tical. As to the general fpeculative
knowledge, a wicked man may have this common fenfe and rea-
fon may tell him his fin, and he may know himfelf to be a finner,
as being guilty of grofs fins, drunkcnnefs, whoredom, fvvearing,
and the like. But there is a particular pra6lical know^ledge and
underftanding, which is two-fold, either from the Spirit of God
without us, or from the Spirit of God within us, 'I'hat pra6Hcal
underftanding, which is from the Spirit of God without us^, is
what alfo the unregenerate may have. The Spirit of God non
yetreceivedjbutwithouta man, may come and makefuch difco-
veries of his fin, and guilt, and wickednefs, as may make him cry
out, That he is undone, undone. Such a knowledge had Nebii-
chadnczzar of the God olShadrach, MefJjacb, and Abednego. Such'
a knowledge alfo it feems Cain and Judas had. But the Spirit of
God within us gives us fpiritual light and ^Qn^e upon the confci-
ence, and re6lifies the judgment ; and whereas the Spirit of God
without a man difcovers fin mainly in order to hell and wrath
making him fay, undone, undone ; the Spirit of God within a
man makes him fee the vilenefs of fin, and lament and mourn for
that, faying. Unclean^ unclean. 0 zvretcbed man that I am., &c. Be-
hold I am vile, 6^q. This aife6ls him more than the wrath of CJod,
yea, even when he fees the wrath of God is turned away, and thac
the (hower is over his head, and it lighted on the head of his cauti-
oner, even then he abhors himfelf for his own wickednefs more
than ever. This is from the Spirit of God w^ithin, and a Gofpel-
fpirit. The Spirit of God without a man, and the Spirit of God
within him differ as much as day -light differs from lightning. A
ilaih of lightning fi'om Sinaiy or the fiery law, terrifies and alloni-
fiies the man, and makes him tremble and quake under a fenfe of
fin ; but the day-light of a favingdifco very ofChrid makes one
fee himfelf the chief of finners, and yet fills him v*^ith holy tri-
mnph in the Lord the Saviour. A lightening confounds and fur-
prizes ; but the day-light gives a clear, difiinil and fedatc view
of things as they are, with quiet and compofure. Now try if you
have got a humbling view and difcovery of Chriftor aword from
jiim that hath filled you with felf-abafement, fo as you reckon you
CAn't have vile enough thoughts of yourfelf, becaufe he hath in
{:StEi told you all things that e-ver yon did.
2i//}', Try what Chrift- exalting and commending exercife yo»

have

o^4 The F-LMALE Preacher.

have been brought under, or what difpofition is wrought in you to
comnicnd and exalt Chrift co the highefr. If Chrifl and you have
met together, as he did with this woman of Samaria, then the
meeting wrought in you the fame effeft, the fame difpofition
to commend and exalt Chrifb, which you may try by thefe parti-
culars, (i.) If you have met with Chrifl: in this manner, then
you have feen him to be the Chrift indeed, the God-man,
the anointed of the Father, the true MeJJias. Hath he told
you in eftedl, I that /peak unto you am he 1 I tUat ipeak unto you by
rhisGofpel am he. Hath he born home this upon your heart
with convincing light and evidence, fo as you have been brought
to the Apoftle's faith, John 6. 6g. IVe helieve, and are Jure, that thou
nrtChnft,theSon of the living God ? The faith of this is of fuch
great importance, that Chrift hath faid. If ye helieve not that- 1 am
he,yeJloaUdieinyoufins. Now hath he fo fpoken to you, as you
were made in effetl to think and fay, I believe and am fure, that he
tbatfpoke unto me ivas he. It was not the minifter only that I heard,
but the word came with fuch light, hfe, zndpoiver, that I think no
minifter on earth, nor angel in heaven could make the word to go
through my heart as it did. It was like the found of the voice of the
Son of God. 2. Ifyou have met with Chrift in this manner, t^en
he hath made fuch a gradual approach and difcovery of himfelf to
you, as to raife in you gradually more and more of a high efteem
of him as a prophet fent of God to teach you, and to tell you all
things, as it was with this woman. And tho' he himfelf and a'lhis
xvords are precious to you, yet there are fome particular words, a-
mong many, that have taken more impreffion, and flick more fafl-
than others. Tho' Chrift fpake many good words to this woman
forherinftruftion, yet the word that made the firft and deepefl:
.'mpreffion, is what ilie efpecially kept in heart, he toldme all things
that ever I did ; and what flie faw in this more clearly at firft, Ihe
faw more clearly after Chrift gave her a clearer manifeftation
of himfelf. If the faving difcovery of Chrift commenced and
began when he gave her the firft difcovery of her lewdnefs and
':i'/;orcJo?;7, and conveyed //^/;f at the fame time into her mind to
perceive that he was a prophet ; yet flie was much in the mift,
and took not up all that was intended by this difcovery, till after
he clearly difcovered himfelf, and then the former lefTon is clear-
ly taken up in all the parts of ic. Therefore now, fays flie, he told
?ne all things that ever I did. Some may have fuch dark and cloudy
difcoveriesofChrift at firft, that tho' they raife a high efteem of
Chrift, yet the foul may be at a lofs to know what the full meaning
of fuch a woFd is that Chrift fpake to their foul, dll after they get

The Female Prea.cher. 2$^

abrighterdifcovery of him,and then they may come to be more
perfe6llyinrrrii(5ced in the fame leflbn, which acfirll they did not
fowell apprehend, and in this his dealing with them may be like
that, Job. 13.7. fVhatldo, thou knoivejl not now, but thou /halt know
hereafter. (3.) Ifyou have met with Chriit in this manner, then
your mind is let above the world, and you have left it behind you,
as the woman here left her water-pot, and ran to the city. O
when Chrifl appears to a man, he thinks no more of the world than
of a potllieard ; he counts all but lofs and dung for the excellency of
the knowledge of Chrift ', yea the mod valuable; things in the world
are undervalued whenChriltis difcovered. As natiiralifts tell
us,the loadftone will not draw in the prefence of the diamond, nei-
ther does the world in all its glory and gallantry draw the heart
of any to it in the prefence of Chrift. The reafon of this is, the
fun of righteoufnefs darkens all the ftars of creature-enjoyments,
and makes them difappear and vanifli. A drink out of the foun-
tain of living waters makes all worldly comforts to be nothing but
broken cillerns that can hold no water. They whole hearts were
never weaned from the world, never met with Chrift. Again^ 4.
If you have met with Chrift, then your hearts will be let upon the
work o{ commending him to others, and particularly to your neigh-
bours and friends, that they may come to be acquainted with him
alfo. Thus the difcovery of Chrift vents itfelf in the woman here.
Come fee a man that told me all things that ever I did, is not this the
Chrijtl A manifeftation of Chrill gives men fuch a fill of the
fulncfs of God, that they mull have a vent: And as in every
faving manifeftation, there is foraething of the nature of Chrill
communicate, who loves to communicate of his fulnefs, fo
they to whom Chrifl: difpenfes of his grace and fulnefs, love
to communicate alfo of what they have ,• not that thelaincij
are to make a blaze of their religion to every one they meet"
with, or to caffc pearls before fwine ,• but the love of Chrift
difcovered to them, fills them with fiich ardent love to him,
as obliges them in all proper ways to trumpet forth his glor-y
and honour. They fee fuch a glory in him, that they think all.
fliould wonder at him, and own him^ Is not this the Cbrijl ? They
reckon none lb much obliged to free grace as they, and therefore
they think it well becomes them to fpread the favour of his name.
They know alfo, by remembring what they themlelves wcre.be.-
fore they met with Chrift, they know what a fad Itate they areiri
who want accjuaintance with Chrifl", therefore both out of love
and regard to the glory and honour of Chrifl, and out of love, pity
and Gompaflion to the perilhingSouls of Qihers,tliey defire and en-
deavour

256 The-' Female Preacher.

deavour to commendChn^i to therrijboth by their ijiords and anions ^
both by their talk and walk, as this woman oi Samaria d\6. What
heart then and difpofition have you got to commend Chrifl to
your neighbours and friends, to your children and fervants ? If
you have no heart nor difpofition to fuch exercife as this, furely
you can't make it out that you have met with Chrift. 5. If ycu
hax'e met with Chrift, then it will be your hearty defire not only
to commend Chrill, and fpeak of him. to others, making him the
great fubjedl- of yourconverfation ; butalfo to have them tafle
what you have tailed, and fee what you have feen, without reding
i)icrely on your report. Come fee a man that toldme allthings that e-
•Dcr I did, is not this the Chrifi V Reft not on my report, might fne
iay, but O come and fee him. My friends, fpiritual converfe a-
bout Chrift is much out of failiion in our degenerate age ; yea, to
enter on fpiritual difcourfe in fome companies, would be to ex-
pofeamanto fcorn and ridicule, a fadinftance of eftrangement
trom Chrift and religion. But are there not fome profeflbrs whofe
fpeech of Chrift, and of the things of God, betrays and bewrays
them, for either it is but the f-roof of religion they talk of; for
example, how well fuch a man preached, and how long fuch a
r.ian preached, and how many tables, or how many ftrangers
were at fuch a communion, and all fuch little-worth queftions, no
better than idlenefs, treating of the fliell, and not the kernel of
ordinances. Or if they enter upon any fubftantial converfation^
either they foon grow weary of that, or give evidence of, fuch a
felfifn fpirit, as befpeaksan inclination to commend themfelves
rather than to commend Chrift. The import of their language
is rather, come and hear me, than come and fee Chrift. But O,
Sirs, a meeting with Chrift will fill the foul with a defire that 0-
thers may faare of what they fliare, and fee what they have feen,
with a defire to take the moft effeftual method that may be for
drawing them to Chrift. Hence, as this woman fpeaks out of her
very heart, fo 'he attempts to draw them to Chrift with the very
■fame hook with which llie was drawn aftiore herfelf He told me
nil things that ever I did, is not this the Chrift? therefore come
fee him. 6. If you have met with Chrift, and con verfed with
him, you'll think long for another meeting with him, ano-
rJ]er light of him, for this was the woman's difpofition here. Come
fee the man; flie ipakc as if flic defired to be the foremoft in re-
turning again to fee him. If you think you have got nothing of
himfavingly; if you have got enough of Chrift, it is afign you
have got a faving fight of him, then you'll defire more, and more,
and more, till you fee him face to face in Immanuel's land. The
:.. . . difpofition

The Female Preacher. 257

difpofition of thofe that have attained to a fight of Chrifl:, and ap-
prehended him by faith, is exemplified by the Apofi;leP.7z</,P/;i/.3.
12, 13, 14. Itisrirange, as if they had attained Dothing, appre-
hended nothing, in comparifon of what they afpired after and
would be at. Not as tho' I had already attained, but I follow after, if
that I may apprehend that for which lam apprehended of Chrift. And
again, I count not myfef to have apprehended, but this one thing I do,
forgetting thofe things that are hehind,and reaching forth to thofe things
that are before, Iprefs toward the mark for the prize of the high calling
of God in Chrift Jefus. It is poffible that unfound profefibrs, may
fancy they have attained much, and yet have attained nothing,
and refiiing on their attainments, they refi; upon nothing but a
fliadow. It is pofilble that found believers may judge they have
attained nothing, tho' yet they have attained much, and hence
neglecting their attainments, they prefs after more and more of
Chrifi:. As Paul here, I count not my f elf to have attained, I count not
myfelfto have apprehended. What count you of your attainments,
man, when the great apoftlePW counts nothing of his, tho' he
was one of the mofl clearly enlightened and highly privileged
men in the world ? Happy is that foul who has attained the
knowledge of Chrifi:, and yet is as far from thinking that he
knows or has attained as much as may fuffice him, that he rather
counts as if he knew nothing, or had attained nothing, and there-
fore prefies after more of Chrifi:. O for the other fight of him.
O for the other meeting with him. O for another communion,
another blink of his beauty, and glance of his glory. Thus the
happy woman counts not herfelf to have feen or attained enough
of Chrifi, but longs for another fight. It is an excellent mark of
a meeting with Chrift, to be longing for more and more of Chrifi:
here, and for full vifion of him in the higher houfe, and to be in
cafe praftica'ly to difcover this in an exemplary commendation of
Chrift to others ; while ir. is not only the matter of your religious
talk, fignifying only to fee him, but the import of your exemplary-
walk, Come fee a man that told me, &c.

Another z//^fliould be by way o^ exhortation. In a word, (i.)
Toyouthathavegotafavingdifcovery of Chrift working thele
effeftsupon you, leading you to condemn and debafe yourfelf to
the lowefi', and to commend and exalt Chrift to the highcft. O
let me exlu rt you to a walk fuitablc to fuch a meeting with
Chrift, tliat is, (i.) To a humble walk, like one to whom Chrift
hath told all things that ever you did. (2.) To a holy walk, like
one that would commend and exalt a holy Jefus, faying, Come fee a
man that hr.th fo and io fpoken unto me, is not this the Chrift ? (i, I

258 ' The Female Preaciter.

I would exhort you to a humble walk. O hath he given youafiglir
of yourfelf, andofyouownvilenefs and bafenefs, walk humbly
with thy God, and in order to this^ ftill keep the glafs before your
eye, wherein he hath difcovered you to yourfelf. There are
feveral glaiTes wherein the Saints behold themfelves, yhich
makes them have low thoughts of themfelves. i. The look-
ing glafs of the law ofGod,which difcovers to them the vilenefs of
their nature, thoughts, defires and affeftions, when the laiv cofnes,
finrevwes. The law is a light fey which all things are reproved
and made manifeft, Eph.5. 13. Keep this glafs before your eye,
'cvenyouthatare wholly delivered from the law as a covenant of
works, yet make a conflant ufe'of it as a light, both a light to your
head to inform and convince you of your fin and wickednefs, and
a light to your feet to direft you in the paths of righteoufnefs. 2.
There is the glafs of a renewed underflanding, and re6lified judg*
ment, that the faints fee their vilenefs in, when they have an im-
partial rule and eye-falve with it, then they fee themfelves as
ihey are. Ifamanbe blind, he can't fee himfelf, tho' he have
never fo clear a glafs before him, Luke 11. 35. Take heed that the
light that is in you be not darknefs. Wherever fpiritual light and
"wifdomis, there is a clear fight people have of themfelves. 3.
There is the glafs of confcience fprinkled with the blood of
Chriffc ; this every true believer carries about with him. What-
ever the underftanding fees, the confcience comes and lays it at
his door, and the confcience being renewed and reconciled to
Godjit is then God's meflenger to inform,to rouze,to arraign, and
to condemn. Confcience brings in all our Unworthinefs and
charges us with it, and then what bafe and low thoughts have we
of ourfelves. O I deferve to be in hell, fays the foul, I deferve no
mercy at the hand of God. 4. There is the glafs of experience,
5n which every faint looks on himfelf, and beholds he is vile.
"Why, the fad experience he hath of a treacherous backfliding
iieart, notwithftanding of all the love of God and Chrift mani-
fefted to him ; the fad experience of the hw of the members var-
ying againjtthelazv of the mind, and bringing him into captivity to the
iaiv of Jin and death, cLudm^iking him cry many times, O wretched
man that I am, &c. the fad experience of many inward luftings,
fightings, and reigning corruptions and defperate departings
from the Lord ; O how vile does the faint fee himfelf in this
glafs ? 5. There is the glafs of the holinefs of Go(J, the glafs of
his infinitel y pure glory, Rev. 4. 8, i o. ^hen they cried, holy, holy,
holy, Lord Godjibnighty, which was, and is, and is to come, then the
Hventyfoiir elders fell down before the throne. What made Ifaiab cry

puc

The Female Preacher. 25(>

€utofhisuncIeannefs,butaviewofthisholy and infinitely pure
glory of God. It was a view of the glorious holinefs of Chrift that:
made yo^72 the Baptifl: fay, Olmnnotivorthy tojioop down and iin-
loofe the latchets ofhis/Jjoes, and yet he hath Chrift's teflimony, that
there was not a greater prophet than he. Ohow vile is a man in
his own eyes when he looks to himfelf in this glafs ? 6. There is
the glafs of the love of God, and of his grace and mercy in Chrift.
We may appeal to you that have experience of it, if any thing ia
the world hath a greater power to humble the foul, and to lay it in
thedud, than this, even the confideration of the infinite love of
God. Iivasablafphcjuery and a perfecutor, yet I obtained mercy. O
fuch a monfter of fin and wickednefs as lam, and yet I obtained
mercy ? O fuch a dog, fuch a devil, and y.et I obtained mercy ?
O when a child of God fees the grace of God in the glafs of mani-
feftation, O how low does he fink in his own efteem ! All the
florms and bl uttering winds will not melt a rock of ice ; but
when the fun-beams arife upon it, how is it then melted and thaw-
ed ? Thus nothing in the world melts and thaws the hard heart
fo much, as the hope and fenfe of divine love. When a child of
God fees the grace of God in the glafs of a commendation^^.?, when
Chrift fays to the foul a word like that. Song 4. 7. Thou art allfau\
my love, there is no/pot in thee. What ! O what is this that a God is
fayingtothelikeofme, theblackeft, thebafeft ofallfinners: O!
how low does felf fink before the love and grace of God. 7. There
is the glafs of the fpirit of God fliining upon the word of God into
the underftanding and the confcience, and giving light to fee into
ihefe other glafi'es. As he is the Spirit of wifdom and revelation
in the knowledge of Chrifl:, and giving the knowledge of the law
of God, the holinefs of God, the love and grace of God in Chrifl,
fortheclearefleyeandtheclearefl glafs both will fliew nothing
without light ,• it is the Spirit of light that fets all thefe things
home upon the foul, and makes it apply all to itfelf, and fo ic
becomes yet more vile in its own eyes. I fliall add, 8. There
is the glafs of the example of God, of God's humility, his flu-
pendous humility and condefcenfion ; God, Father, Son, and
Holy Ghoft humbling themfelves for our good. See how God the
Father humbles himfelf, Pfal. 1 1 3. 5, 6. PFbo is like unto the Lord
our God, who dwells on high, who humbles himfelf to behold the things
that are in heaven,' and in the earth ? 'Tis a flep of great conde-
fcenfion, that he lliovld apply himfelf in his providence to our
wants and neceffities ; and efpecially, that he fiiould concern
himfelf fo far with finners, as to fend the Son of his love out
of his bofom to i;edeem them. See how God the Son hum-
^ S 2 bled

2^0 The Female Preacher.

bled himfelf when he flept out of his father's bofom, DUE
of the ivory palaces, where he was made glad from ecernity ;
yea, tho' he was in the form of God, and thought it no robbery to be
e^ual ivith God ; yet he humbled himfef, and beca?ne obedient unto
death, even the death of the crofs. The glafs of his fuiferings and
humiliation, wherein he ftept as far down as hell^to quench the
iiames of infinite wrath, is a glafs indeed wherein we may
fee fm to be infinitely evil, and our felves to be ineffably
vile. See aifo how the Holy Ghoft humbles himfelf. What
a vaft condefcenfion is it for God the Holy Ghoft to under-
take to teach fuch dullards as we, to wafh fuch lepers as we^
to purge fuch polluted fouls, and to dwell in our hearts and
bofoms fu full of unfavoury fteams of hell ? Hath a God, Father,
iSon and Holy Ghoft, given us fuch examples of humility, and
iliall not this move us to ftep a little down the hill ? O proud fm-
ner, does God humble himfelf in your fight, and will you not
humble yourfelf before him ? Can a man look into the glafs of
God's humi]ity,and yetbe proud? Okeep thefe glafles in your
eye, and walk humbly before him, who hath fet the glafs before
you, wherein you have feen your vilenefs, and hath told you all
that ever you did. O maintain a deep and humble fenfe of your own
vilenefs and bafenefs ; and the rather, that fuch a fountain of fin
and wickednefs remains yet within you, as endangers you of do-
ing all the fame evils again that ever you did, even after he hath
told you of all that ever you did. The body of fin and death that re-
mains in you, will incline you to fins of all forts and fizes : Surely
then you can't walk too humbly and circLimfpedtly. I know no
extreme of felf-abafement you can run into,but what will deferve
the name ofpride, rather than humility. It will be pride and not
humihty in you to deny any thing that God hath done for you in
a way of grace, becaufe you are fo vile in yourfelf, that feems as if
jou were not pleafed that God fliould get all the glory, but incHne
that you fiiould have had fome of it. O proud blafphemer, come
down from your altitude, and be content to own and acknow-
Jedge that grace hath done much even for you. Again, it will be
pride, and not humility for you todenyandrefufeto take Chrift
by the hand, when you are down in the duft, or to take what help
he offers you, even when you are lying in the dirt. It was Peter's
pride to fay. Lord, thoufJjalt never wafJo my feet ; and yet no doubt
he took it for humility. Again, It is pride, and not humility, to
deny and refufe the confolations of the Spirit, becaufe you are
confcious of your ovv'n vilenefs and abomination ; do not Jay up-
on y ourfclf a load of felf-cenfuring more than God himfelf does :

/

The Female Preacher. 261

I /aid In my haftcy fays David, lam cafi off from before thine eye^, Pfal.
31.22. David was in hafte when he laid it, and fo may you fay,
will God allow any favour of comfort to fuch as I am. It is pride
and arrogancy to meafure God by your thoughts, and to limit his
mercy. Again, it is pride, and not humility, for you to deny him
the praife and commendation due to him from you, left you be not
a fit hand for doing it. Why, fays one, I think I would defire to
commend Chrift to others, and fpeak to his praife, but am fearful
I prove a hypocrite, and prove a fcandal to religion. Why, man,
woman, whatever come of you, let not Chrift want his due from
you, and it fliall not fare the worfc with you ; therefore walk hum-
bly 'with thy God ; or, as that word may be read, humble thy felf to
walk with thy God. It is beft humility to be found in the way of
duty ; and it is pride to withdraw from it, upon any confiderati-
on of ielf-unworthinefs. (2.) I would exhort you to a holy walk,
and thereby to commend and exalt Chrift as the woman of Samaria
here did faying both with your lip and life, Comejee a man that told
me all things that ever I did ; is not this the Chrift ? Where (lie both
takes fliame to herfelf, and gives glory to God in Chrift ; and as
our chief happinefs lies in the enjoyment of God, and our holinels
lies in glorifying him, which is our chief end,fo the way to glorify
him, is to commend and exalt Chrift with our heart, and lips, and
lives. The text leads me todireft you particularly to this pare
of holinefs, namely, to commend him to all that you have accefs
to converfe with, and to exalt him before the world. Hath he
met with you, as he did with this wo?nan ? O then commend him,
and preach forth his excellency. Here is a way how every private
Chriftian may be a preacher of Chrift. This belongs not to mini-
fters only, but even you who are followers of Chrift among the
female fex, that cannot regularly be preachers of Chrift in a mini-
fterial way ; yet, O poor woman, it is comfortable that you may-
be a fuccefsful teacher and preacher of Chrift in a chriftian chari-
tative way, by your fpiritual communication and converfation.

0 imman, commend Chrift to your husband. O man, commend
Chrift to your wife. O parents and mafters, commend him to
your children and fervants. O believer, commend Chrift to your
neighbours and friends, and all that you have regular accefs to. i.
Commend him humbly as this woman did ,• he told me all that ever

1 did. She kept her eye upon her own bafenefs, and vilenefs, and
unworthinefs, which he had difcovered to her. Saints have a
double eye,a carnal eye and a fpiritual eye, or the eye of fenfe and
the eye of faith. When they look upon themfelves with the
carnal eye of fenfe, then they forget all that ever they did, and

S 3 what

2(5s The Female Preacher.

what Chrifl: told them,and convinced them of, and are apt to gaze
upon their own parts and gifts, and then felf creeps in and fpoils
their pleafant exercife. But when they look upon themfelvts
•with the fpiritual eye of faith, then they loath themfelves, and
commend Chrifl topurpofe, andfethimupto the highefl, when
fejfis finking to the lowefc in the remembrance of all that ever
they did, as he told them. 2. Commend him highly alfo, as this
"Woman did ; commend him as the great God, the fearcher of
hearts, the glorious Jehovah ; when Arians and Atheifts at this day-
are pulling him down from his throne,if it were poflible, O fet you
him up, & commend him from your own experience, as the God-
Tr.2Lnthu told you all things that ever you did. Commend him in his
office,faying, Is not this the Chrijt, the fealed & confecrated of the
Pather to be the prophet,priefl:, and king oiZion ? Is it not this^e-
Jjovah Tfidkenu, the Lor dour Tight eoufnefs? Is notxhisjehdvah Raphty
the Lord ourphyfician ? Is not this Jehovah Shamma, the Immanuel^
God with us ? Is not this the promifed Mejfiah, in whom allthepro-
mifes of God are yea and amen ? Is not this the only Saviour, in
whom all our falvation lies, being made of God to us 'wifdoni, righ-
teoufnefs, fandtification and redemption ? O there is more to fay to
his commendation, than the tongues of angels can trumpet forth
10 eternity. Again, 3. Commend him zealoully as this wo/waw
did. Come and fee him ; it is not come and hear what I have to
iay of him, but come fee himfelf Let thofe whom you cora-
anend him to, underfland that what you would be at, is, That
ihey fhould never reft till they fee and tafle, and handle this word
vf life, and know to their experience what you know. And thus
alfo, 4. Commend him feelingly, as this woman did. Come fee a
man that told me all things that ever I did. You ftiould let ftrangers
loChrift know that what you fpeak of Chrifl:, you have felt and
experienced. If you know the terrors of the Lord, you will per-
jhade men, with an aking heart, and with holy fear and trembling,
^nd if you know the confolations of God, you will fpeak of them
ivith holy triumph, and as if your heart were leaping within you.
Experience is the mother of affe6lion, commend him feelingly
and afl'e61:ionately. And yet, 5. Commend him cautioufly, as
3'ou alfo find this woman did. I think it is alfo remarkable in this
Ihort account that flie gives of her converfe with Chrifl:, that flie
hid in her own bofom that fpecial part of Chrifl's difcourfe to her
that made mofl: for her own confolation, particularly that glorious
word, wherein he clearly manifefled himfelf to her, faying, I that
fpeak unto thee am he. No,flie relates nothing of this,but tells them
of that pare of the conference which made mofl to her fhame, as

The Female Preacher. 2^3

well as to his honour; he told me all things that ever I did. As if
ihe was content thatChrifl: (liould be exalted on the ruins of her
reputation ; to let her name be debafed, that his name might be
exalted. Indeed it tends mofl: to her praife, that flie commends
Chriftto them in that particular that made mofl to her fliame ;
and fhe tells them no more of what he faid. Here is wifdom and
caution. And indeed there are fome precious things that Chrifl:
fpeaks to his people when they are alone, that is not fit to be bla-
zed abroad to every one^ efpecially to thofe that are yet flrangers
to Chrift, But in commending Chrifl to them, it is fafefl to treat
of thefe particulars that make mofl for the debafing of ourfelves,
and for the exalting of Chrifl. 6. and lajlly, O commend him

• pradlically, as you fee this too/«^7i did, while flie fays not go fee,
but come fee a man that told me all things that ever I did. O believer,
after a communion, if you have met with Chrifl either now or for-
merly,commend him, not only verbally with your mouth, h^xiprac-
tically with your life,faying in effcStyComefee him. The life of com-
mendation, is the commendation of the life, not of the lip, that

• faySyGofee, but of the life that fays. Come fee : Your Go fee will not
•convince any that you are in earnefl ; but a Come fee may make

them follow your example. When you fay, go and pray, go and
praife,go and worfhip,go & do this and that excellent fervice,they
only hear you: But when you go before them, and fay, come and
•praife, come and worfliip, come and let us feek after Chrifl, then
they both hear and fee you, and are the more apt to come and fee
with you. O believer, give evidence, that you have met with Chrifl,
by living to him as your end, and on him as your all ; he died that yoti
fjjouldnot live toyowfelf, but to him ; and he now lives, that you may-
Jive upon him. Becatife I live, fays he, yefoall live alfo. O let it be
feen that you are three flory high, and that there is a new addi-
tion made to your fpiritual flature by the light of a new difcovery
of Chrifl. The light of reafon may make people good moral
men, the light of gifts good fcholars, but the light of grace and ex-
perience good and holy Chriflians. O beware of fuch a practice
and converfation, as will give occafion to the world to fay. Take
up your communicants, they can tipple and drink, and fwearand
debauch as well as their neighbours. O will you give occafion
to Chrifl to fay, He that fat at table with me^ and eat of my breads hath
lift vp his heelagainfi me. Thefe are the wounds I have got in the
houfe of my friends. O fee that your converfation be a praftical
faying, Cow£" and fee the man that hath told me all things that ever I did',
is not this the Chrifl 1 And let the leading part of your praftice lie
in this, a going again to fee Chrid, and attending and depending

S 4 upon

254 ^'^^ Female Preacher.

upon him in all the duties of religion, in order to your getting
more and more acquaintance with him. For as it is a faving dif-
covery of Chrifl that works this felf-debafmg, Chrift-exalting ef-
feft ; fo the more of this you get, it will fit you ftill the more for
commending of him humbly and practically. Let your walk then
appear to be a Gofpel-walk, a walking in Chrifl, and a going flill
again and again to feek him and fee him, that you may be the more
like unto him, and that beholding as in a glafs his glory, you may be
changed into the fame image from glory to glory. It is but a dung-hill
en which the fun fliines, and yetrefiefts no beams; but the fun
Ihining on a ball of filver, or upon a bright glafs, or a ftill water, it
will make another fun by ref^eftingthe beams of it. Thus the
broken beams of the glory of God fliining on Mofes in the mount,
anade him come down full of glory. And O the more of the glo-
ry of Chrift you fee, the more of the glory of God's holinefs will
■appear about you, and the more of heaven; of which it is faid
rhey fliall be like him, for they /hall fee him as he is. The more fre-
quently you return to fee Chrifl, the more fit will you be for refif-
ting the fnares and temptations you meet with ; for yoiu* heart is
a magazine of hell, where corruption lies, like a barrel of gun-
powder, ready to take fire with the leaflfpark of a temptation,
and to blow you upintheliames; but the more you come to fee
andconverfe with Chrifl, the more you'll get of the living "water
ivhich Chrifl gave to this ixioman, the Spirit as a well of water
Springing up to everlafling life ; and if you can goL that barrel of
powder funk into the bottom of this well, or the fiood of the Spi-
rit to drown and overflow it, will you not then be more proof a-
j^^ainfl all the fparks of hell, and fiery darts of the devil ? O is not
the S^\ni)^^omi{Qd2iS floods upon the dry ground, to drench the dry
powder ? And does not your profeflion oblige you to this atten-
dance and dependance upon Chrifl for more and more of the Spi-
rit ? For what mean you when you fay. Is not this the Chrift ? Do
•\'ou not mean, is not this the anointed of God, anointed with the
-Kpirit to give the Spirit ? Therefore let your conflant recourfe be
to him on this errand, taking as many along with you as you can,
by the infiuence of your advice and example, faying, Coine fee a
vnan that told me all things that ever I did. Is not this the Chrift ?

2dly,l would clofe with a word to thofe that are yet flrangers to
Chrifl, that never met with him, nor gotfucha difcovery of him
as leads to this felf-abafing and Chrifl-exalting exercife. And
may I be allowed by you, O you that are believers in Chrifl in this
houfe, to perfonate you in a few words,and fpeak to thefe that are
Urangers to Chrifl in your name. O Chriftlefs (inner, Cotne fee a

man

The Female Preacher. 265

man that hath told us all things that ever we did ; is not this the Chriji ?
The hearts of all that are acquainted with Chrift, join with me in
faying to you, Come fee him, come fee him ; that which we have
heard and feen, declare we unto you, that you may have fellowfJjip with
lis, in oiirfellowpjip with the Father and the Son by the Spirit. There
arc fome here that can fay we have heard his voice telling us all things
that ever we did,2ind we have feen his glory as the glory of the only-
begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth ; and is not this Chrift ?
Come fee a man that hath opened our Eyes, and fometimes difpel-
led all our clouds and darknefs ; is not this the Chriji ? anointed to
be a prophet to teach and infl:ru6l the like of you. Come fee a man
that hath pardoned all our fins, and wallied us in his blood ; is not
this the Chriji ? anointed to be a prieft to juftify guilty finners like
you. Come fee a man that hath fubdued all our iniquities, and
fometimes given a dafli to the power of fin and Satan in us; is not
this the Chriji ? anointed to be a King to ranfom flaves of the devil,
like you. O come fee a man, of whom we can fometimes fay, he
hath healed all our difeafes; is not this the Chriji? anointed to be a
phyfician for healing fuch defperate difeafes as yours are. Come
fee a man that hath convinced us of all our fins and vilenefs of
heart and way, and drawn out our hearts to him as the God-man,
theonly Saviour, O come fee the man, the God-man; Is not this
the Chriji, Emanuel, God with us ? You need not fay, where fliall we
fee him ? You have neither a journey to go down to hell, nor up
to heaven, the word is nigh, and in the glafs of this word he is to be
feen. All the believers here can fay, we never faw him any where
but in this word oi the Gofpel^ and in thefe public and private ordi'
nances, and there he lies as open to your view as to ours. The word
is the immediate objeft of our faith wherein we fee him,and when
we hear him fpeaking to us in his word, and hear with fpiritual un-
derftanding, then we fee him. To hear and know his voice, is all
one with feeing him. It is in his word that we hear him telling how
foul and filthy we are, and thus all that ever we did ; and hear him
telling how fair and lovely he is, and thus fliewing us that he is the
Chriji, fo that we fee him in what he tells us in his wordj and as we
have feen him there, fo you may fee him there ; you have the
fame glafs, the fame Bible, the ikme word, the fame promife, the
fame Gofpel-mirror, to fee him in that ever any faint on earth faw
him in fince he afcended to heaven. The werd is nigh, even in thy
heart, and in thy mouth ; O then refi: not on our report of him only,
for what he hath told us concerning ourfelves and concerning
himfelf, will not profit you, if you do not come and fee that our
report is true, Come and fee him yourfelf, by believing and tak-

2(S6 The Female Preacher.

ing it on liis own word, that he is the ChriH, anointed for your be-
hoof. But what is this I am doing, fpeaking to you only in the
name of believers ? Here (however bafe a worm I am) my office
warrants me to fpeak to you in a greater name than theirs or ours,
yeainhisname, thelatchetofwhofeflioesweare not worthy to
unloofe ; inhisnamethen who is the glorious yij/^o-ua^, the God-
man that can tell you all things that ever you did, & thereby give
you convincing evidence that he is the Chrift ; I call you to come
and fee him. He can tell you fome things about you, O finner,
that the world does not know, and can't tell you. And may Ipre-
fume in his name to tell you fomething, perhaps yet a fecrec,
which ifhe would blefs, you might therein hear him telling yoii
all things that ever you did. Let me allude to what pad between
Chrifl: and this zvot?ian in the context, upon their tirft meeting, and
perhaps there is more than an allufion in it. Chrifl hath been at
this occafion offering you the living water, and if you be faying
with this iiooman^ whether in jefl or earneft, Sir^ give me this water ,
thatlthirftnot ; Chrifl: is in effe6l fiying. Go call your husband
and come hither ; bring whatever husband you are in league with,
that fo your league and covenant with death, and your marriage
with hell, may be difanulled. If you be faying with this womarii
I have no husband ; why, then ye may hear Chrifl: faying in effeft
to you, Thou hafi ivellfaid^ I have no husband ; for as long as you are
not married to Chrifl;, you have no head, no husband, that can do
you any fervicc. But beholdyou have had five husbands^ you have
had many husbands, and ijohom you are now married t/) is not your
husband^ your true and lawful husband. O harlot fiaiier, you have
been married unto many a black husband all your days, you have
been married to the law the firfl; husband, married to your own
righteoufnefs and felf-conceit, you have been married to the
world, married to your lufl:s, yea and married to the devil,
your heart hath been joined to idols ; and now by this he
is telling you all that ever you did. He is telling you what you have
been, and what you have done. Have you been a common ftrum-
pet, a common whoremonger, a common drunkard, a common fmearer, a
common fabbath-breaker, a fiegledter of prayer in fecret and in your
family ? Yea, you have been a hypocrite, an atheifi, a blafphemer, a
perfecutor, a murderer, an injurious per/on, unjuft, unfaithful to God
and ma.n,immerciful, unbelieving, impenitent. He is telling you your
fecretfaulcs, not only what you did in fuch a company, but what
you did in fuch a private place. When thou waft under the fig-tree,
Ifaw thee, faid Chrifl: to Nathanael in another cafe ; fo fays Chrifl
CO you, when thou was under the dark fli^de, hiding thyfelf from

the

The Female Preacher. 257

the eyes of men, my eye was upon thee, under the cloud of night
I faw thee, and can any hide himfelf in lecret places that I cannot
fee, do not I fill heaven and earth, faith the Lord ? yea, I fay, all that
ever you thought, or did, or deligned to do, and I faw into thy
heart and wicked nature, from whence thy atheiftical pra6lices
did fpring. Andnowif by hisiyori he be telling you all things
that ever you did, then what do you fay to this queftion ; Is not
this the Chriji? Is he at one glance giving youa view of all your
lewdnefs, all your bafenefs, all yourvilenefs? Then do not you
perceive that he is a prophet, when he tells you how many falfe
husbands you have had; 0,ls not this theChrifil is not this the^only
true husband with whom your foul Ihould match? Is he the man
that hath told you all things that ever you did ? O then, mil you go
with this man ? Will you marry the man, theGod-man,theChrift of
God? He is content, even after all your whoredoms, to receive
you for a bride, even after you have beenadulteroufly matched
with the devil and your lufls,- will you match with this man, and
quit with all your bafe husbands, that have been haling you to hell
and fay, fVhat have I to do any more with idols ? O my five husbands
have ruined me, my falfe unhappy matches can give me no com-
fort, either in death or thro' eternity, but rather contribute to
my eternal condemnation ; but here is a glorious wonderful match
in my offer, a man that hath told me all things that ever I did; is not
this the ChriJl, that is anointed to fave me from the guilt of all that
ever I did, and to fave me from fin and wrath? O then, is this a
match? Is it a bargain? Why, fay you, who is he that I may
match with him ? where is this Chrifl? Behold, man, woman, he
is faying to you in this word, I that /peak unto thee am he; though
it be by a poor finful meffenger that I am fpeakingto you, fays
Qhn^y^Qtl that Jpeakunto youamhe. AndnowO,hathhe difco-
vered himfelf to you in this ^vord, and drawn out your heart to the
match, then think not ftrange that you meet with fome interrup-
tion in his converfe with you, but go your way and leave your wa-
ffr-;/Of behind you, and give up not only with your unlawful hus-
bands, but even with your lawful works and endeavours in point of
trufl and confidence; for your own black righteoufnefs and do«
ings of yours, will never drav/ a drop of living water to you ; but
let your heart fay. In the Lord only have I righteoufnefs andftvength.
I II go in theflrength of the Lord God, and make fnention of thy righte-
oufnefs, even of thine only, O may it be heard tell of you in the city
of Dunfermline, as it was heard of this woman in the city of Sama-
ria, that you have met with Chrifl, that by your words and walk
henceforth you are determined to fay. Come fee a man that told m&
M things thai evsr Idid^ u not this the Chrift 7 CO J-

COURAGIOUS FAITH.

A SERMON preached at Carncck, July i, ijzj.

By the Rev. Mr. Ebenezer Erskine.

PSALM xxlii. 4.

Tea^t hough I walk thro" the valley ofthe/hadow of death., I will fear
no evil : For thou art with me., thy rod and fiaff they comfort me.

TH E words which I have read are large and copious ; and
therefore, to gain time, I fhall entirely wave any preamble,
drawn either from the connexion, or from the penman,
occafion, or principal parts of the Pfalm, and come clofe to the
words themfelves.

In general, we may take them up as the language of a vi6torious
and triumphant faith, viewing the countenance of a reconciled God
in Chrift, trampling upon all the imaginary evils of a prefent world-,
yea, death itfelf, as things not worthy to be compared with the glo-
ry to be revealed. Tea., tho' I walk., &c. where we may notice the
particulars following ; ( 1 0 The prefent condition of the believer
while in this world ; he is confidered under the notion of a traveller,
for he is walking towards his journey's end. (2.) We have the
fuppofed danger that may caft up in his way or walk •, he may come
to the valley of thefhadow of death., that is, he may meet with trou-
bles in his way, that carry the Iliew or appearance of the greateft
dangers ; yea, even of death in them. (3 J We have the courage
wherewith faith infpires the believer, upon this fuppofed event of
being obliged to walk thro^ the valley of thefhadow of death ; / will
fear no evil., fays faith. (4.) We have the ground of this courage
and confidence, which is expreffed two ways •, i . More generally,
thou art with me. 2. More particularly, tiy rod and fiaff they com-
fort me. And thus we have the words refolved into their feveral
parts. I fliall not (lay at prefent upon any critical explication j
what is needful will occur.

From them I notice the following doftrines. Ohferve^ i . That
believers are not refidenters in this world, but travelling thro' it to
their own home. Hence David here fpeaks of his prefent conditi-
on under the notion of a traveller walking thro' a valley. Obf. 2.
That believers in their journey muft lay their account with melan-

cholyj

CouRAGious Faith. 259

choly, yea, death-like difpenfations, trials that portend death and
ruin. Hence David fiippofes that he may walk through the val-
ley of the fliadow of death. Obf. 2,- That true faith infpires the
foul with an undaunted courage to encounter all imaginable dan-
gers in the way. See with what an heroick fpirit David here ex-
prcfleshimfelf, under the influence of the Spirit of faith, 1 will
fear no evil. Obf. 4. That which gives fo much courage to the
believer is, diat by faith he takes up a reconciled God as prefent
•anth him in the midft of his greateft troubles. I will fear no evil,
for thou art with me. Obf. 5. The confideration of God's paf-
toral care and providence toward his people is very comforta-
ble in the midO: of trouble. For in this fenfe fome underftand the
words, being, they think, an allufion unto a ihepherd, who with
his rod and ftaff protects and defends his Hock again (I wolves and
f tch ravenous beafls. Obf. 6. The faithfulneis of a promifing
God is a comfortable rod or flafF in the hand of faith, to bear up
the believer in his travels through thewildernefs. In this fenfe
others take the words,- for by the rod and flaff they underftand
tly divine promife, and the faithfulnefs of the Promifer, to
wnich faith leans with confidence, in oppofition to all flaggerings
thro' unbelief. Thus, you fee, the words cafb up a large field of
matter, which it is not pofTible for me to undertake at prefent.

I'he doftrine I IhaJl infift upon at prefent, is the third ia
order, viz.

That irae faith is a couragious grace ; it infpires the foul with
a holy and undaunted boldnefs amidfl the greatefb dangers. Or,
you may take it thus ; That true faith is a noble antidote againfl
intiiaidating fears in a time of trouble. This you fee plain in the
words. DavidhevQ, being under the influence of the Spirit of
faith, cries out with a holy fortitude of fpirit ; yea, though I walk
through the valley of the fliadow of deanh, I will fear no evil, ^c.

The method I propofe is, i. To notice fome of thofe evils-
that are ready to intimidate the fpirits of the Lord's people, when
they look on them with the eye of fenfe and reafon. 2. Give
fome account of faith, and prove that it infpires the foul with
courage and boldnefs amidfb all thefe evils. 3. Give fome ac-
count ofchatChrifliian fortitude and boldnefs that is the fruit of
faith. 4. Enquire into the influence of faith upon this boldnefs
and fortitude of fpirit, and hov/ it prevents intimidating feai's
amidfl thefe evils. 5. Make fome improvement of the whole by
way of application.

Firft thing in the metiiod is. To notice fome of thofe evils that:
are ready to intimidate and difcourage the hearts of the Lord's
people in a time of danger^

sji Thenii

2^0 COURAGIOUS FaITH.

ijl Then, fometimes their fpirits are ready to be flricken with
fear of their own weaknefs and infiifficiency for the work that the
Lord is calling them to engage with, whether it be falvation, or
nation and generation-work. Jer. i. 5,6. there the Lord-tells •
the prophet, ^\ 5. Before I formed thee in the ivomb, I kncu: thee ;
Before thou cameft forth out of the belly, Ifan^ified thee, and ordained
thee aprophet unto the nations. By this hint Jeremiah is made to un-
derftand that the Lord was about to fend him on a very dangerous
errand : Well, the prophet, through a fenfe of his inability lu
himfelfto manage fuch a hard work, cries out, f.6. Ah ! Lord
God, behold, lama child and cannot f peak. His heart f^^'ls him in fuch
an undertaking, and he is afraid to meddle with it. The fame we
fee in Mofes, when the Lord call'd him to go unto Pharaoh king of
iC^jpf, and require him to let the Children of Ifrael go out of hii
dominion, Exod. 4. 10. What an impertinent apology makes he
for himfelf, through the prevalency of unbelief ? Oh ! my Lord,
I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor lince thou haft fpoken
unto thy fervant ; but I am of a flow fpeech, and of a flow tongue.
Yea,after theLord had chaflifed him for his unbelief,& given h^^ta
afpecialpromifeofafliftance; yet he adds, f. ii,.OinyLord,fei2d,
I pray thee, by the hand of him 'whom thou 'wihfend. From all which it
is plain,that fenfe & reafon fofler unbelieving difcouragements in
the work of the Lord; & no wonder,for they look only to the fund
ofcreated grace within, but not to the ftrength and grace that is
in Jefus Chrift, fecured by a well-ordered covenant.

2dly, The fpirits of the Lord's people are ready to be frighted
with the might and multitude of their enemies they have to grap-
ple with in their way through the wildernefs. This world is a den
of lions,& mountains of leopards,where the believer mufl engage
with principalities and powers, ^c. He is many times like a be-
fiegedcity,furrounded with dangers on every fide ; and in this
cafe he is ready to cry with Jehopoaphat, 1 Chron. 20.12. We have
no might againfi this great company that cometh up againji us ; or,
like the houfe of Damd,mo\Q6. like the trees of the wood, becaufe
of great and dangerous enemjes that purfued them. Senfe and
reafon looks only to the power of the enemy, but overlooks
the power of God ; and therefore cries, one day or other I fliall
fall by the hand of my enemies.

3^/}', The fpirits of believers are fometlme intimidated with a
fenfe of guilt, and the awful terrors of vindi6live anger and wrath
purfuing them on the account of fin. Hence David cries out, PfaL
40. 12. Innumerable evils compafs me about,B'c. So, PfaL 38.5.
job. 6.4. The arrows of the Almighty are ixithin me, &c. likewife,

Pfal

CouRAGious Faith. 271

Pfal.88. 15. While Ifuffer thy terrors^ lam dijtra^ed, When fin pre-
fentsitfelfto the foul's view, and the Saviour is out of fight, ic
remembers God and is troubled ; and no wonder tho' in that cafe
he cry out, If thou, Lord, mark iniquity, O Lord, who fliall fland ?

4.thly, Sometimes they are ftruck with fear through the pre-
valcncy of indwelling fin, enmity unbelief, ignorance, carnality
and the like ,• fwarms of heart-lufts, like an impetuous torrent,
break in upon them ; in which cafe they fear left they be carried
away to the dilhonour of God, the ruin of the foul,and the wound-
ing of religion. 'This m^de David to cry y Pfal. 19. Whocaniin-
deijtand his errors 1 Pfal. 65. Iniquities prevail againjt me, Sac. Paul,
Rom. 7. 1 am led captive unto the law of Jin. IVretched man thatlani,
ijoho ixiill deliver me from this body of fin and death ?

Sthly, Sometimes their hearts are intimidate with the black
clouds of defertion, that overcaft the sky, and interrupt the fweet
manifellationsofthe love of God. In that cafe, they are like the
difciples on mount Tabor ; when, after a fight of the glory of
Chrifl:,the cloud overfliadowed them, then they were afraid :
Or like David, Pfal. 30. Thou didfl hide thy face, andlijoas troubled ;
immediately after he had been faying, Lordy by thy favour my
mountain flands Jlrong, I fioallnever be moved,

6thly, Sometimes their hearts are intimidate with the noife of
great waters,! mean, the fhaking and reelings of this lower world.
Sometimes providence has fuch an awful afpeft, as if it were go-
ing about to Ihake heaven and earth ; the mountains are removed
and call into the midfi; of the fea, and the waters thereof roar and
fwell ; the mountains melt, and the perpetual hills bow at the pre-
fenceof theLord, when he appears in his terrible majefl:y : In
fuch a cafe as this, the prophet Habakkuk, chap. 3. 16. cries our.
When I heard, my belly trembled : My lips quivered at the voice : Rot-
tennefs enterdinto my bones. And David, Pfal. 119. fays. My fle/Jj
trembleth becaiife of thee, and I'm afraid at thy judgments,

ythly, Sometimes they are afraid at the wrath of man^ and the
fury of the perfecutor: Sometimes theLord, for holy and wife
ends, lets loofe the feed of the ferpent, the rage and fury of man,
under the influence of natural enmity : And, in this cafe, they are
ready to be fiiricken with a finful and flavilh fear, 7/1?. 5 1 . 1 3 , Thou
baft feared every- day, becaife of the fury of the opprcjjor, as if he
'tjoere ready to dejlroy.

^thly. The dangerous fituation of the church and caufe cf
Chrifliisfometimesmatter of fear unto the faints of God. When
the ark of God was in the open field, £/i's heart fell a trembling.
When men are allowed to life up their axes upon the carved wor

272 CouRAGious Faith.

of the temple, when the boar out of the wood, and the wild beaft
of the foreft is devouring the Lord's vineyard, and the foxes fpoi-
Jing the tender vines ; then, and in that cafe, the true children of
Z/'ow are ready to fay with the church. Lam. i. lo. The adverfary
bath /pre ad out his hand upon all her pleafant things ; for the heathen
hath entered into the fan^iiary, and her Jlones are poured out upon the
top (if eijery ftreet.

9thly, Sometimes we find them ftricken with fear at the tho'ts
of the awful approach of death, the king of terrors ; as we fee in
ihe cafe of Hezekiah, when the fentence of death was pad upon
him, Ifa. 38.10. Ifaid in the cutting off of my days, I floall go to the
gates of the grave, I am deprived of the refidue cf my years. Ifaid, I
/hall not fee the Lord, in the land of the living : I jh all behold man no
more, ivith the inhabitants of the world. Like a crane or fwallo-iv, fo
did I chatter : I did mourn as a dove : Mine eye fails with looking up-
ward : O Lord, I am oppreffed, undertake for me. Some are faid to ,
be held in bondage all their days thro' fear of death. Thus I have
told you of fome of thole evils that are ready to intimidate the
hearts of the Lord's people.

■Second thing is, To give fome account of that faith which for-
tifies the foul againffc the fear of thefe evils. I don't delign at pre-
fent to infift upon the nature of faith, having not long ago infifled
on this fubje6l : Only I offer you, i. Some of its names. 2. Its
ingredients. 3. Some of its concomitants.

ifi, lofferaviewof itinitsfcripturalnames. Sometnnesitis
called a trufting in the Lord : ff^hat time I am afraid, I willt up in
thee ', though he fljouldkill me, yet will I trujl in him. Sometimes
'tis called a looking to the Lord : They looked unto him., and were
■lightned. Look unto me, and be ye faved, allye ends of the earth. Let
us ran our race, looking unto Jefus. Sometimes a flavins; uurfelves
on the Lord, Ifa. 26. 4. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whofe
mind is flayed on thee, &c. Sometimes a cafting of our burden on
him, Pfal. 5$. 22. Caflthy burden on the Lord., and he will fiiftain
thee,&c. Sometimes 'tis called a fleeing to him as arefuge, as
the man-flayer fled to the city of refuge, when purfued for his
life, Pfal. 143. 9. Deliver me, 0 Lord, from mine enemies ; I fly
unto thee for help. Faith is a flying in under the wings of ChriiVs
mediation and interceffwn ; as the birds under tlie wings of the dam.

2dly, I would give you fome of the ingredients of that faith

which fortifies the foul againfl the fear of evil, (i.) Then, it

has in it a knowledge and uptaking of a God in Chrifl, revealing

himfelf as reconciled, and making over hirafeif to us in a vvell-or-

'cre'd covenant : For 'cis only a God in Ciirifl: that can be the ob-

CoURAGious Faith. 273

je6lof our faith and love ,• and they that thus knoiJi his name, will put
their truft in him. (2 ) It has in it a firm and fixed perruafion of
jjhe truth and certainty ohhc whole revelation of his mind and will
inthe word, and particularly of his promifes as yea and amen in
Chrift. Hence /yZ/r^/j^/zi's faith (Rom. 4..)is defcribed by a per-
fuafion ; he -was fully perfiiaded that what he hadpromifed, he zvas able
alfo to perform, And 'tis faidj/ZcZ'. 7. 13. of the Old Teftamenc wor-
thies, who died in faith, Theyfaw the promifes afar off, and were per-
fiiadcdofthem. (3.) Ithasinit an application of the promifes to
the foul itfelf in particular ,• fo that it not only looks on it as true
in general, but true to me. The man finds the promife indefi-
nitely indorfed to every man to whom it is intimate, Jets 2.^0^?^.
The promife is to you, and to your feed, and to all that are afar off,&c.
at>tended with this declaration &. promife, that whoever believes,
Jetstothefeal, that God is true ; and that whofoever believeth, /ball
not perifJj : Therefore the man takes it home to himfelf in parti-
cular, as a fecurity for all the grace that is contained in it, fay-
ing, I believe that through the grace of the Lord Jcfis Cbrifi I jhall be
faved. God hath fpokenin his holinefs, I -voill rejoice ; and, in this
will I be confident. (4.) It has in it a perfuafion of the pow^r, love
audfaithfuhiefs of the Promifer : A perfuafion of his power to do
as he hasfaid ; as Abraham, Rom. 4. he was perfiaded, that ivhat
hehadpromifed,he %^:as able alfo to perform. A perfuafion of his love ;
How excellent is thy loving- kindnefs, O God ! &c. A perfuafion of his
veracity and faithfulnefs, that/;(?7V;20f 7nan, that he fJjould lie ; or
the fon of man,that he jhould repent. (5.) It has in it a renouncing
ofall other refuges, as intirely infufficient to flieiter the foul a-
gainflthofe evils wherewith 'tis furrounded, Hof 14. 3. Asfiiur
jhall notfave us, &c. Jer. 2.23. In vain isfalvation expected from the
hills or multitude cf mountains. (6.) An expeftation of help and
fafety from a God in Chrifi:, againfi: all thofe evils that the man is
purfucd with, Ifal. 62 . 5, 6. My foul, wait thou only on God ; for my
expe^ationis from him. He only is my rock and my falvation :, he is
my defence : I /ball not be moved. Pial. 142. 4, 5. / looked on my
right-hand, and behold, but there was no man that would hiow me ; re-
fuge failed me, no man cared for my foul. I cried unto thee, 0 Lord, and
faid, Thou art my refuge and portion in the land of the living. (7.)
This faith has a leaving of ourfelves and all our cares and con-
cerns upon him, to be difpofed of according to his will and plea-
fure. I'he man is content to take what 'ot God in his providence
fnall fee fit to carve out for him, 2 Sam. 15. 25,-26. The king faid
unto Zadok, Carry back the ark rf God into the city : If I find favour
in the fight of the Lord, he will bring me again, anil fbew me both it and

T ' /;/;

274 CouRAGious Faith.

his habitation. Butifhethusfay^Ihavenopleafure in thee ; hchdd,
here am /, let him do to me as feemeth good unto him.

^dly, I will give you a few of the concomitants of this faith,
which guards the foul againft intimidating fears in a time of dan-
ger. ( I .) then, It is accompanied with a bleft quietnefs and tran-
quility of foil!, amidft all the dangers of a prefent Hfe. Hence,
iays the Lord to his people, IJa. 30. In quietnefs and confidence /hall
beyourjirength. The man having run in under the wings o^Sbiloh,
the perfeftions of a God in Chrift, he cries with David, I '•joill both
lay me down in peace ^ andfieep : For thou, Lord, makeji me to dwell ini.
fafety,?f. 4. laft. (2.) It is accompanied with a waiting upon the
Lord, in a way of duty, for his gracious prefence either in grace or
providence. He that believes, does not make ha(te. The vifion is for
an appointed time ; t ho' it tarry, wait for it, Slq. Micah 7. 7. I ■wilt
look to the Lord, I will wait for the God ofmyfalvation, &c. PfaL 130.
I.'Jy foul wait eth for the Lord, like them that wait for the morning, &c.
(3.) 'Tis always accompanied with prayer, earneft prayer, at a
throne of grace. Faith having got the promife in its arms, it runs
Itrait to a throne of grace with it, to fue for the promifed blel^
fmg, PfaL 62. 8. Trujlin him at all times, ye people, pour out your
hearts before him. Prayer is jufl: the breath of faith ; and to pray,
and not to believe, is to beat the air ; and to believe, and not ta
pray, is nothing but a prefumptuous confidence, that will never
bear a man through in the evil day. (4.) IcisaccomA-ianied with
a holy obedience or regard unto all God's commandments, Pfal.
1 1 9. 1 66. I have hoped for thyfahation, and I have done thy command-
Qnents. Shew me thy faith by thy works, Jam. 2.18. Let us never pre-
tend to believe the promife, if we don't keep his commindments,.
Pfal. 50. 16. Unto the wickedGod faith, What haft thou to do to take n?y
covenant in thy mouth, feeing thou hatejl injlru^ion ? &:c. (5.) 'Tis
frequently accompanied with a foul-j-avilliing joy in the Lord,
If a. 12.2. Behold, God is myfalvatinn, I will trufi, and not be afraid :
And then it follows, With joy [hall ye draw water out of the wells
effalvation. Pial. 64. 10. The righteous (hall be glad in the Lord, and
traftinhim'., and all the upright in heart /jjall glory, i Pet. i. 8. Whom
having notfecn, we love : In whom tho' 7iow we fee him not, yet beJiev-.
ing, we rejoice with joy wifpeakable and full of glory. Ileb. 3 . 1 7, 1 8,
19, &c. I'hus I have given you fome account of that faith that
fortifies the heart againft the fear of evil.

lihall nowendeavcurtoproveand make it evident, that faith
doth indeed infpire tlie i^3ul with a holy boldnefs and courage,'
or that it is a noble antidote againft the intimidating evils that
threaten danger ; and this wiJl appear from the following par-
ticulars. Hie courage of Faith appears, ifi^^

CouRAGious Faith. 275

•jjl, From that ferenity wherewith it pofTefles the foul, amidft
tliofe evils and dangers that threaten it with utter ruin ; Pfal'^2.
16, 7. Surely in the floods of great waters , they fljallnot come nigh unto
him. Thou art my hiding place ^ thou flhilt preferve me from trouble :
Thou fljalt compafs me about ivithfongs of deliverance. Pfal. 27. 3, 5.
Though an hojt fhould encamp againfl me, yet I will not fear ; though
war jhould arife againjl me , in this will I be confident. For in the time
of trouble, he f jail hide me in his pavilion ; in thefccret of his tabernacle
jhallhe hide me, hefJjallfet me upon a rock. The man through faith,
iike A'o^/;, fings in the very midftof the waves, without fear of
being fwallowed up.

2dly, The courage of faith appears in the hard work and fer-
vice that it will adventure on when the Lord calls. O, fays faith,
when it hears God faying, Whom fliall I fend ? and who will go
for us? Here am I, fend me; I can do all things through Chriffc
llrengthening me ; He has promifed to bear my charges, and
therefore I will go in his flrength, ^c.

^dly. From the enemies and dangers that it will look in the
face, without being daunted. The three children, when the
wrath of the King was like the roaring of a lion againfl them,
threatening them with a burning fiery furnace feven times
heated, their faith enabled them to a holy and indifferent bold-
nefs; JVe are not careful to anfwer thee, O King, in this matter ^
the God whom we ferve will deliver us.

4.thly, The courage of faith appears in the bold and daring chal-
lenges that it can give to all enemies and accufers. O, fays Pauly
Rom. 8.32,33. H'^ho can lay any thing unto the charge of God's ele?t ?
The challenge is univerfal, in refpeft of all accufers,' in refpe6l of
all accufations, and in refpe6l of all the accufed ; JV1)0 can lay any
■thing, &€. And then you have another challenge of faith in the
clofe of that chapter, M'^ho (hall fcpar ate us from the love of God?
Shall tribulation, or dijlrefs, or famine, or nakednefs, or peril, &c.

Sthly, From the weapons which it weilds which no other hand
but the hand of faith can manage. The fvvord of the Spirit, which
is the word of God, that is the weapon which faith deals with.
With this weapon, Chrift the captain of falvation teaches us to
f ght by his own example, A/^ff. 4. Thus and thus 'tis written. And
'tis the truth and faithfulnefs of God in his word, that is the fiiieki
and buckler whereby faith encounters its enemies.
- 6thly, From the Ixittles it has fought, and the vi6lories it hi^
gained over the flouteft and fhrongeft enemies. 'Hiisis the vic-
tory whereby we overcome the world, even our faith. It rehfts
the devil, and makes him to llee like a coward ,• it prefents the

T 2 blood

276 CouRAGious Faith.

blood of the lamb, and bears witnefs to the truth of the word, and
fo it defeats the old ferpent, Rev. 12.7. They overcame him by the
Hood of the lamb, and the tvord of their tefiimony. It treads upon death
as a vanquilhed enemy ; O death, where is thy fting ? O grave,
whereis thy Vidlory ? ^c. Thusfaithputs to flight the armies
of the aliens.

Jthly, From the heavy burdens it will venture to bear upon its
back, without fear of finking under the load. The crofs of Chrifl
is a burden that frightens the world to look to him, or own him ;
but faith takes it up, and takes it on, and cries, O the world is mif-
,taken ; for his yoke is eafy, and his burden is light ; and his com-
mandments are not grievous. Our light affliftions, which are
but for a moment, they work for us a far more exceeding and
eterna! v.^eight of glory.

?iihlyj From the hard and difficult pafles that faith will open.
When the way feems impaffable, it fees the breaker going up before
it ; arid therefore, though heaven, earth, and hell flood in the
way, it will clear the road of all difficulties. Pihahiroth and Baal-
scj/ybow, impaffable mountains on every hand, the 7^(?(i-/^^ before,
and an enraged powerful enemy behind ,• can there be any door of
help ? yes,fays fliith only ftand (till, and fee the falvation of God ;
and thereupon the waters divide, and a lane is miade through the
depths of of the fea for Ifrael. If we have faith as a grain of muf-
tard-feed, we may fay to this, and that, and the other mountain.
Be thou removed, and it fliall be done.

c)thIy,The courage of faith appears from the great exploits that
it hath performed; for which I refer you to Heb. 11. per totum,
particularly -5^. 33. 34,35. and does not this fay, that 'tis a bold
and courageous grace ?

lothly. From the trophies of victory and triumph that it wears.
It takes up the trophies of Chrift's viftory over fin, fatan, hell and
death ; and cries, I will be jo\ful in thy falvation, and in the name
of our God we will fet up our banner. O will faith fay, There lies
the head of the old ferpent bruifed by the feed of the woman.
There lies the curfe of the law, that hand- writing that was againfl
lis, torn by the nails of his crofs ,* Fie hath redeemed us from the
curfe of the law, being made a curfe for us. There ftands the
world, and its good and bad things as a mafs of mere vanity, over-
come by Chrifl ; and therefore I'll tread upon them as dung and
Jofs, that I may xvin Chrift, who is all in all. There lies death and
thegrave, flain by thedeathof Jefus ; and therefore I'll play at
the den of thi;i lion and cockatrice, for it cannot hurt me. Thus
it appears that f.iith is a courageous grace, which fears no evil.

Third

CouRAGious Faith. 277

Third thing in the general method was, To fpeak a little of that
Chrillian fortiLudc and boldnefs which makes a believer to fear no
evil. All chat I (hall fay upon this fubjetl iliall be, to offer the few
following views for clearing it.

jjl, I'he feat and fubjecl: of this Chriflian fortitude is the heart
ofabeliever, renewed by Ibvereign grace ; and thereforL- it can
never be found in the heart of a natural man. Indeed we find
fomethingthat goes under that name, but is falily fo called, a-
rgongllnacuralmen ; a natural boldnefs and hardinefs of fpiritto
encounter dangers, yea, even death itfclf, in the purfiiaiice of
their defigns. The foldier, at the command of his general, will
go forward in battle, though he Ihould die upon the fpot ; the
mariner and merchant will rifque his life through itorms and
waves, without any great concern : But, alas ! while a man is
dedituteofthe grace of God, all thefe flow only from pride, co-
vetoufnefs, revenge, or fome fuch reigning luft that muft be
maintained and fupported, or at bed from the natural tem-
per of the mind, or fome carnal ends and motives. That ivhkh
is born of the fle/b, is Jiiil fle/Jjy The fortitude or boldnefs
that 1 now fpeak of, is only to be found in a heart or foul chang-
ed and renewed by the power of divine grace, the faith of
God's operation (as I faid) being the very fpringand root of it :
And hence it is, that we fliall find this true Chriflian fortitude
fometimes manifefting itfelf in thefe who, as to their natural tem-
per, are the molt timorous and faint-hearted ; for it makes the
feeble as David, and as the angel of God before him. God fays
to them that are of a fearful fpirit, beJtrong,fearnot ; and then the
man that quaked at the fliaking of a leaf, becomes bold as a lion.

2dly, Let us view the object of this Chriftian fortitude, or that
about which 'tis- exerted, viz. truth and error. Cm and duty. As to
the concerns f a prcfent life, worldly interefl and claims, or yen
matters of indilFerenc\, which a man may do or forbear without
fm on either iide,tiie fpirit of chrijlianity is the moft yielding thing
in the world ; our holy religion teaches us, as to the affairs of this
life, rather than enter into litigious pleas, to quit our worldly
claims; which I take to be the meaning of Chrift, when he fays.
Mat. 5. 40. If any man mil fue thee at the law, and take away thy
coat, let him have thy clokealjo: And, as tomattersof indifferency
Ave are to become all things to all men, that we may gain fome.
If the eating of flefh will offend my brother, hys Paul, I will eat
no flefj while the iRorldJlands. So that, I fay, this Chriflian forti-
tude is not expreffed about thefe things, but about truth or error,
fin or duty: Hereicis thacthe Chriltidnis comakehis ftandi he

T 3 is

278 CouRAGious Faith.

is to be valiant for the truth, to contend earneflly for the faith de-
livered to the faints, to buy the truth at any rate, and to fell it at no
rate ; no, nor the Jeafl hair or hoof of truth is to be par^ted
with, though heaven and earth flioiild mingle for his adhering to
it in oppofition unto thefe errors that have a tendency to obfcure
or deftroy it. And the farne thing takes place as to the matters of
fin or duty, in which we are to rejijl even unto blood, Jiriving againjt
fwyin regard the greateft of fufferings are to be chofen rather than
theleafl; of fins : The reafon of which is obvious, becaufe by tl^
one we are only expofed to the diipleafure of men, but by fin we
expofe our felves to the difpleafure of God, and diilionour him.

3^/3/, View this chriflian courage and fortitude as to the na-
ture of it. It takes in, I think, thefe things following, (i.)
A clear and didinft knowledge and uptaking of the. truth as
it is in Jefus, accompanied with a firm perfuafion and afi^ent
of the foul unto it, andexperienceof thepower of it upon ones
own foul. Without this, a man, infi;ead of being valiant for the
truth, will, like the weather-cock, be turned afide with every
wind of error or temptation. (2.) It has in it a making the trutli
of God in his Word the proper boundary both of his faith and
praclice. He will not embrace for do6lrines the commandments
of men ; no, but he will bring matters to the law and teftimony,
to be tried at that bar ; for, if they fpeak not according to thefe
things, it is becaufe there is no truth in them : And whatever will
not abide the trial there, he throws it away as the fpawn of hell,
whatever human authority it may be fupported with. God only
is Lord of the confcience, and that he will fubje6l to no authority
butGodonly. (3.) It has in it a tenacious adherence unto truth,
and duty revealed or injoined in the Word of God, and a refufing
to quit^t uponany conlideration whatever, or whatever be the
ewant. This is called a keeping the PTord of GocV s patience^ Rev. 3.
I o. and a holding of the teftimony, Rev. 6. 9. Ifai^ under the altar the
fouls of them that ivere fain for the Word of God, and the teJii?nony
ivhich they held. A holding f aft the profeffon of our faith without
'H)avering,liQh. 10. 23. This I take to be imported in that advice
Bdrnabas g3.ve unto the difciples at jntioch, that ixtith purpofe of
heart they 'xould cleave unto the Lordy A6ts II . 23. {']..) ThisChrif-
tian fortitude has in it a holy contempt of all that the man can fuf-
fer in a prefcnt world, in adhering to truth and duty. The man
iseafy about all the world, and its frowns or flatteries, if he can
havcGod'steftimony, and the tefiiimony of a good confcience.
If God be for usj fays the man, who can be againft us ? Let devils
and men rage and roar, their wrath is bounded, it fhallpraife the

- Lord,

CouRAGious Faith. 279

Lord, and the remainder of their wrath will he reftrain. lie 'en-
dures, as feeing him that is invifible. He has his eye fixed upon
another world than this ; and therefore he is ready to fliy, The
fufferings of this prefent life are not worthy to be compared with
the exceeding glory that is to be revealed ; our light afiliftions
which arc but for a moment, they work for us a far more exceed-
ing and eternal weight of glory ; while we look not at things that
are feen, but things that are not feen : For things fQcu, are tem-
poral ,' but things not feen, are eternal. (5.) It has in it alfo a
chearfulnefs, alacrity, and equality of fpirit, under all the turns of
a man's lot in the world, in following the Lord, and adhering to
hiscaufeand intereft, Phil. 4.. 11, 12. / have learned in ivhatcver
Jlate I am, thereimth to be content : I kno'U) how both to be abafed,
and hozv to abound: Everywhere, andin all things F m injlriid;ed, both
how to be full, and to be hungry ; both how to ahoiind^andtofuffer want.

4thly, This Chriftian fortitude or courage hath the following
properties. ( i.)Itisdlfl:in6tastothegrounditgoesupon ; and
fo 'cis quite different from a blind zeal, which does more harm
than good to religion. I bear you wltnefs ( fays Paul of his coun-
trymen lhQjews)ye have a zeal of God, but not according to know-
ledge. (2.) It is a holy boldnefs ; for it flands in oppoficion to
fin or error. The wicked world are bold to fin, but the Chrifiian
isbold towithflarrdit, and bold to lift up a banner for truth, \^\\Qn
others are fo bold as to pull it down. (3. )'Tis a humble and felf-
denied boldnefs. The man is not bold or confident in himfelf,
or created grace, as Feter, when he faid, Though allmenfJjouldfor-
fakethee, yet will not I: No, huthe is Jtrong in the Lord, and in the
poiver of his might ; and, when he has been helped to make a ftand
for the Lord, or for his caufe, he will not be ready to facrifi.ce to
his own net, like Jehu, Come and fee my zeal for the Lord ofhofts : No,
but, with Faul, he will be ready to fay. Not L, hut the grace of God in
me : Not unto us, fiot unto us, but unto thy name be the glory. And there-
fore, (4.) "I'is a very meek boldnefs. Mofeswas the meekefb
man upon earth, and yet his meeknefs was confifiient with fuch
boldnefs of fpirit, as to go at God's command to Fharaoh, and re-
quire him to let Ifracl go, under very awful certifications: And
when Pharaoh was brought fo far down from his former altitudes
as to allow them to go, only to leave fome little thing behind; he
boldly tells him, not a hoof was to be left behind. Exod. 10. 26. And
yet in all this A'lofes retained his meeknefs of fpirit ; for the wrath
of man worketh not the right eoufnefs of God.

S.thly, This Chrifi:ian courage and boldnefs, its proper feafon
for exerting itfelf is when duty if attended with danger, or when

:%

T\ the

28o COURAGIOUS FaITH.

theprofefTion of our faith is fair topexpofe us unto the rage and
perfecution of men. A coward will appear couragious when
there is no enemy to with (land him ,• but true courage difcovers
itfelf in (landing the fliock & attack of the enemy : So true Chrif-
tian courage difcovers itfelf in a time of danger, when truth is
falling ill the ftreet, to take it up then ; or, when the following of
the Lord in the way of duty expofes a man to hazard and danger,
for a man to fet his face to the ftorm like a flint, that is, I fay, the
proper time for Chriftian courage to exert itfelf. This you fee in
the cafe ofthe three children, when threatned with a burning fi-
ery furnace ifthey would not worfliip the golden image; fVe are
not careful to anfwer thee in this matter, O king, we mllnot worfJjip the
image tboii hajtfet up ; the God 'whom weferve is able to deliver us. And
we fee the fame in Daniel,when a proclamation was ifTued out,for-
bidding any petition to be asked either of God or man, but only
ofthekingforthirty days, he goes into his houfe, andcafts open
his windows, fo as all might take knowledge of him, and praifes
and give thanks unto his God three times a day, tho' he knew the
iipfliotofit would be his being caft into the lions den. The pro-
per feafon of this Chriflian courage is a time of hazard attending
duty. Alas! 'tis to be feared, that among the many crowds that
feeni to follow Chrift, and profefs his name in a day of profperity,
he would have but a thin backing of them, i£ providence were
calling them to follow him to a C^Z-y^r}/ or a gibbet. The feed that
fell upon the flony ground had goodly braird for a while; but,
wanting root and deepnefs of earth, it withered when the
fcorching fun of perfecution and trouble did arife upon it.

6thly, The fruits and effedls of this Chriflian courage and bold-
refs in cleaving to the Lord and his way in a time of danger, and
in holding his teftimony, are very fweet and glorious , For, (i.)
^Tis a feal added unto the truth of God in the view of the world,
and lets tire blind world know that there is more value in the truth
of God, and a matter of greater importance, than they imagine ;
and, by this mean?, truth is brought forth unto vi6lory, notwith-
flanding ofall the attempts of hell to obfcure and bury it, (2.)
Chriflian courage and boldnefs in owning the truth, efpecially in
the face of danger, ftrikes a damp upon the very hearts of perfe-
cutors and opprefTors of it, and puts them to a fl:and ; as we fee in
theinflance ofthe Apoftles, jSs 4. 13. when the yewift) Sanhedrin
perceived the boldnefs of P^m* and John, and took knowledge
cf them that they had been with Jefus,they were brought to their
wits- end, and fay one to another. What [hall we do with thefe men ?
(3.) Itferves to hearten the fpirits of thofe who love the truth,

and

I CouRAGious Faith. 281

and affords matter of praife when they fee thefe that are in the
high places appearing valiant for the truth ; as we fee in the fame
Jcl;s4. 23,24. when P^f^r and John are let go, and when they
come to their own company, making a report of all that had hap-
pened, they lift up their voice with one accord, and praife the
Lord. (4.) A bold appearance for the truth and caufe of Chrift
is a fweet evidence to a man of his own falvation, and that he
(hall be owned of the Lord another day; for, fays Chrift, he that
confejjes me before men, him iiull Iconfefs before my Father, and before
his angels. To the fame purpofe is that of the Apollle, Rom. 1 6.
IVitb the heart man believes unto righteoifnefs, but zvith the mouth con-
feffion is made unto falvation. Thus 1 have given you a fix fold view
o\ that Chriftian fortitude and courage which is the fruit of faith.

The fourth thing in the method was, To enquire into the influ-
ence that faith has upon this boldnefs. Unto which I anfwer in
the particulars following ;

ijl, Faith ferves to infpire the foul with Chriflian fortitude and
boldnefs, by prefenting God to the foul's view in his glorious Ma-
jefly ; at the fight of whom, the fear of man, and all the dangers
of time, do intirely evanifli and difappear. Hence is that of Mo-
fes, Heb. 1 1. 27. By faith he forfookEgy^t, not fearing the ivrath of
the king. Why, what was it that cured him of the fear of Pha-
raoh's wrath ? We are told in the clofe of the verfe, That he endur-
ed, as feeing him that is invifible. O Sirs, when the eye is opened,
to fee the infinite majefty, greatnefs,excellency and power of the
great Jehovah, it would chufe rather to venture upon the fury of
all the devils in hell, and men upon earth, than adventure to dif-
pleafe him, by parting with the leaft truth he has revealed, or by
breaking one of the leaft of his commandments. It renders the
foul unfliaken under all trials; hence is th^itoi David", I have fet
the Lord always before me ; becaufe that thou art my right-hand^
I fjall not be moved.

2dly, Faith infpires the foul with Chriflian boldnefs and forti-
tude, by enabling the foul to make aright eflimateof the truth,
which is the great matter of flrife and contention in the world.
The devil deferted or abode not in the truth of God; and the
way he ruined mankind at firfl, was by mincing away the truth of
God's threatning, In the day thou eatefi thereof, thou floalt furely
die: Hath God faid fo and fo ? And fuch is his enmity at the truth
of God, that his main efforts are to bring it into difcredit, and to
bring thofe that profefs Chrifl either to disbelieve it, or deny it,
or defert it. Now faith gives the foul a juft view and uptaking
of the value of every truth of God ; yea, of thefe that would ap-
pear

282 COURAGIOUS FaITH.

pear lefs fundamental,tliat it will not quit?nvith the leafl: hoof,tho'
heaven and earth fliould mingle. O, fays faith, I fee that God
has fuch a value and efteem for his truth, that he will rather throw-
heaven and earth back unto their original nothing, than let one
jot of it fall to the ground ; how then fliall I give it up ! In a
word, truth, particularly revealed truth, is juft the food on which
faith lives; and faith is nothing elfebut afetting tothefeal that
God is true. Take away the truth, and faith is not : And there-
fore it is that faith and truth do fometimes exchange names ; Jud.
3. Contend earn efily for the faith once delivered unto the faints ; the
meaning is, contend earneftly for the truth delivered to the faints.
Faith&truth are exceedingly related, the one cannot fubfift with-
out the other ,• and hence it is that faith infpires the foul with cou-
rage in owning it, and cleaving to it,and fears no evil in fo doing.
3^/3', Faith infpires the foul with courage, by curing it of the
fear of man, which caufes a fnare. What was it but the fear of
man that made Abraham^ and Ifaac alfo,' to tell a lie ? What but
the fear of man made David to feign himfelf mad, and Peter to
deny his Mailer ? Now, faith, when in a lively exercife, fets man
in his proper light, and difcovers him to be what he really is.
For, I. True faith tells the foul, That man is an inconfiderable
creature before God, Ifa. 40. 15, 1 6, 17. Behold, the nations are be-
fore him but as the drop of a bucket, and are accounted as the fmall dufi
of the hallance : Behold, he taketh up the ifles as a very little thing. All
iiatioiis are before him as nothing, and they are accounted to him lefs than
mthing^and vanity. Faith fees the great armies of enemies to be
no more than a fwarm of impotent flies before God : Hence is
that challenge umolfrael, trembling at the fury of the enemy, Ifa.
51. 11,12,13. ^^^^ ^^'i thou, that thou fJjouldfi be afraid of man that
(ball die, and the fan of man that poallbeas grafs ? andforgetteft the
Lord thy Maker, that bath flretched forth the heavens, and laid the
foundations of the earth, and haft feared continually everyday, hecaufe ^
of the fury of the opprejfory as if he were ready todeflroy? and ivbere
is the fury of the oppre(]or ! O Sirs, if the majefty of fuch a challenge
were but laid home upon our fpirits,we would make little account
of poor man, and his difpleafure, in cleaving to the Lord, and his
truths and way. 2. Faith tells the foul, that as man is an inconfi-
derable creature, fo he is a mortal dying creature ; and that very
day he dies, all his thoughts and defigns perifli, Ifa. 40. 6, 7, 8.
The voice faid, cry. And he faid, What fhall I cry ? Allflefly is
grafs, and the goodlinefs thereof is as theflozver of the field. The grajs
mthereth the ftoiverfadeth ; becaufe the Spirit of the Lordblo-weth up-
on it : Surely the people is grafs. The grafs mthcreth, the flower fadeth :

Bit

Co UR AG 10 US Faith. 283

But the word of our God floall ftand forever. Now, faith fees that
to be true, and fo it cures the foul of tlie fear of man. 3. Faith
tells the foul, that any little power that man hath, is bounded by
an over-ruling hand; and that he can go no further, in pufliing
his refentments, than God allows him, Pfal.76. 10. Thc-ivrath of
man f hall praife thee, and the remainder of his ivrathjhalt thou rejlrain.
1 lence is that of Chrifl unto Pilate^ who was making his boaft, that
he had power to take away his life,for to fave it ; Thou hajl no power
againjl me, but what is given thee from above. As he fets bounds un-
to the raging fea, faying. Hitherto floalt thou come, and no farther ;
fo he fets bounds unto the rage of man. 4. Faith views man as
a guilty criminal before God, the righteous judge of all the earth ;
and the confcience of guilt llrikes them with fear and terror ; e-
fpecially when there is valiant contending for the truth, which
they are endeavouring to ftifle and fupprefs. Hence it was that
Felix, whQii fitting upon the judgment-feat, fella trembling be-
fore Paul at the bar, I mean, Paul when he fpake of righteoufnefs,
temperance, and a judgment to come. They may well touch the
body, the eftate, the name, and fuch external things ; but they
cannot harm the foul, which is the more noble part of the man.
Hence is that needful caution of Chrift to his followers, Fear not
him that can kill the body, and when he hath done, cannot reach the foul i
But fear him that is able to cajl both foul and body into hell, Lukei2»
4, 5. They cannot thunder with a voice like God ; they cannoc
blot your names out of the book of life, or fliut the gates of hea-
ven, or open and fliut up your fouls in the prifon of hell. ^ Faith
fees that the man's enemies in owning the caufe of truth, areGod's
enemies ; and all the enemies of God fliall perilh. Thus you fee
what a view faith gives of all the children of men, and their
wrath ; and this ips that infpires the foul with a holy boldnefs,
and undaunted courage, in the hce of thegreateft dangers.

^thly. Faith infpires with chriftian courage in time of danger
and trouble from the world, by viewing the infide of troubles for
Chrid, as well as the outfide of them. When we walk by fenfe
and not by faith, we will foon be defpirited in a day of trouble and
danger, and be ready to cry, There is alioninthe way, there is a
lion in the (Ireets, the way is impaflable. Banifliments, prifons
and death, have fomething in them that are horrible to nature and
fenfe. But now, faith looks to the infide of troubles, and confi-
ders what God has made, and can ftill make thefe unto his people^
It confiders how joy ful theLord's people have been in tribulation;
what honey they have found even in the carcafe of a lion ; what
fongs he has given them in the night in flocks and dungeonS;, and

whaJt

284 CouRAGious Faith.

wTiac glorying in tribulation ,* how has he brought into their bo-
fom an hundred-fold of a revvard even in this life ; how many of
the Lord's people have found themfelves quite millaken concern-
ing a fuflering lot, when once they liave fairly ventured upon it
in following the Lord ; that which atadiftance looked like a fer-
pent, has been found to be a rod in the hand ; a prifon has been
turned into a palace to them, fo that they have been more loth to
come out of prifon, than they were to enter into it. O Sirs, the
confolationsof God, which arenotfmall, they infinitely counter-
balance all the gall that is in the cup of fuffering for Chrifl.

j^/j/y, Faith infpires the foul with courage, by laying the glory-
that is to be revealed in balance againftall the fufFerings of this
prefent life, and then it cries. They are not worthy to be compar-
ed together,- Heb. lo. '^4.. the faints there, they took joyfully the
fpcjiling of their goods, kno'uoingin themjelvesthat they had in heaven a
better and a more enduring fubjiance. 2Cor. 4. 16, 17. Faith views
the certainty of the reward of glory;for 'tis the evidence of things
not feen ; and thereupon it cries, Verily there is a reward for the
righteous. Faith views the greatnefs of the reward, faying, Our
hghtaffliclions, they workforusa far more exceeding and eter-
nal weight of glory. Faith views heaven and glory to be near at
hand, that there is nothing but a partition-wall of clay, nothing
but the breath of the noftrils between the foul and the immediate
enjoyment of God; and thereupon it cries, wich PauJ^ Idefire to
be dijfolved, and to be with Chrijl, ivhich is bejlof all.

6thly, Faith infpires the foul with Chrifbian courage, by clear-
ing the heart and foul ofthe guilt and filth of fin. A man can ne-
ver be a true fufFerer for Chrift, while confcience is roaring, and
telling him that he has an angry God to meet with on the back of
death : Hence we find that the fpiritofa found mind and a fpiric
of flavifli fear are oppofite, 2 Ti?n. 1.7. A fpirit of a found mind ;
fomeunderfi;anditamind purified from the guilt of fin : Now,
faith is a grace that has a mighty influence this way, Aiis 15. 9.
Purifying their hearts by faith. It brings the foul to i\\q Jordan of a
Redeemer's blood, and waflies it from fin, and from unclean nefs ;
it wraps up the foul in the white robe and mantle of the everlafi:-
ingrighteoufnefs of Chrifl:, and then it can with a holy boldnefs
cry, And who is he that will contend with me ? He is near that
juflifieth. Hence is that, Rom. 5.1,2,3. Being jujiified by faith,
'wehavepeace with God, &c. f^

7thlyy Faith infpires. the foul with courage and clroftancy in
an evil day, by keeping the eye fixed upon Jefus, accordkigto that
advice ofthe Apoftle, Heb. 12.2. Let us run our race witffl^tlence,

Rooking

COURAGIOUS Faitit. 285

looking unto Jefm;. And here I'll tell you of a few things in Jesus thac
fervetoinfpire the foul with holy courage and magnanimity, (i.)
Faith fees Chrifl upon its head, as the great captain of falvation,
giving out the word of command. Fight the good fight of faith,
Itanufaftin th.e faith, quit your felves like men, be ftrong. And
having him as a leader and commander, the man '•iioaxes •valiant in
fight, knowing that nothing but weaknefs is in the way. (2.)
Faith views the example of Chrifl, how he encountered the wrath
of God, the curfeof thelaw, the fury of devils, and rage of men,
with undaunted refolution, in order to our redemption : And the
valourof the general infpires the foldier with courage to follow'
him through all imaginable danger. (3.) Faith fees all fulnefs
of grace treafured up in Chrifl-, the head of the myftical body,
for thefupply of every particular member according to his need;
and then the man cries out with courage, as P^z//did, lean do all
things through Chriftftrengthening me. He becomes flrong in
the grace that is in Jefus Chrifl:. (4.) Faith fees a reconciled God
in Chrift fmiling on the foul, & fl:anding on its fide ; and this gives
courage. The Lord ofhofl:s is with us, and the Godofy^^coZ'is
our refuge. OSirs, a God in Chrifl: is not a God againfl: us, but
ImmanueU God with us ; and this makes the foul to cry, I will fear
no evil, for thou art with me. (5.) Faith, keeping its eye on,
Chrifl, fees viftory fecured in the end of the day ; yea, it fees the
vi6lory already obtained in him, it fees the fpoils of the enemy in
his hand, and him triumphing over,and treading upon his enemies
and his footftool: And this, O this, Hlls the foul with holy courage,
faying;. We are more than conqucrers thro' him that loved us ;
thanks be unto God that giveth us the victory through our Lord
Jefus Chrifl. Thus you fee whence it is that faith infpires the foul
with courage andboldnefs. Many otherthings toth.is purpofe
might be infifted upon, but I pafs them, and go onto the

Fifth thing, which was the application.

life I. May be of information, only in two words, (i.) See
hence the excellency of the grace of faiih. Why, 'tis a bold, a
daring and couragious grace ; hence comm.only oppofedamto
fear. J'Vhy art thou fearful, 0 thou of little faith ? Faith pulls up
the heart andfpiritin a time of danger, and cries. Courage, for
the day is mine own ; I fee the captain of falvation, who was made
perfect through fuffering, with the fpoils of hell and earth in his
hand. (2.) See hence the evil and danger ofthe fin of unbelief ;
Why, it intimidates the foul, and gives birth and being unto a daf-
tardly and cowardly fpirit, and either makes a man to llagger, or
elfe ciifn back and cry, The way is impafluble. Hence the fear-
ful

2^6 CbURAGious Faith.

ful and unbelieving are linked together, Rev. 21.8. OSirs, ex-
cept we believe, we fnall never be eftabliflied in an evil day.
Mofes, you heard, endured, as feeing him that is invifible.

life 2. fnall be of trial, Whether you have a faith that will car-
ry you through, and infpire you with courage in an evil day ? I'll
give you the few following marks whereby you may try it. ( i .)
'Tis a faith that fprings out of the ruin of felf. Whenever faith
fprings up, felf goes down ; felf-wifdom,felf-righteoufnefs,felf-
fufiiciency. You have feen your own v/ifdom to be but folly; 1
■am more hrut'ijlj than any man, &c. felf-righteoufn efs, you have
. feen it to be nothing but filthy rags, faying with the Apoflle, Tea
cmibtkfs, and I count all things hut lofs for the excellency of Chriji.
Self-fuificiency and ftrength, you have feen it to be emptinefs,
faying, Intne divellethno goodth'mg. (2.) 'lis a Chrift-exalting
faith, it fets him on high : To you that believe, he is precious. IVhom
have I in heaven hut thee 7 (3.) 'Tis a feeding and foul-nouriiliing
fail h ; it eats the fe/h, and drinks the blood of the Son of Man. Chrifb
in the word of grace is like its neceffary food ; hence it is that the
Chriftianisa growing creature, he increafes with theincreafe of
God; YikQ 3. new-born babe, he drinks inthe finceremilkof the word,
and fo grows thereby. (4.) 'Tis a faith that works by love. It
views the glory of Chrifl, and the heart follows the eye, and cau-
fes it to burn with love to him, and defire after him ; and this love
to Chrift makes the man to love every thing that pertains to him :
He loves his word, and cfleems it above gold, &c. he loves his ordi-
nances, where he gets fellowihip with him ; / love the habitation
of thy houfe, &c. How amiable are thy Tabernacles, Lord God of
h^Jis? &c. He loves his ways ,• wifdonis ways are pleafantnefs,
&c. He loves his people, and all that have the Spirit of Jefus ;
Bythisweknozv that we arepajjedfrotn death to life,becaufe we love
the brethren. He loves the very crofs of Chrifl; above the plea-
furcsof the world, YiktMofes, who ejteemed the reproach of ChriJI
greater riches than all the treafures of Egypt. (5.) 'Tis a fer-
rile or a fruitful faith, that i^ always exciting the man to the
ftudy of holinefsin all manner of converfation. 'Tis an obedi-
ent and a working faith ; for faith without works is dead. As works
without faith are but dead works, which cannot be accepted by a
living God ; fo faith without works is but a dead faith v/hich will
foon wither, and come to nought, particularly in aday of trial,
like the faith of the fl:ony-ground hearers.'

Ufe 3. is of exhortation. And my only exhortation is, that
you wouldnotonly believe, but fl:udy to have a faith that will in-
jure you with that courage which aAcd David in the tejit, whein

he ,

CoURAGious Faith, ^Sj

hefciid, Though I walk through the valley of the fJjadow of death, I
will fearno evil. And, to excite your Chriftian fortitude and cou-
rage, conlider by way of motive, i . That the day we live in re-
quires it ; the winds and tide of error and defe6lion are blowing
and running hard ,• the judicatories of the church are ftrickeii
with fuch afpiritual frenzy and madnefs, that inftead of ailing ia
an agreeablenefs to thetrufl: committed to them by the Lord in
oppoling error and corruption, they arcpatroniling and fecting
up the right-hands of the wicked, and oppofing andopprclling
all that have any fliew of feriousgodUnefs, or that open a mouth
againft the courfes of defection they are engaged in : And who
knows butaflormmay be at the door, which will make us all to
ftagger? And therefore, 1 fay, 'tis needful. 2. Conlider, That
Chrift was bold and couragious in our caufe ; and fnall not we
be bold and couragious in his caufe ? See with what cou-
rage he takes the field, Ifa. 50. ^c. 3. Chrifl; the captain of our
falv^ation commands and requires his followers to take courage,
and to oebold in him ; he would have us to be firong and of good
courage, as he faid to Jofloua : Stand fajl in the faith, quit yourf elves
like men^andbeflrong in theLord,and in the power of his might. \^7hen
their fpirics are beginning to droop, he fays. Fear not them that kill
the body, &c. 4. The eye of our great captain and general is up-
on us, and let that infpke us with courage. If afoldier knows
that his captain is looking on, it will make him venture upon deacli
and danger. Sirs, he that is invifible, our glorious leader and
commander, is ftanding by, noticing how every one of us acquit
ourfelvcs in our warfare with fin, Satan and the world : His e3'es
are as a fiame of fire, fearching Jerufalem as with lighted candle.-;
and iliould not this infpire us with courage ? As it is a pleafure to
him to fee his foldiers brisk in the day of battle, fo it fenilbly tou-
ches and wounds him when they faint and go back, as though his
caufe were not worth the contending for. 5. Take courage, be-
liever, for the caufe is good,- you fight for the honour of your
God, for his precious truths, and for the liberty wherewith Chrifb
hath made his people free; yea, for the dcfenceof every thing
tliat is valuable-Co oiu-felves and our pofterity. The liberties and
privilegesof the church and kingdom of Chrift in this land have
been handed down to us at the expcnceof the blood of Chrifl,
and the blood of many of his martyrs ; and fnall we not take con- .
rage to maintain and defend what has been tranfmitced to us at
fuch a dear rate V* 6, I'he enemy is but weak, and a couragious
fland will make him to gi\'e way. Rcfijt the devil and he will fee
from you : So refill his emiifaries, that arc carrying on a courfe of

dcfcclioa

288 CouRAGious Faitit.

ckTeilion,and thev will give back; or put them to fuchafland,
rhat they will beat their wits-end, as we lee it was wich the^^'iu-
?//7 court, Sc. A6ls4. &c. You know, when Gcliah W3.s (lain
by Dcroid, the heart of the ?A//{/^/«cj failed them, and they fled.
Sirs, Goliah is (lain by Chrifh; he through death hath deftroyed
him that had the power of death, and therefore a noble ftand a-
gainll his armies will foon defpiritthera. 7. Take courage, be-
liever, for Jehovah, God, Father, Son and Holy Ghoft, is on your
head, Mic. 2. clofe. And, if everlafling ftrength be on your fide,
what have you to fear? Pfal ^6.^c. 8- The vi6tory is fure,
the fpoils are already in the hand of our glorious general, and he
haspromifed to give the vi6lory to all that are faithful unto the
death in cleaving to him and his way ; and therefore up the heart.
You fee what a train of promifes are made to the overcomers.
Rev. 2. 3. chapters.

I conclude with a few advices, in order to your being fortified
xvith Chriftian courage againfl the fliadows of death that may caft
up in your way through the wildernefs.

(i.) Take care that your covenant with hell, and your agree-
ment with death, be broken, and that you be really fettled by
faith upon the foundation that God has lain in Zion. O fee that
you be not building upon any foundation of fand with refpeclto
youreternalconcerns, but that you be really built upon the rock
JefusChrift ; for another foundation can no man lay than that ivh'ich is
laidf which is ycfiis Chrijt. You may read, to thispurpofe, Mat.
7. 24, 25, 26, 27. where you fee that there are but two foundati-
ons that all men are^building their hope of falvatioti upon, either
iipontherock, or upon the fand. Chrifthimfelfis the rock, and
all other things elfe, whether general mercy, felf-righteoufnefs,
common graces or attainm.ents, they are but foundations of fand:
And you fee alfo, that, when ftorms of trouble blow, thehoufe
built upon the rock (lands the (liock, but the houfe builc upon the
fand falls, and great is the fall of it. And therefore my advice
unto you, in order toyour (landing when ftorms blow that have
the fliadows of death in them, is, for the Lord's fake take care
that the foundation be well hid upon Chri(l,fo that ye be joined to
him by the bond of faith of God's operation; receive him, and
red upon him, as made of Godimto 3^?i(fmners) ivifdom^ righteoif-
tiefs, fand:}fication and redemption.

(2.) Study not only to have faith in the habit, but to have faith
in a continual exercife; for faith, like thefpringof awatch, fets
all the other wheels, I mean, the other graces of rhie fpirit, ::i go-
ing ; fuch as love, repentance, fear, hope, patience, and joy in

the

1

CouRAGious Faith. 289

the Lord : And, while thefe are kept in exercife, there is no fear
the' the iliadows of death fliould ftretch themfelves over us.
Hence the Apoftle exhorts Chriftians above all to take the JJjield of
faith, Eph.4. 16. becaufe all depends upon the grace of faith,
which itfelf depends upon Chrift; / can do all things (fays Paul)
through Chrijl' s ftrengthening me. Faith fpeaks like a little omni-
potent ; faith is a vittorious grace, that overcomes the world and
all difficulties in its way. By faith it was that thefe worthies,
Heb. II. didimnders', by faith they quenched f/j^ violence of fire ^
turned to flight the armies of the aliens, and raifed the dead out of the
grave ; by faith they endured cruel- mockings and fcourgings, &c.
When created comforts vanilh,riches, relations, pleafures ; well,
in that cafe, faith will look to the Lord, and have a refpe61: to the
Holy One of Ifrael; whenfenfe can find nothing today upon,
all props are withdrawn, faith will ftay itfelf upon theLord ; when
the promife feems to fail, faith will wait, and not make hafte ;
when the ftrengthof created grace begins to fail, faith will ftay
and fit down upon everlafting ftrength, Ifa. 26. 3. So then,
ftudy to have faith in exercife.

(3.) Study to get your hearts fteeled withChriftian fortitude
and courage, which is the natural fruit of th^Lt faith which worketb
by love. We have a noble pattern of this, in the glorious Captain.
of falvation, whofe followers we are called to be, particularly in
afuffering lot: Hefet his face like a flint, and challenges all his
enemies to encounter him, Ifa. 50. He is near that helpeth, who will
contend with me ? [j'c. Paul followed his Mafter's example ;
when he was told that bonds and affli6tions did abide him, jltls
20. 24. he anfwers, none of thefe things move me ; / am ready not to
be bound only, but to die, &c. And when he was to appear before
that cruel monfter, Nero, and no man to own him or ftand by him,
yet he ftands his ground, refolving rather to die on thefpot, than
difhonourably to recede from his principles and profeJlion.
What holy courage breathes here in the words of D^'d/W? 7'ea,
tho'Iwalk thro' the valley ofthe/badoiv of death, I will fear no evil,^c.

(4.) Another advice I give you is this, ftudy to get rid of the
idol or felf, fclf-righteoufnefs, felf-wifdom, felf-fufficiency. If
any man zvill be my difciple, let him deny himfcJf, and take up his crofs
andfolloiv me. The pre valency of felf was the forerunner of
Peter's [diW ; though all men fboulddeny thee, yet fo will not I. He
was too confident of his created grace and ftrength ,* and the
Lord, in order to humble him, and unbottom him from this kind
of confidence, will let him fall into a mire of fin, and deny him in
the hour of temptation, at the voice of a filly maid. There are

V two

290 COURAGIOUS F AIT IT.

two things wherein the ftrength of the Chriflian lies ; i. Self-
diffidence. 2. Confidence in the Lord. If thefe two be main-
tained, they will make the believer flandwhen the darkeft flia-
dows of death are round about him. R^e are not fufficient of our-
fehes to th'mk any thing as of ourjehes, but our fiifficiency is of the
Lord. Thisisjufttheway and work of faith; it travels between
felf-emptinefs and all fulnefs, between felf-guiltinefs and everlaf-
ting righteoufners,between felf-weaknefs & everlafling ftrength:
Hence David, I will go in the firength of the Lord, making mention of
thy righteoiifnefs, even of thine only.

(5.) Study to get your hearts weaned from, and mortified to
the world, and all the fading interefts and enjoyments thereof.
The world is a deadweight upon the foul, efpecially in a day cf
trial, where the love of it has the afcendant and pre valency in the
heart : Hence we are told, that Demas forfook Paul and the pro-
felTion of Chrifiianity, by having loved this prefent world ; If
any man love the worlds the love of the Father is not in him. And, if
the love of the Father be not in us, 'tis im.poffible we can ftand in
a fnaking day. There are thefe things in the world that we
would ftudy to be mortified unto, in order to our ftandingin a
time of trial, i. Our worldly eilates and riches. The love of
money is the root of all evil, which while fome have coveted, they have er-
red fromthe faith, ^c. Owhat afcandal is it to Chriftianity, to
fee menprofelnng Chrifl andChriftianity fo wedded to the world,
and the perifliing riches of it! In order to our getting it under
our feet.let us view it in the light whereinGod has fet it to us in his
word : His verdi6l of things is the trueft ; and, if we believe him,
all that is in it, is meer vanity, vanity of vanities., &c. Let us con-
template things above, and look at things notfeen, Sc. What
will it appear when we are a little beyond death ? 2. Let us ftu-
dy to be mortified to our worldly credit, our name and reputation
in the world. It commonly goes very near us, and it was among
the fliarpeftof trials that the worthies met with, Heh. 11. when
they endured the trial of cruel mocking. 'I'is no eafy thing to
proud nature to have our name and reputation torn by reproach
and caft out as evil : Yet, 1 fay, if we would fland in a day of trial,
we muft lay our worldly name and credit at the feet of Chrifl:. He
Tv'.i.s ccnten t to have his name, which is above every name, black-
rjcd with reproach for us ; he was called a hlafphemer, a wine-bibn\
a friend cf publicans andJinners^cLU affefter of popularity 5 yea, a
devil : But he endured the crofs, anddefpifed the fhame cfii. Sirs, let
us remember that we arc neither to ftand or fall according to the
world's verdi6l of us : 'Tis a f nail thing for me to be judged of men ;

he

CoTJRAGious Fait He 291

he thatpidgeth me is the Lord. Let us remember, that there is a real
gl6ry in bearing reproach for Chrifb and his caufe : Mofes ejleemed
the reproach of Chr'ijl greater riches than all the treafiires of Egypt. 3 .
Let us fludy to be mortified to worldly eafe, quiet and liberty.
P^z</ lays his account with bonds for the name of Chrill:. Sirs,
whatfignifiesthebeing, likePrtz/ZandiSi/^i", fliut upin a dungeon
for Chrifl:, and under chains, ifhisprefenccbe with us, as it was
with them? &'c. A prifon has been hanfelled by the mod emi-
nent of the faints now in glory, ^er. 30. 2. Matt. 4. 12. Adts s.
18. But God loofed his prifoners, and fet them free at length.
Commonly, when men are cruel, the Lord is kind : He looks
down from heaven, to hear the fighing and groanings of his prifo-
ners, &c. A prifon or confinement by men, is not hell ; men
have their prifons, and God has his. We read of thefe who finned
inthe days of Noah, thzl3.Yenow mthe prii^on of hell, i Pet. 3, 19.
that is a terrible prifon indeed, no relief there : Little hazard of
mens prifons, ifthat be all the hell we are to endure. 4. Let us
{ludy to get our aflfe^lions mortified even to the inordinate love
of life- This indeed is a hard lefture, yet it is a lefture that we
mufl; learn, if we be the followers of Chrift, when a day of trial
comes. Sirs, if ever you took on with Chrift the Captain of fal-
vation, you have laid your lives at his feet, and all the comforts
of life, to be difpofed of by him, ^c. Die we muft one time or o-
ther, and we can never part with it more honourably than in the
caufe of Chrift, ^c. Chrift parted with his valuable life for us,
and fliall we fpare our poor mifcrable life for him ? Again, think
what a life of glory you enter into, when you lay down your life
for his caufe, ^c.

(6.) In order to our being prepared for encountring the flia-
dows of deathjfecure thefe three good things,and there is no fear ;
agoodGod,agoodcaufe,anda good confcicnce. 1. Secure the pre-
fence of a reconciled God in Chrift. It was the faith of this, that
made David fo bold here in the text ; Tho' 1 ivalk through the valley,
&c. His promife is fure, / will nevsr leave thee nor forfake thee,
&c. When thou pajfejt through the waters, 1 will be with thee, &c.
Let faith faften on his word, and fay. This God is my God for ever
and ever, and he PmU he my guide even unto death. 2. Secure agood
caufe. 'Tisamiferable heartlefs thing for a man tofnffer as an
cvil-doer,tofvffer as a bufy-bGdyin other mens matters ; but to fuf-
fer for Chrift, for the doftrinc, difcipline, worfliip and govern-
ment of his houfe, to fufi'er for his members, or cleaving unto the
leaftofhis truths, is comfortable and creditable : And we are to
account it all joy, when we fall into divers temptations and trials on this

V 2 accoint,

292 COURAGIOUS FaITH.

account, even tho' b ut the leafl hoof of divine truth be concerned ;
for better heaven and earth were unhinged, than one jot or tittle
ofthe truth ofGod be fuffered to fall to the ground. 3. Secure a
good confcience to bear you company ; for this is like a bird in
thebofom, that makes the countenance glad, even when ftorms
blow hard from without. This is our rejoicing, the tejtimony of our
confgence, &c. And, in order to your having a good confcience,
get it fprinkled with the blood ofthe Lamb,and keep at the great-
ePi diftance from every thing that may defile it, even tho' it Ihould
offend the whole world in fo doing.

(7.) Keep your eyes fixed upon Jefusas our glorious pattern,
and fee him within the vail with the fpoils of hell in his hand, Heb,
12. 2. Let us run "joith patience the race, &c. View him as the re-
nowned Captain of falvation, coming from £r/ow. Eye him, i.
As our Redeemer that has fatisfied juflice for us : Sodid Jo^; /
know that my Redeemer liveth, &c. This put him in cafe to look
death and the grave in the face. 2. Eye him as your Leader, and
the Captain offahation mctdeperfeSt through fufferings. He did wade
afeaofbioodandwrath, andheisnowon the other fide, crying.
Fear not, for I voas dead, and am alive. 3. Eye him as your head of
influence, and wait for fupplies of grace from him ; for he will
not be wanting to give out life and ffcrength to his members, as he
has fervice for them, ^c. 4. Eye him as a head of government,
having all power in heaven and in earth in his hand, for the
benefit of his myfi:ical body : For this will make you finginthe
midfi; of tribulation, faying, The Lord lives, ble£ed be my rock,
and let the God of my falvation be exalted. The Lord fijall reign
for ever, even thy God, 0 Zion, unto all generations. Selah.

The

f The Belt EVE r's Journey from the Wil-
dernefs of this World to the heavenly Ca?7aan^

Peing SERMONS preached after the Adminiftration of the Sacrament of
the Lord's-Suppek in Edhiburgh, March 6 and 7, 1732. and afterwards
inlarged upon in feveral Sermons at Sterling.

By the Rev. I^Ir. Ebenezer Erskine.

Cant. viii. 5.

jyho is this that cometh up from the wildernefs, leaning upon

her beloved.

N the beginning of this chapter we find the church under the
notion of the fpoule or bride, breathing after further degrees of
familiarity and fellowfliip with Chrift, the glorious bridegroom
of fouls, than Hie had ever yet attained to ; Oh that thou wert as my
Irolher.^ that fucked the hreafls of my mother! Obferve, they that
know the Lord, will follow on to know him ; they'll forget things
that are behind., and reach unto thofe things that are before. Tiie
fpoufe, altho' fhe had been brought into the banquetting-houfe., and
zWow^d. to Jit under his fJjadow with great delight., yet here we find
her pleading for further intimacy, renewed manifeftations and dif-
coveries of him : A believer can never be fatislied with any degree
of nearnels, *till he come to be fwallowed up in the immediate vifi-
on and fruition of him in glory. This requeft of the fpoufe fhe in-
forces v/ith feveral arguments : She tells him, ver. 2. in the clofe,
that fhe would caufe him to drink of her fpiced zvine, and the juice of
her pomegranates •, that is, fhe would entertain him with the fruits of
his own fpirit, the graces of his own operation, which are the only
entertainment he isdehghted with, ar.J the beftthat her mother's
houfe could afford. Obferve, that a Z't'/zewr thinks nothing too good

-f- The occafion of this publication is, about a twelvemonth ago there were
printed in one fiieet of paper, and publiihci without the author's knowledge or
allowance, foine uncorrcdl and fpurious notes of ihcfe fermons, under the title of,
The ckaraHer of a foul efpoufcd to Chrift : With the public;ition and dilpcrfing of
which, the reverend Mr. ErjMne was To much offended, that he caufed apprehend
fome who were fcllinj-, them ; and the fpurious papers being at the fame time
(eized, v.-cre burnt publickly, by order of the magiilratcs o^ Sterling.

And the truf notes being much defired by many who heard them delivered,
the reverend author has, for the faiisfaiiion of fuch, and for the vindication of
truth and himfclf, allowed them to be publiflicd.

V :? for

iip^- The Believer's Journey

for the entertainment of his blefTed Lord ; if he had ten thoufand
hvavcn? of glory ut his difpofal, they lliouM be all at his fervice :
'i'hey cafi; their crowns down at jiis feet. Our blefTed Lord's ten-
der heart will notallow him to reilrain or keep up himfelf long
from the foul that is panting after nearnefs to him,- for we find,,
li\3. he grants her fait, and allows her a renewed difcovery of
his tender love, infomuch that flie is made to own, his left-hand is
under my bead, and his right-hand doth embrace me. Upon which, f
4. {lie expreifes her care and concern to prevent any further in-
terruption of her fellowfliip & communion with her Lord, either
by her felf or others ; I charge you, O ye daughters ofj^erufakm, that
yejlir not up, nor awake my love till bepkafe. The daughters o^Je-
rujdlem, particular believers, being fuppofcd to be witnefles of this
bleffed intimacy between Chrift and the fpoufe, and unto the a6l-
ings of her faith and love upon him, they are introduced in the
words of the text, exprefling their wonder and fatisfaftion at the
blelfed interview between Chrift and his beloved fpoufe, even
here in a militant ftate ,• PFho is this that cometh up from the wilder-
Jiefs^ leaning upon her beloved ?

In the words we may notice, i.) The dcfignation given to this
world, with reference to the church and people of God ; 'tis but a
wildernefs, oraweary land, through which they are travelling
toward their own home. (2.) We have the courfe they are
fleering while in the wildernefs : I'hey are not fitting flill in it,or
going further into it,as if it were their home ; no, they are coming
lipfroin the ivildernefs : Their affe^ions arefet upon things that are a-
hove, ^ not upon things that are below ; they have got a tafting of the
grapes of £//j(7o/,they have got a view of the land afar ofF,& of the
King in his beauty, which makes them difrelifli this prefent world
and look and long, not for the things that arefeen, but the things that
are notfcen, and which are eternal. (3.) We have the fpoufe's pof-
ture as Ihe comes up from the wildernefs ; flie is leaning. Hebrcaiis
obferve, that this is a word not elfewhere ufedin fcripture ; the
ieventy interpreters tranflateit, confirming, ox ftrengthning her-
f(:\i : It plainly ilippofes the fpoufe's weaknefsandimpotency in
Jjerfelf to grapple with difficulties in her way through the wilder-
nefs, together with her dependanceon the grace and furniture
that was Ir.id up for her in Chrilt ; and that flie muft needs fag and
fail in her journey, without newfupplies and communications of
ligh t, life, and ftrength from him, in whom all Tiilnefs dwells. (4)
Wchave the blelfed flay and prop on which llie leans andrefts
her weary foul, incoming up from the wildernefs; 'tis upon her
beloved, tnatis, upon ChrKf, whofc love andlovelinefs had ravilh-

ed

to the Heavenly Canaan. 295

ed her heart, and drawn out her cordial alTent and confenttohiLTi
as the bridegroom of fouls, who had betrothed her tohim'elf la
mercy, faithfuhiefs and loving-kindnefs. 'Tis plea Hint here to
©bferve how the heart of God the Father, and the heart of the
behever jump and centre upon Chnft 1 This is my beloved Son (fays
God the Father) in '■johom I am '■jjell plcafed ; He is my fervaiit ■whom
I uphold, mine ele^ in whom my foul delighteth. And O ! fays the
believer, as he is the Father's beloved, fo he is rny beloved too ;
he is jull the darling and delight of my foul ; PVhom have I in hea-
ven but thee ? and there is none in all the earth I defire befides thee,
(5.) We have the influence or impreffion that this pleafant fighc
has upon the daughters of yfn//7/f/«exprefled in a way of quefti-
cn, Whoistbisl Thisis notaqueftionof ignorance, as tho' they
wanted to be informed whom the fpoufe was ; but, i . 'lis a que-
ftion of wonder : They are flruck with a holy amazement at fucli
intimacy and familiarity between parties that are at fuch infinite
diflance ; that the high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, fliould
admit dull andaflies, defiled with fin, the abominable thing that
his foul hates, into fuchfriendfiiip and fellowfiiip. 2. 'Tis not
aqucfiionof contempt, but of efl:eem. Although believers, who
are the fpoufe of Chrifl:,be in themfelves defpicable and polluted;
yet, by vertue of their relation to Chrift, they are worthy of the
higheft efteem, being made beautiful thro' the comelinefsthat
he puts upon her. 3. 'Tis a queflion of approbation and commen-
dation : They hereby exprefs their fatisfaftion with her practice,
and the exercife of her faith in coming upfront the wildernefs leaning
on her beloved, as the fafeft courfe fiie could take for accomplilliing
her journey to the Canaan ihzt. is above, thro' the dens of lions,
and mountains of leopards. Obferve, That it is, and will be the
pleafure and fatisfaSlion of a gracious foul, to fee others thriving
and profpcring in theLord's way,and in acquaintance withChrifl:,
even tho' they themfelves be outflript and darkned thereby in
the world's view. The words would afford a great variety of
dottrincs, but I confine myfelf unto this one,

DBS ERF. That it is the undoubted duty and the laudable pra&ice
of believers, truly betrothed to Chrift, to come up from the ivildernefs of
the world toward the landof rcfl and glory that is above, faying and
ieaning their fouls upon him as their beloved. JVho is this that Com-
eth upfront the wildernefs leaniitg en her beloved -

"The do61rine being clearlv founded on the words, I flr^ll not
ftandon the confirmation of it, butfiiall, thro' divine alTlilance,
endeavour to fpeak to it in the following method and order ;

(i.) Give you thef/^-'^r^t^ffrj-of thefoul efpoufed orbea'othed

V 4 ^c

296 ' ,^frbe Believer's Journey.

toChrift. (2.) Speaka little of the -zDor/i, the place of the belie-
ver's refidence, under the notion of a wildernefs. (3.) What
may be the import of the fpoufes coining up from the wildernefs.
(4.) Speak a little of her pollure; for flie comes up, leaning upon
her beloved. (5.) Enquire into the grounds and reafonsoi' this doc-
trine, why th-e fpoufe of Chrifl comcthiip fromthe ivildernefs, and
why (he comes leaning on her beloved. And then, (6.) Apply the
whole. •

- Firjl thing is, To give you the-ebaruBer of a foul truly efpoufed
to Chrifl; ; andlfliall endeavour to draw the chara6ler from the
text and context.

lytthen, He is one that is always breathing to more and more
nearnefs to the Lord, and a more intimate fellowfhip and acquain-
tance with him. Hence the fpoufe here, -u^r. I. notwithftand-
ing all file Iiad found, cries out, 0 that thou zvert as my brother, that
fucked the breafts of my mother ! Some make this to be a wifh or a
prayer of the Old Teftament church, for the aftual incarnation
of the fon of God ,* as if flie had faid, O that that happy day were
come, when thou flialt aftually become the feed of the woman, a
child born to us ! I think, if thou wert a6tually incarnate and clo-
thed with my nature, I would not keep at fucha diftance, but
would enter mth boklnefs into the hoH eft through the 'u^i/of thy hu-
man nature. Whether that be in it or not, yet *tis plain that the
wordsexprefsadehre after more intimacy and nearnefs than fhe
had yet enjoyed. Sirs, if you be efpoufed unto Chrifl, whatever
nearnefs or accefs you have had, you will defire more, and be rea-
dy to cry with David^ Pfal. 42. i. Astbehart panteth afterthe wa-
ter-brooks, fo pant eth my foul after thee, O God. Whenever any
cloud overcalls your sky you will be ready to fay, O that I knew
where I might find him.

2dly, The fouKefpoufed to Chrifl: will not be afliamedto own
him before the world, as you fee in the clofeof ver. i. When I
lliould find thee without, I would kifs thee, and fliould not be a-
Ihamed. We are commanded to kifs the Son, left he be angry, Pfal.
2. And they that are efpoufed to him, they kifs him with a kifs
of affeftion and love, and with a kifs of fubjeflion and reverence,
and are not afliamed to do it before the profane carnal world, who
perhaps may be ready to laugh at them for their religion ; no
they'll confefshim and his caufe and intcrefl, whatever be the
hazard, knowing that they v/ho confefs Chrifl: before men, he will
not be behind hand with them, but will confefs thembefore his
father and before his holy angels. Sirs, beware of fuffering
yourfelves tobc banter'd or laughed out of your religion in this

degenerace

to the Heavenly Canaa'n. 297

degenerate day : for he that is afjamed of me before men, of him will
I be aPmmed before my Father, and before his Angels. Chriil dif-
pifed the ihaineand ignominy of the crofsforus, and therefore
let us defpife the reproaches or the revilings of the world in own-
ing him.

Sr/Zy, The foul that is really efpoufed to Chrifl", is heartily con-
cerned for ilie good of his mother- church, and to have the Lord's
gracious and fenfible prefence in his ordinances ; that he may be
a public^ good to others, as well as to itfelf. This difpofition you
fee in the ipoufe here, ver. 2. in the^ beginning, Iiviflbringtheeto
my mother's boufe ; as if lliehad faid, I would make it my bufinefs
to have the Lord bro't back into the airemblies& dwelling-places
ot'Zion, that he might be the glory in the midil of her. Sirs, the
Lord is angry with our mother at this day, he is threatning to
break up houfe with her ; there is little of God to be feen or fek
mom judicatories, in ordinances, in preaching, .in hearing, in commu-
nicating ; an Ichabod may read in every corner : Little of the life
and power of religion is to be feen among magiilrates, minifters
or people. Well, if you be efpoufed to Chrifi, you will ftudy to
wreflle, and bring him back again to your mother's houfe, efpe-
cially when you find him in a fenfible way prefent with your own
foul ; according to the pra6lice of the fpoufe, Cant. iii. 4. 1 found
him'who?n my foul loveth; I held him, arj-ivould not let him go till I
brought him to my mother s houfe, and to the chambers of her that con-
ceived me.

4thly, The foul efpoufed to Chrifl: is one that is fond of the
inftruclions of his word and Spirit ; as you fee in the fpoufe, in the
middle of 1^. 2. Thisisoneof her great defigns in bringing Chrifl
unto her mother's houfe, that fo Ihe and others might have the
myfteries of the kingdom, and fecrets of the covenant, and the
wonders of his law more clearly opened and unfolded. Chrift is the
funofrighteoufnefs, the light of the world ; he is made of God
iintousiiv/Jow, thegreat prophet o[ the Cimxch, the interpreter a-
mongathoufand : And when he comes unto a land or place in the
power of hisSpirit accompanying his word, the oracles of heaven
are then opened, and the myfleries of the kingdom are unvailed,
the people that fat indarknefs are made to fee great light ; and, Othis
is the dclightanddefireofevery foul truly efpoufed to the Lord.

Sthly, I'he foul efpoufed to Chriil is one that is dcfirous to give
himthebeft entertainment that it is capable to afford ; as the
fpoufe in the clofe of f. 2. IiDould caufe thee to drink of ?ny fpiced
ixilne, ^ oj the juice of my pomegranates. Chrift entertains his fpoufe
with fat things full of marrow, wines on the lees well refined ;

and

298 The Believer's Journey

and they that tafle of this food, they are foraviihed with it, that
they l<:no\v not what requital to make him ; but they would give
him the be ft entertainment that they can imagine, if they had it.

6thlyy The foul efpoufed to Chriilis one that would juft lie and
lodge m the arms of a redeemer, f. 3. His left - hand Jhall be under
my hcad^ and his right-hand flj all embrace me. I'o the fame purpofa
is what we have, f. 6. Set nie as ajealupon thine arm ; as if ilie had
fciid, let m.y life, my foul be hid with Chriftin God ,• let me be in-
circled in his everlafting arms, and the eternal God my refuge.
As it is the dellre of a gracious foul to have Chrift lying as a bundle
of myrrh between its breafls, fo it cannot reft till it be in the arms
andbofom of him who is in the bofom of the Father ; and Oh,
when it comes there, the foul cries. This is my rejij here will I
dwell, for 1 like it well.

7f/;/y, Whenthefoulwinstoany nearnefs tothe Lord, 'tis a-
fraid of every thing that may ftir up his difpleafure, or provoke
him to withdraw ; as you fee it was with the fpoufe, f. 4. [charge
you., Oye daughters <}/Jerufalem, that yejlir not up nora-ivake my love
tillhepleafe. I'he poor foul that is admitted to nearnefs ta the
Lord, is afraid of the leaft fquint look to the world, felf, or any of
Chrift's rivals ,• afraid of the workings of a remaining body of fin
and death, pride, vanity, or any thing elfe that may provoke him
tocoverhimfelf withacloudinhis anger. The man knows, to
his fad experience, that his iniquities feparate between him and
his God ,* and therefore he watches againft the lead appearance
of evil. Oh there are but few tender Chriflians in our day, and
hence it comes that there is fo little of fenfible communion with
the Lord ; for communion with God can only be maintained in
away of holinefs, and habitual tendernefs of walk, Pfal. 24.3.
fVho fJjall afcend unto the hill of the Lord ? and who p:all Jland in
his holy place ? f. 4. He that hath clean hands, and a pare heart, &ic.

Sthly, The foul efpoufed to Chrift is one who is bending his
courfe heavenwards, and has his back turned upon this world as a
howling wildernefs. They defire a better country, that is, an hea-
"oenly ; they are looking for a city that hath foundations, ivhoje builder
and maker is God ; and therefore they look upon this world, and
the things of it, with a holy contempt and difdain ; as you fee in
the fpoufe here, flie is coming up from the wildernefs toward tie
promifed land of glory.

<)thly. He is one whofe life in this world is a life of faith and de-
pendence on Chrift, as you fee in the fpoufe here ; as flie travels
thro'the wildernefs, flie leans on her 13eIoved. Here we walk by
faith, not by fight : The life I live is by faith on the fon of God.

But

to the Heavenly Canaan. i^pp

Eiit of this more afterwards. Thus I have glanced at the character
oftheroulerpoufedto Chrift^as it lies in the preceding context.

The fccond tiling was to take a view of the place of the prefcnc
rtfidence of the fpoufe of Chrift ; 'tis a ixiilderncfs^ a very unhcarc-
fome lodging : For,

ift. You know a wildernefsisa/o/Zr-srv place, Pfal 107.4. 'lis
faid there of exiles or travellers, I'hat tliey wandredina wiider-
nefs, in a Iblitary way. O what a weary folitary place is this world
unto God's people .' efpecially when, to their own fenfe and feel-
ing, the Lord is withdrawn from them : The whole world looks
void and empty ; all the riches, pleafures, relatiows and comforts
of time cannot fill his room ; fo that they are in a manner wild,
and know not what to do, or whither to turn them, when Chrift is
av/ay. llenceis that'of y^Z?, 23. ^,c). Beholdlgofov-voard, hut he
is not there ; backward^ but I cannot perceive him ; on the left-hand
"job ere he doth zvork, but I cannot behold him : He bidet b him f elf on the
rigbt-bandybut I cannot fee him. O that I knew ijchere Iniightfind him !

2dly, A wilderneTs is a mifiy 2Lnd foggy place, where noifom
fleams and vapours, ariflng out of the earth, darken the sky ;
which are both prejudicial to health, and ready to lead the travel -
leroutof hisway : Such apartisthisworld to the Lord's people.
What hellifli fteam.s and vapours are cafl: up by Satan, the god of
this world, to bemift the traveller to glory, whereby he is in dan-
ger of lofing his way and fpiritiuil health at once ? Never was there
an age wljerein fuch pejtilential vapours of f/ror, blafphemy, carnal
policy andprofanity^ did more abound, than in-this day wherein we
Jive; x\\Q mouth ofthehottomlefspit is as it were opened, 2iV\dhlaf-
phemy and errors cafl up, to darken and obfcure zhc fun nfrigbteouf-
Ji^fs, &c.

^dly, A wildernefs is a barren place ; it affords little or nothing
for the fupport of human life : Hence it is faid of the travellers in?
a wildernefs, Pfal. 107. 5. They were hungry and thirfty^ and f7;^/>
foul fainted in them. Such a place is this world to God's people,-
'tis a barren land, which yields nothing but fwines husks, vanity
ami vexation offpirit^ which the men of this world make their food,
and their all : Hence David complains that he was in a dry and
Lhirfty land, where there was no water. It is true indeed, the
travKilfers to glory have their wildernefs-meals to keep- in their
life, in their journey : but no thanks to the world for that ; for tlie
food tliey live upon does not come out of the earth, the wilder-
nefs of this world cannot afford it ; no, bur, like the manna that
k^d Ifraelln the wildernefs, it comes from above..

4tbly, A wildernefs is a place of danger; thieves, and robbers,

and!

300 The Belie'ver's Journey

and beads of prey frequent the wildernefs, whereby travellers.'
are in danger of being fpoiled of their life and fabflance. Such a
place is this world to God's people; 'tis called a den of lions , and
■d mountain of leopards. Cant. 4. 8. Here it is that the great Abaddon
and Jpollyon, the deRroyer of mankind, with all his hellifli legions
form their camp, watching all opportunities to devour and fwal-
low up the traveller to glory. Hence the devil is called f/;^ 7'w/^r
of the darknef rf this ixiorld^ and htgoes about like a roaring lion^ feek-
ing whom be may devour. And tho' hell and its armies iliall never
fo far prevail, as to keep the believer out of heaven ; yet they will
lludy to wound him, and make him go halting thither. And,
Sirs, youwhohave been at a communion-table, had need totaled
heed to yourfelves when you go out into the wide wildernefs;
for, I allure you, Satan will be feeking to winnoiii andfft you as
wheat' : If you beonly profeffors, and no more, he will fludyto
trip up your heels, and make you a fcandal to religion ,* but if you
be real believers, and have met with the Lord, the pirate will be
upon you to fpoii you of your loading : And therefore be fober^ be
vigilant ; for you are yet within the devil's territories.

Sthly, A wildernefs is an unfettled place,- many heights and
hollows, turnings and windings in a wildernefs: Sometimes a
traveller in a wildernefs will be on the top of mountains, fome-
times down in the valley; fometimes his sky will be clear, and
fometimes cloudy ; fometimes a ftorm, and fometimes a calm.
Tuft fo is it in the cafe of the believer while hereaway : Sometimes
he is on the mount of communion;a.t other times down in the valley
of defertion : Sometimes he is on mount Zion, where he enjoys a
pleafant calm ; at another time he is brought to mount Sinai,
where a ftorm of the thunder of the law Parties him : Some-
times the candle of the Lord fliines on his head, and through
the light of the Lord he walketh through darknefs ; at other
times he walks in darknefs, and can fee no light, fo that he is
made to cry. Oh that it were with me as in months paji ! ^c.

6thly, Many pricking briars grow in the wildernefs, many
rough ways, which are uneafy to travellers. Jufl fo here, the be-
liever palling through the world, has the rough and thorny paths
ofaffiitlion to travel; Through many tribulations we mufi enter into
the kingdom of heaven, John 16. and laft verfe, In the world ye flail
have tribulation. I'he cloud of witneffes, who are now furround-
ing the throne, they come out of much tribulation.. Sfee what
troubles they endured, //(?Z?. 11. 36, 37, 38. Thus you fee in what
refpect this world, the prefent abode of the believer, is called a
wildernefs.

Third

I

to the Heavenly . Canaan. 301

T/;?rc/ thing in the method was, Tafpeaka little of the courfe
that the fpoufe is taking, or the airth toward which llie is bending
while in the wildernefs: She is not going down, but coining up
from the wildenwfs. And this, I conceive, may imply thefe things
following;

ijl, I'hat believers, orthofewho have really taken Chrifl by
the hand, they have turned their back on the ways of fin, which
lead down to the chambers of death. The way of the men of this
world, 'tis a down-the-hill way, which is indeed^afy and natural ;
but, like a rolling ftone upon the precipice, they roll on till they
land in the bottomlefs gulph of eternal mifery : But now the foul
efpoufed to Chrifthasforfaken the down-hill way of this world,
and ftcers a quite oppofite courfe ; they will not be conformed
unto the world, or the courfe of the world, even tho' the world
fliould account them for figns and wonders becaufe they will not
run with them unto the fame excefs of riot.

2rt7v, This coming lip fromthe ivildernefs implies, that believers
are pilgrims on the earth, and that this world is not their home.
This is whzt David, a great king, frankly owned in the midft of
his worldly wealth and grandeur, P/iz'. 119. 19. I amajiranger
in the earth, hide not thy commandments froin me. And this was the
confeflion of that cloud of worthies, //<?/;. ir. 13. of whom the
world was not worthy; they confelTed that ihty wz^q firangers
and pilgrims on the earth.

^dly, It implies a diflatisfa^lion with, and a difefteem of, this
world, and all things in it; and therefore (lie has her back turned
upon it, and her face toward abetter airth : Like the poor prodigal,
he can find nothing in the far country but husks, that are only fit
for the fwine ,• or, like Solomon, they fee all here-away to be but
vanity of vanities, all vanity and vexation offpirit; and therefore
they look not at the things that are /sen, which are temporal and fading.
Like the woman cloathed ivith the fun, fhe tramples upon the moon;
or with Paul, accounts them no better than dung and hfs. O, Sirs,
whatever bulk this world, and the glaring beauty of it, may have
in your eyes now, yet it will appear but a very little thing, yea,
worfe than nothing, when you are but one moment on the other
fide of death: And therefore, O fet not your hearts or eyes on
that which is not ; put up David's prayer. Turn away mine eyes
fromkcholding vanity.

4thly, This coming up fromthe wildernefs implies, that tho' fhe
could find nt) reft nor quiet hereaway,yet llie expedtcd a quiet reft
on the other fide, or beyond the wildernefs. If llic had no view
of a better country, (lie would pitch her tent, and with Pcter,hul]d

tabernacles

302 The Believer's Journey

tabernacles in tlie wildernefs, and not come up from it. There
remaineth a rejl forthe people of God, Heb. 4. BleJJed are the dead
chat die in the Lord ; t hey re/l from their labours, and their "doorks fol-
low them. Up thy heart, believer, the day of thy complete* re-
demption from fin and forrowdraweth nigh; thy fighsere Iqng
will end infongs, thy labour in eternal reft, thy warfare in vic-
tory for evermore.

Sthly, This coining up from the wildernefs implies motion, and
progrefs in lier motion heavenwards. The ranfomed of the
Lord, they are looking with their faces toward Zion, and they gd
from ftrength toflrength,'till they appear before God in Zion. The
righteous /ball hold on his way, and he that hath'clcan hands waxeth
Jtronger and jlronger. The path of the jtiji is as the /Joining light, that
fnncth more and more unto the perfe^ day. Whatever length vve
arc come in religion, we muft not fit down, as if we had attained, or
"mere already perfect ; no, but we mu^ forget things that are behind,
and reach forward to things that are before.

6thly, This phrafe of coming up from the wildernefs implies, that
religion is an up-the-hill work and way ; for the fpoufe's way here
is reprefented under the notion of an afcent. There are a great
many hills and mountains, believer, that lie crofs thy way to
glory. I only tell you of a few of them. *

(i.) There is a hill of remaining ignorance that the believer has
to climb, in coming up from the wildernefs ; for we know but in
party and now we Jee darkly, as through a glafs. He has got fome
twilight blinks of the glory of the Lord, and of the myfteries of
the kingdom ,• but O they are fo faint and languid, that he is rea-
dy to think he knows nothing at all. Hence is that complaint of
holy Jgur, while wreflling up this hill, Prov. 30. i. Tmmorebni-
ti/Jj than any man, nor have 1 the iinderftanding of a man : 1 neither
learned ivifdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.

(2.) ThevQis the hiW of prevailing unbelief, which (lands upon
the top of the former ; ignorance being the very root and foun-
dation of unbelief. The poor believer is many a time put to a
ftand while climbing up this hill, as you fee in this holy man, Pfal.
77. What but the prevalencyof unbelief made him to cry. Is
his mercy clean gone ? has he forgotten to be gracious ? has he in anger
/hit up his tender mercies ? David gets fuch a backfet with this hill
of unbelief, that he fometimea day cried out, All menare liars,
the prophets of God not being excepted. Oh hov/ much need
of that caution, Heb. 3. 13. Take heed, brethren,lefi therebe inany
of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

(3.) A mountain of ^7//7f cads up to the believer in his travel-
ling

to the Heavenly Canaan. 303

Jing through the wildernefs, which fometimcs feems to tumble
upon him, and cruflihim under the weight of it. Hence Da-
vid cries. Mine iniquities are gone dver mine head, as a burden too heavy
for me to hear : And at another time, Pfal. 40. 1 2 . Innumerable evils
compafs me about, mine iniquities have taken hold of me, fo that I am
not able to look up, &c.

(4.) A hill and mountain of divine hidings & withdrawings cafts
up in the wildernefs, and this joins with the former ; for 'tis 'our
iniquities that feparate bet-vjeen us and our God, that he hides his face
from us : And O, when the believer is wreftling with this hill, be
'■jjalks in darknefs, and fees nojight ; which makes it exceeding me-
lancholly. Hence ^ob, I go mourning ivithout the fun; and the
church, Ifa. 49. 15. Zion faid, The Lord hath forfaken, and my God
hath forgotten.

(5.) And, while the believer is involved among the dark clouds
of defertion, mountains of wrath fometimes caft up in his view ;
as you fee in the cafe oijob, chap. 4. 6. The arro-ms of the Almigh-
ty are within me, &c. And Heman, Pfal. 88- While Ifuffer thy
terrors, I am difiraSted : Thy terrors have cut me off, &c. Sometimes
a hill of flrange and cloudy difpenfations call up in the wildernefs
that he knows not what to make of them: God's way to him is
many times in the fea, and his paths in the mighty -ivaters. How was
y^coZ* over fet with dark difpenfations, when he is made to cry,
Jofeph is not, Simeon is not ; and yet ye zvlll take Benjamin aivay al-
fo : Me ye have bereaved of my children, all thefe things are againft me.
Davidy the man according to God's heart, when he took a view of
that dark difpenfation of the profperity of the wicked, and adver-
fity of the truly godly, he isfo overfet with it, that he is at the
pointof giving up with religion altogether as a vain thing, Pfal.
73. 13. Verily I have cleanfedmy heart in vain, I have vja/bcd my
hands in innocence.

(6.) Sometimes a hill of difappointments faints the believer's
heart. Perhaps he was expe<5ling a meeting with God in his or-
dinances, fome fupply, fome communication of the Spirit, fome
inllucnce and watering; but, alas! he finds ordinances to be dry
breads, or like the brooks of Tema where no water is ; and there-
upon the poor and needy foul is ready to faint, and their tongue
to fail for third. Such a melancholly difappointment the fpoufe
meets with, Song"^. at the beginning. By night on my bed 1 f might
kim, but I found him not, &c. I might tell you of the dark hills of
temptation from hell, and opprellion from the world, and the
workings of remaining corruption; but Ido not infifl. Only,
from what has been faid, vou may fee^ that religion is an up- the-

kill

304 The Believer's Journey

hill way ; they who expe6l to win heaven in a way of fin and (loth,
they'll land in hell: For, If the righteous are fcarcely faved, ivbere
Jhall the /inner and ungodly appear ? The kingdom of heaven fuffererh •
violence^ &c. So much for the third thing, what is implied in
coming up from the wildernefs.

Fourth thing was, Tofpeaktothe fpoufe's pofliire ; flie comes
up leaning on her beloved. Bat I (liall wave this at prefent, and only
make ibme practical improvement of what has been faid in a doc-
trinal way.

CT/^j^r/? of this branch of thefIo£lrine, may be information, in
the i'cw tollowing particulars. Is it the duty and pra6lice of be-
lievers to come up from the wildernefs of this world, and to af-
pire after better and greater things than are hereaway. Then,

ijl, See hence the paucity of true believers who are efpoufed
imto Chrift. Why, the greatefl: number, inflead oncoming up from
the iviildernefs , are going down the wildernefs: Broad is the way
that leadeth to deftruttion, and many there be that go in thereat. Oh
what flioals of people are there in the world, whofe godis their bel-
ly y and who mind earthly things ? But how few are they who have
their ajfedions fet upon things above, and who are really pointing
heavenwards ? Strait is the gate^ and narroiv is the way. that leadeth
unto life, and few there be that find it. The world perhaps may
laugh at them who keep the narrow way of true religion ; but be-
hold the end of the day. The triumphing of the ivicked is fjjort.for
they fl.mll lie down inforrow : But as for the righteous and the upright ,
mark him, for the end of that man is peace ; his zveeping endures but for
a night, joy jhall corns in the morning.

idly. See hence v/hy believers are called men of another fpirit
than the reft of the world. 'Tisfaidof Caleb 2ind Jofhua, that
they were of another fpirit ; and the Apoftle, fpeaking of himfelf,
and other believers, fays. We have not received the fpirit of this
world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we may know the things that
are freely given us of God. Why, here is the ground of it, other
men are of a mean fordid fpirit, and are content with the wilder-
nefs,and fill their belly with the husks that they find in the wilder-
nefs ; but 'tis otherwife with the true believer, he comes up from^
the ivildernefs, he fecks and affefts tbefc things that are above, where
Chrijl is at the right-hand of God. 'Y\\q world generally have a mif-
taken notion of true greatnefs of fpirit ; they fondly imagine,
that it lies in pufiiing their refentment againil: thefe that injure
them; or in puihing their fortune, as they call it, in fcrambling
up to the pinnacles of v/orldly honour, ..wifdom, riches or prefer-
ment ; Whereas true greatnefs of fpirit lies in a contempt of all

thefe

to the Heavenly Canaan. ■ 305

thefe things, in comparifonof things that lie beyond thewilder-
nefs ; it lies in looking, not at the things that arefeen, but at the things
that are not feen. O, Sirs, we fink our fouls before their original
make and excellency, when we lie down, with the ferpent, to lick
up the dud and vanity of this world : True greatnefs of fpirit is,
with the fpoufe of Chrift, to foar abore the world, lo mount up i-oitb
wings like eagles, io things calculated for the foul and its heaven-
ly nature.

3^/y, See hence the excellency of the Chriflian religion, which
makes a difcovery of things that lie beyond the wildernefs oF this
world, and calls a man to come upfront the imldei'nefs in order to his
being poffefled of them. Life and immortality are brought to light
by the Gofpel. The heathen philofophers had indeed fome fooliih
guelles about another world, a Hfe to come ; but, how ftrangely
were they in the dark about it I One of the beft of them, when he
was dying, told his friends. That he was perfuaded of a future flat e ;
hut whether he was going to ajlateof happinefs or mifery he did not
know. But now the Chriflian religion brings life and immortality (I
fay) to light, and opens a way and paffagetoa happy eternity :
'I'islike mount Pifgah, from which one may ftandand difcover
the goodly land, that lies on the other fide of Jordan. David,
Pfal. 1 6. when he wins up to the top of it, and gets a view of the
glories of heaven and eternity, he'cries out like a man in a trans-
port. My heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth : Why ? Thou wilt
[hew me the path of life ; in thy prefence there is fulnefs of joy, and at
thy right-hand there are pleafurcs for everfnore.

/^thly, See hence a good reafon why the faints exprefs fuch
longings to be away out of the body. / dejire to be dijjblved, fays
Paul; In this we groan earneftly, defiring to be clothed upon with our
houfe which is from heaven : Why ? 'Tis no wonder ; for this
world is but a wildernefs unto them. And, how natural is it for
a traveller in a wildernefs to wifli and long to be at home in his
own country, and among his own kindred, where their inheri-
tance lies, even an inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled, and
which fadeth not away ?

Sthly, See a good reafon why the faints fliould polTefs their fouls
in patience under all the trials of a prefent life. Who is it thac,
travelling ihro' a wildernefs, does not lay his account with in-
conveniences and difficulties ? But befides, believer, thou arc
coming up from the wildernefs, and erelont^ thou will come out of
it, and beyond it altogether. In the world (fays Chrift) ye [JmU
have tribulation; but look beyond the wildernefs to thy fellow-
travellers, whofe journey is ended. IVbo ars thefe that are clothed

W in

3o6 The Believer's Journey

inwbite'rohes ? and whence came they ? Rev. 7.13. You have the
anfwer in the verfe following, Thefe are they that came out of great
tribulation^ and have wafhed their garments^ and made them zvhite in.
the blood of the Lamb : And they are before the throne of God, andferve
him day and night in his temple. Wait a little, believer, and thou
Ihalt be there alfo ; and then thy prefent light affli^ions, zvbichare
but for a moment, jhall refolve in a far more c-xceeding and eternal
iv:eight of glory ; and God jhall wipe away all tears from thine eyes.

Ufe fecund of thisdo6lrine may be of reproof. Is it the duty of
believers, and their practice, to come up from the wildernefs of this
tjiorld ? Then,

ifl. It reproves thofe who fit down in the wildernefs, and take
up with it as their home ; like the fool we read of in the Gofpei,
who, when he had amafs'd a great deal of worldly fubffcance toge-
ther, he cries, Soul, take thine eafe, thouhaji much goods laid up for
many years. But, Sirs, read what followed in that parable of the
rich fool ; perhaps God may come and fay, Thou fool, this night thy.
fouijljallbe taken from thee, and then whofe (hall thefe things be ? . You
who are perhaps clothed in purple and fine linen, and fair fumptuoujly
every day, and have no tho'ts of another world, look to it in time,
lelt in a little you be weltering among purple flames, crying for
a drop of water to cool the tip of your tongue.

2diy, It reproves thefe who, 'm{}:ead of coming up from the wil-
dernefs, are going down the wildernefs. The vv^ay of fm is faid
to be a downward way, and leads unto hell beneath ; and this ro^d
all the profane world are taking. Yoii may fee a roll of their,
nam.cs, and where their landing will be, Rev. 21. 8-. 7he fearful and
■unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers,
and forcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, /hall have their part in the
lake which burnetbwnth fire and brimflone, which is the fecond death.

^dly, Itreproves thofe who to men would appear to be coming
lip from the wildernefs^ and yet are fleering a quite other cOurfe :
fuch as the painted fepulchre, who goes under a mask of religion,
and yet is rotten at the root j-he is going down the wildernefs in-
Head of coming up. Chrifl: has pronounced many heavy woes a-
gainft you, and therefore thefinners in Zion Pmllhe afraid, &c. A-
gain, the Muralijl, whofe outward walk before the world perhaps
is, touching the law, hlamelefs, and yet never comes to him who is
the end if the km : Your morality and civility wi-ll be found want-
ing a true roor, not being grounded and grafFed inChrifl:, of whom
only our fruit can be unto hoUnefs, and the^end everlafling life: The
fame wc m';y fiy of iheLcgalifi, lie is but going down the wilder-
nefi;, all his righteoifnefs will be found to be as filthy rags ; for by

tbSi

to the Heavenly Canaan. 307

the "Ojorh of the law floall no ficflo living be jujtified. Again, ths
carnal Go/p(7//fr, whole language is. Let us fin bee anfe grace doth a-
j^bound. Sirs, whatever may be your evangelick norions, yet if
«the grace of God in ihcGofyQldon' itcach you to deny all ungo'dlinefi
and worldly lujts^ond to ivalk Joberly, rightcoufly and godly, you are
not coming up, but going down the wildernefs. Jude ^. they are
ranked among the number of the ungodly, who turn the grace of our
God into lafcivioufnefs. The fecure ileepy fmner, that was never
awakened to fee his danger, but is crying with the iluggard, Tet a
little fieep and/lumber^ a little folding of the hands tofieep ; you are go-
ing down the wildernefs, for fuddendeftru6lion is purfuiugyou.
4.thly^ This'doftrine reproves thofe who make a feint to come up
from the wildernefs, but immediately they turn heartlefs in the
journey: They cry, There is a lion in the way^ a lion in the ftreets^
and therefore turn back, and fleer towards another airth. Of this
fort are all backfliders, who put their hand to the plough of reli-
gion, but look back again. What an awful fentence is it that God
hftth pronounced againfl fuch, when he fays, that they flmli be filled
'voith their own ways, and be led forth with the ivorkers of iniquity,
•^thly^ 'Riis doftrine reproves thofe who hinder the fpoufe of
Chrifl^oJ'hurt her in her way, asflie is comingup from the wilder-
nefs. We find the fpoufe frequently complaining of injuries,
even from thefe from whom other things might have beenex-
pefted ; flie complains that her mothers children were angry with her,
chap. 1.6. thefe who were mother's children, but rot father's
chiic'ren with her; members of the vifible church, but were ne-
ver born of God, they were angry with her : And with them join-
ed the corrupt clergy of that day, and they continually abufed
hen,' I encelVie complains, chap. v. The watchmen that went about
the cit) , they fuundute^ they f mote me^ they wounded me^ they took away
my vail from me. They were called watchmen, and had got them-
felves into that office for a piece of bread : But, inftead of watch-
ing againft the enemy, they opened the gates to the enemy, and
fuffered foxes to come in and fpoil the vines ; inftead of comfort-
ing her, and pouring oil into her wounds, they themfelves fmote
and wounded her, by ftripping her of the facred rights and privi-
leges allowed her by her great husband. Inftead of drawing a
vail over the infirmities and weakncfTes of real believers, they
■ftudied to expofe them as acompany of hypocrites, and loaded
them with a great deal of invidious calumnies and reproaches,
that fo they might with tlie better colour of equity harrafs and
perfecute her. The application of all thefe things is eafy : Even
in our own day, what melancbnly cries and complaints arc going

W 2 " up

3o8 l^s Believer's Journey

uptolieaven^ through feveral corners of the land, to the God of
Shabaoth, the great King of Zion, againflfomefetof men, who
meet together in a judicative capacity even in this city? And I
don't know but fome of them may be hearing me : I {hall only
fay. That the injured little ones of Chrift will have aday about
with thefe that carry it agaiml them now ; before the whole
fcene be over, there will be wound for wound ; tribulation will be
rendered unto them that trouble the fpoufe of Chrift: And when
the reckoning comes, the great men, and the mighty men, the
man with the gold-ring, which are now adored, asif they were
the only perfons to be owned in the planting of churches, they,
^ndthofe thai join hand with them in confpiring to hurt the little
ones of Chrift, will be crying to the rocks and mountains to fall on them,
and hide them from the face of the Lamb ; when the poor people of
God, that were accounted as the drofs and off-fcourings of the earth,
will be fitting upon the bench with Chrift, every one of them pfin-
ing forth like the fun in the kingdom of their Father. I conclude this
with a word of advice unto Chrift's opprefted people, and you
haveity^w. 5.7, 8.

Ufe third of this dod-Yine fiiallbeby way of trial and examina-
tion. That which I would have you try is, wherefore are you in
this world as in a wildernefs, or are you in it as your home V and
whether are you fitting down in the wildernefs, or are you com-
ing up from it? I am ready to think, that in thefe words there
may beanallufion to Jfrael'm their travelling from Egypt to Ca-
naan: Therefore, with allufion to their journey toward thepro-
mifed land, which was typical of the true church of God travelling
through this wildernefs unto glory, I would by way of trial ask the
^Qw following queftions.

iji, Hath your Egyptian bondage been loofed in a day of
power? Has God, ^sivit ha high hand, and jlretched-oiit arm, bro't
you out from under the dominion of fin and fatan, thefe oppref-
iing task-mafters? and has he made you to fee thefe Egyptian
enemies overthrown in the red-fea of the death and fuffering of a
glorious Redeemer, while you by the fame means made youref-
cape? This is God's way of dealing with all his own Il]'ael; he
firft makes them to groan under the fears of fm and wrath, and
! hen opens up a way for their efcape by the death and blood of the
Lamb. So then^, has the Son of Cod made you free"^ If fo, you are free
indeed. But,

2dly, I ask, lias God ever brought you to the foot of Sinai,
and difcovercd himfelf infuch awful ma jefty, greatnefs, and in
the holinefs and feverity of his law, as has"perfuaded you that

there

to the Heavenly Canaan. 309

there is no dealing with God without a Mediator ? Tiie law was
publiflied at mount Sinai becaufeof tranfgrelTion, and that it
mighihQ ^fchool-mqfter to lead them unto Chrfji : So then, I ask, if
you have feen fuch a diflance between God and you, fuch holinefs
and perfeftion in his law, as has made you fly to him who is the end,
of the la-w for right eoufnefs to every one that believeth ? If fo, you are
indeed coming up from the wildernefs towards the promifed land ;
but, if not, 'tis a fign you are yet in the Egypt of a natural ftate.

^dly, Have you ever feen' the tabernacle that God reared, and
the glory of God in it ? You know, the tabernacle in the wilder-
nefs, it was the fymbolofGod'sprefence among i/ra^/, in which
the law was kept ; and the glory of the God oUfrael was thereia
difcovered in the viewof i/;W : This was atypeofChrifl:, the
true tabernacle which God hath reared. Now, I fay, have you
feen this tabernacle, a God in Chrift reconciling the'-Jiorldtohimfef?
Have you feen the glory of God fliiningin the face of Chrift, and
the law magnified and made honourable in him? And, are your
motions through the wildernefs, and your way to the land of pro-
rnife, direftedby viewing this tabernacle? according to that of
the Apoftle, Heb. 12. i. Let us run our race, looking unto J ef us. And,
are you made to go finging in the way of the Lord through the
wildernefs, becaufe great is the glory of the Lord ?

^tbly, I ask, how are you fed in the wildernefs ? Ifrael in the
wildernefs were not fed with the fruit of the earth, but with man-
na rained from heaven? So God has a way of feeding his true If
yael in the wildernefs with the manna from heaven. Chrift the
bread cf life comes down in thedifpenfation of the word, and they
gather it by faith, and feed on it: And Oh but this manna hath a
pleafant tafte with it to the fpoufe of Chrift coming up from the w//-
dernefs ! They can fay in fome meafure of fincerity with ^ere?ni ah.
Thy word zvas found by me, and I did eat it, and it was to me the joy
and rejoicing of my heart.

Sthly, Are you frequently drinking of the water of the rock ?
You know there was a rock fmitten, out of which ftreams of wa-
ter iffued, which followed Ifrael till they came to Canaan ;^ this rock
was Chrift, who being fmitten with the rod of his Father's anger,
refrefliing ftreamiS of grace and confolations of the Spirit have if-
fued, which make glad the city of God. Now, what experience
have you as to this ? Is Chrift to you like rivers of waters in a dry
place? And, are you made now and then to fee the accomplilh-
ment of that promife, Ifa. 44'. 3. /'// pour water on the thirfty, and
floods on the dry ground ?

Cthly, Have you feen themyftical brazen ferpent; and have

310 .lie Believer's Journey

■you got health conveyed to your fouls by looking on it, wherj
iian^ by the fiery Terpen tin the wildernefs, or when wounded by
the fiery darts of fatan ? For, as Mofes liftedup theferpent in the •wil-
dernefs yfo isthe fonof manJiftediipon the pole of the everlafting
Gofi:el, that ivhnfoever believes in him, or looks to him by faithjf.
may not perifJj, but have everlajling life.

ythly^ What is it that keeps up your heart in your journey thro*
the Wildernefs : If God had not made a promife of Canaan to If-
raelycind engaged his veracity to bear them company in their jour-
ney, they had not gone out of Egypt ; and it was the faith of God's
promife that fpirited and enlivened them in their travels and bat-
tles. Judfois the cafe here; God hath made a promife of life
and reilon the other fide of death, through Chrid, and that he
will be their God and their guide ,• that his Son, the Angel of his
prefence, fliall be your leader and commander: Now, if you be
really coming up from the wildernefs to the promifed land of glo-
ry, 'tis the faith of God's promife that bears you up, and carries
you thro' in your travels, and in your wildernefs-workand war-
fare. Hence the fpoufe here, flie is faid to come up leaning on her
beloved, refcing on the promife of a God in Chrifh for a thorough -
bearing, and for a comfortable landing at laft.

Sthly^ What pillars of fmoke are you fending up from the wil-
dernefs ? The offerings of Jfrael'm the wildernefs, they went up
to heaven like pillars of fmoke towering upward ; fo you will be
frequently fending up the facrifices of prayer, and of praife, and
holy m.editation ; your afl^eftions, like the fmoke of the facrifice,
wilJ be foaring heavenward.

9^hly, You will be frequently cafling your eyes on the promifed
land that lies beyond the wildernefs, and longing with theChurch
to be there, Cant. 2. laft, Till the day break, andthe/hado'ivsjiy away :
Turn, my beloved, and be thou as a roe, as a young hart upon the moun-
tains of f pices.

life fourth fliall be of exhortation, to follow the example of the
church of God here, incoming up from the wildernefs towards
the promifed land of glory above; Or, as theApoflle words it.
Col. 3. If ye be rifen with 'Chrijl, feck thofe things that are above,
where. Chrijt is at the right-hand of God. Set not your affeaions on
things that are on the earih, but on things that are in heaven. By
way of motive, I offer thefe corfidera:icns ;

Confidcr, (i.) What the wildernefs of this world is, from
whiph youare called -to come un. Befide what was fiidof it in
the dotlrmal parr, I (hall add thefc things following,to wean your
nearts andaffcftions from it. i. 1 his woEldisUit the reprobate

Clogs

to the Heavenly Canaan. 3tt

dogs portion, Pfal. 1 7. The men oj the world, whofe portion is in this
life, and wbofe belly, &c. Ic was a common faying of Luther s.
That the i-ihole Turkifli empire ivas but a crumb cajt unto a dog. 'Now,
whylhoLildt/ecaftin ourlot among the dogs, whoprofefs to be
of the Church of God, and the fpoufe of Chrifi:? 2. Tliis world
is groaning under the curfeof God; Ciirfed is the ground for thy
fake, faid the Lord to our fird parents, immediately after they had
finned : And under the weight of this cuvCq the •vcholc creation groans
and travels in pain even till novo. Oh who would be content to fii
down where the curfe of God dwells ? 3. Confider, that the wil-
dernefs of this world has been a iliamble, defiled with blood, with
the blood of Ch rift, and with the blood of an innumerable com-
pany of martyrs, from which it has never been purged as yet. It
maybe called Golgotha, the place cfafcull', and ykcldama,a field
of blood. This earth has been ftained, and this land and this city
in particular have been ftained with the blood of Chrid my ftical ;
and 'tis to be feared that the guilt of that blood is crying to hea-
ven, like the blood of Jbel, againft the land, and againft the
place : Now, I fay, is not this fufficient to wean your hearts from
the wildernefs of this world, that it is z field of blood, a place of but-
chering and daughter of Chrill perfonal and myftical. The men
of the world, who take up with it as their home, they are juft like
the poffefTed man we read of in the Gofpel, lodging among tombs
and fepulchres. 4. Confider, that the wildernefs of this world is
juft the gallery where the devil, the god of this world, that Jpol-
lyon, walks up and down feeking whonihe may devour. Job i . fays
Godj Whence comefl thou, Satan ? / come, fays Satan, from goin^ to
and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down in it. Some think
that the devil uttered thefe words with an air of haughtinefs
and pride, as if he made his vaunt before God, that he was the
prince of this world,o.nd that the kingdoms of it and their glory were
his ; fo that the meaning of the devil's anfwer is as if he had faid,
Why, foys he, where fliould Ibe^but travelling in circuit through
my own territories ? Now, why fliould we not come up frofn the
devil's quarters and territories ? Who loves to be at home in the
devil's quarters, in the verv den of that lion and leopard, but only
they that are his devoted flaves and vaffals ? 5. Come up from
the wildernefs, for it is but a meer empty fliadow, and all the glo-
ry of it is but a piece of moon-fliine. Why fliould wefet our
hearts upon that which is not, and which pci-iflicth in the very u-
fing? You have fecn bubbles of u'ater blown up by children;
fparkling with a variety cf beauteous colours, but which jufl pe-
ril]: in a moment ; and what is the whole vifible creation that we

W 4 now

212 The Believer's Journey

now fee, but juft a great bubble blown up by the breath of the Al-
mighty V By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and
all the hoftof them by the breath of his mouth. Ic makes a gay
andgloriou'3 appearance, but alas, 'tis all imaginary, a mere (lia-
dow, a vapour, which appears for a little, and then vaniflies.
Now,who would be content with fuch an imaginary thing as this?
C\ Come up from the wildernefs of this world, for 'ds condemned
to be burnt. It was a piece of madnefs in Lot to linger in Sodoniy
when he was told it was to be confumed with fire and brimflone :
The fame madnefs poffefles thofe that will not come up from the
wildernefs into a place of fafety, when God has told them in his
infallible word, that the day of the Lord comethas a thief in the
night, in which the heavens fliallpafs away with a great noife,
and bedifiblved, the elements lliall melt with fervent heat, the
earth alfo and the works thereof fliall be burnt up. Now, I fay,
put allthefe things together, and fee if there be not weight in
them to wean your hearts from this world, and to engage you to
follow the pradlice of the fpoufe, and come vp from the wildernefs.

Confider, 2dly, Thatthereisabettercountry beyond the wil-
dernefs of this world. Heb. 7. 'tis faid of the worthies, that they
de fired a better country^ that is an heavenly. 'Tis a better kingdom
than the kingdoms of this world, even an everlajling kingdom; a
better inheritance, even an inheritance that is incorruptible and unde-
filed,'whichfadeth not away ; a better city,even a city that hath foun-
dations, whofe builder and maker is God ; a better houfe than our cot-
tages of clay in the wildernefs, even a houfe of manymanjions, a
houfe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

But, more particularly, to encourage you to come up from the
wildernefs unto this better country,confider, (i.) That there are
better joys and pleafures to be had there than in the wildernefs.
This world is but at befl a Bochim, a valley of tears, a houfe of
mourning ; but the land afar off, that lies on the other fide of the
wildernefs, is a ftate of pleafure, of continual joy and pleafure,
where theranfomed of the Lord J/mH have fongs and everlajling joy
upon their heads ; they fhall obtain joy&'gladnejs, andforroiv andfi<^h~
ing fjall ever fee away. The joys and pleafures of this world, they
do not fatisfy : He that loveth filver /hall not be fatisfied with fiver :
Kence, in the midfl of their fufliciency, the covetous v/orldling is
in wants ; and, in the midfl of their laughter, their heart is forrowful:
Bu' now the joys of the land of glory, they are full p^s^Pfal 16.
clofe. In thypr'efcnce is fulnefs of joy, and at thy right-hand are plea-
fures for evermore. The joys of the wildernefs they are tranfient :
Hence the triumphing of the wicked is fhort ; they take up the timbrel

and

to the Heavenly Canaan. 313

and harpy and rejoice at the found of the organ ; they fpend their days
in -weakb and eafe, but in a moment they go do'uonto the grave : Buc
the joys of the land of glory (as you have heard jutl now ) are e-
verlafl:ing,and flial] run parallel with the endlefs ages of eternity.
(2.) There are better riches in the land afar off^ than thefe that the
wildernefs of this world affords. As for the riches of chiii world,
the moth andrufi corrupt them, thieves break thro' and'fleal them ; So-
lomon jwho was mailer of more of this world's riches than any man
clfe, he pronounces them all vanity and vexation cf fpirit : But now
the riches of that better country beyond the wildernefs are far
better, in refpeft of plenty; for the riches of that land are un-
fcarchablC;, Eph. 3.8. Better in refpe6l of value ; for the gold of
that land is better than the gold of Opbir ; 'tis gold tried in the fire,
yea, the gold and the filver cannot equal it : "I'is better in refpetl
of perpetuity ,• the riches of this world they make themfehes imngs
and fly a'way, but the riches of glory they are durable and ever-
Jafling. Hence Chrift exhorts, to provide for ourfelves bags that
do not wax old. (3.) The honours of that better country are bet-
ter than the honours of this world. What is it to fway afcep-
tre on earth, in refpe6t of ruling the nations zvith a rod of iron 1
What is it to lit upon an earthly throne, in refpetl of fitting on
the fame throne with the fon of God ? t- 3- at the clofe. What
is it to be an heir of an oppulent eflate, or of a kingdom upon
earth, in refpedl of being heirs of God, and joint heirs imth jcfus
Chrift, of an inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled ? Sec. (4. j We
invite you to come up to a far more peaceable land than is the wil-
dernefs of this world. O, Sirs, you and I may know to our e.\pe-
rience, that this is alighting world, 'tis a place of ftrife ,• and fume
may fay with Jeremiah^ Wos me, my mother , for thou haft born me a
man of ftrife and contention to the zvhole earth. PVithoiit are fightings^
and within are fears. Deep calleth unto deep, at the noife of thy water
fponts. We muft run with the footmen, contend with horfes, and then
go down to the fweUings of Jordan. But Oh ! Sirs, come up from the
wildernefs ; for the land beyond it is a land of peace, and quicr_,
and everlafling refl; ; and thi"? reft rcmaineth for the people of God,
where wars and jars, and contentions and flrifes, fliall come to an
eternal end : They fhall enter into peace, they fuall reft in their beds,
each one walking in his uprightnefs. (5.) That land beyond the
wildernefs is a far more pure and holy land than this wildernefs is.
'This world cannot be your reil ,• for 'tis polluted ; the inhabitants
of it are of polluted hps, lives, and hearts ; and 'tis hard for a man
to keep his garments clean, as he is travelling thro' it to eternity :
But that land of glory beyond the wildernefs, 'cis the holy Jaud, in

314- The Believer's Journey

the mofl proper fenfe ; for there can in no wife enter into it any
thing that worketh abomination, or maketh a lie. All the inhabi-
tants are fach as have wafoed their hands in innocence, ivafJoed their
garments, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ((5.) That
land that hes beyond the wildernefs is a far more durable Jand
than this is. This world is fubjecl to innumerable viciiiitudes and
fcrrows ; a fertile land may be turned unto barrennefs, a peacea-
ble land may Ibon be turned unto confufion. The confafed noife
of the vvarriour, and garments rolled in blood, may be feen and heard
in it; and, ere it be long, the whole vifible frame of nature will
be unhinged, B'c But now, heaven is an abiding country an a-
biding city; it hath foundations, whofe builder and maker is
God. The city of the Neiv^eriifalem is built fore fquare, to fliew
the ftability of it ,- itfadcth not a-viay, and the inhabitants of it fjjall
go no more out, &c. Oh then, be perl waded to come up from the
wildernefs to this better country,the proper country of the faints.
Confider, 2>dly, by way of motive, what a lightfome way is o-
pened from the wildernefs to that better country that is above,
and let this invite you to come up. The way to heaven, after the
breach of the firft covenant, was block'd up by the law and juftice
of God ; the offended majefty of heaven had rolled mountains of
iiery vengeance in man's way to heaven ; the cherubim with his
llaming fword, turning every way, rendred it altogether impalTa-
ble: But, O thanks to the glorious Emanuel, who as the breaker
has gone up before us: he has roled thefe mountains out of the way
he has opened upthepaffage from the wildernefs to Canaan, by
his death and Blood.; yea, he as our king, captain and general, has
gone before us, Jehovah is on the head of the travellers to glory :
And therefore be ensouraged to come up from the wildernefs,
fet your faces toward Zion. And, to encourage you, I'll give
you a few qualities of the way you have to travel, (r.) 'Tis a
new way, Heb. lo. 20. Adants way in innocence by the works
of the law isaboliflied ; but here, by the gofpel, there is a new
way opened,- away that is calculated, not for a righteous or in-
nocent perfon, but for a fmner, a loll: finner; and Chrif^icalh not
the righteous, hut \o[lCmneYsof Jda?ns family, to take this way.
And then 'tis new, becaufc it never waxes ftale, will never be out
of requefl:.(2.)Ti]e way to that better land is a living iy^y,not only
becaufe it leads to everlafting life, butalivingCiirillis the way ;
andfofoon as ever a fmner lets the foot of faith in this way, he
begins to live a life of j unification, a life of fanftification, a life of
confolation ; For he that hath the Son, hath life ; and whoever believes
in the name of Cbrifi, though he were dead, yet fiallbe live, andfljall

never

to the Heavenly Canaan. 315

never come into condemnation. (3.) The way to glory is confecra-
ted for LIS ; the great God has opened and devoted this way for
the travellers to glory. The revelation of it is to us, and tlie re-
velation from him to walk in it is tons; O then, let us come up

• fromthewildernefs, finceGcdhadaview to your falvationin 0-
peningir. (4.) The way is a freeway; 'tis free to all comers.
'Tis like the King's high-way, that every man has a privilege to
walk in ; '-johoever ivill, let him come, and take of the water of life
freely. And then 'tis free, in regard that the traveller has his
charges born, and every thing needful for carrying him on laid to
his hand, zvithout money and ■zvithout price. All fulnefs is in the way,
and out of this fulnefs we all do receive, a?id grace for grace. (5.)'Tis a
cleanly & holy way, Jfa.'^s. Ahigh-%myjhallbe there, and a way, and
it foallbe called the ivay of holincfs ; the unclean /Jjallnot pafs over it,
I'he way of believing in Chriil, as 'tis the firfl and fundamentaL
a6l of obedience to the law of God,fo 'tis a fpring of holinefs
and obedience to all the other commands of God ; hence
all true obedience is called the obedience of faith. The man
that is heartily engaged in the way of believing, he has his
hear: fprinkled from an evil confcience, and his body waili-
ed v/ith pure water; and his daily work is to cleanfe himfclf
from all Jilt hinefs ofthejleflo andfpirit, perfeHing holinefs in the fear of
the Lord. (6.) 'Tisafafeway, in which you come up from the
wildernefs ; for the wayfaring man, tho a fool, /hall not err therein :
tho' he may fall, yet he Jhallarife ; for the Lord upholdeth him with his-
hand. The Lord is the man's ftrength,- and therefore he /hall
hold on his way, and ivax Jironger and Jtronger til! hecometoZ/o77»
(7.)'Tis a pleafant way, Prov. 3. jy . Wifdom' s %mys are ways of
pleafantnefs, and all her paths are peace. And how can it be but
pleafant ? for here is every thing needful to the traveller. Here
is meat for the hungry traveller ,* I am the bread of life : Here is
drink for the thirfly, even the water of life, iffuing from the throne of
God and of the Lamh : Here is clothing, yea, white raiment, and
the garment of falvation for the naked foul; Here is light to the
foul in darknefs ; the Lord /Jjallbe thy'everlafling light, and thy God
thy glory. Hereisafliadovvy reflto the traveller when he is wea-

■ry ; I fat down under his foadowimth great delight ; the Lord is thy
(hade upon thy right-hand ; the fun /Jjall not fmite thee by day, neither
the moon by night : Here in this way you have a good guide to lead
you, one who leads the blind intbsivay they know not, and who at
every turn is crying, this is the way, walk ye in it. And that which
contributes much to render it pleafant is, that the way is we)! bea-
tenj 'tis a iroden path, and you have a whole cloudy an innumera-

1 Uq:

3i6 The Believer's Journey

ble company of travellers, both going before you and coming af-
ter you, and going along with you, Heb.ii. i. IVberef ore, feeing we
are compajjed about witbfo great a cloud of mtnejjes, let us run t be race,
&:c. (7.) The way that comes up from the wildernefs to the
landofglory is a peaceable and a quiet way. There is nothing but
noife, and din, and perpetual difturbance in the ways of fin, and
the way of men of this world ; but oh there is perfeft peace in this
way that leads to Zion, Ifa. 26. 3. Tbou wilt keep him in perfect peace,
i-:hofe mindis Jiayedon tbee, becaufe he trufteth in tbee. Indeed you
may and will have difturbances from without, in the world ye
fliali have tribulation ; but all the noife and difturbances from
without cannot marr the quiet the foul has within : No, no ; In
vie ye/Jjall have peace ; be ye of good cheer, for I have overcome the.
toorld. Thus you fee, that every thing invites you to come up
from the wildernefs towards that better country that isabove.^

Ifliall conclude this exhortation with a few words byway 0^
counfeland advice. If, after all that has been faid, you have a
mind to come up from the wildernefs towards the land of glory
above, theii take the few following advices ;

ifty Keep your eyes fixed, as you come up from the wildernefs,
upon an invifible God, on the glorious Emanuely upon the unerr-
ing rule of the word, upon a well-ordered covenant, upon the
cloud of witnefTes that have gone before you, and on the glorious
jand that lies on the other fide of the wildernefs.

2dly, Another advice I give you is, If you would make your
journey comfortable, or ever arrive at the end of it, ftudy to keep
in with thefe three, (i.) Keep in with God, do nothing that .
may provoke himi to hide his face ; for if you do, it will cofl you
dear, you will walk in darknefs through the wildernefs : But Oh' !
in his favour is life', every blink of his countenance exhileraces
the fpirits, and then the joy of the Lord is the foul's Jirength, &c.
(2.) Keep in with confcience ; this is our rejoicing, the teflimony of
a good confcience, that in fimplicity and godly fincerity , &c. (3.)
Keep in with them that fear God, tiudclQ^VQtotbewordof histef-
timony; keepclofeby your fellow-travellers, that arebound for
Zion. My delight {hys David) is with the faints, the excellent ones
of the earth, <Src.

3^/3;, There are fome things that you fliould endeavour to keep
under your foot, if you would come up to the heavenly Canaan ;
I. Themoonofthisworld, 7?^u.i2. 1. If it be got into your head
and heart, it will be fure to turn you out of the way ; for the friend-
Jhip of this world is enmity with God : If any man love the world, the •
ioveof the Father is 720t in him. 2. Carnal policy and wifdomj for

the

1

to the Heavenly Canaan. 317

the wifdom of this world is biic folly to God. Paul, whenever it
pleafedGod to reveal his Son in him, immediately he confuUsnot ivith
fiejh and blood. It is faid of Babylon, that her wifdom and undcrjland-
ing perverted her; efpecially it perverts us in the things of Chrift,
and ishketoruintheinterefhof ChrifVm thelandac this day. 3.
Self-righteoLifnefsjlet that be kept under your feet; for this ruin-
ed the poory(?wi",&bro't on a fentence of excommunication upon
tnem, whereby they were caft out of the cliurch ofGod: 77;c}' ivcnt
about to cjtablifb their oivn rightco'jfncfi\and would not fabmit to the
righteoujnejs of God; and fo Chrifl iiimfelf became zftiimbling'
fl on », and a rock of offence. 4. Keep the luft and corruption of ihe
iieart under yourft;et. This will keep you in continual work ,•
forthe flefJjlufleth againftthe fpirit.and thefpiiit agaiujt thefefh.
Paul had much ado witn a body of fin and death, Rom. 7. We mull;
^crucify the flefJj ivith the affe^ ions and lujts thereof Jf we live aft er
^the jlefh, we Jhall die; but, if we through the Spirit do mortify the
deeds of the body, we (hall live. 5. Keep a: a diilance from the i n-
fedlion of bad company. Say, w'lih Jacob, Oh my foul, come not
thou into their fecret ; unto their afjenibly, mine honour, be not thou uni-
ted: For evil communication corrupts good manners. The lafl advice
I give is, to follow the example of the fpoufe here in the text, to
come upfrom the wildernefs leaning on thebeloved, living a life of faith
on the Son of God. But this leads to the fecond branch of the
do6lrine.

. The Subftance of fome Difcourfes upon the
fame Text, at Stirling.

Cant. viii. 5. Who is this that cometh up from the wil-
dernefs, leaning on her beloved.

THE do6trine infifted upon from thefe words at another occa-
fion was, That 'tis the commendable pra^ice of a foul truly ef-
poufed unto Chrifl,to come up from the •wildernefs of this ivorld
toward the land of reft and glory above, flaying and rejling them fives
upon him as their beloved. Here I endeavoured, i. To give the
character of a foul truly efpoufed to Chrifb, drawn from the con-
text. 2. I fpakeof this world, under the notion of « ivildernefs.
3. Shewed what is imported in the fpoufe's coming upfrom the wil-
dernefs, Thefe particulars, I fay, were difcourfed, and this firfl

branch

3i8 The Believer's Journey

branch of the doctrine applied in feveral ufes ; the reafons of this
branch of the doctrine being adduced in the application, by way
of motive to perfwade Tinners to turn their back on the wilder-
nefs, and to come up towards the promifcd Canaan above.

I proceed now to ihefecond branch of the text and dodtrine,
which was thefoiirth ihing in the method,- namely, Tofpeaka
little of the fpoufe's f)o{ture in coming up fromtheuoildernefs ; ihe
comes leaning on herlMloved. 'Tis the life of faith upon the Son
of God that is here intended,- and this expreflion of faith it im-
plies'thefe particulars following.

ijl, The fpoufe's weaknefs and inability in her felf to grapple
with the difficulties of her way through the wildernefs ; that (lie
could never furmount them by the ftrengthof natural, or yet of
any created grcXe in her. Man in his natural ftate is wholly with-
out flrength; fodifabled by the fall, that he has no power for a*
ny thing that is fpiritually good ; Yea, believers themfelves, tho'
they have received a new (lock of fupernatural grace, yet this in-
herent grace of theirs is fuch a feeble creature, and the oppofition
it meets with from corruption within, and temptation and afflic-
tion without, isfo flrong, it could never bear the believer thro*
his wildernefs work and warfare, without continual fupplies of
ftrength from the glorious head, in whom dwells allfiilnefs of grace
and truths of merit and fpirit. Hence PauU tho' he hud received a
very lar.ffe meafure of grace from Chrift, yet declares, that he

^ was not fufficient of himfelf to think any thing as of hiipfef, but his
his fufficicncy andability was of the Lord. So, whenever a believer
begins to think that his mountain (lands ftrong thro' the flrength
of any grace he has received, prefently tlie Lord withdraws the
influence, and fuffers him to find his weaknefs and inability, that
he may not truft in himfelf, but in him who is the flrength of If-
racL And therefore,

idly. The expreflion of leaning on her beloved, it implies, ' Thrat
however weak and in fufficient llie was in herfelf, yet there was

- almighty ftrength in her husband and head, on whom flie leaned.
Chrift is the flrength of the poor and needy in their difbrefs; he
is the glory of their ftrength, the power of" God, the man of his
right-hand, whom he hath made ftrong for the defigns of his glory^
in our falvation. / have laid help (fays the Lord) tepono?te zvho is
mighty. The arm of Jehovah is thro' him reached forth to help,
and flrengthen, and uphold the believer in hi> "wildernefs difficul-
ties ; and therefore he goes in this his might, faying, with Paul, I
can do all things through Chrift ftrengthening me.

^dly, This leaning on her beloved implies a bleffed ki^ owledge or

acquaintance <

to the Heavenly Canaan. 319

acquaintance with the Lord Jefus. She had got a ravinf^dlfcovery

of him by the word&rpiritof the Lord, which induced her to lean

upon him,- for we do not ufe to Jean upon an utter flranger, of

whom we have no knowledge. The foundation of fliith is laid

i in knowledge : Not fimply in a head-knoivkdge, attained by exter-

iJial revelation, for there are many learned unbelievers ; but in a

* keart-knozvledge. The light of the knoivledge of the glory of God, in

the face of 'Jefus Chriji, is made to fliine into the heart, and this is

the very beginning of wifdom. Hence Paul defcribes his firffc

con verfion by it, Gal. i . It pleafed God to reveal his Son in me. And

the promife of faith, that radical grace,isexpreired by knowledge;

/ 'will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord ; they Ihall

know, and follow on to know him, till they arrive at a mid-day

vifion and fruition of him in glory.

4.thly, Theexpreflion implies, not only knowledge, but inti-
macy :m6 familiarity ; for we ufe to lean upon them with whom we
are hitimatcly acquainted. Verily (fays the Apollle John) our fel-
low fhip is with the father, and with his Son Chrifi Jefus. The whole
book of the Song is defigned to defcribe this fellowfliip between
Chrift and the believing foul : They who know it in an experimen-
tal way, will be ready to fay, with the fpoufe, his left-hand ims un-
der my head, and his right-hand did embrace vie ; he brought me to his
banquetting-houfe, and his banner over me was love. There is more
real pleafureand fatisfaftion in one moment of feliowlhip with
the Lord, than in all the pleafures of fin, which are hut for a feaf on :
Hence David, Pfal. 84. One day in thy courts is better than a thour
fand ; Ihadrather be a door-keeper in the houfe of God, than dwell in ths
tents of fin.

Sthly, This leaning pofture implies Chrift's nearnefs to the
fpoufe ; for we cannot well lean upon a perfon that is at a diftance.
'I'rue, iiideed, Chrifl; was at a great diftance from the fpoufe as to
his corporal prefence, for he was not yet come in the flelh ; and
now, under the New-Tellament difpenfation, he is gone within
the vail, and the heavens are to contain him til! the time of the reftitu-
tion of all things: But yet faith hasa way of bringing Chrift near,
and of taking him up in the word of promife, & fo leaning on him
by vertue of his word. And th erefore, fay not in thine heart, who
jhall bring Chrifl from above? fur the word is. nigh thee ^ even in thy
month and heart, that is, the ivord of faith, which we preach. Sirs, tho'
Chrifl be afcendedas to his human nature far above all heavens,
yet he is as much prefent to faith, as tho' his body wcreftill upon
earth; h, I am with you always unto the etuUf the world'. And ac-
cordingly, faith eying him in the word oflaith, iiiaHS on him, as
one that is not afar clF, buc near at iiand. Cthlyy

320 The Bet.iever's Journey

6lhlyy Ic inuplies a trufting, reding, or recumbency of her
foul upon him, under all her weights and burdens, which Ihe rolls
over on Chrifl:, Vh\m S5- Cajl thy burden upon the Lord, and he zvill
fiifta'm thee. Mat. 1 1. Come unto me, all ye that are weary and hea-
vy laden, and I wiU give rcji unto your fouls. Pfal. 37. Rejl on the
Lord, and wait patiently upon him. As the feeble wife leans on her
Husband, or tlie weak child on his parent, with confidence that
he will fupport him ; fo the believing foul leans or reils on Chrift,
with a perfuafion of fupport and thorough-bearing ; that accord-
ing to his promife, he will ftrengthen, help and uphold to the end,
with the right-hand of his righteoufnefs.

"jthly, It implies that there is fomething in Chrifl: that the hand
or arm of faith (lays and leans upon, as we come upfront the wilder-
nefs. Sometimes faith flays itfelf on the perfon of Chrifl:, as he is
Emanuel, God with us; fometimes uponh?s love, which paffeth
knowledge, Pfal. 36. 7. How excellent is thy loving- kindnefs, 0 God,
therefore the fans of menput their truft under the fJjadowofthy wings:
Sometimes it fl:ays itfelf upon his name; for they that know his
name will put their truft in him : Sometimes on his miffion, as the
Sent of God, the great Apoflileof our profeffion ; it takes him
up as God's legate, his ambafl^ador-extraordinary, fent tofeek and
to fave that which was loft : It leans upon his general office as
Mediator, for peace and reconciliation with God ; upon his
prophetical office, forinfl:ru6i:ionand illumination in the know-
ledge of the myfteriesof the kingdom; upon his priefl;Iy office,
for reconciliation and acceptance ; upon his regal or king-
ly office, for fanftification and deliverance from the power of
finandfatan : li leans upon his fulnefs for a fupply of all wants,be-
lieving that that fulnefs of grace that is in him is to be communicat-
ed ; for be received gifts for men, even for the rebellious, that the Lord
God might dwell among us \ It fometimes leans upon the relations
that Chrifl: is come under to his people in the word, as a friend, a
counfellor, a phylician, a leader and commander. You fee here,
that the fpoufc comes up from the zvildernefs, leaning on him in the re-
lation of a bridegroom and husband : But of thefe things I may
difcourfe more fully in the application.

Ifhould next give thereafons of this branch of the dofitrine,
why it is that the believer comes up from the wildernefs leaning on her
beloved ; but as I did in the former branch, I fliall improve them
as motives to inforce the exhortation which I have in view from
this branch of the do6lrine.

And the exhortation is, To follow the commendable i^x^C'
tkQohheipoukin coming up from the wildernefs of this world, to-
wards

to the Heavenly Canaan. 321

wards the land of glory, /c^nm^ on him as your beloved; or, which
is the fame thing in other words, fl:udy,wliile you are travellers on
theearthjtoliveby faithon thefonof God, This was the prac-
tice of P^?// the great Apoftle of the Gentiles, Gal. 2. 20. I am
crucified with Chrijt, neverthelefs Hive ; yet not I, but Chrift that liv-
eth in me ; and the life I live is by faith in the f on of God, '•joho loved vie,
and gave hinf elf for me. This was the pra6lice of that cloud of
witnelles who have travelled to glory before us, Heb. 11. 13. Jll
thefe died in faith, not having received the promifcs, but having feen
them afar off, and 'wereperjwaded of them, and embraced them, and
confefj'ed that they zvere pilgrims and ftrangers on the earth.

Butnow, in purfuing this exhortation a little, I fliall, i. En-
deavour to illuftrate and clear it, in anfwering a few queftions. 2.
Enforce it with a few motives. 3 . Conclude with a few direftions.

Firfi, I would illuftrate this exhortation, by anfwering a few
queftions. And the

jft Queflion which may be offered is this ,• Yc»u exhort us to
a lite of faith on Chrift, but pray tell us, in the firfl place, what it
is to live upon him by faith, and what influence faith has up-
on our journey while in the wildernefs ?
' ' This queftion was in fome meafure anfwered already, in giving
the import of the expreffion in the text, the fpoufe's leaning on her
beloved. I (hall further add. That this lifeoffaith, it does not lie in
one Angle adl of believing, but in the continuation of faith or be-
lieving thro' the whole courfe of your life in the world ; the life I
live in the fief o, that is, while I'm in the body, is by faith on the Son of
God. Some are ready to imagine, that, when they have once be-
lieved in Chrift, they have no more ado but to look back on their
firfl clofing with Chrift,- and uponthatatl of faith they reft, as
their fecurity for life and falvacion, without any great concern to
repeat and renew it. I'm afraid, if this be your way of doing, you
are yet ftrangers both to faith in the firft and after-a6lings of it.
Men are- called believers, not becaufe they have put forth one
fingleadt of faith, but becaufe they areor fliould be contmually
believing. 'Tistrue, the firjl add of faith ties the knot between
Chrift and the foul, that ftiall never be loofed through eternity;
but, where this aft of faith *h as been exerted, there will be fre-
quent attempts towards the repetition of it. Faith is called Cheat-
ing tlfejfifj, and drinking the blood ofthefon of man. Now, you
knoiv; 'tis not a man's taking one fmgle meal in his whole life that
will fubfift his body,but hemuft be eating and drinking every day,
and frequently through the day, otherwife his natural life would
foonlanguifli: So here, there muft be a continual feeding upon

X the

322 The Believer's Journey

the incarnation and fatisfa6lion of Chrift, in order to thepreferva-
tion and maintenance of the fpiritual life of the foul ; the life of
thefoLilcanno more be maintained by one aft of faith, than the
life of the body can be maintained by one meal for any long fpace
of time. Faith is called a drawing water out of the wells offahation,
Jfa. 12. It will notdoour bufinefs to come once to the well, the
water in the ciftern will foon be fpent, and therefore we mafl be
daily coming back to the fountain for new water: So here the
life of faith is a continual coming to Chrift, and a receiving out of
his fulnefs grace for grace. Grace received into the veflel of the
foul will, like water, foon flagnate by reafon of the corruption of
the veflel, and it will foon be fpent ,• what we get this day will not
ferve us the next ; and therefore there mult be a continued ap-
plication to him for new fupply, a continued drawing water out
of the wells of falvation. The branches live every day upon their
root ; the branches draw, and the root communicates fap unto
them for their nourilhment and growth : So here. As the branch
cannot bring forth fruity except it abide in the vine, no more can ye (fays
Chrift) except ye abide in me. This continued believing in Chrift is
called(Co/.2. i9.)a holding the head, from which the whole body,
as by joint & bands,having nourilhment miniftred & knit together,
increafewith the increafeof God. The members of the natural
body, they are continually receiving life, and fpirit, and conduft
irom their head ,• fo, by the faith of God's operation, whereby we
are united to Chrift,we are continually receiving that grace & ful-
nefs that is in him, till we come to nperfeSi man, to the meafure of the
Jlatureofthefdnefsof Chrift. And this is the life of that faith I
exhort you to, in order to your comfortable journey thro' the wil-
dernefs of this world.

There are two ways by which your life will be maintained and
nouriflied from Chrift through eternity ,• one in this world, and a-
iiother in the world to come. So long as we are in this world, we
are Uke children in the mother's belly, entirely nouriftied and
maintained by faith (like the ftring by which we are nouriflied in
our mother's belly) which fucks in the life, righteoufnefs and ful-
nefs of Chrift into the foul : But no fooner do we pafs out of this
world into the hfe ofglory,but the ftring of faith is cut, and then
•we come to be nouriflied another way, namely, by immediate'^
vifionof the Lord. As the child is nouriflied in the wqmbtillitis
fully ripe for the birth, fo faith nouriflies the foul tilh't^e fully
ripe for glory ; and then faith is turned into full fruition, and im-
mediate enjoyment.

To illuftrate this matter, Ifliallina few particulars fliew the
influence that faith has through the whole of the Chriftians work
and warfare in the wildernefs from firft to laft. (i.) 'Tis'

to the Heavenly Canaan. 323

(i .) 'Tis faith that gives the foul thefirfl knowledge of Chrifl:,
andoftheway of falvanon through him; 'tis the eye that firft
fpieshimout,as the all-fufficient Saviour provided by God the Fa-
ther. When the poor foul has been as ic were beaten, battered,
and toffed among the waves and tempells of law-terrors, and ap-
prehenfionsofeternal wrath and vengeance, in which cafe it has
been as it were cafting its mod valuable goods over-board, its own
righteoufnefs, morality^ civility, its duties, abilities, legal attainments,
and every thing elfe,- now, while the foul is in this condition, e-
very moment expe6ling to be fwallowed up in the great deeps of
the fea of God's wrath, faith as it were Heps up to the top of the
mad, and gets a view of Chrift, and of falvation in him ; and there-
upon the poor foul cries out. Oh there is Chrift, let me get aboard
of him ,• Oh there is the rock of ages, I'll venture my all upon him.
Oh there is a ftrong hold & refuge, I'll flee in unto him ; Oh this is
my reft, here will I dwell, for my foul likes it well. I'hus,! fay, it is
by faith that we firft enter into a ftate of grace, peace and righte-
oufnefs,- according to that word of the Apoftle, Rom. 5. 2. PFe
have acccfs by faith into this grace wherein ive ft and. When the
foul was furrounded with nothing but the black thoughts of de-
fpair and ruin, faith lands the foulinafafe harbour : Therefore
he that hath believed, is faid to have entred into his reft, Heb. iv.

(2.) 'Tis by faith that the union is made up between Chrift
and us. Indeed, there is a radical union that we have with Chrift
before faith ; for he takes hold of us firft by his Spirit, before
we take hold of him by faith : But yet the union is made up on
our part by faith, 'tis that which ties the marriage -knot. 'Tis not
love, but confent, that makes marriage between man and wo-
man : So here, 'tis the foul's coming off from the law, and all 0-
ther husbands ; its coming off from its own righteoufnefs, and
fubm.itting unto Chrift, as a faviour, a husband, and a furety ; this
is it that makes up the union, and this is done by faith. There
are two things that marry Chrift and the foul together, as is plain
from Hofea2. 19. The firft is on God's part ; he fays to us in the
covenant, and by his Spirit, Iimllbetrothetheeiintomeinfaithful-
ncfsj and in loving- kindnefs : There, I fav, is God's part. But
whatisitonoLir partthat makes the marriage ? it follows. And
thouftalt know the Lord, that is, thou flialt believe in him ,• for this
is the way that faith is very commonly exprefled by in the Old
Teftament, viz. by the knowledge of the Lord. 'Tis faith that
brings Chrift unto the heart, and reveals him to the foul in all
his glory and excellency.

(q.) As union, fo our communion with Chrift is by faith.

^^^ ' X 2 There

p

224 l^he Believer's. Journey

There are two things requifite in order to our having fellowfhip
with another ; thefirftisjtomakethe perfon real and prefent ;
and the fecond is, to have a familiar accefs with boldnefs unto
him : Now, 'tis faith that doth both thefe. ift, 'Tis faith that
makes God in Chrift prefent unto the foul for it fees him that is in-
vifible : Yea, it brings Chrill, and God in him, down from hea-
ven unto the heart ,• hence Chrifb is faid to d-ivell in our hearts by
faith. 'Tis not love that can make another perfon prefent ; ic
may indeed fet the fancy a- work to frame the pi6lure and image
of the perfon beloved, butit is only faith that can view God in
•Chrill as prefent in and with the foul. And then, 2r//y, 'Tis faith
that gives us familiarity and boldnefs of accefs unto the Lord,
Eph. 3. 12. In whom we have boldnefs and accefs with confidence by
the faith of him. And 2 Cor. 3.9. Beholding him with open face, we
come to him ; with open face, that is, with confidence and bold-
nefp. Pfal. 34.5. They looked unto hi?n^ and were lightned ; and what
follows ? their faces were not afhamed ; that is, when they view-
ed Chrifl by faith, they had boldnefsofaccels unto God in him.
The communion that we have withChrifl: is frequently compared
unto eating and drinking, John 6. becaufe 'tis faith alone that
■fetches nourilhment from Chrill:, and makes a perfon to find a
fweetnefs that is in him, and draws vertue from him : And thus
it has the mod clofe and intimate union & communion with him,
infomuch that he is one with the foul, and the foul one with him.

(4.) , As faith brings us into union and communion with Chrift,
fo faith brings the Spirit of God down into the heart. I own in-
deed, that, in the work of regeneration and converfion, he is like
the rain, that waits not for the.fons of men ; he comes unfent for,
orunfoughtfor ,• he is found of them thatfeek him not. Faith has
no inftrumentality, there ; faith itfelf is a part of the new crea-
ture, that is formed by the hand of the Spirit. But, I fay, faith
brings the Spirit into the heart, as a Spirit -of fandlification, and
confolation, Eph i. 12, 13. In whomaffo, after that ye believed, ye
worcfcalcdwith the Holy Spirit of proniifc. Gal. 3. 14. we are faid
toreceivethe promife of the holy Spirit thro' faith. All the fulnefs
of the Spirit dwells in Chrift, for the ufe of hismydicalbody ;
now 'tis by faith that this fulnefs is received, even grace for grace.

(5.) I might tell you further. That our Handing in a ftate of
grace is by faith. As we have accefs or entrance into a ftate of
grace, fo \vc have ftauding in that ftate by faith, i^o/;2. 9. 2. i Cor.
I . lift. By faith weflaud. 1 Pet. 2. 4. we are faid to be kept by the
power of Cod, through faith unto falvation. . There you fee, that faith
2sjoinedincom.mii!ionwith the power of God, to keep the be-
liever.

to the Heavenly Canaan. 325

liever. Dotluhe power of God keep you ? fo doth faich. God
is not lliy of afcribing that to faith, which is pecuHar only to hini-
felf ; becaufe faith afcribes all to the power of God, and gives
him the honour of every thing that it doth. Hence we are faid to
hQ kept by the poivcr of God thro' faith iintofilvation. When other
graces, luch as love, repentance, Sc. do fag and fail, and have as
it were their heels tript up, faith will ftand its ground. Hence,
Eph. 6. 1 6. there is a particular mark of difi:in6tion put upon faith
beyond all the other pieces of armour, /^Z'O'y^ all, take the flfield cf
faith. When a man's head-piece is cracked, his fword, his bread-
plate, and other armour is taken from him, yet his fliield will do
him good fervice ; he will lie under it, and thereby defend himfelf
againft all the ftrokes and blows that are levelled at him : Let the
devil, corruption and hell, rage and roar as they will, yet faith will
keep its gripe, and maintain its ground: Let Satan caft his fiery
darts faith quenches them,£p/;.6.i6. Let indwelling fin roar and
rage, faith will fay. Let it rage, yet it iliall never reign ; for God
has faid, that fin fliall not have dominion : Yea, let God himfelf
carry as an enemy,and fet himfelf in battle-array againft the foul ;
yet even then faith will look in his face, and fay. Though thou
jhoiildfl even kill ine, yet willltriift in thee, Jobi 3. 15. When other
graces are fainting, and crying. We know not what to do ; faith
will fay, Mine eyes are towards thee, I will look to the Lord, I-willwait;
for the God efmyfahation, my God will hear me ; iho" I fit in darknefs,
ihe Lord will be a light unto me &.€. When other graces, like poor
faint-hearted things, ftand as it were trembling, and crying.
Who fliall deliver us ? Faith will lift up the head, and cry. Thanks
be unto God, that giijeth me the victory through Jefis Chrijl our Lord.

(6.) 'Tisfaith that fetches in ^ca^:^? and ^^^zVf to the foul in the
midllof trotible, whether from without, or from within. When
nothing but llorms from heaven, earth and hell, are blowing on
the foul, faith will cafl: out its anchor of hope, and keep the foul
fteadyandquiet, faying with D^'zj/V/Pfal. 42. 12. Why art thou cafi
down, 0 my foal? Why art thou difquieted within me '? Hope in God,
for I/hall yetpraife him. To [he lame purpofe is that famous text,
Jfaiah 26.3. 7 'hou wilt keep him in pcifed; peace, whofe mind is flayed
on thee, becaufe he trujieth in thee. And how is the mind ftayed on
the Lord bui b\ faith '? Oh, fiys faith, let me h:ive what tribula-
tion 1 will in the world, yet in Chrift I Ihall have peace ; This man
iliall be my peace, when the Jfyrian comes into the land.

(7.) Faith not only brings peace, but joy into the foul, amidft
all ot.her difturbances from without. Hence we are faid to be filed
with joy, as well as peace, in believing. And 2 Pct.i.S- Whom hav-
ing not fcen^ we love j in whom, though now wejee bim not, yet belicv-

X -. ing

326 The Believer's Journey

ing, vje rejoice -zvlthjoy unfpeakable andfullof glory. The language
offaich is,Pfal.4.6. ac che beginning, God is our refuge and ftrength ;
and therefore, though the mountains jhouldbe remo-oed, yet there is a
river, the Jlr earns ivhereofdo make glad the city of God.

(8.) 'Tis by faith that we are recovered afier falls into fin.
Many a time the devil, the vv^orld, temptation and corruption, fo
far prevail againfl the believer, as to trip up his heel^ ;^ The righ-
teous man he falleth feven times a-day : Now, in fucfi a cafe,
what is it that recovers him ? 'Tis faith ; Though I fall, I foall
arije, faith fait!i,/w the Lord upholdeth me -v^ith his hand. Oil, Sirs,
if you let faith go, when ^ou fall inco fin, you cannot mils to fall
into the bottom ,* juftlikeaman climbing up a ladder, if his foot
flip, and he quit the gripe of his hand alfo, what can hinder him
from falling down to the ground '? When Chrifl forefaw that
Fcter would fin by denying him, what faid he ? Ihave prayed for
thee, that thy faith fail not ; as if he had faid, I plainly fee that thou
v/ilt deny me in the hour of temptation, but / have prayed that thy
faith may not fail, and that is the thing that will recover thee. Oh,
Sirs, when you fall into any fm, ftudy to renew the a6ls of faith on
the Lord Jefus Chrifl ; according to that advice of the Apoflle, i
John 2.1,2. If any manfin,ive have an advocate with the Father ; as
if he had faid. The only way for a fallen faint to recover himfelf,
is by faith to go to Chrift as the great advocate and propitiation.

(9.) I might tell you further, That faith is as it were the mo-
ther-grace, the radical grace, on which all the other gracesof the
Spirit do depend : If faith be lively, fo will all the other graces be;
if faith be languid and faint, fo will all the other graces be ; if faith
be fet a- work, it will work by Jove, that celefhial fire will burn, the
fountain of holy forro w will flow ; TheyPjall look on him whom they
have pierced, and mourn : The foot of obedience will be aftive to
run the way of God's commandments.

(10.) Faith carries the foul on high, above time and time's en-
joyments ; it mounts up with wings as eagles : It carries the foul to
iwouni Nebo and Pifgah, and gives the foul a view of the goodly
mountain, even Lebanon ; and then the believer is like the woman
clothed %mth the fun, having the moon under her feet.

To conclude, As 'tis by faith that you muft live, fo 'tis by faith
youmuftdie, and flioot the gulph comfortably. 'Tis faid of the
worthies, Ileb. 1 1 . Mthcfe died in faith. Faith, as it were, lays its
head in Chrift's bofom, and fays, with a holy confidence. Into thy
hand, O Lord, I commend my fpirit. Faith, leaning ontheftaffof
the divine promife, can fiy with David, Tea, though I walk through
the valley of the foadow of death, I will fear no evil , for thou art with
me^ thy rod andfloffilnW comfort mCy Pfal. 23.4. A

to the Heavenly Canaan. 32^

Afecondqueftion, that may be moved for clearing this exhor-
tation, is, What is It in Chrijl that faith lives and leans upon, in itspaf-
[age through the imhkrnefs^

Anf. Chrift is fuch a fuitable good, that there is no cafe the fou!
can get into in its wildernefs-condition, but faith will always find
fomething correfponding to its neceffity in him. Isthcfculiii
darknefs "? he is the fun of right eoufnefs, the bright and morning-Jlar :
Is the foul in danger? he is afliield, a hiding-place and refuge:
Is the foul in trouble ? he is a rejl to the -zveary, he is the fJjadoiv of a
great rock in a -weary land, he is bread to the hungry, drink to the thirfly
foul But, more particularly, there are thefe things following in
Chrift, that faith lives upon in the wildernefs, and which it finds
like marrow and fatnefs to the foul.

(i.) Faith lives and leans upon the name of Chrift; for his
name is ajlrong tower^to ixihich the righteous fee, and are fife : Hence
we are fo frequently exhorted to trujl in the name of the Lord. O he
has a great name, and pleafant name, a name above every name, and
at his name every knee jhallhow. Whenever a believer engages
with work, he is to do it in the name of the Lord ; Whatever ye
do, in -voord or in deed,{kys the Apofl le, do it all in the name of the Lord,
to the glory of God by him. And whenever we go a warfare againft
fin, Satan or the world, we are to do it in his name ; otherwife we
can never profper. This was the way of the church ; We -vydlbe
joyful in thyfalvation, andin the name of our God we ixillfet up our ban-
ner. Whenever we go to God in prayer, we are to prefent our
perfons and petitions in the name o^ Chxi{\i',Whateveryeaskthc
Father inmyname, he mil do it. Oh, Sirs, the name of Chrift works
wonders, when 'tis managed in a way of believing. When the
difciplesorapoflles went forth and preached theGofpel among
the nations, they went forth in the name of Jesus ; and when they
wrought miracles, thevdidit in the name of Jesus Christ, AJts 2,-
In the name of Jefus Chrijl r//" Nazareth, arife and walk, fuid Peter
and John to the cripple man ; and prefently he arofe. God is
fo delighted with the name of Chrift, that for the fake of that
name he will do any thing to us or for us ; and therefore let us live
by faidi, and lean upon his name, as we com.c vp out of the wildernefs.

(2.) Faith lives upon the ilcfli of Chrift, thatir, upon the hu-
man nature asitftands perfonally united unto the divine ,• My
fejh is meat indeed. You know, Ifrael'm their travels through the '
wildernefs to C^?7<7^?7, which wasalhadow or type of our travels
through thisworld unto glory, they lived upon the manna that was'
rained from heaven upon the camp ; bur, O Sirs, that wa^ bur ai'
Ihadowofthe true bread of life, an incarnate God, that we pre- J
; . X 4 fent ■

^28 The Believer's Journey

fent ro yon in this Gofpel, John 6. 32. My Father giveth you the
truebrcachjohich is from heaven. And a^ain, fays Chriil in that fame
cl^aprer, Except ye eat thefe/Jj, and drink the blood of the Son of man,
ye have no life in you. This feems to be a hard faying to a bhnd car-
nal world, and they are ready to thinkorfay^ with thefe Je-vos,
Jolm 6. IIo'UJ can Chrift give us hisflefh to eat ? But whatever ye
may think ofit, the fJefli of Chrill^ or his human nature as it Hands
united to the divine in the perfon of theSon, when taken up by
Jaithin the light of the Word and Spirit, it is the fweetefl: meal
and banquette a believer in heaven or earth ; no meat or drink
]ike it to a poor perifliing foul : And a believer, in travelling thro'
the wildernefs, lie is always takinga look ofan incarnate Deity,
and thus he is enlightned, ftrengthned, quickned and comforted.
05vSirs, what think you of this food ? I amfure, ifever yetafted
ofit, you will be ready to fay, 'Tis like wines on the lees well refined,
and fat things full of marrouj.

(3,) Faith lives in the wildernefs,not only on theflelh of ChriO:,
or the myfteries of his incarnation, but upon the blood ofChrift;
by which I underftand his fatisfaftion, which is frequently in
Scnpiureexpven'Qd by his blood: Beholdthe blood of the covenant, thcLt
is, thefatisfaiStionordeath of Chrift, thatwhereby thecovenant
is confirmed. This is c/n;;('/Wff^ to the believer, in paffing thro'
the wildernefs. Let the believer get a draught of this red wine
ofthebloodoftheflainLambofGod, heisable togo forth like a
giant, or a flrong man, to encounter all the powers of hell. Rev.
12. 'tisfaid ofthefaintsintheirwarswith the devil, that they 0-
ver came him by the blood of theLamb,that is,by faith's improve-
ment of the death and fatisfaftion of Chrift. Let faith be but fet
a-work upon the death and blood of Chrift, it can look God him-
felfin the face with an undaunted boldnefs, without fear of dan-
ger, or without fear of being rejefted ; Having, brethren, boldnefs
to enter into the holieft by the blood ofjefus, let us draw near, &c. Let
faith a6l on the blood of Chrift, it can go to God in prayer, and ask
nny thing that lies within the compafs of the whole Teftament of
Chrift; for, whatever is in the Teftament, is the purchafeof this
blood. O, will faith fay, give mQ peace, giveme pardon, give me
light, life,ftrength, grace or glory, give me the Spirit ; for here is
the blood ofthe Lamb that bought it. Let faith be afted on this
blood, and the man dare, with courage, comfort and joy, look
death, eternity and a tribunal in the face. Why? Becaufe faith
fees thecurfe ofthe law abon(lied,death unfting'd,the grave van-
quifli'd, and a tribunal fprinkled by the blood ofjefus; the gates
of glory are opened to receive the foul that is fprinkled bv the
hyifop of faith dipt in the blood of the Lamb. ' (4.)

ro r/;^ Heavenly Canaan. 329

(4.) Faith lives in the wildernefs upon ihe life of Cbrifl ; Be-
caiij'e I live, ycftujllHvealfo. Hive, fays Paul, yC: not I, but Chr'tjl liv-
cthinmc; and then follows. The life I llvcis by faith en the Son cf
Gjd. 1 auh's vvayisLofollowChrillfrom his birth, to his crofs,
irom his crofs to liis grave, and from his grave to his life again;
and then it cricsin away wf triumph, lie ivbo 'ims deadis noivi alive,
and lives for evermore : / know that my redeemer liveth ; and he lives
as my head, my reprefentative, my htisband, my advocate, my
king, nr, prieft, n\\j prophet, and my all and in all. O, Sirs, the
refiirre6lionofChrifl unto life, never todieany more, isa fwect
and plcafunt banquet in the wildernefs, by which we are begotten
a^'imunto a lively hope of the inheritance that is incorruptible and
undefiled.

(^^.) i'^aich lives upon the advocacy and interceffion of Chrifl: ;
Jf anyman fin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jefus Cbrifl the
righteous, who makes intcrcc^ion for the travjgrejjors. And O how
fweetly doth the ioul feeci here by faith I O, will the foul fay, I
may be condemned by the world, or by the law,or by confcience ;
yet 1 know that I fhall carry the day in the court of heaven, be-
caufe my advocate is the Lamb in the midft of the throne : He never
lofl a caufe, he has the Father's Ear ; he has fuch an intereft and
moyen in neaven, that all power in heaven is his, and his will is a
law in the higher court. Father, I will that thofe whom thou haji
given me may be with me, &.c.

(6.) Faith lives upon the word of Chriflj, as it comes up from the
wildernefs. Chrift has paft his word in his Tellament, and he has
fealed it with his blood, and he lives as the executor of his
leftament ; and I know, will faith be ready to fay, that
the Spirit of Chrift will take all that is in his Teftament,
and fliew it unto me, and fliew it fo as to make all the Tefta-
ment and latter-will effe61ual : And therefore in his word do I
hope ,• his promife is not yea and nay, but 'tis always yea and amen
in him". O, when faith gets the word of promife, the confirmed
Teftament of Chrift in its hand, how will it go to God, and crave
the fulfilling of the latter-will of his own Son, faying, with David^
Remember the word on which thou haft cat fed me to hope ?

(7.) Faith lives and leans on the righteoufnefs of Chrifl: ,• par-
ticularly in the matter of juflification and acceptance : Itcaftsa-
ivay all the works of the law like dung and lofs, faying, Surely in
the Lord have I righteoufnefs and (Irength.

(8.) Faith leans on the fulnefs of Chrift, and fays. Out ofhisful-
Kcfs do all we receive, and grace for grace : My wants are great, Fni
iull made up of wants ^ but O what wants will not the all-fulriefs

330 'I'he Believer's Journey

of die Godhead dwelling in Chrift fupply ? for he fills all in all.
What is my poor empty vefiel unto that ocean that is in him?
I'll go with confidence/or that fulnefs is in him for my Life ; for he
received gifts for men, even J or the rebellious.

(9.) Faith lives on the offices of Chrift, his .general offices as
mediator and redeemer, and his partictilar offices as prophet,
prieft and king. O, will faith fay, no man taketh an office upon
him,butwithadefign to execute the duties of his office. Will
any man pretend to be a nmgijfratef a minifter, an advocate or judge,
and yet live in the negle^, or refufe to difcharge the duties of fuch
an office ? The world would look on him as very unfaithful :
And Ihall we imagine fuch a thing of Chrift, who is faithful in all
his houfe ? O, will faith fay, he is a Mediator and Peaee-maker,
and therefore I trull that he will make my peace with the offend-
ed Majefty of heaven ; he is a Saviour and Redeemer, and there-
fore I truft he will deliver me from the hands of all mine enemies ;
he will fave from fin, becaufe it is his office to finifli tranfgreffion,
and make an end of it : Hq is z prophet, and therefore I'll truft that
he will teach me the good and perfe6l will ofGod,open the fecrets
ofhis covenant, the myfi:eries of his kingdom unto me : He is a
prie/K^nd the great High-priefl: of our profeffion now under the
New Tefi:ament ; and therefore he wi'l, by the great facrifice of
atonement, purge away my fins, and make my perfon and duties
acceptable unto God ; He is a King, and therefore he will fubdue
my corruptions, and fanftify me throughout, in fonl, body and
fpirit ; He is a fiicpherd,and therefore I truft he will feed me, and
lead me in his paflures, and I fliall not want ; He is a phyfician, his
name is Jehovah-Rophi ; and therefore I truft he will heal all my
difeafes, he will open my blind eyes, he will cure the obftinacy of
my will, the hardnefs of my heart, the carnality of my affeftions :
l\<t\si\^t captainoi\\\Wmox\,\vho leads many fons into glory ; and
therefore 1 truft he will fight all my battles, and m.ake me a con-
queror, 6^c. Thus, I fiy, faith comes up from the wildernefs,
leaning on the offices of Chrift, general and particular. I fliall
only add,

(10.) That faith comes upfront the 'coildcrnefs', leaning upon thd
divme attributes as they are manifefied and difplayedin Chrifi:.
God, abfolutely confidered, is the finner's terror ; and every at-'
tribute of Godj taken up abfolutely, or in a law- view;- breathes
nothing but wrath and ruin to the whole tribe ofj-lam in their fal-
len ftate : ButGod manifeftinghimfelfin theflefi-i,orin the na-
ture of ma.n, through his death and fa. isfaftion, every attribute of
die divine nature prefents itfclf • as with a pjeafanc fmile, in viting.

fiiiuers

to the Heavenly Canaan. 331

fmners to come up to him as an object of trufb ,• and accordingly
faith leans upon thefe attributes of God, as the foul comes up from
the 'uoihiernefs. I iliall only inftance in thefc few ;

1. Arc thou furrounded with troubles on every hand, art thou
called to engage wich work thou art not able to manage ? Well,
hereis the arm of omnipotence ftretched our, 10 fir ength en, he'p
and upbohl, Ifaiah 41. 10. And accordingly faith leans on the pow-
er of Ciod, according to that command, Ifaiah 26. 3. Triijl in the
Lord for ever : For in the Lord Jehovah is everlajtingjlrength. Paul
Icuiedonthc power of God, when he cried, / can do all things
thro" Chriftjlrengtheningme. So did the three Children ; Our God,
ix'hom zve trujl, is able to deliver us. So did Abraham ; he was per-
fuaded thathewho had promifed, was able alfo to perform, SV.

2. Art thou at any time brought to thy witts-end, that thou
knoweftnot whatto do? Well, in that cafe, faith leans on the
infinite wifdom or omnifcienceofaGod in Chrift, 2 Chron. 20. 11.
Neither knoiv 'we what to do, but our eyes are toivard thee. The Lord
hio-ws how to deliver the righteous. When the poor foul has been
trying and fearchingitfelf, and, alas ! is afraid it be deceived by
a treacherous heart ; in this cafe, faith will have recourfe unto the
omnifcience of a God in Chrift, and fay, Search me, O God, and try
me, and fee if there be any wicked way in me, ^c. When the poor
foul is afraid of the fecret plots of Satan, or of his confederates ;
in this cafe, faith leans upon anomnifcient God in Chrift, who
difcovers deep things out of darknefs, and brings to light the flia-
dow of death.

3. Is the believer in the wildernefs deferted by friends, orfe-
parated from them by banifliment, imprifonment, or the like,
faying with the church, Pfal. 102.6, 7. lam like a pelican in the wil-
dernefs, like an owlinthe dcfert ; 1 watch, and am like a f parr ozv alone-
upon the hovfe-top"? In this cafe, faith leans upon the immenlity
of a God in Chrift, and is ready to fiy, Though 1 be alone and for-
fakenby all creatures, yet I cannot be parted or feparated from
my God ; for a whole God, Father, Son and Iloly Ghoft, is every
where prefent: Do not I the Lord fill heaven and earth? and, ]\ly
way is not hid from the Lord, and my judgment is not paftcd over
from my God : And, My fellowfliip and converfe fliall be with
him, when I cannot have fellowfliip with my friends and familiars
who arc removed far from me.

4. 0 but, may the believer fay, I'm a vile polluted creature^
defiled in heart, lip and life ; and therefore the holinefs of God is a
terror tome, ^hat I dare notfo much as look towards the place
where his honour dwells ; he is of purer eyes than thai he can behold

iniciuity.

332 The Believer's Journey

iniquity. AnJ. The very liolinefsofaGod inChrifl:, which thou
makeit life otto difcourage thy faith, is glorious matter offupport
and encouragement : For faith's way of arguing from God's holi-
nefs is this ; God is infinitely pure and holy, and therefore he will
fan6lify and purify me from iniquity ; he hates fin, and puniflies
jr, therefore he will defiiroy my luft : For 'tis not my perfon, but
my fins and lulls, that are the objefts of his hatred. If the rod
come, why not ? For thereby he will make me a partaker of his
iiolinefs, and purge away my iniquity. 'Tis mine iniquity, and not
me, that he willijifit with the rod, and my tranfgrejjlon ivith firipes ;
'tis not me, but my fins, that he defigns to dellroy. But,

5. Say you, Can faith lean upon thejufl:ice of God ? Jnf. Yes,
it can : For, though this attribute be a rock of offence, to grind
the wicked into powder ,• yet'tisarock of fweet repofeandreft
to the believer. O, will faith fay. Lord, I have indeed finned,
and deferved thy wrath ; and, if thou mark iniquity, I cannot ftand :
But here is my relief, my furety has done and fuffered all that the
law required ; He was wounded for our tranjgreffions, bruifedfor our
iniquities, &c. and 'tis inconfiftent withjuftice to punifli the fame
tranfgreHion twice : Hence faith concludes, with Paul, There is
therefore now no condemnation ; JVho can lay any thing to the charge of
God's eletl; ? &c.

6. Faith fweetly leans upon thegoodnefs, mercy and love of
God in Chrift. O, will faith fay. Has God been fo good, and gra-
cious, and merciful, as to fend his only-begotten Son, ^c. has he
given him unto the death to be a curfe, and to be made fin for me;
and will he not do every other thing ? He thatfpared not his own
Son, but gave him unto death for us all, how will he not with him free-
ly give us all things 1 O how excellent is this his loving- kindnefs !
therefore the fonsof men /hall put their truji under the/hadoiv of thy
wings.

7. Faith leans on the truth and faithfulnefs of God in Chrifl:.
Oh, (^c\ysh'nh,faitbfulnefs is the girdle of his loins ; he is fo true to
his word, that heaven and earth OmII pafs away before one jot of his
word fall to the ground ; and therefore I'll lean and reft myfelf here
with aflurcd confidence ; and though he may defer the accom.-
plilliment of his word, yet Fll believe, and wait, and -voill not make
hafte ; the vifion is for an appointed time: Tho' it tarry, I'll wait for
it ; for at the end ic fliall fpeak, and it will not tarry. Thus, I fay,
faith goes up from the wiidernefs leaning on the divine attribute?,
as they are manifefted in Chrifl : And thus I have minted to lliew
what is the objeftof the life of faith, or what it is inChrift that
fiiith leans upon, as it iomes upfront the wiidernefs.

Quefl:

to the Heavenly Canaan. 333

QLiefl. IVhat is the difference between the life of faith, and the life
of faith orfenfe ? The words of the Apoftlc, 2 Cor. 5. give ground
lor this enquiry, when he informs us, that while in the body, 'voe
lyjcilk by faith, and not by fight ; and becaufe the life he lived in thefeP?
'UjasaHfef faith upon the fon of Cod: By which he plainly inti-
mates, that a life of faith is calculated for an embodied flate, and
that a life of fight and fenfe is not fuited unto our prefent conditi-
on here in the wildernefs. There are thefe few things I offer to
clear ihe difference.

jjt, Senfe regards only what a man hath in hand, or prefently
enjoys ; but fauh looks to what a man hath in Chrifi:, and in the
well-ordered covenant. Senfe is like a child, that is better pleaf-
ed witha penny, or any little trifle the parent gives ir, than if
he were giving it a charter to the whole efhare ; but faith, altho'
it Will not defpife any thing that comes from the hand of the fa-
ther, yet 'tis particularly taken up with the charter of the promife
orcovenant, and the eftate lying in the hand of tiie great cove-
nan [-head Chriil Jefus ; it views the promife as 'ris Tea and j^men
inChrifl ; it views the covenant as confirmed by his death and
blood, and fays, with David, This is all my fahation, that he
hath made with me, in my new-covenant head, an everlafting
covenant, well-ordered in all things, and fire.

2dly, Senfe is ready to judge of the love of God by the afpecl of
providence, or his prefent carriage; and, whenever he feems to
frown or hide, it rafes all to the foundation, crying, The Lord bat b
forgotten to be gracious ; butfaithreadstheloveof God in the face
of Chrift Jefus,in the acceptance that the furety has met with,
and in ihe declarations, offers, fromifcs of the word : In his word
■ivi II I hope, fays hith ; Remember the word on which thou hajl ca^fcd
thy fcrvant to hope. Hence it follows,

'^dly, Senfe and fight is a variable and fluctuating thing ; hut
faith is fleady and fixed, like Abraham, who in hope believed againjl
. hope, and ft agger ed not at the promife through unbelief While the
believer lives by fenfe, and enjoys the Lord in a fenfible manner,
he is ready then to fiiy , My mountain fauds firm, Ijl.mlhiever be re-
moved; but anon the Lord hides his face, and the man is troubled:
Eut faith keeps up a perfuafion of his hn-e, even when he is
withdrawn, faying. Though I walk in darhiefs, Til trujl in the
name of the Lord, and fay myfelf upon my God.

'■'^.thly, Sight and fenfe look only to things prefent ; but faith,,
like a prophet, looks at things to come, things that are at adiflance.
Abraham, the father of the f^'nhM.fazvthe day of Chrift afar off^ ;
faith is the evidence (f things not fen, and the fubfance of things
hoped for. When under darkncfs of affli6lion, defercion, tempt au-

334 The Believer's Journey

on, it will fay, Tho' Ifit in darknefs, the Lord mil be a light to me ; he

will bring me forth to the light, and I fliall behold his righteoiifnefs.

Sthly, "Senfe and fight are fuperficial and over-lie in their views
of things, and eafily deceived with appearances ; but faith is a por-
ing and diving grace, it goes deep into things. Faith will per"
ceive poifon in a cup of gold, it will fee lions dens and leopards in
Lebanon, among trees and woods of aromatick fcent ; and there-
fore will turn away from them as dangerous, while fenfe is eafily
encouraged thereby : And, on the other hand, it will fee a para-
dife of communion with the Lord in a wildernefs,where fenfe can
perceive nothing but pricking briars and thorns, 2 Cor. 4. 10.
Our light affli&ions that are but for a moment, ivork for us a far more
exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

6th!y, They differ in their confort and order. Faith is the lead-
er, and fenfe the follower : Faith is the duty, and fenfe the privi-
ledgeconne6led with it, Eph. 1. 12, 13. Jfter that ye believed, ye
-were fealed with the Holy Spirit ofpromife. Joh. 7. Said I not unto
thee J if thou ivouldji believe, thou jhouldfi fee the glory of God ? Faith is
the work, and fenfe is the encouragement. This is God's order,
which the legal heart would always invert : We would be at the
encouragement of faith, before we fet about the duty of believ-
ing ; like Thomas, John 20. Except Ithruft my hand into his fide, 1
mil not believe. But let us remember what Chrift fays to him,
Bkffed are they who have not feen, and yet have believed.

ythly, Senfe is hafty and precipitant in its judgment; but faith
is patient, and waits till it fee the end. Senfe draws rajh and hajly
conclufions when difficulties cafl up ; Ifaid in my hafle, all men are
liars ; Ifaid I am cafl out of thy fight : But faith waits till the other fide
of the cloud cafts up ; The Lord is a God of judgment, fays faith, and
blejjed are all they that wait for him. The vifion is for an appointed time;
tho' it tarry, wait for it : For at the end it willfpeak, and will not tarry :
Hence, he that bdieveth,pMllnot make hafte. The Old-Teflament
faints waited about four thoufand years for the coming of the pro-
mifed feed of the woman ; and, when they died, they died with
thepromife in their arms, waiting for the accomplifliment, be-
lieving that he would come, and would not tarry beyond the ful-
nefs of time : Heb. 7.3. All thefe died in faith, not having received
thepromifes, butfaw them afar off, and were perfuaded of them, and
embraced them.

?>thly, A life of Tenfe is dangerous, hut a life of faith is /^rf and
fafe. The danger offenfe appears from the advantage that Satan
took to ruin Jdam and all his poflerity : Had our firfl: parents lived
in theileady faith of God's promife and threatning in the cove-
nant

to the Heavenly Canaan. 335

nant of works, they had never eaten of the forbidden tree ; but
they walked by fight and fenfe. The fruit was beautiful to the
eye, and pleafant to the tafte ; this made them the more eafily to
liflen to the hiffes of the old ferpenr, faying, If ye eat, ye/Jjall be a^
gods ^knowing good ^ evil J and thus heprevail'd.We fee,that when
jP(3z</ was filled withfenfible manifeflations, being imaptup to the
third heavens f he was in danger of being lifted up with pride : But
now, I fay, the life of faith is fafe and fure ; and the rcafon is, be-
caufe it will neither believe angels nor men, if what they fay does
not agree wich what God fays in his word. It views things as
they are laid in the revelation, and forms a judgment and eftimate
of things according toGod's verdi6lof them ; To the law and to
the tejlimony, fays faith, if they /peak not according to God's oracles, it
is becaufe there is no truth in them. Hence faith has the moon un-
der its feet ; this is the vidtory whereby ive overcome the world, even
our faith. Faith, by going this way to work, makes the foul like
mount Zion, which cannot be removed for ever. Believe in the Lord your
God,fo]hallye be eftabli/Jjed, fays the prophet unto trembling Ifrael.

^tbly, Senfe has its only foundation and confidence luzY/jm ; ic
trades in the fiiallow waters of created grace,experimental attain-
ments, marks of grace, and the like , But faith has its foundation
without the man, inChrift, in God's covenant, in the great and
precious promifes. While the mariner ftays in the fliallow wa-
ters, he is in continual fear of rocks and fand-banks ; but, when
he has launched out in the deep water, he is fafe. Faith trades
in the deep waters of the fulnefs of the Godhead that dwells bodi-
ly irfChnHymadeofCoduntous wifdom,righteoufnefs, fanctification
and redemption', and fo it gets above doubts and racking fears of
lliipwreck. But it is (I fay) otherwife with fenfe ; ic deals witli
created grace, manifeflations, experiences, and attainments.
And thus I have cleared in fome meafure the difference between
faith and fenfe. I go on now to the

Second thing Ipropofed upon this exhortation, which was to
prefs a life of faith upon believers by fome motives or arguments ;
and I Ihall only infifh a little upon two.

( I.) Then,confider, that the life offaith is adapted and fuited
unto a wildernefs-lot. And this will be evident, if weconfider,
(i.) 'Fhat thewildernefs is a folitary place, where there is little
communion or converfe about the things of God ; It is too fre-
quent with the believer, that he cannot get a friend tov/hom he
can open his mind in the world. Well, faith is adapted for fuch
a cafe as this,- for by faith believers fee and converfe with an in-
,vifibleGod, infomuch they are able to fay, Veiil-y our fellowpoip is

"with

33^ The Believer's Journey

ijiith thij^atber, and with his f on J ejus Chrijl. God has a way of
fpeaking wIlIi che believer, and the believer has a way of talking
andconverfing with God through Chrifl: by faith, eveninawil-
dernefs, a folitary land ; My beloved fpake^ and /aid unto me, Arife, my
love, 7ny fair one and come away. And what is faith, but jullthe
ecchoof the foul, when it anfwers fuch words of grace, faying,
^peaky Lord, for thyfervant heareth ; Behold, I come unto thee, for thou
art the Lord my God ? (2.)The wildernefs is a milly and foggy land,
where the traveller is in danger of lofing his way ,* he vjalks in dark-
nefsf and can fee no light. Clouds of defer tion, clouds of fin, clouds
of error, call up; fo that the poor believer, in his way to glory,
knows not what courfe to take. Well, faith is adapted to fuch a
lot and condition as this ; for 'tis the evidence of things notfeen, and
the fiibjlance of things hoped for : It can look though the mifts and
clouds that call up in its way, and run its race, looking unto Jefus as
its leader and commander : And when fome are faying, Lo,
Chrifl is here ; or, lo, he is there ', faith can diftinguilli between
the voice of the true fliepherd, and the voice of aftranger, and
the voice of a firanger it will not follow. ( 3. ) The wildernefs is
a place of want," 'tis a dry, barren, and thirfly land, where there
is nothing for the fuppor&of the foul. Well, faith is adapted to
fuch a cafe as this alio; for, Hke the virtuous woman in the Pro-
verbsy it fetches its food from the land of glory, Emanuer sldiUd.
It has meat to eat that the world cannot afford, and which the
world knows nothing of. Tho' Chrifl as to his human nature be
in heaven, yet faith has a way of eating hisfiefli, and of drinking
his blood, %^hich is meat indeed, and drink indeed. Faith can bring
manna out of the clouds, and water out of the flinty rock; the
hand uf faith will pluck the fruit of the tree of life which grows in
the midfl: of the paradife of God, and finds its fruit fweet unto the
foul's tafle. Many a fweet and heartfom banquet and enjoy-
ment has faith, when the world are feeding on husks. Oh, fays
Jeremiah, Thy word was found by me, and I did eat it, and it was to me
, the joy and the rejoicing of my heart. ( 4. ) The wildernefs is a place
of danger ; thieves and robbers, lions and leopards, frequent the
wildernefs. Well, faith is of fingular ufein this condition alfo :
When the enemy's fiery darts are cafl at the believer, /^;V/5?/j- a
/7j/>/i wherewith he beats them back, and turns them off without
any hurt; and when the poor foul is like to be overpowered by
the might or multitude of its enemies, faith has a way of bringing
in theaidofheavenforitshelp, as Jt'^o/Z^^p/j^f did: We know not
what to do, but our eyes are tozmrds thee. Faith has a way of weilding
the arm of omnipotence in a time of danger ; and then it cries,

Through

to the Heavenly Canaan.

o

37

■ Through thee ive [l.iaUdo valiantly, and break down our enemies'^ ot<?
ivillbe joyfulin thyfalvatiou, and in the name of the Lord'u:e •ivillfet up
our banner. And, when 'tis proper to make a retreat, faith turns

■ into ksjhcng hold, which is the name rfthe Lord. (5 . ) Th e wilder-
nefsisan unfettledplace, whereaperfon undergoes a variety of
difpenfations, turnings and ^vindings in their lot. Well, faith is^
of particular ufe to the believer in this cafe, in regard that, like an
anchor fure andJIed/LiJl, it enters zvithin the vail, and keeps the foul
fteadyand firm under all vicilTitudes and temptations : Hence
Paul, [ha'ue learned in eve) y ft ate 'ivherein I am therewith to be content;
I know how to be abafed, and how to abound ; I'm infirutled how to be:

full, and how to be hungry : how to abound, and tofujfer need. Faith,
keeps the foul fledfall and unmoveable, always abounding in the
work of the Lord,knowing that its labour flxillnot be in vain in the Lord.
(6.) A wilderncfs is a place of manifold thorns and trials ; in the
'world ye fl-tall have tribulation. Now, faith is of fingular ufe here
alfo ; for it fees and confiders, that this is the lot that God
has ordered,- that he will bring good out of all afflictions; that^
'they are but light, and for a moment, and not worthy to be compared -with
the glory that is to be revealed : And with the views of this future glo-
ry it balances all the aitliftions of aprefehtlife. Thus you fee that:
a life of faith is adapted and fuitcd unto a wildernefs-lot ,* and
therefore let us take the example of the fpoufe here, Come upfront
the wildcrnefsy leaning on her beloved, living by faith upon him.

Motive 2d, To encourage and engage you to a leaning on Chrill
by faith as you come up from the wildernefs ; confider, believer,
that he is thy husband and bridegroom : There is a marriage-
relation between thee and him, and Ihould not this encourage
you to live and lean upon him ? h is under this confideration that
the fpoufe here takes hirn up .; (lie comes up from the wildernefs
leaning on her beloved. And, to encourage faith in him under this
relation^ will you only confidcr tlie particulars following, jjl,
Confidcr, that hctookthec for his bride and fpoufe when thou
•wafb in a wretched aud miferablc plight, blind, poor and naked, hav-
ing the hue of hell upon thee, Ezek. 16. J-Vhen [paffedby thee, and
fawthce in thy blood, I faid unto thee. Live', and thy time was a time
of love, ike. /Vhen thou wqjt lying among the pots, he loved thee ; and
he loved thee fo dearly, as that he bought thee off from the hand
of jullice wi[h the price of his precious blood. lie loved me, andhe
gave himfeffor me, fiys Paul. And,!h()uld not this encourage thee
to live and lean on himin thyj(Hirney thro' the wildernefs? idly,
3 le gave thee thy marriage-clothes. When thou hadil not a rag to
cover chee, he clothed thee with white raiment, that ihc/bime /?/ thy

y fiakednefs

558 The Believer's JottrNey

nakednefs might not appear : Hence is that fong of the church, Ifa.
51.10. I wi /I greatly rejoice in the Lord, my foul fjjall be joyful in my
God,&c. and Ezek. 16. 7, 10, 12, 13. Now fliould not the confi-
deration of this kindnefs encourage thee to lean on him as thy be-
.ioved ? "^dly, Confider, that in the marriage-contraft of the new
covenant, he has made over himfelf, and all that he is, and all that
he has, unto thee : All things are yours, for ye are Cbifi's, and Chrift
is God's. There he fays. Thy maker is thy husband ; I will betroth'
thee unto me for ever, infaithfulnefs, &c. 4thly, Confider the clofe-
nefs and intimacy of the union between him and thee, and let tjiis
encourage thee to lean and live on him by faith. 'Tis far more
intimate and dear than the union between husband and wife a-
inongmen ; for they indeed are one flefh,. but he is one body and
me fpirit with his fpoufe ; he is in them, and they are in hi?n : And^
by vertue of this intimate union, thou haft a title to him and his
whole purchafe. As the wife, when married to a man of a libe-
ral eftate, may look to his lands and lodgings, and fay, this houfe
is mine, and this land is mine, and fuch and fuch things are mine,
for they aremy husband's, and /je'ij- mine, and I am his- ; fo may
the believer, by vertue of his marriage-union with the Son of God,,
when helooks to heaven, he may fay, that this is my habitation ;
when he looks to the earth, he may fay, this is my inn ; when
he looks to the angels, he may fay, thefe are my guards ; when he
looks round about him, he may fay, all things are mine, for they be-
long to my blefled husband, who is heir of all things, and I am heir
of God through him ; hisrighteoufnefsismineto juftify me, his.
grace is mine to fandify me, his fpirit is mine to comfort me, his
covenant is mine,for it was made with him, and with me, through
him, B'c. 5f/j/3/,Confider, That thy blelTed husband, believer, he
calls thee to lean upon him, he counfels & encourages thee to de-
pend on him as thou comeft out of the wildernefs : He fpeaks to
his fpoufe in a kindly v/ay, faying, Caft thy burden on the Lord, and
he mil fuf lain thee ; cafi all your cares upon him, for he carethfor you ;.
truflin him at alltimes, ye people, pour out you hearts before him &C,.
6thly. I'o encourage thy dependance on him in the wildernefs,.
confider his tender fympathy with thee under all thy ailments and
infirmities. Thou art as dear to him as the very apple of his eye,
^nd he has thee fet as a feal on his heart and his arm,]ind he is touched
mth the feeling of thy infirmities ; he gathers the lambs with his arms,
he carries them in his bofom, he gently leads them that are with young ;
and \\Qgiveth power unto the faint, and increafethjlrength to them that
have no might. Lafl;ly,if you do not lean on him, you will furely
tot, and fag; ^ad fee up ia thy jouraey through the wildernefs ;

to tie Heavenly Canaan. 3:^^

but, ifyou lean and reft on liim, thou Ihalc renew thy ftrength, and
mount up with mngs as eagles^ thou/Jjalt run and not weary y and walk,
and not faint, till thou come to Zion with Jongs. No w,let all thefe con-
fiderations encourage you to cw7zcz/py7W«r/;<? wildernefs leaning on
your beloved.

To fliut up this difcourfe, it may be asked, ^FZj^f^r/u/r^? do you
give us, in order to our living a life of faith, or our leaning on the beloved
as we come up from the wildernefs 1 lanfwer in general, that there
is a threefold obje6t that mull be kept in view, in order to our liv-
ing by faith ; and every aft of faving faith terminates upon all
the three in their proper order, (i .) There is the promife. (2.)
'I'hereisChrill; in thepromife. (3.) Upon Godin Chrifl. I'rue
faith can want none ofthem, and 'tis not aright faith that mifles
one of them. The promife is but a cypher, wichout Chrifl ,-and
Chrifl is no Chrift, without v^^e take God up in him. Faith cannoC
fix upon Chrifl without the promife, and it cannot fix upon God
but as he is in Chrifl. Take away the promife, and you take away
Chrift ,• and take away Chrill, and you take away God ,• for God is
no God to a finner, but as he is in Chrift. So then, o^neceffity thefe
three grandohje^ts of faith mud be taken in, & taken up, in order to
a life of faith : And therefore I fliall endeavour to Ihew how faith
is to a6t upon every one ofthem, by anfwering a threefold quefti-
on ; I. How faith is to aft upon the promife of the word, which,
is the next and immediate objeft of faith ? 2. How it is to be
a6lcd upon Chrift ? 3. How it is to aft upon a God in Chrift ?

(^uellion i. What cowfel or advice do you give us, in order to our
living by faith upon the promife, which is the next or mojt immediate
objeH of faith ?

lanfwer, in order to your living by faith upon the prom.ife, I
give you thefe {qw advices following.

In your reading of the fcriptures, collet the promifes, and gather
tbem, pick them up; for in all thefe do men live, and in all thefe
is the life of your ibuls. By the great and precious promifes we are
ijmde partakers of the divine nature, F^c.

Treafure th.em up in your minds, for they are the fewel of
faith ; and faith can as little aft without the promife, as fire can
burn without fewel ; And therefore let your minds be like the poc
in the ark, always full ofthe manna of the word. A promife hid
in the heart will do you fervice, when you have neither accefs to
read nor hear, S'c.

Bcfrequcntly meditating on them, and railing them like a f'JOeet
vwrfcl under your tongue. PFhile Iims mufing., the fire burned, fays
David. Faith, which works by love, is fee a- work by furious medi-

Y 2 ' tation.

340 The- Believe!i's JourNET

ration. Tliepromifes are the fweetefl: lines in Chrifl's love-let-
ters to his fpoufe : There is majefty in the command, feverity
iiithethreatning ; but love and mercy predominates in the pro-
mire, t^c.

Be frequently pleading the promife in prayer. The promiife
is God'vsbondj.and God's bond is to be purflied in the court of
j^race^ at the throne of grace ; fur the fe things mil I be enquired of ^^
[^c. This was Duvul's way ; Remember the word on which thou hojt
cavjcd me to bope^ Sc.

iitudy toknow and be pcrfuaded, that the promifeof Godisa
notable and excellent fecuriry : And this appears from thiscon-
fidcration ; "j'is theword of God who cannot lie^ l^c. 'Tis his
rcgiflratc \Yo\-dySc. 'Tis his fealed word, 8^c. lie has given cau-
tion that his word (liall be good, ^V. liegivesthe carnefl; of his
word, the holy fpirit of promife, ^c. 1 le has added his oath to ir,.
^c. I !e has auefled it by the three that bcarrccordin bcrrocn, Sc.

ladvifc you to take up the promife as delivered and indorfed
tmtoyou ; l^cyouisthewordofthisfahationfent ; the promife is tO'
ymandtoyoiirfeedj^c. IJcb.4. ^- -^^^ us fear, kfl a promife being
icft us, &c.

Take up the promife as the genuine thought and pichire of his.
Iieart, and that he really thinks as he fpeaks ; for unbelief is ready
10 fuggeft, that he fays one thing, and thinks another. Be aware,
of this, 'tis an imputation upon man to do fo, and the ufe of words,
isloftifmendonotthinkastheyfpeak : Far lefs are we to ima-
gine that there is any difingenuity in a Go^ c/"fn4^,- no, no, his
words correfpond to his mind, ^c.

Beperfuaded, that 'tis an eafy thing for God to fulfil his pro-
mife. There is no fuch diftance between God's faying and work-
ings, as we are ready to imagine, Pfal. 33. 9. He faid, and it was
done, &c. Unbeliefreprefents the promife as a thing difficult or
hard to be performed, but 'tis quite otherwife : Saying and
working is all one with God ,* he commands things that are not,,
as if they were.

In pleading the promife, beware of limiting the Holy One of
Jfrael. To clear this, take thefe two cautions, (i.) Beware of
being peremprory in expelling what is not abfolutely promif-
cd,i^c. (2.) Do not always expe6l a prefent accomplifliment
of the promife, Z'«/iy<:?/f ,• forthevijion is for an appointed time, ^c
He that believeth, does not make hafle, ^c.

When faith cannot get fixt upon the conditional promife, then
let it go to the abfolute, where the condition mentioned i% always
to be found, ^g^

to the Heavenly Canaan. 341

Take care, that in a6ling faith upon the promife, you always
remember the relation between Chrift and the promife ; for all
theproviifes\are in bun yea, andin bim amen. Many break their necks
upon the promife, by feparating between Chrifl and the promife ;
Chrifl is the alpha and omega of all the promifes.

<^uefl. fVhat is the relation betzveen Chrift and the promife ?

Jnf. (i.) Chrifl is to be confidered as the firft heir ot all the
promifes. Jda7n was the heir of the promife of life made in the
firfl: covenant while he continued in his obedience ; but he lofb
this heirfliip to himfelfand his whole tribe by the fall ; Chrift, as
the fecond Adam, fteps in, and fulfils the command of the firft co-
venant, and undergoes its penalty in our room ; and fo he be-
comes a new heir to the promife of eternal life, and of every thing
pertaining to it. Now, our title to the promife comes in through
him, through his obedience and death, his everlafling righteouf-
nefs ; fo that, in believing the promife, we mull: at the fame time
fubmit to his righteoufnefs.

(2.) Chrift is to be confidered as the great blefling contained in
all the promifes ; hence called, in a wayof eminency, f/;^ mercy
promifed to the fathers. What is the firft promife in paradife, buL
Chriit the feed of the woman ? What was the promife to ylbra-
ham, but Chrift, in ivhom all the nations of the earth were to be blejjcd ?
And when he is promifed, all is promifed ; for he is all in all.
There is not a promife in the bible, but has lefsormore of Chrift
in it. In a word, Chrift himfelf, as contained in the word of faith,
draws all the blelftngsofheaven and a long eternity after him.

(3.) Chrift is to be confidered as the glorious fountain and trea-
fury, in whom all the promifed bleflings are hid. He it is in whom
all the treafures of grace and glory are hid ,• and its out of his ful-
nefs that we receive all promifed grace, [^c.

(4.) Chriftis the foundation and ground upon which they all
ftand. The believer and the promife ftand upon the fame foun-
dation i Behold, Hay in Zion afoiindation. And all the promifes are
founded upon him, upon his blood and fatisfa(Si:ion,without which
never a promife had been given out by God to any of the children
of men. And faith, in improving" the promife, leans upon this
foundation, ftands upon this ground ; juftasaman leaning upon
aftaff, hefctsthe ftaft'upon the ground, and fo leans upon the
ftaff: For,except the ftaff lean to the ground. it will not fupport uf;
fo unlefs the ftaff of the promife be fet upon Chrift as its proper
ground,it willdousnofervice. And I fear a defeft here is the
ruin of many gofpel-hearers : They pretend to lean to God's
promife, but in the mean time they do not fet the ftaff of the pro- -

Y 3 mile

342 The Believer's Journey

raifeupon Chrifl, and his fatisfadtion and interceflion ,* and-fo
they and their faith fall into hell together in the end. Thus I have
given you fome advices, in order to your improvement of the
promifes in a way of believing.

Queft. fecond, Hoivisfaithtoa^uponChriJlinthepromife, or by
vertiieofthepromife ? For, as I told you, all the promifes are in
him, and he is in all the promifes.

Foranfwer to this, I would have you know, that, in every pro-
mifeof theword,Chriilisreprefented as clothed or veiled with
one or other of his mediatory offices of prophet, priefl, or king ;
he is made of God unto us wiidom as a prophet, righteoufnefs as a
pried, an d faniSiification, as a king ; and in one or other of thefe
offices he gives out all the fure mercies of Davidy all the bleffings
of a covenant of grace. And therefore, in order to your living by
iaith upon Chriflin the promife, take thefew following advices.

(i.) Study to be well acquainted with the perfon and offices of
Chiift : Study, I fay, to be well acquainted with the dignity and
excellency of his perfon as he is Emanuel,ihQ word made fle{h,Goi
wanifejledinthe fieflj ; for upon theexcellency of his perfon de-
pends the validity of the whole of his undertaking as our redeem-
er. Without this be kept in the foul's vigw, it cannot but wan-
der in the dark, without knowing where to fix ,• we fliall be apt.
tomiftakealhadowinfteadof afubftance, without we have be-
coming views ofthe excellency of a redeemer's perfon. But then,
I fay, we mud ftudy to know him, not only in his perfon, but in his
offices wherewith he is vefted ,• for faith or truft has a refpe6l
unto a perfon veded with fome office or other : As, when you im-
ploy an advocate,you trud the perfon as clothed with that office ;
vv'hen you employ a phyfician,you trud the perfon as clothed with
that office ; and v/hen you employ a minider, you trud his perfon
us clothed with the miniderial office : fo here, when we imploy
Chrid, or lean upon him, we trud him as clothed with his prophe-
lical, priedly, or kingly offices. And therefore, in order to the
life of faith, dudy to be well acquainted with the perfon of Chrid
as vefted with ihefe offices, and what it is that we are to expert,
from him as clothed with theP^ offices.

Qued. JVbat has faith to exped; from Chr'ifi as a prophet ?.

j-lnjvj. As a prophet, he reveals his father's v/i!l by his word ex-
ternally, and by his fpia-it internally ; and therefore faith eyes him-
for indruftion in the things ofGod,&c. As a prophet, he receiv-
ed gifts for men, and gives apoflks, prophets, pafiors and teachers ;.
and ( hcrefore faith looks to him for padors according to his heart,,
andfof his blefling upon the word and ordinances difpenfed by.

tliera

to the Heavenly Canaan. '343

them,for the edification of his body^B^^^. -Asa prophet, he receiv-
ed the Spirit, and all his influences ,• and therefore faiih looks to
him in this office for the Spirit to lead unto all truth, to rend tlie
vail, difpel darknefs, and to lead in the way we know not.

Queft. l-Fhat has faith to expert from Chrift as a prieft ?
■ Anfj). Asaprieft, he fatisfiesjultice, redeems from the curfe
of the law, from hell and wrath. As a prifeft, he brings in ever^
lading righteoufnefs, and makes interceifion for the tranfgrcf-
fors, opens the way to the holieft. And hence faith has ground
to expe6l from him the benefits of his purchafe, every mercy of
the covenant, as the price of his blood, and the fruit of his in tcr-
cefiion.

Queft. What has faith to expeStfrom Chrift as a king ? .

An. As a king, he gives forth his laws, and a heart to obey
them ; and therefore faith expefts that he will mould heart and
life in a conformity to his will, according to that promife, / wf//
iirite my laii^s in their hearts, ^c. As a king, he fubdues his and his
peoples enemies ; and therefore faith expects thar all lliall be
well, according to his promife, Rom. 8. AH things [hall 'u:ork, occ.
As a king he gives peace of confcience, joy in the Holy Ghoffc, in-
creafe of g,va.ce,2LT\d pcrfevcrance therein to the end ; and therefore
faith experts all thele things from him, as vefted with a kingly of-
fice. Thus you fee what excellent matter faith has to work upon,
when it views the perfon of Chrift, as clothed with his propheti-
cal, prieflly, and kingly of€ces. Now, in order to your living by-
faith on him, fbudy to have a clear uptaking of his perfon, God-
man, cloathed with thefe offices.

2. Another advice I give you, confequential to the former, is
this ; ftudy to know and be perfuaded, that thefe offices of Chrift;
are purely relative, that is, they are ndt for his own, but for our
Advantage,- it was for us that he took thefe offices upon him,and
'tis for our benefit that he exercifes them ; yen,infome relpe6t,
thefe offices depend on us as one relation depends upon another;
for as there cannot be a father without a child, fo Chrifi: could not
be R prophet, without there were ignorant finners to inftruft, he
could not be a prieft without there were guilty tranfgrefiors for
whom he might fati^fy and intercede, he cou'd. not be a king wiih-.
out fubjefts to govern. So that thefe offices of Chrift. are
purely relative ; he is a prophet for us, a priefr for us, and a
king for us : Henct, i Cor. i. 30. He is made of God unto vs (nor to
himfelf, but to us "^ ivifdovu righteoufnefs^ fcni^Jification, and redemp-
tion. Oh what ftron^jc/'ound ha*^ "faith to lean upon, when thcfc
offices of Chrift arc tai^en up irnhis vie vi^^nd rc^ar '.oh tc uf, ! CH\

V 4 V.-::

344 '^^^ Believer's Journey

will faith fay, I'ii truft him for illumination and inll:ru6lion, be-
caufeheisa prophet for to inftrufl the ignorant ; I'll truft him
ioT pardon, peace, and reconciliation, becaufe he's a prieftorJ^w-
edfor men in things ■pertaining to God. I'll trufl: him for fandlificati-
on and viftory over death, and fin, and iS^f^w, and the world, be-
caufc he is given for a commander and king to the people ; H^
ivillinftrudlme, he will juftify me, he wiUfan6lify, and fubdue
jTiine iniquities, becaufe he is my prophet, prieft, and king.

3. Be perfuaded, that Chrifl: executes all thefe offices as a duty
or a truft committed to him. When a man is cloathed with any
office, he is obliged to difcharge the duties of that office ; and
he is unfaithful to his tru{l,if he do it not. His Father's command-
ment is upon him to this purpofe, and therefore called his Father's
fervant ; this co?n?nandment, as a fervant, he receivedfrom the Father.
And not only his Father's command, but his own voluntary en-
gagement, Pfal. 40. 5. Mine ear hafi thou hored. Now, is it to be-
once thought or imagined that Chrill will fail in the duties of his
offices, which the father commanded him, and which he himfelf
has voluntarily engaged with.

4. Let faith begin firft to a6l upon the prieflly office of Chrid j
for this is the bafis and foundation of the other two, Ifa. 53. at the
clofe, Phil 2.8,9,10. Pfal no. lad. The Prieft under the
law, he had. the Urim and Thwnmim in his breafl-plate, and a
crown upon his head, to learn us, that the kingly and propheti-
cal offices of which thefe were the badges, were both founded on
the facerdotal or prieflly office : So then, flady to improve Chrill
as a prieft and propitiation fet forth in the glorious Gofpel,. to be
applied by faith ; and then it will be eafy to believe that he is thy
prophet and king. If thou canfh believe that he fuffered and
iatislied for thy fins, it will be eafy for thee to believe, that as a
Prophet he will waili thee, and as- a King he will fandlify
and fubdue thine iniquities : Yea, know. Sirs, for your en-
couragement, that the very endwhy Chriftpurchafed grace and
glory by his blood was,that it might be o^ered unto all,ar>d a61ual-
ly applied unto every foul that believes in him. So then, let faith,
ground firft upon the prieftly office of Chrift, and upon that
foundation claim the benefit of his other offices.

5. Remember how affeftionately Chrift executed thefe offices
upon earth, and this will be a ftrongground to believe that he
will not neg]e<51: them, now that he is afcendedinto heaven. lie
had a great defire to be fiicrificed, Luka 12.50. / ha'DS a kaptifm
to be baptized 'voithy&.z.Ho. longed to be dipt inthered-fea of hi-s
Father^- wrath. The word fignifics that his foul was big or fwell'd

wiiliiii

to the Heavenly Canaan. 345

within him with defire : He had not only defire, but delight in
his mediatory work; I delight to dothyxill, 0 my God. Yea, he
rejoiced in fpirir, when the time of his fuffering drew near. Now,
may faith argue, did Chrift execute his offices with fuch defire,
dt;lightand joy, in a (late of humiliation,* and, will he not much
more do it in a ftate of exaltation ? Yea, furely he will ; for he is
Jefus Chrift, the fame to-day, yefterday, and for ever.

6. Confider, that both the Father and' the Ilo'y Ghoflare en-
gaged for the execution of thefe offices of Chrift. The Father is
engaged, becaufe he ordained him to thefe offices, and ordained
him with the folemnity of a decree, Pfal ii. and with the folem-
nity of an oath,?/, no. and with the folemnity of a proclamation
from heaven, Matt. 3. at the cloie ; this is my belo'-ucd Son, in 'vohom
lam wellpleafed ; hear ye him. Now, may faith fay, was Chrift or-
dained with fuch folemnity to his mediatory offices by his father ;
and, will not the father fee to the execution of them with refpe6t
to my foul, that puts its truft in him ? i\gain, as the Father, fo
the Holy Gholt is concerned in the execution of thefe offices:
The Holy GhoU furnifhed him with gifts,and graces for this very
end, Jfa. 61.1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, &c. Now,
will ever the Spirt ofthe Lord lofe his labour? No, no: God has
put his Spirit upon him, therefore he will bring forth judgment to
ihe Gentiles J and the illes fhalJ wait for his law. Thus you fee,
that faith has all the fecurity that heaven canaiiord for the exe-
cution of his offices. Thus then, Come up from the -jjiJdernpfs lean-
ing upon the beloved.

Qiieft. 3 . Hozv is faith to aB upon a God i^i Chrif, rj^ho is the ulti-
mate object of faith ?

Anf-zc. In thefe particulars ; i. Let faith view a God in Cljrift
in a way oi appropriation^ as its o-zd/i God. This, we find, has been
the way ofthe faints in all ages and generations ,• it ftill lays claim
to God in Chrift v/ith its appropriating My^ &c. Pfal. 16. 2. O
my foul; thou hajl faid unto the Lord) Thou art my Lord. And ir 5.
The Lovdis the portion of my clip, &c. And Pfal. 73. 2(;. Myfe/bdnd
my heart faileth ', hut Godis thefirength of my heart., and my portion fir
ever. And if you ask, upon what ground doth faith go, in laying
claim to a God in Chrift as its own God '? I an Aver it goes upon the
ground of his afluming our nature in the perfon of his eternal Sor;,
and the covenant-grant and promife through him ,• lam the Lord
thy Cod; Lwillbeyour God, andyef.mU be 7ny people. Faith fets to
its amen unto the grant, and fays, this God is my God for ever ; and it
fliall be fo, becaufe he has-faid it : and, ^jaihcfaid it, and-idllbe net:
do it ? Hathhefpoken it, and /ball it net come to pafs 1 2. Having

lixcftl

1

346 The Believer's Journey

fixed thy claim unto a God in Chrift as thy own Qod, then pro-
ceed to take a view of all his attributes and pe^fedtions ; for every
one of them (aslfliewed before) is a pillar and ftrong rock, on
which thy faith may leafl with the greateft confidence and fecuri-
ty,even though the earth flwuld be removed, though the mountains
fljouldbe cafi into the midjl ofthefea. O will faith fuy, my God is a
God of infinite power,and doth zvhateverpleafes him, in the armies of
heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth ; and this power is
thro' Chrifl engaged for my prefervation, be zvillhide me as in a pa-
vilion in the evil day. My God in Chrift is a God of infinite mjdom ;
and therefore he will /c^7^ mem r/^i^cMy I know not, and make me
'voife tofalvation. He is a God of infinite jz//?/c^, and therefore hav-
ing accepted a fatisfaftion for my fins in thefurety, he h faithful
andjufl in forgiving ; he will blot out mine iniquities as a cloud, &c.
MeisaGodofunftootted/jo/ftt^/j- ; and therefore he will fanclify
me, according to his covenant ; I'ujillfprinkle them with clean wa-
ter,&c. He is a God of infinite bowels and 7;2fjT3'; and therefore
he will pity and pardon me, and hear me ivhen I cry, &c. He is a
God of mfimiefaitbfulnefs, this is the^?>^/^ of his loins and reins ;
and therefore he will not fuffer his promife to fall, his covenant be
will not break, &c. Thus faith leans and refls on the divine attri-
butes as they are manifefled in Chrifl:. 3. Faith leans upon a
God in Chrift, as one that is infinitely bountiful and liberal-, and,
argues as the apoflle doth, Rom. 8. He that /pared not his own Jon
but gave him to death for us all, how will he not with him freely give us
all things ? Faith fees that his treafures can never be diminillied,
farlefscantheybefpentor exhaufted ; and oh how heartfomly
doth faith lay claim to thefe treafures ; when it hears him faying,
2.sjam. I. 5. If any man lack wifdom, let him ask of God, &c. 4.
Faith views the p^01;7W(?^2^^ of a God in Chrift as calculated and de-
fignedfor the advancement of his own glory, and levelled at the
good ofthem that love him ; and this quiets the foul amidfl all
the reelings and fliakings of this lower world. The Lord doth reign,
let the earth rejoice, let the multitude of the ifles be glad thereof. 5,
Faith, afting upon a God in Chrift, will fee an eternity of bappi-
refs beyond time, in the immediate fruition and enjoyment: of
him ; henceisthatof Df?^^, P/^/. 73. 26. My fie fh and my heart
fdilcth ; hut God is the flrength of my heart, and mypC'ftionfor ever.'

The Encl of the Firft' Voiim?..

A

C O L L E C T I

OF

S E R M O

^'r^nlc^^^^^

ON

Several Subjects.

PREACH'D,
Some by tRe Rev. Ebenezer Erskine, M, A,

Minifter of the Gofpel at Sterling \

AND

/
Others by the Rev. Ralph Erskine, M. A.

Minifter of the Gofpel at Bumfermline^ and Author of
the -Gospel-Sonnets.

VOL. n.

BOSTON:

rriiitcd by Rogers and Fowi.f, for JosnuA Bi-ancjiard, 5< the Blhlt
and Crezvn in Dock-Sq^uarc, 174 4,-

fr

God's little Remnant keeping their Gar-
ments clean in an evil Day.

E E I N G A

S E R M O N preached at the Sacrament of
tytrathrriiglo^ 'June 3. i 7 1 -V*

By the Rev. Mr. EBENt^zi-R Erskine, M. A,

Rev. m. 4.
^'hoii haji a jew names even in Sardis^ ivhich have riot defiled their
Garments : and they ftmll walk with me in white : for they
ere worthy.

HE fiifi fix verfes of this cliapter contain an epiftie fcnt
by Jcfus ChriH: unto the Cliurch of Sardis \ where we
have, firft, the preface, and then the bo'iy of the epiftle.
In the body of the cpiftle we may notice thefe three
things, (i.) An accufation or charge in the clofe cF
of the firft vcrfe. (z.JAn exhortation unto feveral duties, fuch as,
repentance,, watchfulnefs, and the hke, -v. 2, 3. ('3 J We have a
commendation given to this church in the words of my tcxt^Thcu
haft a few ',iaui£s even in Sardis, &c. Where, more particularly, we
iiave, ift. The commendation itfelf, Thou hajl a few names even in
Sardis, which have not defiled their garments, idly, A reward, they
(hail walk with me in white, '^dlyy The realbn and ground of this,
for they are worthy.. Firft, I fay, we have the commendation itfcJf,
wliere we may notice the commender, tlie commended, and the
ground on which the commendation runs. i. The commender,
who he is may be gathered from the connexion ; It is lie that hath
the fevenfpirits of God, and thefevenftars, v. i . It is Chrift himfelf •,
and his commendation may be depended upon ; for he trieth the
heart and reins,, and needs not that any fliould tcftify of man un-
to him becavife he knows what is in man. 2. The party com-
mended j who are defcribed, ( i .)From their defignation, they are

called

35© God's little Remnant

called names ^ God had given them a new name, aname better than rf
Jons and daughters, even a name among the living in Jenifalem ; they
were marked among the rolls of his chofen, redeemed and fanfti-
iicd ones , by their zeal, uprightnefs, integrity, and their honefl:
appearance for God, in that degenerate day and place, they had
diilinguiflied themfelvefs from others, and fo purchafed a name
CO themfelves, and they were known to men as well as unto God :
The Lord knoijoeth the righteous, and he knows them by name, they
are marked out from among others. (2.) They are defcribed by
their paucity, they are a few names ; they were comparatively
few, when laid in the balance with the multitude and bulk of car-
nal fecure profefFors in this church ; there was but a fmall part of
them, that had kept themfelves free of the corruptions and defec-
tions ofthat church, and that had not bowed the knee unto Baal.
(3.) They are defcribed from the place of their refidence, Sardis,
one of the feven churches of the Lejfer Afia. The exprellion here
is obfervable, afew names even in Sardis. Chrifh's chara6ler of this
church, in the clofeofthefirftverfe, was, that they were gene-
rally dead, tho' they had a name to live ; but, as if he had faid,
Tho' the generality of this Church be dead, yet even there I have
a/iJw- lively and tender Chriftians. But then (3.) Notice, the
ground on which the commendation runs, they have kept their
garments clean, or have not defiled their garments. Perhaps there
may be an allufion in this exprefllon unto the Jews, who were not
to come near any thing that was unclean, by the law of Mofes, or
to touch them with their garments, left they fliouldbe defiled ;
or it may allude unto the praftice of the eaftern Qjj^intries, who
ufed to gird up their long garments, to keep them from being de-
filed, or fpotted : The meaning is, that this little remnant in Sar-
dis had maintained their integrity, like Job, they wcr eperfeci and
upright mcri,mcnthaiLfeared God and efchewed evil : they had not
complied with the abounding errors and corruptions of their day,
but excrcifcd themfelves to keep conjciences void of (Jfence towards God
and man : When others were llecping, they were awake about
their work ; when others in that church were dead and fecure,
they were lively. So much for the commendation given by Chrifb
tinto this remnant. Secondly, In the words we have a reward, or
rather we may call it a confolatory promife, made unto this little
r^^mnanr, they fball walk with ine in white. Perhaps the expreilion
may allude unio the praftice of the Romans, who clothed their no-
bility at any folemnity in white ; or to their conquerors, who
triumplied upon any victory obtained in whice garments ; or to
the prielis under the law, that minillred in the" temple in white

garments ;

keeping the'r GiC>RMENTS clean. ^51

garments ; they flMlhvalk with irie in white, that is, they fliall be
admitted to the immediate enjoyment of fellowihip and commu-
nion with me, and be partakers of my glory in heaven through
eternity. But the import of the exprcilion niay be more fully
fpoken to afterward. Thirdly, In the words, we have the reafon
and ground, why the Lord puts fuch a difference between his rem-
nant and others, /or/: /;n'(?7-ciuwr/;y ; thatis^ valuable and excel-
lent perfons, as Solomon fyeaks, the righteeus is more excellent than
his neighbour : Not as if they had any worthinefs or excellency in
themfelves beyond others by nature : No, no ; they are children of
wrath and condemnation even as others ; but they are made worthy
by juftifying and fanctifying g"race, by imputed righteoufnefs
and inherent holinefs. Some render the word, for they are 7neet;
fo tlie word is render'd, Matt. 3.8- Bring forth therefore fruits meet
for repentance : So here the Lord promifes, that they who keep
tlieir garments clean, ^7^^//^ ivalk with him in white ; why ? be-
caufeitismeetorfuitableitfliouldbefo, that they who are holy
here, fhould be happy hereafter.

DocT. That, altho there he hut few in a vifible churchy that keep their
garments clean in a declining time, yetthefe few are highly valued by
Chrijl, and /hall be admitted to partake of his glory in heaven.

'i'his do6lrine I take to be the Scope of the verfe, thou hafiafew
flames, (5ic. In difcourllng this point, I fliall endeavour, througli
divine affiftance, to do theie fix things, (i.) Offer a few propofi-
tions concerning this little remnant. (2.) Shew tliatChrift has
a high value for this remnant, they are worthy in his efteem. (3.)
What is imported in their keeping their garments clean. (4.)
What it is to \vk\k with Chrifl; in white. (j.JEnquire into the con-
nettion between the duty and priviledge. (6.) Apply the whole.

The firjl thing is to offer a few proportions concerning this
remnant, who are faid to keep their garments clean. And, firjl.
That God the Father gave a remnant untoChriftof the poflerity
of y^^/^iw,"in the covenant of redemption, to beranf^jmed and re-
deemed by him from that wo and wrath, into which Aiamby his
apoftacy had involved himlelf and all his poflerity. I'hat fuch a
remnant was gifted unto Chrifl by the Father, is plain from ^ohn
i-j. where Chrift in his Prayer frequently fpeaks of tliofe thac
the Father gave him, particularly i\ 6. ' Thine they were, and thou
gavcft them me, and they have kept thy word. I le promifed to him,
for his encouragement in that great undertaking, that he lliould
have a feed toferve him, a?idfce of the travel of his foul. Second, The
Lord Jefus, the eternal Son oi God, in the fulnefs of time, took on
the nature of nun, and in our nature obeyed the law, and died in
I thQ

352 God's little Remnant

the room and (lead of this remnant which the Father gave him :
He did not obey the law, andfatisfyjuilice for the whole world,
or for all men, as Armln'ians talk ; no, but he died for a feleft num-
ber ; Hence he is faid to lay dozvn his life for bis /beep, anci not for
the goats. And, as his death, fohisintercelTion is confined un-
to this remnant, as it is plain from J^ohn 17. 9. I pray for them : /
pray not for the 'voorld^ but for them which thou hafl given me, for they
are thine. Thirds Thxz redeemed reninanc are, in God's o'wn time
fooner or later, under the minillry of gofpel-ordinances, determi-
ned by the power and efficacy of divine grace, to clofe with Chrifl:
upon the call of the gofpel, and to go in to the bleiTed contrivance
of falvation and redemption through him: He tranOates them, in
adaycf hispozverj out of darknefs into his mar'oeUous light, and into
the kingdom of his dear Son; not one of this ele6led remnant, but
ihall in due time be brought home ; for whom he did predejiinate,
them he alfo called. Fourth, God's remnant are a holy people,
they are a fet of men that ftudy to keep clean garments ;
they ftudy to purify themfelves from all fihhinefs of the fiejh
and fpirit, perfe&ing holimfs in the fear of the Lord ; and there-
fore called, f/;i'^o^Oj)/e'o//;/j holinefsy Ifa. 63.18. Holinefs is the
defign of their eledlion, for he hath pre defiinated us unto the adoption
of children, that ivefJjouldbe holy, and -without blame before him in love.
Holinefs is the deiign of their redemption by Chrill Jefus, Tit. 2.
14. He bath redeemed us from all iniquity, and purified unto himfelfa
peculiar people, zealous of good works. Plolinefs is the defign of their
efFedtua! calling : For God hath not called usto uncleaiinefs, but unto
holinefs ; and he hathfroed us, and called us with a holy calling : So
that God's remnant is a holy remnant. Fifth, TheNumber of
this remnant is but fmall, there are but a few names inSardisthat
have not defiled their garments. Chrid's flock is but a little flock ; it
is indeed a great ficck, and an innumerable multitude, abllradlly
confidered ; bu":, confidered comparatively, or when laid in tl e
balance with the droves and multitudesof the wicklidjitis but
a little iluck and a finall remnant : They are few that are elefted,
for many are called, but few are chofen: I'heyare few that are re-
deemed, it is only God 's eleft that are bought with a price : They
are f(dw that are eftccluallv called, fox,towhomisthe arm of the
Lordrevealfd? Vgw that liold out in the rime of temptation, but
Je\)enthovfand among all the thoufands of Ifrael, that have not bowed
the knee to Baal: Sixth, Altho' they be but few, yet in the wuiil:
of times God has always fome of this remnant, who cleave to him
and his \v■.^\\(i:yeu when all about them are corrupting their ways.-
ll<:hdd a Lut in Sodom, whofe righteous foul w^as vexed with the'

abomi-

keeping their Garments clean. 353

abominations of the place ; he has a remnant of mourners in ^e-
rufalem, when the whole city was defiled with wickednefs ; he
h2iS his two witnejjes to be^r teflimony unto his Truths, when the
whole world is 'wotidring after the beaft, and overrun with antichrif-
tian darknefs and idolatry. Seventh, God. has a fpecial eye of
faVour and kindnefs on this remnant, in a linful and declining
time ; he has a mark fet upon the men ihdiifigh and groan for the a-
bominations in Jerufalem ; bis eyes run to and fro thro' the whole earth,
tojhew hinifelf flrong in the behalf of them, &c. But this leads me to
The fecond Thing propofed, which was to {lie w, that Chrift has
a high value for this remnant ,* they are the worthies of the world
inhisefteem, however they be difefteem'd and undervalued by
the world. I'his will appear from thefe following confiderations,
(i.) Confider what an account he makes of them, when compar-
ed with the reft of the world ; he values them fo highly, that he
will give whole nations and kingdoms of the wicked for their ran-
fom, Ifa. 45. 3,4. Ever fince thou waft precious in my fight, thou
haft been honour able ^and 1 have loved thee, and I gave men for thee, &c.
that is, he will facrifice whole nations and kingdoms of wicked
men, before he be bereft of his little remnant. The fcriptures
are very full to this purpofe ; his remnant is the gold, the reft of
the world arebutdrofs, thou putt eft away all the wicked of the earth
likedrofsy Pfal. 119. 119. But the precious ^onso^Zionare com-
parable tofine gold, Ld.m. 4. 2. Not only gold, butfinegold, po-
lifhed by the hand of the fpirit. Again, his little remnant are the
wheat, but the reft of the world are the chaff; and what is the
chaff to the ivheat, faith the Lord ? When he conies with his fan in
his hand, he will gather his wheat into his garner, but the chaff he will
burn up with fire that is unquenchable, Matth. 3.12. His little rem-
nant is the good corn, but the wicked are the tares ,• and he will
fay to his reapers at the laft judgment, gather the tares together, and
bind them in bundles to burn them', but, gather the good corn into my
barn. His remnant are his flieep, but the reft are the goats ; and
he will fay to thefloeep 'on his right hand. Come, ye bleffed ; but to the
goats he will fay. Depart, ye curfed. His remnant are his veffels of
honour, whom he referves as furniture to adorn the hoife not jnade
with hands ; but the wicked are veffels of wrath, whom he will break
in pieces as a potter s veffel, andcaft into the furnace of his anger.
Thus, I fay, that they are worthy in hisefteem, is evident from
the account he makes of them when laid in the balance with 0-
thers. (2.) That this little remnant is worthy in Chrift's account,
,will appear,if we confider the names & appellations that he gives
them : He fometimes calls them his Love, his Dove, his Undefiled,

Z his

354 God's little Remnant

his Hephzlbah, his Beulab, his Jedidiahs^ the very darlings of his
heart,- he calls them fometimes his y^Wi", Mai. 3. 17. They
fhall be ?}iine, faith the Lord, in the day that I make up my jewels ; and
I-mUfpare them as a manfpareth his own font hat ferves him. He
calls them the very apple of his eye, the moll; tender part of the bo-
dy, and the eye-!id of his fpecial providence doth cover them:
Yea, fuch is the value that he has for them, that he calls them hifn-
fef, and fpeaks of them as if ^^ and they were but one. Saul, Saul,
fays the Lord, why perfecnteft thou me ? (3.) Confider the endear-
ed relations they itand under unto him, and from thence you will
fee that they cannot but be worthy in his elleem : There is a le-
gal, a moral, and a m y (lical union between him and them ; he is
their head, and they are his members ,• he is the root, and they are
the branches that grow upon him ,• he is the husband, and they
are his fpoufe and bride, thy Maker is thy husband; he is their fa-
ther, and they are his children ; he is their elder brother,and they
are his younger brethren ; he is heir of all things, and he makes
them joint-heirs wich himfelf of his heavenly kingdom; he is their
advocate, and they are his clients ; he is their king, and they are
hisfubje^fs. (4.) They cannot but be worthy in his efleem, if
ye conJider how much he values, not only their perfons, but
whatever pertains unto them : He values their names, I have a
few names in Sardis ; he keeps them among the records of heaven,
and histhemivritten in the lamb's book of life. He values their
prayers. Cant. 2. 14. O viy dove that art in the clefts of the rock !
let me hear thy voice, for it isfweet ; the prayers of the wicked are
like the howling of dogs to him, but the prayers of the upright
remnant are his delight : He values their tears, and puts them into
his bottle ; he, asit were, gathers every drop from their eyes, /
have heardthy prayers, I have feen thy tears, faith the Lord to He-
zekiah ; he values their blood, P/^/. 116. 15. precious in the fight
of the Lord is the death of his faints ; and they that flied their blood,
he will give them blood to drink. (5.) l"hat they are worthy in
his efteem, appears from what he does for them : He remembred
them in their low eft:ate, and fet his love on them, when they were
wallowing in their blood ; he has loved them luith an everlafling love,
an unalterable love, with an ardent love ,• his love to them ?>
fir on g as death ; he has redeemed them ivith his blood ; for we are not
redeemed by corruptible things, fuch as fiber and gold, &c. He hath
hvedus, and wafjfd us with his own blood. Rev. 1.5. He confers
many excellentprivileges upon them ; they have an excellent
pardon, it being full, final and irrevocable, Heb. 8. 12. they have
»iiQ^CQ\knxpeaGe,whichpaJfesalIunderfianding ,' an excellent /oy.

being
1

keeping their Garments clean. 355

heingunfpeakable, and full of glory ; excellent food, they eat of the
hidden manna', have accefs to an excellent throne zvitb boldnefs^Heb.
4. 1 6. Th,ey have excellent communion, ev^nfellow/Jjip 'with the
Father, and 'with his fon Jefus Chrijl ; they have the interpoOtion
of an excellent mediator, even Jefus the mediator of the new co-
venant ; they have an excellent guard attending them,; they are
guarded with the divine attributes, even as the mountains are about
Jerufalem; guarded with the riu^/2?'y thoufand chariots of angels ;
Mahanaim, the hofl of God, is about them ; they have an excel-
lent ftore-houfe, even the wholefuhiefs of the Godhead divclling bo-
dily in Chrijl ; they are clothed with excellent robes, even the gar-
ments of J ah at ion, and robes of right eoifncfs : They are heirs of
an everlajiing inheritance, that is incorruptible and widefiled :
yea, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jefus Chrift. And, to crown
all, they have excellent fecurity for all this, the word of God, his
covenant, his oath, his blood, and the earnefl; of his fpirit. From
all which, it appears, what an high value he has for them, and
how worthy they are in his account.

The f/;f;Yi thing propofed was, to enquire what is imported in
theremnant their keeping their garments clean: And, (i.) it im-
ports, that God's remnant are clothed, or that they have garments
given them ; they are not naked, like the reft of the world ; And
tliereisa two-fold garment, wherewith God's remnant are ar-
rayed, dz. a garment of imputed righteoufnefs, and a garment of
inherent holinefs: By thefirft, all their iniquities are covered,
and they skreened from the curfe and condemnation of the law,
and the ftroke of avenging juftice: By the laft, ■u/.o;. the garment
of inherent hoJinefs, their fouls are beautified and adorned, the
image of God reftored, and they, like the King's daughter , made all
glorious within : And it is the laft of thefe that is here principally
intended. (2.) Itimporcs, that the garment which God gives
his remnant is a pure and a cleanly robe, and therefore calledwhite
raimentiRcv. 3. 19. nnd fine linen, Rev. 19. 8- fpeaking of the
lamb, the bride's wife, it is laid, that to her vjas granted, that fl:e fhould
be arrayed in fine linen , pure and white': For the fine linen is the righte-
oufnefs of faints. So that ye fee white is the livery wherewith
Chriil clothes his little remnant; and,i^^'y. 7.9. they arefaid to
he dothedw'nh white robes. (3.) That Hn is of a defiling and pol-
luting nature : 'As mire and filth defile our gnrments, fo doth fn
defile and pollute our fouls, and renders us vile and lothfome in
the fight of God : Hence it is commonly called nncleannefs, Zech.
1 3 . I . There is a fountain opened in the huufe of D^v'id, for to take a-
wayfin and unc lean ti efs ; it is the abominable thing which God's

Z 2 foul

356 God's little Remnant

foul doth hate, and is more lothfome in his fight, than the moflde-
tellable things in nature are unto us. (4.) That it may be the
lot of the Lord's people to Hve and walk among a people, the ge-
nerality ofvvhom are polluting and defihng thcmfelves; for this
is the commendation of the remnant here, that tho' the body of
this church was corrupted, yet they had not gone along with
them. I'hus it fared with Noah in the old world, and v/ith Lot in
Sodom: Andthepropheti/??/^/;, Chap. 6. cy'iqs out, I dwell in the
midft of a people of polluted lips. (5.) That even God's remnant
are not without danger of defiling themfelves with the fins and
defections of their day. Sin comes gilded with fuch fair and plau-
fible pretences, and fuch powerful motives and arguments, thate-
ven fome of God's own remnant are not only in danger, but fome
of them may be adtually enfnared and defiled therewith ,• and, no
doubt, fome that had the root of the matter in Sardis, were taint-
ed with the corruptions of that church, as I doubt not but many in
our own church, who have made very wide fleps, are notwith-
Itanding dear and near unto God. (6.) Thatfoul garments are
very unbecoming and unfuitable unto God's remnant ; for they
th^LZnamethenameofChriJly andprofefsto be his friends and fa-
vourites, they are bound to depart from iniquity. It brings up a
reproach upon religion, and makes the name of God to he blafphem-
f^, when any of God's remnant make a wrong ftep; as you fee in
the cafe of David ; his murder and adultery opened the mouths of
the wicked in his day, and made the enemy toblafpheme ; and, I am
fure, it cannot but be bitter to any that belong to God, when,thro'
their untendernefs, the way of God is evil fpoken of. (7.) A
careful ftudy of univerfal obedience unto all known & command-
ed duties. God's remnant are of David's mind and principle,
they have a refpe^ to all God\ coinmandments; his law is the rule
and llandard of their walk, it is a light unto their feet, and a lamp un-
to their paths ; and they are always breathing after more and more
conformity thereunto, faying, w'lih David, Othat my mays were
diredted to keep thy Jlatiites ! ihey ftudy to have a gofpel-adorning
con verfation, and that their light mayfo fJ.nne before men, that others
feeing their good works .,may glorify their father which is in heaven. (tS)
A holy caution and tendernefs in guarding againft all fin, efpeci-
ally the prevailing fins of the day and generation wherein they
live ; thev will not walk according to the courfe of the world, but they
are transformed in the renewing of their minds ; they keep at a dil-
tance from common defeftions, errors in do6lrine, profanity in
praftice, and innovations in the worflupof God; they will not
io much as give their confent unto thefe abominations,but endea-
vour

keephig their Garments clean. 357

vour in their (lation to oppofe them, and give their honeH: tefti-
mony againft them. Keeping of the garments clean in a declining
time,impHesafl:eady adherence unco the truths, laws and ordi-
nances of Chrift, and the government that he has appointed in his
houfe : Hence they are faid to keep the word of his patience, -..^'hey
will not fell one hoofof divine truth; no, not tho' icihould coli
them the warmefi: blood of their heart ; they will buy the truth at
any rate, but fell it at no rate. It implies, that they h-i ve fuppiies
of covenanted ftrength given them, to uphold and keep them
from defiling their garments; for they are not able to keep them-
felves ; no, the way of man is not in himfef; it is the Lord that keep-
eth the feet of his Jai?its, when the wicked fjall be filent in darkncfs ;
yea, they are kept by the power of GoH, through faith unto fahation, i
Tet. I. 6. which implies a keeping them, as in a garrifon: The
iLo;Y/ Jehovah is their ftrength, and the munition of rocks round ibouc
ihem. Laffly, It imports the mortification of fin in the root and
fruitofit, together with a holy care to have grace improved and
exercifed, till it be crowned with glory ; for he that hath this hops
in him,piirifieth himfelf, &c. And thus ye fee what is imported in
keeping of the garments clean.

The /oz/rf^ thing propofed was, to enquire a little into the im-
port of the confolatorypromife made unto the remnant that keep
their garments clean, they jhall walk zvith me in white, faith the Lord;
that is, as I told you in the explication of the words, they Ihall be
admitted to fliare of my glory at death and judgment. Buclfliall
endeavour more particularly to enquire into the import of this
promife; and, i. What is imported in walking with Chrift. And,
2. What in walking with him in white.

Firfi, What is imported in walking wif/; /)//«? ly?, ItnecefT^i-
rily fupppfeth the foul's fubfiftance in a feparate flate, or after its
reparation from the body ; otherwife it could not be faid to walk
with him. This is one of the fundamental truths of our religion,
which Chrift himfelf proved & maintained againfl the Sadducees,
from ihatfcripture, Ja7n the God of Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob;
God is not, fays he, the God of the dead, but of the living. No Iboner
are the fouls of God's remnant divorced from their bodies, but, by
the niiniftry of angels, they are carried into Abraham'^ Lwfjin. 2dly,
I'heir walking with Chrift, not only fuppofes the foul's exiftence
in a fepjirate iiate, butalfoics adlivity, for it (walks) with Chrijl.
The fpirits of ju ft men, upon their feparation from the body, are
madcpcrfe^, and fo perfed:, as ihey ferve him day and night in his /;/;-
/jfr^-wj])/^, with infinitely more a6tivity and livelineis, than v/hen
they were cooptupin ttieprifon of the body; which in thisflnte

Z 3 ' of

358 God's little Remnant

of fin and imperfeftion, is a dead weight, as it were, upon the foul,
in the fervice of God. o^dly, Their walkins^ with Chrift:, implies
perfect peace and agreement between Chriit and them,- for, how
can twoivalk together, except they be agreed '1 The Lurd's people,
while here, are many times under the affrighting apprehenfioiis
of his anger and diipleafure, which makes them to cry oiu, with
David, Pfal.77. 9. Hath God forgotten to he gracious? hath he in
anger jbut up his tender mercies ? Selah. But there will he no fuch
complaint in heaven : No, no; there will not be the leaflgruvlge
in his heart, or frown in his countenance through eternity; no-
thing but a perpetual fmile of his reconciled countenance, ^thly.
It implies intimacy, which is more than agreement ,• for there
maybe a good underftanding where there is little intimacy and
familiarity: But the Saints in glory, they fball walk with Chrijt;
that is, he and they will be very intimate one with another. This
intimacy is begun on earth; for fometimes, even in the wilder-
nefs, he brings them into the chamber of ^zVpr^/^yzc^, and allows
them fweet fellowfliip with himfelf ; fometimes they Jit down un-
der his Jljadow with great delight : But this intimate fellowfliip fliall
be confummate and completed in heaven, where all vails fhallbe
rent, and all clouds fliall be for ever difpelled, and nothing fliall
remain to interrupt the blefled familiarity betwixt him and them :
Then that word fliall be fully accompliflied, J^ohn 17. 23. lin
them, and they in me, that they may be madeperfefi in one. Fifthly,
It implies, that they fliall be in theprefenceof Chrift, and this is
an addition to intimacy ,• for two intimate friends may be at a dif-
tance one from another. The Lord*s people, while in the body,
arefaid to be abfentfrom the Lord: But then they fhall be at home ;
he and they fliall dwell together through eternity,in the manfions
of glory, the houfe not made ■ivith hands. So much Chrifl tells his dif-
c'\p]es,^ohn 12. 2(5. PThere I am,there [ImU alfo my fervants be. And
John 14. atthe begmmngjiivill come again and receive you to jnyfelf
that ivhere lam, there ye may be alfo. Sixthly, It implies that they
fliall be privileged with the fight of Chrifl: for two cannot well
walk together without feeing one another; then they fliall fee
the man Chrifl, exalted at his Father's right-hand, far above all prin-
cipalities and powers, and every name that is named, not only in this
world, but in that -ivhich is to come. This is a privilege enfured unto
the little remnant by Chrifl's own prayer, John 17. 24. Father, 1
will that thofe whom thou haft given me, maybe with me where 1 am,
that they may behold my glcry which thou hfjl given me. O how ra-
viiliing a flglu will this be, to behold the glory of Chrift in heaven!

When

keeping their Garments clemi. . 359

When he was transfigured upon mount Tabor, his face dldjloine q^
the fun, and his raiment ivas 'white as the light : Wliac will he be on
mount Zion above, when he (liall be i^een with all his robes of glo-
ry, and all his heavenly retinue attending him ? Seventhly, They
/Jjallwalk with me : It implies full pleafure, fatisfaftion and com-
placency; for walking is an a6l of recreation, heaven is a place
of joy and pleafure, Pfal. 16. 11. In thy prefence there is fulnefs of
joy, (S:c. I'hen the joy of the Lord fliall not only enter into them,
but they (liall enter into the joy of their Lord. The ranfomedof the
Lord /JmII come to Zion withfongs, and everlajlingjoy upon their heads.
Secondly, What is imported in walking with him in zvhite ? yh-
fwer, (i ) That then all their black and beggarly garments fliall
be laid afidCja body of fin and death fliall not then moled them ,• they
fliall not any more complain of the e;7WTo/'r/;^7V/;^«rfj', or the ini-
quity of their heels ; no,they fliall be prefented without fpot or wrinkle,
oranyfiich thing. (2.) White is a badge of purity and innocency;
they /ball walk with me in white ; that is, they fhall not only lay a-
fide their beggarly garments, but they fliall be clothed ivith change
of raiment; perfeft holinefs fliall then be their ornament ; they
jhall be brought unto the king in raiment of needle-work ; and, like the
king's daughter, they fliall be all glorious within ; they who had lien
among the pots Jhall become like the wings of a dove, covered with fiher,
and her feathers with yellow gold ; yea, they ^\^^\poi7^e forth like the
fun in the kingdom of their Father. (3.) White is a badge of vi6lo-
ry, as we told you in the explication of the words, Rev. 7. 9. The
triumphant company there, ofallnations, tongues and kindreds, they
ft and before the throne and before the lamb, clothed with white robes
andpalms in their hands, as a fign of their complete vi6lory over all
their enemies, whether outward or inward. Sin is an enemy that
the believer has many a hot confli6l with, while here; but, in
heaven, the inhabitants are all forgiven their iniquities, there is no more
fin. Rev. 12. As for Satan, that grand enemy, that went about
hke a roaring lion, feeking to devour them, they fliall then tread
him under their feet; know ye not that faints f: all judge angels ?
faith the apoftle : And,as for the world, they fliall never any more
be cnfnared,eitK'er with its frowns or flatteries. (4.) White is
a badge of honour ; the Romans clothed their nobility in white,
as ye heard. O what honour is referved for the faints of God, his
little remnant ! They fliall be honoured wirh a place among them
that ftand by in the n(^w yerufnlem ; yea, they fliall be honoured
with the white ftoncy^nd the new name; they fliall fit withChrifl up-
on his throne, Rev.'^. 22. Thcv fhall be honoured with a crown of
burniflfd glory : PFhen the chief jhcphcrdfliall appear,wefJjall receive a

^ 4 crown

3^0 God's little Remnant

crown of glory which fadeth not away. They iliall be honoured with a
kingdom ; I appoint imtoyou a kingdom^as my Father hath appointed unto
7ne, They lliall be honoured to be ajjejjors with Chrift at the lafi judg-
ment. Know ye not that the faints jhall judge the world? They'll ap-
plaud che Judge in all his p\'0QQQ.d'mgs^&.c\-Y.,Tnie and righteous are
thy judgments. Lord God Almighty : Th en that paflage will be fully
accompliflied,/y. 149. 5, 6,7,8, 9. Let the faints be joyful in glory :
let them fuig ahndiipon their beds. Let the high praifes of God be in
their mouth, and a two-edged fwordintheir hand, to execute vengeance
upon the heathen, andpunifjments upon the people ; to bind their kings
with chains, and their ncbks ivith fetters of iron ; to execute upon them
the judgment written : This honour have all his faints. Praife ye the
Lord. (5.) White was a garment appointed for thepriefts un-
der the h\y, when xhey were to miniller about holy things ; the
iaintsofGodare allpriefts, Rev. 1.5. Untohimthat loved us, and
hath made us kings andpriejls to God; and, as pr lefts in the heaven-
ly temple, their continual work (liallbe to offer up eternal facri-
fices of praife unto God and the Lamb. There every bird in e-
very bufli (liall fing, and fay, Worthy is the Lamb that was fain., and
hath redeemed us unto God^y his blood; falvation unto our God that fit-
tcth upon the throne., and to the Lamb for ever and ever. (6.) We find
tfie angels frequently appearing in white, y^r7x 1. 10. While the
difciples are looking towards heaven after their exalted Lord, be-
hold tiw men, that is, two angels in tha form ohnen, food by them in
white apparel: So the faints, ihey fJjall walk with Chrijl in white;
they ihall be like the angels of heaven, Matt. 22. 30. In the refirrec-
tionHbey are as the angels of God in heaven. The original word fig-
nifies, they fhall be equal to angels, or angels mates. Like angels,
they fliall not be liable to hunger, thirft,wearinefs, or fuch like bo-
dily infirmities. The angels are (aid to behold the face of God in bea^-
ven ; fo lliall ye who are God's little remnant : Now ye fee darkly
as thro' aglafs, but then ye jhall fee face to face. The angels ferveGod
with the greateft volun tarinefs & freedom, with the greateft a6li-
vity and nimblenefs,/^;/- he makcth his angels fpir its, and bis minijlers
ajlamejfjlre ; fo (hall the faints in glory, they/ljalldo the will of God,
as it is dune by the angels in heaven. (7.) WefindGhrift fome-
times appearing in white, particularly at his transfiguration, his
countenance didjhine as the fun, and his raiment was whiteas the light ;
331^ il) it may import thus muQh,they fhall walk with me in white,thd.t
is,t!^y:re Ihall be a bleffed conformity between themand me in
glory, Rev. li). 1 1. Chrift is there reprelented as mounted upon
^whitehorl},:ind the armies which were in heaven followed hinr
upon white horfes, clot bed in fine lin^n, white and clean : Chrift and alt

his ,

keeping their Garments clean. 361

his redeemed company, lliall be clothed with the famclivery, i.
John 3. 2, IVhen befJjall appear, zvefJjallbe like him, for ivcpjallfee
him as he is : Their fouls Ihall refemblc him in righteoufnefs and
true holinefs ; yea, their vile bodies [Jjallbe made like unto his glorious
body. (8.) White has agreat retieflion of light with ir, when
thefunlhinesuponit; O how bright and dazling will the glory
of the faints be in that day, when the fun of right eoifnefs jhall jhine
upon tbem with a meridian fplendor I Chrift will then be admired in his
faints, for they ih^Wfhine forth like the fun, and like the brightnefs of
the firmament ; the beauty of the Lord their God I'M then be upon them,
and fuch beauty as Ihall eternally aflonifli&confoimd the wick-
ed, who contemned them upon earth, and did not reckon them
worthy lofit with the dogs of their fock. And this much for the
fourth thing.

The/^//if/nhing was, to enquire into the conne6lion between
the duty and thcpriviledge, between keeping the garments clean,
and walking with Chrifl in white. ( i.) Then, negatively, you
fliould know that there is no connexion of merit, as if our keeping
of clean garments did deferve that we fliould walk with Chriji in
i^hite ', no, no : Let every mouth be flopped, for all the world is guilty
before God, and therefore can merit nothing but wrath and ven-
geance at the hand of God ; By the ^vorks of the law fmUnofcflj liv-
ing bejujtified, or faved ; it is by the merits of Chrill, his doing and
dying, as the furety of the little remnant, that they are brought to
walk with him in white : But, tho' there be no conne6lion of merit,
yet, ( I. ) There is a connexion of decree, or purpofe in this mat-
ter; God, by an unalterable decree, has ordained, that they who
are holy fliall be happy, that they who keep their garments cl'emjl^afl
walk with himimvhite, 2 Thelf. 2. 13. God hath from the beginning
chofenus to falvation, through fan^ifi cat ion of the Spirit, and belief of
the truth. ( 2 ) There is a connection of promife, as well as c>f
purpofe. Ye have them linked together in this promife in the
text, and every where almofttlirough thefcripturesof truth ; \e
have a duller of thefe promifcs, in the fecond and third of thei^c-
velation, To him that overcometh ( which is the fame thing with
keeping the garments clean ) will I give to eat (f the hidden manna;
and this link is foflrong, that it can never be broken ; fcritisone
of th efe immutable things, wherein it is impoffiblefvr God to lie. ( 3 . )
There is a connexion of meetnefsor congruity. It is fuitable,
that thofe who arc holy fliould be happy ; that they who have
white garments here, ihould be clothed with white hereafter: It is
fuitable unto the nature of God, for he cannot behold iniquity,, nei-
ther can evil dwell with him ; none but holy ones fliull enjoy a hofv

o(52 God's little Remnant

God : it is fiiitable unto the work of heaven, for no unclean thing
can enter the gates of the new Jerufalem : To this purpofe is the laft
claufe of our text, they floall walk with me in white, for they are zvor-
thy, or meet, as the word may be rendered. Col. r. 12. Giving
thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the in-
heritance of the faints in light. ( 4. ) There is a connexion of evi-
dence: Holinefs or clean garments is an evidence of the foul's
title or claim to glory. JVho is the man that [hall afcendinto the hill
cfGod'? or who jball'jland in his holy place! Theanfweris, He that
hath clean hands andapiire heart, Pfal. 24. 3. ( 5. ) There is a con-
nexion of legacy : CliriH, by his latter-will, has enfured the king-
dom to his little remnant that keep their garments clean, Luke 22.
26,29. Te are they which have continued with me in my temptations ,
and I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed imto me.

The Sixth thing is the application. And the firil ufe fliall be of
information, in thefe particulars ; ( i ) See hence, holinefs is to be
fludied and purfued, however it may be ridiculed, and mocked at
by a profane world : For it is they that do not defile their garments
foallwalk with Chrift in white. The blind world is ready to imagine
that the way to heaven is not fo flrait and narrow as minifters call
it; that there needs not befo much ado, and all is but a piece of
needlefs nicety, precifenefs, and the like: But remember, firs,
that flri6l holinefs will carry the day at the long-run ; and ye that
are for a lax religion, and a broad way to heaven, will at length
land in hell, unlefs mercy and repentance prevent: Walkcircuni'
Jpe^ly^iherefore, not as fools, but as wife, &c. (2. ) See, from this
doftrine, that they labour under a damnable miftake, who think
or fay, that it is^ vainer unprofitable thingto ferve the Lord, and to
keep his way ; for they that walk with Chrifl here, fliall partake of
his glory hereafter : Godlinefs, faich the apoftle, is great gain, hav-
ing thepromife of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. Re-
ligion carries a reward in its bofom, belide the reward chat is pre-
pared for the faints in the life to come. In keeping of thy command-
ments, hys David, there is great reward; O how great is the goodnefs
thou haft laid up for them that fear thee 1 &c. Eye hath not fecn^ nor
ear heard, nelchcr hath it entred into the heart of man, the things which
God hath prepared fjr them that love him, 1 Cor. 2. 9. ( 3. ) We may-
fee, thatgofpel-piirit} au-i holinefs it; not fuch a common thing as
the world apprehend ; for there are bur a few names, few perfons
that are helped to keep their garments dean. My friends, beware of
taking every thing for holinefs, that n.-^s the fhsdow andappear-
ance of it : Some are ready to think, that their garments are
clean enough, if they keep free of grofs fcanddlous outbreak-

ings.

keeping their Garments clean. 363

ings, fiich as lying, fwearing, dealing, uncleannefs, and the
like; but the proud Pharifee came this length, who faid, God, I
thank thee, lam not as other men ; lam no extortioner, adulterer, or in-
jurious per/on, &c. Some think their garments clean if they be
moral in their walk, juft in their dealings between man and man ;
I willi indeed tiiere were more morality among thefe that profefs
the name of ChriH: : But, O firs, mere moi'ality, in the higheft de*
greenow attainable, comes infinitely Ihort of the nature of true
holinefs, it is quite another thing ; and to put morality in the room
of gofpel-holinefs, is in effe6l to renounce Chrift and the cove-
nant of grace, and to run back to Adanis covenant for life and fal-
vation. Some think their garments clean enough, becaufe of
fome perfonal reformation that they have made in their outward
walk, they have left off lying, fwearing, drunkennefs, unclean-
nefs, and the like: Bucthis will not amount to true holinefs; He-
rod, he reformed his life, and did many things through the minijlry of
John the Baptijl, and yet beheaded him at lafl;. Some reckon up-
on their diligence in the outward duties of religion ; they read,
hear, pray, communicate, and run the round of outward perfor-
mances, and thereupon conclude, that they are holy perfons ; but
who more diligent in the externals of religion than the Pharifees,
whofajled twice a week, and gave tithes of all that they poffeffed ? And
yet Chrifl tells us, except our righteoufnefs exceed the right eoufnefs of
the Scribes and Pharifees, we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven ;
fo that I fay, gofpel-holinefs is no common thing. (4.) See hence,
that the divifion of mankind, and particularly of thefe that live in
the vifible church, between Chrifi: and the Devil, is very unequal
as to the number ; for the greatefi: part, even of the vifible church,
go to the Devil's fliare, {or there ^vq but a few in Sardis, that do not
defile their garments ; Chrift's flock is a little flock, I'll take them, one
of a city, and two of a family or tribe, and bring them to Zion , It is
true, they will be a great company, and make a goodly appear-
ance, when they ftiallbe gathered by the angels from the four
winds of heaven ; but yet they are only like the gleanings after the
w«f^gi?, in comparifonofthevafi:mu'titudes of mankind, that run
in the broad way to defiru6lion . ( 5. ) See hence what it is that
fweetens the pale countenance of the king of terrors to belie-
vers; it is this, they fee, that after death they will be admitted fo
walk with Chrijl in white. This made the apoftle to long fo vehe-
mently for his difi^olution, faying, I have a defire to depart, andto be
with Chrift : Faith's views and profpeft of this makes the behever
to triumph over death, asa vanquilhedand llainenemy, fayina:,
0 death! where is thy ft ing? 0 grave! where is thy vi^lory? (r>r)

See

0

64 God's little Remnant

See hence what they may expeft after death, who habitually wal-
low in the puddle of (In. It is only they that have clean garments,
thcit /ball Toalk ivith Chrijt in glory ; and therefore it inevitably fol-
lows, that the gates of glory will be fhiit upon you. Rev. 21. lad.
There fJjall in no luife enter into it any thing that defileth, neither what-
foever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie; and f. 8. of the fame
Chapter, the/i?^^/«/, the unbelieving, and the abominable, and mur-
derers, and 'cvhore mongers, andforcerers, and idolaters, and all liars /JmH
have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimjione. O
Sirs / ye that live and die in this condition, with the guilt and filth
of fm lying on your confciences, ye will find a fting in death
which will flick in your fouls through eternity ,• for it is only
God's litcle remnant, iu/;o/^ garments are wajloed and made white in
the blood of the lamb, that (hall triumph with him in glory ; while
ye that wallow in fin now, fiiall be found weltering in the flames
o^Tophet. (7.) See hence, that honefi:y is the bell; policy in a
declining time,tor it is only the hon eft-hearted remnant that fliall
walk with Chrifl; above. Keep God's ways, firs, whatever come,
and beware of finful fliifts to Ihun the crofs : They that walk
tiprightly pjalHvalkJurely ; whereas they who think to fiiun danger
by Ihifting duty, they really run themfelves into greater danger
andinconveniencies than thefe which they imagined to avoid.

Use 2d, may he oi lamentation. That there arefo many foul
garments among us at this day. Alas, firs, may we not fay, that
there are but afew names in Scotland, that have not defiled their
garnients with the corruptions and pollutionsof the time*^ All
ranks have corrupted their ways, magiftrates, minifl:ers and peo-
ple. May not the chara6ler which God gave of Jfraelof old, be
too jufi:ly applied to us, Ifa. 1 . 4. That we are a finful nation, a peo-
ple laden with iniquity, afeed of evil-doers, children that are corrupters,
who have provoked the holy One of Ifraelto anger, and are gone away
backward'^ I cannot now Hand to fliew wherein we have defiled
our garments ; Has not the land been defiled with the bloodo( many
ofthe faints of God under the late reigns, from which it is not as
yet purged ? Is not the whole land defiled with breach of folemii
national engagements, while thefe folemn covenants have been
fcandaloully burnt in the capital city of the nation, and that by
the countenance and command of authority ? And are there not
many at this day amongfi; us, who profefs to be of the communion
of the church of Scotland, that do renounce and difown the obliga-
tion of thefe folemn ties ? Are not many defihng their garments
with Arminian and Socinian herefies ; others with a fuperfiitious
worfliip, which, to the reproach of our holy religion, is tolerate a-

mong

keeping their Garments clean. 365

mongnsby law ? Have not many defiled their garments in our
land, with a cuflomary fwearing by the name of God ; others by
juggUngwith God in the matter of folemn oaths, abjuring a po-
piih pretender, with a defign to put themfelves in a better capaci-
ty to do him fervice, and promote his interefl; ? Others have, e-
ven in this province, lately defiled their garments, by putting
their hands to fcandalous libels, byway ofaddrefs to the fove-
reign, wherein they reprefentminiflers as rebels againft authori-
ty, for appointing fafl:s,and preaching againft the fins of the time;
and forgiving warningto people of thetokens of God's anger
that are vifible among us: And, alas! may we not all lament that
we have defiled our garments, by the breach of facramental and
fick-bed vows ? But I muft not ftand on thefe things.

Use 3^, is of trial a.nd examination. Try, Sirs, whether you
be among God's little remnant, that are keeping their garments
c/^^/z, when all round about you are defiling themfelves ; and, for
your trial, I ofl'er you the few following marks of God's remnant.
(i .) God's remnant are a people unto whomChriJi is exceeding pre-
cious ; his very name is unto them as ointment pom ed forth ; they love
to hear of him, they love to fpeak of him, and their meditations of
him arefijoeet ; the dejire of their foul is unto him, and the remembrance
of his name ; and they are ready to fay with David, -whom have lin
heaven but thee ? &c. or, with Paul, I count all things but hfs,for the
excellency of the knowledge ofChriJt Jefus my Lord. (2 .) God's rem-
nant are a people that do not reckon themfelves at home while
they are here on earth : This is not their proper country, but
they look for a better country, that is, an heavenly ^Hch.' 1 1 . Th ey look
for a city that has foundations ywhofe builder ami maker is God. See
this to be the charafter of God's remnant, Neb. n. 13. The A-
poftle tells us of thefe worthies. That they confejjedthey were Jlran^
gers and pilgrims onthe earth : This confeflion David mdikts, Pfal.
1 19. 19. lam afiranger in the earth, hide not thy commandments from
me. So then,Sirs, if your home be here,ye are none of God's rem-
nant, ifyourtho'ts and affedlionsJDeconfined within the narrow
limits of time. God's remnant are a pecp!e that are coming upfi-ont
the wildernefs ; they are always afcending :.nd mounting hca^^en-
ward,in their affeftions and defires: They look not at the things
that are fecn, but the things that arenctfeen. (3.) God's rcmnnnc
are a people that fpeak 6l think much on God ; fee this to betheir
characler,il/rt/.3. 1 6. Then they that feared 'he Lord f pake often me to
another ; and a book of remembrance tvas ivritten for third that feared
the Lord, andthot on his name. Try yourfelves by tJiis : It is the
chara6ler of the mcked^ that Cod is not in .ill their tho'ts ; and he is as

feldoni

2(56 God's little Remnant

feldomin their mouths, except in away of prophanation : But
God's remnant, I fay, they think much on God ; and the tho'ts of
God fOhoiv precious are they unto their fouls! Pf. 139. and om^ of the
abundance of their hearts their mouths fpeak honourably and reve-
rendly of hnn. They will fpeak to one another of his word, of
his works, of his providences, and of his ordinances ; their lips
are like lilies dr oping fweet-fmellingmyrrhe. (4.) God's remnant
are a praying people, Pfai 24. This is the generation that feek thy
face, O Jacob, or 0 God of Jacob ; whereas it is given as the cha-
rafter of the wicked, PfaL 14. That they callnot upon God; they
either live in the total negledi of this duty,or,if they do it at all, it is
in a hypocritcal, formal and overly manner : But God's remnant,
they feek the face of God, they feek him with fervency,with truth
in the in--joard parts ; they feek him believingly, conftantly and per-
fcveringly, which the hypocrite will not do, Job. 26. 10. JVillhe
delight himfelfin the Almighty ? Willhe ahvays call upon God ? (5.)
God's remnant 'are a mourning people: They mourn over their
own fms in the firft place, Ezek. 7. 16. The remnant of J^cob that
efcape, they p.^all be on the mountains like doves of the vallies, every one
mourning for their iniquity. They mourn over the errors of their
hearts, and the iniquity of their lives, and are ready to cry out,
innumerable evils have compaffed me about, mine iniquities have taken
hold on me, 6cc. and then they mourn, not only for their own
perfonal fins, but for publick fins; the fins of others, whereby
the land is defiled : Rivers of 'uoaters run doivn mine eyes, hecavfe
they keep not thy la-vo ; I beheld tranfgrejfors, and -was gi-ieved. Thac
this is the chara£ler of God's remnant, ye may fee [rom Ezek. 9.
4. Go thro' the city, andfeta mark on the fore- heads of the men that
figh, and that cry for all the abominations done in the midfl of it. And
then they mourn for the calamities anddefolations ofZ/0/2, ijohen
they fee the bear out of the wood ■voafting her, and the wild beafts out of
the for eft devouring her, Vh]. 137. i. By the rivers of Bciby ion we fat
down and wept, when we remembred Zion. And then they mourn,
when they fee ordinances corrupted, or God's candleftick in any
meafure removed, the Lord's people deprived of their wonted
freedom and liberty in waiting upon him in thefe galleries, Zeph.
3.18. I will gather them that areforrowfu I for thefolemn affembly, un-
to whom the reproach of it was a burden. (6.) God's remnant are
a people that will rather venture upon fuffering than finning ;
they rather venture to run the rifque of difpleafing kings and
queens, potentates and parliaments, than venture upon the
difpleafing of God ,• they can rather venture on the rack of
outward torments, than upon the rack of an accufing confcience.

See

keeping their Garments clean. 357

See this to be the chara6ler of God's remnant in the three children,
Dan. 3. ^c. and Mofes, Heb. 11.27. forfook Egypt, not fearing the
imath of the King. Many other marks ofCjod's remnant might be
infifted upon ; they are a people that cannot live without Chrift,
and fellowfliip & communion with him, Cant. '^. ijob 23.3. 0 that
Ikneiv where I might find him^that Iniight come even to bis feat! They
are people that will not reft in their attainments ; but prefs to-
wards the uttermoft of grace and holinefs,P/7//. 3. 12. They prefs
after morenearnefs unto Chrift, Can. 8. i. They love holinefs
foritfdf, iy^//. 119. 140. Chrift for himfelf,- yea, they, love hea-
ven for Chrift and holinefs : In a word, they love holinefs, be the
event what will.

Use 4?/?, is o^ exhortation. Isitfo, that God's remnant, who
are priviledged to walk with Chrift in zvhite, are fuch as keep their
garments clean ? Othen! let me exhort all hearing me, parti-
cularly you who have been profefting yourfelves among the num-
ber of God's remnant by drawing near to him in the holy ordi-
nance of his fupper : Let me, I fay, exhort you to keep your gar-
ments clean; be exhorted to the ftudyoftrue gofpel holinefs,
both in heart and life. And by way of m.otive, I would have you
to confider thefe following things.

Motive ly?, Confider, that ye are in continual hazard of defil-
ing your garments. Ye are in danger from every quarter ; as,
Firfi, Ye areindangerfrom the world, there are many things in
the world that are of a very defiling and polluting nature ,* there
are many polluting opinions broached in the world, which go
very glib away with nature, and which nature is very ready to
catch at and embrace ; as, that God is altogether made up of mer-
cy, and will never damn any of his creatures ; that Chrift died for
all; that morafity runs parallel with grace; that an empty pro-
feftion is enough to fave people ; that it is better to keep the body
whole, than the confcience pure ,• that to be zealous for religion,
iscobe righteous overmuch. Thefe and many other opinions
are of a polluting nature; and we are in danger of defiling our-
felves with them. And then the examples of the world are very
infectious, the examples of magiftrates and minifters, as ye fee
from Hof. 5.1. Hear ye this, Opriefts ; give ear^ 0 hoife of the king,
hecaife ye have been a fnareinMilpahy andanet fpreaduponT-dbor.
And then ye are in danger from the example of profcfibrs, who
perhaps ha,ve a great name for religion in the church of God ; 01
will ye fay, fuch a man doth fo and fo ; and why may not I doit
alfo? But remember, firs, that therearemany hypocrites in the
church of Godj that go under a mask of religion j and fuppofing

tbeixL

368 God's little Remnant

them to have the reality of grace, yet they may be under a fpiri*
tual decay, they may be fadly deferted of God ; and do ye think,
that in this cafe they are to be imitated? And befides, fuppofe
them to be never fuch eminent perfons, yet according to the
Apoflle's dire61:ion, wq 2^x0. to be followers of them^ no further than
they are followers of ChrJft. And befides, we are in danger from
the frowns and flatteries of the world ; if the world cannot get us
allured into fin by its enticing promifes, it will ftudy to drive us in-
to a compliance, by threats of trouble and perfeeution. Thus, I
fay, we are in imminent danger from the world ; the apoftle
James exiiorts us to keep ourfehes unfpotted from the worlds Chap. i.
iaft. 2 J/}', Ye are in danger from Satan, that fubcil and malicious
enemy, that goes about as a roaring lion, feeking whom he may devour ;
he waits for your halting, and is always ready to trip up your heels ;
and I allure you, firs, if ye have got any love-token from the Lord
at this occafion, this enemy will do his beft, or worfl: rather, to de-
prive you of it. It was but a little after Peter had been feafting
with Chrift, at this holy ordinance of the fupper, that Chrill told
him, Luke 22.31. Simon, Simon, Satan hath fought to winnow thee as
wheat ; and therefore ye had need to be on your guard as to this
enemy, and labour not to be ignorant of his devices, ^dly, Ye are in
danger of defiling your garments, from your own hearts. My
friends, would not that city be expofed to great danger, which is
not only befieged with an army from without, but has a ftrong
and powerful party within, that keeps a correfpondence with the
enemy wi^houtjand is ready to comply with all his demands ? Juft
foisit with us; we are not only befieged with the world, and
with Satan, who are our enemies without ; but there is a ftrong
party of ind welling fin and corruption within us, that is ready up-
on all occafions to betray us into our enemies hands. This made
David cry out, who can iinderjiand his errors? and Paul, wretched
man that Iain, who will deliver me from the body of this death ? So miich
for the firfl: motive.

Motive 2d. By keeping your garments clean, ye comply and
fall in with God's great defign in all his difpenfations toward you,
whether more immediate, or mediate. God's great end in all is,
to bring his people to the fi:udy of gofpel-purity and holinefs ;
this is the defign of hisele6ting fome of the poflerity of Adam,
from all eternity, Eph. 1.4. He hath chofen us in him ; before the
foundation of the world, that wefhouldbe holy, and without blame before
him in love. It is a very foolifli way of arguing, that fome pe^j pie
have, If I be elefted I fliall be faved, let me live as I liil ; for God
like all other wife agents, not only decrees the end,but the means

leading

V

keep'mg their Garments clean-* 359

leading unLo that end: Nov/, liolincfs is the king's higli-way,
in which he has ordained and decreed co bring the cie61 to
glory, 2 TheJJ. 2. 13. God hath chojcn us from the beginning
unto falvatioiiy through fandification of thefp'irhy and belief of the
truth, 'i'his is the delign of redemption : Ciirifl; did not die,
iirs, to purchafe a latitude to us to 1 In ; No, no, Titus 2. 14.
He gave hinifef for us, to redeem us from all iniquity^ and purify
unto hi infe If a peculiar people^ zealous of good ■ivorks. 'I'his is the dc-
fign of our creation ; Why did ye get a being, but thafye might
glorify and ferve God ? This people have I formed for myfelf, that
they may fjew forth my praifes. And this is not only thedefign of
our tirll, but of our fecond creation ; For he hath created us in Chriji
unto good 'works. This is thedefign of our effeftual calling ; For
God has not called us unto iincleannefsy but unto holinefs ; no, he hath
faved us, and calledus ijoith an holy calling. This is the delign of the
whole word ot" God: Why has God privileged us with his ftatutes
and teliimonies, but that they be alight to our feet, and a lamp to our
path, to keep us out of the polluting ways of fin ? Pfal. 119. 9.
fVherebyfJjalla young man cleanfe his way, but by taking heed thereun-
to, according to thy word ? I'his is the delign of the promifes of the
word ,• however carnal perfons may make the promifes a pillow
of fecurity, yet God's defign in giving them is,to excite his people
to keep clean garments,2 Cor. 7. i. Dearly beloved, having thcfe pro-
mifes, let us cleanfe ourfelves from all fihhinefs ofthefepj andfpirit,
perfeding holinefs in the fear of God. I'his is the defign of the threat-
nings of the word, that fo men, knoimng the terror of God, may beper-
fuaded to keep at adiftance from fin, the abominable thing that his
foul hat es,-dndm^y not defile their garments therewith. This is
the deCig^n oi a.\\ providences whereby God exercifes his people;
why doth God cafi; thee into the furnace, O man ? J lis defign is
to purge away thy drofs, Ifa. 27. 9. By this therefor?, fj. ill the iniqui-
ty 0/ Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit, to take away his fin ; the
Lord chajlens us, that we may be partakers of his holinefs, Heb. 12.
I o. 'I'iiis is the defign not only of crofs, but of favourable provi-
dences; the goodnefs ofGodjhould lead us to repentance, and lays a
deep obligation on us to {land off from fin, which is ofFenfive to
our gracious benefaaor. This is the defign, not only of ail pro-
vidences, but of all ordinances, and of the whole difpenfation of
the grace of God in the gofpel, Tit. 2. 11,12. For the grace of God
that bringethfalvation, hath appeared unto all men, teaching us, that de-
nyingungodlinefsandwoi-ldly lujls, we/Jjouldlivefoberly, righteoujly,
andgoldly, in thisprefent world. This is the defign, not only of the
preaching of the word, but of the adminiflration of the facra-
lll A a mcnt«; :

^7o GoD*s little Remnant

ments: In baptifmj we are folemnly devoted to thefervice of
God, and are engaged to walk as thole that are called by the name
efCbriJty who are bound to depart from iniquity : And, in the facra-
ment of the Lord's fupper, we folemnly renew, before God, An.
gels and men, our baptifma! engagements, and fwear to keep our
garments clean from thepolkition offm, and that by laying our
hands on the body and blood of the Lord Jefus. This is the de-
lign of every frown, and of every fmile. Doth God at any time
fill thee ivith joy and peace in believing ? Lifts he up the light of bis
countenance upon thee '/ The language of this is,0 do not defile thy
gar men ts ! God -ivillfpeak peace unto his people, and to his faints ; but
let them not return again to folly. And why doth God at any time
hide hisface,3.nd leave thee in tiie dark,but to engage thee to more
tendernefs in time to come, in keeping at a diftance from thefe
pollutions, whereby he has been provoked toforfake thee ? Thus,,
I fay, if ye do not keep your garments clean, yecounteraft the
great defign of God in all his difpenfations towards you : How
dangerous is it to be found fighting againft God ?

Motive 3 J. Conliderthe difinal eifefts that will follow upon
your defiling your garments. Firfl, Ye will ruin your reputation^
and render your names uniavoury in the world,* and this is no
fmall lofs ; for, a good name, fays Solomon^ is as precious ointment y
and renders a man capable to doferviceunto God in his day and
generation. Prov. 6. 33. it is faid of the adulterer, Jivound and
di/IwnourfJjall he get, and bis reproach fJjall not be mped aivay. When
profelfors of religion or minifters defile their garments by fin, ef-
pecially fins of a publick nature, they wound their reputation,
bring a reproach upon themfelves, that is not eafily wiped away^
and, not only fo, but make the word of the Lord, in their mouths,
to be contemned and defpifed. Ye may read a fcripture for this,
Mai. 2. 8,9 Ic.isfpokenof the priefts of chat day, Teare departed
out of the 'way : Te have caufed many to flumbk at the law : Te have
corrupted the covenant ofLevi,faith the Lordofhofls. Therefore have
lalfo juadeyou contemptible and bafe before all the people, according as
ye have not kept my imys, but have been partial in the law. Secondly,
Y'e will fi:ain and pollute your fouls, which ye ought to keep pure
as a holy temple unto God ; and how dangerous a thing this is, ye
may fee from i Cor. 3.17. Knozv ye not that ye are the temple of God,
and that the fpirit of God dwelleth in you ? If any man defile the temple
of God, him (ball Goddeftroy. My friends, ye have been folemnly
confecrating your foals and bodies unto God, as his temple ,* and,
if any of you (liall after this return with the dog to his vomit, and with
the fovo that feemed tobewajhed, to walhw again in the puddle of fin.

keeping their Garments clean. 371

ye run'a very dreadful rifque. Ucner de(lru6lion from the Lord*
and from the glory of hisprefence, is abiding all thefe that are
hypocrites in heart,- and dreadful temporal deilruftion from the
Lord, may overtake even his own children, who do defile thcif
garments; For this caufe many are Jlck and '-joeakly^ and many fleep.
Thirdly y Ye will break your peace and mar your comfort ,- if you
keep not your garments clean, youmay provoke the Lord to fill
you with terrors, and to caft fuch a fpark of hell-fire into your bo-
foms, as fliall make you roar and cry out of broken bones, with
David, or with Job, The arro'jjos of the Ahnighty are 'within me, the poi-
fon thereof drinketh up myfpirits. fourthly ^ Ye will call a blot
upon religion, and on the good ways of the Lord, if ye who have
been ptofeiTing to ownChrift at his table fliall be found defiling
your garments, by lying, fwearing, drunkennefs, or the like;
what will the gracelefs world fay ? they will conclude, thatpro-
felli3rs are but a company of hypocrites ; that religion is nothing
but a piece of trick and impofhure : Ye willbeablemifli tochrif-
tian fociety ; thefe arefpots, fays the apofble, in your feafLS of chari-
ty ; and he fpeaks of fome, who through their untendernefs made
iheivay of the Lord to be evil fpoken of Fifthly, Ye will diflionour
Chrift, that glorious mafler, whom ye have been profelTing to
own,* hence the Lord complains of the children o![ Ifrael, that
they, by their wickednefs, caiifed his name to be polluted among the
heathen : David's fin made the name of God to be blafphemed and re-
proached. Sixthly, By polluting your garments, ye •ivill offend the
generation of the righteous ; and it wQre better for you, that a Mil'
jtone '■joere hanged about your necks, and ye cafl into the midft of the fea,
thanthat ye fJoould offend one of Chrift' s little ones. Itis adangerous
thing to grieve the hearts of thefe that are dear unto God, for
God will not grieve their hearts,- and he will refent it, if any
other do it by their untendernefs. Seventhly, Yo. ijrjjj harden others
in their fins : When the wicked fee profefix^rs or minifhers going
along with them, they conclude that their way is the beft'of ir,
and preferable unto the way of religion. Thus ye fee the difmal
effedts that will follow upon your defiling your garments.

Motive 4^^. Confider the great advantages that fiiall acrue
unto you by keeping your ^«n«c;2fj-c/f(2;7. ifl. It will yield you
great peace : Peace in life ,• for, as many as ivalk according to this
rule, peace fJjall be upon them : Peace in the midft of all troubles, 77; /j-
is our rejoicing, the teftimonyof agood confcicnce: Peace at death,
Pfal. 37. 37.- Mark the perfedt 7nan, and behold the upright, for the end
of that manis peace : Peace after death, Ifa. 57. at the beginning,
we are told, Tha,i the righteous, 2tdQ2iih, they enter into peace, they
*^'>; A a 2 reft

372 Go d's little Remnant

rcji upon their beds, each one walking in his uprightnefs : Peace at the
]:illJLKigment ; it is only the cleanly remnant to whom the Lord
will fay clien, Lift up your heads, for the day of your redemption is nooj
come. 2dly, By keeping clean garments, ye will be in a continual
ficnefsfor maintaining fellovvihip and communion with God, in
any ordinance of his appointment; foritis the man that /;^f/j^/^<^;z
handstand a pure hearty that /JmII fland on God's holy hill, and have a
place in his tabernacle: And not only To, but it will fill you with a
holy boldnefs and confidence in your approaches unto God in the or-
dinances of his appointment, John. 14, 15. Jf iniquity be in thine
hands, put it far away, &c. 3^/^, The influences or ordinances will
flay the longer upon you, that ye keep your garments clean,- what
is thereafon, why theimpreffion of any thing of God, that we
meet with in ordinances, doth fofoonevaniQi, like the morning
cloud? Thereafonis theuntendernefsofourwalk,- we lie down
among the pots of fin, and this makes God to withdraw from us.
We read of fome mountains, that arefo high, that, if men drew
figures in the fand upon the tops of them, they will abide for many
^'ears; the reafon is, they arefo high, that they are above the
winds and rains. O firs, if we were living and walking on higli
•with God, the imprellfion of ordinances would ftay longer with
us than they do. 4thly, By keeping your garments clean, ye will,
perhaps, fave the fouls of others, and commend religion unto
them: Henceis thatof Chrifl, M^f. 5. 16. Let your light fo P.vns
before men, that they may fee your good works, and glorify your Father
which is in heaven. Sthly, By keeping your garments clean, ye will
find more ftrength to keep yourfelves, for the way of the Lord is
jlrength to the upright ; if ye keep God's way, he will keep you in the
hour of temptation. Rev. 3. 10. God will keep you by his power,
thro' faith unto falvation. 6thly, After a little time is el ipfed, ye
fliall be cloth^l^n white, and walk with Chrift in the New J'eru-
falem, according to his promife in the text.

Now I conclude all with dire^ions and advices. In order to your
keeping of your garments clean ; (i.) Be perfwaded of your
own utter inability to keep your garments clean by your own
power, or the ftrength of created grace ; for the way of man is not
in himfelf : It is net in man that walketh to direB his own Jteps. (2.)
Take care that ye be united to Chnfl the fountain of holinefs ; for
ye do but wafli the7Ir/;/c/)/^?2,while ye attempt to make yourfelves
clean and holy, while ye grow on the root of the old Adam. Ye
may indeed wadithe outfideof thecup and platter, but ye will
remain filthy flill in the fight of God, 'till ye be created in Chrifi:,
the true root of f an6liiicatlon : Can a man gather grapes of thorns, or

keeping their Garments clean. 373

fgsof thiftlesl the tree muft be good, before the fruit be good.
(3.) Bcingunited untoChrifl, ye muft make daily ufeof him by
faith. Do not think that when ye havefirft believed in Chrift,
your work is done : No, your life muft be a life of faith ; bv £uch
we live, by faith we ftand, by faith we work, by faith we fight ;
and, whatever we do in word or in deed, we muft do all in the
name of the Lyd Jefus. Ye muft be always building up your-
felves in the holy faith, and going on from faith to faith; and
whenever ye have,through infirmity, or the prcvalency of temp-
tation, defiled your garments, be fure to run by faith unto tihe
bloodof fprinkling, that ye may get your hearts fprinkled from
an evil confcience. (4.) Set God continually before you, and
keep up the impreflion of his all-feeing eye on your fpirits, Pfal.
1 6. 8 . 1 have Jet the Lord always before me : Becaufe he is at my right-
hand, I JJjall not be removed. (5.) Be much in viewing and medi-
tating on the difmal and terrible eftefts of fin, how it did caft An-
gels out of heaven, Jdam out o^Paradife, and brought God's curfe
upon all his pofterity ; how it brought a deluge on the old world,
Sodom and Gomorrah burnt by fire and brimftone ; how it made the
€arth to fwallow up Korah, Datban and Jbiram. (6.) If ye would
keep your garments clean, O then, beware of going to the utmoft
length of chriftian liberty ! it is dangerous to come too near God's
marches. We fliould take heed to ourfelves, even in the ufe of
things that are in themfelves lawful ; many things are lawful, buc
every thing lawful is not at all times expedient. Ye fliouid fliun
every appearance of evil ; do not ftand in the way of temptati-
ons, or occafions of fin ; and, in particular, take care to avoid e-
.vil company : For, can a man take fire in his bofoni, and his clothes not
be burnt ? (7.) Beware of giving your confent and counte-
nance unto the fins of others,- for hereby ye ftiall be partakers
with them in their fins. We may not only defile our garments
by perfonal fins, but by fins of others, when we encourage them
in an evil way, when we alTent or confent unto them, or do not
faithfully warn and reprove them, or endeavour to reclaim them.
(8.) Be importunate with God at the throne of grace for guidance
and direftion : For iinlefs the Lord keep the city, the zvatchinen ivatcb
in vain ; unlefs his grace be fufficient for us, we will foon be carri-
ed down the ftream of temptation and corruption ,• for the way of
man is not in himfelf : And therefore, I fay, plead hard at the
throne, that the Lord would keep you, who keeps the feet of his
faints; and, for this end, plead the promifethat he has made to
his people, ^cr. 32. 40. I will make an cvcrlajling covenant with
item, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good j but I will

A a 3 put

374 ' Tbe V7 ij^D of the Holy Ghost
pia my fear in their hearts^ that they fhall not defart from me. Zech.
lo.and lad. I will firengthen them in the Lord, and they fhall walk
up and down in his name, faith the Lord.

The Wind of the Holy Ghost blowing upon the
dry Boms ifi the Valley of Vifion.

Being a SERMON preached in the Tolbooth Church upon a Fail before the
Sacrament of our Lord's Supper, March 15. 171 5.

By the Rev. Mr. Ebenezer Erskine.

E z E K. xxxvii. 9.

Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon thefe

flain, that they may live.

IN the beginning of this chapter the Lord in a vifion brings the
prophet Ezekiel into a valley full of dead men's bones,quite dri-
ed and withered, and afks him the queftion. If he tho'tit pofll-
ble for thefe dry bones to live ? Thereby intimating, that altho' it
was a thing impofTible with men, yet it was eafily effefled by the
almighty power of God ; and to convince him of it, he commands
the prophet to fpeak unto the dry bones, & to tell them in his name,
that he would make the breath of life to enter into them, which ac-
cordingly is done ; for the prophet having in the name of the Lord
called upon the four winds to breathe upon the dry bones, immedi-
ately life enters into them, and they come together, bone to his
bone, and they hved and flood up upon their feet, and became an
exceeding great army. By which vifion we have a lively reprefen-
tation of a threefold refurredion (as a late commentator Mr. Henry
very well obferves. j ( i .) Of the refurreftion of the body at the
lafl day, and general refurreftion, when God will command the
earth to give up its dead,and tlie fea to give up its dead ; and vvhen,
by the minidry of angels, the dufl and bones of the faints fhall be
gathered. from the four winds of heaven, to v/hich they have been
festered. Or, [i.) We have in this vifion.a lively reprefen ration
of the refurreftionof thefoul from the grave of fin, which iseffeded
by preaching or pronhefyinu!:,as the inflrumental,and by the power-
ful influence of the Spirit of the Lord as the principal efficient caufe
of it ; and the wind here lpokenof,is plainly faidto beunderfloodof

' " the

Blowing upon //>(? d r y B o n e s. ^Jj

the Spirit, "y. 14. 1 will put mySpirit within you^and ye Jhall live. Or,
(^.)Wc have by thisvifion areprefentation of the refurredionofthe
church of God, from the grave of her bondage & captivity mBahylov^
under which they were at prefent detained. And this indeed is the
primary and immediate fcope of the vifion, as is plain from the ex-
phcation that follows it, v. 11, 12, 13, 14. However, feeing the
deliverance of the children of Ifraelout of their BabyloniJIj capti-
vity, was typical of our fpiritual redemption purchafed by the
Lord Jefus Chrifb upon the crols, and in a day ofpov/er applied
by the mighty and powerful operation of the Holy Spirit of God ;
and feeing it is this redemption that we under the gofpel are princi-
pally concerned with, therefore I fhall handle the words that I
have read under this fpiritual fenfe and meaning.

And in them briefly we have, i. A difmal cafe fuppofed, and
that is fpiritual deadnefs. The people of God they were not only
in bondage under their enemies, but likewife their fouls were at
this time in a languifning condition. But of this more afterward.

2. We have a blcflcd remedy here expreft, and that is the brea-
things of the Spirit of the Lord, the influences of the Holy Ghoft.
Come from the four winds .^ 0 I^reath, &c. Now thefe influences of
the Holy Ghofl are here defcribed, (i.) From their nature, held
forth under the notion and metaphor of wind . Come from the four
winds, O breath. There are three elements, by which the opera-
tions of the fpirit are held out to us in fcripture. Sometimes they
are compared unto fire. Mat. 3. He fJoall baptize you ffpeaking of
C\\n^) with the Holy Ghoji, and with fire. Sometimes they are
compareti unto water, Ifa. 40. 3. I will pour water upon the thirfty,
and foods upon the dry ground. I will pour my fpirit upon thy feed,
&c. Sometimes the influences of the Spirit are held forth iinder
the metaphor of wind, as in Cant. 4. 1 6. Awake., O north wina^and
come thou fouth, and bloiv upon my garden. So here by the wind,
or breath here fpokcn of, we are principally to underftand the Spi-
rit •, it is plainly declared to be the Spirit of God in v- 14. of this
chapter. I cannot fland to fhew you the grounds of this metaphor.
Wind, you know, is of acleanfing, cooling, fructifying nature and
virtue, a6ls freely and irrefiflibly. It is not in the power of man to
refill or oppofe the blowings of the wind -, fo the influences of the
Spirit they cleanfe and purify the heart -, they allay the ftorms of
confciencc, make the bones -which were broken to rejoice •, they
make the foul to grow as the lily, and to caft forth its roots like
Lebanon •, they render the foul fruitful like the garden of God -,
and the Spirit adls with ^ fovereign freedom and irrefiftible cftica-

A a 4 cy.

37^ The Wind of the Holy Ghost

cy, as ye may hear afterwards. But (2.) Thefe influences of the
HolyGhoft, they are defcribed from their variety, four winds.
Come fromthe four -ivijnds, O breath, importing the manifold influ-
ences and operations of this one and eternal Spirit. Hence we
read of ihs north and f out h windyCcLnt. 4. 16. and of the feven fpi-
r'lts that are before the throne of God, Rev. 5.6. (3 . ) 'Hiefe i'nlrlu-
ences are defcribed from their a61:ing or operation, which is here
called a breathing, breathe upon thefe flain. By the a6]:ing of this
almighty wind, our natural life was produced and formed. Gen. 2.
7. We are there told, that after God had formedman of the duft of
the ground, he breathed into his nofirils the breath of life, and he became
a Jiving foul. Hence is that of Elihu, Job 33. The Spirit of God
hath wade me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. And
it is by theiniiuencesof the fame Almighty breath, that our fouls
are quickened, when dead in trefpafles and fins, and our fpiritual.
life is formed within us. But then, (4.) Thefe influences are de-
fcribed from the end and effe6l oJ&ijiifir' operation, breathe upon
thefe flain., that they may live, that is, that the dry bones may be-
come living fouls, that out of thefe Hones children may be raifed
up to Abraham.

Now, from thefe words thus briefly explained, lonly offer yoti
this one obfervation, namely. That as the generality of a church and-
people in covenant ivith God, may be in a very dead and languifliing 'con-
dition as to their fouls, fo the breathings and influences of the Holy Spirit
ef God are ahfolutelynecefjary for their revival. This is theium of
what I intend from thefe words, Come from the four winds, O
breath, and breathe upon thefe flain that they, may live.
,_... l"n difcourfmgupon this do61rine, I. Ifliallfpeaka little unto'
t7iis deadnefs, which is incident unto a people externally in cove-
rant with God. II. Unto the influences or breathings of the
wind of the Holy Ghofl-, which are foabfolutely neceifiry in or-
der to their revival. Ilf. Touch at that life which is effe6led by
thefe breathings. IV. I fliall make application.

I. I fay, I would fpeak a little unto this deadnefs, which is inci*
dent unto a people exiernally in covenant with God. And here-
I lliall only give you fome of its kinds. 2. Some of the caufes of it-
s'. Some of the fymptoms of it.

The firfl thing, is to give you fome kinds of deadnefs.. Kno\r
then in general,. tba't there is a two-fold death ,• one is proper and!
natural, the other i&improper and metaphorical. Death, properly
foc,illcd,isa thing fo well known, that 'tis needlefs for me to tell
you what it is ; there is none of us all, bur we fliall know it expe-
rimentally within alittle, time $' for it is appointed for every man on.ce:

Blowing upon the dry Bones. 377

to die. The grave is a houfe appointed for all living, and therefore
withyuZ', wemay fjy to corrupt ion, Thou art our father, and to the
'■Morm^ thou art our brother and fijier. But this is not the death I
now Ijpeak of ; and therefore, 2. ThereisJdeath which is im-
proper or metaphorical, which is nothing elfe but adifeafe ordif-
temperof the foul, whereby it is rendered unmeet and uncapable
forhoiy and fpiritualexercifes ; and this again is twofold, either
total or partial (i.) There is a total death incident imto the
wicked and ungodly, who are flark dead, and have nothing of fpi-
ritual life in them at all : Hence Eph. 2. i. men in a ftate of nature
are faid to be dead in trefpajjes andfuis^ih^t is, under the total reign-
ing power of fin, in the gall ofbitternefs^and under the bond of iniquity^
without God, without Chrift, and therefore without hope. (2.)
There is a partial death incident to believers, whom God hath
raifed out of the grave of an unrenev/edflate, andin whofe fouls
he hath implanted a principle of fpiritual life; and this partial
death, incident to believers, confifls in amanifeft decay of fpiri-
ttial principles and habits, in th^, abating of their wonted life and
vigour, and aftivity in the way and work of the Lord ; their faith,
their love, their hope, and other graces are all in a fainting and
]anguifliing condition, they ly dormant in the foul, hke the life of
the tree that lies hid in its root without fruit or bloflbms during
thewinter-feafon : Such deadnefs as this, we find the Lord's peo-
ple in fcripture frequently complaining of, particularly Ifa. ^6. 3.
Thefon of the fir anger ^ that has joined himf elf to the Lord, and taken -
hold of his covenant, he is made to fpeak, f lying, the Lord hath tit- <M
t er ly f epar at ed me from his people : And the eunuch cries out, lama
dry tree,i\:herein there is no life orfap ; it is this kind of Ipiritual dead-
nefs, incident to believers, that 1 now principally fpeak of. The
leaves of his profelTion may in a great meafure be withered, the
candle of his converfation mav burn dimly, or with a very imper-
feft light : Iheflameof his affe61:ions, his zeal, love and defire,
inay,like that ofa great fire, be reduced into a few coals and cin-
ders : Theremay be a great intermifuon or formality in the dif-
charge of commanded duty ; the mind, which once with delighc
and admirationcould meditate uponGod and Chri(t,and the cove-
nan, t, and tilings that are above^may come tol'ofe its relifli of thefe
thing<J,and to dote upon the tranfitory fading vanities ofa prefenc
world. The common gifts of the Spirit, thro' carnal cafe, and
defc6t of employment, ma'y bein a great meafure blafted ; and;^,
which ii worft of all, the Hiving graces and fruits of the fpirit may
^eome to be wofuily impaired as to their former degrees & actings.
But now^ this partial dentil of believers againa, ic is twofold, there

^ ■

\

37g The Wind of the Holy Ghost

is a deadnefs which is felt by God's people, and a deadnefs whicb
is not felt; gray hah s are here and there upon them, fometimes, artd
they do not behold the^^. I'he Lord was departed from Samfon, and
hewijl not, Judg. i6. 20. But then, there is a deadnefs which is
felt, when God's people have a fenfe of their deadnefs, and are
lamenting it : And it is an evidence of fpiritual life, or of fome
revival, when theLord's people are beginning to cry out with the
Church, Pfal. 85. <5. fVilt thou not revive us again, that thy people
way rejoice in theel Why haft thou hardened etir hearts from thy
fear ? Ifai. 63. 17. But

The fecondihing is to take notice of fome of the caufesofthis
fpiritual deadnefs; I fliall only name them, becaufe your time
would not allow me to enlarge, iji then, Abftinence or negleit
of food, you know, will foon bring the body into a pining languilli-
ing condition ; fo, if the means of grace be not diligently improf
ved, ifwenegleftby faith to apprehend and to improve Chrift',
and to feed upon him,whofe fleili is meat indeed, and whofe blood
is drink indeed, the fpiritual life of the foul will foon languilli and
r^- wither: Hence is that faying of Chrill, Ja/j/i 6. 53. Exceptyeeat

fV/ the flefl.i and drink the blood of the Son of Man, ye have no life in you.

2d, Surfeiting the foul with fenfual pleafure,is another great caufe
of fpiritual death, Hof 4. 1 1 . Whoredom, and imne, and new wine,
take azvay the heart : They fuck out the very life of the foul. What
is the reafon why many profelTors of religion have lofl their won-
\ ted vigour in the way of the Lord, and are in fuch a languifliing
V condition as to their foul-matters ? the plain reafon of ic is this,

mL they are glutting themfelves with the pleafure'sof fenfe. If Sam-

^^ fon do but lleep in Dalilah's lap, fhe will betray him into the hands

of the Fhilijlines, and cut the locks wherein his ftrength lies ; and
when hegoes outto (liakehimfelfas at other times, he will find
his ftrength gone away from him. o^d. Inactivity, and floth in fal-
vation&generation work, is another caufe of fpiritual deadnefs.
Phy ficians obferve, that as too violent exercife, fo too much reft, or a
fcdentary ivay of living, is prejudicial to the health of the body. I'his
holdsr^^Jfo in ipu'iruals ; if we do not exercife our felves unto god-
jlhef^nd endeavour to abound in rhe work of the Lord, the fpi-
ritual Ufe v/ill foon languilli and dwindle away ; and therefore, let
lis not be /lot If id in bufinef, but fervent in fpirit, ferving the Lord;
and 'whatever our hand fmdeth to do, let us do it with all our might.
And beware of reding upon empty iviflies and defires in fpiritual
matters, /or thedefire of the fothf.d kills him, becaufe is hands rcfije
to labour. 4th, The contagion of ill example, of a carnal world,
and irreligious relations, has a fatal influence this way ; Ye know

'tis

Blowing upon the dry Bones. 379

.*cis exceeding dangerous for thefe who have the/(?f^of all dKeafes
in them, to frequent the company of thefe who are infefted wicli
the plague or pcjtilence. A Jofeph, if he flay ^ng in the Egyptian
court, will learn to fwcar by the life of Fharaohrli is true indeed, as
fire fometimes burns with the greater vehemence &. cafts the greater
heat the coliler the air be, fo the zeal&c life of God's people is Ibme-
fimes rather quickened by beholding the wickednefsof thefe a-
mong whom their lot is cad, as Paul among the Jthenians ; but if
we ihall adventure to caft ourfelvesinto the/oaVfyofthe wicked,
without a fpecial call and warrant from providence, it will be next
to an impollibility to keep ourfelves free of the contagion ; for,
can a man carry fire in his bofom, and his cloaths not he burnt ; can a
man 'walk upon hot coals ^ and his feet not be burnt. Evil communicati-
ons corrupt good manners. $th. Some deadly wound in the foul,
not carefully noticed, may be thecaufeof fpiritual death. You
know, a man may die, not only by a draught of poifon, or the like,
but alfoby the cut of afword. While we are in thewildernefs,
welivein thevery midfbof our fpiritual enemies,- the fiery darts
of Satan are frying thick about us ; he is always feeking to bruife
the believer's heel, going about feeking to devour; and not only
fo, but our own lufts alfo do war againft the foul,fo that we cannot
mifsto be wounded thereby: And if the filth and guilt of thefe
wounds be not carefully waflied away by the blood and Spirit
of the Lord Jefus Chrifl, they cannot mifs exceedingly to im-
pair the fpiritual life and health; therefore David,Rhtr he had
been wounded by murder and adultery, is fo earneft that God
would wafli andcleanfe his wounds, and purge him with hyf^p,
that fo the joy of his falvation might be reflored : But then, 6th,
A holy God has fometimes a righteous and holy hand in this fpiri-
tual death, that the Lord's people are liable unto, by withdraw-
ing and fufpending the influences of his fpirit from them ; for as
the plant and herb of the field withers and languifhes wiien the
rain of heaven is with-held ,• fo, when the iniiuences of the Holy
Ghoft are fufpended, the very fap of the foul, and its fpirituallife
goes away ; . and the Lord with-holds the influences of his Sp/ric
for many reafons : As, ( i .) He does it fometimes in a way ofaxm
ful and adorable fovereignty, to fhew that he is not a debtor unto
any of his creatures. However, becaufe the Spirit's influences
are feldom withdrawn in a way of fovereignty, 'tis ourjpart to
fearchand tryif confciencedo not condemn us, a^ having a fin-
fiil and culpable hand in it ourfelves, (2.) Sometimes he does it
tt) humble his people, and to prevent their pride, vvlych make5 ■
him to behold them afar off. If wc were always under tiie lively

♦

^

380 The Wind of the Holy Ghost

gales and influences of the Spirit, we would be ready to miflake
ourfclves, and in danger, with Pauly of being lifted up above mea-
fure, when he was grrapt up into the third heaven. Upon this ac-
count, fome of the liiints have faid, that they have got more good
fometimes by their defertionthan by their enlargement. (3.)
He does it to make them prize Chrift, and fee their continual need
of frefli fupplies out of his fuhiefs. He lets our ciflerns run dry^
that we may come a-new & lay our empty velFels under the flow-
ings of the blelled fountain of life, that out of his fulnefs we may-
receive, and grace for grace. (4.) He does it fometimes for the
trial of his people, to fee if they will follow him into the wilder-
nefs, in a land that is not fown, as well as when he is feeding them
with fenfible communications of his grace and fpirit,to fee if they
will live on him by faith, when they cannot live by fight or fenfe.
(5.) Sometimes he does it for their chaflifement, to correct
them for their iniquities; and this indeed is the mofl: ordinary
caufe why the Spirit of the Lord isfufpended and withdrawn.

I have not time to enumerate many of thefe fins which provoke
the Lord to withdraw his fpirit. I fliall only mention two or
three, i. Not hearkening to the motions of his Spirit, is one
great reafon why the Lord withdraws his Spirit, as you fee in the
fpoufe. Cant. 5. There Chrifi: comes, and moves and calls for en-
trance ; the fpoufe flie does not hearken to the motion ; 1 have
pit off my coat, hoixifhalllpiit it on ? I have wafJjed my feet, ho-iv/hali
J defile thefn ? Whereupon he immediately withdraws and leaves
her, as ^.e may read at your own leifure. 2. Lukewarmnefs and
fdWnality in the difcharge of duty is another caufe of it, as we fee
in the church of L^o^zVm, it made him to fpue that church out of
his mouth*. And then, 3. Proflituting the gifts and graces of
the Spirit unto carnal, felfiih and bafe ends, to procure a name, or
make a fliew in the world : This is aviiother reafon of it. 4. Sin-
ning againfi: light, trampling upon the belly of confcience, as
David no doubt did in the matter of Uriah and Bathpoeba, whereby
he provoked the Lord fo far to leave him, that he cries out, Pfal.

tCaft me not out ofthyfi^ht, and take not thy Holy Spirit away from
•5. Rarrennefs and unfruitfulnefs under the means of grace,
Jfa.s. The clouds are coimnanded to give no rain upon the barren vine-
yard. \p{r\'d then 6. and lajllyy Their not liftening carefully to the
voice 6|Kwd in ordinances and providence ; this is another Caufe
of it, Pfafy^h. #1, 12. My people zvould not hearken unto my voice,
therefore fs;ave them up to their own hearts lujis, and they walked after
tkek couufels. And thus ye have fome of the caufes of this fpiri-
tiHaf;de«3[iitfs. I come to

Elov.'ING upon the dry Bones. 381

The third thing, which was to give you fome of tli^- fy mpcums
of it ; and would to God they were not too vifible, riie and com-
mon in the day, and upon the generation wherein we hve. I fliafl
name a few of them to you. i. Wantofappe^te after the oread
and water of life, is a fymptom of fpiricual deach. You know
that man cannot be in a healthful condition that loaths his food, or
liaslofthis appetite after it. Alas.! is notthe manna of heaven,
that God is raining about our tent-doors generally loathed ? The
great truths of God, which fome of the faints have found to be
fvoceterthan the hony from the hony-comb, have not that favour and
reliih with us that they ought to have ? Are not fabbaths, facra-
ments, fermons/aft-days and feaft-days a burden to many among
us ; fo that if they would but fpeak out the language of their
hearts, they would beready to joiniffue with thefe, Mai. i. it,-
JVhat a ivearinefs is this ? Whereas the foul that is iira lively con-
dition, is ready to fay of the word. It is better to me than thonfands
of gold and filuer ; lejleemit more than my necejjary food. And of
ordindnc^Sj I love the habitation of thy houfe, and the place ivhere thy
honour dwelleth ; and P/fl/. 84. 10. One day in thy courts is better
than a thoufand. 2. I'ho'aman have fjmething of an appetite,
yei if he do not grow or thrive by his/ijoj, it looks fometlung dan-
gerous and death-like. The thriving C hriftian is a growing Chrif-
tiun . 7 hey that be planted in the houfe of the Lord,fljallJloiiri/h in the
courts of our (jod. 1 'he righteous /Jjall hold on his "^ay, and he that hath
clean hands (Ijall bejlronger andflronger. But alas ! is it not quite o-
therwiie with t'->e moil pan '^ Many are going backward infleid
of h rward, as it is {'nd of-^erufaleni,L?Lm. 1.8. Shefigheth andgoetb
back-ward. j\ia} we not cry out o^our leannefs^our leannefs,noi\\'\L\\''
ftanding of all the fattening means and ordinances that we enjoy.
3. Yeknow, when death takes a dealing with a perfon, it makes
his beauty to fade. Ml^en imth rebukes thou doft corretl man for ini-
quity^ thou makcjl his beauty to confume away like a moth ; pale death
luon alters the ruddy coumena.ice. Perhaps the day has been,
O believer, when the beauty of liolinefs adorned every flep of thy
converfaLion ,• thy light did fo fJjine before men, that f hey feeing thy
good'works, could not hu: glorify thy heavenly Father ; but now -dlj^
ihe beauty of thy converfation is fullied and ftained, by lying 2*
mong the the pots of fin ; this fays, that fpiritual dea h is dealing
with thy foul. 4. Death not only waltes the beauty, but the
ftrength alfo, itrc/f/ 12. 3. The keepers of the houfe do trenible^ and
the Jlrong ?nen do bo'w, upon theapproaclies of thelctng of terrors.
Now fee, if your wonted ftrength and ability to perform duty, or
to refill temptations, be not abated. Perhaps the day h;|s beeji^

#

#

5S2 The Wind of the Holy Ghost

when iboti could have faid, with PauU Lord, what 'wilt thou have me
to {lo, for thro' Chriftfirengthsnhigme I can do all things 1 But now,
thou arc ready to iaint at the very thoughts of duty. The day,
perhaps, has'been, when, iho' Satan, that cunning archer, did
ilioot fore at thee, yet thy bow did abide in its flrength, and the
arms of thy hands were madeftrong by the mighty God of Jacob ; thou
waft in cafe to beat back the fiery darts of Satan, and to ftand thy ,
ground againlt the corruptions and defections of the day ; but now,
like a dead filli, thou art carried down the flream : Doth not this
procl:!im thy foul to be under a fad decay ? 5. Death waftes the
natural heat and warmnefs of the body ,* there is a kindof chil-
nefsand coldnefsthat feizes a man when death takes a dealing
with him ; To it is ^.fign of a. fpiritual decay d.nddeadnefs, when
wonted zeal for God and his glory,and the concerns of his church
and his kingdom, is abated. Perhaps, the day has been, when,
with Davidy the zeal of God's houfe did in a manner eat you up^ and you
preferred Jerufakm to your chief joy ; but now, you are almofl come
the length of G(3///o's temper, to care fornone of thefe things ; indif-
ferent, whether the work of God in the land fmk or fwim. Lao-
^/cffl'sdiflemperistoo prevalent among us at this day ; we are
iieithercoWnor/;of in the things of God, and therefore haverea-
Ibn to fear,lefl we hefpewedoiit of God's mouth. The day has been,
when your fpirits were lifted tip in prayer, in hearing, in commu-
nicating, you were fervent in fpirit, ferving the Lord ; you could
rejoice to work righteoufnefs, and fay, in fome meafure v/ith Da-
ijid, I 'will go unto the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy ; but now,
allthis holy warmth is gone in a great meafure, you are become
formal and carelefs in the concerns of God's glory. 6. A dead
man, you know, cannot move, but only as he is moved from
without, in regard he wants a principle of motion within ; foitjs
afign of fpiritual death, even in believers, when external motives
and conliderations have a greater influence upon them in the
duties of religion, than an internal principle of faith and love.
When the believer is himfelf, the loveof Chrift conftrains him
in every dut^f ; this is the one thing he defires, that he may behold
'the beauty of the Lord, and enquire in his temple ; but when any fel-
fifli or external motive fets him to work, it is a fign of fpiritual
death. Other things might be added ,• butlhaflen tofpeak to

ThQfecond thing propofed in the method,and that was,to fpeak
a little unto thefe breathings and influences of the Spirit of God,
which arc abfolutely neceilary for the revival of the Lord's peo-
ple under deadnefs. Come from the four winds, 0 breath, and breathe
uponthefejlain, that they may live. And here, I would i. Clear the

nature

Blowing upon the dry Bones. 3?J3

nature of ihefc influences in a word or two. 2. Speak unto the
variety of thefe influences, four winds. 3. I'o the manner of
their operation upon the eletl, they arefaid to breathe upon thefs
jiain. 4. Speak a little unto rheneceflity of thefe breathings. 5.
To the feveral fpecial feafons of the Spirit's reviving iniluence?.

1 fear your time will cut mefliorc before I have done ; but, I
fliall run thro' thefe particulars as quickly as poffible.

The firjl thing, is to clear the nature of thefe breathings or influ-
ences; and what I have to offer upon this head, you may take in
thefe few propofitions.

Firjl ihQU, yefliould know, that the influences ^nd gifts o^ iho
Spirit of God are of two forts, either common or faving : As for the
common influences of the Spirit, which are fometimes bellowed
upon the wicked and reprobate world, I am not to fpcak of thefe
at this time ; all I Ihall fay about them, is to tell you, that they are
given in common to the children of men, /or ^^//y/w^o/r/;^ (n^y-
ftical) bodyof Chrift, until it arrive at the meafure of the [iature of the
fuhiefs of Chrift, as you read, Eph. 4. and therefore, they are com-
monly called by dWmQsdona miniJlrantia,oY miniflring gifts; al-
tho' they have no faving efficacy upon theperfoninwhom they
dwell, yet God, in his holy wifdom, makes ufeof them for the
good of his church in general, as we read, Eph, 4. And a-
nother thing that I would tell you likewife, concerning thefe
commoninfluences, is, that they are of an exceeding dangerous
nature, when they are not accompanied with faving grace ; the
man that has them, is like a/Z'/p having large fails, and but little or
no ballaft at all, in the midfl of the ocean, and therefore in danger
of being fplit in pieces againft every rock. Mat. 7.22. w\; read
of fomc, whohad extraordinary common gifts, they prophefied
inChrifl's name, wrought miracles,and caft out devils in his name,
and did many wonderful works, and yet Chrift utterly difowns
them; I do not fpeakof thefe common influences now, but of
fuch as are faving ; and therefore,

A/^co«^propofitionis,that the Holy Spirit of God, confidered
in his particular oeconomy in the work of redemption, as the ap-
plier of the Redeemer's purchafe, is the author and efficient caufe
of" all favmg influences ; it is he, I fay, that prepares and difpofes
the foul of man for the entertainment of the things of God, which
are not received nor difcerned by the natural mind ; it is he thac
plows up the fallow ground of the heart, and brings inlhe wilder-
nefs, and turns it into a fruitful field; it is he that garniflics the
face of the foul with the faving graces of the Spirit, thefe are
flow-crsof the upper paradife, therefore Cd\kd the fruits of the Jpi-

riu

3?^.!. The Wind of the Holy Ghost

r/>, G.i'. 5. 12 2. k is he that prefer ves, cheriilies, and maintains
them by renewed influences ; he chehihes the finoaking flax, and
iitliil turns it into a lamp of glory in heaven, for he brings forth
judgment unto viftory.

3. Again, ve are to underftand, thatthe elect of God are th^ ■
fiibjecl; recipient of all faving influences of the Spirit of God ; i^
fay,chey are peculiar only unto the eleCl of God, and to them only,- ■:
upon their converiion, when they come to be united unto Chrill '
as members of his myflical body. We mull: be ingrafted into this,
true olive, otherwife we can never partake of his fap,and receive
out of his fulnefs, grace for grace. That thefe influences are pe- .
culiar unto the eleft of God, is plain from Tit. i. i. where we
read of the faith of God's e!e6t.

4. Thefe influences of the Spirit are given for various ends un-
to the eleft of God. The judicious Dr. OweUy in his difcourfes en
the fphit^ obferves, that thele faving influences are given unto the
elect of God for regeneration, unto the regenerate for fan6lifica-
tion, unto the fanftiiied for confolation, and unto the comforted
Chriilian for further building up, and edification and eftablifli-
ment, until they arrive at perfection in glory : But the nature
of thefe influences will further appear from

The/cTo/iii thing propofed, which was to fpeak a little to the
variety of thefe influences of the Spirit. You fee they are diver-
fified here, while they are called four winds. Come from the four
winds, O breath. Theapoftle tells us, that there arediverfities of
gifts ami operations, hut the fame fpirit, i Cor. 12.4. And we read,
as I was telling you, of feven fpirits that are before the throne,
Rci). I. Here, if time would allow me to enlarge, I might tell
you that the faving influences and breathings of the Spirit are ei-
ther primary, fundamental, and abfolutely necefliary to falvation,
or they are accumulative, additional, neceffary only for the belie-
ver's comfort and well-being. Some of thefe influences are an-
tecedent or preparative unto converfion ; feme of them are re-
genei ating, and others are fubfequent and pon:erior unto regene-
ration: But I fliall not fhand upon fuch nice diflinftions: You
may take a few of them in the order following.

I . There are the convincing influences of the Spirit, John 16.
^.fVhenheiscome, he imll convince the '■joorldof fin. This is what I
conceive we are to underfl:and by the north 'Z)y/«i,Cant. 4. 6. which
is commonly boifl:erous, cold, chill, and nipping. Theele6t of
God, by nature, ly fafl: aileep within the fea-mark of God's wrath,
upon the very brink of everlaftingruin, CYyingpeace, peace to them-
/elves', the Spirit of the Lord comes like a llormy north-wind,

blows

Blowing upon the dry Bone?, 3g^

blows hard upon the Tinner's face, and awakens him, breaks his
carnal peace andfecuricy, brings him tohimfelf, Jets him fee his
danger, and fills him with remorfe and terror. Hence //;?. 28- 17-
the hail is faid to fweep down the refuge of lies before the finner
-come to fettle upon the foundation that God hath laid inZu'2.
^A6ls 2. 37. 'tis faid they ivere pricked in their hearts^ and then they
cried out, Men and brethren, 'what {hall me do ?

2. There are the enlightening influences and breathin2;s of the
Spirit. Plence he is compared unto eye-falve, Rev. 3. Te have re-
ceived animation from the Holy One, whereby ye k?iO'W all things, ijoh.
2. We read IJ'a. 25. 7. of a vail and face of a covering that is
fpread over all nations. The wind of the Holy Ghofl; muft blow
off this vail of ignorance and unbelief; and then the poor finner
comes to fee a new world of wonders that he never faw before, a
wonderful great God, a wonderful Redeemer, a wonderful cove-
nant, and a wonderful holy lavo : Hence we are faid to be tranflat-
ed out of darknefs into a marvelous light. The Spirit fearcheth all
things, yea even the deep things of God. And i Cor. 2. 12. By the
Spirit we know the things that are freely given us of God.

3. There are the renewing influences of the Spirit. We are
faid to be faved by the zvaflmg of regeneration, and reneiving cf the
Holy Ghofl, Tit. 3.5. Plence he is called anew «Sp/nV.' He renews
the will, and makes old things to pafs away, and all things to be-
come new.

4. There are the comforting influences of the i9/)/nV. This is
the fouth wind, as it were, gentle and eafy, and refrefhing ,• and
therefore he is called the Co/zz/brffr ; and indeed his confolations
areflrong confolations, they put more gladnefs into the heart,
than ccrn, wine and oil in abundance, and fill the foul with a joy
that is iinfpeakable and full of glory. And then

5. There are the corroborating and ftrengthening influences
of the Spirit. By the breathings of the Spirit, the feeble are made
like D^'-j/V/, and as the angel of God before him ,■ it is \\q t\\?ii gives
power to the faint, and increafcsjlrength to thcui that have no might ;
'tis by him that worm Jacob is made to thre/b the mountains, and
to beat them fmall, and to make the hills as chaff'. And then

6. There are the drawing and enlarging influences of the
Spirit. Drazv me, fays the fpoufe, we will run after thee. Hie poor
believer lies many times, as it were wind-bound, thac he is not able
to move one flep in the way of the Lord ; but O ! when the Spirit
of the Lord comes, then comes liberty and enlargement : /
will run the 'iy:Tj of thy commandments, favs David, when thou haft
enlarged my heart, Co wit, by the influences 0^ thy Spirit. He

B b is

58"6 The Wind of the Holy Ghost

is like oil to their chariot-wheels, and, when he .comes^ they
are as the chariots o^ Aminadabf or a" willing people.

7. There arc the fin-mortifying and fin-killing influences of
the Spirit : PFe^ through the Spirit, arefaidio mortify the deeds of the
body, thatfo we may live. When this wind of the Holy Ghoft blows
upon the foul, he not only makes the fpices to revive, but he kills
the weeds of fm and corruption, making them to wither and de-
cay ,• fo that the poor believer, who was crying^ fVretched maUf
ivhat Jballl do to be delivered from this body of death ? is made fome-
times to tread upon the neck of thefe enemies, as a pledge of his
compleat vi6tory at lafl. And then,

8. '^I'here are the interceding influences of theSpirit, Rom.S^
2 6. The Spirit maketh interceffionfor us mth groanings that cannot be
littered. He interceeds in a phyfical and efficient way : He makes
usto wreftleand pray ; therefore he is called the Spirit of grace
and fuppUcation, Zech. 12. 10. He fills the believer's heart and
mouth with fuch a heavenly rhetorick, that God is not able to
withflandit : Hence J^coZ? had power with the angel, and pre-
vailed, for he wept and made fupplication to him. And then,

9. There are the fealing and witneffing influences of the fpirit;
heivitneffethwithourfpiritsthatwe are the fins of God ; he bears
wicnefsof the glorious fulnefs and fuitablenefs of Chrifl; to the
foul ; the Spirit poalltejtify of me, ]o\\n 15. And he is faid to feal
believers to the day ofredemption^^nd his feal is the earnefl: of glory,
Eph. 1 . 1 3 . Te arefealed by the holy fpirit ofpromife, which is the ear-
7iefl of the inheritance : But thefe things I have not time to infiO:
upon. So much for the fecond thing.

The third thing that I propofed here, was to fpeak a little to the
manner of the atling or operation of thefe influences, or how
is it that this wind blows upon the foul ?

I anfwer, i. then, the wind of the Holy Ghoft blows very
freely ; the fpirit a6ls as an independent fovereign,yoZ>« 3. 8. It
doth not fl:ay for the command, nor ftop for the prohibition of any
creature ; fo the breathings of the fpirit are fovereignly free as
to the time of their donation,free as to their duration and continu-
ance,free as to the meafure,&: free as to the manner of their work-
inff. And then 2. he breathes onthefuul fometimes very fur-
pnz'.ngly. Ere ever I zvas aware, fiys the fpoufe, my foul made me
like the chariots of ylminadab. Can thou not feal this in thy expe-
rience, believer, that fometimes when thou hail gone to duty in a
very heartlefs and lifelefs condition, perhaps beginning to raze
foundations, and to fay withZfon, the Lord hath for faken, and my
God bath forgotten, a gale from heaven has iu a manner furprized

thee.

Blowing upon the dry Bone?, 337

thee, and fee thee upon the high places of J^coZ^, and made thee
to cry with the fpoufe, It is the voice of my beloved ! behold! he com-
eth leaping upon the mountains , skipping upon the hills : -His anger en-
dures but for a moment , in his favour is life. IVeeping may endure for
a night, but joycomcth in the morning. 3. Thefe breathings and in-
lluences.of the fpiric are fometimes very piercing and peneirat-
ing. The cold nipping north- wind, ye know, goes to the very
quick. The fivord of the fpirit pierces to the dividing afunder of fo'il
and fpirit, of joints and marro'U),and is a difcerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart. Wind, you know, is of a very feeking, pene-
trating nature; it feeks thro' the clofeft chambers ; So the fpirir,
which is the candle of the Lord, fearcheth the loiver parts of the bel-
ly ; he makes a difcovery of theie lulls and idols that skulk in the
fecret chambers of the heart. 4. The breathings of this luf/zr/ are
very powerful, ftrongand efficacious, who can oppofe the blow-
ings of the wind ? Some winds have fuch a mighty force with them,
that they bear down, overturn and overthrow every thing that
Hands in their way ; fo the Spirit of the Lord fometimes, efpecially
m firft converfion, breaks in upon the foul like the ruJJ.iing of a migh-
ty'wind, as he did upon the Apoftles, breaking down the llrong
holds of iniquity, c^iYwg to the ground every high thought and tow-
ering imagination of the foul, that exalted itfelf againft Chrift,
with a powerful and triumphant efficacy ; He mafters the darknefs
of the mind, the contumacy and rebellion of the will, and the carna-
lity of the affeftions, the enmity of the heart againfl God ; and all
the fpiritual zviickednejfesihcit are in the high places of the foul are
made to fall down at his feet, as Dagon did before the ark of the
Lord. 5. Although he a6l thus powerfully andirrefifably, yet
it is with an overcoming fweetnefs, fo as there is not the Icafh vio-
lence offered unto any of the natural faculties of the fou.'; for
whenever the fpirit comes with his faving injluences, he fweeiiy 0-
vercomes the darknefs of the mind ; the finner becomes a vo/un-
tier, and content to lift himfelf a foldier under Chrift's banne^r,
Pfal. 100.3. '^^^y people fJ:all be ivilling in the day of thy power. I sFo
foonerdoesChriflby his Spirit fay to the Soul, Follow me, but/V/z-
viediately theyarife and follow him. Behold we come unto thee, for
thou art the Lord our God. Then, 6. There is fomething in thic
breathing of this wind that is incomprehenfible by reafon. Job. ;^ .
8 . Thou hearefl the found thereof, but thou cannot tell whence it comet i\
or whither it goes, fays Ch rift, fo is every one that is born of the Spirit.
There is fomething in the operation of the Eternal Spirit, and his
influences, beyond the reach not only of natural, but of fanilifi-
ed reafon . Who can tell how the bones are formed in the womb rf her

B b 2 that

388 The Wind of the Holy Ghost

that is zvitb child ; fo far lefs can we tell, how the Spirit forms the
babe of grace in the heart ; how he preferves, maintains and che-
riihes the iiiioaking ilax tliat is not quite extinguiflied. We may
in this cafe apply the words of the Pfalmift in another cafe, and
fay, Thy-ivayis in the fea, and thy path in the great 'vmters, and thy
footjleps arenot knoiim: and that of the apoftJe, IIoiv iinfearchable
are his judgments, and his "jjayspajt finding out ! 7. Thefe influ-
ences of the Spirit are fomctimes felt before they are feen, as you
know a man will feel the wind, and hear it, when he cannot fee
ic : So it is with the Lord's people many times, on whom the Spi-
rit breathes; they /^'^Z his a6Ungs, they are fenfible that he has
been dealing with them ,• and all that they can fay about it is, with
the man that was born blind, One thing Iknoiv, that whereas I -ivas
blind, yet nozvlfee; the kingdom of heaven comes not with ob-
fervation.

The fourth thing propofed, was to fpeak a little to the neceffity
o^the[^ breathings. And here I fliall iliew (i.) That they are
neceffary. (2.) To what things they are neceflary.

(i.) That they are neceflary, will appear, i. From theexprefs
declaration of Chriil, ^oh. 15.5. JVithout me ye can do nothing ;
that is, without the aid and influences of my Spirit : He doth not
fay, without me ye cannot do many things, or great things, buf,
imthout me ye can do nothing. 2. It is evident from the exprefs ac-
knowledgment of the faints of God upon this head, 2 Cor. 3. 5.
We are not (fays the apoftle) fufficient of ourfelves to think any thing
of ourfelves ; but our fuffclency is of God. It is he that muft work
all our works in us and for us. 3. It is plain from the earnefl: pray-
ers of the faints for the breathings of this wind. Cant. 4. 1 6. A-
ivake, . O north mnd, come thou fouth, and blow upon my garden. Pfal.
85. 6. Wilt tbou not revive us again, that thy people may rejoice in thee.
I'hey are promifed in the covenant, and therefore necefl^ary, Jfa.
44. 3 . / will pour waters on the thirfty, and floods upon the dry ground :
J will pour my Spirit upon thy feed, &c. Ezek. 36. 27. / will put my
Spirit within you, and caufe you to walk in myjtatiites. Now, there
i:> not a mercy promifed in the covenant that can be wanting.

i]in,fecondly, To what are thefe breathings neceffary? lanf-
wer, they are neceflary. i. To the quickening of the ele6l of
God, when they are fl:ark dead in trefpajjes and fins. Can ever the
dry hones live, unlefs this omnipotent wind blow upon them ? It is
Itrangc to hear fome men that profefs Chriftianity, talking of the
pozver of their own wills to quicken and convert themfelves ,* they
inay as wellfay, that a dead man may take his grave in his two arms,
and lay death by him, and waik, No man, fays Chrifl, can come unto

me.

Blowing upon the dry Bones. 389

me, except the Father who hath fent me, draw him. Oh, what a dead
weight IS the finner, that a whole Trinity muft draw; for botli
Father and Son draws the finner by the breathings of the Holy
Ghofl, 2. Thefe influences are necelTary for the fuitable dif-
charge of every duty of religion. You cannot read, you cannoc
hear, you cannot pray or praife, you csipnot communicate to any
advantage, unlefs the wind of the Holy Ghoft blow upon you ; it
is the Lord that mufl: enlarge our (leps under us,and make our feet
like hinds feet in the ways of the Lord. 3. They are neceflary
for accomplifhing our fpiritual warfare againft fin, Satan, and the
world: We will never be able to combat with our fpiritual ene-
mies, if he do not help us ; it is he only that muH teach our hands to
war, and our fingers to fight, fo as bows of ft eel may be broken in pieces
by us. Without the Spirit we will fall before every temptation,
likePfffr, cur fe and fwear, that we never knew him. 4. They
arenecedary to the exercife of grace already implanted in the
foul. As we cannot work grace in our hearts, fo neither can we
exercife it without the renewed influences of the Holy Ghofl,
Cant. 4. 1 6. When this wind blows, then, and never 'till then, do
the fpices flow out. Butlfliallnotfhandon this,- the Spirit's in-
fluences are necefl^ary to all the ufes mentioned upon the fecond
head, for conviftion, illumination, renovation, con folation, en-
largement, mortification of fin, and for aflTurance of our adoption.
Tha fifth thing that I propofed upon this head,was, to give you
fome of the feafons of thefe influences of theSpirit ,• for the wind,
you know, has its feafons and times of blowing and breathing. I
Ihall only name a few of them to you.

1. The Spirit's reviving influences, they blow very ordinarily
in a day of converfion ; this, as you were hearing, is a feafon
when this wind breathes on the foul, Ezek. 36. 26. When God
takes away the fi:ony heart, and gives the heart of flefli, he puts
his Spirit within them, when the foul is firfi: efpoufed unto Chrifi:.
So jer. 2. 2. 1 remember thee, the kindnefsofthy youth, the love of thine
efi)Oufals,when thou went ejt after me in the imldernefs^inalandwhich
was not fown.

2. When the foul has been deeply humbled under afenfe of
fin and un worthinefs ; whenEphraim is brought low and is fmiting
on his thigh, acknowledging his fin and folly, then thefpirit of
the Lord comes with a reviving gale upon his fpirit. Is Ephraim,
fa\ s the Lord, my dear [on, is he a pleafant child, ever fmce Ifpake a-
guinfi him,! doearne/t/y re7nember him flill, my bowels are turned for
him, I will fur ely have mercy on him, faith the Lord.

3. After a dark night of def:rtion, when the Lord returns a-

B b 3 gain.

396 The Wind of the Holy Ghost

g^in, it is a time of fweet influences. After Zion had been crying.
The Lord hath forfaken me, my God hath forgotten me ; immediately
after this comes a fweet gale of the Spirit, Can a woman forget her
fucking child, that [he pwuld not have cempaffion on the Jon of her
womb ■? yea, [he may forget, yet •will I not forget thee.

4. Times of earneft prater and wreftling ; for he giveth hisSpi-
rit to them that ask it. This is agreeable to the promife,£sj.37.37.

5. Times of ferioiis meditation are times of {"wqqi influences
of the Spirit, Pfal. 63. 3. IVhen I remember thee upon my bed, and
meditate upm thee in the night-ixiatches, my foul is fatisfied as with
marrow and fatnefs, and my foul folio wet b hard after thee.

6. Communion-days are fometimes days of fweet influences.
Some of the Lord's people can atteft it from their experience,
with the fpoufe. That while the king fat at his table the fpikenard fent
forth the fnell thereof ; and when they fat down under his (hadow,
they found his fruit fweet unto their tafle. He brought me into
the banqueting- houfey and his banner over me was love.

7. I'heday of death has fometimes been found to be a day of
fuchpleafantgalesoftheSpirit, that they have been made to en-
ter into the haven of glory with a triumphanty^w^ in their mouth,
faying, Thanks beunto God which giveth us the viSiory,thro' our Lord
Jefiis Chrijl. Thus David, Tho* my hoiife be not fo with God, yet
he hath made with me an everlafting covenant, ordered in all things
and fure, and this is all my falvation and all my defire. Thus
Simeon, &c. thus Paul, &c.

The third thing in the text and do6lrine to be fpoken to, is the
life that is effe6ted and wrought in the fouls of God's ele6l by
thefe influences and breathings of the Holy Spirit. Your time
will not allow me to enlarge upon this ; I fliall only tell you
in a (q.\v particulars what fort of life it is.

I. It is a life of faith. The apofl:Ie calls it fo. Gal. 2. The life
I live in the flepj, is by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave
himfelf forme. And the jufl: is faid to live by faith: The man is
always embracing a Redeemer, and the fulnefs of the Godhead
in him, always deriving frefhfupplies out of that full treafuryand
flore-houfe. 2. It is alife of jufl:ification; the law pronounces
acurfeagainftevery one that doth not continue in all things that
are written in the hook of the law to do them. The believer gets this
fentence of death canceird,iiow/. 8- i. Thereis no condemnation to
them that are in Chrijl Jefus. And not only fo, but he has the ever-
lafling riglueoufnefs of Immanuel God-man imputed to him,
fo that with aholy boldnefs he may challenge juftice & challenge
the law what they have to fay again ft him, as theapoflle doth,

Rem.

Blowing tipon the dry Bones. 5^t

Rom. 8.33. fVhocan lay any thing to the charge of God's elect ? dec,
3. It is a life of reconciliation with God,* God and they are at
friendihip, which follows naturally on their jutlification, Rom. 5.
I. Being jiijlificcl by faith^ we have peace ivith God. God doth not
retain the lealt grudge in his heart againft them, and he and they
walk together, bccaufe they are agreed^^jjhat is, they have fellow-
lliip one with another, according to that, i J'oh. i. '^. Ferily, our
fellozvfJjip is ivith the Father, and with his Son Jefus Chrijl. 4. It is a
hfeof holinefs and fandlification ; for the Spirit of the Lord is a
cleanfing and purifying and renewing Spirit ; he renews the foul
after the image of God, makes the heart, that was a cage of un-
clean birds, a fit temple for the Holy Ghoft to dwell in ; he gar-
niflies the foul, and makes it, like the kings daughter, all glorious
mthin : They that had lien among the pots,become like the wings
of a dove, covered with filver, and her feathers with yellow gold.
5. It is a very pleafant and comfortable life ; and no wonder, for
his name is the Comforter ; his confolations are fo flrong, that they
furnifli the foul with ground of joy in the blacked and cloudieft
day, Hab. 3.17. T7;o' the fig-tree /JmU not hlojfom, neither JImH fruit
be in the vines, the labour of the olive [hall fail, and the fields jhall
yield no meat, the flocks fhall be cut off, &c. And the joy that he
gives is deep, your heart floall rejoice ; and it is abiding, your joy
JImH no man take from you ; anditisfuch as cannot be made lan-
guage of, we rejoice with joy unfpeakable and full of glory. 6. It is a
life of liberty ,• for where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
He brings us into the glorious liberty of the fons of God. Before
the Spirit comes with his faving influences,the man is in bondage,
in bondage unto fin, unto Satan, unto the law, and unto the curfe
and condemnation of God ,• but the Spirit of the Lord frees us
from all thefe : Chrift, by his Spirit, fets the captives.of the migh-
ty at liberty, and delivers the prey from the terrible. 7. It is a
hid life. Col. 3. 3. Tour life is hid with Chrift in God: And believers
are called God's hidden ones, P/?/. 83. 3. The fpring and foun-
tain of this life is hid, namely, an unfeen Chrifl:,for with him is the
fountain of life. The fubjeftofthis life is hid, even the hidden
man of the heart. The actings of this life are hid, and the means
of its fupport ; he feeds upon the hidden manna and the tree of
life, which is in the midft oftheparadife of God. And then the beau-
ty and the glory of this life is hid ; for the kings daughter is all glo-
rious within. The beauty of the hypocrite's life lies all in the out-
fide, painted fepulchres. 8. It is a heavenly life, they are made
to live above the world ; Our convcrfation is in heaven^ fays the a-
poftle. They look onthemfclves as pilgrims and flrangers on

B b 4 th«

392 The Wind of the Holy Ghost

the earth, and therefore look not To much to the things that are
feen, and temporal, as to the things that are not feen,and eter-
nal. With Mofes, they have arefpe& totherecompenfe of reward:
Their eyes are let upon the land that is very far otF, and the king
in his beauty. 9. It is a royal life, for they are made kings andpriejis
unto God, Rev. i. 5. T^?y have a royal kingdom, of which they
are heirs ; I appoint unto you a kingdom, fays Chrift, a royal crown^
a croim of glory which fadeth not away. They (hall have a royal
throne atlaft. Rev. 3. 21. royal robes, princely attire, the gar-
ments of falvation, a royal table provided for them, Ifa. 26. 6. A
feaji of fat things, afeaft of wines on the lees, of fat things full of mar-
row, of wines on the lees wellrefined. A royal guard continually at-
tending them, the angels of God and the attributes of the divine
nature,£ffc. 10. It is an eternal life, ^0^. 17. 3. This is life eternal^
tj)know thee the only true God, and J ejus Chrift whom thou haft fent.
The laving knowledgeof aGodinChrilt, what is it but the firfl:
dawnings of eternal glory in the foul ? and where he once dawns,
he is always in the afcendant until the mid-day of glory come : for
his goings forth are prepared as the morning.

The fourth thing is the ufe of the doftrine; and waving other
ufesthat might be made of thisdo6lrine, I fliallonly improve ic
by way of examination and of exhortation.

The firfl ife Ihall be of triahnd examination. Oh, try firs, whe-
ther ornot thefe faving influences of the fpirit did ever breathe
upon your fouls, yea or not; For yourmal, I (liall only fuggeft
thefe few things.

1. If thefe breathings ha.ve blown upon thy foul, then he has
blown away the vail and face of the covering that was naturally
upon thy mind and underftanding ; he has given you other views
of fpiritual and divine things, than you can have by any natural
or acquired knowledge : The fpirit of the Lord is called a fpirit of
wifdom and revelation, Eph. i. becaufe he reveals thefe things tq
the foul, which flefli& blood is not able to receive or underfland^
So then, has the fpirit teftified of Chrift unto you? Has he, who
commanded light to (liine out of darknefs, fiined into your hearts,
to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Je-
fus Chrift, and as a fruit and confequent of this ?

2. U the IVindoi the Holy Ghofi has blown upon thy foul, he
lias blown away fome of the filth of hell that did cleave to thy foul,
and has transformed thee unto his own image, 2 Cor. 3. Beholding,
as in a glafs, the glory of the Lord, thou art changed into the fame image
from glory to glory, even as by the fpirit of the Lord. If you h a ve the
fpirit, the fame mind willbeinyou that was alfoin Chrift Je fas i for

he

Blowing upon the dry Bones. 393

he that is joined to the Lord is one fpirit. You will imitate and refem-
ble him in his imitable perfedlions, in his holinefs, meeknefs, fclf-
denial, patience. He is a holy God, and wherever he comes he
works holinefs, and makes the foul holy.

3. If this lym^'has blown upon your fouls, then it has driven
you from your lying refuges, and made you take fancluary in
Chrifl. He has driven you from the law, and made you confent
to the method of falvation thro* therighteoufnefs of the fon of
God. I thro' the law, fays the Apoflle, am dead to the law, that I
may Jive unto God, This is the defign of all the Spirit's influences,
to lead finners off from fin,oirfrom felf,off from the Iaw,that they
jnay reft in Chrift only.

4. If ever you felt any of the reviving gales of this wind of the
Spirit, you will long for new gales and breathings of it ; and when
thefe breathings are fufpended and withheld, your fouls will be
like to faint, as it were, like a man that wants breath ; you will
pant for the air of the fpirit's influences, Yiko David, Pfal. 63. My
foul longethfor thee in a dry and thirfty land, wherein there is no water ;
and Pfal. 84. 2. Myfoullongeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of
the Lord ; my heart andflefj cry out for the living God; Oh, for ano-
ther gale of his fpirit in publick ordinances.

5. If you have felt the breathings of this wind, you will not fnuff
up the eaft- wind of fin and vanity. Job. 4. 14. IVhofoever drinkcth
oftheivater that IfJjall give him, fJjall never thirft. You will not
ihirft immoderately after the things of time ; no, no, you will fee
them to be but mere trafli and vanity. You will chufe the better
part that cannot be taken from you : You wiUfeek things that are
above, where Chrift is at the right hand of God.

6. If this wW has blown upon thy foul, then you will follow
the motion of this wind; you will not run crofs to this winJ,hut wi!l
go along with it;Imean,you will yield yourfelves unto the condu6l
of the fpirit fpeaking in his word ; for as many as are led by the Spi-
rit, are the funs of God. But, fay you, how ihall I know if I be led
by the fpirit of God? lanfwer. (i.)Tf ye follow the fpirit, then
you will not fulfil the lufts of the flefli ; but, on the contrary, you
will ftudy to crucify the flefJj with the affettions and hijls : You will
be ready to cut oiT your right hand, and to pluck out the right eye
fins at the Lord's command. (2.) I'hen the way wherein you
walk will bea way of holinefs, for heisafpiritof fmctification,
and a way of truth ,• for the fpirit of the Lord is a fpirit of truth,
and he leads into all truth. A way of uprip;htnefs, I'f. 143.10. Thy
fpirit is good, lead me into the landof iiprighincfs. . (3.) Ye know,
leading imports fpontaneity and willingnefs. There is a great

diuerence

3p 4- 77;? Wind of the Holy Ghost

' difference between leading and drawing, between being driven
by t he wind, and following the motion of the wind. Sometimes
incked the wicked, a hypocrite, a natural man, by a flrong north-
wind of conviftion^may be driven on to duty through the force
of terror; but the believer, he is a volunteer, he freely yields
himfelf to the fpirit's conduft : Herejoices to work righteoufneff,
and to remember God in his ways ; whenever he hears the fpiric
wliifpering in his ears and faying. This is the ixiay^ ivalk ye in it, pre-
fently he complies ; when the fpiritof the Lord fays, come, he
immediately ecchos back again, and fays,5^/;o/i, I come unto thee,
for thou art the LordmyGod. Now try yourfelves by thefe things.

The fecond life fliall be of exhortation. Is it fo, that the influen-
ces of the fpirit are fo necellary in order to our revival ? then be
exhorted to look up to heaven, and cry for the breathings of the
fpirit. O firs, will ye turn the words of my text into a prayer,
and fay, Cow e from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon thefe
fain, that they may live. I might enforce this exhortation by
many motives, I iliall only name them.

Motive I. Confider, firs, that fpiritiialdeadnefs is very prevalent
in the day wherein we live. There is a great multitude of dry
hones fcattered up and down our valley of vifion , there are many
that carry the marks of a deadly leprofy on their foreheads ; their
atheifm, their profanity, irreligion, and other grofs abominations,
plainly declare to the world, that they are fi;ark dead in trejpajfes
and/ins. And alas, may it not be for matter of lamentation, that
even many of thefe, who, in the judgment of charity, have the
root of the matter, the principles of fpiritual life, are yet under fad
decays of the life of grace. Alas, it is not with Scotland's mini-
fters and profelTors as once in a day it has been. I might produce
many melancholly evidences of this, if time would allow. Re-
member thefe already mentioned, the general loathing of the
word, ^c.

Motive 2. Confider the eviUnd danger of fpiritual deadnefs. The
evil of it will appear, ( i .) If ye confider, that it is a frame of fpirit
direftly crofsto the command of God. God commands us to pre-
fent ourfelves a living facrifice unto him ; ^Lud indeed this is our rea-
fonablefervice, Rom. I2. i. Yea, it is crofs unto the very nature of
God ; for God is a fpirit, Joh .4.24. and they that worfhip him, mufi
luerjljip him in fpirit and in truth. (2.) The evil and danger of it
appears further from this, that it unfits the foul for every duty,and
mars our communion and fellowfliip with God. God meets the
lively chrifiian in the way of duty, thou meet efl him that rejoiceth
andworkcth righteoufnefs,ihofQ that remember thee in thy ways;

but

Blowing upon the dry Bones. 395

but for the man that comes to him with a Laodke an, dea.d, Yif'dtCs
and lulcewarm frame of foul, he will not hold communion with that
man ,• no,he will fpue him out of his tnouth. 3. It opens a door for all
other fm, and renders a man an eafy prey unto every tempcatiofi.
A dead man can make no manner of refinance, he is carried down
the ftream without oppofition. Then, (4) it lays a foundation for
fad and terrible challenges from confcience. David's fpiritual
deadnefs brought him to that pafs at the long run, that he is
made to cry out of broken bones, ^c.

Motive 3. Confider, that as the breathings of the fpirit are necef-
fary for every duty, fo particularly for that folemn work which
you have before your hands, of commemorating the death (f the ex-
alted Redeemer. 1 might here let you fee, how the influences of
the fpirit are necelTary for every part of your work, if time would
allow. Without the fpiric's influences of light you can never
examine your felves to purpofe ; it is the fpirit of the Almighty that
givetb underjtanding, howtofearchout themyfteryof iniquity in
the heart, which is deceitful above all things, and defperately wicked.
And then without the fpirit you cannot mourn for lin ,• for it is the
kindly influences of the fpirit that thaws the heart into evange-
lical tears, Zech. 12. 10. Without the fpirit you cannot difcern
the broken body of a Redeemer, for it is the fpirit that teftifies
of Ctirift. I will pour the fpirit of grace on the houfe of Ddv'id, and
inhabitants o/'Jerufalem,* and then follows, They /ball look unto me
whom they have pierced, and they foall mourn for him. In a word, you
cannot exercife any grace, you cannot wreftle in prayer, you
cannot have any right views of the contrivance of redempti-
on, you cannot take hold of God's covenant, or improve any
promife of the covenant, without the fpirit.

Motive 4. Confider the excellency of thefe influences of the fpirit.
I. They blow from an excellent corner and original ; the Holy
Ghoft is the author of them, and you know he proceeds from the
father and ihefon ; fo that a whole trinity, as it were, convey them-
felves with thefe Z'r£'^?^i«|-j-. 2. They are the purchafe of a Re-
deemer's blood, and therefore excellent. There is not the leaft
grace, or the leafl- gale of the fpirit that is given to believers, but
itcoflChrifltheZ^/oor/ of his heart', he purchafed grace as well as
glory. 3. Thefe influences ofthe fpirit, as it were,fupplyChrifl:'s
room while he is in glory. And truly, firs, I may fafely fay it upon
fcripture warrant, that the prefenceof the fpirit with believers
upon earth is a greater bleffing than the mere bodily prefenceof
Chrift ; and therefore Chrifl; tells his difciples by way of comfort,
Joh. 16. If I go not away, the comforter ivill not come j but if I go a-

596 The Wind of the Holy Ghost

way, Iivillfemlhim. As if he had faid, when I am gone, the fpi-
ricwillbe poured out from on high, which is far better for you
than my bodily prefence. 4. Thefe breathings of the fpirit are
pledges of glory, the earneft-penny of the inheritance, £p/;. 1.13.
Jfterthat ye believed, ye were fealed with the holy fpirit of promife,
which is the earnejl of our inheritance. 5. Their excellency appears
from the excellent effe6ls that they produce upon the foul ,• they
beautify the foul on whom they fall,and make it like a field which
the Lord hath blefled ; they render the ^ou\ fruitful in every good
word and work, Hof. 14. 5. / will be as the dew unto IfraeL And
what follows ? They /hall grow as the lilly, and caft forth their roots as
Lebanon. If a. 44. 3,4. I will pour water upon him that is thirfty,
and foods upon the dry ground: I will pour my fpirit upon thy feed, and
my blefjing upon thy offspring; and then follows, •^. 4, They/hall
fpring up as among the grafs, as willows by the water-courfes.

Ouejt. What advice or counfel do you give in order to our ob-
tainmg or recovering the enlightning and reviving gales of the fpi-
rit? Anf Be fenfible of your deadnefs, and mourn over it; for
the Lord comforts them that mourn in Zion ,• he will give them beauty
forafjjesy the oil of joy for mournings and the garment of praife for the
fpirit of heavinejs. And then follows, They flmll be called trees of
right eoufnefs, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified^ Ifa.
61.2, 3.

2. Be much upon themountof divine meditation, for here it is
that the fpirit of the Lord breathes- While I was fnufing, the fire'
burned^ fays David, Pfal. 39. 23. Pfal. 63. 5, 6. While 1 meditate on
thee in the night-watches y my foulJJjall be fatisfi^d as with marrow
andfatnefs.

3. Cry mightily unto God for theie influences, that he would
pour down his fpirit from on high ; for if ye being evil (fays Chrift)
know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more will not
your heavenly Fat her give his fpirit unto them that ask him, Luk. 1 1 . 1 3.
Plead the promifes of the new covenant : and particularly be
much in pleading this abfolute promife of the fpirit, Ifa. 44. 3. /
will pour water upon him that is thirfly, and floods upon the dry ground.
I will pour my fpirit upon thy feed, &.C. Ezek. 36. 27. / will put my
fpirit within them, and caufe them to walk in my ftatutes. But ftill re-
member, firs, that thefe promifes are to be managed by the pray-
erof faith. Weare to turn God's promife into prayers; foritis
added, f. 37, For thefe things will I be enquired of by the houfe of
Ifrael, to do it for them.

4. Make confcience of waiting on him in all the duties and or-
dinances of his appointment, particularly the preaching of the/

word ;

Blowing tipon the dry Bones. 357

Word i and beware ofalegalframeofipirit in your attending upon
thefe ordinances, as if thereby you could merit any thing at God's
hand, or as if God were obhged to you for what you do this way •,
for ive receive thefpirit^ fays the Apoflle, -not by the 'uoorks of the law,
hut by the hearing cf faith. Gofpel-ordinances are the ufual chariots
in which the fpirit rides, when he makes his entrance at firft, or
when he returns into the foul after abfence.

5. Study to have union ivith Chrifl ; for it is upon them that arc
in Chrift, that the Spiritof God and of glory refts. He that is join-
ed to the Lord is one fpirit with him. The oil of gladnefs that was
poured upon the head of our exalted Aaron runs doivn upon the
Jlirts of his garments, upon every member of his myftical body.

The Grones of Believers under their Burdens.

Being a SERMON preached in the Tolbooth Church upon a Fall before the
Sacrament of our Lord's Supper, OBober z-j. 1720.

By the Rev. Mr. Ebenezer Erskine.

2 C o R. V. 4.

TVe that are in this tabernacle do grone, being burdened.

IN the firft verfe of this chapter, the Apoftle gives areafon why
he and others of the faints in his day did endure perfecudon for
die caufe of Chrift, with fuch an unfliaken conftancy and holy
magnanimity. He tells us, that they had the profpe6b of better
things, the lohd and well-grounded hope of a happy immortality
to follow upon the dilTolution of this clay- tabernacle of the body.
Ye need not wonder,as if he would have faid,tho' we cheerfully and
willingly undergo the fliarpeft trials for religion : For ive know^ that
if the earthly houfe of this tabernacle were diffolved, we have a build-
ing of God, an houfe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
When the poor believer can fay, with David, I fhall dwell in the
houfe of the Lord for ever, he will be ready to join ifftie with the fame
holy man, Thd" I walk thro' the valley of thefhadow of d.eath, I will
fear no evil. Yea, fo far is the apoftle from being damped ordif-
couraged at the tho'ts of death, that he rather invites it to do its
office, by ftril<ing down the clay- tabernacle, that his foul may be at
liberty to afcend to thefe manfions of glory, tliat his bleffed friend
and elder brother hath prepared for him above, v. 2. In this we
grone earnefily, dcfiring to be clothed upon with our houfe which is from

heavm>

398 The Grones of Believers

heaven. He knew very well, that when he fliould be {Irip'd of
".this mortal body, hefliould nocbefound naked, as it is, i^. 3. but
' clothed 'uoith a robe of glory and immortality. An d , in th e verfe read,
hegivesareafon why he was fodefirous to change his quarters ;
and^'tis drawn from the iineafinefsandinconveniency ofhispre-
fcnt-lodging, while cooped up in this clay- tabernacle,/^^ that are
in this tabernacle, fays he, do grone, being burdened.

In which words, we may briefly notice the believer's prefent
lodging or habitation; he is in -z tabernacle. 2. Hismelancholly
difpofition ; he is groning. 3 . The caufe or reafon of his grones ;
being burdened.

1. I fay, we have an account of the believer's prefent lodging
orhabitatfon; he is in this tabernacle. By the tabernacle here,
we are to underftand the body, fo called, becaufe it is a weak, mo-
veable fort of habitation ; (as we may hear more fully afterwards)
The indweller of this lodging is the noble foul, which is faid to be
in this tabernacle, while it is in an embodied flate; fo that the
meaning is, We thafare in this tabernacle ; that is, we that are liv-
ing in the body.

2. We have the melancholy difpofition of the poor believer,
while in this lodging ,• he grones. The word in the original, —
rendered, to grone, we find taken in a threefold fenfe in fcripture.
ijl, It is an cxpreifion of grief, Heb. 13. 17. Obey them that have
the rule over you, that they may give their account of you, not -ivitb grief;
or, as it may be rendered, Jiot zvith grones. It is the fame word
that is here ufed. There is nothing more ordinary, when a per-
fon is burdened and prefixed in fpirit,than to give vent to the heart

^ in fobs and grones ; and thus fhands the cafe with the Lord's peo-
' pie many times, while in the tabernacle of the body. 2dly, It is
fometimes an exprefiTion of difpleafure, ^a?n. 5. 9. Grudge not one
againfi another. It is the fame word that is here rendered to grone ;
" and fo it imports that the believer is diflatisfied with,or difaffefted
to his prefent quarters ; he does not like it, in comparifon of the
better habitation that he has in view, ^dly. It is fometimes ta-
ken as an exprefiion of ardent,paflionate and earneft defire : Thus
the word is taken in the 2d verfe of this chapter. In this we grone
earnejily, defiring to be clothed upommth ourhoufe ixihich is from hea-
ven. I lliall not exclude any of thefe fenfes from the apoftle's
fcope in thefe words.

3. In the words we have the caufe or reafon of the believer's
grones, being burdened. Many a weary weight and heavy load
has the believer hanging about him, while palling thro' this valley
of Baca, which made him to go many times with a bowed-down

back. ;

under their Burdens. 399*

back. Whatthefe weights and burdens are, ye may hear more
fully afterward.

The obfervacion I offer from the words, is this, That believers
are many times kirdened, even imto groning, zdjile in the clay- taberna-
cle of the body ; we that are in this tabernacle do grone being bur-
dened.

The method I fhall obferve in handling this doclrine^ is, i.To
give you fome account of the believer's prefent lodging ,• he is in
a tabernacle. 2. Of the believer's burdens in this tabernacle. 3.
Of his grones under thefe burdens. 4. Conclude with fome im-
provement of the whole.

I. ThQfirJl thing is, To give you fome account nf the belie-
ver's prefent lodging while in the body ,• and there are^thefe two
or three things that I remark about it, which I find in the text
and context.

1. Then, 1 find it is called a hoiife in the firft verfe of this chap-
ter ; and it is fitly fo called, becaufe of its rare and curious flruc-
ture and workmanfliip, Pfal. 139. 14, 15. Iwill praifc thee, for I
am fearfully and ■ivondcrfully made ; marvellous are thy works, and that
my foul knoweth right well. My fubftance was not hid from thee, when-
I was made in fecret, and curioufly wrought in the lower parts of the
earth. The body of man is a wonderful piece of architc6lure, the
skill and wifdomof the great Creator is wonderfully difcovered
therein ; it is fet up, as it were, by line and rule, in fuch exa^fl or-
der, that the moft curious piles and edifices in the world are but a
chaos or mafs of confufion, when compared therewith. Take a
clod of duft, and compare it with the flefli of man, unlefs we were
inflirudled of it before hand, we would not imagine it to be one
and the fame matter,confidering the beauty and excellency of the
one above the other ; which evidently proclaims the being, pow-
er and wifdom of the great Creator, who made us and not we our-
felves, and who can fublimate matter above its firfl original.

2. I remark, concerning the believer's prefent lodging, that
however curious its flrufture be, yet it is but a houfe of earth ;
therefore called in the fii ft verfe, an earthly houfe: Anditisf ^jcf-
pecially inathreefoldrefpeft; I. In refpeft of its original, it is
made of -earth. It is true, all the elements meetin the body of
man, fire, earth, water and air; but earth is the predominant ;
And therefore, from thence he is fiid to have his rife, Job 4. 19,
He dwells in houfe s of clay, and bis foundation is in the dift. Whate-
ver be the beauty, ftrcngth, fi:ruftureor high pedigree of men ;
yet as to their bodies, they claim no higher extra6t than the dufl
of the earth. 2. It is a houfe of clay, in rcfpeic of the means that

fupport

40O The Grones of Believers

fupportic; it flands upon pillars of duft : For the cotti, wine and
oil, wherewith the body of man is maintained, do all fpring out of
the earth. Hof. 2. 21, 22. Godisfaid tohearr/;^/;;7^ii^/2J-, the hea-
vens to hear the earth, the earth to hear the corn, wine and oil, and thefe
to hear Jezrecl And, if thefe props be withdrawn, how foon will
the clay-tabernacle fall to the ground, and return to its original.
3. Itisahoufeof earthinrefpe6tof itsend; it returns thither at
itsdiflblation: Accordingly fee that of God to ^^^/;z, Gen. 3. 17.
Diijl thou art, and unto duft thou fialt return. Perhaps, there may-
be fomeallufion unto thefe three, in that paflionate exclamation
of the prophet Jeremiah to the rebellious Jews, Jer. 22. 29. O
earth, earth, earth ! hear the word of the Lord. They were earth in
their original, they were earth as to their fupport, and they
would return unto earth in the end. ,_

3. I remark, concerning the believer's prefent^lod^ing, thatic
is but at bed: a tabernacle ; foitis called, verfefirfl. If the earthly
houfe of this tabernacle were dijfolved ; and again here, ^e that are in
this tabernacle dogrone, being burdened. Now, a tabernacle or a tent
is a moveable or portable kind of habitation, and is peculiar efpe-
cially totvvofortsofmen: i. Unto travellers or wayfaring men.
2. To foldiers or warfaring men. ift, I fay tabernacles or tents,
they are peculiar to flrangers or wayfaring men. Strangers, ef-
pecially in the eallern countries, ufed to carry thefe portable hou-
fes about with them, becaufeof the inconveniencies which they
were cxpofed to : Hence, Heb. 1 1. 9. it is faid 0^ Abraham, that by
faith hcfojoiirned in the land ofpromife, as in aftrange country, dwelling
in taberra:les, with Ifaac and Jacob, heirs ofthefamepromjje. They
dwelt in tabernacles, becaufe they had no prefent inheritance ;
they were but flrangers and pafTengers in the country. To this
the apoftle probably alludes here ; and {o this intimates to us, that
the faints of God, while in the body, are pilgrims and flrangers,
not as yet arrived at their own country ; lam aftranger in the earth,
fays the Pfalmift, 7y^/. 119. 19. And it is faid of thefcripture wor-
thies, Heb. II. 13. that they confcJ]ed that they were flrangers on
earth ; they defired a better country^ that is, an heavenly. O belie-
ver,'thou art not arcfidenter, but only a paffenger through this
valley of ii<7f^; and therefore lludy adifpofitionof foulfuitable
to thy prefent condition. 2. Tabernacles, as they were ufed by
flrangers, and wayfaring men, fo by foldiers and warfaring men,
who are obliged frequently to move their camps from one place
to another: Believers, while they are in the tabernacle of the
body, mufi: aft the part of foldiers, and fight their way to promifed
land, through the very armies of hell. /Fe wreftle not ( fays the

apoftle )

under their Burdens. 401

apoflle) iJjithfle/Jo ^ bIood,but mth principalities &' powers^ and rulers
ofthedarknefs of this 'xorlil, with fpiritual wickedncjfes in high places,
Eph.6. 12. And therefore, as the apoflle exhorts, it concerns us
10 put on the ivholc armour of God, the (hi eld of faith, the helmet of fal-
•vation, the breajt-plate of right eoufncfs, the girdle of truth, and to be
Irequentjy accudoming ourfelvestoa holy dexterity in wielding
and managing the xwoxd of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
thatfo we maybe able to make a courageous fland in the day of
battle, and at lafl; come off the field in a vi6torious manner, when
Chrifl the captain of falvation (hall found the retreat at death.
Thus the believer's lodging in a tabernacle, fliews himtobeboth
a traveller and a Ibldier.

4. Another thing that I remark concerning the believer's
lodging, is, that it is but a tottering and crazy houfe, that is fhort-
ly to be taken down ; for, fays the apoftle, "jcr. i . The earthly houfe
of this tabernacle is to be dijjohed. What man is be ( fays the Pfalmilb)
that liveth, and Jhall not fee death 'i Shall he deli'uer his foul from the
band of the gravel Pfal. 89.49. "-^^^^ ki"g of terrors has ere6led
his trophies of viftory over all that ever fprung 0^ Adam', the
greatelt Ccfars ^v\d Alexanders y who made the n^orld to tremble
with their fword, were all forced atlaftto yield themfelves cap-
lives unto this grim meffenger of the Lord of holls : There is no
difcharge of this warfare; the tabernacle of the body muftdif-
folve. However, it may be ground of encouragement to the be-
liever, that death is not a deftruftion or annihilation; no, as the
apoflle tells, itisonly adiffolving, or taking down of the tent or
tabernacle ,• for God defigns to fct up this tabernacle again at the
refurreftion, more glorious than ever. It was the faith of this
that comforted and encouraged Job under his affliction, Job ig.
25, 26. Iknoiv that my Redeemer liveth, and that he (hall ft and at the
latter day upon the earth. And thd" ivorms dejtroy this body, and t ho'
iny reins be confumed within me ( fays he ) yet in my fejh /ball I fee
God. So much for the firft thing in the method.

The /^C(?;7c/ thing propofed was, Tofpeaka little of the belie-
ver's burdens while in this tabernacle. This earthly houfe lies un-
der many fervitudes, and the believer (as one fays )pay"s a dear
rentfor his quarters. For,

I. The clay-tabernacle itfelf is many times a verv heavy bur-
den to him ; the crazy cottage of the body is liable to innumerable
pains and dillempers, which make it ly like a dead weight upon
the foul, whereby its vivacity and activity is exceedingly marred.
Whenthepoor foul would mount up, as upon eagles wings, the
body will not bear part with ix ; So that, the believer feels the truth

C c of

^02 The Groues 0/ Believers

of Chrifl's apology verified in his fad experience, Thefpirit is wil-
ling, but thefiejh is weak.

2. Not only is he burdened with a burden of clay, butalfo with
a burden of fin ; I mean, indwelling corruption, the fecret a-
theifm, enmity, unbelief, ignorance, pride, hypocrify, and other
abominacions of his heart. O but this be a heavy burden, which
many times is like to difpirit the poor believer, and prefs him
through the very ground. David ( tho' a man according to God's
own heart) yet cries our, under this burden, fVho canunderjiand
his errors? cleanfe thou me from fecret faults, Pfal. 19. 12. And the
apoftle Faul never complained fo much of any burden as of this,
Rom. 7. 24. 0 wretched man that lam ! who /Jjoll deliver me from the
body of fin ? To be ridof this burden,the poor believer many times
would be content that this clay-tabernacle were broken into fhivers.

3. Pie is burdened many times with a fenfe of much aftual
guilt, which he has contradled through the untendernefs of his
way and walk. Confcience, that deputy of the Lord of hofls
( being fupported by the authority of the law ) frequently brings
in a heavy indi6lment againft the poor foul, andtelLit, thus and
thus thou haft finned, and trampled upon the authority of God the
great lawgiver. In this cafe, the believer cannot but take with
the charge, and own, \v\i\\ David y Mine iniquities are gone over mine
head, they arc as a burden too heavy for me to bear, Pfal. 38.4. And Pfa^o
40. 12. Innumerable evils have compaffed me about , mine iniquities have
iaken hold on ?ne, fo that lam not able to look up : they are more than the
hairs of my head, therefore my heart faileth me.

4. He is fometimes fadly burdened with the temptations of Sa-
tan. The devil, that cunning archer, flioots at him, and fore
wounds and grieves him ; fometimes whole fliowers of fiery darts
dipt in hell are made to fly about his ear*. God, for holy and wife
ends, fuifers the believer to be winnowed, fifted and buffeted by
this enemy: And O but the believeris fore burdened in this cafe!
Sometimes he is ready to conclude, with David, one day or other I
fhall fall by this roring lion, that goes about feeking to devour me^
Sometimes he is brought to diflraftion, faying, with Jeho^Mphat
in great extremity, when furrounded by enemies, I know not what
to do, but mine eyes are towards thee. But let not the believer think
flrange of this, feeing Chrift himfelf was not exempted from the
molefiations of this enemy.

5. Sometimes the believer is burdened with the burden of il!
company. The fociety of the wicked, which perhaps is unavoid-
able,is a great incumbrance to him, and tends mightily tamar and

* hinder him- in his work and warfare, tience David utters that

mournfui

imder their Burden?. 403

mournful and melancholy complaint, Pfal. 120. 5, 6. TVo is me
that Ifojourn in Mefech, and dwell in the tents of Kedar. The belie-
ver is of ^i^co^'s difpoficion, with reference to the wicked. Gen.
49. Si(^' 0 niyfouly come not thou into their fecret ; unto their aJJ'enibly,
mine honour, be not thou united. And truly, firs, if the company and
fociety of the wicked be not your burden, it is a fign ye are of
their fociety.

6. Sometimes the believer is fadly burdened, not only with his
own fins, but with the abounding fins and abominations of the day
and place wherein he lives. I beheld tranfgrejjors, fays David, and
ivas grieved. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, becaufe of the wick-
ed, who brcakthy law, Pfal. 119. 136, 158.0 what a heart-breaking
thing is it to the poor foul, to feefinners dafliing therafelves to
pieces upon the thick boffes of God's buckler; and, as it were
upon the rock of falvation, runing headlong to their own ever-
lafl:ing ruin, without ever refle6ling upon their ways ! His very
bowels yern with pity towards them, who will not pity them-
felves. Upon this account, believers are frequently called the
mourners in Zion : They figh and cry for the abominations that
are done in the midjt of Jerufalem, Ezek. 9. 4.

7. The believer is many timics, while in this tabernacle, bur-
dened with the publick concerns of Chrift; he is a perfon of a
very grateful and public fpirit. ChriH: took a life of them, while
he was in a low fi:ate ; and therefore he cannot but be concerned
for the concerns of his kingdom and glory, efpecially when he
fees themi fuffering in the world. When he beholds the boar out
of the wood, or the wild bead of the foreft, open and avowed ene-
mies, wafting and devouring the church of God; when he fees
the foxes fpoiling the tender vines, and the watchmen woundin;^^
itniting, or taking away the vail of thefpoufe of Chrifl, SongS- 7.
When he fees the privileges of the Church of Chrift invaded, her
do6lrine and worihip corrupted, her ordiniry meals recrenched
by theftewards of thehoufe; thefethings, Ifay, arefinkingand
opprelTmg to his fpirit ; he then hangs his harp upon the willows,
when he remembers Z/o«. In this cafe, he \s forrowful for the
folcmn ajfembly , andthe reproach of it is his burden, Zeph. 3. iS-

8. 1 he poor believer has many times the burden of great crof-
fes and afflitlions lying upon him, and thefe both of a bodily and
fpiritual nature, and deep many tirne.^ calkth unto deep ; the deep of
external trouble calls to the deepof inwirddiftrefs; and thefe,
like two feas meeting together, do break upon him with fuch vio-
lence, that the waters are like to come in unto his very foul. S'">me-
times, I fa3% he has a burden of outward troubles upon him ; per-

C c 2 haps

404 The Grones of Believers.

haps a burden of ficknefs ?.nd pain upon his body, whereby the
crazy tabernacle of clay is fore fliattered ; There is nofoiindnefs in
myjiefJj, fays David, hecaiife of my fin, Pfal. 38- 3 • Sometimes he
is burdened with poverty, and want of the external necefTaries of
life, which is no ftrange thing, confideringthat the Son of God,
the heir of all things, became poor ,• and fo poor, that, as he him-
felf declares, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nefts,
hut the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. Sometimes he is
burdened with infamy and reproach; malice and envy ftriking
athis reputation, and wounding his name. FaJfe i^itnejfes, fays
David, rofe up againji me, and laid to my charge things that I knem
not, Pfal. 35. II. Sometimes he is burdened in his relati-
ons, as by their mifcarriages. It was a grief of heart to Rebecca,
when EfoAi married the daughter ofBeeri the Hittite, Gen. 26. 34,
35. And no doubt Z)^/'u/i had many a fad heart for the mifcarria-
ges of his children, particularly ofAmnon and Jbfalom. Some-
times he is burdened with the death of near relations: It is grie-
vous to him when the Lord takes away the defire of his eyes with
a ftroke. I might here tell you alfo of many trials and diflrefles of
a more fpiritual nature, that the behe ver is exercifed with,belides
thefe already named. Sometimes he has the burden of much
weighty work lying on his hand, and his heart is like to faint at the
prolpe6l of it, through thefenfeofhisowli utter inability to ma-
nage it, either to^God's glory, or his own comfort, or the edifica-
tion of others ; fuch as the work of his flation, relation and gene-
ration, and the great work of his falvation : This lies heavy upon
him, till tlie Lord fiiy to him, as he faid to Paul'm another cafe, My
grace isfnfjicientfor thee. Sometimes the believer in this taberna-
cle is under the burden of much darknefs. Sometimes he isin-
darknefs as to his ftate ; he walks in darknefs, and has no light, in-
fornach that he is ready to raze the foundation, and to cry, lam
caft out of thy fight ; the Lord hath forfaken me, and my God bath for-
gotten me, Ifa. 49. 14. Sometimes he is in darknefs as to his duty^
whether he lliould do or forbear. Many a perplexing thought
rolls in his breaft, till the Lord by his Word and Spirit fay to him.
This is theway,walkyeinitylfa. 30. 21. SoiriCtimes he is burdened
v>'ich diflancefrom his God, who feems to have withdrawn froni
him behind the mountains; and, in this cafe, he cries, with the
church. For thefe things mine eye weeps, and runs down with watery
becaufetbe Comforter which fhouidrelieve my foidis far from me, Lam.
I. 16. And fometimes it is a burden to iiim to think that he is at
fuch a uiftance irom his own country and inheritance ,* and, in this
cafe, he longs to be over Jordan, atdiepromifed land, faying, /

defire

under their Burdens. 405

defire to be dljjohed, and to he with Chrifi, which is bed of all, Phil, i •
23. Sometimes again he is under the burden of fear, particularly
the fear of death. Hcb. 2.15. we read of fome who are held in
bondage all their life, through fear of death; and yet, glory to
God, fuch have had a fafe landing at laft.

Thus I have told you of fome of thefe things wherewith the
believer is burdened, while in the tabernacle of this body.

The 2y;/;Y/ thing in the methed was, To fpeak of the believer's
groning under his burden; For, fays the apoflle, JVe that are in
this tabernacle do gogrone, being burdened. Upon this head I lliall
only fuggefb two or three confiderations.

I. Confider, Thatthe working of the believer's heart, under
the prelTures of thefe burdens, vents itfelf varioufly. Sometimes
he is faid to be in heavinefs, i Pet. 1.6. If need be, ye are in heaii-
iiefs through manifold temptations. Sometimes he is faid to fjgli
under his burdens, and to figh to the breaking of his loins : He is
faid to fetch his fighs from the bottom of his heart ,• My fighing
comes before I eat, fays Job. Sometimes his burdens make him'
to cry: Sometimes he cries to his God, PfaLi'^o. i. Out of the
depths have I cried to thee, O Lord. Sometimes he cries to byftand-
ers and fpeftators, as ^ob did to his friends, Have pity on me, O ye
my friends ; for the bandof the Lord hath touched 7ne, Job. 19. 21. Or
with the church, Lam. i .- 1 2 . Is it nothing to you, all ye thatpnfs by 7
Behold and fee, if there be any forroiv like unto myforrozv, wherewith
the Lord hath ajjiid:ed me in the day of bis fierce anger. Sometimes,
he is faid to rore under his burden ; My rorings, fays J'ob, are pour-
ed out like water. I have rored all the day long, fdys David, bccaufe of
the difquietnefs of my heart. Sometimes he is at the very point of
fainting under his burden ; I had fainted, iinlefslhad believed to fee
thegoodnefs of the Lord in the land of the living. Sometimes his fpi-
rits are quite overfet and overwhelmed, Pfal. 61.2. From the ends
of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed : Lead
vie to the rock that is higher than! Sometimes again he is, as it
were, diftrafted, diflrafted and put out of his wits, through the
weight of his burdens,efpccially when under the weight of divine
terrors : Thus it was with holy Heman,Vh\. 88. 15. While Ifuffer
thy terrois I am dijlratled. Yea, fometimes the matter is carried
fo far, that it goes to the drinking up of the very fpirits, and a dry- '
ing and withering of the bones ; as ye fee in the cafe o^Job, The
arrows rf the Almighty arc within me, the poif on whereof drinketh up
my fpirits. O the heavy toHings of the believer's heart under his
burdens ! The apoflle here exprcfles it by a groning ,• We that are
in this tabernacle do grone, being burdened.

C c 3 2. For

40(5 The G RONES df Believers

2. For clearing this, ye Qiould under ftaiid, that there are three
forts ofgronestharwe read of in fcripture. i. Of grones of na-
ture. 2. Of groncs of reafon. ' 3. Of grones of grace.

j/?, I fay, we read of grones of natqre, Rom. 8.22. M^^e knoiv,'
fays the apolUe, that the vobole creation gronetb, andtrava'iletb in pain
together until nozv. Man, by his fin, brought a curfe upon the good
creatures of God, Curfed is the ground for thy fake, Gen. 2. 17. And
th(3 very earth upon which we tread grones, like a woman in tra-
vail, tinder the weight of that curfe and vanity that it is fubjetled
unto, thro' the fin of man ; and it longs, as it were, to be delivered
from the bondage of corruption,^ and to /hare ff the glorious liberty of
the fons of God, at the day of their manifeflation.

2dly, We read of grones of reafon, orofthe'reafonable crea-
tures under their affdilion. Thus we are told, that the children
of //r^i?/groned under the weight of their affliftion in Egypt, by
reafon of the heavy tasks that were impofed upon them, Exod.
6. 2. I have heard, fays the Lord, the grones of the children of
Ifrael, whotn the Egyptians keep in bondage.

^dly, We read of grones of grace, or of fpiritual grones, Rom.
8. 2(5. The fpirit helpeth otir infirmities, andmaketh intercejfionfor us
ivith grones ivhich cannot be uttered. And of this kind, we conceive,
arethefe grones which the Apoflle fpeaks of in our text,* they
are not natural, neither are they merely rational grones, (tho'e-
veii thefe are not to be excluded) but they are gracious and fuper-
natural, being the fruit offomefaving workof the fpirit of God
upon the foul. And therefore,

A 3d remark I offer is this, that thefe grones of the gracious
foul, here fpoken of, feem to imply, as was hinted at in the expli-
cation of the words, i. A great deal of grief and forrowof fpiric
on the account of fin, and the fad and melancholy e£Fe6ls of it on
the believer, while in this imbodied ftate. 2. Ic implies a difplea-
fure, ordifTatisfaftion in the believer, with his prefent burdened
eflate ; he cannot find refi: for the fole of his foot here below :
Hefinds, that this is not his refting-place. And, 3. It implies 3
breathing and panting of foul after a better fi:ate, even the imme-
diate enjoyment of God in glory, f.i. He grones with an earnefi
dcfire to be clothed upon ixiith his houfe ivbich is from heaven.

But I proceed to the 4th thing in the method, which was the
application of the doftrine ,• and the firfi: ufe fiiall be oUnformation.
I. Hence we may fee the vafi: difference between heaven and
earth. O what vaft odds is there between the prefent and future
flate of the believer, between his prefent earthly lodging^j and his
heavenly manfion ! This world is but at bell a v/eary land ; but

there

^'%d

Tinder their Burdens. 407

there is no wearying in heaven: No, They jhallferve him day and
night in his holy temple. This world is a land of darknefs, where
thou gueft many a time mourning -without the fun : Vmt, when once
y thou comcfl to thine own country. The Lord [ball be thine everlajt-
hig light, and thy God thy glory. This world is a land of diftance ;
but in heaven thou (halt be at home ; when abfcnt from the body,
thou fliTilt be prefent with the Lord. This world is a den of lions,
and a mountain of leopards ; but there is no lion or leopard there ;
they p.^all not hurt nor dejiroy in all God's holy mountain above. This
world is a land of thorns : Many pricking briers of aifliftion grow
here below ; but no pricking brier or grieving thorn is to be found
in all that country above. This world is a polluted land, it is de-*
filed with fm ; but there can in no -wife enter into the land of glory, any
thing that defileth, or iwrketh abomination, or maketh a lie. In a
word, there is nothing but matter of groning for the moflparc
here; but all ground of groning ceafeth for ever there.

2. See hence a confideration that may contribute to ftay oral-
Jay our griefs, fobs and grones from the deathof godly relations;
for while in this tabernacle they grone, being burdened : But now
their grones are turned intofongs, and their mourning into halkr
lujahs ; for theranfomedofthe Lord, when they return, or come to Zion,

^ at death or the refurrecHon, it is with fongs, andeverlajiing joy upon
^' their beads : They obtain joy andgladncjs, andforrow and mourtiingjiee
away, Ifa. 35. 10. And therefore, Let us notforrow, as, them tha^
have no hope. If our godly frienc^s, that are departed^ could enter-
tain converfe with us, they would be ready to fay to us, as ChriH:
faid to the daughters of Jcrufalem, O ! weep not for us, but weep far
yourfelves; for we would not exchange conditions with you for
ten thoufand worlds : Yc are yet groning in your clay tabernacle,
oppredwith your many burdens; but, as for us, thedayof our
complete redemption is come, our heads .^re lifted up above all
our burdens, under which, opqe in ^ day, we groned while we
were with you.

3. See hence, that they are not always the happiffl folk that
have the merriefl life of it in the world. Indeed, it v^^e look only
to things prefent, the wicked would feem to have the befb of it;
for, inftead of groning, they take the timhrdand the harp, they re-
joice at the found of the organ ; thcyfpend their 'd'ays inwcuith and eafe.
Job. 21. 12, i3.But,0 firs, remember, that it is the evening that
-cro wn s ^ he day ; The triumphing of the wicked is but fhort, a,nd the jo y
of the hypocrite is but for a moment: Whereas the groningsof tl'e
righteous are but fliort, and their jubilee and triumph IfhaU ha
e\ erlafting. Mark the pcrfidl man, fays David, and- behold'theup'

C c a " .'■'^^Af

4o8 The G rones of Believers

Tight : for the end of that man is peace. But the tranfgrejfors fhall be
deftroyed together, the end of the wicked is to be cut off, Pia). 37. 37. 1
will read you a paffjge, than will fliew the vaft difference betwixt
the godly and the wicked, and difcovertheflrange alteration of
the ic^nc betwixt them in the life to come, Ifa. 65. 13, 14. Thus
faith the Lord God, Behold myfervants floall eat, but ye fhall be hungry:
Behold, my fervants fJjall drink, but ye fhall be thirjiy : Behold, myfer-
vants [hall rejoice, but ye floall be afhamed: Behold, myfervants fhall
Jingfor joy of heart, but ye fhall cry for forrow of heart, and fjjall
howl for vexation of fpirit.

4. See hence, that death needs not be a terror to theheliever»
Why? Becaufe, by taking down this tabernacle, it takes off" all
his burdens, and puts a final period to all his grones. Death, to a
believer, is like the fiery chariot to Elijah ; it makes him drop the
mantleof his body with all itsfilthinefs, butittranfports hisfoii',
his better part, into the manfions of glory, the houfe not made wi:b
hands, eternal in the heavens.

The fecond Life of the doftrine may be of reproof imto^two
forts of perfons. i. It reproves thefe who are at home, vhije in
this tabernacle. Their great concern is about this clay tabernacle,
how to gratify it, how to beautify and adorn it. Their larrguage
is, PVho will f]:ew us any good 1 JVhat flmllwe eat ? What floall we.:.
drink? Wherewith fhall ive be clothed? But they have no thought or
concern about the immortal foul which inhabits the tabernaclej
which miifl be happy or miferable forever. Ofirs! remember^
that whatever care ye take about this clay-tabernacle, it will dr'_ p
down todufterelong, and the noifome grave will be its habitati-
on, where worms and corruption will prey upon the faireftface
and purefb complexion. Where will be your beauty, ftrength, cr
fine attire, when the curtains of the grave are drawn about you ?

2. Thisdodlrineferves to reprove thofe whoadd to the bur-
dens and grones of the Lord's people, as if they were not burden-
ed enough already. Remember, that it is a dreadful thing to vex
or occalion the grief of thefe whom the Lord has wounded.
They that do lb,- counteraft the commiflion of Chrift from the
Father, who was Tent to comfort them that mourn in Zion,togive thefrt
the oil of joy jor mourning, the garments of prafa for the fpirit ofhea-
"vi'iiefs. But, on the contrary, they ftudy to give a hfeavy fpirir,
and to flrip and rob them of their garments of praife. Remem-
ber that Chrift is very tender of his burdened faints ; and if any of-
fer to lay a load above their burden, by grieving or offending
them, the Lord Jefus will not pafs it without a fe vere refen tment ;
and it were better for fuch, that a milftone were hanged about thePr .
jieck, and they crfi inio the midft ofthefau A

umUr their BurdeTs's. 409

A third ufe, (liall be oUamentation and humiliation. Let us
lament, that the Lord^^s faints & people iliould have fo much mat-
ter of groning at this day & time wherein we live. And here I will
tellyouof" feveral things that are a burden untothefpirits ofthe
Lord's people,& help on their groning,and make them fad hearts.

1. The abounding profanity and immorality of all forts that are
to be found among us : O how rampant is atheifni^and profanity,
and impieiy, like an impetuous torrent, carrying all before it ! Ic
is become fafliionable among fome to be .'mpious and profane.
Religion, which is the ornament of a nation,is fac'd down by bold
and petulant wits ; It is reckoned, by feme, a genteel accomp-
liihment, to break a jeft upon the bible, and to play upon things
religious and facred. O what curfing and fwearing ! O what ly-
ing and cheating ! What abominable drunkennefs, murders and
unclcannefs ! What perjury and blafphemy is the land defiled
with : We may apply that word, Hof. 4. 2. For thefe things the land
mourns. The land grones at this day, under thefe and the like
abominations : And therefore, no wonder that the hearts of thofe
that regard the glory of God do grone under themalfo, and cry
with'^he prophet, y^r. 9. i, 2. O that my head ivere ■waters, andmine
eyes fountains of tears, that I might weep day and night for the jlain of
the daughter of my people ! Oh that I had in the ivildernefs a lodging-
place of voayfaring men, that 1 might go far from them I For they be
all adulterers, an ajfembly of treacherous men.

2. The univerfal barrenncfs that is to be found among us ac
this day, is matter of groning unto the Lord's people. God has
been at great pains with us, both by ordinances and providences ;
he has planted us in a fruitful foil ,• he has given us a (landing un-
der the means of grace ; he has given us line upon line, precept upon
precept ; and yet, alas, may not the Lord fay of us, as he faid of his
vmeyard, Ifa.S-4- Hooked that thsy fJjould bring forth grapes, and
behold, they have brought forth wild grapes. And, as fur the fruit of
providences, alas! where is it? Mercies are loll on us: For when
God feeds us tothefull, when he gives peace and plenty, then,
Jefurun like, we wax fat, and kick againft him, Deut. 32.15. And as
mercies, fo rods and affli6]:ions are loft upon us likewife. God has
flrickenus, but we have not grieved', he has confiimed us, but we have
refufed to receive correction, Jer. 5.3.

3. The lamentable divilions that are in our Reuben occafiori
great thoughts of heart, and hcavinefs to the Lord's people at this
day. Court and country, church and Rate are divided ; miniflers
divided from their people, and people from their minifters j and
both minifters and people divided among themfclves ; and every

party

410 The G RONES of Believers .

party and faclion turning over the blame from themfelves ,• than
which there cannot be a greater evidence of God's anger, or of
approaciiing ruin and defolation: For a city or kingdom diz'ided
againft itfelf cannot ftand. Mat. 12. 25.

4. The innumerable defections and backilidings of our day are
a great burden to the ]>ord's people, and make their hearts to
gione within them. The charge which the Lord advancetha-
gainit the church of Epbefas, may too juftly be laid to our door,
that we are fallen from our firft love, There is but little love to
God or his people, little zeal for his way and work to be found
among us; the power of godlinefs, and life of religion, isdwind-
led away unto an empty form with the mofl: part.

I might here take occafion to tell you of many publick defecti-
ons and backilidings, that we ftand guilty of before the Lord ;
particularly, of the breach of our folemn national engagement. Ic
was once the glory of our land to be married unto the Lord, by fo-
lemn covenant in a national capacity ; but, to our eternal infamy
and reproach, it has been both broken and burnt by publick au-
thority in this very city. Perhaps, indeed, fome may ridicule
me for making mention of the breach of our folemn en^age-
nients ; but! mufl blow the trumpet, as God's herauld, whether ye
zmJlhear, or forbear: And ye who ridicule thelJ2 things now, will
perhaps laugh at leifure, if God (liall fend a bloody fword, or rag-
ing peffcilence, to avenge the quarrel of his covenant.

But fome may fay, Ye talk of breach of folemn national en-
gagem.enrs ,• but wherein does the truth of fuch a charge appear?

For an L wcr, I iliall inllancein a few particulars : It is lit, than
we not only know, wherein our fathers have broken this cove-
nant ; but wherein ourfelves,this prei'Qnt generation, ftands guilty.

1. Then in our national covenant, wefwear, that we will en-
deavour to be humbled for our own fins, and for the fins of the
kingdom; but, alas, publick days of fafl;ingand humiliation for
ihe fins of the land are but rare, and thin fown at this day ! Where
are the mourners of our Zion ? How few are they whofe hearts
are bleeding for the abounding wickednefs of the day ! If God
iiiallgivea commifHon to the men ivith the Jlaiighter-iveapons to go
through Scotland, and fay utterly oldandyoung, only come not near
;my that figh and cry ,• O what a depopulate country would it be !
how few inhabitants would be left in the land !

2. In that covenant we are boimd to go before oneanother in
the example of a real reformation ; but, alas, who makes confci-
ence of this part of the oath of God ? how little perfonal.refor-
mation is there ! how little care to have the heart purified from

lufts

vnder their Burdens. 411

liiflsanduncleannefs! So-that the Lord may well fay unto, iis, as
he laid to yemjakm^ O JerufaJem., zvrtfh thine heart from •ioiukcilnejs ;
hov: long jhall vain thoughts lodge iviihin thee ! 1 low JitcJe rcfonnati-,
on of Wi'^ ! what a fcandalous latitude do many proiellbrs of reli-
gion take to themfelves, in curfing, Iwearing, lyiijg, drinking^
cheating, and over- reaching others in their dealings, whereby
the way ot religion comes to be evil fpoken oF !

3. By the covenant we engage, not only to relbrm curfclx-es,
but our families : But, alas, how little of this is to be found ? Lit-
tie care is taken by many parents and maftersto have their c'r.il-
dren and ferva!ir.s( after the example of yiZ^m/;/?///) in(lru61ed in
thegood ways of the Lord ! Every head of a family IhoulJ be a
priell in his famiIy,for maintaining the worlbip of God in it; but,
alas, hov/ many are there that either fcroof over the duty in a fu-
perficial manner, or elfe live in the total negle61: of it ! Go thro'
many noblemen and gentlemen's families in the kingdom, and ye
fliall find as little of the worlhip of God in them, as if they were
turks and pagans; and, perhaps lefs : Yeaatheifmis become Co
rife among people of higher rank, that, with fome, he is not rec-
koned a man of any fpirit, that will bow a knee to God in his
family.

4. In our national covenant we fwear to endeavour the refor-
mation o^ England Siud Ireland from the rem.ains of the Roman hi-
erachy,and ceremonies of man's invention in the worfliip of God:
But how is this article performed, when by folemn treaty, the re-
prefentatives of the nation, in a parliamentary capacity, have
confented that epifcopacy fhould continue as the form of worlhip
and government in our neighbour nation? Again, by the cove-
nant we fwear to endeavour the extirpation of popery ,• and yet,
how many malTes are kept openly in the land, particularly in the
northern parts of the kingdom? How many trafficking priefts
and jefuites are fwarming among us ? And how many profeft pro-
teflants are there who have of late fliewn their good will to facri-
fice aproteftantintereftuntothewillof a popifh pretender? A-
gain,in our national covenant, we abjure prelacy and tyranny in
our church-government; buttho' prelatick tyranny be not ella-
bliflied, yet there is too much of a prelatick fpirit venting it felf a-
mongus at this day, while many are laying claim to a negative
voice, in radical judicatories, over thefe whofe offices gives them
equal intereft in the government of the church with themfelves :
And there is but too much tyranny exercifed over thel^ord's peo-
ple by many judicatories of the church, while men arethrufi; in
vipon'them^ to take the charge of their fouls, contrary to their

own

412 The Grones of Believers.

own free choice and election. Chrill's little ones are but too lit-
tle regarded, if the world's great ones be gratified : On which ac-
count many of the Lord's people are crying at this day, with the
church, Cant. 5. 7. The ijoatchmen that 'went about the city, found me,
theyfihote me, they took aivay my vail from me. Again, in our cove-
]iant,we abjure fuperfticion in worihip ; and yer, to the fcandal of
our holy religion, it is not only tolerate by publicic authority, but
greedily gone afccr by many in our land. Herefy and error is ab-
jured by the covenant, every do6lrine inconfiflent with the word
of God, and our confeilion of faith ; and yet all forts of errors are
tolerate, except rank popery, and blafphemy againftthe trinity.
'Tis true, the ftandardof ourdoftrine (blelTed be God) remains
pure ,• but it is to be lamentedjthere is not fo much zeal difcovered
in curbing error, as our covenant- vows do engage us to. Again, in
our covenant, we abjure malignants,that is to fay, enemies to a cove-
nanted work of reformation,as being no members oiowx church yZ.nd
confqeuently, as having no right to the privileges thereof; & yet
malignant lords & lairds are the men who are generally gratified
in the affair of planting churches, in oppofition to them that fear
God, and who, on all occafions, difcover their lov^e and regard for
a covenanted work of reformation. Again, in the covenant, we
fwcar againfta deteftable neutrality and indiiferency in the caufe
of God and religion ,• and yet,how many GalHo's are there among
us,who are indifferent whether the intereft of Chrift fink or fwim?
And docs it not difcover too much of a lamentable lukewarmnels
andindifferency of fpirit about the way and work of God, when
we are beginning to abridge the ordinary number of our fermons
at our folemn gofpel-fefl:ivals,and to diminifli the folemnity there-
of, which has been fo remarkably owned of God? What elfe is
this, but a fluffing at his ordinances ? and faying pra61:ically, What
a ivearinefs is it ? Mai. i . 1 3 . Sirs, whatever fome may think of
the matrcr, yet I know that the hearts of many of the Lord's peo-
ple are forroixful, even unto groning,/or the folemn affiembly. I
Ihall not fay, that what is now tranfa6led of lace, with relation to
this matter,is a breach of our national covenant ; but I fay,ic feems
tobeafadevidenceof the'ukewarmnefs of our fpirits about the
wayandwork of God. Andlfind, that a changing of the ordi-
nances, and a breaking of theeverlafling covenant, go together
in fcripture, Jfa. 24. 5.

I might have told you of many other things,that break and bur-
den the fpiricsof the Lord's people at this day ; particularly, of
the vcni .ving of the rj^_rhteou^. by death, which, as it is a grer;t
and heavy judgment in Itfelf, fo it is an ordinary forerunner of

fome

under their Burdens. 413

fome heavy calamity approaching, Ifa. 57. i. None conjidering
that the righteous are taken azvay from the evil to come. And, 1 fup-
pofe, there may be many hearing me, whole hearts are inwardly
groning to tliis day, for the removal of that eminent light *,which
Ihmed with fuch arefrefliing luftre from this pulpit among you fo
many years ; it prognoilicates ill to our Zion, when fuch watch-
men are called otf from her walls, as on all occafions, were ready
to blow the trumpet upon the approach of any danger from earth
or hell. Ijuc I pafs this ufe, and go on to

A^th ufe of the do6trine, which Ihall be in a word to two forts
of perfons.

I. A word to you who are not burdened in this tabernacle. Ye
never knew what it was to grone, either for your own fins, or for
the fins of the land wherein you live, or the to'kens of God's anger
which are to be found among us ,* thefe are things of no account
with them, they can go very lightly and eafily under them ; All
Ifliallfay toyou,fliallbe comprifed in thefe two or three words.

1. Itfeems the adamant and nether milftone ye carry in your
breafl; was never to this day broken by the power of regenerating
grace: And therefore, I may fay to you, rs Peter faid to Simon
Magus, 7'eareyetinthegaUofbitternefs, and in the bond of iniquity,
A6ls 8.23. Ye are under theflavery of Satan, and thecurfeof
the law, and wrath of God; and thefe are heavy burdens, whe-
ther ye feel them or not.

2. Know it for a certainty, that except mercy and repentance
interpofe, your groning time is coming. However ye make light
of fin now, and of things ferious andfacred, yet ye will find them
to be fad and weighty things, when death is fitting down upon
your eye-lids ; when your cye-fi:rings are breaking, and your
fouls taking their fiight into another world, , O 'ujhat ■will you do
in the day of vifit at ion ? PPliither ■ivillyou fee for help'? And -vohere-
ij^illyou leave your glory ? Ifa. 10. 3. When ye are Handing trem-
bling pannels before the awful bar of the gvQai Jehovah, will ye
make hght of Cm then ? Or, will ye make light of it, when, with
Dives, ye are weltring among the flames of hell ? 0 cenjider this,
ye ivho forget God, Isjihe^tear you in pieces, ^vhen none /hafl be able to ,
deliver you out of his hands I Be aflicted, -weep and mourn;, let your'
laughter be turned into iveeping, and your joy into hcavinefs. Wfiq- '
ther do ye think it is better to grone awhile in this tabernacle,
under the burden of fin, or to gnjne forever uri(ier the ytreight ^of
God's vengeance, while an endlefs eternity encu>-?s ,^, .',.',.,'

A id fort I would fpeak a word unto,,are poor, brpkefl andhuV:-
dened believers, who are groning under the weight of thefe bur- '
* iMr. James IVehjler, <\':ns

4.14- The Grones of Believers

dens I mentioned. I only offer two or three things for your encou-
ragement, with which I (liall clofe : For we are to comfort
them that mourn in Zion.

ijl. Know for thy comfort,poor believer,thac thy tender-hear-
ted f'"ather is privy to all thy fecret grones ; tho' the world know
rorhing about them, he hears them. Lordy fays David, allmy dejire
is before thee: And my gron'ing are not hid from thee : Pfal. 38.9. As
he puts thy tears in his bottle, fo he marks down thy grones in
tlie book of his remembrance.

2dly, As the Lord hears thy grones, fo he grones with thee un-
der all the burdens : For he is touched with the feeling of our infirmi-
ties ; and in all our affiictions he is afflicted. He has the bowels of a
father unto his children, Pfal. 103. 13. As a father pitieth his chil-
dren: So the Lord pitieth them that fet^)- him. Yea, his heart is fo
tender toward thee, that it is compared ,to the tender affection
of a mother to her fucking child. And therefore,

. 3^/}', Know for thy encouragement, that thou art not alone un-
der thy burdens. No; The eternal God is thy refuge, and under-
neath arc the everlafting arms. He bears thee and thy burdens
both : And therefore, Tho' thou maypafs thro' the fire and '•joater, yet
the fire (hall not burn thee, the waters of adverfuy floall mi over-
whelm thee.

■ ^thly^ Know, for thy comfort,that whatever be thy burden,and
iioweve: heavy thygronings are, there is abundant confolation
provided for thee in God's covenant. And here I might go thro'
the feveral burdens of the Lord's people, and offer a word of en-
couragement to you under each. 1 fliall only touch them.

1 . Art thou burdened with the body of clay ? Perhaps thy clay
cottage is always like to drop down every day,&this fills thee with
jieavinefs. Well, believer^ know for thy comfort, that, if the
earthly houfe of this tabernacle were diffohed, thou haft a building of
Cod, a houfe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. There
are manfions of glory prepared for thee there, where thou fJjalt
be forever with the Lord.

2. Art thou burdened with a load of fin, crying, O wretched
man that I am, who will deliver vie ? Well, here is comfort,-
believer ; thy old man is crucified with Cbrijt, that the body of Jin
might be dcjlroyed. Ere long he will prefent thee to his Father,
without fpot or wrinkle, or any fuch thing.

3. Art thou burdened with the fenfe of much adtual guilt ? Art
thou crying, with i^^j^j/W, Mine iniquities have gone over mine head,
as a heavy burden, they are too heavy for mel Well, but confider,
believer, God is faithful to forgive thee : For he has faid, / will be

merciful

under their Burdens. 415

merciful to their unrighteoufnefs ; their fins and their Iniquities I
mil remember no more.

4. Art thou burdened with the temptations and fiery darts of
Satan ? Well, but confider, believer, Chrift thy glorious head, the
true feed (f the -imman, has bruifed the head of the old Serpent ,•
thro' death he hath deflroyedhim that had the poller of death, that is, the
Devil. And, as he overcame him in his own perfon,fohe will
make thee to overcome him in thy perfon, ere long; The God of
peace fhall tread Satan under thy feet jhortly.

5. Is thefociety of the kicked thy burden? Art thou crying,
PVo is me that Ifojourn in Mefech ? Why ? Confider, thou (halt gee
other company ere long. When thou puttefl off this clay-taber-
nacle, thou flialt enter in among the fpirits ofjufi men madeperfe^.
Only Hand thy ground, and be not conformed to this ijoorhl.

6. Art thou burdened with the abounding fins and backflidings
of the day and generation wherein thou livcfi;? Well, be com-
forted, God's mark is upon thee as one of the mourners in Zion;
and, in the day when the man with theflaughter-zveapon/hallgo thro\
God will give a charge not to come near any upon whom his
mark is found ,• Thou flmlthe hid in the day of the Lord's anger.

7. Art thou burdened with the concerns of Chrift, with thein-
terefl:s of his kingdom and glory ? Is thy heart, with Elis, trem-
bling for fear of the ark of the Lord, lefi: it get a wrong touch ? Know,
for thy encouragement, that the Lord fhall reign forever, even thy
God, 0 Zion, unto all generations ; and that, tho' clouds and darknefs be'
round about /;/'/«, yet right eoufnefs and judgment are the habitation of his
throne, and mercy and truth fJjall go before his face. Tho' his way be
in the whirl-wind, andhis fleps in the deep waters , yet he carries on
the defigns of his glory, andhis church's good; And as for thee,
that znforroiifulfor thefolemn affemblies, to whom the reproach of it is
aburden, God will gather thee unto himfelf, he will gather thee
unto the general ajjembly, and church of the frjt-born.

8. Art thou burdened with manifold afflitUons, in thy body,
inthyefl:ate, in thy name, in thy relations? Know, forthycom-
fort,God is carrying on a defign of love to thee in all thefe things ,-
Thy light afflictions, ivhich are but for a moment, will work for thee a

far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. See a fweet pro-
phecy for thy comfort, Ifa. 54. 11, 12.

9. Art thou burdened with much weighty work ? Perhaps
thou knowefi: not how to manage tJiis and the other duty, how to
adventure to a communion-table, or the like. Well, for thy en-
couragement, poor foul, the 1.0x6 fends none a warfare upontheiv
avjn charges : And therefore look to him^ that he maj bear thy

charges

410 Law-Death, Gospel-Life^

charges out of the (lock that is in thy elder brother's hand -, and

go in his fircngth^ 'making mention of his right coufnefs.

10. Art thou under the burden of much darknefs, crying with
Job^ Behold, I go forward and backward, and cannot fee him ? &cc.
Job 23.8. Well, be comforted : For unto the upright, light f jail arife
in dark'nefs. Unto you that fear my name,fljall the fun of righteoufnefs
arifey 'voith healing in his wings. And therefore fay thou, m^ the
rliurcli, Mic. 7. 9. He will bring me forth to the light, an(9rfhall
heboid his righteoufnefs. Again,

1 1 . i\rt thou burdened with the Lord's diftance from thy foul,
Becaufe the Comforter that fljould relieve thy foul is far from thee ?
Lam. I. 16. Well, be comforted, He will not contend for ever, he
has promifed to return, Jfai. 54. 7, 8. The Lord cannot keep up
himfelfiong from the poor foul that is weeping and groning af-
ter him ; as we fee in £/;/^r^/;^, Jer. 31. 19. Again,

12. Art thou burdened with the fear of death ? Know, for thy
comfort, the fling of death is gone, and it cannot hurt thee, Hof
13. 14. 1 will ranfoni them from the power of the grave, I will re-
deem them from death. O d^eath, I will be thy plague ! 0 grave, I
will be thy defrn^ion !

Lajlly, Art thou burdened with the death of the righteous ?
particularly with the lofs of faithful minifters ? Well, be encoura-
ged, that, tho' the Lord taketh away an Elijah, yet the Lord God
of Elijah lives, and the refidue of the Spirit is ftill with him. And
therefore take up David's fong, and fing,- The Lord liveth, hleffed
he my rock. And let the God of my falvation he exalted.

Law-death, GofpeUlife: Or the Death of Legal-
rightcoufnefs, the Life of Gofpel-hoHriefs

Being the Subftance of feveral S E R M O IN S preached upon a Thanklgiving-

Day, after the Adminirtration of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, z\.Cari:oiki

■■■ and enlarged upon afterward, upon an Occafion of the fame Nature, at Orzvel.

By the Rev. Mr. Ralph Erskine.

Gal. II. 19.

/ through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

A

Godly life is what we are all obliged to live, efpecially if we
havebecnat the Lord's table -, butitisamyllery that very
few underftand in their experience, if they will judge their

experiences .

Law-Death, Go s p e l-L i f e< 417

experiences by comparing them with this of Paul in our text, 1
through the lazu^ 8rc.

Ourapoftle in this epiftle, is vindicating himfelf from the bafe
afperfionscaft upon him by the falfe apoftles, withrefped to his cal-
ling, as if he had been no apoftle, and with refpe6l to his do^rhie, as
if it had been falfe 3.nd erroneous. From the beginning of this chap-
ter to 1;. II. he tells us what he did at Jerufalem^ howilrcnuoufly he
oppofcd the falfe brethren, that he might maintain the truth of the
gofpcl, which they fought to overturn. From the 1 1 th vcrfe to the
1 7, the apoftle tells us what ht did at /fntiocb, how zealoufly he op-
pofed and reproved tvtnPeter himfelf, for \\\s>diffunnlation^ in com-
pelling theGentiles to judaize ; giving thereby fjch offence, that the
^^wjwere confirmed in their Jndaifm., ver. 12. Other Jewsdii&m-
bled with him, and Barnabas alfo was carried away with their difli-
mulation •, and hereby occafion was given both to Jezvs andGenliles,
to defert Chrift, to deny grace, to return to the law, and feek juftifi-
cation by the works thereof. So that we may fee here, that greai
and good men may di{remble,anddo much ill by their diffimulation,
both among miniftersand people. We have here a wonderful ex-
ample of it in the greateft of men, and fuch as were pillars of the
church ; but it would feem that Peter and Barnabas^ and other Jews-
here, did not fee their fault and fin, but tho't they did right enough;
but Paul faw it, v. 14. fVhen I Jaw that they walked not uprightly^ ac-
cording to the truth of the gofpel. This might feem a very bold and
impudentattempt f5rP^«/,the youngeftof all the apoftles,(I mean,
of whom Chrift was laft feen, as o^ one born out of due time) for him
to take upon him to accufe and condemn P^/fr, as well as Barnabas
and the Jews., for their pra6lical error, not walking according to the
truth of the gofpel. But we fee, that as people may have the gofpel,
but not the truth of the gofpel ; fo thefe that have the truth of the
gofpel, may be guilty of not walking according to the truth of it,
even as Peter., Barnabas., and others here, whofe diffimulation did
net confift with the truth of the gofpel^which they preached, but ten-
ded to eflablijh the law, and fo to overturn the gofpel. But Gcd
hath fometimes veiy few witneflfes to ftand up for the truth of the
gofpel. Here Paul was alone, Peter was againft him •, and Barnabas.^
his own intimate aflxDciate, was drawn away vv^ith the diffimulation ;
Jews dz Gentiles were infected •, an^ therefore Paul a\ox\c muft figlt
againft them all, for the caufe of Cl?i-ift,and the do6lrine of the gof-
pel, which was endangered. I faid unto Peter before them all., &c.
Peter did not err, by teaching any erroneous doflrine •, for that is a
principle we maintain, that the apoflles never erred in teaching,

D d or

^ij Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

or in their ^0(??;-m^ delivered to the church; but his error was iff
pra6lice,compelling the Gentiles to judaize, whereby he gave them >
occafionto think, that the obfervationof thelaw was necefTary
for juftification : Whereas he adds, fFe that are Jews by nature^
f.15,1 6. We apoftles (might he fay) tho' Jews by nature, yet
we feek not juftification by the works of the law ; and therefore
we ought not to drive the Gentiles to the obfervation of thelaw^
that they may feek righteoufnefs and juftification thereby. Why?
Becaufe, (i.) We know that a man cannot be juftified by the
works of the law, but by the faith of Chrift. (2.) Becaufe there-
fore, having renounced the law in point of juftification, we have
embraced Chrift by faith, that thro' him we may be juftified. (3.)
Eecaufe by the deeds of the law nojiefjj cm be jujtified. Now,.^
ixomf. I'j. and downward, the apoftle returns to the Galatians: .
Having told how he reproved Feter, and what he faid to him. con-
cerning juftification without the works of the law, he now comes
to fliew this do6lrine to be nowife oppofite to the do6lrine of
fanftification, but of abfolute neceffity to true holinefs, ver. i'j,:
i^.q.d. U we Jews, who lived formerly under the law, and now
feek righteoufnefs in Chrift alone, are thus accounted as finners,
when we followed the law; it would feem that Chrift did difap-
prove the law, and approve fin : God forbid, fays the apoftle. This
he denies and reje61s with abhorrence. To obje6l thus, might
he fay, againft thedo6lrine of free juftification, were egregious
blafphemy againft the Son of God, as if he were the minifterof
f]n,who came to deftroy fin,and to deftroy the works of the Devil.
And by this gofpel which I preach ( might he fay ) Chrift is held
out as the Lamb of God that taketh away the fins of the world ; not to
take away righteoufnefs, truly fo called, unlefs it be that falfe
vizard of legal felf-righteoufnefs, with which we formerly cover-
ed and masked ourfelves : Nay, he came to bring in everlafting
righteoufnefs, a true and perfe6l righteoufnefs for juftification ;
he cam.e to make an end of fin by the facrifice of himfelf, & there-
by to purchafe the Spirit, as a Spirit of holinefs and fanftification,
to deflroy the power of fin and corruption ; and therefore it is a
bafe calumny to fay,that this gofpel- doftrine opens the door to fin
and licentioufnefs. This he proves by two arguments : i . Be-
caufe the faith of Chrift does not deftroy itfelf,t. 18. Sin is like
an old houfe, which I have razed and deftroyed by my dodlrine of •
free juftification by faith, and not by the works of the law; for
by this doftrine I preached freedom from fin through Chrift ; and
therefore, if I ihould build up thefe old waftes of fin again, it is not
Chrift, but I that would be the finner, or minifter of fin; nay, I

would

Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 41^

would be a mad-man, to build with one hand what I deflroyed
with the other. 2. Becaufe liberty to fin is contrary to the very
Icope of the gofpel, and to the defign of this doftrine of juftificati-
on by faith without the works of the law ; For I through the law am
dead to the laWy that 1 might live unto God.

I'hisisaveryflrange and wonderful text, that flefh and blood
can hardly bear, without fufpefting, that it favours too much of
a new fcheme of do6lrine : And if it were not the divinely in-
fpired words of our apoftle Paul, it would hardly efcape being
taxed as an Antinomian paradox. I remember Luther upon the
text fays, the falfe apoftles taught, unlefs you Uve to the law, you
cannot live to God ; and therefore here Paul muft be the moft
heretical of all hereticks. His herefy is unheard of herefy, roa-
fon and human wifdom cannot receive it, that if we will live to
God, we mull be dead wholly to the law: Yet fo it is here, he de-
clares it of himfelf^^w^mf /?;^«^/«e of all believers in Chrift, yea, as
the very doilrine of faith, 1 through the law, &c. In which words
you may notice two remarkably different things, death and life,
mortification and vivification. i. A wonderful death, /r/;roM^^
the law am dead to the law. 2. A remarkable life proceeding out
oi th^tdcsith, that ImightliveuntoGod. i. You have a wonder-
ful death, or Paul's ftrange mortification ; / through the law am
^ dead to the law ; and of this mortification we have here three
things, ( I . ) The general nature of it, it is called a death, lam dead.
( 2. ) The ohjedt of it, the law. ( 3. ) The means of it, the law ; ,/
through the law am dead to the law ; all very odd things to carnal
reafon. (i.) The general nature of it; it is called a deatjj-, lam
dead. There are feveral forts of death commonly fpoken of, tem-
poral, fpiritual and eternal ,• but this is none of them. Temporal
death is a feparation betwixt foul and body, but this death takes
place where there is no fuch feparation. Paul was thus alive,
when hefaid here, I am dead. Spiritual ded.th is 3. feparation be-
wixt God and the foul, but this death is a mean of joining God and
the foul together. £f^m^/ death is an ^f^rw^a;/ feparation betwixt
God and the^ul; but the death here" fpoken of, makes way for
eternal communion with God. This is a ftrange death, a flrange
mortification,- efpccially if you confider, (2.) The obje^ oVit,
xhtLAlV, 1 am dead to the law; not only the ceremonial law, but
even the moral hw itfelf as under the form of a covenant of works,
and as a condition of life. I renounce, might he fay, the righteouf-
nefsof thelaw, feeking no falvation in the works thereof; nay,
in this refpedl, it is dead to me, and I to it ; it cannot fave me, and
I cannot expe6l falvation by it ; nay, lam dead to the law. To be

b d 2 dead

420 Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

di:ad to fin, is a morcification chat people may think they can eafily
underdand; but the myflery ofit, in being dead to fin, by this
means of being dead to the law, cannot be well underffcood ; for
one would think that to die to the law, were to live in fin : Nay,
fays the apoflle, icis quite otherwife; thatlmay die to fin, la'm
dead to the law. ( 3. ) You have the means of this death, which is
as firange, namely, the law; I through the law am dead to the law.
As to this means of death to the law, to id/?, the law, Ifindfome
divines underftand it a different law from the other; as if the
apoftle fliould fay, I by the law of Chrifl; am freed from the law of
Mofes ; or, I by the law of faith am freed from the lazv of works.
But 1 encline to join with the current of found divines, who un-
derftand both of the fame law. q. d. lam dead to the law through'
the law ; the law hath taught me that I am a finner, that cannot be
jufiified by the law, which curfes and condemns finners : By the
law is the knowledge of fin i and having thus by the law known my
felftobe a finful guilty wretch, I am dead to all expectation of
righteoufnefs by the law. The law then, having thus killed me,
and all my hope of life by it, hath been a blefi: means of drawing
meoutof rny felf, and all my legal righteoufnefs, to feek life and
jullification in Chrifl:, and "his righteoufnefs received by faith*
Thus you have a v/onderful death here fpoken of. 2. You have
a remarkable Ufe proceeding out of that death ; you may call rc
Paul"?, vivification, which was not peculiar to him, but is common
to all believers : That I might live unto God. Where again you
may notice three things, ( i. ) The general nature of this vivifi-
cation, it is called by the name of /(/v. While a man is alive to the
law, he continues dead ; but whenever he is dead to the law, then
he is alive, the breath of life is breathed into his nojlrils., and he becomes
a Vroing foul; for the Spirit of God, the Spirit of life enters into him.
(2, ) The objetl: of this life, or vivification, it is God ; a living
■unto God, that is a new life, a holy life, a divine life, a liv-
ing to God, to God's honour, to God's glory. Before this, the
rnan lived to himfelf as his end, as well as from himfelf as his princi-
ple ; but now he lives from God as his principle, and to God as his
^nd, whicli only is a holy life, and wherein true fanftification lies. -
(^3. ) You have iht influence that this death hath upon this life, or
tViis mortification hath upon this vivification ; or, the influence
that jufiification by faith alone, and not by the deeds of the law,
h.ith upon fanftification of heart and life, or living to God, in the
particle r/j.-Tf: I am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
Now, might the apriftlc fiy, how falOy do you charge my doc-
truie, as opening a windov/ coliccntioufncfs, while I la the name

of

Law-Deatii, Gospel-Lipe. 4.21

cf all believers declare, that this doftrine of juftification by faith
iJone, or our being dead cothe kuvinpoint of juilification, does
(jpen the door to true holinefs ,• for none can live unro God, till
they be dead to the law. I through the laiv am dead to the Ivjo, that
I might live unto God. But I ihall endeavour furihcr to explain the
words upon the following obfervation.

Doctrine. That to be dead to the lavj inthe point of juJlJfication,
is necejjary in order to living unto God, in point of fand;ificatiQn. I
through the law, ^c.

Now,uponthisdo6trine, Ifliall endeavour, thro' grace, to ex-
plain the feveral branches of the text ; and the general method
Ihallbe, i. To clear and confirm the doftrine. 2. To fpeak of
the believer's death or mortification here intended ; I thro'' the hi'-jj
am dead to the lav:, 3. To fpeak of the believer's life or vivifica-
tion, his living unto God. 4. Of the neceffity of this death id
order to this life, or the influence that our being dead to the law
hath upon our living unto God. 5. Make fome application.
FIRST HEAD.

Firfl,, to clear and confirm thedoftrine; at the mouth of tivo ar
three vjitneffes, every 'xord /ball be eflabli/Jjed. But, to flie w that we
are not ftrained to find out witnelFes toattefl:thetruth ijf this doc-
trine, I fliall produce more than two or three, id: witnefsthati
cite, is that, Rom. 7. 4, 5, 6. where you fee, that to be dead to the
law, and married to Chrill:,is neceffary in order to living untoGod,
and bringing forth fruit to him, and ferving him in newnefs of fpi-
ric. 2d. Witnefs I cite, is very like to this, Ifa. 54- lo- compar-
ed. Sing O barren— for more are the children of the deflate, Gentiles,
than the children of the married 'xife : Why, i\ 5. Thy Mafer is thy
husband. Being dead to the law, and divorced from it, and mar-
ried to Chriil, the barren woman becomes a fruitful bride. And
left you fliould think I put a wrong glofs upon this text, and mif-
take the meaning of it, you may compare it with a 3d witnefs that
I cite,whereby this very glofs that I give it is confirmed, G«/.4. 27.
For it is v^ritten, rejoice thou barren. Now, we would confider what
is the fiibje6l here fpokenof: The apoftleis fetting forth belie-
vers freedom from the law by the gofpel, or their juftification
by faith without the works of the law ; and he confirms it by an
allegory, fliewing, that our liberty from the law wa« prefigured in
the family of Abraham^ that vje are not children (fthe hond-i!:oman,c r
bond-men to the law, but children of thepromife, as Jfaac : Ana the
apoftle explains the prophet, and fliews his allegory to be found-
ed, not only on the former hiftorical, but alfoon this prophetical
fcripture. The gofpel-church, including all believers among

D d 3 J'e'vos

422' Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

Jews and Gentiles^ is called the bride, the lamb's wife : And as this
bride in general, being divorced from the law, and married to
Chriiljisa fruitful bride, bearing many children, many fens and
daughters to Chrift, and more under the new difpenfation of the
covenant of grace, than under the old legal adminiftration there-
of beforeChrift's coming ; fo every particular believer,being dead
to the law, and married toChrift, is by this means fruitful in bring-
ing forth the fruits of holinefs and righteoufnefs, to the glory of
God ; as the apoftle, in profecuting this difcourfe, further fliews,
■f. 30. Caft out the bond-woman and her Jon. Strange ; that the law
Ihould be called a bond-woman^ and then cafl out the bond-woman;
this was ftrange language : l^Jay, but in the cafe of jiiftification, Mct-
fesand his tables imifl give place to Chrift, SiS Luther fays; Yea, he
adds in this fenre^Iwillfayto thee, Ohw, Begone; and if it will
not begone, thrufl it out by force ; cajt out the bond-woman. Further,
the apoilleadds. Chap. 5. i. Stand f aft therefore, &c. read f. 4,
5, 6 where you fee, that the believer being free from the law,and
having the fpirit of life, and the fpirit of faith, bringeth forth fruit
unto God ; of which fruits of the fpirit of Chrill:, in oppofition to
the fruits of the flefh, you read, f,i6,i 7. and downward. 4th
witnefsthatlcite, is Col. 2. 13, 14. Toubeing dead in your fins — -
hathhequickned-- Now, by what means does this quickning, or
being made alive to God, come about? It is by the blotting out
of the hand-writing— nailing it to his crofs ; intimating, that there is
no living untoGod, without being dead to the law, and having the
law dead to us, by viewing it crucified with Chrift, and nailed to
hiscrofs. 5th witnefsis. Col. 3. 3. Forye are dead, thzi is, dead
to the law, as he had cleared before, andfo dead tofm, felf, and
the world, and your life is hid zvith Chrift in God; and when Chrift,
who is your life, /hall appear, &c. Mortify therefore your members
which are upon the earth. The believer is faid to be dead withChrif]-,
if. 20. of the preceeding chapter, and fo dead to the law, which
was nailed to the crofs of Chrift. And f. i . of this chapter, the
believer is faid to be rifen with Chrifl, and fo he fits together with
Chrift in heavenly places. But tho' his beft part is above, even
his glorious head, whom he will follow ,* yet he hath members on
earth, which he is called to mortify; which mortification of fin
is, you fee, the native fruit of his being dead with Chrifl, and rifen
withhim. 6th witnefsthatlcite, is, Rom. 3. 28, 31. IVeconcluds
that a man is juftified by faith, without the deeds of the law, and fo he
is dead to the law. Now, does this do6lrine, deftroy our living to
God? '^ay, Do wc make void the law thro' faith? God forbid; yea,
we eftabliftj the lavo ; we eilablifh it as a covenant of works, while w«

believe

LAw-DEATn, Gospel-Life. 423

believe in Chrill fpt righteoiifnefs, to be imputed for cur juftifica-
tion ; and we c-ftablifii it as a rule of life ^ and holincrs_, while we
believe inCiirift for fl:rength,to be imparted for oar fandification;
and lb being dead to the law in point of juftification, we live unto
God in fiindification. 7th witnefs that I cite, is, Rom. 6. 14. Sin
p.hilhiot haije domhiion over you, for you are not, &c. Where you fee,
that a man's being under grace, and not under the law, is the very
means by which he comes to be delivered, and freed from the do-
minion of fin, and fo lives unto God. Here is the privilege, deli-
verance from the dominion of fin ; and the means of it is, by the
grace of God in Chrift Jefus, by which we are delivered from the
law : For as the motions o^^m,Rom. 7. 5. are faid to be by the law,
fo the law being dead to us, and we by grace being married to an-
other husband, we bring forth fruit unto God ; The grace of God,
that bringeth falvatiorif teaching us to deny ungodlinefs, Titus 2. ii.
While the law hath power over a man, he cannot but be bringing
forth fruit unto death, Rom. 7. 5. There was never yet an effec-
tual courfe taken for the mortifying of fin ; but by the gofpel and
the grace of Chrift, which yet fomeignorantly think leads to li-
centioufnefs, as they thought in P^^z^/'s days, f. 15. Nay, while
we are under the Jaw, we are the fervants of fin ; but now, f. 22.
being made free from fin, and become fervants to God, ye have your
fruit unto hoUneJs^and the end everlajlinglife. 8 th witnefs that I
cite, is, Rom. 8.2,3. For the law of the fpirit of life in Chrifl Jefas,
hath made me free from the law of Jin anddeath. Why ? how comes
that about ? ver. 3. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak
thro' the fleflo. Where ye fee the quality of every believer, he is
one that lives to God, and walks not after the flefli, but after the
fpirit. And now, what is the foundation of this ? even freedom
from the law, which thro' our weaknefs could not jufl:ify us ; but
our help was laid upon one that is mighty, whohaving come un-
der the law, did, by a facrifice for fin,condemn fin in the flefii,that
the righteoufnefs of the law might be fulfilled in us, both in poinc
of juftification and fan6lification. 9th witnefs is, 2 Cor. 5. 15.
read alfo ver. 14. For the love of Chrifl conftrains us,— that heViedfor
all, that they which live, fJmild not henceforth livetoth'emfehes, but to
him that died for them. There is true fan6lification, and living un-
to God ; but how came it about ? The means thereof is the deathof
Chrifi;, which we have been celebrating in the facrament of the
Lord's fupper ; this is both the means and the motive thereof.
What fi:ronger motive than this, to live to him that died for us,and
by his death, redeemed us from the' law ? For we are dead to the
law by the body of Chrift,ii(?w. 7. 4. that is,by the death of Chrifl,
i r D d 4. the

424 Law -Death, Gospel-Life.

the Hicrifice of his human nature ,• and hence comes true fpiritual
Jife, or Jiving to him. loth wicnefs that I cite, is, i Cor. 15. 56,
57. The/ting of death is fin, thejlrength of fin is the law : Where the
hw is called the ftrength of fin, not only becaufe by the law is the
knowledge of fin, and fin would not have power to condemn us,
but by virtue of the law which difcharges fiq^.but alfo becaufe fin
gets flrength from the law, fin taking occafion by the command-
ment, wrought in me all manner of concupifcence, Rom. 7. 8- For
"coithout the lavj fin was dead. Sin and corruption is fo irritated by
the law, that thereby the finner comes to be more finful : Which
is Dot the fault of the law, for it prohibits, reproves and condemns
fin; but the fault of corrupt nature, which, the more a thing is
forbidden, the more impetuoufiy it follows it ; like a mad horfe,
the more he is checktwith the bridle, the more mad and furious
he is. Now, the ftrength of fin is the law; but thanks be to God,
which gives us the viftory thro' Jefus Chrift our Lord ; vi6lory o-
ver the law, which is the ftrength of fin ; and fo,being freed from
the law, or dead to it, in this way I am freed from fin, and put in
cafe to live unto God. Thefe are ten witneffes, infi:ead of twenty
that might be adduced for the confirmaton of this do6trine,that to
be dead to the law in point of juftification, ^c. Receive this
truth then in the love of it.

SECOND HEAD.

The fee ondth'mg propofed was,to fpeak of this flrange death of
the belie ver,/f/;ro' the law am dead to the law. Now here four things
are to be touched at. i . What the law is,that the believer is dead
to. 2. What it is in the law, that he is dead to. 3. Whatisic to
be dead to the laiv. 4. The means of this, that thro' the law he
is dead to the law.

I ft. What the law is, that the believer is dead to. I know, I
need to be cautious in what I fay in this captious age, efpecially
upon fuch a fubje6l as this ; but it is in the fear of God, to whom I
am accountable, and without regard to any man, thatldefire to
deliver the truths of the gofpel. What is the law, to which Pant
fays he was dead ? I fliall not trouble you with the feveral accep-
tations of the /^w, nor the difl:in6lions of it into judicial, ceremoni-
al and moral. But here, tho' the apoftle fpeaks fometimes of the
ceremonial, ^nd fometimes of the moral hw'm thisepifi:le; yet in
this text, I fuppofe, with the current of found divines, that he un-
derfiands efpecially the moral law, or the law of the ten com- !
rnandments,confidcred under the form of a covenant of works,
1 he law is to be taken two ways. i. Materially, for its mere pre-
ceptive and direaive part. Or, 2. The law may be taken for-

mally.

' Law- Death, Gospel-Life, 425

mally, as it is a covenant, whether of works or grace. Now the
law, materially taken, is ftill the fame, whatever form it be cad in-
to, and it is the tranfcriptof the divine image, after which man
was created at firft ; fo that long before the law was written in ta-
bles of ftone, it was written in the tables of man's heart ; and man
"was obliged to obedience to this law, as a creature to his Creator,
tho' there had never been any coven mt made with him ; and this
obligation to obedience is eternal, and everlafting, and uncliange-
able: Bat this law was afterwards cafl into two different forms,
namely, that of the covenant of works, and afterwards that of the
covenant of grace. Now, here, I fay, it is meant of the law or
covenant of works, in which law there 7/ere three things, 3. pre-
cept y Zipromife^ and d. penalty, i. The precept, which is perfe6l and
perfonal obedience,by our own ftrength, and in the old covenant
form, do. 2. The Promife, which is life eternal, doandlive. 3.
The penalty, which is death temporal, fpiritual and eternal,- if
you do not, you Ihall die. Gen. 2. 17. The covenant of works com-
mands good, and forbids evil, with a promife of life in cafe
of obedience, and a threatening of death is cafe of difobedi-
ence; and fo this law of works hath a twofold power, a power
to juftify, and a power to condemn ,■ to juftify, if we obey ;
and to condemn, if we difobey. The command of the law,
abftraftly and materially confidered, is, as I faid, eternally binding
upon all rational creatures, fo long as they continue to be crea-
tures, and God the Creator : But the command of the law, formal-
ly confidered, or under the form of a covenant of works particu-
larly, binds no longer than that form continues. Now, the com-
manding power of the law, as a covenant of works, is a power call-
ing us to obey (or enjoining us to do) by our own flrength, to
obey as a condition of hfe and to obey under pain of damnation.

As to the fecond thing here, what it is in thelaw, to which the
believer is dead. Here it muft be obferved, that it is only the be-
liever that is dead to the law, all others are alive to it ; and the be-
liever's being dead to the law, imports, that he is wholly fetfree
from it; or, as the words of our Confession bear, They are ?iot un-
der the /aiu as a covenant of voorks, to be thereby either jujlifiedor con-
demned. Thus they are dead to the law. The law is compared
in our text to a hard and cruel mafler, and we compared to Oaves
and bond-men, who, fo long as they are alive, are under domini-
on, and at the command of their mafters ; but when they are dead
they are free .from that bondage, and their mafters have no more
to do with them. 1 lere then, to be dead to the law, is to be free
from the dominion and powsr of the law Now, I think the power

of

^^6 Law-Death, Gospel-Lite.

of the law may be confidered, either as accidental, or efTendaf.
Ii harh an accidental poa'fr or Jlrength : For example, by reafon of
oLirliiful, corrupt and depraved ftate, the beUever is freed even
fvom-dn irritating poivcr, whereby, as d.noccafion, it provokes and
ftirs up the corruption of the heart in the unregenerate, Ro?n. 7. 8.
io far as he is dead to the kzo. But next, there is a.pozver that the
law hath, that may be called ejfential to it, as a covenant ofivorks^^nd
i. e. ^jnflifying and condemning power, as I faid before ; a power to
JLiJtify the obedient, and ?,power to condemn the difobedient : Now be-
lievers are deal to the kiv, fo as they are not under it, to be juftified
01 condemned thereby ; they are wholly,and altogether/r^^ from
r he law, as it is a covenant of life and death, upon doing or not do- .
jng. But^ for the further clearing of this, I told you upon that
(jueftion, what law is here meant ? That in the law, as a covenant
C'f works, there are three things, i. The precept of obedience.
2. The p;-07«?/^ of life. 3. The threatening or penalty of death;
all which the believer is dead to. ift, The precept of obedience as
a condition of life, is one part of the covenant of works, do and
live; or, if thou zvi It enter into life, keep the commandments; this the
believer is delivered from, and fo dead to the precept of the law,
as a covenant or condition of life. Take heed to what I fay here ;*
I fay not,that the believer is delivered from the precept of the law
fimply, but only as a condition of life : For the command of per-
feft obedience, is not the covenant of works; nay, man was ob-
liged to perfeft obedience,and is eternally bound to obey the law,
tho' there had never been a covenant: But the form of the pre-
cept or command in the covenant of works, is perfeft obedience
as a condition of life. Now, it is the commanding power of the
law, as a covenant of works, that the believer is freed from; and
it hath no commanding power butinthisftrain, namely, to com-
mand perfeft obedience as the condition of life ; and, under pain
of the curfe, obey and thou fhalt live ; otherwife thou flialt die.
Now the ground of the believer's freedom from the precept of
the law as a covenant of works, or condition of life, is Chrifl's per-
fcdl: obedience to the law,in his room,in his {lead,which is the true
and proper condition of our eternal life and happinefs,i^o?;2. 5. clofe.
By the obedience of one, fijallmany be made righteous ; that as fin hath
reigned unto death y even fo grace might reign thro' righteoufnefs to
eternal life. There is an eternal truth in this, that life is not to be
obtained, unlefs all be done that the law requires. Do this and live;
and that is ftill true. If thou wilt enter into life^keep the commandments.
They miift be kept by us, or our furety : Now, the furety's obedi-
ence being imputed to the believer, as the condition of eternal

life.

Law -Death, Gospel-Life. 427

life, the believer is not obliged to obedience to the law as a
condition of life ; The precept of the law properly is, do ;
but the precept of the law, as a covenant of works, is under
this conditional form, do and live. Now, if any fay then, the be-
liever is delivered from obligation to do,or to obey the law, I deny
that, for this ^0 is eternally binding j but the precept of the law,
as a covenant of works, is not fimply do, but do and live ; and this
conditional form, which is properly the precept and command of
thecovenantof works, he is indeed delivered from; for Chrifl
as furety came under the law as a covenant of works, or as it ftood
in this conditional do, and live : For he yielded perfeft obedience
to it, to procure life by it; andfo the believer is wholly delivered*
fromobediencetoitjthat is, to obtain life by it, or to procure e-
verlafting life by his obedience. The precept, thus formed as
the condition of life, by virtue of the annexing of the promife of
life to the obedience of it,is the precept of the covenant of works;
and from this precept he is freed, and fo is dead to the law in re-
fpeft of the precept of it, in and thro' Jefus Chrifl: his furety. 2dly,
"I'hepro/w/y^oflifeisanother thing in the covenant of works ; and
this runs in the fame line with the former,being fo conne6led with
•it. The promife of life in the law, or covenant of works, was juft
the promife of eternal life, upon condition of perfedl obedience :
Now the believer's freedom from the law, in this refped, flows
from his freedom from it in the former refpedl : For if he be freed
from the do, or obedience, as required in that old covenant-form,
then he is not to expe6l eternal life, as it ispromifedin that co-
venant : Nay, the law is divefted of its promife of life to
the believer,- that is to fay, his obedience to the law hath not
the promife of eternal life, as the legal ground and title up-
on which he is to obtain it ; he holds his title to eternal
life in Jefus Chrifl, his furety, in whom he hath a perfeft
obedience, to which eternal life ispromifed,- and which is now
the alone fare ground upon which it is to be procured. The be-
liever's own obedience to the law, or his gofpel obedience, and
conformity to the law, wroughtin him, and done by him, thro*
the help of the fpirit of grace ; even this obedience of his, I fay,
hath not the legal promife of eternal life, as if it were the legal
condition of his obtaining eternal life : No, his gofpel obedience
hath indeed a gofpel promife, connedling it with eternal life, as it
is an evidence of his union to Chrifl, in whom all the proniifes an;
yea and amen ; and as it is a walking in the way to heaven, without
which none fliall ever come to the end. For 'ujithoiit holinejs it is im-
j>o£ible to fee God. But the legal promife of eternal life made to

obedience.

^,on La v:- Death, Gospel- Life.

< l-t J'cncc, and which makes our pciTonal obedience to be the
cluic'^r.c! matter of our JLiRificacion, and as the proper condition
u? fah ation and eternal life, this is the promifc of the law, or co-
venant of works; and this promifeitis now wholly diverted of,
as 'to the believer in JefusChrill, who hath taken his law-room,
and yielded that perfe6L obedience, to which the promife of eter-
iiallife is now made. And the reafon why I iay, the promife of e-
lernal hfe is now made toChrill's perfe6l obedience in our room
and (lead, is, becaufethe law or covenant of works made no pro-
mife of life properly, but to man's own pcrfonal obedience : it
made no meniion of a furety : But now, in fovereign mercy, this
law-rigour is abated, and the furety is accepted, to whofe obedi-
ence life is promifed. 3^//)', The threatening of de^t^^m c^fe of
ciifobcdienccjis another thing in the covenant of works ; death,
and wrath, and the curfe, is the penalty of the law ; death is the
reward of fin & difobedience to the law. In the day tboufinnejt thou
!balt die; and this the believer is alfo freed from by the death of
Chrift, who died for our fins. The law faith, Cmfed is everyone
that continiieth not, &c. but the gofpel faith, Chrifl hath redeemediis
from the curfe f thelaiv, beiiig made a curfe for iis^ Gal. 3. 10, 13. As
ihelaw then to the believer is divefled of its promife of life, foas
it cannot juflify him for his obedience ; fo 'tis divefled of its threa-
tening of death, and cannot condemn him for his difobedience to
it as a covenant, that covenant form of it being done away in
Chriil Jefu«, with refpeft to the believer. I think fome will, it
maybe, object, and fay, that the believer is delivered from the
curfe of the law ; but ftill we cannot underftand how he is dead
to the command of the law. That he is dead to the con-
demning power of the law is plain ; but how is he dead to
the preceptive, mandatory commanding power of the law ?
lanfwertoyoti again, he is dead to, and delivered from the pre-
ceptive part of the law,not materially, but formally ; for the com-
mand of it materially, is, do, or yield obedience ; this he can nevet
be delivered from,fo long as he is a creature, and God his Creator.
But the command formally, or under the form of the covenant of
works, is, do and live ; do by your own ftrength, do as the condition
of yotu- eternal life, and do under the pain of eternal death and
damnation ; this, I fay, which is the commanding part of the law
formerly confidered, as it is a covenant of works, he is wholly and
altogether delivered from. To preach the mandatory part of
the law as a covenant of works, is to preach the moral law, not
merely as a rule of life,but as the condition of life eternal,in which
fenfethc believer is not at all bound to acknowledge icj and to

fay

i

L A W - D E A T H, G 0 S P E L - L. I F E. 429

fay, that the believer is delivered from the law, that is, only from
the CLirfeofthc law, would make fome very flrange glofles upon
many fcriptures ; for example. Gal. 3. 10. yls many as are of the
works of the law, are under the curfe ; the meaning of it then would
be, as many as arc under the curfe, are under the curfe. It mufl
therefore be meant of the precept of the law, as many as are under
the precept, are under the penalty thereof. The believer then is
dead to, and delivered fromi the law in it.-; commanding and con-
demning power, and that in, and through Chrift : And I am not
afraid, nor afliamed to fay it, in the words of the famous do6lor
0-iven, that the ivhole power andfan^ion of the firjl coveimnt was con-
ferredupon Chrift, andin bhnfulfilled and ended : And I think I fay no
more than what the apoftle, a greater than he, faith, Rom. 10.4.
Chrift is the end of the law for right eoufnefs to every one that believeth.
Thus you fee what it is in the law, the believer is dead to, more
generally.

Third thing here propofed, was, what it is to be dead to the law,
more particularly as it comes under the notion of death. And
here, i. I fliall iliew the import of this death. 2. Some of the
qualities of it.

FIRST, to fliew the import of this death. The notion of death
may here help us to the right underflanding of it : For, ( i . ) As
in death there is no relation takes place, itdilTolves the relation
betwixt mafter and fervant, husband and wife, J'ob'^. 19. So here,
the man being dead to the laWy the relation betwixt him and itisdif-
folved, Rom. 7. i, 2, 3, 4. //<? is now married to Chrift, divorced from
the law. While the man is alive to the law, the relation Hands. See
Gal. 5. 3. ( 2. ) In death there is no care or thoughtfulnefs, EccL
9. lo. There is no work, nor device, nor knozvledge, nor wifdom in the
gravcy whither thou goeft ; intimating to us, that in death there
is no care nor thoughtfulnefs, nor concern about doing any
thing,- fo the man that is dead to the law, hach no more care
nor concern about the works of the law in point of J US IT-
Fi CATION, than a dead corps about the work in v.^hich ic
was occupied while living. While the man is alive to the law, all
his care and concern is about the works of the law. Do, andlive:
( 3. ) In de-ath there is no hope. The land of the living is the land of
hops, Eccl. 9. 4. Even fo the man that is dead to the law, hath no
hope nor expecVaiion from the law, or from his obedience there-
to. 7'he man that is alive tothelaw hath hope, thatGodwill
pardon him, and pity him. Why? Bccaufe he does ^o andfo;
he is a good neighbour, hewrongs nobody, heis juRin his- deal-
ings, and carefui in hi»duties, and touching the lavjy he is dlamcicfs;

.^0 Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

he hath a good heart towards God, and he hath a good life too;
iind therefore he hopes to be jujlified and faved of God, for Chrifl's
fike. For he hath learned, it may be, to make fo much Life of
Chrifi:, as to think he cannot be Itived without him ; butftillhis
hope and expeftation is founded upon the law : But now the man
dead to the law, hath no hope from the law, nay, he defpairs of
ial vation by the deeds of the law, as he fees he cannot do any thing
v/ithout grace and flrength from above; fo even when he does
any thing by-the help of grace, he fees it fo lame and imperfect,
that Godcannot juilify or ilive him to the honour and credit of his
juflice ,• unlefs he hath a perfe6l righteoufnefs. He hath no hope
by the law. ( 4. ) In death there is no toil, no turbulant paffion
nor affetlion: Natural death puts, an end to natural affedlions,
which take place in man's life-time, fuch as the weary purfuit of
what we love,and the wearifom flight from what we hate, or fear :
I'here is no fuch thing in the grave. There the weary are at refi. Job
3. 17. They that are alive to the law, 2ind find the life of their hands,
they zveary then f elves in the greatnefs of their 'voay, as it is exprelTed^
Jfa. 57. 10. Many a weary night and day they may have in pur-
fuing after their lovers, in eftablifliing their darling felf-righte-
oufnefs. The law gives them a wearifom task, to make brick
without affording ftraw j and loads them with heavy burdens of
curfes, in cafe the task be not performed. But when a man is dead
to the law, then the weary is at refi. Chrift is the reft, Come to me,
all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you reft: Then
the man gets reft to his confcience, in the blood and righteoufnefs
of Chrift, the end of the law; r eH to his paffions and affe^ions ; he
rcjts from his fears ^ legal fears of hell, and wrath threatned in the
law. Thebciiever indeed may be filled with them, but fo far as
he is dead to the law, fofar is he atrefl from thefe legal flavifli
fears. He refls from his love and delight,- the law affords its vo-
taries much pleafurCj fometimes in the performance of their duty
in a le^-^al way ,* but now the believer takes no delight in that way
of juflification ; he is out of conceit with himfelf, and his duties,
bccaufe they are vile; yea, tho' they were notfo vile as they are,
but perfcft, vet he is out of conceit with that way of life, and be-
holding the {i;lory of the new covenant and way of falvation, joins
iffue with Job, Chap. 9. 15. 21. In a word, he refls from all his le-
gal griefs and forrows, becaufe he refts from all his legal labours.
Mi'.h faidof thedeadin Chri{l,in anotherfenfe. Rev. 14. 13.
Bkjfed are the dead that die in the Lord, they reft from their labours ^and
their worlds follow them ; fo I may fay in this cafe, bleffed are the
dead that are dead to the law, they reflfrom their labours, their,

toilfom.

Law -Death, Gospel-Life. 431

toilfom. troublefom, wearifom, legal works, and yet their works
do follow them : They are now created inChriJlJeJus unto good ivorks.
But, (5.) In death there is no fenfe ; A dead man does not feejnor
hear, nor tafle, nor feel, nor fmell, nor exert any natural fenfe ; fo
they that are dead to the law, fo far as they are dead to it, they do
not now /^^ the lightnings of «S/«^i all in a llame, as formerly they
did ; they do not hear the thunders thereof; they do noi fmell the
fulphur of the burning mountain; they donot/i?e/the terror of
tindiftive vengeance, thetempeft that furrounded the mount ;
they do not tajle the gall, the bitternefs of the wrath threatned in
the law; the bitternefs of death is ov^vmith them^fofix: as they fee
that Chrill: drank the gall for them ; yea, io far as they are dead to
the la-voj they are dead to all Sinai zwath : For, Heb. 12. 18. They are
not come to the mount that might be touched, and that burned ivith fire,
nor lint 0 blacknefs and darknefs,and tempeft., and the found cf a trum-
pet,hut they are come unto mount Sion, &c. But what? Have the
godly no fenfe of law-wrath ? Yea, fo far as they are legal, and
under the law (for they are never wholly freed from a legal
temper while here) the dead ghofh of the law may rife up
and fright them ; but fo far as they are dead to the law, it
is not law-wrath, but fatherly-wrath that affefts them. In-
deed thro' unbelief they may fear hell, but they cannot do fo
by faith, feeing there is no foundation for either that faith or fear,
in the bible, that a believer fliall becafl into heW, fince there is no
condemnation to theniy&c. (6.) In death there is no motion; vital
iTiOtion ceafes when death taxes place : Thus fo far as a man is
dead to the /^iu, fofar the motions of fin are kiled ; for the motions
of fm are by the law; Rom.y.s- By thelawoccafionally and ac-
cidentally men running the more into lin, by how much the more
they are forbidden to commit fin. Hence Mifculus compares the
law, in this refpeft, to a chafl matron in a brothel- houfe, which by her
good advice does prove an occafion tofome impudent whores to be ?nore
bold, and impudent in their impiety. Sin taking occafion by the law, or
commandment , fays the apoftle, wrought in me all manner of concupif-
cence. But now, fo far as a man is dead to the law, fo Far are the
motions of fin killed, and the foul quickned to live unto God.
Of which more afterwards.

2dly, To fliew fome of the qualities of this death to the law. i.
It is an univerfa I de^xih. I do not mean that it is common to ail the
children of men. The' it be a common death to the children (if
God, and to every one of them ; yet it is a rare death among the
jphildren of men. Thezvhole world lies in wickcdnefs, and arc dead in
fins and trcfpafjcs ; but few are dead in this fenfe. But what I miCan

by

432 Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

by its being nniverfal, is, that the man that is dead to the law in
point of j unification, is dead to every part of the law in its old co-
venant form, toihepreceptoriT, nnd lo the penalty of it, fo as he is
nottobe JLiftifiedby the one, nor condemned by the other. He
is dead to every legal form of the law ; his gofpel obedience there-
to, is no part orlusrighteoufnefs for judiiication before God. If
he Ihould endeavour to make his gofpel obedience to the law as a
rule of life in the hand of a mediator, any part of his righteoufnefs '
iur juflification, he fofar turns the covenant of grace, and the du-
ties required therein, into a covenant of works, and fohefeeks to
live to that, to which he is, and lliould be dead. It is true, the
form of the law in the gofpel-covenant does not require obedi-
ence for juftification ; but yet this corrupt nature is prone to turn
r.o the old byafs, and abufe the proper form of it, by turning the
rule of obedience into a rule of acceptance. If a man make faith it-
felf, or any aft or fruit of it, the matter of his juftification, he
turns it to a covenant of works; The believer is dead to faith ic-
1 elf in this refpetl ; yea, faith renounces itfelf, and all things elfe,
hut the righteoufnefs of Chrifl, for j unification. In this fenfe, he
is dead to repentance, love, and other graces ; he is dead to every
obedience to the law, as a covenant of works; to his natural legal
obedience before his converfion, and to his fpiritual gofpei-
obedicnce after converfion : which tho' it be a righteoufnefs
that God works, and is the author of; yet, becaufe it is the belie-
ver that is the fubjeft, and made the aftor thereof, it is called his
own righteoufnefs, or conformity to the law: All which he re-
nounceth in the matter of jufl:iiication,der]ring to he found in Chrifi,
not having his O'mn righteoufnefs^ that is after the law, but the righteouf-
nefs 'which is of God by faith, Phil. 3. 9. So that I fay, it is an imiver-
y^/ death. 2. It is a lingring death. Itisnoteafy to get the law
icilled, fomething of" a legal difpofition remains even in the^belie-
ver while he is in this world: Many aflrokedoes felf and felf-
righteoufnefs get, butflill it revives again. If he were wholly
dead to the law, he would be wholly dead to fin ; but fo far as the
law lives, fin lives. They that think they know the gofpel well
cflough, bewray their ignorance ; no man can be too evangelical,
it will take all his lifetime to get a legal temper deflroyed. Tho*
the believer be delivered wholly from the law, in its commanding
and condemjning power and authority, or in its rightful power
that it hath over all that are under it ; yet he is not delivered
wholly from its ufurped power and authority, which takes place
many times upon him, while here, thro' remaining unbelief. 3. It
is apaivful death it is like the cutting off the right-hand, andpluck^

ing

i

Law-death, Gospel-Life 433

ing out the right' eye: No will hach the man topartwiih the law.
It IS as natural for him to expecl God's favour upon his doing fu and
fo, and to expeft life*and fal vation by his own obedience, or doins:
as well as he can, as it is natural for him to draw his breath. If
ijoe do our beji, God zvill accept of us, is the natural language of every
one, whoisweddedtothe(i(?rt?2^//t'^of the firft covenant. And
O what apain is it to be bro'c off from that way ! To die to the !azv,
is moft unnatural, fl;rangedo6lrine; and legal pangs, and pains of
convitlion & humiliation muft be born, before a right tho't abouc
^^ym^for/^^/^iu can be bro't forth. 4. his 3. p'eafant de3.ih ; it is
painful at firil, buipleafant at laft : O how pl&afant is it, to fee felf
abafed, and grace exalted, felf-righteoufnefs cried down, and
ChrilVs Righteoufnefs cried up in the foul ! PFifdom's '■joays are
fkafantmfsy and this way particularly, wherein noflejh does glory in
bis prefence ; but he that glorieth, glorietb only in the Lord ; he rejoiceth
in Chrijl Jefus, and hath no confidence in the fle/Jj ; he does joy in God
through Jefus Chrijt, by whom he receives the atonement^ and grace
reigning through righteoufnefs, to eternal life by Jefus Chrijl our Lord,
Rom.s- II, 21.1 his death is a pleafant parting, when the man is
brought to a parting with all his own rags for a glorious robe. 5.
It is an honourable death. To be dead to the la-w, is a death thac
brings honour to God, to Chrifl, to the law, and to the believ^er.
It brings honour to God's holinefs, which is now fatisfied by Chrift's
doing ; and honour to God's jujtice, which is now fatisfied by
Chrili's dying. It brings honour to Chrift; for now the man va-
lues the righteoufnefs of Chrifl, as being indeed the righteoufnefs
of God, and a full, fufficient, perfe6l righteoufnefs;. It brings
honour to the law, when, inflead of our imperfe6l obedience, wc
bring to it an obedience better than men or angels in their beffc
eftate could give it, even the lawgiver's obedience,- which in-
deed doth magnify the law, and make it honourable. It brings hon-
our alfo to the believer himfelf; he is honoured and beautified
with a law-biding righteoufnefs, truly meritorious,and every way-
glorious ; this is the honour of all the faints. 6. It is a profitable
death; it is a happy death, and a holy death ; profitable both for'
happinefs and holinefs, profitable botli for juilification and fanc-
tification. Our legal righteoufnefs is unprofitable, 7/.'/. 57. 12.
/ will declare thy righteoufnefs, and thy works, for they /ball not profits
thee. It is unprofitable for juilification ; for by the deeds of the law no
JiefJj living can bejujlified : Ic is unprofitable for fanftificacion ; for
his filthy rags do rather pollute him than purify him. But the
righteoufnefs of Chrifl is profitable every way ; they are happy
that have ic, for they are jufti fed from all things, from which they could
\ L e jiQi

^74 Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

not be juflifiedby the law of Mofes : They are holy that have it, as
will appearin the feqael of our difcourfe. Being dead to the law,
is the ivay to live unto God.

Fourth thing here propofed^ is the means of this death, 1 through
thelazv am dead tothelaiv: The mean of death to the lat\'', is the
law. Oueftion, How can this be, feeing the law is the caufc of no good
thing in lis, and is the miniftration of death, and condemnation '^ 2 Cor,
3. 7, 8, 9. lanfwer, cho' the law is noc the can'e of rSis death to
the law, and fo of death to lin ; yet it is an occaiion thereof, for k
accufes^ terrifies, and condemns us, and thereby occalions and
urgeth us to flee to Chrift, who is the true caule that we die lo ;-.h,3
law, and to fin ; As the needle goes before, and draws the thread
which fews the cloth ; fo the needle of the law goes before, and
makes way for the grace of the gofpel, that it may follow after,
and take place in the heart. To be dead to the law, and married to
Chrifty is all one in fcripture fenfe. Now to be dead to the law by
the law, is, by means of the law, to be led to Chrift for juflification
by faith in him, without the deeds of the law, Gal. 3. 24. The law was
our fchoolmajler to lead us to Chriji, that we might be jufiified by faith ;
where the law may be taken either for the ceremonial or moralhw.
If we tike it for the ceremonialhw, then it is true that the ceremoni-
al law pointed out Chrift to us truly : But then the ceremonial law
was gofpel in the fubflance of it, tho' vailed over with types and
fhadows, which were to continue till the body was come. But i£
we take it for the wor^/ law, then it brings us to Chrift only occa-
fionally ; for to bring us to Chrift, is no proper workof the law,,
only it is the occafion thereof, infomuch as it drives us from itfelf,
and makes us to fee that by it there is no hope of life ,• fo it curfes
all finners, and gives hope of life to none.- It is the gofpel only
that fhews us the falvation to be had in Chrift. . Now the law, by
the feverity of it, is an occafion to us of feeking life, where it is to
be found ; like a child knowing the tendernefs of his father's love,
and finding his fchoolmafter to be very fevere and fharp, runs
from the feverity of the mafter, to hide himfelf under his father's
wings ,• yet not his mafter's teaching, but his feverity is the occa-
fion of it; even fo it is through the nv and its feverity, that the;
believer is dead to the law : It is then by a law- work, in fome mea-i
fure, a work of legal conviiSlion and humiliation, that a man
comes to be dead to the law.

Here I'll name to you a few pieces of law- work, which are the
occafion of the man's being dead to the law, when thefpirit of
God makes ufeof thelawfor that end. i. Through the law^
man's gets the conviction of the holinefs of God, and of the holi-

nefs ,

Law -Death, Gospel-Life. 435

nefs, fpiritLiality and extent of the law it felf ,• the fpirit of God in-
lightens the mind,to fee the conformity of the command unto the
will ofGod,& to the holy nature of God: This is called the coming
cfthe commandment^ Rom.j.g. For Iivas alhe without the hvzo once. I
tho't 1 was holy enough, I found the iife of my hand, while 1 was,
touching the law^hlamelep ; but zvhen the commandment came, Jin reviv-
ed, and I died. When Ifaw the holinefs and fpirituality of God's
hw, fin revived^and I died ; I faw that I was a finner indeed, & 1 died
to the law, and to all conceit of my own works, and obedience to the
law. This con vi6lion makes a man have a do6lrinal, approbation
o^the law as holyjuft and good, holy in its precepts, juft in its threat-
nings, and good in its promifes ; Iconfent to the law, that it is good.
By this con vi6lion, a man fees not only the holinefs and fpirituaU-
ty, but the extent of the law : thy commandment is exceeding broady
it is extended to all my thoughts, words and aftions ,• to all my af-
fetlions, defigns, defires, and inclinations. Now, when a man
fees this, it kills his confidence, and makes him fee he hath no
righteoufnefs conformable to the law. 2. Through the law, the
man gets the con vidlion of fin. By the law is the knowledge of Jin,
Rom. 3. 20. Convi6lion of fin is the confcienceof our tranfgref-
fing of this holy law. This conviftion makes a man fee fin in its
nature, that it is the tranfgrejfion of the law, i John 3! 4. and fo a con-
trariety to the holy nature and will of God. This convi6lion
makes a man fee the kinds of fin. It may be, the fpirit of God be-
gins with fome aftual, grievous fin. ActualCm is the fwerving of
our a6lions, either in thought, word or deed, from the law of God,
either by omifilon or commiflion. From thence the convi6lion
goestoon^//2rt/fin, letting the man fee, that not only is his nature
deflitute of all righteoufnefs, and conlcrmity to the law, but that
it is wholly corrupt, that he is juft a hell of fin and enmity againft
God ; and from thence the fpirit of God by the law convinces the
man of the originating fin, even o^Adanis fin, and fays to him, as in
Jfa. 43. 27. Thy firjt father hath finned, and thou in him. This con-
Viciion makes the man fee alfo ihQ aggravations of fin, how much
lignr, andhowmany vnercieshe hath finned againfi:; and alfo the
poivcr and dominion of fin, ^hat a Have he is thereto, and that rhe
law IS fo far from freeing him therefrom, that it but exafperates
corruption, & fo is the firength of fin. Now, when the man comes
thus to fee fin in its nature, kinds, aggravations, and dominion,
what can more tend to kill his conceit of righteoufnefs by the
Jaw ? 3. Througli tlie law the man gets conviftion of guilt as well
as fin, rliithe is bound over to puniiliment according to the law;
for guile is properly an obligation to punifiiment. As by the pre-

E e 2 cept

.n5 Law-Death, Gospel-Life. ^

cept of the law, the man comes to get the knowledge of the in-
trinflcaleviloffinin its nature; fobythe penalty'of the law, he
comes ro get the knowledge of the confequential evil of fin, as
binding; him over to hell, death and damnation ; that the curfe of
Gcfl,i" he wrath of God, the vengeance of God is the retinue and
train of attendants that accompany fin; and fothe man is put in
fear of hell and damnation. Ic mav be, when he goes to b*&,. he
fears he (hall never rife again: when he goes, out, he thinks he
fliall never come in again ; he is afraid his meat choak him, or the
houfe fall above his head, or the earth open and fwallow him up :
Senfe of wrath haunts him like a ghoft ; the man is put in prifon,
and concluded under fin. Gal. 3. 22. Sin is the prifon, the finner
istheprifoner, God is the judge, and the curfe of the law is the
bond by which the prifoner is tied neck and heel ; and from this
prifon there is no efcape, without the mercy of God in Chrifljwho
can command this prifoner to come forth ? The law cannot do it,
it fj 'Jjedk through the flefi ; man cannot do it, he is by nature
without Jtrength : Only he whom God hath given to be a covenant to
the people, Ifa. 49. 9. can fay to the prifoner, Go forth. Now,
when the m,an is thus convinced of guilt and wrath by the law,
this hath a tendency to make him dead to the law, and to kill his
confidence in any legal righteoufnefs of his own. O is there a-
ny poor prifoner here, that finds himfelf fliut up in prifon, un-
der the power of fin, and under the guile of fin, and wrath of
God ? O let this give you fome comfort for the prefent, ^tillGod
loofe your bands, that this is the way God is taking to make you
dead to the law, that you may live to God. 4 . Thro' the law, a
man gets the conviftion of God's equity, and righteoufnefs, tho*'
he fnould punifii, and execute law-vengeance ;, and fo is made to
jun:ify God, though he fliould fend him to hell. I do not fay that
the finner is made content to be damned; no, that, in fome re-
fpe<5l, were to be content to be an enemy to God, and to fin a-
gainll him for ever ; for the fi:ate of the damned includes everlaf-
linjT enmity and fin, and foit can never be the thing he is made
cument with ; but the-man is brought to a convi6lion of God's e-
quityand righteoufnefs, tho' he ihouldfend him to hell, as an e-
verliifting punifliment. To juJtifyGod, fays an eminent divine,.
is to acbiowledge, on the one hand, that he does no wrong to the finner in,
the execution (f the curfe ; and on the other hand, that he does no ivrong
to himfefy or to his o-im jujlice, when he executes the judgment threat-
ned againjl fin, hut that he does that which is right. O, fays the fin-
ner, ia this cafe, God does me no wrong, tho' he fiiould defhroy
me; and he does no: wrong his own jufi:ice, bui is ajuft Godin io .

doing r
♦'

il

Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 437

doing: Yea, I cannot fee how the credit of hisjiifticefhould be
falved, and how he fliould be glorified in his jiiftice, if he did not
execute judgment upon me, either in myfelf, or in afurety for
me, becaufe I have offended fuch an infinitely glorious Being.
Againjl thee, thee mly ha-ue I finned, that thou mighteft he jrtjlified
tohenthoufpeakeji, and clear when thou judgejl, Pfal. 51-4. Is God
unrighteous, that takes vengeance'? God forbid. Rom. 3.5, 6. The
offence done againfl the greateft of Beings, deferves the greatefl:
of punifhments, even the eternal de(lru6tion of the creature. It
istrue, God delights not in the death of a finner, Js I live, I have
nopleafure in the death of afinner, Ezek. 18. that is, as it is a deflruc-
tion of the creature, tho' he delights in it, as it is the execution of
juftice ,* even fo the finner convinced by the law, tho' he cannot
take pleafure in this,to think of being defhroyed,yet there is fome
fecretkindof juflifyingthat which God takes pleafure in, name-
ly, the execution of juftice. O how fit is it, that God's juftice be
glorified! And howjuftis God, in executing infinite judgment
upon fuch an infinite evil as fin is! And indeed the finner would
not fee falvation to be free, if he did not fee damnation to be juft;
but the fight of this, in the glafs of the law, and in the light of the
fpirit, tends in a manner to reconcile the man with the device of
falvation through Chrift, whofe bloody facrifice gives juftice full
fatisfaftion. He is now content thatGod's juftice be glorified by a
fatisfa6lion,more glorious than that which the damned in hell can
give ; and fo it tends to make him dead to the law, and to all other
legal pennances and fliamfatisfaftions, which thofe, who are ig-
norant of God's equity and righteoufnefs, are ready foojiflily to
invent. 5. Thro'theJawamangets theconvidtionof his own
inexcufablenefs, which is that effeft of a legal work of the fpirit,
whereby the foul is left without excufe of, or defence for itfelf,
Rom. 3.19. fVhafoever things the law faith, it faith to them that are
under it, that every mouth may be f opt, and all the world may become
guilty before God. Now the whole foul of man cries out, guilty,
guilty ; [lis fig-leaves of excufes are blown away; his former Ihifts
and cavils in defence of himfelf, do nowevanifli; he hath not a
word to fpeak in favour of himfelf What faid he formerly? Why,
it may be,his heart faid, if not his mouth, O I hope there will be no
fear of me, Adam's fin was not mine ; original fin is what I could
not help, it came with me to the world; asformv a6lual fins, I
fee others guilty of greater ; as for my omiffion of duties and com -
milTion of trefpaffes, I fee none but have their fauUs ; and God is
a merciful God, and I hope he will notbe^ounjuftas todamn his
own creatures. Thefe anu the hkc fliifts and excufes formerly,

E e 3 took

43S Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

took place: but now he becomes fpeechlefs, his mouth is flopt.
They fee they vnW but deceive themfelves by th-efe miferable
fhifts, and that they are guilty, guilty, finful wretches, blacker
than the very devil, and have not a mouth to open for themfelves;
and fo they die to all conceit of themfelves, and their own righ-
teoufnefs. 6. Thro' the law the man comes thus to get a convic-
tion of his abfolute need of the gofpel, or of the Saviour revealed
thereby, being convinced of his finful and miferable ftate by na-
ture,and humbled under the ferious confideration and view of his
fm and mifery, fearing the wrath of God due to him for fin, behol-
ding the equity of God, tho' he fliould cad him into hell ; having
his mouth ftopt, and defpairing of getting out of this condition by
his own power, or the help of any other creature. He is now con-
vinced of the need of the Saviour : O I perifli, I perifli for ever,
imlefs the law-giver provide a righteoufnefs for me that will an-
fwer the demands of the law. Now the foul is ready to cry out,
not in Rachel's {eni^Q,Give me chiIdren,or elfeldie ; but in her phrafe,
O give me Cbriji, or elje Hie ; give me a furety, or elfe I die. Now
he is content to be forever indebted to the righteoufnefs of ano-
ther ; and thus the law is the occafion of bringing a man to Chrift.
And fo you fee how it is, that thro the law they are dead to thf
law, that they may live unto God.

THIRD HEAD.

The third thing is, tofpeakof the believer's life, which is the
fruit of this death ; it is a living unto God. And now, in fpeak-
ing hereto, I fliall, i. Enquire what kind of life it is ? 2. What
are the fcriptural defignations of it ? 3, What is imported in its
being called a living in general? 4. What is imported in its be-
ing called a living to God in particular ?

ly?, Whatkindoflifeisit? And, (i.) It is not a wafwr^/ life, ei-
ther in a phyfical or moral fenfe. Natural life, in a phyfical fenfe,
is that which we received from Adamhy generation, and is the
fundlion of natural faculties, in living, moving, ufing of fenfe and
reafon ; that is, a life common to all men, who yet may be dead :
Neither is it a natural life in a moral fenfe, fuch as heathens may
have. The heathens may have common notions of God, and of
^ood and evil, fo as to render them inexcufable in their unnatural
imm jralicies, Rom 1. 19, 20. They have a book of nature, both
internal, in the remainders of the law in their heart, fo as they do
by nature the things contained in the law, Rom. 2. 14, 15. And ex-
ternal, in God's works of creation and general providence ,* The
heavens declare the glory of the Lord, &c. Now, this natural life
cannot be the living to'Codh^iQ fpoken of, becaufe this natural life

flows

Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 439

flows only from a natural ftate, which is a ftate of death : By na-
ture 'uoe are dead, legally dead under condemnation, fpiritually dead
in fins, wholly corrupt ,• and the tree being bad, the fruit muft be
bad alfo ; a filthy fountain can bring forth nothing but filthy fir earns.
This natural life does proceed from natural principles, and thefe
are corrupt ; fuch as the dcfires of the fleflj and of the mind, the lufis
ef thcfiefh, the lufi of the eye, and the pride of life. At beft their na-
tural life flows from felf-love, or love to its own honour, praifes,
profits or pleafures ; all nature's works are felfifli, however heroic
they may be. This natural life is direfted by a natural rule, fuch
as the light of nature inward, or outward, accompanied with the
counfels and examples of naturalifts,- neither does it ever come
up to that fame rule of nature's light, which therefore does con-
demn them as guilty. This natural life hath only natural defigns
and ends ,* the natural man a6ls from felf as his principle, and to
filf as his end, afcribing the glory of all his aftions thereunto :
'i'hns Herod gave not God the glory oi h\s?inQOX2il\on, buttook the
praife to himfelf ; but he was immediately fmitten of an angel, and
eaten up of 'worms. This natural way of living is in a natural man-
ner, after the courfe of this world, according to the prince of thepoiver of
the air, Eph. 2. 2. which is nothing but a walking in the lufts of the
fie fio, fulfilling the defires of the flejh and of the mind: Yea, in this
natural life, nothing of Chrift, or of his gofpel, is either in the
fl:ate,pra61:ice, rule,end or manner of it ; nay,they who thus live,
are without Chrifi, being aliens from the common-wealth of Ifrael, and
firangers to the covenant of promife, having no hope, and without God,
oratheifts, in the world, Eph. 2. 12. .-(2) It is not 3. legal Vi^e, ei-
ther of Jewifh conformity to the ceremonial law, or of perfeft
conformity to the moral law: It is not that legal life of Jewifij
conformity to the ceremonial law, or according to the old tefl:a-
mentdifpenfation,for that ceremonial law is abrogated in Chrifl:
the fubfl:ance of all the old fliadows ; and fo that Jewi^o life is un-
profitable and vain, yea, it is damnable, and prohibited under the
higheft penalties, Co/. 2. 20, 21. And therefore fays the apoflle.
Gal. 5. 2. If ye be circwncifcd, or live according to the ceremonial
law, or any other law of works, fo as to expeft juflification there-
by, Chrifi jfJjal I profit you nothing. Neither is this living to God that
perfcftlifeof conformity to the moral law, according to the old
covenant of works, which required perfeft, perfonal, and perpe-
tual obedience, as the condition of life ; and thrcatned death up-
on the leafl failure : 1 fay, it is not this life neither ; for man hath
become guilty, and forfeited life, and incurred death by J dam's
firft tranfgrellion, Rom. 5.18. By one man fin entredinto the world,

E e 4 and

^^o Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

and death by fin, &c. Thus we are for ever incapable of that life,
which Jdam was capable of before the fall. It is alfo imprafticable,
becaufe manis by nature ixiithoutjlrength, Rom. 5. 6. We have no
ftrength to give that obedience which the covenant of worl<s re-
requires, becaufe ix)e mujt be redeemed from the ciirfe thereof^ r^nd
reftored to the righteoufnefs thereof, before we can be capa-
ble to do what it requires. And though Adains fin and tranf-
greffion were not imputed to us, as indeed it is, yet feeing eve-
ry adult perfon at lealt hath finned after the fimilitude of Adam's
tranfgre^ion, for no man liveth andfinneth not; therefore he can
never perform the perfeft obedience therein required, and by the
deeds of the laiv no flejh can be jufiified. Befides, there is no article
of that covenant of works,which provided for a remedy in cafe of
a breach; but all that the covenant of works does, is, to promife
life toperfeft obedience in man's own Itrength, and threatens
death in cafe of failure, and fo leaves the tranfgreffor thereof un-
der its curfe. In a word, the life according to that covenant, can-
not be the life here meant, becaufe that covenant fpeaks nothing
of Chrift, or of his gofpel, by whom, and by which only we can
now come to this living unto God; and becaufe this living untO'
God prefuppofes a being dead to the law, or dead to that covenant,
othcrwife we can never live unto God. 3. It is not a pharifaical
life of external, legal, imperfe6l conformity to the law,, whereby
we endeavour toeflablifha righteoufnefs of our own, as the Jews,
Kom. 9. 31,32. and Rom. 10. 3. Many reckon an outward moral
converfationtobethis living imto God, whether in performing
the natural duties of civility and moral honefty, or in an external
performance of religious duties, fuch as prayer, praife, reading
and hearing, waiting upon divine worfliip. The Church of Lao-
dicea was felf-conceited ,• they tho't they were rich and increafed with
godds : But behold the teftimony that Chrifl: gave them, tnat they
were nQiiher cold nor hot, fuch as God would fpue out of his mouth;
yea, that they were wretched, miferahle, blind and naked : That is all
the teflimony that he gave them, wholook'd upon themfelves as
rich in legal righteoufnefs and good works. This pharifaical life
may be accompanied with a glorious profeflion ; they may pro-
fefs foundnefs in the faith, and difown alhhefe legal and unfound
principles, which others may have as their flated opinion; they
may profefs, that righteoufnefs and juflification is not by the works of
the law, but by the faith of Chrifl ; or by the works of Chrifl received by
faiib alone; they may have a found head, but no found heart, nor a
good confcience, nor faith unfeigned; for the end of the commandment
is love proceeding from thefcy 1 Tim. 1.5. Perfons may be hke the

toad.

Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 441

toad, that hath a precious (tone in his head, but his belly is full of
poifon ; they may have a head full of knowlege, and a heart full
ofemnity,- a filthy mud- wall may be garniihcd with fine tapef-
try ,' a rotten fepulchre may be whitened : They may have much
of the matter and external form of godlinefs, and yet want the
power and internal form thereof; a name to live, and be dead. Yea,
this pharifaical life may be accompanied with many excellent
gifts and common graces, and high attainments, as well as all
vifible church privileges ) as we find fome apcflatcG may have,
Heb. 6, 4, 5, 6. Their Under/landing mRy be fo far enlightened that
they may attain to great difcoveries of Chrift. Balaajr. was called
a man ijohofe eyes "diere opened^ and thary?<iy th". vifions of the Alniighty^
Num. 24. Their ivills may be fo far renevv^ed, as to have a great
many good purpofes, like theCewho rejolved to Jerve the Lordimh
all their heart. Dent. 5. 27* 29. ^ofi. 24. 18, 21. I'hey may beaimojl
perfuadedto be Chrijiians ; their affe6lions may be greatly raifed
and enlarged ; they may be raifed to fome forrow forlin, like
Judas y and like Efau,whofought the blejjing with tears ; to fome joy,
like the ftony-ground hearers, who received the word with joy and
pleafure, yet had no root ; to fome delight, like the Jews, of whom
it is faid, Ifa. sS- 2. That they fought him daily, and delighted to know
his ways ; yea, to fome fear and reverence, like thefe enemies
that are faid to Jubmit them/elves, Ffal. 66. 3, and even to fome ex-
traordinary raptures, like thefe who are faid to tafte of the heavenly
gift, and to be partakers of the Holy Ghoji ; hereupon their life and
converfation may be changed in part. Thus many, through the
knowledge ofGod,3.nd ofChriH^have efcaped the pollutions of the world.
2 Pet. 2.20,21,22. The common gifts and graces of the Spirit
may warm, fmooth, and wafh their outward converfation ; all
this will not amount to this living unto God in the text. IVhat kind
of life then is this ? J anfwer, 4. It is a fpiritual life, being the a6lion,
motion, and gracious laving operation of the Spirit of God in us,
2j\dcaufing us to walk inhisfiatutes, Ezek. 37. 27. It is the life of a
fpiritual man. It is impoflible for one to have a godly life, what-
ever to the world he may feem to have, tillhebeagodlyperfon»
or in a fpiritual Hate. A man mufl have a ftate of union to Chrifl
by the faith of God's operation, fo as, being married with this huf-
band, he may bring forth fruit untoGod. The branch of the old
yidam cannot bear good fruit ; it is onlvthe true branch, planted in
Chriftby the Spirit of faith, that bears good fruit, ^o/;. 15. 4,5. A
man mufl: be in a ftate of reconciliation with (rod, juflified, par-
doned, and indemnified, before God accept of any lervice ofi-' his
hand i for two canjwtwalk together ^ or live together, unlefs thev bs-

egreed.

442 Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

agreed. God accepts no a6lion from an enemy, but his returning
r,o him by fiiith in Chriffc, and then begins all perfonal acceptance.
Men mull beinaflate of adoption, before itispoffible that they
can he followers of God as dear children ; in aflate of renovation, re-
newed by the Holy Ghoft in thefpirit of our mind. The godly man,^who
is in cafe for a godly life, is juft a new creation, even the workman-
fuip of God created in Chrijt Jefus unto good works, which God before or-
dained that he fljould walk in them. If the heart be notn^^f with
God, a man cannot have a right life, or live unto God.

But I (liall go on to inquire, 2dly, Into thefcriptural defignati-
ons of this life. To give all the names that it comes under in fcrip-
ture,were too large a task : I Ihall only fingle out fome of the moft
notable names it gets in fcriptm*e. Itisfometimesdefigned from
God, fometimes from Chrifl:,fometimes from the Spirit,and fome-
times from thefe names that import the other fpecial qualities and
properties of it. i. Sometimes defigned from God, and it is call-
ed the life of God, Eph.4.. 18. from which all natural men are aliena-
ted : This is a wonderful name that it gets, the life of God. Who can
tell what this life of God is ? God lives in himfelf,and the believer
1 ives in God, his life is hid with Chrift in God, Col. 3.3. The bed: we
can fay of it is, that it begins in grace,& ends in glory, and is whol-
ly of God, and in him. 2. Sometimes it is defigned from Chrifl:,,
and {"o it is called a living by faith on the Son of God, Gal. 2. 20. imme-
diately following our text ; where, when the apoftle would
explain what he underftands by his being dead to the law, he
iays, / am crucified with Chrift ; and when he would explain
what he underllands by his living unto God, he fays, Never the
hfs I live, yet not I, but Chrift liveth in me. Chrift ( might
he fay) is the Alpha and Omega of my life, the beginning and
the end of it ; the author andfinifter of it ,• Chrift is the prin-
ciple of my life, from whom Ilive; Chrift is the end of my life,
to whom I live; Chrift is the pattern of my life, according to
whofe example I live ; Chrift is the giver of my life,the maintain-
er of my life, thereftorerof my life; after decays, hereftores my
foul, and makes me to walk in the paths of right eoufnefs for his name's
fake. Chrift is the food of my life ; I would die, if he did notfeed
me with his fiefh and blood, which is living bread and water to me :
Chrift- is the medicine of my life ; it is by renewed touches of the
hem of his garment,and renewed applications to him,that my foul
is healed ; for there is healing under the wings of this fun of righte-
oufnefs. Chrift is the All of my life ,• for to me to live is Chrift ; he
is my liglu, my ftrength, my righteoufnefs : It is the glory of the
believer, to acknowledge Chrift the Alpha and theOm^^'^^and the

A-LLi

Law -Death, Gospel-Life. 443

^LLof his fpiritual life. 3. Sometimes it is defigned from the
Spirit, and fo it is called a living in the Spirit, Gal. 5. 25. If we live
in the Spirit, let us alfo -walk in the Spirit. It is a living in the light,
and leading ot" the Spirit, Thy Spirit is good, leadme to the landuf up-
rightnefs. itis a living in the graces and fruits of the Spirit, which
aredelcribed. Gal. 5.22. and a bringing forth theje fruits of the
Spirit, h is a living in the flrength and power of the Spirit, which
is therefore called a law, The law of the Spirit of Life in Chriji Jcjus
hath made me free from the law of fin and death. '1 he power of tlic
Spirit hath ihit force of a law within the man, infomuch that when
h^ walks in the Spirit, he does not fulfil theluftsof the fie fh; he fets
the power of the Spirit againft the power of fin. It is a living in
the comforts of the Spirit, and joys of the Holy Ghoft ; and when
he thus lives, the joy of the Lord is his flrength. It is a walking in
the liberty ot the Spirit ,* and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
liberty : When a man hath this life, then he hath liberty to hear,
read, pray, believe, mourn, and hberty to ferve the Lord ; Truly
J am thy fervant, thou haft loofed my bonds. In a word, it is a living
in the love of the Spirit y and in a conftant dependance on the Spirit.
4. Sometimes it is defigned from thefe names that fignify other
fpecial qualities and properties of it : And here, I might bring in
a multitude of fcriptures. It is called a holy life. Be ye holy as I am
holy : It is called a humble life, walk humbly with thy God; a heavenly
life, our converfation is in heaven ; the man is heavenly in his tho'ts,
and fpiritually minded ; heavenly in his fpeech, deiiring to edify
thofe that are about him ; heavenly in his affe6lions, which arefet
upon things above, hisdefireand delight being fet upon heavenly
things ; heavenly in his hope. Looking for that blejfed hope, ajid the
glorious appeming of the great God ; heavenly in his trade, trading
daily to the heavenly country, by faith, prayer, and drawing bills
of exchange upon Chrift, as it were, for all that he (lands in need
of. It is called an upright life. No good thing ivill he withheld from
him that walketh uprightly. A well- ordered life. To him that orders his
converfation, &c. It is called a circumfped; life, See that ye walk cir-
cumfpedtly. It is called a gofpelW^Q, Let your converfation be as it be-
cometh the gofpel,ihat is, as it becomes agofpel-ftate, gofpel-prin-
ciples,gofpel-rules, and gofpel-patterns,gofpel-motives,and gof-
pel-ends ; and under the influence of gofpel-grace, adorning the
do6bine of God our Saviour. But, omitting all thefe, 1 only in-
flanceinone fcripture, wherein this living unto God is defcribed
infuch a manner as includes all other propertiesof it,yea, and
comprehends all the duties of obedience we are called to, Tit» 2.
11,12. Ihe grace of Cod bath appeared unto all men, t sacking us, that

denying

44+ Law -Death, Gospel-Life.

denying ungodlinefs and 'worldly luJis,we/Joould livefoberly^ righteoujly^
and godly in thisprefenfujorld; where you fee, this living untoGod
comprehends all thefe duties o^piety towards God.fobriety towards
our felves, and right eoiifnefs towards ourj neighbour, which we
are obliged to by the law, as a rule of life & holinefs, and all under
the influence of the grace of God, revealed in the gofpel, teach-
ing us thefe things efficacioufly : For the law teacheth them only
preceptively; but it is the gofpel that teacheth them effectively,
ivorkinginusboth to will and to do. O that we knew this life more
than we do.

The third thing here was, What is imported in its being called
a life in general '? Indeed this living to God, is the only life that de-
ferves the name of life. In vegetative life, the trees of the field do
excel men ; for, from little plants, they turn to ftately oaks. In
jhifitivcW^Q, thebeafts of the field do excel man, for they go be-
yond him in thefe natural faculties ,* as the dog in fmelling, the
eagie in feeing, the hart in hearing, and other creatures in other
fenfes. In rationalWiQ^ many heathen philofophers may excel the
Chriftian. So that it is not the vegetative life, whereby plants ;ex-
cel us ; nor the fenfuive life, whereby beads excel us ; nor the rati-
onal life, which reprobates have as well as we ; but the Spiritual,
divine hfe, that deferves the name, without which, our life is
but a death. However, this fpiritual life, or living to God, may be
called life, becaufe it hath all thefe things in it fpiritually, which
natural life hath in it naturally ; as, i. Life hath motion in it ; and
fo here, this fpiritual life imports motion ; wherever the fpirit of
life comes, there is a motion among the dry bones. Now, there
are fome duties he moves in, fuch as prayer. Behold heprayeth, who
never prayed to purpofe before ,• he moves in the duties of hear-
ing, reading, examination, and mortification. Now, there are
fome graces that move in him : Faith begins to move, faying, I be-
lieve. Lord help my unbelief: Hope begins to move, He is begotten to
a new and lively hope: Love begins to move, perhaps mfighsand
i2;rones for want of love. Now he moves, and the term he moves
fro?n, is fin, Satan, and the world, and felf, and felf-righteoufnefs ,*
and the term he moves ro, is God and CI. rill, and 'leaven, and hea-
venly things. So far as this divine lif;^ take'' pl'.ce, fo far all the
faculties of the foul move tow rds Go:' .• the 'inderflanding to fee
him, the will to ferve him, the :.i?:'.tl\ons co embrace him, and all
the members of the body to be cnploycdforhim. The eye is
life up to her.'en in pri:yer:mc fupplicat'on ; t'iC ear is open to
receive inftruction;. 'the mouth enlarged tc fing hispraifes ; the
tongue will be no more ihe trumpeter of idle communication ; the

hand

L A W - D E A T II, G 0 S P E L - L I F E. 445

hand and hcarc will be inflruments of det^otion ; the knees will be
hoKcd to the God and Father of our Lord JeJ'us Chrijt ; the feet will
delight to carry the man to the houfe of the Lord ; all is in motion
for God, fo far as this life takes place. You may here fee, by the
way, whether you have or want this life, which is a living to Got'.
Tho' I fee an image lively reprefenting a man, having eyes, ears,
mouth, nofe, hands and feet, yet I know it hath no life inir,bc-
caiife it hath no motion ; fo, if we fee a profeilor without pra6licc,
we may Iciy he is an idol, he is no Chrifl;ian,but the image of a
Chriflian. It is true, a hypocrite may have all thefe external mo-
tions, like a painted puppet, that may by fome engine be made to
dance, and move up and down, but from no vital principle of life.
2. Life hath breath in it, Jam.2. laft. The body ivithout breath is dead,
as it may berendred; foin thisJife there is breath. If a man';;
breath be held in a little while, the perfon cannot live ; fo the be-
liever would die, if he had not breath in a fpiritual fenfe. What
is the air he breathes in? Itis jufl; the Spirit of God; Awake, O
north-wind, andcome thoufoiith, &c. What is the breath that is put
within him? It is the Spirit of God,- the Holy Gholl is that to
to the believer, which breath is to the body, yea, which the foul
is to the body. God breathed into Adam the breath of life ,• and
he breathes on the believer, faying. Receive ye the Holy Ghojl; I
ivill put my Spirit -ivithin you. What lungs does he breathe with ?
It is faith, ^e receive the promife of the Spirit by faith. And what
things does he breathe after <^ Indeed the earthly man breathes
after earthly things, faying, fVIjo ivill fljeiv us any good ? But the
heavenly man breatheth after heavenly things, Lord, lift thou up
the light of thy countenance upon me. Many people have a (linking
breath; it hath the fmell of earth, yea, the fmellof hell; fome
breathe out blafphemies and oaths, fome breathe out cruelty and
wrath ; but the man that hath this life, and lives unto God,
his breath is a fweet breath ; fo hx as he lives unto God, his
breath fmells of heaven, and of God and Chrill:. Bur, 3. Lifi
hath ufually groivth ; even fo this life is a growing life, this zvellof
water fprings up to everlafling life. Let a painter draw the figure
of grapes ever fo artificially, yet they may be feen and difcerned
from natural grapes, becaufe they grow net; Thus the painted
hypocrite may look well, but never grows. A man tliatl. ;uh his
divine life, is ufually growing; if not upwardly in holinefs, yet
downward in humility ,* if not fcnliLly in outward fruitfuliiLrs,\ec
infcrfibly in inward iighs and fobs, becaufe cf his unfruitfuh^ic^,
anci in pantirgscf foul towards perftdicn; he that hath clean
hai:ds wa>:eih iliorgcr and flrunger. IcJeed a •.viiiLcr-LiiLc may

put

44(5 Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

puc the believer far back, & interrupt the growth^btit a fiimmer-
reviving will make-up all again. 4. Life hath appetite and fenfe ;
even fo this life imports fpiritualiZpjJ^r/f^&fpiritual/^w/^. There
is;)ppeciie after fpiritual food : Many pamper their bodies and
ftarve their fouls ; but he that thus lives, hath a hunger and third
after righieoufnefs, and like nezv born babes , dcfires, &c. The
do6trine of the gofpel is h.is life ; For a man livetb not by bread alone,
but by every word, &c. Pie hath an appetite after thefe words of
grace, and draws wnter out of thefe wells of falvation with joy. Ma-
ny are the fecret longings and pan tings of the living foul after the
living God, who is his life : And as life feeks its oxvn prefervation
cuntinually, fo does the living foul in the livingGod,in whom only
his life is hid. There is fenfe alfo ,• here life is fenfible of whatfo-
cver is an enemy to it,and refifts it ; the more life,the more fenfe;
and the more fenfe, the morerefiftance: Even fo they that live
this life unto God, they feel corruption, and they fight againft it.
For thefpirit lujls againjt thefleflj,and thefteflj againfi thefpirit ; they
grone under the weight of corruption, which they feci, and rec-
kon themfelves wretched on the account thereof,- 0 wretched
jnan that I am, &c. They that have no feeling of fin, no fighting
againllit, donotlooklike thefe that have this life. They who
have fpiritual fenfes, at leaft who have them exercifed, have the
feeing eye ,• they fee the evil of fin, they fee the beauty of holi-
nefs, they fee the glory of God in the face of Jefus Chrifl: ; they
fee God in his ordinances,- they fee an internal glory in the exter-
nal adminiflration of ordinances, which others not feeing, they
think very little of thefe things ; alfo they fee God in his provi-
dences, in judgments they fee a jufl; God, and in mercies they fee
amercilulCiod, and themfelves lefsthan the leaft of all his mer-
cies. They have the hearing ear; they hear the voice pf God
in the word, and rod ; they fmell the favour of his name, v/high is
as oiniment poured forth; they taftehis goodnefs^and feel his
power : And thus you fee what may be imported in its being
called a Ife in general.

FOURTHLY, What is imported in its being called a living un-
to God', what is this living unto God ? I have faid feveral things,
about it already; but this living unto God, more particul-irly,
may import thefe four thing? following, i. The believer's liv-
ing unto God, imports his living fuitably to the relations that God
flands in to him, and he unto God, as being his God in Chrift Je-
fus ; and fo it is a living to him as our redeemer, both by price and
power, as thefe thac^f^ not our ovm, but bought with a price; and
therefore ^/c/7/j7>2^ the Lordin our fouls andbodies which are his. It

is

Law -Death, Gospel- Life. 447

is a living to God as our head: God in Chrid is the bcliever'.s head ;
and fo to live to him as our head, is to Hve as members of fuch a
head, drawing fpiritual virtue, light, life, and comfort from him
as the head, h is a living to God as our husband , Thy maker is thy
husband; and fo live to him in this relation, is to live reverently,
lovingly, affe6lionately, with fubmiilion and fubjeilion to our
husband, as becomes the fpoufe of fuch a glorious husband.
It is a living to God as our heavenly /:7?/?fr, depending on him
as children on their faiher; Pfllt thou not from this time call me,
AJy father, thou art the guide of my youth ^ Jer. 3. 4. li is a living to
God as our Judge, Lavo- giver and King ; and fo it is a living as thofe
that are account able to, and a^we (liallanfvver at the tribi:nalof
this Judge. It is a fitting at the feet, and receiving the law from
the mouth of this laiv-giver; and it is a 'ielding the tribute of
praife, obedience and iubjcflion to this /Cm?. In a word, it is a
living to God as the nbjcci: of our worfliip ana iMova.' ion Joving him
as the Lord our Godmth allour heart, Joiil, mind, andftrength. 'ihus,
I fay, to live to God, is to live fuitably to all ih(z^Q. relations he
ftands in to us. 2. The believer's living unto God, iir.porLs his
living fuitably to iht^Q -privileges and favours that he receives from
God. Hath he enlightned us in the knowledge of himfelf? Then,
to live-to him, is to -vjalk as children of light, and not as thofc thac are
yet in darknefs and ignorance. Hath he called us effedlually ?
Then, to live to him, is to ixalk zwrthy of the vocation ivhereivith nxie
are called. Hath he given us grace!*' Then, to live to him, is co
live, not as gracelefs,but as gracious perfons ; not as thofe that arc
in a flare of nature, but in a llate of grace. Hath he pardoned our
fins, juftiiied our perfons,and brought us into peace with himfelf?
Then, to live to him, is loflandfajl in the liberty whereivith he hath
made us free. Hathhereneweci andfantlifiedus? Then, to live
to him, is to live as renewed and fan6lified perfons, whofe lufls are
mortified, and whofe fouls are transformed into the image of God,
Hach he poured in the promife into our hearts by the fpirit ?
Then, to live to him fuitably thereto, is, having thefe pro?nifcs,to
cleanfe ourf elves from allfilthinefs of theftefl:> and of the fpirit, perfect-
ing holinejs in the fear of God. Hath he made us heirs of glory?
Tlien to live to him, is to live as candidates for heaven, as pilgrims
andjlrangers, abjlaining from Jlcfljly hifls, travelling to the other,
world, having our affections and converjation in heaven. 3 . Th e be-
liever's living unto God, imports his living in communion with
him, and comfortable enjoyment of him: In communion with
him, in the conrtant contemplation of him, fanclifying the Lord in
§ur hearts ,• in a conltantaficdlion to him, having his love Jhed abroad

in

44-8 , Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

in our hearts by the holy gh oft ; and in a conflant dependance on him,
receiving all from him by faich, and returning allcohiuiin duty
nnd gratitude. Jc is a living in the comfortable enjoyment of
Jiim, as all our porrjon and happinefs, allour falvationanddefire,
renouncing all things in heaven and earth as our portion, but a
(rod in Chrift alone, faying, IVhom have lin heaven but thee? &c.
4. I'he believer's living unto God, imports his livingin confor-
n)ity to God ; and indeed, fo far as we enjoy God, fo far will we
be con form to him. As it will be in glory, 'we /ball be like him, for
ive/J.milfec him as he is ; fo it is in grace here, the more the foul fees
and enjoys him, the more is he like unto him ; beholding his glory ^
ive are changed into the fame Image, ^c. And fo tl is living unco
Ciod, is a living in conformity to God's nature, being holy asheis
holy, perfe^ as our heavenly Father is perfcit. Is he a perfeft God ?
Then to live to him, is to go on to perfeciion, Hcb. 6. i . It is a living
in conformity to his way of living. God's way of living is a lioly,
jufr, good, faithful, merciful way, having a general good-will to
all, and a fpecial good will to fome ; and fo ought our way to he.
It is a living jn conformity to God's ends : God's great end, which
he fets before him, is the glory of his name, the honour of his Son,
the advancement of Chrift's kingdom, the ruin of &r«i2's king-
c'om, and in all, the praife of his rich and free grace ; and furely
we live to God, when we have thefe endsalfo which are God's
ends. It is a living in conformity to his law as a rule, which is
the tranfcript of his communicable nature, for our pra6lice ; If ye
love me, keep viy commandments : We do not love him, ifwedonot
fo. Thefe then that live to him, they do, from love as well as
confcience, obey him. Thefe things might be greatly inlarged ;
however thus you fee in fliorc, what it is to live unco God. We
are telling, and you are hearing, what this life is ; but O that we
could live this life, as well as fpeak and hear of it! Look to the
Lord, that he may make you know it to your experience. It is
called a living to God, i. ISecaufe it hath theyp/nf ofGod for the
principle of it. 2. Becaufe ic hath the luor^of God for the rule
of it. 3. Becaufe ic hath the love of God for the motive of it. And,
4. Becaufe ic hath the ir/ory of God for the ultimate end of it.
FOURTH HEAD.

The fourth thing propofed, was, to fliew the influence that this
hc'ing dead to the law, hath upon living to God; or the neceflicy of
this death, in order Co this life. Here I might lliew, i. That it is
neceilary. 2. Whence it is neceflary.

Firft, That it is neceflary that we die to the law in point of jufli-
fication, before we can live to God in point of fan(fl:ification. Be^

fides

Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 449

fides what was faid upon the firft head,for the confirmation of the
doftrine, thefe following conliderations, or remarks, may difco-
ver the neceility of being dead to the law, in order to our living to
God. I. Remark, That a man that is under the law, can perforin
no holy aft ; he may do fome things that are materially good, buC-
nothingcanhedothatis formally good, or holy ,* and his work,
infleadoffanftifying him, does flill more and more pollute him.
Tit. I. IS' To the pure all things are pure ; hut unto them that are defil-
ed and unbelieving, is nothing pure ; hut even their mind and confcience
is defiled. He then that is alive to the law, and under the covenant
of works,his works can never make him holy,but rather more and
more unholy. 2. i^^w^r^-. The man that is under the law, hath
no promife of holinefs or fanftification by that law. The law only
promifes life upon perfe6l obedience in our own perfon ; and if
true fan (SI ifi cation may be in one that is under the covenant of
works, then we mufl change the articles of the covenant, and pro-
mifes of the covenant of grace, and make fan6lification no pro-
mife of it,* we mud blot out thefe promifes, III put a ne-vo fpirit
within you, and, rUwrite my law in your hearts, and all other pro-
mifes of the like nature mufl be razed out of the covenant of
grace ; if one under the covenant of works may attain to fanttifi-
cation by his own works, there is no need of this promife. 3.
Remark, that the man that is under the law, hath no principle of
holinefs. The grand principle of true holinefs, is the fpirit dwell-
ing in the man. Now, how does one receive the fpirit of fan6lifi-
cation ? Is it by the ixwks of the law ? No, but by the hearing of faith,
Grt/. 3.2. It is the doftrine of grace, not of works, that makes us
partakers of this fpirit. It is the new teftament, or new covenant,
that is the miniflration of the fpirit, 2 Cor. 3. 6. Thereby the fpirit is
miniflred, or conveyed to us, but not by the law. It is the gofpel
that calls us effectually to fanftification, 2 Thejf.2. 14. We receiv-
ed the promife of the fpirit through faith, and not by the works of
the law. Gal. 3. 14. 4. Remark, that the man that is under the law,
is wuliout Chrifi:, in whom fanclification only is. They that are
fainrs, arefainis in Chrifi Jefus, as the apoftledefignsthem, and
fanftified in Chrifi: : And our implantation into Chrrfl;,is only from
grace, and not from the works of the law ; and fo is our fanftifi-
cation only from grace, and only in Chrifi, who g.ave hhnfclffor his
church, that he might fan^ify it, Eph.5. 25. 5. Remark, I'heman
that is under the law, is without flrength, and cannot perform obe-
dience to the law ; the law is weak through theflefo, and cannot juf-
lify him, neither can it fandtify him. In order to fan6lificaticn,
a litwcreaLiun is neceflary : The clean heart mujl be created, and

F f tlie

I

45© Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

the man created unto good works: Creating power muflbe put forth,'
and creation is a work of God. We muft therefore make a God
of our works, and deify them, and endow them with a creating
power, if we think by the works of the law to be fanftified, or af-
cribe fuch efficacy to them, as to work true fanftification in us*
No man then, thatis under the law or covenant of works, by giv-
ing himfelf to holy duties and aftions, and exercifing himfelf in
them, can come to attain true holinefs, or to be truly fan6lified.
6. Remark, That the man thatis underthepower of thelaw, is
imder the power of fin. Whence is it, that the believer is freed
from the power and dominion of fin ? It is becaufe^^fj- under grace^
andnot tinder the laiv, Rom. 6. 14. Shewing us, thatthefe that are
under the law, are under the power and dominion of fin. How
fo ? Even upon the account of all the reafons already affigned ;
and not only fo, hutheca.ufe the law is the Jirength of Jin, i Cor. 15.
5(). Particularly as it irritares corruption, llrengthning and ftirring
it up ; Sin taking occafion by the commandment^ wrought in me all man-
Tier of concupifcence. Sin, by occafion of the refilling command,
brake out the more fiercely. Hence the law is only the occafion,
and fin dwelling in us is the caufe,* asthefhining of the fun is the
occafion, why a dunghill fends forth its filthy favour, but it is the
corruption and purrifa6lion therein that is the caufe ; fo here, the
Jight of the law fliining, and difcovering fin and duty, is the occa-
fion of fin's irritation and increafe, but corruption icfelf is the
caufe. Well, fo it is, that a man being under the law, is under the
power of fin: How then can heliveunta-God, while under the
Jaw? Or, how can fanftification take phcQ while he is alive to the
law, or not dead thereto'? Thefe things may make it evident: I
think that it is necefliary that a man be dead to the Jaw, and bro't
from under it, before he can have true fanftification, or live
unto God.

Secondly, Whence it is neceffary, that a man be dead to the law
inpointof jufl:ification, in order to his living to God in point of
fan^ification : Thefe particulars already mentioned, afford fo
many reafons of the necelTity thereof: Yet fome things more may
be faid, for the further clearing of this point, namely, the influ-
ence that dying to the law hath upon our living to God. Here
two queftions occur, r. What influence living to the law hath,
upon a man's living in fin. 2. What inJluence a man's dying
to the law hath upon his dying to fin, and living unto God.

Firjt^ What influence a man's living to thelaw, or being alive
to the law, hath upon his living in fin. This is a flrange doctrine,,
lijme may think ; but it is as true as ftrange, that the law, and our.

works

Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 45 i

works of obedience to the law, while we are under it, is the caufe
of deftruttion, inftead of falvation, Rom. 9. 32. There you fee
it dellroyed the wholt^e-joijh nation ; Ifrael nwiTcd righteoufnels,
becaule they fought it by the works of the law. Now, a man's being
alive to the hw, hath inlluence upon his living in fin, and fo upon
his deftru6lion, in the following ways, i . Becaufe hereby he be-
comes more hardened in fin and fecurity, while he thinks he hath
fome good work to bear him out, Frov.-j. 14. What made the fiK
thy whore, there, impudent and hardened in her fins ? Why ? I
have peace (f/erings with me, this day I have paid my vows. 1 hus the

.Fharifees lor a pretence made longprayers, and hereupon were hard-
nedin their finful courfes, fearlefs of wrath : Why ? I have done
foandfo. 2. Hereby they are kept from Chrift, who only faves

.from fin. Iheworksof the law llep in betwixt them and Chrift,
and the man takes Chrifi:'s bargain off his hand, promifing the
fame that Chrifl; promifed, even obedience to the law. I delight
to do thy will, fays Chrifi; ; nay, I'll do it my felf, fays the man thac
isunuercheiaw; he makes himfelf his own faviour: What! Will
not God accept of my good and honefl: endeavours ? Here is what
he fets up on Chrift's throne ; but if Chrifl; be pulled down from
his throne, will it be fufficient that we fet up an honefl: pretence in
his room** They have fome things to fay for themfelves, which,
they hope, will bring them off before God. Thus they reject

. Chrijt the lamb of God, that takes away the fin of the iwrld ; and how

. then can they but live unto fin, whatever they may think ot them-
felves? 3. Hereby their pride and boafl:ing is cherifiiedji^ow. 4.

. 4. To him that workethy is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt ;
and the man expe6ls his due for his work which he glories in ; for
boajlingis not excluded by the law of works, Rom.^.2Y. and therefore

.the man is loath to part with his ownrighteoufnefs, which is by
the law; becaufe of his pride, he will not fi;oop to live upon ano-

. ther,while he can fliift for himfelf. Self-love will not fuffer a man
to think the worft of himfelf, fo long as he is alive to the law ; nay,
I hope I have a good heart to God, andFJldofomething that will
pleafe God ,• imci fo it is no little thing will bring him tofuhmit to the
righteoufnefs of God, Rom. 10. 3. Thus the law cheriilies his pride ,*
and lure the proud man was never a holy man. But, 4. Hereby
fin is flrengthned and encreafed, as I faid before : The motions of
fin are by the law, Rom. 7. 5. The lawentred, that fin might abound,
Rom.S' 20. Not only as to the knowledge of it, which is by the
law, but as to the adual out-breaking of it from the heart; like a
river being bounded and damm'd up by the law, it fwells and
breaks out the more violently. The wicked nature of man, being

F f 2 ' ^- "^ re.

iKf^

452 Law-Death, Gospel-Life-

rep roved, fwells and rifes like a fnake brought to the fire.. 5.
Hereby the man becomes defperate, for the law fays, there is no
hope without a perfe61: obedience ,* and the man having wearied
himfelf in doing nothing anfwerable to what the law requires,
comes at laft, perhaps, to fee there is no hope, and fohe dies in
defpair ; I mean, he dies in fin, faying : There is no hope, and there'-
fore after idols I will go : He flees away from God, sis Adam did.
6. Hereby he becomes flavilhalfo; the fear, torment and wrath,
which the law brings along with it, when the penalty of it is feen,
weakens the man'^s hands ; and thefe lying like heavy loads upon
the foul, it is thereby fettered and bound in prifon, hence faid to be
held in the law ; that being dead wherein we were held^fays the apoflle.
The man is held, and fliut up in the prifon of the law, and fo out of
cafe for fervice while his bands are notloofed, or at bed his fer-
vice is Jlavifh, and not free ; the law holds him in prifon, he can-
not ferve God freely. The free fpirit of the gofpel is what the
world cannot receive, while under the law. Thus you may fee
what influence living to the law may have upon men's living in
fin, fo as they cannot live unto God.

Secondly, What influence a man's dying to the law hath upon
his living unto God, or upon holinefs and fan6lification ? Jnf It
hath efpecially a twofold influence both a phyfical and a moral
influence. And,

I . It hath a phyfical influence upon a man's fan6lification,in re-
gard thzii amanthat is dead to the law, is married toChriJi, Rom. 7.
4. andfo necefl^arily theman mufl:beholy, being disjoined from
the law, and joined to the Lord Jefus, who hath Satisfied the pre-
cept of the law by his obedience, and the penalty of the law by
his death ; and in him,.not only have they thus a full difcharge of
all the demands and commands of the law; but alfo, by the im-
plantation and inhabitation of his fpirit, arecreated to a confer-
mity to the image of God; and they cannot but live unto God.
For, I. In Chrifl they have life: Tho,' while under the law, they
were dead in fins and trefpajjes, now in Chrift they have life, and-
Iiaveit more abundantly ,• they are quickned by virtue of their
union to this everlafting head; becaufe he lives, they live alfo.
A dead perfon can produce no Jiving aftion, but Chrift is the life
of his people. He that hath the Son, hath life ; and then, and never
til! then, is he in cafe for fpiritpul aftion and living untoGod. He
that hath not the fon of God, bath not Ufe :: Vain men- fancy within
tlicmfelves, that they have not loft their life, andfo they think
they can do fomething that will pleafe God, and profit themfelves-
for juftiiication and fan6lificacion,evea before ever they thinkof

coming^

Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 453^

coming to Chrifl: ; but we may as well expe6l, that a dead corps
will rife oriirelf,and do the natural aftions of life as to expe6l thac
you ihould rife, and a6l fpiricually, before you be in Chrilt. That
natural confcience indeed may be roufed a licile, and prevailed
with to fet about this and that duty ; but there is no living unto
God, till you getChrift : In him the believer hath life, even in his
head,- as a man cannot live without his head; but, being joined
to this new head, and disjoined from the law, he cannot but live.
2. InChnft his new head and husband, he hath light as well as
Life; as you know the eye is in the head, fo the believer's eye is
in Chrifl his light, whereby he [ees fin and duty, fees to work, fo
as he may live to God. The man that is under the law, is in the
dark, and cannot fee to work the works of hoHnefs, which is a li-
vingunto God. He is blinded with felf-conceit ; he fees not the
vanity of his old covenant obedience, and he fees not the way of
the new-covenant gofpel-oLedience, 't'lW he get tbefpirit of wi/doui
and revelation in the knoivledge of Chrijty who is the light of the world,
a light to lighten the Gentiles ; by whofe light the believer f^s how
to walk in a way weli-pleafing to God. 3. In Chrift his new head
he hathyZ?-^K^f/;: The man that is under the law, joined to it as
his head, hath no Jlrength for his work, & the law gives him none,
and fo he cannot live to God ; but the believer can fay, In theLord
have Irighteoufnefs andftrength ; whereas others have no ftrength
to produce fpiriiual a6lions ,• fm domineers over them, and they
have no power to fliakeoff the yoke of fin, their ftrength being
but weaknefs. The believer hath y?/-i?7zgr/; in his head ,• all things
are pojjible to them that believe, they can do all things thrd'CbriJlJireng^
thening them ; they can overleap a wall,and break bows offteelinpicces,
O belie\-er, bejirong in the grace that is in Chrift / O it is ftrange, the
grace that is in him, is in thee, as the life that i* in the heart is in
the toe, the foot, the utmofl members ! There is a communicati-
on of vital flrengch and influences from the heart and head to all
tiie members,- the believer's grace is in Chrift and the grace that
is in Chrift is in the believer. Here is amy ftery to the world, but
yet this myftcrylies wrapt up in that word, Beflronginthe grace
that is in Chrijt Jefus. If the grace that is in Chrift, were not in
the believer alfo,according to thf meafure of the communication,
how could he be ftrongin the grace that is in Chrift? My grace
f pall be jvfficient for thee, &c. 4. "In Chrift his new head he hath
liberty. Under the law the man h under bondage,and fcvere bon-
dage to;lie command of perfc 61 obedience, upon pnin of death
and damnation, and fo under bondage to the curfe of the law, and
the fear of God's everlafting wrath ; and fo he can do nothing, he

i" f 3 liHth

4^^ Law-Death, Gospel- Lifs.

hath no heart nor hand to ferve God, he is bound neck and heel *•*

But in Chrirt he hath liberty, If the Son make you free, you are free in-
deed ; free for fervice ; Truly I am thy fervant, thou haji loofed my
hands. Now he walks at liberty, yea,runs the way of Gods com-
mandments, when he does enlarge his heart. This is the glorious
liberty of the children of God begun in time, whereby they are
put in cafe to live unto God. Now he is at liberty to ferve cheer''*
fully, being delivered from the hands cf all his enemies, to ferve hini
mihout fear, in holinefs and rightcoujnefs before God all the days of his
life. Now he is at liberty to i^QVVcfpiritually, thefpirit of Chrijl be-
ing putivithin him, and caujing him to walk in God's fiatutes ; and
now he is at liberty to ferve hopefully, knowing thaPhis'labmr fJjall
jwt be in vain in the- Lord ; tho' while under the hw, his labour was
but vain labour. Now he is ac liberty to ferve acceptably, being ac-
ceptedinthe beloved, Eph. 1.6. that is, not only for his fake, for
there is much more in it, he beingour head, and we members of
his body, and lie as our head having performed perfe6l obedience
to the precept o{ tiielaw, and complete fatisfa6lion to the penalty
of the law, the head having done it, the whole is reputed as hav-
ing done it, and fo we are accepted in him : His doing is ours, be-
caufe we are in him, as our hcd.d,accepted in the beloved; ourper-
fons are accepted in him, and next our performances and duties.
O what fweet liberty is here ! what a fweet foundation for fpiri-
tual and acceptable fervice and living unto God ! But this leads-
me next to fliew,

2. That it hath a moral influence upon fandlification. Aman's
being dead to the law, disjoined from it, and joined to Chrifl:,hatfi
not only a phyfical, but alfo a 7;2om/ influence, in regard that here-
by he is conftrain'd fweetly to live unto God, 2 Cor. 5. 14, 15. Ths
love of Chrift conftrainethus. If we have not love at the root of
our atlions, love to aGod in Chriftjiu^? are but empty vines,that bring
forth fruit to ourfelves ; it hhui f elf -love y which is not fruit unto
God, or living unto him. The natural way of man's thinking is,
we (liould ferve God, that he may fave us ; but the gofpelw^y is,
he fi\ es us, that we may ferve him. What made Paul fay, Being
dcadtotbeltw,IHve7tntoGod? Why? in the next w;/^ he enlar-
ges on it, / live to him, who loved me, and gave himfelf for me. Be all
of youperfuaded of this; or elfe, as the Lord lives, you will die
inadeluflon; thatif you have not love to God, you have not a
fpark of holinefs, tho' you fnould pray all your days, and work e-
ver io hard . / willcircuincife their hearts to love mc, is the promife;
and tkis love is tlie hear: and life of religious duties. Now, you
caimot have love^unlcfs you leefomewhat more or lefs ef his love

10

Law- Death, Gospel -Life. 455

to you; We are naturally enemies to GoJ, tho' we cannot g€t on6
of a thoufand that will take with if. They think they have a love
to God. God forbi4l, iky they, chat we (hould be enemies. Nay,
but I tell you in the nanie of God, whether y ou will hearit or not,
that as you are enemies by nature, and born with a dagger of en-
mity in your heart and hand againfl God ; fo, till you get fomfi-
what of the knowledge of God as in Chriji^ reconciling the -ivurld to hihi-
felf this enmity will never be killed. Now, I fiiy, itis the belie-
ver in Chn[\:,'who being dead to thejaw^ andjoined £0 the Lord, hath'
this love ; and this love conftrains himSo as he Wmgs forth fruit iint§
Cod,zud lives unto him, Ro?n. 7. 4. Being dead to the law, & mar-
ried to Ciirift, he brings forth fruit unto God. The believer hath
fufficient encouragement tomake him live untoGod; hefeesChrifb
hath fatisfied divine jullice,/////^//^^^// the rightcoufnefs of the law,
that he hath done that which is impreftible by us,-& when by faith
he bel'iolds this, he is encouraged to ferve God. Hence, fays the"
PfalmiH, There is mercy imih thee, that thou mayeft he feared. Might
he not have faid, there is majejly ivith thee, that thou mayeft he fear-
ed ? The matter is, the majejty of God would make the (inner flee
irom God, -as Adam did, when he heard his voice in the garden ,
but his mercy makes us fear and love him, ferve & obey him ,• Then
they fJoall fear the Lord and his goodnefs, fays the prophet, Hof 3. 5.
If a man hath no faith at all of God's goodnefs, no hope of his fa-
vour in Chriil, where is his purity and holinefs ? Nay, it is he thaC
hath this hope, that purifies himfelf as he is pure. Iknow no:
what experience you have, firs, but fome of us know, chat when
our fouls are mofi: comforted and enlarged with the faith of God's
favour thro' Chrift, and with the hope of his goodnefs, then we
have mofl heart to duties ; and when thro' unbelief we have harfli
rho'ts of God, as an angry Judge, then we have no heart to duties
^nid religious exercifes ,• and i perfuade myfelf, this is die ex-
perience of the faints in all ages.

]jut, that this moral inHuence, which dying to the laW, or cove-
nant of works, hath upon living to God, or holinefs and fanftifi-
cation, may be further evident : Let us confider, how the law to
the believer, having now lofl its legal or old covenant-form, aiKt
-being put into agofpel-form, and changed from the law of works
into a covenant of grace, or the law in the hand oi Chriil: ; every
part of it now conftrains the believer to obedience and fan61ifica-
tion, in a mofl loving manner. The go(pel-law, or the law of
grace, which he is now under, is a chariot paved with love. The
law, in the hand of Chrift, hach now another face, even a fmilinn- "
face, in all the commands, promifcs, threatcnings, and in the
whole form thereof p f j. pyfi

456 Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

Firjl, The commands of the law, in the hand of Chrift, have loft-
their old covenant form, and are full of love. The command of
the law of works, is, do, and live ; but in the hand of Chrift, it is,
• live, and do : The command of the law of works, is, do, or elfe be^
damned; but the law in the hand of Chrifl: is, I havedehvered thee
from hell and damnation, therefore do: The command of the law
of works is^do in thy ownjirength ; but the law in the hand of Chrid
is, lam thy ftrength, my ftrength fliali be perfefted in thy weak-
nefs, therefore do. The command is materially the fame, but the
form is different. The command of the law of works is, do perfect-
ly,xha.t you may have eternal life ,* but now, in the hand of Chrifl,
the form is, I have given thee eternal life, in me, and by my do-
ing ; and therefore do as perfedlly as you can, thro' my grace, till
you come to a ftateof perfeftion. The command, I fay, is the
■fame materially ; for I do not join withthefe whoinlinuate, as if
here lefs obedience were required than under the law of works :
Tho' lefs be accepted in thefe who have a perfe6l obedience in
their head, yet no lefs is required, tho' not in the old covenant
form. And as the command is materially the fame, fo the autho-
rity enjoining obedience is originally the fame, yet vaftly diflinil,
in that the command of the law is the command of God out of
Chrill, an abfolute God and Judge ; but now,undergrace,it is the
command of a God in Chrifl-, a Father in him. And fure I am, that
the authority of a commanding Godis notleffened, orlofb, that
the command is now in the hand of Chrifl:. Chrifl: is God, co-equal
and co-eflential with the Father : And as God's authority to judge
is not lofl or ieflened,in that all judgment is committed to theSon;
fo his authority to command is not lofl or leffened, in that the law
is in the hand of Chrifl. Nay,it is not leflened,but it is fweetened
and made amiable, lovely and defirable to the believer, conflrain-
ing him to obedience, in that the law is in the hand of his head, his
Lord, and his God. The end that he hath in commanding, and
that they lliould have in obeying, is nowdiflinft, and different
from what took place under the law of works. The end that he
hath in commanding, is not to lay a heavy yoke of duties on their
necks, to be born by their own flrength ; nor, tho' performed by
his flrengch, to be a righteoufnefs for their juflification, or a con-
dition of life ; but only to fllew hits holy nature, that will not have
n lawlefs people; to fliew his great grace, that condefcends to
feek our fervice; to grace and beautify his people, their chief
Jiappincfs confiflingina conformity to his will; that his people
may get good, which is neceffarily joined to duties, and connect-
ed thereto by the promifes ; that he may have fomething to com-
mend

Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 457

mend his people for; and that he may without a complemenc
have grou-nd to fay, IVelldone, goodand faithful fervauts ; chat by
them he may have matter of condemnation againfh tiie red: of the
world, who walk not in his commandments. Liawcrd, he com-
mands, that his fovereignty may be kept up, and the Cenf(^ there-
of, in the hearts of his people ; and that, by his word of com-
ipand, he may (as many times he doth) convey flrength to do
what he calls to; and, incafeof fliortcoming, to drive them out
of themfelves, under afenfeof weaknefsand finfulnefs, in to Je-
fusChrift, theendoftheUi'-JOy forftrength tofan6lify, as well as for
righteoufnefs to juftify : For thefe, & fuch like ends, does the Lord
command. And then the end that they fliould have in obeying,
is not to fatisfy confcience, nor to fatisfy juftice, to purchafe hea-
ven, or the like ; but to glorify God, to edify our neighbour, and to tefti-
fy our gratitude to God ^ Chriji, that hath delivered us from the law,
■aszcovenant. 2.Thep;-o;;2//esofthelaw,in thehandofChrill,have
loft their old covenant-form, and are full of love. The law of
works promifes eternal life, as a reward of our doing, or obedi-
ence,- and here the reward is a reward of debt : But the /^ly, in
the handof Chrift, promifes a reward of grace to gofpel obedi-
ence, efpecially as it is an evidence of union to him, in whom all
the promifes are yea and amen. Eternal life was promifed in the
covenant of redemption to Chrift, upon his perfetl obedience,
who paid that debt, when he came under the law of works for us ;
and now, eternal life being won to the believer in Chrift, as the
reward of Chrift's obedience to the death, there is no other re-
ward of debt that now takes place. Rewards of grace are now
come in fafliion, and this heartens the believer to live unto God,
that in the way of gofpel-obedience, there is a gracious promife of
1 weet communion and fellowfliip with God ,• He that loves me and
keeps my commandments, I will love him andmanifejl myje/fto him, and
my father ijoill love him, Joh. 14. 21. Here there is a fatncrly pro-
mife of God's favour, and familiarity with him; yea, there is a
promife of heaven itfelf, in the way of gofpel-obedience, and
ianftification : A right to heaven is purchafed by the blood of
Chrift, and the believer isthe young heir of glory ; huthispof-
feftion of heaven is fufpended till he befit for it, till be dofome
bufmcfsfor his Father, and be made meet for the inheritance of
the faints in light. Mere is fvveet encouragement he hath, 10 hve
unto God. 3. The threatnings of the law, in the hand of Chrift,
have loft their old covenant form, quality and na'.ure, and are now-
turned to threatnings, out of love: There is no fuch thrcatning
now to the believer, if thoudo nor, thou Uialc die. Thepenaltv

of

45§ Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

of the law of works is condemnation and eternal death, which the
believer hath no caiife to fear, being dead to the law, anymore
than a Jiving wife needs to fear the threatningof her dead hus-
band : There is no condemnation to them that are in Chrijl. I le that
believes in him, Ihaii never die. Believers are under no direat-
ningof eternM.I wrath, becanfe under grace. It is a high expref-
f5on that blelTed RUTHERFORD huh to this purpofe, r/;^^o/p^4
fc\ys he, forbids nothing under pain of damnation to a jvfcificd believer y
more than to Jejus Chrijl. Tho' the fms of behevers deferve hell,
and the intrinfick demerit of fin isftill the fame, yea, 1 think the
l?ns of believers, being againft fo much love and fo many m.ercies,
deferve a thoufand hells, where others deferve one; yet being
dead io the law, he hath no vindiftive wrath to fear, the blood of
Chrifi: having quenched the fire of God's wrath, Rom. 5. 9. PVhile
'we werefimiers^ Chrifi died for us ; and much more no'iv being jttfiified.
by his blood, zve are failed from wrath thro' him. And fare he is net
to fear that which God calls him to believe he is faved from. His
llavifli fear therefore is from unbelief,which weakens his hands in
duties. But now the law in the hand of Chrift hath threatnings
and punin^ments, but they are fatherly and .'oving. A fliort view
of them you may read, Pfal. 89. 30. If his children forfpke my law,
and walk not in my judgmems ; if they break my fiatutes, and keep nt t
my cejmnandments ; then zvillldfit their tranfgrejfion with the rod^and
their iniquities with firipes. Neverthelrfs., my loving kindnefs will not I
utterly take from him, norf'Jfer my faithfulnefs to fail : My covenaVi t
l^illl not break : Once have Ifzvorn &Q. q. d.. Tho' i will not fend
them to hell_, nor deprive them of heaven", no tnore than I will
break my great oath to my eternal Son ; yer,like a father, I'll cha^f-
tife them, I'll correft them for their faults,: rUfqueeze them in tiie
mortar of affliftion, and prefs out the corrupt juice of old Adam
that is in them ; yea, I'll hide my face, I'il deny them that cora-
niunionand firllowlliip with me which fometimcs they had, and
give them terror inllead of comfort, andbitternefs ihftead of
fweetnefs ; And filial fear of thefe fatherly chaftifement;s will do
niore to influence the believer to holinefs, and obedience, than all
the unbelieving fears of hell and wrath can do. Fear left he want
that fweetnefs of God's prefence, which fometimes he hath had,
will make him fay to his fins and lufts, as the fig-tree in Jcthanisi'
parable. Shall I leave my fweetnefs, and be king over you? 0,«
ihall I leave all the fweetnefs that I have enjoyed with God, and
engage with bafe lufls and idols? And hence, when the believer
hath gone afide and backfliden, what i« it that brings him back coi
God ? lie finds the Lord breaking him many ways,and he refleds?

thro '

Law-Death, Gospel-Lite, 45P

thro* grace upon this fometimes, O how I am now cleprived of
thefe fweet blinks that once 1 enjoyed ? Therefore I'Jl go and re-
turn to my firfl husband, for then it was better with me than now.
Yea, his freedom from law-threatnings, and being only under fa-
therly correction, when he fees this, ir breaks his heart, and melts
it more than ail the fire of hell could do. The flavifli fear of vin-
di61ive wrath difcourageshim, andv/eakens his hands inducies,
and makes him run away from God; but the filial fear of fatherly
wrath, which is kindly, is a motive of love that encourages him to
his duty. Which of thefe motives think you will work up the be-
liever to moft obedience, viz. This legal one,0 my wrathllil judge
will fend me to hell, if I do fo and fo ; or this gofpel one ? O my
God and Father in Chrifl Jefus will be angry at me, and deny me
his love-tokens? lam fure the former works upon enrnity, and
raifes it, but this works upon love, and inflames it. Queft. Ought
not the believer to live unto God, even without refpedl to the
threatningoffatherlychaftifementandpuniQiment? Anfiv. No
doubt the more perfed: his obedience is, the better and the more
like to the obedience of the faints in heaven, where no chaftife-
ment is feared ,• but while he is here, he carries a body of fin about
him, and needs to be ftirred up by fatherly correftion : He fhould
indeed ferve God purely out of love and refpedl; to the command
itfelf, and becaufe he commands it,- but thus the matter (lands,
that as on the one hand, being perfeft in his head Chrifl: Jefus, it
is not his duty to have refpeft to, what the law of works either
promifes or threatens ; fo on the other hand, being imperfeft in
himfelf while here, it is his duty to have refpe6t to what the law in
the hand of Chrift promifes and tlireatens, which indeed is a lov-
ing refpeft, tending to advance holinefs.

4. The whole form of the law, as a covenant of works, being
thus altered, the law in the hand of Chril1:,is all love,all grace,and
fo influences themantofandification. The man that is under
the covenant of grace, hath a principle of grace within him, flri-
vingagainftfin; he hath the fpirit of grace within him, caufing
him toivaJk hiGocts flatutcs ; he hathtiie promK^^ of^ grace to be
fufficientfor him j if fin prevail, & pollute him, he hath daily accefs
to the fountain open for Jm and uncle annefs, to which he runs ; if his
backflidings encreafc, he hathChrill engaged by nromifcto/;^^/
his backflidings : Which, when he views by faith, it does not encou-
rage him to lin, if lie he in his v/its, but draws him to his duty, like
a cord of love, and brings him back to his kind Lord, in a word,
being dead to the law, he is married to Chrifl:, who is like a green
fir-tree, from whom all his fruit is found. Thus you fee what in-
fluence

^t^fe Lav/ -Death, Gospel-Life.

liLience a man's being dead to the Jaw, hath upon his living
unLo Gou. And thus miicli for the 4th head 1 propofcd.

FIFTH HEAD.
-■ TheFifth tiling in the method, was the application. Is itfojthat
being dead io the law in point of juftificationjs neceffiry in order
to hvmg unto Crod in point of fantlification ? Then, for informn'
tion, hence we may fee,

■ I. That thedottrineof thegofpel isnotadodlrineof licenti-
cufnefs, or carnal liberty, however it be reproached in the world;
and if the preachers thereof, who would bring off people from
the law of works, and from their felf-righteoufnefs, be reproach-
ed, as if they were enemies to holinefs, I'll venture to fay it with
conlidence, in aplace where falfliood fliould bean abomination,
that It is a vile Dander : For whatever fmful weaknefs and imper-
fedlion may cleave to the preaching or pradice of thefe, who de-
fireto pubhlli this gofpel do6lrine, yet the Lord God of gods is
wicnefs,yea, theLord God of gods knows, and ^\\Ifraelmd.y know,
and all whofe eyes God enlightens fliall know, that this doftrine
of d} ing to the law m point of jutlification, is a doftrine according
togodlinefs, and tlie very means of holinefs itfelf, and of living
unto God. W this be Antinomiamfm, 1 am content to be called an
Antinojiiian. But we fee who are indeed ylntinomians , and ene-
mies to the law and to holinefs, even all thefe who oppofe this
G06I1 ine, whereby v/e give the law all the honour imaginable. Do
ive make void the law thro faith ? Godforbid,yea, ive efiabli/Jj the lazv;
as a covenant we eltablilh it, while we preachChrill as our righte-
oufnefs for juftification ,• and as a rule of holinefs we eftabliih it,
while we preach Chrifi: as our flrengrh for fanftification of heart
aiidlife. And they that do not thus honour the law, do but dif-
grace and dilhonour it, and are truly Jntinomians, i. e. Enemies to
the law. And if this be called a nevofcheme of do6lrine, by way of
reproach, tho' I confefsit is a new covenant Jcheme.'m oppofition
to that of the old^ yet Fll grant to no man that it is new otherwife ;
feeing it is not only as old as P^w/ here, but as old as thefirfl: pub-
lication of the covenant of grace in paradife. So that we fee
where it is that the reproach of a new fcbeine fliould be lodged. I
would have reproachers to remember what Paul fays of this doc-
trine of liis. Gal. 1.8. If we, or an angel frotn heaven, preach another
gofpel, let him be accurfed. 1 lere is the doom of fuch as preach an-
ctner gofpel, which y et,faYs the apoftle, is not another ; but there
arefome that trouble the Lord's people, and would pervert the
gofpel of Chrift. To be dead to the law, is not to turn a loofe
Antinmnian ; it is to live unto God.

2. Hence

i

Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 461

2. Hence fee the reafon why the devil oppofes the do6lrine of
grace fo much,and cares not the' the law,as a covenant, be everfo
much preached up, becaufe it is the gofpel do6trine t-hat tends on-
ly to true godlinefs,while the law and legal dodrine tends to keep
men flrangers to the life of God. The devil cares not how mucli
you be in duties, providing you keep off from Chrift, who is the
end of the law for righteoufnefs, for then he knows you would be
holy alfo ; but he is an unholy devil, and therefore he oppofes the
gofpel, and its doftrine. The devil knows that he hath a fure hold
of you, fo long as you have a hold of the law ; but that he hath loft
you, if once you have got to Chrift : For if once you get Chrift
for juftification, as having fulfilled the righteoufnefs of the law
for you, then you'l alfo get him for fan6lification,to fulfil the righ-
teoufnefs of the law in you. The devil knowsjthattho' in feeming
holinefs you Ihould be transformed to an angel of light, like him-
felf, yet you lie under the heavy vengeance of God, and curfe of
the law, and under the power of fm too, fo long as you are
under the law. Therefore,

3. Hence fee the reafnn why the moft part of the world are li-
ving to fin, living to felf, living to the world, living to the devil ;
Why? becaufe they are not dead to the law. They only that are
dead to the law, do live unto God ; and furely then, they that are
alive to the law, and not dead to it, are living to the devil. No
man that is alive to the law, can be a holy man, or a godly man :
Nay, what is the reafon of all the ungodlinefs & unrighteoufnefs,
all the profanity and wickednefs of this generation ? Why ? Peo-
ple are ftrangers to Chrift, and are ftill under theirritating power
of the law, which is theftrength of fin. The world is crying up
morality, as i( the preachers of Chrift and his righteoufnefs were
enemies to the moral law, as a rule of holinefs ; and behold, in the
righteous judgment of God, there was never a generation left to
greater mmoralhies ; ajuft punifliment of men's defpifing Chrift,
and his law-biding righteoufnefs, through the faich whereof only
true.holinefs and conformity tathelawcan be attained. O when
the believer gets to fee by faith, that he hath nothing to do witli
the law as a covenant, this makes him delight in the law of
God, as a rule of holinefs; when he fees he hath not a larching
of debt to pay, either to the precept or threatning of the law
as a covenant, becaufe that debt was paid by Chrift's obedi*
ence to the death, this makes him find himfclf under the moft
grateful obligations to ferve the I^rd, in obedience to his law, as
a rule ,• yea, under a greater obligation than tvarAdam was in the
thteofinR-ocency,- but the reft of die world that are utter ftran-

^ess

4')2 Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

gers to this freedom, are in bondage to the law, and fo in bon-
dage CO t!ieir luils.

4. Mence we may fee the neceflity of a law- work ofconvidlion^

and humiliation, and liowmuchof itis neceflary, even as much as

will render him dead to the law, that he may live unto God. So

'niLicii convidrlion is neceflary, as will unbottom the man from the

covenant of works, and make him difclaim his own righteoufnefs,

'and cry out, Unclean, unclean, guilty, guilty ; that thus his felf-

confidcnce may be killed, and he thro' the law may be dead to the

-law, and may creep under the covert of the blood of the lamb.un-

der the covert of the righteoufnefs of Chrift for j unification, that

being dead to the law, he may live unto God. While men are

'wlchout this law-work, rendring them dead to the law, they are at

befl. but efl-ablifliing a righteoufnefs of their own, which will keep

them out of heaven, as much as their fins will do. And this makes

thegateof heaven tobeindeeda ftraitgate, hQCRuk many feek to

xnterin, in a legal Wclj^ and fljall not be able, Luke 13. 24. And this

makes the way broad that leads unto hell, fo broad, that it lets in

all that are out of Chrifi:, both the openly wickedy and the fe If -righte-

oils. There is but one way to heaven, and that is Chrift: But

ithere are many ways to hell ; efpecially thefe two, fome walk in a

■more cleanly way of felf -right eoitfnefs, and others in a more dirty

ixjay of opcnwickednefs, but both meet together at the end of the

way, and that is the center of damnation. O what need, then, is

t^ere of a law- work, to convince the wicked of their fins, and the

felf-righteous of their need of a better righteoufnefs, that being

dead to the law, they jnay live to God !

5. Hence we may fee whence it is that believers live fo little
to God, and are fo untender and unholy : It flows from this, that
they are not perfectly dead to the law, nor perfectly freed from
it : Much of a legal fpirit remains ; and the more that takes place,
the more unholy they are. Tho' they have fliaken off, in con-
verfion, the authority of the covenant of works as a prince, which
is a great matter; yet they are many times under the authority
hereof as an ufurper, by reafon of the old legal nature, which is
but partly renewed in time : And hence the voice of the law
fpeaks many times in the believer's confcience, and he is terrified,
at the voice of it ; for it prefumes to curfe him, and to bid him do, |
or elfe be damned ; and fo it weakens his hands, and makes himi
think God is a hard mafier : Whereas the voice of thegofpelin
his confcience, is the fiill, calm voice, fweetly intreating, and al-
luring the heart to its obedience, con veying a fecret fhrength to o-
bey, and making the foul delighcin the Lord's way. Song 1..4.

Drav)

Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 463

Draw me, iX)e voillrun. But what fliould the believer do, when the
'law comes to chide him, and command him to obey upon pain of
death, or to curfe him for his difobedience ? Why, he may even :^a /
in the words of Luther, who, upon the point of juftificarion, w.is
as found as any fincehis day, O LAfV, Chriftis my righteoufiiefs,
7ny treafureand myivork; I confefs, Olaw, that I am neither godly
nor righteous, but yet this I am Jure of, that he is godly and righteous for
me. His obedience anfwered both the godhnefs required in the
firft table of the law, and the righteoufnefs required in the fecond
table. The believer may fay to the law, 0 laiv, I am dead to thee,
and married to another husband, even Jefus Chriji ; and therefore,
cannot bring forth any children, any fruit, any acls of obedience
to tiiy threatning commands : But, behold, I run to my fweet huf-
band, who hath fuggared and fweetned the law, wkh 3. gofpe I drefs
and form ; which giving ftrength to obey, and flie wing the belie-
ver's/rc^rfo;// from the lur^f^ ^ Go^, encourages the believer (as
our confejfion of faith fpeaks) being free from the curfe of the mo-
ral law, and delivered from everlafting damnation, to yield obe-
dience to God, not out ofJlavi/Jjfear, but a. child-like love and a
willing mind.

6. Hence fee how it is, that holinefs is neceffary to falvation.
Why, it is the very life of the juftified man, being dead to the law, to
live unto God: He is not holy that he may be juftified, but jujlified
that he may be holy. I do not here meddle with the queftion, whe-
ther regeneration or juftification be firft in order of nature ? For I am
fpeaking mainly, not of habitual holinefs, or the firft habit of grace,
butof«^z<«//?o//«f/>, whether internal in the ^.x'^?t//£? of grace, or
external in iht performance o^ duty. Thus holinefs, I fay, is ne-
ccilary to falvation, as being the native, neceffary, arid inlepara-
h\e fruit ofjujlification,ox dying to the law ,• k is the jaflified man's
way of living, or walking towards heaven. They thatf/znz the
^racc of God into want onnefs , pervert the right end of grace, which
teaches us to deny ungodlinefs, and worldly lujls ; and they that give
up with the law as a rule of holinefs, becaufe they are, or think they
are delivered from the law as a covenant of works, pervert the very
end of that freedom, which is that they may live unto God; and no
doubr, many among believers themfelves are in danger of this
fin: 1' or I know no fin but whatabelieverisliable to, if hebe/f/>
tohimfelf. And becaufe many of them abufe grace,therefore God
keeps the law fpurat their fide; for it is with many, as with dull
lazy horfes, fo long as the fpurisin their fide, they ride quickly,
but when that is removed, they becomedull and heavv,and are
ready to (land ftill : So while the law exacted rigid obedience, and

threatned

4^4 Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

thrcalned damnation and }ieU,they were diligeot, and durflnot baulk
a duty ; they were tender in their walk : Butnow being delivered
fromihisfpur that was daily pricking their fides, and feeing that
Cimd haih fatisfied the law, which now can neither juftify nor
condemn ihera, they imagine they have no more to fear, and fo
they lin the more, and live fecurely^ inllead of living Joberly^ righ-
teoiifly^ and godly : This is a turning the grace of God into ixiantonnefs,
and a perverting of the very end of grace. And if any child of
C'rod here be guilty, remember your father will not let you pafs
unpuniihed ; tho' hQ pardon your fins, yet he will l2ikt vengeance on
your inventions. It is to prevent this wantonnefs in fome, that the
fpur is kept long in their fide, and they are held many days and
years, perhaps, under many legal fJjakings, fears ^ doubts and trem-
blings, attaining to very little of any cheerful gofpel-obedience ;
for the law cannot work that. And this leads me to another
inference.

7. Hence, from this do6lrine, we may fee, that the law can nei-
ther juftify nor fandlify a finner ; it cannot juftify him,for he mull:
be dead to km point ofjujlification; it cannot fanftify him, for he ne-
ver lives unto God till he be dead to the laiv. On the one hand, by
the deeds of the law, no flefJj living can be jujiified. Why ? Becaufe
you're dead in fin by nature, andean do nothing that the law re-
quires, in the way that it requires it; and tho',you would do any
thing, yet your doing is imperfedt, but the law reqmres perfeBion;
yea, tho' you could obey the lawperfeftly for the time to come,
that will not make amends for former faults, there muft be fatisfac-
tion ; yea, fuppofe it were polfible that you could do all this, and
that from your cradle to your grave you never finned, and were as
free of original fin, and had as good a nature as ever Pelagius tho't
any had, and ftrength to keep the law, and did actually keep it per-
fedtly from your youth up, yet the la^vi of -works is broken in Adam, m
him wc ailfinned,2i-]d that one fin is enough to da?nn the ivhole world^i
and would do fo, if Chrift did not redeem from the guilt thereof.
On the other hand, the law cannot fan61ify any, it works wrath,
and when tJic commandment comes, fin revives ; it is the minifiration
of death every v:ay, as 1 faid before. Q^-eft. If it can neitheryw/^f-
/3'nor/77?5//T, whatufeis it for.? Anfvo. It is for many noble ufes,
both to the regenerate and unre generate : To the unregenerate, it is
of ufeto convince him of fin, to break up tbefallo:^ ground of the
heart ; to be a fchoolmaflcr to lead to Chrift, by convincing him of his
abfckueneed of afurety, and of his undone ftate without Chrift.
And to the regenerate, it is of ufe to make him highly efteem Chrift,
whofe rigl.teoufnels anfwers the la'u: both in its co?iimands&.threat-

nings ;i

Law- Death, Gospel- Life. 465

. t:lngs ; and it ferves to give him a daily cmivi^'ion of fin ; and that
t he man may more and more prize the pardon of fin ^ and feek daily
into the Lord for pardoning and fandtifying grace : Alfoto lee
himfeetheinLrinfical demerit of fin, wWiIq he fees hell threatned
againd it in that covenant ; and thereupon may fear to offend that
Cod.vjho is a c on fuming fir e,^o as he m.ay worfliip him with reverence
and godly fear ; not with a llavilh fear, that he ihall be font to hell,
which is impoffible, that is not his duty : he may have the over-

t awing fear and apprehenfion of hell, but fhoiild not have a flavifli
fear of it: Thisfcar of it hefliould not have, but the faith of it he
ought to have, and many times needs to have it, to deter him from
fin, which of its own nature leads to deftruftion ; as a man that is
bound with a great chain to a ftake on the top of a high tower, tho'
he cannot but know, that by reafon of the chain he is fure enough;
yet when he looks over the battlement, and ^Qts the dreadfnl pre-
cipice, he is afraid of going near the edge of the battlement. It is
certain, that believers, when they know not that they are under
grace, may unwarrantably apply tothemfelves thefentence of
the law ,- unwarranrabiv, I fay, becaufe there is no condemnation to
them that are in Chrijl ; yet God may, for holy ends, fuffcr his con-
fcience to be troubled with th^ fear of condemnation, that being
humbled, he may make the more ufeofChrift for righteoufnefs
and Pirength. In a word, the commands of the law, not formally as
a covenant, but materially as a rule oflife^Cerve to be an adive direc-
tory for his walk ,• and whoever walks according to this rule,
peace he on them, and on all the Ifrael of God, ^c. Thus it is of
manifold ufe, tho' it can neither yw/?7/y nor fan&ify, which only
the grace of the gofpel can do.

8. 1 lence fee what a myftery to the world religion is, and the
difference betwixt God's judgment and man's. Man thinks, to be
dead to the law, is the way to live in fin ; but God's word tells us,

%that tobedeadtothela'UJ, istheway toliveimtoGod: Why? hereis
a myftery, a holy riddle. And are we decrying holinefs, when
we preach in this apoflolical ftrain ? God forbid ; nay, we declare
unto you in the name of God, that the way to be truly holy, is to lay
afide your falfe legal holinefs ; the way to be truly righteous, is to lay
p.Cide your legal righteoufnefs : Yea, 1 tell you, firs, that even in point
of fandtification, Except your righteoufnefs exceed the righteoufnefs of
the Scribes and Phari fees, you fl.>all not enter into the kingdom of God;
and you know, they made long prayers, they fafted twice a week,
and gave alms of all that they pofTefl;; and fome of them were,
touching the law, blamclefs, and could fay. All thefe things have I done
from my youth up ; and yet I fay, unlefs your holinefs exceed their

G g holinefs,

.(50' Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

holinefs, you fliall never enter into the kingdom of God. And ull ^
your unrighteous righteoufnefs, and unholy holinefs, be cried
down in your heart, and the perfeft righteoufnefs of Chrill: cried
up, true "holinefs you Ihall never have. Was Chrift a friend to
publicans and horlots ? or, did he approve of their fins ; when he
faid to thefe Pharifees, Publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God
heforeyoul Mat. 21. 3i.Obewareoffuch blafphemouscho'tsofa
holy Jefus ; nay, fo far from that, thatv/e may hence gather his
abhorrence of their fins ; only he would give us to know, that if
fin keep them out of heaven, as much and more will felf righte-
oufnefs keep out the Pharifee,who muft be rid of his righteoufnefs,
as well as his fins, before he gets there. O but religion is a my-
llery ! to be dead to the law, in order to live unto God.

9. Hence we may fee the miferable flate of thefe that are alive,
and the happy ftate of thefe thsit are dead to the law. Their (late
is miferable that are alive to thelaivj foriho' they have a name to
live, yet they are dead, legally dead, bound over to the wrath of God,
and under the cz/;/e of the law, fpiritually dead in fin, having no
holinefs, no godlinefs acceptable to God thro' Jefus Chrifl: : If they
beany way awakened, and feek life by the law, and the works
thereof, what a madnefs is this 10 feek the living among the dead?
or to feek help where it cannot be had ? God hath laid all our help
upon Chrifl, and it is impoffible to find jufi:ification or fanftificati-
on anywhere elfe. But on the other hand, their fi:ate is happy
who are dead to the law ; for tho' they be dead, yet they live ; they
live a life of juftification, and a life of fanftification thereupon;
being dead to the law, they live unto God. O what a mercy is it, if
God hath awakened yourconfciences, convinced you of fin and
felf-righteoufnefs, and brought you off from the law! You fee
TOur extreme guilt, vilenefs,bafenefs, and wickednefs, and it may
be are groaning under the ienfii thereof; but God may have a
i^lorious defign in this, to bring you more and more off from the .,g
]aw,and from any confidence in the flefii, that you may build upon

a better foundation, and be married to a better husband, even to
Jefus Chrift, that you may bring forth fruit unto God.

10. Hence fee the malignity of a legal fpirit: If we muff be
d.?ad to the law, that we may live unto God, then a legal fpirit and tem-
pc.r muft bea wicked and ungodly fpirit: It is n.nig?iorant fpirit;
if thev were not ignorant of God's righteoufnefs, they would never
efcahlijh a righteoufnefs of their own ; but they are ignorant of the
pcrfeftion of his law, the terror of his juftice, the feverity of his
tribunal, and of their own natural weaknefs and wickednefs,
otherwife they would not dare to make any thing a ground of

their

Law- Death, Gos,PEL-LirE. 467

L tbeir acceptance with God, except the blood and righteoufnefs of
his Son. h IS ci proud (pint y that will not let grace be exalted, btic
puisfelf'm the throne of Chrifl:, and his righteoufnefs. his a. fil-
tbycLud abominable fpirir, and pollutes the man more and more;
and God abhors it, as that which contradi61s his moft glorious de-
fign. And it is a damning fpirit, if he be not removed ,* For the
-diicked/Jjallbe turned into hell: And this man continues wicked ftill,
even under the pretence of holinefs; he is wicked and ungodly
ftill, for he lives to himfelf,but not to God ; for is is only thefe thac
are dead to the law, who live unto God. 1 proceed to an

Use of Examination. Try your ftate then, my brethren : You
{liould try after, as well as before a communion ,• and there are two
things you lliould try here, i. Whether you be dead to the lazv in
point of j unification ? 2 . Whether you be living to the law,or living
to God in point of fanftification ? Two as neceffary points as are in
all divinity, and fuch as are of the utmod concern in time, and
through eternity.

I . Try whether you be dead to the law in point of juftification.
I might here teil ycu marks of thefe that ai'Q alive tothelaw, and
then marks of thefe that are dead to the law ; but feeing thefe will
coincide, I join them together. I fliall not multiply marks, but
you may try by thefe following, i. The man that is deadto the
laiv, hath got a light of himfelfin theglafsof the law, and of his
natural legal temper. Some think they have a good heart to God,
and they can do fo and fo ; but the believer, dead to the law, fees his
heart the word; piece in or about him, and that he cannot believe,
f he cannot repent, he cannot mortify fin ; corruption is like the
giants of Jnak. The man fees he is vile, with ^ob, behold I am
vile ! In every duty, in praying, communicating, behold I am vile !
He i'Li^s himfelf, and he fees his own legal temper. The man that
is alive to the law never fees his legal temper, norhisftronginclina-
I tion to felf righteoufnefs : The believer fees and finds fomcthing
of this, even after he is made -dgofpelfaint ; but the legalijls never
fee it. What, fay they, would you have us Papifis) Blefilsdbe
God, we are better inftrufted, we have no merit, our righteoufnefs
is rags ; and yet, after all, there is a fecrct tnijlingin their own righ-
teoufnefs, they never fee themfelves leaning ^on themfelves.
Haih it ever been one exercife to you, how to be rid of your fins ?
and another, how to be rid of your righteoufnefs ? 2. The man
ihitis deadto the law, is tired out of it; May be, he hath been con-
vinced of fin, and thereupon falling to the law, to this and the
other duty ; O I deferve hell, for my fin is great : Weil, he endea-
vours to make amends, and to find peace : and fo he runs to prayer,

^ S 2 ana

468 Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

and preaching, thinking he will get peace \ h^repents, he refohes;
and wo to the man that finds all his peace there, without going far-
ther. But, behold, the man whom God fliews mercy to, he goes
on in thefe duties, but finds no peace, no reft, no fatisfaftion ,• he is
tired out of it, his foul finks with dlfcouragemerd^ and languifhes and
hangs down the head; and God thus unbottomsthemanof him-
felf: Whereas, \\q ihdit is alive to the law ^ he that takes up his reil
and comfortin his duty, he hath the /(?^r of iurar/;tocome, and
then he runs to ii<f}', the duty gives him f^/^, he is relieved, all is
well; as a husband comforts his difi:refs'd wife, fo obedience to
the law comforts him, and the law heals him; it is the law that
throws him down, 2ir\dit\sihQ.\d.w i\\2iX.raifes himup again: Where-
as, thtm^nthitis dead to the law, the' the law f^rn/y, yet it is not
the law ihd.t fatisfies him again. 3. The man that is dead to the law,
knows what it istoaft from Chriftashis principle, and to him as
his end ; he knows what it is to perform duty from a borrowed
ftrength : The legalijl may indeed fpeak foundly, and fay, be can do
nothing of himfelf without Chriji ; and yet he reads, prays, preaches,
hears, communicates and does all, as if he had the power in his owa
hand. Let a man have ever fuch d.n orthodox head, if he be not a
believer in Chrifi:, he is ^rmmiand.nd Pelagian all over, he knows
not his own weaknefs, he looks not up for immediate influences :
And as felf is his principle, fo to felf he a6ls as his end. As he that
is joined toChrill: brings forth children, or fruit unto Chrifi; ; fo
he that is joined to the law, brings forth children to the law. He
does duty, it may be, to hufii the clamours of confcience, and give it
cafe, to keep himfelf out of hell, for he hath no will to be damn'd,
and for the like ends. ThQhdiQveYhe'mgdeadtothe law, cannot
perform duty, but by borrowed ftrength; he can do nothing till «
gale of the fpirh come : he cannot bring forth children, till the fpirit
of God beget them in his foul : No, no, every adt of grace flows
from n creatingpower ; and when he afts, the love of Chrifi efpeci-
ally, and defire o^ communion and fellow/hip imth G(?rf,confirain him,
and the glory of God in Chrifi is his great end. 4. The believer
that is dead to the law hath vilifying thoughts of all he does ; the le-
galijl overvalues his duties. tVherefore have wefajled, and thou haft
not fcen ? JVhercfore have we prayed, and thou hajl not heard ? They
challenge God as if he were unjufi, for not giving them what they
merit. God, I thank theeyCsi'id the Pharifee, I am not as other men ; It
was like a proud boafting of what he had done : But let the belie-
ver fpend days and nights in prayer and that with much liberty anS
enlargement ; yet the refult of the work is, 0 my righteoufnefs is fil-
thy rags, a menjtruous cloth ; Wo to me, if I be not found in Chrifi,

for

Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 469

for my befl duties deferve damnation : I find my praying,my wor-
llTJpping,my communicating full oiatheifm, unbelief JormaUty and
hypocrijy. The legalifl: over-races his duties ; he thinks more of
what he hath done, than of what Chrift hath done, and more of his
praying on earth than of Chrift's pleading in heaven ; he thinks
more of his tears than of Chrift's blood; he is proud of his humility,
and never duly humbled. 5. Thi:he\ievev ih^tis dead to the la'U),-
fo far as he is dead thereto, his complaints and his comforts move.
in a go/pel channel. The legalift will complain more for want of
holinefs, than for want of Chrift; Seeing he hath taken up with
a felf-righteoufnefs, it is his all, it is his happinefs, it is his husband,
it is his God ; and when it is wanting, he cannot but be troubled.
But the language of thomsin dead to the law ,18,0 for Chrift ! O for
a dayof poiver ! O to be wrapt up in the covenant of grace, to gee
an omnipotent power, determining me to comply with the gof-
pel offer! His comforts move in a gofpel channel; whereas the
legalifl finds comfort in law- works, even in all his extremities in
time. In the profpecl of trouble, what comforts him ? Even this,
that he hath done many ^W^i/f/Vx; he wraps uphimfelfin a gar-
ment of his own weaving. Under challenges of confcience,whac
comiforts him, and gives him peace ? He even covers himfelf
with the fame robe. In the profpedl of judgment, what comforts
him, and gives him peace ? Why, he hopes God will be merciful
to him, becaufe he hath had a good profejfton, and faid many good
prayers, and done many good duties. But, Oforry peace-maker ; the
only thing that givesa believer peace and eafe in thefecafes, is
the law- biding righteoufnefs of Chrift, under which he defircs to
fiiroud himfelf; he flees to the blood of Chrin:,0 1 am undone, unlefs:
my foul be wrapt up in the 7nantle of Chrift' s perfect righteoufnefs ; I de-
fire to be found in him ; upon this righteoufnefs of Jefus do I ven-
ture my foul ,• I have no fliift but this. The legalift, I faid, com-
forts himfelf in all his extremities with the law, till the laft extre-
mity come, and then he finds h\mf^\Uheated: And hence, O what
a mercy is it, that the Lord drains a man of his legal comfort,
that he may unhinge him off the law, and of his felf- confidence !
Oft-times, when God is bringing home his ele6t, he makes all the
com.mon work they had before to difappear. It may be they had
a profeftion, were morally ferious,ihGy had zeal, prayed with life, heard '
with affection; but behold now all tlie ftreams of comnion influ-
ences aredried up; the poor foul finds he cannot/)r^y, hecannot
fl:eda tear, tho' he fiiould be caft into hell ,• yea, he cannot think a
right thought, tho' it fiiould bring him to heaven ; nay, he finds
his heart hardned like a devil, and his mind bemifted with the

<^ g 3 darknefs

47*0 Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

darknefs of hell. Why? this is all in love, to drive him out of
himfelf, andootofthelatv, tothedearSonof God. 6. Thebe-
Hevcr that is (^ead to the law, is content to have his righteoufnefs
tried, and compared with the perfe6l law. As Chrilt is the Lord
his righteoufnefs, and this he knows is fufficient toanfwer all the
demands and commands of the law, and he is jwt aJlMmedof this
righteoufnefs, but glories in it ,• fo,as to his works of holinefs, what-
ever fliortcoming heisfenfible of, yet he \s content to be tried
with the ckarefi light. Let omnifciency defcend, and n*ake a cri-
tical Tearch ; Search ?ne, O God, and fie if there be any wicked
way in me, and lead me in the way everlafling ; 1 do not love to
die with a lie in my right-hand ,• let all the inward corners
of my heart be laid open before me ; I am fatisfied to know
jf I have a lawful husband, or not, if Ghrifb be my husband or
not : He is content to be tried. Butthelegalifl, the man that
is alive to the law, 2.fearchingfermon is uneafy to him, SLgofpel-fer^non,
he cannot abide, a narrow trial he cannot endure; he thinks that
Dhe minifter is too impartial to caft us all to hell; he hsLthflolen
goods, and therefore dreads the light. Yea, 7. The man that is
dead to the law, he hath got 2l foul- humbling Tight and view of the
glory of Chrifl's righteoufnefs, that made him quit with all his legal
rags as lofs and dung ; even as the ftars evanifli out of fight when
the fun arifes. Ohath Chrift's glory ever fliined into your heart,
my brethren, and made you fee thoufands of worlds to be nothing
to him, thoufands of righteoufneffes of men and angels to be no-
thing to his? Have you feen an utter impofjlbility of obtaining
God^s favour by any righteoufnefs of yours 7 and fuch a fure ground of
obtaining God's favour here, that your foul hath been made to re-
nounce all other ways of acceptance, and to fee, admire, and re-
joice in the glory of this way,and to approve of it, as a device wor-
thy of God, and fuitable to you ? And have you found reft here ?
It is good. The legalift is a (tranger to fuch faving views of the glo' a
ry of Chrifi, and his righteoufnefs, having never got the fpiritof
wifdoin and revelation in the knowledge of Chrifi. 8- The man that
\s dead to the law, is in love with the doftrine of thegofpel; how
beautiful upon the mountains, to them,are the feet ofthefe that preach the^
glad tidings of peace"? Whereas, he that is alive to the lazv always fuf-
pe6ls the do6lrine of thegofpel, as if it were leading him away
from the law, and away from holinefs : Here is a inark that well
may ^nd out 2l pharifaical generation; they fufpe5lthedo6lrine of
Chrifi, and his righteoufnefs, as if it werea doftrine tending to
licentioufnefs, and oppqfition to the law; a fign they never felt the
power oi thegofpel upon their hearts, otherwife they would /f^/

m

Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 471

the revelation oftbc righteoufnefs of Chrijl^ from faith to faith, to be the
power of God to their fahation ; they would find, that never are they
fo muchdifpored to holy duties, as when they aveunder the influ-
ences of the fpirit of faith, difcovering the glory of Chrifl:, and his
righteoufnefs to them: But an ignorant generation, that knows
not the power and virtue of the gofpel, ftill fufpects it as contrary
to the law. This was thefalfe charge againft Chrifl of old, and
againft Stephen, J^s 6. 1 8. and againft Paul,(rom which therefore
he many times vindicates himfelf. See^^^x 18. 13- 9. Theman
that is dead to the /^^u,can, in fome meafure, put a difference betwixt
Chrijl and ^ frame : Whereas, he that is alive to the law, can never
diftinguifli betwixt Chrift in duty,& a frame in duty. I know this
is a hard queftion. How /JmUwc know the difference betwixt Chrift in
duty and a frame in diity'i. I'll fay in a word, the man that hath only a.
frame in duty, and notChfifl: in it, he is only pleafed with his frame,
his tears, his enlargements ; he makes that his righteoufnefs, he is
content with that, & exalted with that, and now thinks all is well :
But he that hath Chriji in duty, and not a frame only, he is ready to
cry, O I would have Chriji ! I would have Chriji ; None but Chriji I none
but Chriji \ Tears will not do,* my own heart hath deceived me a
thoufand times ,* 1 find my tears do not wafli me, my frame does
not fan6lify me; this flowing of affe^ion,mdiy be but a natural thing,
it will not do ; it is Chrift I want,nothing but his blood can vjafJj me ;
nothing but this blood can pacify his confcience; nothing but
fome views of Chrift can give him folid quiet. Afweet frame
may iwdeed be the chariot, in which Chrift may ride towards the
foul ; but the gofpel believer is not fo much taken up with the cha-
riot, as with the glorious ^'/«^ that rides in it. ic- The man that
is deadto the law, is dead to fin ; fin hath not dominion over him,
becaufe he is not under the law,but under grace. The views of Chrilt
are of a transforming nature; beholding his glory, we are changed, it is
true, here the believer fears moft of all,becaufe of his Ihorccoming
in point of fanftification, and mortification of fin, becaufe he
finds iniquity prevailing againft him. And how is it true that yj,7
bath not dominion over him,he not being under the htw.but under gracel
Why ? Sin hath no righteous nor lawful dominion over believers ;
the firft husband is dead, and they are married to Chrift the fecond
husband : and therefore they are not debtors to the llefli. Thu'
ftill the flefli craves them to obey ir, yet it hath no jiift power ^o to
do ! Sin's juft authority is exauftorated ; and Chi ift, by fatisfying
the law, which is the Jirength of Jin, hath condemned Jin in the flefJ:.
Sin hath a fort of right to reign in wicked men, and thefe that are
under the law ; but none in the believer, who is delivered from the

G g 4 law,

472 Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

law, which isthejkength of Jin : Tho' it a6tually exercife authon-
ty, yet it is but an ufurped authority ; as fin hath no power nor au-
thority to condemn the foul that is in Chrifl, fo it hath no authori-
ty to reign,- and fin fliall never reign unto death over them,
Rom. 5. laft. And the believer that hath cad off the autho-
rity of fin, as being no more his lawful king may complain
of its unjuffc oppreifion, and plead with a righteous God,
that the power of fin may be more and more broken, and fo
it fliall be. But the legaliji, who is alive to the law, in regard that
he is both under the commanding and condemning power of the
law, is alfo under the commanding and condemning power of fin.
The Jaw commands him, and he obeys it as his Lord ; and fin com-
mand . him alfo, and he obeys it too, and makes his legal duties a
plaifter to cure his confcience of his fin, like Lewis XI. of France^
•who would fjoear a bloody oath^ and for a. pardon kifs a crucifix, and
fwear again, and kifs it again, and fo runs the round. However,
the believer is delivered from the power of the law, & the power
of fin too j having call oif the law as a covenant, and finding no-
thing fatisfy and fiill his confcience, but theZ'/ooiand righteouf-
riefs of Chrill, that fatisfies divine jufhice. As in this way he finds
refb from the curfe of the law, fo alfo fome reft from the rule and
dominion of fin; the faith of God's love in Chrift purifies the
heart, and kills his natural enmity, infomuch that he can attefi:, to
his fweet experience, that the faith of the love of God in Chrifi: is
fo far from leading him to Ucentioufnefs of life, or encouraging lazi-
nefs,that he finds it the hotteltfire in the world to melt his heart for
fin, and ihe Jlrongeji cord in the world to bind him to duty, while
the love of God is fiied abroad upon him. Try by thefe things if
you be dead to the laiv. In a word if you be dead to the law, then vnu
will be living unto God ; Ithrough the law, am dead to the law, &c. He
is led fvv^eetly to the law as a rule of life.

QiieJL^ How fliall I know if I be living unto God ? This leads me ;
to the other part of the examination.

Secondly, Try if you he living unto God. Having inlarged fo
much upon the preceeding head, and having offered feveral
particulars upon this head already in the doftrinal part, which
may be improved by way of trial ; therefore I'll offer you
but theTe two jnarks of this. i. If you be living unto God, then the
fpivit of Crod will b.e the chief principle of your life ; The water that
I /ball give him (]oh. ^. 14.) fjall be in him a well of water fpringing
.^ lip to cverlafting life. The man hath not only the water within him,
.the graces ufthe fpirit ; but the well icfelf, the fpiric himfelf ^/lue-/-
ling in him. And as we know a fpring-well, by feeing the water
bu'jbUng up ,• fo a man may know he hath the fpirit, 'by the bub-
bling ^

Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 473

bli ng up of this water now and then. None have a life unto God,
but theie that have the yp/m ofChriJl in them, caufing chem to
ixalk in his ftatiites ; for where the fpirit of life is, he is a fpiric
of faith, and a fpirit of love ,* a fpiric of faith, leading the
man to the obedience of faith, which fees him to duty from the
authority of God^ and mzdependance upon Chrift, both as hisjlrength
iovajjijtance, and as his right eoufnefs for acceptance in the perfor-
mance thereof: A fpirit of love, leadirtg the man to the obedi-
ence of love; and this obedience makes a man fervelikea fon,
and not like a flave, and makes the fervice fweet and pleafunt, i
Joh. 5. 3. This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and
his commandments are not grievous. 1'his makes the believer's obe-
dience, while he lives unto God, a myjlery to the world, who reckon
it a burden to keep thefabbath, a burden to wait on ordinances, a burden
to perform duties. Why ? on the other hand, when the believer
is mounted up in the c/wfofo/'/o^<?, indeed it is a burden to him to
leave off duty, it is a burden to him to leave ordinances, it is a
burden to him to think of going back to the v/orld again. Why ?
The matter is, he is about xht obedience of love, which makes the
commands of God not grievous, but delicious. Try your obedi-
ence and living to God, by this principle of it, the fpiric of God
as a fpirit of faith and love, leading to the obedience of faith
and love. 2. If you be living unto God, then the glory of God
will be the chief end of your life. Queft. How fiiall 1 know
ifthegloryof Godbe my Ci^/V/fWi'/in my obedience 1 Indeed it is a
material queftion. I'll offer a thought upon it : If the glory of
God be the c/j/>/<?wJof your life, then you will have a continual
conllidl with felf, and how to get felf ends mortified. O I ^eefelf
creeping in upon me, in all my preaching:, praying, commu-
nicating ; how fliall I get this enemy killed ? "Here the flefJj
lufls againfl the fpirit, and the fpirit againjl the fefh, and \hefc
two are contrary the one to the other. The believer finds a war
here again ft /f//", as his greaceft enemy ; and it is his joy, and
the triumph of his heart, when he gets/V/ daflicd to the ground,
and debafed ; when the loftincfs thereof is brought doivn, and
the Lord alone is exalted in him. The man that hath God's
glory jis his chief end^ can fometimes trample even his own
happinefs under his feet, in a manner, when it comes in com-
petition with the glory of God and Chrid: Theglory of God
is of more worth than ten thoufand heavens ; and therefore the
felf denied beh"ever, rather than the divine glory fliould link,
would venture his all, tho' he had a thoufand lives; Blot me out ff
thy book, fays Mofes ; let me be accmfed, fays Paul ; and id! w.xs, that

Gcd

47+ Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

God might he glorified, thaiC\mO:mightbQ 7nagnified, and have a
glorious name in che world. There were fome things indeed ex-
traordinary in that meafure that Mojes and Paul attained to ; but
there may be fomething hke it, I think, tho' in a fmaller meafure,
that believers may know in their experience. O ! whatever fhould
become of me, let thy name be glorified ; let Chrift have a mime-
rolls train to praife liim to eternity ; let me decreafe, and him increafe;
let him be exalted, tho' I (liould be for ever abafed ; and if it might
contribute to his mounting of the throne, let me be even the foot-
Jhol on which he may afcend. The man prefers Chrift's publick
interell; before his own private intereft ; If I forget thee, 0 Jerufa-
\crri,[^c. In a word, the man that lives to God, as his chief end, a6ls
in duties, becaafe God is thereby honoured and glorified ; and he
hates fin in himfelf and others, becaufe God is thereby difiionour-
ed. Finally, if you be living unto God, your life, your obedience
will be influenced by the grace of the new covenant, being dead
to the law, or to the old covenant : But of this I have fpokenat
large, on the 4.th general head. Thus much for trial.

The 3^ ?//^ may be for lamentation over, together with reproof
ofall, both dodtrinal and praftical legalifts. i. Astodo61rinal le-
galijls, we might bewail & refute the legal fchemes that take place
in the world. I name thefe two, i. The popijl.ifcheme, denying the
imputation of Chri/l'srighteoufnefs. The imputed righteoufnefs of
Chrifliisblafphemedby the church of T^oot^,- they call it Tmaffec-
titious, imaginary air, a putative righteoufnefs, contrary to the vfry
flrain of our apofl:le in his epiftles. They talk of a twofold jujiifi-
cation : Their'^r/?j unification is that, whereby an unjufl:ified man
becomes jufiified, or a wicked man becomes godly ; where they
confound juftification & fandlification. The fecondis that,where-
by a man already righteous, becomes more and more righteous,
more and more holy. We know no juftification, but one juftifica-
tion by faith, in the day of clofing with Chrifl; ,• laying hold upon the
blood of Chrijl, ivhom God hath fet forth to be the propitiation, (Sec. It is '
a compleat righ teoufpefs,we have it all at once ; and it is not with-
in us, but without us : It is in Chrifi: inherently, & in us imputatively.
They tell us, that we are not juftified by the ivorksof the ceremonial
laiv, huiby the ivorks of the moral la-vo; They tell us, that we are
r\oi jufiified by perfect obedience, but by imperfed; ; and by an accep-
tilation, itislook'don by God asperfeft. And, in a word, they
tell us, that we are juftified, not meritorioufiy, and fiwply by zvorks
done innurozvr./lrength, but by ivorks acted and done by the firength
and afjifiance ofthefpirit of God. This is the Popi/Jj fcheme. 2. The
Baxtcrinn fcheme is alfo oppofite to this gofpeldo6lrine: They

tell

L A W - D E A T H, G 0 S P E L - L I r E. 475

tell us, that God hath made a Jieijo lazv with mankind ; and obedi-
ence to that neiv law^ and to its commands is our right eoiifnefs ; and
this obedience gives us a title to heaven, and gives us a title to
Chrift's blood, and to pardon : And the a6t of faith is our righte-
oufnefs, not as it accepts of Chrift's righteoufnefs, but as it is an o-
bedience to that ne'vj law ; the very a6i and work of faith is, accor-
ding to them, the righteoufnefs itfelf; And this faith takes in all
kind of works, namely, repentance j love, obedience, & ten or twelve
duties of chat fort; and all thefe together are our righteoufnefs
for juftification. Really ( as one fays upon this very head ) If the
apoJtleFzulzvere alive, be 'would excommunicate fiicb minijlers.

2. As to pradiical legalifis, this generation is full of thefe. I
know not a more reigning fin among profejjors; a gofpel-firainis
almofl lo{l:,and ^ go/pel- method is almoft forgotten. If we would go
back to our reformer s,wt fliould feedigofpel-fpirit among them ,• but
now the ^o//jc/-/c/;£''«^iscomeunderreproach, as if it were a ne'j)
fcheme ; and fome preach againft it, write againfl it, reafon again ft
it, as if it were Antinomianifn, and a going off from the law ,* as the
Papijls accufe the Frotejlants of old : Why ? What is the matter ?
A helliflijunholy, legal fpirit reigns in the world. Now in profecu-
ting of this ufe,and that we may fee how much ground there is to
lament over, and bewail a legal temper that takes place, I would
here, i. Shew ^omt evidences o( a legal fpirit in the ungodly and
unconverted. i. Some evidences of a legal temper in believers
themfelves. 3. Shew the caufe of this legal temper that is in
the world. 4. Shew the evil and danger of it.

jjt. Some evidences of a legal temper, that is natural to the ungod-
ly, who having no new nature, have no gofpeljpirit at all. This may
be evidenced in thefe four degrees of fejf, & legal pride, i . While
the man is juft in the dead fleep of natural fecurity, having no
fight, nor fenfe of his fin, no conviftion of, nor contrition for fin ^
even then, which is fi:range,he may imagine many times that he is
perfe6l, that he never breaks all the commandments of God, but
keeps the whole law: The young pharifee in the gofpelis an emi-
nent inftance hereof ; our Lord gives him an account of the com-
mands of the law,and he had the infolent boldnefs to fay toChrifl,
JUtbofe things have I kept from my youth up : And Paul, before his
converfion, wasftuff'd with the fame legal pride, I was touching
the law blamelcfs. What means he by that ? Why, it is as if he had
faidjl was fuch ?ifianch pharifee, "und religious zealot, thn:, as I never
tho't I broke any of the ten commandments ^ fo I tho't I had kept the
whole law. Wonderful arrogance and ignorance, ^.o imagine that
a man in his fallen ftate can have a perfe6lionjau d keep the whole

law !;

47<5 Law- Death, Gospel- Life.

h\v ! And yec the ele6l of God, before their tonverfion, have
found that they have been filled with fuch pride & infolenc tho'ts
zs you Cl'Q in Paul: Yea, and many think Jittlelefs ; tho' they fay
thev arelinners, yet they fee not fin, and fancy they are confor-
mable to the law ; They have a good heart, they wrong no body,
they cLi'ejuJlin their dealings, none can fay, black is their eye; and
here is their righteoLifnefs, being alive tothelaiv. 2. Degree is,
when men come to be convinced of fin and rebellion, and of their
loft ftare, by reafon of their having trampled the divine authority
underfoot, offended his Majefty, violated his law, provoked his
anger; then as if Chrift were the molt needlefs and ufelefs thing
in heaven or earth, they run to their repentance for an atonement,
■dspnpijh 10 their penances, 3.nd pagans to their facrifices, to atone
their offended deities ; as if there were no days-man, no mediator be-
twixt God and man, to make atonement : Chriftthe propitiation is
altogether fli,g;hted ; they hope to make atonement, and pacify
God, by repenting feriouily, and lamenting bitterly ; and fo they
fall to zvork, praying, fajling, mourning, confejjtng, withzn abfolute
neglcd; ofChrift ; and upon the back of all their legal fears, confef-
fions and bitter lamentations, their wakened confciences are plea-
fed and pacified : The ftorm that was raifed there, is turned Co a
calm ; cifalfe peace cakes place, not founded upon Chrift, or his a-
toning blood f but upon their confejjions , prayers , tears, whereby they
think to difgorge and vomit up all the fins of their life, and to fave
themfelves from them, and from the wrath that follows them. To
this purpofe was that faying o^ Augiijline (it looks like a harfli fay-
ing, but had a good meaning) namely, that repentance damns more
thanfins do. When people are under any fearful apprehenfion
of the wrath to come upon them for their fins, they/c*? to their re-
pentance intlead of flying to Chriji, and that effe6lually deftroys and
ruinsthem. 3. Degree is, when a man not only repents, but a-
mends: Henotonly Vakes up refoliitions of amendment of life, buc
^6lu2i\\y /Indies obedience, reforms his way ; he is at pains co get his
life changed, but not to get hisjiate changed : He is not taken up to
get ^nezx) heart, but would have the 0/^ /^c^Jtmade alitde better,*
he thinks a little amending will do the bufinefs ; and what is all
this, buc, as one fays, like the gilding ofarottenpojl, thepoft is rotten
i^ithin, but it is finely gilded over mthout ? Ic is but like the whiten-
ing of a fepulchre, that, however whire ic may be without, yetic
\s.fitJl(f dead metis bones -ivithin : It is like the painting of a chimney
wirhout, that is all black and footy within : It is like the adorning
of a dead corps with fweet flowers : Th.e man is dead in fins and tref-
pqffcs, notwichltanding all this. 4. Degree is beyond all this, gof

pel-

Law-Death, Gospel-Lite. 477

pel light hath fliined objedively upon them, & they are more illu-
ininaicd than co he pleafed with tins. Why ? chey hear of Chrill,
and that there is no fahatioii, no juftificat Ion without him,- and
therefore, they a6t faith upon him m a legaiway ; they beUeve in
him, noiby a fav'ing fa'nh^ but -a. t e mporary fuith. As believers do
■pi^r form go/pel- obedience to the law, fo unbelievers may have a legal
faith of thegofpel, a legal faith upon Chrilt, believing in their
own ftrength, believing even before he fee his inability to
believe, before ever he fee his unwillingnefs to believe, be-
fore he be humbled under a fenfeof his abfoluteneed of Clirifl,
and before he fee what right and warrant he hath from the word.
However, he fancies he hath clofed mth Chrifi^ laid hold on his co
venanr, and this is thcmod fubtile part of felf-righteotifnefs ; yer,
after all, he is the 0/^ man, iiillweddedto thelaixi: And hence he
hath no fan&ification, no nezv nature, no new principle offpiritual
life, no living unto God.

2diyy Sunic evidences of a legal temper that remains in believers
themielves. i. When their comfort is flill up and down with their
frame ; if thi^ir frame be z//),their comfort is up ; if their/ram^' be down,
their comfort is down ; if their frame be gone, their comfort is gone,
thQiv joy is withered : Herein the legal fpirit difcovers itfelf ; where-
as a gojpe I- temper of foul would lead the man to rejoice, even when
the changeable frame is gone, that the unchangeable covenant {\i\l
remains ; and to fay, Tho' the fig tree floouhl not blojfom, yet will I re-
joice in the Lord: Tho' grace be at a low ebb with me, yet the ocean
of grace is in Chrid ; and herein I rejoice : Tho' I be in darkncfs,
yet will 1 rejoice that there is light in him ; tho' I find nothing buc
d'jadnefs in me, yet will I rejoice that there is life in him ; tho' 1 be
empty, yet will 1 rejoice that there is fulnefs in him, and this to be
communicated in his time and way. 2. It is a legal temper in the be-
liever, when his ajjitrance is lofl by his challenges. It may be, the
man attained fom(^ fweet meafure of qffiirance, but behold fin pre- '
vails, confcience challenges him, and hereupon lie razes all ; tliis
is m evidence of a legal temper, contrary to that gofpel-fpirit which
we may fee a6ling in David, Pfal. 65. 3. Iniquity prevails againjl me ;
It is againfl: my heart, againft my will, agaiiifi: my prayers, againft
my Secret groncs and wrefiilings, againfi my refolutions, againfl
my inclination they prevail. Shall 1 raze the foundation of my
faith upon this account ? No, I flee to the blood of the lamb cf God, for
deanfing and purging both from the guilt and power of fm ; and th ere-
fore I'll maintain my ajfurance and confidence in thee ; Jsfor our ini-
"luities, thou wilt purge them away. 3 . It is a legal temper, when faith
,is marr'd either by fins or graces, I mean, either by the prevalence of

4'' 8 Law -Death, Gospel-Life.

fitly or iheprids of grace. On the other hand, when the exercife of
faith is marr'd by the prevalence of fin, when their known ferfe and
feeling of out-breakings, either make a man fland at a diftance from
Chrilt, or make him run away from him, by finking difcouragement
or far ct defpair : I'his evidences much legality. Are you convin-
ced of fin y Why then ? You have the more need to come to Chrift,
and believe in him, and the lefs need to ilay av/ay from him. Peter
had a prayer once, that looked like a fet form of the Devil's com-
pofmg, Lord depart fromme, for lam afinfulman. If it had run in a
gofpel form, h e would rather faid, Lord come to me, for lam afinfiil
man. Yet many believers have learned Peter's form of prayer.
Lord, I am fich a finfiilman, I dare not come to thee, nor believe that
thou ixiilt come to me. Why ? the more finfui thou art, the more
need thou haft to come to him, and to emplore him to come to
you, and fave you. On the other hand, when the exercife of faith
is mari'd by ihe pride of grace, this is part of a legal temper; when
believerstruft more to their graces than to Chrifi, the fountain of all
grace ; when they look more to the ftrength of gracious habits, and
iruil more to them, than to the grace that is in Chrift, in which they
are called to be ftrong : Be firong in the grace that is in Chrifi : A^
by meditating on their fins, they are many times It^a off from clof-
ing ivith Chrifi for pardon and cleavfing; fo by meditating on their
graces and gracious habits, they are many times led off from
depending on Chrifi, for conftant incomes of aftual influences.
And hence, whfcn abelieveris/rj^/}', he is ready to think, he will
never be dead again ; when he is fpiritual, that he will never be car-
nal again ,• when he is up in the mount, that he will never be doiim in
the valley again, fay ing,£}' thy favour my mountain fiands firong ; he
thinks it like mount Z/'o/^, that can never be fliaken, and that he
will never doubt again ,• but behold , lljou didfi bide thy face, and I
was troubled : My good frame was changed to a bad one ; of a fud-
den was my mount Zion turned to a mount Sinai, all fears, all
frowns, alldarknefs. Never hath the believer more need to i3^
faith, a.nd clofc dependence on the Lord, than when his graces and
frames are mofl; lively, \e^f elf -confidence creep in, and confidence
in created grace, more than in the fountain, out oi' who fefulnefs he is
to have grace for grace. Let your frame be ever fo good, your faith
ever fo fl;rong, your grace ever Co lively, at any time, yet look up
ilill for 7ieTo influences', for without mom/ntaryfuppHes'dnd breath-
ings from heaven, your gracious h a bifr [cannot adl, and will not
hold out a moment. 4. It is a legal temper, when peace is al-
ways marr'd by fiiort-comings, fiiort-comings in the exercife of
grace, Ihorc-comings, in the mortification of fin, fliort-comings

in
i

Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 479

in hoUucfs; when they meditate upon thefe fliort-comings, upon
the ijocaknefs of grace on the one hand^ an-d the Jirength o/corn//;??-
flwon the other, upon fuch a fin and luft that prevails, upon fuch
a phi^ue and diflemper that aftefts them, infomuch that they
C3.nnoi\etin a 'ucord of comfort, they cannot hearken to the joyful
found of the gofpel, Hkc Ifracl, who hearkened not to Mofes^
becaufe of the angiiifJj of their fpirit ; they look inward to them-
fclvcE, and finding nothing there but /(i/7/7?^"j- and infirmities and
plagues ^\n^Q2id oVjolineJs .iliQix peace is wholly demoliihed, becaufe
they do not, at the fame time, look iipzvardto Chrifi,znd his blood and
righteoufnefs ,and fulnefs ; this is a legaltemper. So alfo, to the fame
purpofe, when a man's peace and comfort leans only and alwavs
u^on his fand;ification, as ifthere were no other ground of joy bun
a righteoufnefs inherent: Surely, when the joy of finciificat ion is
greater thtin the joy cfjujiification.it is an evidence of a legaltemper ;
for the joy of juftiiication is founded upon a law-biding righteouf-
nefs, the perfect obedience of the glorious head, which is always the
fame unchangeable groimd of joy to believers ; whereas his fanftifica-
tion is imperfect here, & cannot afford fuch peace &joy, cis faith in a
perfed; obedience will give. The true circumcifion rejoice inChrifl:,and
in what they have in him, more than in what they have from him.
But behold,even the believer is ready to be more taken up with his
fanftification, which is inherent, and fo to be lifted up, when he
attains a ^00^/ ^(^/i?, 2. great meafure offanctification ; corruption may
abufe the privilege, and then he is proud 'md lifted up. It is true,
communion imth God, is of a humbling nature, and natively makes a
man bumble, and lively, and zvatcbful; but when the good frame is
creeping off, and corruption beginning to work again, ii' this nick
of time he not obferved, and the believer be not on his guard, a
proud thought ma.y enter m, were it even upon aP^z// wraptup to
the third heavens ; Lefl I (hoidd be exalted above meafure, a fnejjln-
ger of Satan nxasfent, a thorn in thefiefh. O how does a legal temper
run through every frame ! Wl^icn a man is dead and dull, then he
is in danger of murmuring ; and when he is ad:ive and lively, then he
is in danger offixieUing. 5. It is a legal temper, v/hen a man's expec-
tation of fuccefs IS built upon the rainifter that preaches ; if the nii-
nilttr hath a ijocakgift^ O they will not hear that man, at leaf!; they
expert little .-zood of him : If another hath great gift s/dnd a taking-
way, O noixi they exped: heaven ivill come doivn ; why ? This is an e-
vidence of a legaltemper ; for a gofpel temper will expedt nothing
but in a gofpel way, even by the pozverful influences of the fpirit pro-
mifed in the gofpel. The gofpel in any man's mouth is but a dead
Vrr^?-, without the Holy Ghoil;. 6. It is a legaltemper, when the

believer

48o Law- Death, Gospel- Life.

hi:]vcver IS under excejjive difcouragementSf on whatever ground,-
ic is an evidence he is too much, imder the lavo, for the law can give
no encourngement, nofettlewent to the confcience ; it is only Chrift
can give reft ; Couie im'o me, all ye that labour^ and are heavy laden,
and I -7:111 give you rejl. What is it that difcourages a believer,when
lie is under this legal temper ? Sometimes he is difcouraged when
he performs duty, and cannot find that prefence, th^t fenfible help
he would have. Why then ? He is quite difpirited. Indeed he
h.uh ground of mourning, when the Lord is away ; he fliould be
deeply humbled for the caufes of it : But when he is fo difpirited,
that he lofes his confidence, and is beaten quite away from his faith
and hope, quellions his ftate, and gives way to/lavifhfear,tb3.t wea-
kens his hands in ditties, and draws his heart from duty, it is a token
he is fecretly hankering after the law; for the language of the
heart of him is, O if I could pray with as much lif e,:ind hear with as
7nuch attention, and perform duty with as much vigour as I would
beat.' Othenlwouldhavea ^oO(r//;op^; and fo it is not Chrift, fo
much as the law, the old husband, that you defire to place your
hope upon, while you are under tha.t legal frame. The apoftle
{Gal. 4.21.) fpeaks of feme believers thatdefireto blunder the
law. Sometimes their difcouragements arife from this, that they
dare not apply thepromifes. And why fo ? Becaufe they think they
are not for fuch as they are ; fuch apromife belongs to fuch & fuch
2.goodperfon, it is for 2iholy man, but not for one like me : VVhatis
this but a legal temper, apprehending, that if you had fuch and
fuch a legal righteoufnefs, then God would be fome way indebted
to give you the promife ? But,0 is not grace to be glorified in this
v.zw 2ind gofpelwayl And therefore, themoreofa^o//)£'//5)/n>you
have, the more cheerfully will you embrace the /jro/w//^, for this
end, ih^t having thefepromifes, you may cleanfe your f elf, by fucking
virtue from the breafls of the promife. 7. It is an evidence of a
legal temper, when they are Rhvays/lraitnedin duty. Sometimes
they are difcouraged, becaufe they are fojlraitned in duty ; and
they are ftraitned in duty, becaufe they are fo legal'm if. Their
difcouragement flows from their y^v-^/Ynm^, zxidihQir ftraitning,
flows from their legal fpirit ; for agofpelfpiritis ayp/>/f o/'/iZ'^rf}'.
"When a believer is for the moft part ftraitned, without life, with-
out liberty, it is an evidence o^3.legalfpirit ; for where the fpirit rf
t he Lord is, there is liberty. The law of the fpirit of life in Chrift Jefus
makes the mu.r\ free from the law of fin and death, Rom. 8.2. When
one is influenced by the covenant ofgrace,he runs in the way of God's
commandments. Tho' you have once known what it was to run
fwcetly in the Lord's way, yet if now you find an habitual indifpofi-

tiw

Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 481

tion to duties, and religious exercifes to be a heavy yoh, z grievous bur-
den, this indifpofition teftifies againfl: you, that tho' you have once
known the go/pel of Chrijl,yet now you're hankering after the law.
The Lord may indeed withdraw his prefence from his people, for
necejjary ends, even from the man that hath much of a go/pel fpirit ;
andfuchaman, amidft all his trials of that fort, will triumph in
Chrifb, and fay, tho' I have little in hand,yetlhave much in hope ; ix)hat'
ever viy oixin ixiants be, I have enough in Chrijl ; however weak in my-
felf, I amftrong in him ': imperfed; in myfelf, but compleat in him. But
when for the moft part the perfon does not find pleafure in duty,
hath little heart to it, and finds it not eajy and light, hut grievous, ic
is a token, that he is bearing the yoke of the law, ov old covenant : For
Chrijl' s yoke is eafy, and his burden light ; but this law-yoke is heavy.
The law,the firlt husband, requires hard and heavy things, and does
not help the finner with Jlrength; but Chrift, the new husband,
requires the fame things, but he gives ftrength to perform ; and
what he requires of us, he works it in us ; / can do all things thro'
Chrijl Jlrengthning me, were it to overleap a wall, and fight armies
of devils in my way. 8- It isafignof a/(?g^/f^wj)^r, when apoor
creature finds flill dijcouragements, except when about religious
duiies, and finds no peace when about any other work, butisftill
raeked except when upon his knees, or going about fome religious
performance or other : It is a token of being knit too much to the
fint husband ,• for the law drives hard, and craves hard : But Chrift
is very tender and gentle in his commands and demands ; and a per-
for. under the influences of grace, will find as much fweetnefs, even
when eating andfl'r/>2/.7«^, and when he is about his lawful employ'
vient fometimes, as when about religious exercifes. Miftake me noc
here, think not that Chrift will indulge his people in the omijjion of
duty, that is not what I intend. God forbid ; I know & am perfwa-
ded, that thefcveetejl hours that the believer hath, is when he can attain
communion withGod in the ordinances £? duties of his appointment : But
yer, rhey that have much of Sigoj'pel-fpiric, can wirh peace & free-
d(. m of mind, go about other things as the work of Chrijl ; tho' it be
a p.ece of felf- denial to them, hot to be always with him; they
I w<;i!ld be every minute with him, and are longing for uninterrupt-
, ed communion with him : Yet the thing I fay is, that their hearrs are
I notdill^earrened, nor their fpirit difpirited, when called co other
i things; and it favours much o^ si legal fpirit, when the poor exer-
', cilcd creature can find no peace about '-heir other lawful duties,
, unlefs they be ffill about duties that arc properly rcligidus duties,
; fuch as praver, & readii:g, and hearing, and the like ; for, in fome
, ienfc, other duties, fuch ai plowing & fuwing, (5c the like, may le

I J h turned

^82 L A W - D E A T H, G O S P E L - L I F E.

turned to religious duties hy 2ifpmtually- minded man, and fuchas
have a go/pel fpir it ^ while they carry a heavenly mind to their earthly
work. 9. It is a fign of too much of a legal temper, when a man is
not fatisfied with the meafure of grace that the Lord allows him,
but frets again 11 heaven becaufe he hath not fo much as others. Let
nonemiftake me here neither: No man ought in an indifferent
way to be content with any meafure of grace, we are ftill to be going
en toperfed;ion ; but when we grudge and grieve, and are pained at
the heart, and murmur againfl God, becaufe we have not this and that
vieafure as others have, itisd. fymptom o{ hankering after the law.
A gofpelfpirit does not flrive with God,but meekly waits upon that
fovereign, who will have mercy upon ivhom he will have mercy, ^nd dif-
penfes freely of his gifcs & graces as hepleafetb. 10. It is a fign of a
legal temper, when a perfon is more taken up zvith the gifts ofChriJi,
than with Chrift himfelf ; more taken up with any little thing they
get from him, than with himfelf. When they get any fenfible
grace, any fenfible good aifedtions, melting of heart, melting of
fpirit,any inclination to what is good, any gifts or graces, whether
more common or fpecial, they admire thefe, and are notfo much ta-
ken up withChrift himfelf: But the perfon that is evangelical in his a^-
mgs^hy what he gets he is led to the^z-u^r ; if this be fweet,0 lie is.
infinitely fweeter thatfentit; I embrace the token, and it draws
out my heart after him, from whom it came. 1 1 . It is a fign of be-
ing too much under the influence of the lazv, when the believer is
Tpoffed with a fretful fpirit, and is not content with anything: For
the gofpelfweetens a man's frame offpirit. If the believer go to the
law, he is always pain'd and wounded, and adifeafed perfon is al-
ways a fretful perfon, and this fretfulnefs is a. fign, thatheis nop
Jomid at heart ; but thegofpelis/j^^/f/;fo the heart, and medicine to all
theflefh. A gof pel fpirit is afpirit of faith, a fpirit of love, a fpirit of
power, and of a found mind, 2 Tim. i. 7. And hence, take a believer
when he is much under the influence of the grace of the gofpel, ten
thoufand little difficulties, which fometimes fret him and put him
into confufion,wilI not move him, then, when he is living near Chrifi
and under the influence of the covenant of grace ; but when at other
times every thing frets him, it is a fign that the law hath the afcen-
dant, for the law ivorks wrath, Rom. 4. 1 5. 1 2. It is a fign of a legal
fpirit, when, upon the back of religious duties, the man hath more
freedom to fin : Sinfljallnot have dominion over you, for you are not un-
der the law, hut under grace. The law irritates corruption, raifes the
devil, but cannot lay him ; but the grace of God in Chrifi:, teaches to
deny ungodlinefs, and worldly lufts. This grace only keeps down the
devil, and Jays him low, as it were 5 yea, hruifes the ferpenfs head,
'■ " and.

La^v^-Death, Gospel-Life, 4S3

?.nd dejlroys the works of the devil. When a man performs duty in a
legal way, to qiiiec his confcicnce ; why then, when conlcience is
quieted with the duty, lufl: gets a vent, like the whore^Prou.y. 14.
I have offered jnypeace-off'erhigs, this day I have paid my vows ; co?uc.
Jet us take our fill of hve. But when a man performs duty in a gofpel-
way,not meerly to fatisfy confcience, or pacify the judge but to glorify
Cod, to honour Chrift^which is the great gofpel- end of performing du-
ty ; then this glory of God& Chrift, that he hath in view, prompts
him to defire, by the means of duty, to be avenged of God's ene-
mies in the heart ; and when he gets vi6lory, he delires to purfu®
his enemies, even to the death.

Now, my dear friends, if there be any believer here, lamfurc
fome of thefe evidences, if not all, may find you out, to have too
much of a. legal temper shout you. O believers, you that have j^^i
for refuge to the hope fet before you, will youconfider what danger
you're in from Chrift's rival, the law as a covenant, your firft hus-
band, and how much your hankering after that doth undo you?
You ( it may be ) think, you're in hazard from carnal friends, or
from the world; but you cannot underftand how you can be in
hazard from the law : But you may be in greatefl hazard from that
which you're leaft afraid of. Paul tells the believers here, and
elfewhere, to whom he writes, what hazard they were in, even
from thefe that pretended to preach thegojpel, who were but minifters
ofthe old covenant, who prefTed, and knew nothing but to prefs
people to yield obedience Tmdfubje^ion to their old husband the
law, pretending to the greatejt holinefs and Jbidnefs of life; and
prefling nothing hut do, do, do, and live. Nay, but fays Paul, I, and
all believers, have another way of living to God, and to his glory,
than by living on or by the law as a covenant; 1 through the law^
am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. O be/iever, arm your
felf againfl all proxies that the law makes ufe of; Hudy the nature,
fulnefs zx\6 freedom of the new covenant ; and pray much for the
fpirit of wifdom,and revelation in the knowledge of Chrifl, and his gofpel.
1 go on to the

36? Thing here propored,which was to fliew the caufes of this legal
temper. Why is the world fo let upon the law as a covenant, and
fo little upon Chri{\: as the Lord t heir righteoufnefs? Ifum up all the
reafons into this one, which J fliall draw out into fomc particulars :
Anditisgrofs ignorance, proud ignorance, Rom. 10. '^. For they being
ignorant of God^s right eouf>iefs, and going about to efiablifh their o-mn
right eoufnefs, have not fibmitted themfelvcs unto the right coufnefs of
Cod. '1 he world is ignorant of God, ignorant of the uiw, igno-
rantof the gofpel, ignorant of Chriitand his righteoufncfs.

H h :i I. Jgnoranct

4^4 Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

1. Ignorance of God, is one canfe of this legal temper. People
are ignorant of the perfsct'ious of God ; more particularly, they are
ignorant of the holinefs of God : If men faw what an infinite holy
God he is, and what an mfinice hatred he hears towards the leafi
fin, or violation of his latv : if they knew that a proud thought were
enough to damn a milhon of angels, and that a imndering thought is
enough to damn amiHion of worlds, woulcl'fney entertain d fancy
of being jujlified ^iud accepted u^pon cheg<roundof any legalrighte-
oufnefs of their own, wiiether natural or gracious ? Nay, chey
■would not imagine to be thus accepted, if they did not think, that
God is fuch an one as themfelves. They are ignorant alfo of the
jufticeofGod^ & the right eoufnefs of that jW^^, who mil by no means'
clear the guilty; and if it were not fo, tnat they were ignx>rantof
his jiijiice, would any guilty finner hope to be cleared and acquit-
ted any other way, than upon the account of aranfom of infinite va-
lue ? They are ignorant of the wifdoin of God, in the glorious plan'^
o^ redemption and contrivance ot'fahation by the righteoufnefs of
another, even of the God-man Chrifl Jefus. Ignorance of thefe,
and the like attributes and perfe^ions of God, is the great caufe of
their being joined to the law, and alive to it.

2. Ignorance of the lazv is (inolheY caufe. And here, i. They
are ignorant of the precept of the law in the extent, fpirituality, ho-
linefs and perfe6lion thereof: the young man in thegofpel tho't
himfelf;)(rr/>^; Why ? He did not know the law. P<^z//tho'thim-
fdfblamelefs, while he was alive to the law. Men think it a narrow
rule, condemning only fome grofs enormities of life, and com-
manding only fome outward materials of obedience ; but they
fee not the commandment to be exceeding broad ; hence they ima-
gine, they can obferve it perfeftly well. 2. They are ignorant
of the penalty of the lam, the fanBion of it : They do not believe,,
that there is a curfe intail'd upon every difobedience, Curfed is
every one that continueth not in all things that are zvritten in the book of
the laid, to do them. Hence they are fond of their own legal righte-
oufnefs, not knowing the fe verity of the legal Janfftion. 3. They
are ignorant of the end of the law, even of God's eiid and defign in
giving it. God gave tjie law to Ifracl with fire and thunder : For
what end ? Even to be a fchoohnajler to lead them to Chrift, Gal.
3.24. For Chrift is the end of the la'ujfor righteoufnefs^ to every one that
helieveth, Rom. 10.4. But behold, fo ignorant wasT/^-^f/oftheend
of the law, that, like the legal fp'int in our own day, they tho't it
was given for this end, that chey might obey it as a condition of life,
as it bore the image and rcprefentation of a covenant of -works ; fo
ihey turned it dire6lly to a covenant of vvorks,fliyingj£A,'oJ. 19. 8.

Jll

Law -Death, Gospel-Life. 485

^11 that ths Lord hath commandedy 11:0 zvilldo. If it had been poflible
or pratticable for them to have performed what they ignorantly
promifed, there would have been no need of Chrifl, or his righte-
oufnefs either : We will do, fay they, there is obedience ; we will do,
yea, we will do all,there \s perfect obedience ; yea, we will do all thac
the Lord Jehovah hath commanded us ; there is exactly, and
perpetually perfeB obedience : Yea, we do all, we ourfel ves ,• there is
their perfect perfonal obedience refolv'd upon : As if they had in
their polleffion all the power and holinefs that y^rW had in inno-
cence. What fays Joflnia to them, upon fuch a proud, ignorant,
and arrogant refolution as this ? Indeed, he tells them, it was fim-
ply impoffible for them ,• Te cannot ferve the Lor d^ for he is a holy God,
Joflj. 24. 19. He \s2iholy God, and you're a finful people; it is im-
poliible for you to do what you fay. The law was given them, to
let them fee their utter infiifficiency and inability, to let them fee
their fins, and defert becaufe of fin, that, under the fear of divine
wrath, they might be driven to the Saviour. But they being ig-
norant of this great end of the la-w, fet up an obedience of their own.

3. Ignorance of the gofpcl is another caife of this legal temper j
and here manifold ignorance difcoversitfelf. i. Theyareigno-
rant of the promifcs (jf the gofpel, fuch as that, Ifai. 44. 24. Surely
flsallonefay, in the Lord have I right eoifnefs and Jtrength. Here is 3.
iumofihegolpelpromife, aprowZ/fi' ofChrifi, cindof faith in him:
Surely fl.iall one fay ; hereisapromife of faith, & faith working out
from the lieart to the mouth ; for mth the heart men believe to righ"
teoufnefsy andivith the mouth confefjion is made unto falvation. One
P^allfay. What? no more but one? What a pity is it,that only one
fliould fay fo ? Indeed it intimates that very {q\v will be broughc
off from their legal temper. One iliall fay, not every one. Well,buc
what will he fay ? In the Lord have Irighteoufncfs andjhength ; righ-
teoufnefsforjuftification, ftrengthfor fanftification ; righteouf^
nefs to make me happy, ftrength to make me holy ; righteoufnefs
to give me a title to heaven, firength to give me meetnefs for hea-
ven. 1 have all this, Ihall one fay, by the appropriating ad; offaitb^
applyingalltohimfelf in particular, with afllired confidence, ac-
cording to the meafure of faith. I have righteoufnefs andjhength^
Where hath he it ? It is in the Lord I have it ,• I have it not in my
fclf, nor in my own natural power, I have it not in my oiu« free zvilly
I have it not in my ijoalk or converfation, I have it not in my zeal
or profcjfion, I have it not in mv religious duties or performances,
I have it not in mv heart or life^ nay, certainlv I have it not
there ; but furely in the Lordhave Irighteoufncfs andflrength, in the
Lord only : Men are ignorant of rhis. 2. I'hey are ignorant of

H h 3 the

^86 Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

the method of the go/pel, in the application of the grace promifed,
particularly in the command of believing, which belongs to the
difpenfation of thegofpel ; wherein the law, both in its commands
and threatnings yis ufed in a fiibferviency to advance the ends of the
go/pel. Tho' the law does not teach us to beHeve inChrift, yet
he being revealed, it obliges us to believe in him ; tho' the law re-
.vealsnotafaviour, yet thegofpel revealing him, the law obliges
us to come to him. 'But now this method of thegofpel, and dif-
penfation thereof, is not known in the world ; hence come legal
notions of it, men confounding the command of believing with the
gofpel to be believed ; the duty of faith with the obje^ of faith ; and
fo turn the gofpel to a neiv law^ a new covenant of works, as if the
aft ofbelieving were our righteoLifnefs for acceptance with God.
Neither can they conceive the command of believing to be the
great command, tho' God himfelfhathfaid. This is his command-
ment, that ye believe in the name of his Son : Nay, legalifts cannot
underftand that ; they think it is God's great command, that
feeing they have finned by breaking the law, they lliould re-
pent by turning to it ; feeing they have difpleafed God by
their fins, they fliould pleafe him by their repentance ; CQe-
ing they have provoked him by their ^//^^^^^/^^^(j, they lliould pa-
cify him by their obedience; feeing they have drawn down the cmfi
by their tranfgrejjions, they fliould remove it by their reformation :
They do not know that the great command is, to beHeve on the Son
of God. 3. They are ignorant of the^rf^f^R^ of the^o/p^/, which
is, to humble and abafe the creature to the lowefl, and to raife and
exalt grace to the higheft ; that Nofle/hfbould glory inGod'spitfence,
but that he that glorieth, [loould glory in the Lord ; in the Lord jhallall
the feed q/Tfrael bejuftified, and/hall glory : This is the great end and
iefign of the gofpel; but the bafe legal fpirit is ignorant of that de-.
fign. 4. They are ignorant of the. gofpel covenant : The do6lri-
naland praftical confounding of the two covenants of zuor^i* and
grace is the great reafon of this legal temper. And here people dif-,
cover ignorance ofthecondition of the covenant; they are igno--
rant of the condition of the covenantof grace and works; the
condition of the covenant of works was perfonal obedience, the
imn himf elf that does thefe things, pmll live in them ; and per-
fc^ obedience was required, a perfeBion of parts, a perfettion
of degrees, a perfe^ion of duration : The condition of the co-
venant of grace, is Chrift's perfe^ obedience received by faith.
There is much ignorance of this, at the root of all the legality that
takes place in the world. They are ignorant of the form of the
idvcnantj how by the covenaat of works we get a ftrength within

^rfelves,
i

Law-Death, Gospel -Life. 487

Curfelves, and by ourfelves we could obey it ,• how by the cove-
nant of grace our ftrength is without us, as well as our righteouf-
nefs, In the Lord have IJlrength ; and, i^e are to bejirong in the Lord,
not in ourfelves^ but in thcLovd,zn6Jnthepowerofhis might ; to
be ftrong in the grace, not that is in ourfelves, but in the grace that
is in Chrifi Jefus.

' 4. Ignorance ofChriJl and iiis right eoufnefs, is a great caufe of men's
eilablilhinga/^^(?/n^/;f^oz//K^/jr, Rom, 10. 3. God was about to
call: off a whole church, to rcje6t them, &: unchurch them. Why?
What was the reafon!** Becaufe they were fo extremely proud
that they would rather be damned with their own right eoufnefs,
th^Lufaved by Chrifi' s righteoufnefs, or obliged and beholden to hmi
for it, I'hey would not iubmit to it ; why ? Becaufe they
were ignorant of it ; they did not fee the glory of it, as it is
the righteoufnefs of God ; they did not fee the necefjlty of it,
becaufe their own righteoufnefs was reckoned fufficient ; they
did not fee the/////7f/>of it, as anfwcring all the demands and
commands of the law; they did not fee the ualue of it, as fuffi-
cient to procure the /^zuoz/r^GoJ, and purchafe^rac^and glory;
they did not fee the acceptablenefs o^'it^ as being the only righte-
oufnefs with which God is well pleafed, and that whereby the law
is magnified, and made honourable: They are ignorant of all this,
and therefore they go about to efiabliflo a righteoufnefs of their own,
and will not fubmit to this. Their ignorance was r proud ignorance,
and fo it is with all by nature ; we are filled with proud ignorance^
and ignorant pride ; tho' our pO'Wer be gone, our pride remains.

The 4.th thing here propofed, was, the eviUnd danger of a legal
temper and legal obedience ; why ? i . This legal way is a very un-
pleafant work, it is a wearifom work ,• J^Vhat a 'xearinefs is it '^ fays
the man. He isweariedin thegreatnefs of his 'doay, andyetfays he not,
there is no hope, Ifa. 57. 10. It is true, the law hath fometimes its in-
fluences of comfort to its votaries, zndfiony- ground hearers may
receive the ijoord with joy, and no doubt they may pray and do other
duties alfo with joy ,' but it is only a good temper, that evaniflies,
having no rooting in Chrift. Can a dead man have pleafure in vital
anions ? Can a heavy flone incline upwards ? O but the legal foul
is a miferable creature ! The law drags him to duties, confcience
preffes him to work, faying, Fa fi,, pray, pray, Man, ixiork for your
life, repent, reform, as you would fiot be damned : But behold, he can-
not,tho' they be good duties he is called to; and the legal covenant,
the legal mi nijrer,ihc legal confcience of him cries, Make brick,make
brick, make brick ,• but behold he hath no llraw, no draw, no-
thing to make it of. He hath nofirengtb, no grace, no communica-

H h 4. tion;

488 Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

thn ; and To he tugs, he works, he fu^eats, but it is a heardefs and
unpleafanc work. 2. Legal obedience is very unprofitable work, as
well as unpleafant, Jfa. 57, 12. 1 will declare thy right eoufnefs, an'd
thy tvorky for they fJoall not profit thee. The felf-righteous Pharifee
may fajl twice a week, give alms of all that he bath; he may make
long prayers, many prayers; he may both preach and pray fre-
quently and fervently ; yea, the poor legaliji may work at his fecret
devotion dLud family devotion ; he may wait on ordinances, & frequent
communions, and run the whole round of duties ;a.nd when he hath,
done thus forty or fifty years, all the profit is, he gets hell for his
pains,i^!. I.I 1. To whatpurpofe is the multitude of your facrifices ? All
is unprofitable. 3. The /^^<2/o^^Jf^«c^ is very carnal, for it is a life
wholly deftitute of the fpirit. Gal. 3. 2. This I would learn of you,
fays, Paul; if you will be doftors of the law, let me have a leflbn
from you, if you can give it, received ye the fpirit by the works of the
law, or by the hearing of faith ? Was it by the works of the law ? I
believe not ; nay, the fpirit is not received in that way ; It is in
and by the gofpei of Chrifi. The legalifi is deftitute of the fpirit ;.
whsLtever affeditious hoUnefs he may have, or realhdincfs he may
pretend to, he wants Vkfantiifying work, fealing work ,• Senfual, not
having theSpirlt. 4.. Legal obedience crofles the moH glorious defign of
heaven, particularly God's defign in giving Chriil, and Chrift's-
defign in coming to the world. ( i ) It croffes God's greatefl defign ;
what is that? It is even the exalting of his free grace; What is the
great dejign of ^\\ the great zvorks of God, ele^ion, redemption, rege-
neration, providence ? Why does he choofe one, and rejeft others ?
Why does he choofe a wicked Publican, and cafi: a righteous Pharifee
to hell? Why does he redeem poor, ignorant, ill-natur'd people-
from their miferable frate, and let the rich and learned go to hell ?
Why does he regenerate an ele6l foul, after he hath been twenty or
thirty years in the devil's fervice? And after they are regenerate,.
why does he in providence lei them fall into fir aits, wants, fins,
manifold temptations, troubles, afflirdon, defertion, and heavy com-
plaints on thefe accounts ? Why ? All is to exalt free grace in the
iflue. But now the legalifi crofi^es this defign of God ; he would
have felf exalted, his works exalted, inftead of Chrifi, znd free grace^
He puts another righteoufnefsin the room of therighteoufnefs
of Chrift, and fo takes the^z^wgof hisown righteoufnefs,as Paul
calls it, and cafl:s it upon the face of free, rich and fovereigngrace, tO'
cover, and hide and darken it. O what a devilijh defign is this, in
oppofition to God's glorious defign of making grare Ihine brightly I
(2.) It croffes Chrifl;'s great dejign in coming to the world : The.
^/•^«^mfmi(??2of the Son of God in coming from heaven, was, to:

hring

Law- Death, Gospel- Life. 489

bring in an everlajling right eoiifnefsy Dan. 9. 24. But behold, the
kgaliJVs defign incllablilhing his own righteoufnefs, is, to make all
Chrill's labour to be loft labour ; he fruflrates the very end of
Chrijl's death, and makes it vain, Gal. 2. laft. If righteoufnefs come
by the laiv, Chrijl is dead in vain. Inftead of Chrift's everlaflirg
righteoufnefs, hQ kts up a righteoufnefs that cannot lad half a day
norhalf an hour, nay, not a moment. 5. Legal obedience h^Lih the
evilf bla/phemy in it. It reproaches the righteoufnefs of Chri{l,as
if it were not lufficient, as if his atonement were nor perfe6l, as if
his fatisfa^ion were not full, as if his obedience were not perfe6l,
unlefs it be patch'd up with the rags of the man's own righteouf-
nefs. Is not Chrift's righteoufnefsp^//^^!^ without your addition ?
O do not blafpheme the Son of God, and fay in effeft, his obedience
was not a divine, perfect obedience ; for thus you reproach his fulnefs
and fjffciency . 6. Legal obedience ifllies in a terrible dif appointment ;
the poor deluded man tliinksliis prayers and duties, that he hath
been performing for fo many years, will make an excellent robe to
cover him : I hope, fays the man, I have fomething that will con-
tribute to make me die in peace; I have fomething to make me
fland in judgment, that others have not ; for many a duty have I
performed, viany a prayer have I m^ade, thefe twenty or thirty
years, and many times have I prayed with very much zvarmnefs of
affection, and livelinefs of frame ; and therefore, I have a good hope,.
that God will be pleafed,and all will be well with me. But,0 what
^fearfui difippointment doQs the man meet with! Death comes ;
and if he uie in the fame legal dream, he goes down to the grave ivith
a lie in his right-hand. The hypocrite's hope is like the fpider's web ;
why ? What comes of it ? Thefpider works it out of her own
bowels; it is her houfe, it is her food, it is her fence,* there (he
dwells^therellie feeds, there Hie fecures and ihelters herfelf for
awhile ; but at the clofe of the day, or end of the week,thc broom
comes along,and fweeps her & her lodging and all to the ground :
Evenfo, the legaliji works a web out of his own bowels, he wraps
himfelf in this garment of his own fpinning ,• here he dwells^ here
he works, here he feeds, here he fliekers himfelf from all challen-
ges,-dnd apprehenfions of danger ; but behold the broom of death
and defl;ru6lion comes and fweeps him, and his refuge of lies, down
to the bottomlefs pit. If his eyes he open on a death-bed to fee hell, to
fee the jujlice of God, to fee the fpirit 11 ality of the law, the imperfec-
tion of his dutiesythe emptinefs of bis performances, 2LXid the landyfciin-
iation he hath been building his faith upon, then his confcience rores,
^is heart defpairs ; he hath no peace, no comfort ; but finds himfelf
anferably difappointed. If his eyes be not open, why then ? He

dies

490 La'w -Death, Gospel-Life.

dies in a delufion, as he lived, finks into the lake of fire ; and in heU
he opens his eyes, ^ndi?inds\-\\n\^Q\^ eternally dif appointed: Ofee
then, what ground there is to lament over this legal temper,
which is indeed a damnable temper, where it hath a full reign.

Exhortation, hoxh to them that are ^/rj^fo the lav:, and tothent
that are dead to the laWy of whom the text efpecially fpeaks. ift.
To unbelievers, and all thefe thai are alive to the law. O, for the
Lord's fake, take no reft till you get out of that damnable ft ate : O
confider what you are doing, fo long as you are not dead to the law ;
the bed thing that you are doing, in that cafe, is, that you're build*'
ing your neft about the old rotten wallsof the covenant of works.
May be,you think you're a good proteftant, you're a good chrifti-
an, you have a good heart, you perform good duties, you partake
of good ordinances, and what ill fhould you fear? i . I tell y ou,thaC
you're under the curfe of the law of works ; Ciirfed is every one that-
continueth not in all things that are written inthebookofthe law to da
them. And while you're under the law, and feeking to eftablilli a
law-righteoufnefs of your own, all the people of God are obliged
to fay, that God is in the right to curfe you ; they are obliged to
fay Amen, to all the curfes of the bible againft you, Deut. 27. laft.
Curfed is he that confirmeth not all the words of this law ; and all the peo-
ple flail fay, Amen. If you will take the old covenant cf doing for
life, andjuftification,then you muft take it with a vengeance,unlefs
you do perfe6lly, and do to purpofe, which is impoffible for you ;
Curfed is every one that continueth not in all things, &c. and all belie-
vers can fay Jmen to it, in the words of Paul, Let him that loves not
our Lord Jefus Chrift, be Anathena Maranatha. While you are un-
der the law, no blejfing belongs to you, but all divine curfes ; if you
will not get out of your legal right eoufnefs, and get under the gnfpel-
covert of the blood of Jefus, nothing but terror belongs to you, and
nothing but terror and curfes can I preach to you : For, As many
as are of the works of the law, are under the curfe. 2 . I muft tell you,
as you are under the curfe of the law, fo you are under the com-
mand of the law. Do, and live : Tho' by the gofpel call you are not
obliged indeed to feekrighteoufnefs in yourfelf, in order to life,
but to feek it in Chrift,- yet by your unbelief you keep yourfelf
under the command of the law. If thou wilt enter i fit 0 life, keep the
commandment ; keep it perfeftly, or elfe vengeance ftiall overtake .
you. It is not your little efforts that will fatisfy the law, tho' you
{hoiM read, f aft, mourn, and fled tears of blood all your days; if
you. will pay any duty to the law as a covenant, Ton are a deb for to
fulfil the whole law. Gal. 5. 3. The law is a chain that is linked toge-
ther, and if you take one link of it, the weight of the whole chain will

be

- Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 491

beuponyou; and fo if you will do any thing in obedience to the
law, that you may be ihevehy faved and jujfifiedf you're under bon-
dage to the "jchole laiv, and bound to do every thing perfeftly, that
you may be juftified. O the miferable bondage that you are un-
der ! You wiJJ never be able to fatisfy the law, and fo you are con-
demned ah-eady. Yea, let me tell you more, you are a wicked
ungodly creature: Whatever you feem to be to others, or think
you are yourfelf ; yethQingalruetothe law, you are a ftrangerto
the life of God ; for, till you be dead to the law you fliall never live
.unto God; tho' you look like an angel of light for holinefs, yet,being
alive to the law, you have no true holinels nor godlinefs. Ye that
arefiiil truftingto your works, you'll meet with a fiiddifappoint-
ment ; for by the deeds of the law noflefh living can be juftified. But
there are others,who feem to be upon another extreme ,• they fay,
the law is now abrogated, and we are not to feek juftification or fal-
'j^rio« that way ; and therefore we are carelefs about the law, or
! about any duty of obedience. Yea, but let me tell you your doom
outof thelawalfo; youareadefperatefinner: Becaufe you can-
not/^m/}' thecurfe of the law, therefore you run away from the
commands of the /j:u,and run away to the devil,in{lead of running to
Chrift. But I'll tell you, tho' the law cannot juftify, or fave you,
yet it can condemn you: Ithathpower to condemn you, tho' it
hath none to fave you^ and it will condemn, and does condemn
you,and all that are out of Chrift ; and therefore, for every fin that
you are guilty of, you muft anfwer ; and every fin is enough to damn
you, by virtue of the law. O then, may this be a mean to move
you all that are under the law^ to feek in to Chrift, who is the end of
the law for right eoufnefs, to every one that believeth ! Come, poor,
curfed, condemned, ungodly fmner, if you would live unto God
here, and live with him hereafter, come out from under the heavy
yokeof thelaiv; Chrifthath a good and perfe6l law-biding righte-
Gufnefs to give you, tho' you have nothing to bring to him, but fin
and guilt, and mifery, and hell about you, yet come to him ; and
if you cannot come, O go to him, and tell him that you cannot
come,and plead that by his omnipotent fower he may draw you ; and
if you do fo in truth,it is one to a thoufand,if he does not meet you
half way. O firs, you cannot be faved, to the credit of God's hoU-
nefs, unlefs you join in with Chrift's right eoufnefs, which anfwers
alio the threatnmg of the law, and fatisfies the jufticc of God. In
\ this way, mercy can take vent,to the credit and honour of all Cod''s
' petfe^ions. O my brethren, are you for this way of it ? O then fay,
' farewel to the law of works for ever; hereisamore;:oZ>/(?m2^^/o-
• riousway, O blelTed be God forever, if that be the bargain be-

uvixc

492 Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

twixt Chrift's righteoufnefs and your foul ! O may the Lord draw
you to it! But now,

idly, To you that are believers, and have clofed with Chrill, and
fo are dead to the law ; remember you're not to live a lawlefs life for
all that : My exhortation to you is, that being dead to the law^ you live
unto God. Let me offer fame motives and diredions, and the rather
that I have taken fome pains to gather together, and lay before
you, many things relative to a legal temper ffor guarding you againft
the Neanomian extreme, on the one hand; let men beware left
their carnal hearts abufe this do6lrine of grace to Antinomian licen-
tioufnefs on the other hand. ' Sure I am, tht go/pel- do&rine of itfelf
hathnofuch tendency: Tho' an ignorant world may fufpeft the
do6lrine of the gofpel, the do6lrine of Chrifl's righteoufnefs, as if
it were againft zperfonalrighteoujnefs or hoiinefs. I declare to you,
in the n^me of Jehovah, that the contrary is true, and that you'll
never live according to the law as a rule of hoiinefs, till you be dead
to the law as a covenant and condition of life. He that hath ears to
hear, let him hear. If the light of the glorious gofpel,even the light of the
glory of God in the face of Jefus Chriji, did once fJjine into your heart,
then beholding this glory of the Lord, you would be changed into the fame
image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord ; yea, to believe the
gofpel favingly, is the way to fulfil perfeftly. The true believer
may be faid to fulfil the law, both as it is a covenant, and as it is a
rule: As it is a covenant, he fulfils it perfectly and legally in his
headandfurety, in whom he hath perfe6l everlafling righteouf-
nefs ,' and as it is a rule, he fulfils it perfectly alfo, with a perfe^ion
cf parts here, and ^perfed;ion of degrees hereafter : And in both thefe
refpefts may that word be explained, Rom. i. 3,4. where the righ-
teoufnefs of the law is faid to be fulfilled in believers, whofe charac-
ter is, that they walk not after the fiepp, but after thefpirit. Now, I
would prefs you to this fpiritual walk, this holy life, which is a liv-
ingunto Cod; for tho' your hoiinefs be not necefjary for your jujlifi-
tation, which is the damnable do6trine of popery ; tho', I fay, it be
notnecefiary for your jufl:ification,becaufe you're deadto the law
in point of juftification, yet it is neceffary, becaufe you're dead to
the law, for this very end, that you m^y liveunto God in point of
fan6lificarion, and that you may be holy. More particularly, for
motive s^conCider the neceffity of hoiinefs in thefe following particulars.
(i.)It is necelf u'y in refpe61; of God ; and here(to ufe the method
of a great divine on this hcAd) consider how the will of God, the love
of God, the glory of God, obliges you m particular, believer, to live
untoGud. I. 'J'hef'verei^jn will of God obliges you to hoiinefs,-
I Thef. 4. 3. This is the will of God, even your fan^ification. Icis the .

will '
i

Law -Death, Gospel-Life. 493

will of God the Father ; he hath ordained it : We are his workman-
fjjip created in Cbrijl J ejus unto good Works, 'uohich God before had or-
dained that ive/bould-walk therein. It is the will of God the Sonjoh.
15. 16. 1 have ordriinedyouthat yoiif/jould bring forth fruit, and that it
i Jhould remain, h is the will of God the Holy Ghoft, ivhom "Joe grieve
'' by our fins, if" we do notftudyholinefs. 2. The Jove of God obliges
you U) hoimefs ; yea, this is the end of the elcfting love of che Fa-
ther, f liL- purchalinjT love of the Son, and the operating love of the
Hol_\ (Thoft. Ir is the peculiar end of the eleiting love of the Fa-
ther, ijoJh) hath chofcn us that wefhould be holy and unhlameabk, Eph. r .
4. before him in love ; he hath cbofen us tofalvation, thro'' fan&ification
of the Spirit. It is the peculiar end of the purchafinglove of the
Son, 'who gave bin f elf for us. that he might redeetn us from all iniquity.,
and purify to hinifef a peculiar people, zealous of good 'works. Tit. 2. 14.
Andiviholnvedhis church, and gave hinifelffor it, that he might fanctify
andcleanfe it by the 'voajhing of water, andprefcnt it to himfelfa glorious
church, not having fpot or 'wrinkle, nor any fich thing, but that it fhould
be holy and imthout blemi/h, Eph. 5. 25, 26,27. It is alfo the peculiar
end of the operating love of the Holy Ghoft, hiszvhole iwrkinus,
andforus, confifiingin preparing us fo'-, and enabling us to the
duties of holiners,and bringing forth the fruit thereof in us. Believer,
if you have any regard to theyo'[;fm^72f}' of God, Father, Son and
Holy Ghofl:, any regard to trie love oi God, Father, Son and Holy
Ghon:,it obliges you to holinefs of heart &' life. 3. The glory of God
obliges YOU to holinefs, and makes it necelTary. Would you glo-
rify the Father, then let your light fo (hine before men, that they feeing
your good 'works, may glorify God. Herein is my Fat her glorified^ that ye-
bear much fruit. Would you glorify the Son ?Itis the will of God,
that all men honour the Son even as they honour the Father. And
how is this done ? Even by believing in him, and obeying him;
Te are my friends, ye evidence yourfel ves to be fo, if ye do 'whatfoe-
ver I command you. Would you glorify the Holy Ghoft.? It is by
ftudy ing Holinefs ;for 'we are his temple, and holinejs becomes his hoiife
and temple for ever ; and heisdiihonourcd when his temple is defi-
led. Surely, believer, when I fpeak 6© you, I cannot be fuppofed
to fpeak to one, that neither regards the fbvereign will, love nor
glory of God, Father, Son and Holy Ghoft; tlio' your holinefs
fhould all be loft, and never regarded, which is impoiliblc, 5CC
here is reafm enough for it.

(2.) In refpeclofyourfelves, you're ncccffiriiy obliged to holi-
nefs ; your own honour and peace are concerned here : li'isgain-
f'lil ; Godlinefs is great gain, having the promife of this life, and that
ivhich is to conic, h is pleafant ,* For wifdonis 'ixays arc pkafantnefs.,
, and

^p^ Law-Death, Gospel-Life.'

ami ail her paths are peace. There is no peace Jaith my God, to the -wic-
ked; but the fruit of right eoiifnefe ispeace.and the cffe^ of right eoufnefi,
qidetncfs [f a (fur mice for ever. Yea,ic is honourable, and th.e greateit
honour you can be advanced unto; to be holy is to be like unto God.

(3.) In i-efpea oUthcrs, you're obliged to holinefs ; it may tend
to their convinion and converfion. On the one hand, it may tend to
their conviction,-a.nd ftop then* mouths,who are enemies of God,and
that both here and hereafter, i. It may ftop their mouths here,as
you fee i Pet. 2. 15. This is the ^vill of God, that ivith well- doing, you
may puttofilence the ignorance offooUflo men. Ignorant fools may call
you hypocrites, they may call y ouJntinomians, ^nd enemies to the
law : Now, by well-doing, you give them an unanfwerable docu-
ment, that tho' you be dead to the law as a covenant, yet you put
honour upon the law as a rule of ^o/m^/x,and fo make them afliamed
of their bafe calumny, according to that 2 Pet.3.16. Having a good
ionfdence, that 'whereas they f peak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may
be afhauied tbatfalfy accufe your good converfation in Chrift. And, 2 .
Hereafter, in the day of judgment, it is faid, the famts [hall judge
the 'worldyUot only as they will be alFelTors with the Son of God, and
applaud him in all his judicial proceedings ,• but in r egard their /;<?-
iincfs Siiid good tvorks will tend to the confufion andconvitlionof
the wicked : And indeed the good works of the faints will meet
them one day, with fo changed a countenance, that they Ihall
fcarce know them : They fee them now to be all black, defiled and
deformed .; but they will then be bro't forth beautiful and glorious,
to the fliame of the wicked, M^f .25. On the other hand, your ho-
linefs may tend to the converf on of others, i Pet. 2.12. The holi-
nefs of profeffors hath fometimes tended to the converfion of the
profane, who,when the day of their gracious vifitation hath come,
have glorified God upon that accoimt, i Pet. 3. 1,2. and therefore
fays Paul^Tiz. 3.18. This is afaithfulfaying,& thefe things 1 will,that
thou affirm conftantly, that they ivhich have believed in God, be careful tc
maintain good imrks;for thefe things are good and profitable unto men.

( 4. ; In refpe6l of youry?^fe,you ftand obliged to holinefs. Are
you in a juftified ftate, accepted into friendfliip with a holy God..
of purer eyes thanto behold iniquity? Should you not evidence youi
juftification by your fanftification ? Is it not neceffary that yoi
lliould be holy, if you dwell in the prefence, walk in the light, anc
lie in the bofom of fuch a holy God ? Are you in a fanftified ftate !
Wherefore was you regenerated ? Wherefore got you a 72^.1
heart, & a iiew nature, & a holy principle of grace, but that you flioulc
be holy?Are you in an adopted ftate? Why fo? but that you ftioulc
live like the children of God,and hQ followers of God, as dear Chii

dren

I' Lav;- Death, Cos pel -Lite. 495

dren ? O, was you not jultified, adopted & fanftified for this end,
that you might live unto Goc/? Jf vv^ebe believers, what a fliame is ic
: for us, to live lb unfuitably to our/late^'ds many times we do?ls that
all the thanks we give to God for his favours, that we lliould tram-
■ pie his fbatutes under our feet, dilhononr his name, break his law,
and grieve hisSpirit? It does not become you, it is not like you, be-
liever. He hath loved you with an everlajling love, and drawn you
with loving- kindfiefs ; will you a6l like a de\'il in enmity againll
him,becaure he hath a6led like a God of love towards you V O fy for
(liamc, believer, Tellit notinGath, &c. Have we not the hope of
glory ^^ Andfliall we not, having this hope, purify ourfelves^ even as
he is pure? Are we partakers of the precious promifes? Then,
having thefe promifes, dearly beloved, let us cleanfe ourfelvesfroin
allfilthinefs of the flejh, &c. Are we heirs of glory ? And Ihall we
not feek to have our right and title unto glory cleared ? Rev. 22.
, 14. Blefjed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right
to the tree of life, andmay enter in through the gat es to the city ; that is,
either that your right may be made evident, accoj'ding tothac
word, Te are my friends y if ye doixihatfoever Icommand you ; ihatis,
you thus evidence yourfelves toberny friends; or, concerning
this right, know there is a right of mmfand aright oHjieetnefs,
both necelfary ; aright of merit, believer, you have not in your-
fclf, but in Chrill: ; and that is cftablifliedin juftification, thro' the
righteoufnefs ofChrift ; a right ofmeetnefs you muil have in yourfelf
from Chrift, and that is in fand;ification and hoUnefs : What fliall I
fay ? Are you not dead to the law, thai you may live unto God? Are
you not to teflify your gratitude towards him, that hath provided
another law-righteoufnefs than your own ? Are you not to fepa-
rate yourfelf from the world, that are walking in the broad way to
hell and damnation, and under the curfe of the law and tlie wrath
of God? Are you not delivered from the zvrath to come, and of all
men in the world under the greateft obligations to be holy ? Should
you notfludy topleafethat God who hath pitied you? Hsthhe
not iDafoedyou in his blood, and ought you not, through his grace, to
iftudy to let it be known to the world, that his blood h-;xi\\-ivcrt\ie
\to fand;ify you 7 Yea, hath he promifed, fin /ball not have dominion
over you, becaufe ye are not under the law, but under grace ? Sfiould ye
not fiudy, thro' his grace, to let it be feen, that his promife i&
verified in you?

(5.) In refpeft of the danger you are in, if you do not fludy hoH-
'nefs. If you be a child of God, you are indeed freed from the
curfe of the covenant of works, that penalty can never reach you,
.but is it nothing to yoUjithat yciir heavenly Father Iliould chaflifc

'pa:

496 Law-Death, Gospel-Life.

you, hide his face from you, deny an anfwer to your prayers y hide
your evidences of heaven from you, give you up to the tyranny of
your lulls, and then take vengeance on your inventious ?

( (5. ) in refpeftof the advantage hQYein. YoasirQ obliged to hO'
linefs : Why ? In this way you may come to live joyfully, and die
comfortably ; in this way your integrity may be fupported, as it
was with ^ub ; in this way you may come to hcivefweet communion
with God, according to Chrifl's promife, ^oh 14. 21. He that hath
my commandments and keepeth them Joe it is that loves me^andlwilllove
him, 6cL'. In this way you lliall be fitted for ferving him in your ge-
neration, 2 7?//?. 2.19. In this way you will have an evidence of your
jufiification, i John 2- 19. In this way you fliall bring down the
blellingof Godon every workof your hand, all that ye dofliall
profper, Pfal. 1.4. Yea, in this way you fliall become a publick-
good, ?i. common- good, ^bkjfing, zn^dibenefit 10 aW d.hoi\t^ou,hoi\i
in communicating good to them with whom you converfe, and in
diverting judgments from thefe that are about you, as ten righte- '
ous men would have preferved Sodom. O what a Sodom is the pre- 1
lent generation I And as it is like Sodom and Gomorrah, and per- 1
haps a thoufand times worfe, in refpeft of fins againfl law and gof- \
pel-light, which Sodom never had ; fo, if the Lord do not leave us a j
remnant, weiliallbe ]\kt Sodom 2Lnd Gomorrah, in refpeflof judg- \
ments. All thefe things,& a tlioufand more that might be adduced,
fliould prefs you mightily to the Jiudy of holme fs, and living unto
God,* '^QwaxQ dead tothela--C'0,i\i2Ci^o\iT[i-diy livetoGod. But next, j

2 J/)', For dire^ion. Oiiejt. Obow (hall I live unto God ? I (hall
offer you no directions but one, which my text leads me to, and that
is, if you would live unto God, O ftudy to be more and more dead to
the law : The more you are dead to the lazv as a covenant, the more
you will liveaccording to the law asarule: What? Do younot
find a legal fpir it that remains with you, and weakens your hands
in duties ofhoUnefs V When you are wreftling at duties in your own
n:-itural firength, it is a legal old covenant way; and do younot
find iL a hard, heavy, wearifome task V I believe there is little hoVu
?icfsihQ.Tc. But when you are leaning; on the firength of Chrjfl,
do you not find your foul enlarged and quickened in duty ? When
^ou perform duty from a principle of y2ai;7N'/^^.'r, that is a legal
ivay ; and do you not find your hands wc:ikened, and Hide heart
to tiie work? But on the contrary, when the love of Chriji con-
flrains you, is it not then that you rim vjithpleafure in the ways of his
commandmevts ? Yea, fin hath dominion over you, when you are,
and \v. fo f.^r qc yon are under the In.w ; for the motions of fin arc by
the lav:: TheJaw irritates corruption, and cannot fubuueic ; for

it

Law-Death, Gospel-Life. 497

itis the grace of God, revealed in the gofpel, that effeilually teaches
to deny ungodlinefs and'worldly lujls. To be dead to the laiv, is to be
married to Chrijt ; it is to be brought off from the firfl Adam, and
united to the fecond Adam. And, beUe ver, as you are in Chrifi, fo
you are to abide in him, if you would be fruitful, andliveunto God,
.John 15.4. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itfef, except it abide in
the vine ; no more can ye^ except ye abide in me. Now, to abide in him,
is jult to bejlrong in the grace that is inhim, and to continue to be
Urongin him by faith; and this is neceflary in order to fruitful-
nefs : As, tho' an imp be grafted into the root, if it be not faften-
ed and take firm rooting, it does not come to fruitfulnefs : fotiie
fmnerismadea chriftian, by being cut off from the law, and in-
grafted into Chrift,- but he is not a fruitful chriflian, if hedonoc
lake a faO: hold of Chriil, and draw virtue from him : Therefore,
ahideinme,andIinyou^h^sChxi^; and O but 'tis well faid! For,
if he do not abide in us, we will ntver abide in him by the grace of
faith, unlefs he abide in us by thefpirit of faith. If we provoke God
j to take away his fpirit, our faith fades, fails and withers ; and then
j we depart from the Lord by an evil heart of unbelief Here is the way
i then to live unto God,znd to bring forth fruit to him, even to die more
and more to the firfl husband, the law, and to live by faith upon
your bleffed husband, Chrift. Qiiefl. But by 'what outward means
i jloould we thus live ? May we not negletSt duties, fince we are dead
to the law? Nay, God forbid. It was the devil's temptation to
Chrift, tocaji himfelf headlong from the temple, becaufe God hadpro-
i mifedtoprefervehiminallhis ways; fo, believer, God hath promi-
fed to prefer ve you, he hath promifed that fin fljallnot have domini-
on over you, and that you fjall never perifJj ; and is the devil tempting
70U therefore to throw your felf down headlong from the temple,
and from temple means and ordinances, pubhck and private ? O
tell that abominable devil, as Chrift did. It is written, thoufjjalt not;
tempt the Lord thy God. If you negle6l means, you tempt the Lord
your God, who hath commanded you to ufe means, and made this
I the method of the communication of grace and ftrength, to wit,
' in the ufe of fuch means, as faith, prayer, reading, hearing, me-
^ ditation, watchfulnefs; Therefore, O be diligent in the ufe of
i thefe means; only do not truft to the means, by putting them in
I Chrifi 's room; give means their own room, and do not expedl",
■ without the grace of the new covenant, that means will do the bu-
finefs. Grace is the fpring from which the living water does flow,
' and means are the channel and pipes thro' which the water is con-
veyed; sind if the fountain do not fend out fireams, all tne conduits
and pipes in the world cao never convey it unto us. Therefore

I i in

^(j8 1'he Harmony cf the

in tliJ life of means, be ftill looking on the Lord : Look to him,
both for grace to ufe the means, and for grace to blefs the means.
If you lay ftrcfs upon the means, they become unprofitable : In
the irlcofthcfe means, O cry, cry mightily to the Lord, that he
would kill your felf confidence ; cry for the fpirit oflife^ to quicken
you, that you may live unto God -, for, 'till the fpirit of life enter
into the dry bones, there will be no flirring, no motion, no living
to God. Cry for the fpirit of faith, fo as you may fay with Paul
in the context, / live ^ yet not /, hut Chrifi liveth in me •, and the life
Ilive^is by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me^ and gave himfelf
for mc. O cry for faith and the alTurance of faith : No doubt one
may have faith, and yet wan: that alTurance, which we commonly
call fo j but whether there be fome kind of affurance or perfwafion
in the nature of faith, is a queftion I do not here enter upon : Only,
this I am fure of, from the word of God, that doubting is no part of
faith ', for faith and doubting are as oppofite as light and darknefs.
Some believers indeed have many doubts, many doubts, many
doubts -, why ? becaufe they have httle faith, httle faith, little faith;
O thou of little faith^ wherefore didjl thou doubt ? And I find the be-
liever/^^/ zvalks in darknejs, and hath no light, is dire<5ted to faith as
t\\Q antidote againft his darknefs and doubting ; Let him trufi in the
name of the Lord, andjlay himfelf upon his God. Cry, I fay, for the
fpirit of faith, and faith will work by love : Cry for a golpel-fpi-
rit •, tor I teftify in the Lord's name, that gofpel-holinefs will ne-
ver flourifh among us, or in the generation, 'till we be more free
of a legal fpirit , and that we will not live unto God, unlefs we be
dead to the law.

The Harmony of the divine Attributes dif-
played, in the Redemption and Salvation
of Sinners by JESUS CHRIST.

Being a S E R M O N preached at Dufifermlive upon the 29th of September
1723, immediately alter the Celebration of the Lord's Supper.

By the Rev. Mr. Ralph Erskine.

PSAL. LXXXV. 10.

Mercy and truth are met together : Right eon fnefs and peace have
kijfed each other.

"TV/JY friends, at a folcmn marriage- fupper there is ufually a?.
^^^ friendly company who meet together ^ and when, atfuch

art

Divine Attributes difpIayW. 499

an occafion, all things are managed with fobriety and decency,
it is very joyful and pleafant to the parties concerned, to fee
the members of the meeting, with mutual kindnefs to one another,
harmoniouOy gracing the folcmnity : Even fo at the marriage-fup-
percf the lamb, I mean, the facrament of tlie Lord's fupper, which
we have been celebrating, there is a joyful company, not of men and
women, for that would make but a poor earthly meeting -, nor yet
of faints and angels, for that would make but at beft a mean crea-
ture-meeting; but it is a glorious delightful company of divine at-
tributes and perfections, in the fweeteft concord meeting togetlier,
and embracing one another. This wonderful conjundion of divine
excellencies is the friendly company that meets together, to put ho-
nour upon this nuptial folemnity ; and to fee them thus harmoni-
ouGy embracing oneanother in the faivation of finners, is the fwcet-
eji fight that the bride ^ the lamF s wife^ Jhall ever Jee at the marriage-
fupper^ whether it be at the lower or upper table. There is a great
meeting in this houfe^ but an infinitely greater in this text ; a meet-
ingot divine excellencies, to grace the folemnity of the marriage-
fupperof the lamb : Mercy and truth are met together^ righieouf-
nefs and peace have kijfed each other. When God made heaven and
earth out of nothing, he made them by a word, without any other
ceremony •, but, when he made man, there was fome particular fo-
lemnity, a grand council, as it were, of the glorious Trinity called ;
Come^kt us make man after our image. But now man having unmade
himfelf, if God hath a mind for the praife of his own glorious grace
to make hirri up again, by a new creation in Chriji Jefus., there muft
be a more glorious folemnity yet ; not only a council of the ado-
rable Trinity, buta grand meeting of all the attributes of God, to
confuk their own glory that was marr'd, and reconcile their own
interefts, and feemingly contradidory claims : For the fin of man
had brought realconfufion among all the creatures of God on earth,
yea, and a feeming war among all the attributes of God in heaven,
concerning the execution of the fentence of the law upon mankind,
the tranfgrefror thereof; fome of thefe attributes, fuch as Mercy.,
faying, if the fentence of death be executed upon them, how fliall I
be glorified .? Others, fuch as Truths faying, if the fentence be not
executed, how fhall I be glorified } Is it to be expeded that fuch
oppofites can meet together? Or, if they meet, that they will a-
gree together cordially ? Yea,tho' it be beyond the expedation of
men and angels, yet, behold, it is here celebrated with a long .?
Mercy and truth are met together ., right eoufnefs and peace have kiJfcJ
each other^

I i 2 This

^00 The Harmony of the

This Pfahn conCi(\:so^ nprayer of faith, zndm anfwer of peace. ^
ijl, Thil Church's prfl3'(?r,from the beginning to the 8th f. where
the'y arc praying for the removal of many tokens of God's dif-
pleafure theyWere under, notwithftanding their return out of the
Baby louiflj c^piivity. 2dly, The anfwer of peace th^t is m^ide to
their prayer, from f. 8. and downward. We have here the pfal-
mill lill'ning and waiting for the anfwer ,• I will hear what God the
Lord willfpcak ; the anfwer itfelf in general is peace, He willfpeak
peace to his people, &c. If he give not outward peace, yet he will
fuggeft inward peace, fpeaking that to their hearts by his fpirit,
which he had fpoken to their ears by his word. Whatever other
fort of peace and profperity they enjoyed, when at length the
children of the captivity, after a great deal of toil, had gained a
fettlement in their own land, yet peace with God, and fpiritual
profperity under the Meffiah^ kingdom, was the great thing here
promifed, and prophefied of; and that is a peace that lays the foul
under the ftrongeft obligation to keep at a diflance from all fin,
which is the greatefl; folly, and to beware of backfliding thereto.
But let them not return again to folly: For true peace with God
brings in war with fin. But this is further explained in the main
leading part thereof, xiiTnoXjyfahation and ^-/ory, ver. 9. Surely his
falvation is near to them that fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.
Now, whatever other falvation be here imported, Chriftis the
great falvation intended. When he is near in view, then the be-
liever cries out, with old Simeon, Now mine eyes havefeen thyfalvati-
tion: And, whatever other glory and honour be here imported,,
Chrift is the chief glory here intended : When he goes av/ay from
a land, then Ichabod, the glory is departed ; but, where he abides, glor
ry dwells ; for he is czW^d, J light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory
of his people Ifrael. But now, if we would know what fort of glory-
it is that appears when Chriftis revealed, why it is even the glo-
rious harmony of all the divine attributes illuftriouHy fliiningin
him, who is both our falvation and our glory ; Mercy and truth are met
together y righteoufnefs and peace have kiffed each other. Now, tho''
thefe words may be applied to the happy meeting" of graces in
men, upon the revelation of Chrift in the foul, which I may after-
wards obferve in the fcquci, and in which fenfe fome interpreters
imderfland it; yet I take it mainly to import ?/[;f ^^^ppy meeting of
pel fed ions in God to be glorified in the finners falvation by Jefus Chrift.,
which is a glofs that no interpreter I have had occafion to confuli
does ncglctl: or omit,- and, if any of thcmflwuld mifsit, Ithink/j
they would mifs the very ground-work and foundation of ali '
other happy meetings: Mercy and truth have met together, righte-
•nfiefs and peace have kiffed each other. ^ IvSi

Divine Attributes dljplayd. 501

In the words you may obferve, ifl^ The members of the meet-
ing. 2d!y ythQ manner of zhemceimg. o^dly^ ThQ harmony of i\\Q
meeting, ^tbly. The jlrangenefs of it.

Obferve, 1 fay, i. 'I'he w^/^Z^^rj of the meeting mercy ^ truth,
right eoiifnefs^ peace. 1 hope I need not caution fome in this allem-
bly, that they beware of imagining thcfe various perfe61:ions of
God, under the names of 7/2^rc3', truth, rightcoufnefs?j\d peace., as if
they were really diilinil and different things in God ; or,as if they
were really different parties, making a formal confultation, in or-
der to their agreement : i^9rGo^//Vo?2f, and cannot be divided ; he
is one infinite, eternal and unchangeable Being ; there are not diftinil
and different things in his nature and effence, however his perfec-
tions be thus reprefented to our \veak,finite capacities, which can-
not underftand the perfe6tions of God but in feveral parts, as it
were. By mercy then, here, we are to underftand God himfelf, as
he is a merciful and gracious God : By truth we are to underftand the
fame God, as he is a true and faithful God: By righteoufnefs we may
underftand his y/z/Z/V^", or God himfelf, as he is a. jujl and righteous
God; and, by peace, thefameGod, 3.shQ is th(^ God of peace, anda
Cod reconciling the ivorldto hiwfelf. So;, that the whole comes to
this ; it is the great and eternal God himfelf, confuhing with him-
felf, in a manner becoming his infinite and adorable perfeftions,
how to glorify himfelf in all his glorious attributes, in the way of
faving fmners in and by Jefus Chrift.

• 2. The 7;2<^?2;7i?r of the meeting. Thefe excellencies and per-
fections of Cod meet together,as it were,in pairs ; mercy and truth,
righteoufnefs and peace, going hand in hand mto the council-cham-
ber, to concert the matters that concerned their hiffheft o;lorv
and honour.

3. The ^(^rwo^y of the meeting. Having met together, they
kifs and embrace each other. Mercy and peace, as it were,exprefs their
complacency in m/r/; andiighteoufnefs, ^wd truth and righteoufnefs
exprefs their complacency in mercy and peace, and delight in. one
another's iionour : For not one attribute of the divine majefty can
or will be glorified to the difnonour of any other attribute, but
mutually embrace each other in their everlafting arms, for fup-
portingthe honour of each other's excellency with complicated
ineffable endearment.

4. They/;w/?^c';2f/> andremarkablenefsof this meeting. For
the agreement of tliefe parties met togetlicr is the more remnrk-
sble, in regard of their jarring and oppofite claims : For that mer-
cy and peace jhould meet together, and agree in favour to fave us, and
that truth and righteoufnefs fliould meet together, and agree in ]uf-

1 i 3 tice

502 Tlje Harmony of the

tice to cicftroy us, were not fo ftrange and remarkable. And, if
they had kept feparate and remain'd lb, man had been for ever fe-
paratc from God, and fome darling attributes had never been glo-
rified in man's falvation, our fin and rebellion having in a manner
fet the attributes of God at fuch variance, as nothing elfe than in-
finite wifdom could provide a fufficient anfwer to all their contra-
,di6lory claims and interefls, which behoved to be done ere the
propofal concerning the falvation of any finner could be gone in-
to. Why, favs mercy^ it is my intereft that the finner live and not
perifli, that I may be magnified, fincelhavefaid, that I will have
mercy on 'whom Iivillhave mercy. Well but, fays truth, it is my in-
terellasaGodof truth that the finner die, fincelhave faid, that
the foul that finneth fjall die. Yea, and fays right eoufnefs, I mull: join
with truth J and claim the finner's damnation for the advancement
of my intereft and honour ; for I have faid, and will not gainfay it,
that I will by no means clear the guilty. O but, i'a.yspeacey I muftjoin
in with mercy, and claim the finner's falvation, for advancing my
interefi: ; for I create the fruit of the lips, peace, peace to him that is
afar off^ and to him that is near. So there appears to be a war in
heaven among thefe infinitely adorable attributes and perfecti-
ons, while mercy andpeace are faying, we muft have glory in fliew-
ing undeferved pity on the finner, and yettruth and right eoufnefs
are faying, we muft have glory in executing the deferved venge-
ance. Audnow, Omen and angels! pray tell us, can thefe (2W-
ripoi^j- meet together ? Can thefe jarring-likeattributesof the di-
vine JMajefty embrace each other in the falvation of the finner, ^q
as to get all their demands anfwered, and their different interefts
advanced? Whatfay you, children of men, canyoudevifehow
thefe differences can be compofed for your own fafety ? No, no ;
human wifdom fays, It is not in me. What fay ye, angels, that ex-
celinflrength and wifdom ? Can you contrive the reconciliation of
thefe irreconcileable demands? No, no; ^w^^/zV^/ wifdom fays,.
It is not in me. Well, fince creature- wifdom fails, may we addrefs
the infinite wifdom of the Deity and enquire at a higher hand?
Behold, now we have taken iiponusto fpeak unto the Lord, who are hut
dujtandafjjcs: What fayft thou, Omfinitely wife Jehovah? Can
thefe oppolite claims be reconciled, to the fatisfadtion of allpar-
ties, and the falvation of the finner? Yea, it is done, it is done in a
crucified Chrijl, whom we have been rcmembring at this folemni-
ty ,• and therefore we may fing this marvellous fong upon an after
review of it, faying, Gloryy glory, glory to God, that mercy and
truth are met together, &c.
OijsERVATioM, That in the falvation of finner s by Jefus Chrifi, the

glorious

DiT^iNE Attributes difplay'd. 503

glorious attributes and perfeSlions of God do harmonioujly confptreand
embrace one another. Or ihus^Tbat in Chrift crucifiedfor the redemp-
tion offinners, all the glorious attributes of the divine Majejty do bar-
monioitfly confpire, and embrace one another.

When God is well pleafed, no perfection of God is difpleafed ,*
hut God is well pleafed in Chrift : And therefore every perfedlion off
his nature is weJl pleafed, none of them difpleafed or dilTatistied,
but all pleafed and fatisfied to the full. See Hof 2. 19, 20. This is
declared by an audible voice from heaven, faying, This is my be-
loved Son, in whom lam wellpleafed, Mat. 3. laft. And why ? Even
for thereafon you have. If a. 4.2.21. We fee be hath brought in a
righteoufnefs anfwering the demands of all that flood in the way of
our falvation : Did divine truth and righteoufnefs fay, that the
threatningof thelaw rnufl be executed, fofure as God is true, as
well as its precept obtemperated and obeyed ? Well, can a righte-
oufnefs,fatisfying both thefe demands, do the bufmefs ? Yea, fays
jujlice icfelf, in concert w'lxhniercy, if there be but one righteous
man in the Sodom of this earth, that can fatisfy my broken and vio-
lated law, in its command of perfe6l obedience, and in its demand
of complete fatisfaClion ; then I will fpare all the ele6l world, for
the fake of that one righteous man, and, By bis knowledge fJjallmy
righteous fefvant jujiify many. Well, fays mercy, here is one whofe
ivdme IS wonderful, and whom they call Immanuel, God-man, who
iiath brought in an everlajting righteoufnefs, both a6tive and paOive,
fuiting the precept and penalty of tiie law : Why then,might one
attribute fay to another, we are all pleafed, and with one confenc
let it be proclaimed on earth,that the Lord is wellpkafedfor his righ-
teoufnefs fake ; forhehathmagfiifed the law, and made it honourable.
Andnuw the great affair of man's falvation is fo well concerted
and contrived, that God may have mercy upon them, and be ac
peace with poor finners, without any wrong to his truch and righ-
teoufnefs : The attributes of God have met and agreed, and feal-
eddieir agreement with a kifs of infinite kindnefs, harmony and
fatisfaftion ; Mercy and truth are met together, righteoufnefs an.i
peace have kijfed each other.

Now, that I may fpeak to this purpofe a little more fully,,
the method I propofe is,

1'. I0 touch a little at this queftion, who are the members of
this meeting ? Or, what are thefe attributes of God, which do thus
harmonioufly confpire together, propofing their various claims ?

2. I would enquire, when, and where it is that they meet toge-
ther, and embrace one another ?

3. Hoiv, and afcer what manner it is, that they meet together,
and kifs one another ? I.i 4 ±^ JVhy

^0^ The Harmony of the

4. //7;y, or for what reafon it is, that they have met together
thus harmoniouny ? 5. "Make feme applicatmn.

Fuji, I would fpeaka little of the wmM-^ of this_ meeting, or
the attributes of God that thus harmonioufly confpire together.
\Vc need not ask, at vvhofe injlance this meeting is called ? It is at
theinftance,andby the order of JEHOVAH, Father, Son, and
Holy Gholl, one God ,• his fovereign will and pleafure refolving,
in a manner like himfelf, to concert with himfelf. Neither need
we ask, what is the occajion of the meeting ? Why, man had fin-
ned, and all mankind, by their fin, was involved under the cm-fe
cf the law, and wrath of God ; and yet God had refolved and de-
creed, for the glory of his grace and mercy, to fave a world of fin-
ners, eled according to the foreknowledge of God. And while grace,
mercy and peace are upon this loving defign of faving finners, is
was lit that jujlice, truth and right eoufncfs ihould be called in to the
fame council, to appear for their intereft; fince the propofal of
fucha falvation of finners feems to encroach upon their honour,
which required the vengeance due to be executed upon the finner.
Well, the meeting being called, thefe glorious perfeftions, mercy,
truth, r'lghtcoufncfs and peace appear ; mercy and peace full of pity,
truth and j'iflice full of fury, which made a Teeming controverfy in
heaven . \Ve may fuppofe /Idam arraigned in the name of all man-
kind, and jlanding as a trembling prifoncr at the bar; yea, his very
tongue chained up in filence, by reafon of fin and guilt, and he
fentenced to eternal death, and ready to have the fentence exe-
cuted upon him and all his pofterity. We may ruppofe,next,r/j^/f-
veral members of the meeting opening the ajfembly, by putting in cheiir
feveral claims; and we may obferve them in the order of the text.

I. Mercy, being full of pity^towards the miferable, comes
walking along in the cool cf the evening, and meekly craving leave
tofpeak, notwithllandingthat truth and jnft ice be prefent at the
meeting : It is true, fays INIekcy, That man hathfmnedy andjuft that
wan fhould die ; but art not thou, O Lord, full of pity and compaffion,
the Lord, the Lord God.pardoning iniquity tranfgrefjion and fin ? I'Vhat
thu man hath finned and is all over bejinearcdzvitb mire and blood ? yei
look upon him in love, and dejlroy not the iv/rk of thy own hand ; he was
made a chi'd after thy own image : 1 ho' now his garment be rent and all
h 'oody, yet fee, is not this thy fons coat ? Joseph is gone, and wilt thou
lofe Ijen J AM IN alf) ? Angels are gone, andjhall men he hfi alfo ? Mirl-
ads nf angels arefa'len, and that irrecoverably ; and (ball man peri fh al*
Jo ? Ofpaie him ! is he not a little one ? and his foul /hall live. J fee,
mig'u Mercy fay, that Truth and Righteousness or Justice,
v:hlch h.ive the poor Jinner in their chains, arc here prefent ready tofpeak

in

Divine Attributes difplayd. 505

* in th \s ajjemhlyfor their mterefl and honour againft the criminal : B.i t
let it be marked in the minutes of this court, that Meiicy craves to be
magnified and muft have honour at this meeting. Well, Mercy hav-
ing fpokcn her mind,

2. Truth comes in naked and open-mouthed, in favour of Cod's
faithfulnefs, and in oppofition to man's perfidy and treachery, fay-
ing, / have heard lohat Mercy craves in favour of this criminal ; but,.
0 thou faithful and true God, the word is gone out of thy mouthy and
there is no revoking of it f thou hajlfaid to Adam, In the day thou eat-
efl; thou Ihalt furely die ; and noijo he hath eaten, he hathfiwicd^ and
fljall he not die"? JVhat, is there Yea and Nay ivith God,zvho hat h fait h-
fulncfsfor the girdle of his loins ? Mujl: not Gols ivord of threatning
take effedi ? Tea^ heaven and earth fjallpafs aimy, but a jot of his ivord
fhall not fall to the ground : And therefore, whatever be the demand of
Mercy, let it be marked in the records of this meeting, that Truth
craves to be magnified ; and that its honour be not infringed in the leaft,
by any claim or plea that Mercy had brought in. Well, Truth ha-
ving ipoken, gives way to hQx^i^Qx jiijtice', and thereupon,

3. Righteousness or juflice comts in, and impleads againll: the
rebel finner : Right eoufnefs, I fay, bringing her Icales in her hand,
in which (lie had tried him, and found him lighter than vanity ic-
f jif : he is weighed in the balances, andfound wanting ', yea, not only-
wanting and dcftitute of all that perfedlion and obedience which
the lavv requir'd, but full of all that rebellion which the law dif-
charged, hdvir.gfmned and come p.wrt of the glory of God; andfo is
r'.ghteoull^, fubjc6led to thefan6lion of the law, andfentence of
eternal death: And therefore, fays Righteousness, Othnu infi-
nitely righteous and jufl judge, Mercy can have no hearing in this court
to the prejudice of thy honour and glory, as a jufl and righteous God. As
'J'RU'i II hat h pronounced the fentence of 'ivrath o vengeance againjljin;
fo, if thou be ajujt God, the infinite vengeance due tofich an ii finite ev'.t
miijt be executed to the full. This criminal is my prifonsr, and loofed he
fljallnot be, tilllgetfullfatisfa^ion, andmyfwordbe drunk -with blood ^
for, vengeance is mine, andlwillrepay it, faith the Lord ; and I will by
no means clear the guilty : And therefore let it be regijler'd in this courts
that Righteousness craves to he magnified, and Justice to be glorijied'
in afillfatisfaBion ; and this is claimed and demanded in the name of
the righteous and jufl judge of the univerfe ; and, fhall not the judge of ali
the earth do right V Here is the langua.2;e ofjujlice. What then ?
O ! Ihall the demand o^ mercy be utterly run down by thefo pow-
erful oppodng pleas oi" truth and righteoufncfs ? Is chere no friend
in this court to take mercy s part ? Yea, there is : 'i'licreforc,

4. Peaci. immediatelv Acps in with an olivebranch in her hand

. ■ fay-

5o6 . Tbf Harmony of the

f;i y i n g, Fury is hot in me ; and may I /peak a "j^ord in behalf of forlorn
mankind ? tmy I offer a meek anfiver to the claim 0/ Truth and Righ-
teousness, zvhich they have advanced in oppofitionto the demand of
Mi-KCY? for, a fof t aiifijoertiirnetb away wrath. Well, Peace be-
injj allowed a hearing, propofes a healing overture faying, 0 thou
God of peace, may not an atonement be made, a reconciliation thought of,
betwixt thy Majejly and thy creature? May not one be found out to
jland in the gap , and bear off this wrath, to become furety for this great
'^dcbtor^to acquit and liberate this poor miferable prifonerand criminal?
May not one be found out that will make up the breach, by vindicating the
honour rf liwiu, andfatisfying the demands of]usTicE,andfo making
wax for the claim of Mercy ; and then all differences may be peaceably
compofcd. fo as -ive may harmonioufly agree and kifs one another ? O /
may not then a peace-maker be found out, in whom we may find alleur de-
mands fatisfied at once, without prejudging one another ; why, iffuch
an one can befound,ftrely his name [hall be called wonderful, counfel-
lor, the prince of peace. Well, the overture and propofal q^ peace
being recorded among the reft of the archives of the glorious
court; 'and it being fuch a peaceable overture, no member of the
'mecLing could difproveit: But the great queftion then is, how-
it could be efxetluate ? For, if one man fin againft another, a man
mighit determine ,• but, if a man fin againft Jehovah, who fliall in-
treatfurhim? For when an infinite majefty is oifended, who a-
moiig finite creatures is able to fatisfy \i,ox. What can countervail the
king's lofs ? Pl^berc'ivith then /hall he come before the Lord,or bozv him-
Mf before the moft high God ? IVill thoufands of rams do it, or ten thou-
fandrivers ofoiK or the fruit of the body for the fin of the foul ? No, no ;
ficrifice and offering thou wouldjl not ; for it is impoffible that the blood
of bulls or of goats jhould take aimy fin,Hch. 10. 5. What then, will
angels become furety for the fin of man ? No, no ; tho' they had
a will, they have not power,they have but oil enuugh in their vef-
fels for their own lamps. What then fliall be done ? Why, might
Veacc fay, let us not fi:and in a demur ; we have infinite JVifdom
here prefent with us at this meeting,let us hear her judgment con-
cerning this peaceable propofiil, if it be pofiible that fuch a perfon
can be found in whom we may harmonioufly centre at lafi:. Then
Wisdom fits down upon the privy-council bench, &, being full of
«yes,does gravely determine this doubtful cafe with a happy ifllie;
It is expedient, fays Wisdom, that one die for the people, that the whole
nation > ; T m:xvAimd perijb not ; but he nnift be fuch a righteous one, that
canjujlify many ; yea, he that will undertake this, miijt be finite, that
he may die; and infinite, that he ?nay conquer death, and fatisfy infinite
jiijiicc : But lo,thcre is none fuch to be found among all the creatures that

.ever

Divine Attributes difpldy'd. 507

ever God wade, neither can fuch anonebcfoundfunlefstbe Son of God
himfcify tbefccondperfm of the glorious Trinity, fJjallbe pleafed, by an
wifpeakabk myjlery, to become tlefh, made oFa woman, made under
the la^v, to redeem them chat are under the law, that they m ly re-
ceive the adoption of funs, Gal. 4. 4. Tbatfo, 'ujbcn be^ that hatb no
fin^fjall become fin for man ; man who hath no rightcoufnefs, may be-
come the right eoiifncfs Qf God through him, 2 Cor. 5. lalt : And thus
MiiRCY may be magnified^ TRUTHy^y/if/zc'J, Righteousness cleared,
JvbTicEfitisfied, Peace concluded, and all contented. Wisdom hav-
ing cleteriiiined how this propoilU of peace might be effecl:Liax,all
partieshearkned,asitwere, with p]earure,and willingly fubfcrib-
ed to the happy overture ; and then heaven and earth confpired
together in Iblemn thankfgiving, hy'ing^Glory to God in the higbeft,
on earth peace, and good will towards men. Thus the jarring attri-
butes of God are now reconciled; and behold, the members of
the meeting, thatfeemedto be at the greaieffc variance, are em-
bracing one another in their arms 5 Mercy ami truth arc met toge-
ther, &.C.

'I'bc fecond thing was, when^nd 'Zu/;^;-^didthereb]efred parses
meet together ? When we fpeak of a remarkable meeting, it is u-
fual to enquire into the time and place of the meeting. Now, the
place where, and the time when, as to this wonderful meeting, are
twoqueftions, which 1 puttogethet; for they may both be an-
fweied at once, becaufe of their near relation. •

ijt. Then, in general, the meeting-place^ or the place of meet-
ing, is Christ ; and the time of the meeting was when Chrift put
himfelfinour room,orfubftitutehimfelfin the place ofthefmner,
toanfwerail the demands ofall the members of the meeting, who
had any objeftion againftour falvation, or any thing to lay to our
charge. Where then, and when did they meet together and kifs each
other ? Why, it was even in Chrift, when he took our law-room, to
pay our debt, and purchafe our liberty in fuch a manner as mercy
;indpeace might have their in terefls advanced, without injury to
truth and rightcoufnefs ; that mercy might have vent to the credit of
truths and peace might be proclaimed to the honour cA'rightcoufnefSy
and the finner faved to the fatisfaftion 0^ juftice. They meet to-
gether and embrace each other in him as the ihrety ^t he fur cty of the
better teflament^Hch.'j.22.Wc were debtors to the mandatory and
minatory part of the law, arraigned at the inftnnce of divine///// /Ve'
to pay the debt ; Chrift fubftitutes himfelf in our room, and comes
under the law to pay the whole debt. It is true, the debt was pcr-
fonal, nnd jujlice had a demand upon the pcrfon tint ilnncd,by vir-
tue of the covenant of works j but that covenant never excluded

5o8 ^/-"^ Harmony of the

a fiirety, tho'ic provided none. The lawpromifed life, upon our
pcrfonal obedience; bur, in cafe we fail, it revealed nofiirecyto
in;ik-c out an obedience in our room. There behoved indeed to
be a fecret refi-rve in the covenant of works, whereby the perfedl
obcdicnceof another was notexcluded: For, if the covenantof
works hud abfolurely excluded a furety in our room,_ then the co-
venant of grace had been excluded, and our falvation had been
impoffible after our fall ; but, tho' the covenant of works did noc
exclude a furety, yet that covenant did neither provide nor reveal
a furety: This is done in the covenant of grace, whichis Chriftas
ruret\ fulfilling for us the covenantof works, in all the articles of
it. Now, is truth and faithf ulnefs at any lofs here ? No, the truth
of the promife & threatning both, of the law of works, is fulfilled.
On the one hand, the promife of eternal life made to perfeft obe-
dience ; which, tho' we forfeited in onr own perfon, yet we recc-
•verin the perfon of Chrift,- the promife of life upon the ground
and condition of perfe6l obedience being fulfilled to us in him,
whohath yielded that pcrfeft obedience in ourroom: Ontheo-
iher hand, divine tnith and faithfulnefs, in the threatning of the
law, which was death, is glorified, in that it is fulfilled upon the
fi.irety ; wiiile we, who came under the fentence of death in the
firll Jdaiiij undergo that death in the fecond. Again, is righteoiij-
Tiefs and jujiice :it any lofs by this furety in our room? No, no ;
whether we look upon it as vindi6live or retributive juftice, vin-
dictive juftice is difplayed initsutmoftfeverity upon Chrift; J-
imke^ Of-joord^ againjl my fljcpherd, and the man that is my fellow :
And fo the fword is drunk in his blood to infinite fatisfaftion. Re-
tributive jufticeis glorioufly difplayed alfo, in the fmner's being
rewarded, juflified, faved upon this ground. It is true, might
Justice fay, I could ha'ue demanded fat'isfa?tion upon thefinner himfelf
in his o'Jtn perfon ; but, as I can fujtain no injury to my honour byfuch
a furety as this, ivhoni they call Emmanuel, God- man, fo I find my ho-
lt j-ir and iuterpjl^ injlead rf being impaired Js advanced by this exchange
cf per fins : Fur, tho' I jhould damn the finner to all eternity, Vll never
get fichfull and complete fatisfi^ion upon anyfi.nite creature, as Izvill
get by one Jlroke of 7ny avenging fivord upon that perfn of infinite dig-
7]ily ; and fo it pleafed the Lord to bruife him. Why tiien, they rncct
together and embrace one another in him,as a Curetv ,* and, if truth and
rightcoufncfs be both pleafed ro the full, the parries cannot but all
agree, and embrace each other. Again they meet together and
embrace one another in him, as a facrifice, a ficrfice and offering
of a fzvect fmelling favour unto God, Eph. 5. 2. VVIiy, he offered up
hinfcif by the eternal fpirit. O great ! Even by his eternal G .

head 5

Divine "Attributes difplay'd. sog

head ; a valuable facrifice indeed ! They meet together in him?
as a propitiation, Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath Jet forth to he a propi-
tiation through faith in his bloody to declare his right eoufnefs^ &c. Be-
hold him righteous in fliewing mercy ; here is the atonement, the
propitiation, that very word which tlie/p/J^wa^/nf calls the mercy-
feat in the old teftament ; and it is the word that the poor publican
made ufe of, when he was feeking mercy, faying, Godbe merciful
tomeafmner. He remembred this mercy-feat and propitiation.
Itisnotfimplemercy that he fought, but mercy through a propi-
tiation; he looked to the blood of atonement, to the facrificed
lamb of God, faying, Give me mercy for this; by that folemn
propitiation be thou propitious to me. Here it is, that mer^
cy and jufiice meet together. They meet together in him,
as a ranfom, ^ob 33. 24. Deliver his foul from going doixm to the
■pit ; 1 have found a ranfom. In a word they have met together,
and kifled one another in a crucified Chrift, whofe death was the '
payment of our debt, the punifhment of our fin, the price of
our redemption, and a purchafe of our life, liberty and eternal fal-
vation. Here is the meeting-place then of thefe glorious perfec-
tions of God ; here is the perfon in whom they centre, that they
may be all glorified to the highefl: : Mercy, truth, right eoufnefs and
pace, all are pleafed. Mercy \s gratified, and conllituteshim tO'
be the m.ercy-feat ; truth is fatisfied, and centers in him as the imy^
the truth and the Ufe ; righteoufnefs is contented,|and declares him to
be the Lord our righteoufnefs ;\peace is, perfe6led, & proclaims him
to be x.\\Q prince of peace. Yea, not only are all the members of the
meeting pleafed and fatisfied for themfelves, in the advancement
of their own particular interefts, but they are infinitely well pleaf-
ed in each other, and that the interefts of their feemingly oppo-
fite parties are advanced, as well as their own particular claims::
M^rc}/ is pleafed that truth hath got all its demands, and truth is
pleafed that mercy hath got all her defire, and righteoufnefs is pleaf-
ed that peace is proclaimed, and peace is pleafed that righteoufnefs
is honoured. Mercy and peace rejoice that they are magnified
to the infinite glory of truth and righteoufnefs, and truth and righ-
teoufnefs rejoice that they are glorified to the infinite pleafiire of
mercy diUdpeace ; and hence they not only meet together, but kifs
one another. Here you fee where they meet together : So much
for an anfwer thereto more generally.

2^/3', More particularly, as to the meeting-time, you may take
the^cfothzoing particulars for the further clearing of it. Altho"
this blejjhl meeting once taking place is ftill contMtn.ed, and cannot,
be fai^.properly to adjourijfrom time to (imsyik [roni place iopldce;.

for

^10 The Harmony of the

for tliis aflembly never diffolves: Yet,in a fuitablenefs to our weak
capacity and finite underflanding, which cannot rightly conceive
ot a meeting that never had a time to meet, becaufe they met in e-
ternitv, and never fliall have a time to part, becaufe they meet to
eternity ; we cannot conceive of it, I fay, but by taking it, as it
were, into fo many parts, or confidering it in fo many periods :
And there are thefe eight remarkable periods : wherein mercy and
pace meet with truth and right coufnefs, and kifs each other.

1 . The firft remarkable period is this, they met together at the
coimcil-table of the covenant of redemption from all eternity, before^
ever the foundation of the world was laid ; and ere ever the morn-
ing-flars fang together, inercy andtruth met together, righteoujnefs
and peace kiffed each other : For the council of peace did then meet,
Zech.6. 13. and all was concerted by infinite wifdom, how mercy
fliouldbe m.agnified, truth cleared, righteoifnefs vindicated, and
peace concluded, and all inChriil, who according to the tenor of
that covenant ( whereof the covenant of graceis but a tranfcript )
was to give his foul an offering for Jin, and then was toy^i? his feed,
and the pleafure of the Lord to profper in his hand. Then it was that
this pleafant meeting in him was firfl; conflituted, as you may fee,
Prov. 8. 30. 31. He being fet upfront everlajling, ere ever the earth
was, God in all his glorious perfeftions was delighted in him, and
in him his delights ijocre with the fons of men. 'ifjis was the grand
iT>eeting,at which the time and place of all the fubfequent meet-
ings were concerted, and all the other particulars we are to men-
tion are but the refultof this, and as it were emanations there-
from ; for it is a meeting that never diflblves, tho' in feveral peri-
ods it appears like a new meeting unto us. 'I'herefore,

2. Another remarkable period is their meeting together in the
garden of Eden, after man had made himfelf naked and obnoxious
to the flaming fword of divine Juftice. Mercy comes walking in
the garden in the cool of the day,and the guilty criminal being ex-
amined in open court, behold, mercy and truth meet together in
the happy fentencethat was pronounced, The feedof the woman
fjallbruife the headof the fcrpent. Gen. 3. 15. Behold ri ght eoufnefs
and peace killing one another in the righteous vengeance that was
to be executed upon the devil and his works,in order to effeftuate
a happy pe ice betwixt God and man. This meeting was gradu-
ally cleared up under the old teftament, and in the legal faciifices,
pointing out the great propitiatory facrifice.

3. Another remarkable period is theirmeeing together at 5^-
thlehem- Kphratah, upon ChrilVs Incarnation, NUcah 5. 2, 4, 5, ^c.

4- Another remarkable period is their meeting together at the

banks

Divine Attributes ciifplayd. 511

banks ofyorJjKjWhenChrifl: was baptized, Mar. 3. 13,16,17,^^.

5. Another remarkable period is their meeting to^L^therin the
garden of Gethjemane^when Chrifl:, being in an agony, didfivcat great
drops of blood, under the preflure of avenging juftice ; every drop
of blood was an ocean of mercy : And, while he was preft'in the
wine-prefs of God's wrath, mercy was expreft. No mercy to
Chrift; ^ov God /pared not his own f on, even when he cried, mercy,
mercy, God's mercy ; faying, Father, if it be thy ivill remove this cup
from me. No, no, no mercy was fliewn to him, other wife no mer-
cy had been lliown to us : Juftice muft have i^s due from him, that
mercy might have vent towards us ,* andfo hevQ mercy and truth
meet together.

6. Another remarkable period is their meeting on mount Cal-
vary, where Chrift was crucified. It was upon the crofs of Chrift
tint jnercy and truth meet together, ihsit right eoufnefs and peace kiffed,
each other ; for there it was that he paid all the ele6l's debt to the
laft farthing that truth and righteoufnefs could demand, until hg
cried "with a loud voice, andfaid, It is fini/Joed. Having done all that
the law could injoin, he fuffered all that the law could threaten, fo
as it cannot crave a farthing more. It isfiniflied ; all that was
ftipulated for with the Father in that federal tranfaftion ; all that:
was promifed in that eternal compaft is finiflied ; every article a-
greed to in the counfei of peace was finiihed. The bargain that
he had figned with his hand, he now fealed with his blood ; and
in his appearance upon the crofs, or in his obedience to the death,
didall the attributes of God meet, as in a centre : And on this
account was mount Calvary more glorious than mount Sinai ; for
in mount iS//2r/7 God appeared in his terrible Majefty, making the
mountain to tremble, and the earth tofliake; but here in mount
Calvary he appeared, not only in his terrible majefty, but in his
tender mercy ; in his terrible fury againft fin, and in his tender fa-
vour towards thefinner; and now, the controverfy hctwlxt juf-
tice and mercy feems at a crifis. Here was the critical junfture,
wherein their different demands behoved to be decided ; andic
was done with fuch afolepinity, as made the whole univcrfe, as it
were, to tremble and quake : For then did God fljake, not the earth
only, but alfo heaven ; for, when Chrift was under the mighty load
of this terrible wrath in the finner's room, there was a great earth-
quake, and the heavens grew black, the fun was eclipfed, and t!iac
at a time contrary to the common rules of nature ; which made a
heathen philofopher, at a diTtance, cry out, That cither the frame of
vature ivas ombc point of di(folution, or the God of nature ■voasftjferin'^ :
And indeed he w^s fuifering unto blood, and unto death. Behold

the

512 The Harmony of the

t'^e living and eternal God here, in our nature, wounded to death,
and bleeding out his life, to be a facriHce for fm, that juftice might
be farisfied,and mercy might be magnified and all the attributes of
(Jod glorified to the highcfl. O wonder, that Golgotha, the place
of aicull, fliould befuch a famous meeting-place for the divme
perfe6tions-? It wasa-placeof thegreatefllliameand ignommy,-
but in him ivho endured the crofs, and difpifedthe jhamey it was made
a place of molT: refplendent glory : For, in the crofs of Chrift, mer-
cy and truth y right eoiifnefs and peace met and embraced each other.
God's attributes did harmonioufly join together,fo as the one does
not blacken, but illullrate the glory of the other,while they Ihined
g'orioufly in the face of Chrifl crucified, asa beautiful and bright
conftcllacion; [ov hew rs fet forth to be a propitiation, to declare the
right eonfncjs and jufticeof God, together with his other glorious
name?.

7. Another remarkable period is their meeting together at the
bar of God's great jultice-courtin heaven, within the vail, whither
the forerunner hath for us entred, even Jefus, Heb. 6. laji. When
Chrift was upon the crofs, the vail of the temple was rent intwain
from the top to the bottom, aiidaway was made for entring into the
holy of holies. And as the priefts under the law were not only
to ofTer the facrifice without the camp, but after that were to en-
ter the holiefl; of all, not without blood, but with the blood of the
facrifice, to fprinkle the mercy feat. Lev. 16. 14. 15. Even fo Chriji,
having offered hi wf elf a facrifice, and fuffered without the gate, Heb.
13. 12. he is entred into the holy place by his own blood, Heb. 9. 12.
there to appear asourhighprieft, in the power and virtue of his
blood, to make a full atonement, and fprinkle the mercy-feat.
Hence believers are faid fo be come to Jefus the mediator of the new
covenant, and to the blood of fprinkling. And where is this ? Even in
heaven, as you fee in the context, Heb. 12. 23, 24. Now, in this
work, Chrifl: carried the price of his blood into the very prefence
of God for us, Heb. 9. 24. and paid it down before him ; and, in this
aft, jufl:ice hath its fatisfaftion brought home; and, bythisaft,
mercy and jufliceaftually are met: For hereby Chrifl: fprinkled
the ^•ery mercy-feat with blood all over, both upon it, and before it,
as the forecited Lev. 16. reprefents: For the mercy-feat of'old
flood fo, that it could be feen but tv'o ways, namely, upon it, and
before it, asa table next to the wall,* andfo this points out, that
whatever way we look to mercy by faith, we may fee mercy, and
blood mixt, mercy and juflice met together, and all forts of mercy
conveyed thro' the blood of Chrifl:,top-mercies, and fide-mercies, ,
uppcr-mercics of a fpirittial nature, and lower mercies of a tempo-
ral

Divine Attributes dlfplayd. jrij

ral nature ; for the mercy-feat is fprinkled with the blood upon it,
and before it, and whatever way you look to it. The facrifice
was finiilied on the crofs,and all facrifices finiflied therein ,• but the
blood of the facrifice behoved alfo to be carried within the vail in
order to the full atonement, that what was written in blood upott
the crofs, might be fealed in the prefence of God at the heavenly
bar: And we a6l not our faith far enough for redemption, unlels
we follow Chrift from the crofs to the bar of God's juflice-court in
heaven, to fee all fealed and fecured there within the vail, where
this blood is expofed, as it were, and pled at the bar ; where tnercj
and jufiice meet together, and embrace each other.

8. Another remarkable period is their meeting together at the
bar of confciencCjGod's lower court, on the day of a6lual reconci-
liation betwixt God and the finner: For then, the blood ofChrifiy
v)ho through the eternal fpirit did offer him/elf mthout fpot to God,
doth purge the confcience, Heb. 9. 14. And the blood of/prink-
ling, wherewith the confcience is purged from dead works toferve the liv-
ing God, doth put forth its purgative power and virtue by a certain
internal fpeech ; and what doth it fpeak in the confcience ? /r
/peaks better things than the blood of Ahd ; that fpeaks vengeance^but
this fpeaks mercy and peace, in conjun6lion with truth, righteouf-
iiefs and jujlice : For, wherever juftice-fatisfying blood cries for
mercy and peace,there mercy and truth, righteoufnefs and peace meet,
nnd embrace each other. This blood is the cement whereby they
are joined together. Before this blood be applied, the confcience
of the convinced fmner is all in a flame, like mount Sinai ; thun-
der and lightning, andfmoke anddarknefs, and fear of hell and
vengeance, compafling the foul about, while it is arraigned at thd
inftance of the fiery law, to pay the double debt to the mandatory
and minatory part of the law, that is, perfeft obedience upon the
pain of eternal death and damnation. The finner finds himfelf
lofl and undone for ever by this law: But then, whenever the
blood of fprinkling comes in, & appears at the bar of confcience,
it fpeaks better things; it is a better fpeaker than the law: And
what fays it ? Why, the language of it is» By your leave, O iaii},
you have nothing to crave; forChrifltheSonof God was arraig-
ned at the inftance of divine judice, to pay all this debt, becaufe
he was this finner's furety and fubftitute ; and he aftually paid it,
by obeying the command, and undergoing the penalty of the law;
And for this I produce the ancient records of God ; In the mlame
ofh\s book, it is writtenofChn{\.,ih:it when facrifice and offering would
not, hefaid, Lo, I come, Id-eiight to do thy will; and that the Lord hath
laidon him the iniquity of tis all; Th^t be was 7nade a curfe for us; yea,

■K K thcit

c^j\ The Harmony 6f the

■ than he -zvas made Jin for us, even he v:ho knew nofm, that -lu might -tv-
CQmethe righteoiifnefsof Godin him: And therefore, Olazv, the*
thou haft truth m^d rigbteoufnefs on thy fide, yec truth ^nd right eouf.
j?r/ihavc met with mercy and pence, and they have concerted mat-
ters, and agreed harmonioully, and kifs'd one another, in token of
their full agreement in Chrifl: ; fo that in Chrifl all charges are
anfwcred, and thus in the believer's confcience, parties meet to-
gether.

3. The r/;/;-i thing propofed was how, and after what manner is
it that they meet together, and kifs each other ? We are to con-
ceive of it after themanner of God ; for it is more than a meeting
of faints, it is more than a meeting of angels, it is a divine meeting
of all the glorious attributes of God : And we may obferve thefe
following qualities of it ; '

1 . It is .a -wonderful and myflerious meeting, it is above our com-
■prehenfion and conception.; O how wonderful a meeting is this T
The very name of the perfon, which is made the place of appoint-
ment, themeeting place, is called wonderful,lfa. 9. 6. Becaufe the
meeting is about us, his. name is called lmmanue],-God-zvith us. O
how myfterions is this meeting ! Great isthe tnyftery of godlinefsy
'Godmanifejfed in the fefJj, 1 Tim. 3. 16. that is, all the attributes
of God meeting together, -and harmonioully embracing.oneano-
iher'in the erernal Son of God, who hath alTumed our nature into
Ibis 05\^n pcrlbnaiity ; this.is the mofl wonderful myflerious meet-
ing that: .ever was in heaven or earth.

2. Itis a703/zi/meet:ng,they meet with infinite pleafure and fa-
tijrfaftion in one another ,• Behold my fervajtt, 'whom lupbold, mine
elect, in 'who'm my foul delight cth, Ifa.42.1. As theperfedlionsof
Gpd are gloriiled in Chrifl:, fo they rejoice and are delighted in
Jlim: /'o;- Jehovah is well pleafed for his right coufnefs fake ; and
therefore the pleafure of the Lord (loallprbfper in his hand, and hefJjall
fee the travail of his foul, andbe fatisfied. Surely, if God hath his
pleafure, and Chrift his fatisfaftion, no attribute of thedivine ma-
jefly, no member of the meeting is difpleafed or out of hii-mour;, ,
no, n 0 ; This is my beloved Son, in -whom 1 an: ■well pleafvd. ' My j li-f-
tice is pleafcd, my mercy is'pleafed,and allniy other attributes !
areplcafed. O it is an exceeding pleafant and joyful meeting t
May all that hear me be well pleafed to fee it ; no joyful m.eeting,,
but what hath a refpeft to this.

. 3. It is a /;o/}' meeting. Some meetings among men, that are-
called joyful meeting?, yet are very imhdly and fmful meetings ;•,
but here is an infiniaiy hnly meeting : HoUnefs to the Lord, is the
motto of ic. A m'^eting of holy fainis and holy angels is not fuch

a

Divine Attributes difpkyd. 515

n holy' meeting as this meeting of the holy attributes of God, to
advance the greatdefign of infinite holinefs. All the holy meet-
ings that ever were, or will be, are the refult of this, and ttie effetl:
of Tome portion of holinefs fent from it; for all holinefs iillies
from it. Hevevurcy andtruth meet together in a holy manner, rigb-
teoufncfs and peace fahite Q^Lchoiher in a holy way, and greit onS
another ivitb a holy kijs.

4. It is a happy meeting. All happinefs and bleffings flow fVom
this meeting ; Chrift the meeting-place is the centre ofallfpiritual
hlejjings, Eph. i. 3. Many nnhappy m^eetings have been irt the
world lince fin entred into ir, and finful unholy m'eetings are ever
niiferable and unhappy meetings; but this holy meetingmuftbe
a happy meeting ; and this holy kifs muft be a happy kifs. l^ mercy
and truth had not met together, we had never met Vv^thGod,* if
right eoiifiie/s :ind peace had never kifTed each other, we had never
got a kifs of the iair face of the Son of God, nor ever been takeU
into the divine embraces.

5. It is a />■£>£? meeting. Mercy and truth met together freelyj
without being conftrained; r'lghteoufnefs and peace kificd each
other freely, without being forced. No motive from without
•could ever take-place to move God to call this meeting from eter-
nity ; it was-according to his o'uon purpose and grace, tvhich is given us
mCbriJl y ejus before the ■nwrhlbegan, 2 T'm. 1.9. Free fovereign.
grace is the original of the meeting. It is alfo fuch a free affem-
bly, where every member might freely fpeak, and not oneto in-
terrupt another, asisufualin meetings among men, Vv'herefome
cry one thing, and foine another, in a confufed manner, like that
affembly, Jc^s 19. 32. where it is-faid, The ajfemhly tvas confufed,
and the greater part knc-v: not zvherefore they 'ujeremet together; and
fome cried one. thing, andfpme another. No, this nieeting is free, in
oppolition both.tor.lIconfLraint and compulflori from without,
and to all confufion and commotion from within. Where fove-
reign free grace is the mafter- convener, there can be no compu!-
lion ,• and, where the God of order is the great manager, there
could be no confufion; and, where the God of peace was ail ip
all, there could be no di/Tention. Therefore,

6. lt\sd.harmonioiismQQtmg. Whatever different claims and
pretenfions the members of the meeting feem to have, yet they
harmonioufly concur in advancing one another's honour and <i\q-
ry ; and hence, as tliey mutually met together, fothey affe6l:-
onately embrace one another. There was no difcord at this af-
fembly, no proper variance or ftriving for ftate, but glorioufly
confpiring with joint hearts and hands to glorify each other in

K k 2 the

5i6 The Harmony of the

the fal vation of a company of Tinners by Jefus Chrifl:. The divine
elFence is undivided : And,, as there are three that bear record in bea-
ten, the Father, the ^ord and the Spirit ; and thefe three are One; Co
the attribiues of God, however manifold to our apprehenfion, yet
there is no divifion among them, they are all one, and their conf-
piring together in Chrift, for our redemption,is called the manifold
wifdom of God. The manifold perfeftions of God meet together
in one, with one confent, and with one heart. Behold m^r^y and
jtijlice in one another's arms ; and fo clofe is the embracement,that
they are jufl; one. Tho' it is a full meeting, and all parties prefent,
yetthereisnowar, no jar, nodiffention, nodivifion, but all har-
mony and concord, and love and afFe6lion ; it is the moll peacea-
ble meeting that ever was. And yet,

7. It is a bloody meeting ,* and never was, and never will there
be, fuch a bloody meeting in heaven or earth. The mercy -feat mufl
lefprinkkd with blood ; mercy cannot be vented without blood,and
truth cannot be cleared without blood, righteoufnefs cannot be
vindicated without blood,and peace cannot be purchafed without
blood ; Without [bedding of blood there is no remiffion, no mercy to be
vented, no peace to be proclaimed ; Chrift hath made peace by the
"blood of his crofs, Col. 1.20. j^ bloody husband haft thou beeniinto me,
izidZipporah ; but, O how much more may Chrift fay, a bloody
meeting hath this been unto me! Who is this that comethfromY.-
dom, iu/r/; dyed garments from Bozrah ? Ifa.6'^.1. Why,whatis the
matterthathisgarment is dyed with blood? Why? when mercy
and rn/r/? met together, they prefs'd to be fo near one another in
him, that they prefs'd the blood out of his veins; andfo it was a
bloody meeting : And, when righteoufnefs and peace kifs'd each o-
ther, it behoved to be in Chrifl ; and fo the fword of juftice behoo-
ved to pierce him thro' and thro', that fo thefe facred lips might
meet and kifs each other in his heart ; and fo it was a bloody kifs.
They kifs'd each other with fuch good will, that Chrift was, as it
were, br uifcd betwixt their lips, that the blood might cement and
glue them together. One would think, fuch a bloody kifs would
be no plcafant kifs ; nay,but itpkafedthe Father to bruife him. They
met together on afeaof blood : Thus it was a bloody meeting.
Again,

8. his an efficacious meeilng. Many meet and afTemblc toge-
ther, and yet do nothing for their meeting,,it is to no effe6t ; but
here mercy and truth meet together efficacioully, co-operatively : All
is done at the meeting that God propofedto be done, andall is
done thai concerns the glory of God and falvation of men ,• their
mceiing together istheir working together, and that to perfefti-

. on ;

Divine Attributes difplayd. 517

on ; For God the Lord is a rock, and his work is perfe^. Th eir m ee c-
ing together is their building together, PfaL ^9- 2, 3. Ihavefaid,
mercy (halt he built up for ever : Thy faitJyfulnefs /halt thou eftablijh in
the very heavens. Inhere is mercy and truth both building, and the
foundation of the building is laidinChrifl:; I have made a covenant
with my chofen, &c.

-9. J t IS an unexpe^cd meetings it is beyond theexpeftation of
men and angels. If friends and intimates fliould meet, and falute
one another, it wouldnot be furprizing; butto feeoppofites,
antipodes, and antagonifts meet together,and embrace each other
this were furpriOngand unexpefted: So, to fee light anddark-
nefs, love and enmity, life and death meeting, how unexpected
were that ? Thus it is hcrc^mercy and truth, righteoufnefs and peace,
thefe attributes of God, with refpe6l to us, were oppofites and
antipodes. The language of^ truth and righteoufnefs is, death and
damnation to the finner; the language of mere"}' -dndpeacehy life
and falvation to the fmner : And, when a finner finds himfelf pur-
fued to death attheinflance of divine juftice, and the truth and
veracity of a God engaged againft him, according to the threat-
ning of the law; O how unexpecleda. rencoimter is it, when he finds
viercy and p^^c^ meeting with juftice ciDd truth, and (lopping the
purliiit, according totlie promifeofthegofpel, to the credit of
theoppofite parties, faying, Deliver his foul from going down to the
pit ; Ihavefoimdaravfoniy and fo all odds are made even, all oppo-
fites reconciled, to the infinite furprife, and beyond the expedla-
tion of all created beings ! No wonder then, upon this meeting
difcovercd, the poor foul cries, Is this the manner of man, 0 Lord?
O, who is like unto thee ! Nav, there is none like unto the God r/ Jcfurun,
that fides on the heaven for their help, and in his excellency on the skies.

I o. It is an evcrlajling, indifTol vable meeting. Other meetings
will adjourn their meetings from time to time, and from place to
place; yea, other meetings mufl: part; and,whenthey parr, they
may never meet again ,• and we that are here met, mufl part, and
never all meet again in time ; even as fome others that met toge-
ther with us the lafb year, are away to eternity. But O, this meet-
ing betwixt mercy 2iX)d truth, righteoufnefs and peace, is a meeting
where there is no parting ,• the meeting is from everlalling to
everlalling : Their meeting together,and killing each otJier, is an
eternal and unchangeable meeting, and an eternal and unchange-
able kifs; it is every way like God, without beginning, without
ending, and without fucceffion. Whatever beginning, ilTueor
jncreafe it hath with repe6l to its manifedation to us, yet in itfelf
itisfliilthefameinChrifl Jefus, who \s the fame yefierday, to-day,
*t* K k 3 and

-I J The Harmony of the

ami for ever, Heb.i 3. 8. without any variahknefs orfJmiow of turnings
The meeting never breaks up, ic is a continued meeting never to
bedilTolved, and there they kifs one another to all eternity,- fir
his mcrey endurethfor ever, and his right eoufnefs to all generations ; and
hecaufe tf truth, meeknefs and right eoufnefs, in his majefty he /hall ride
profperoujly ; and of the increafe of his g overnment andpeace there flail
be no end. I have faid, mercy jhall be built up for ever ; and . I have
faid. Truth [JmH be eJtabUJljed in the heavens. Why, what is the
meaning of all thefe expreflions ? The language is as if one glori-
ous attribute of God lliould fay to another^O the fin of man fets us
all as it were at variance, and the whole creation knows not how
to reconcile God with himfelf, if he fhali fave one fmner ; but, be-
hold, we having met together in Chrifl: the righteoufnefs, the ran-
fom, the atonement, the propitiation ; having met together, we
fliall never part again ; having embraced one another in behalf of
thefe poor miferable finners our arms fliall never feparate,that are
clafped together. Mercy ^ truth have met togetherfhfmg^you and
I (liall never part; righteoufnefs B'peace have kijfedeach other,r^ymg,
you & I fliall never funder,nor fufpend the embracement; neither
death nor life, nor hell, nor devils, norfinitfelf, fliall ever fepa*
rateu5. It is a bargain among us, a divine match; they have met
together by an everlafl;ing covenant, fealed the bargain with an
everlafl:ing kifs, andcafta knot in an everlafting righteoufnefs,
which is the band of the union, even Chrifl:,- for the covenant does
jiandfajt -ivithhim, Pfaf 89. 28. where you will alfofee how this
everlafling meeting is eflabliflied in Chrifl:, ver. 14. 'Jujiice and
judgment are the habitation of thy throne, or the efl:ablifliment of thy
throne, as it may be rendered ; And mercy and truth foall go before
thy face. And, ver.^i.TVith him my hand flo all be ejtahlifljcd, and
my faithfulnefs and my mercy foall be 'with him. And, ver. 28. My
mercy ivill I keep for him for ever. Thus it is an everlafl:in g meeting.

The /oz<>t/; thing propofed was, ivhy, or for wh^treafons they
have met together, and killed each other ? Why have the perfec-
tions of the glorious God confpired fo harmonioufly, and met to-
gether in fuch afweetfolemnity ? Surely fuch a meeting as this
mufl have noble defigns in view ; and I'll tell you thefe four rea-
fonsof the meeting, or four things that were to be concerted at
this great afl!embly.

I . They met together, to concert meafures for advancing the
glory of God to the highefl:. This parliament of heaven met to-
gether upon ways and means, for bringing in the greatefl; revenue
of praife and glory to the crown of heaven, to Father, Son and.ho-
ly Ghofl,and all the glorious attributes of this great and eternal

God.

Divine Attributes difplayd. 519

God. Thefe attributes conrpiredharmonioufly tofetforthand
glorify themfelvesmoft illLiflriouny : They met together, and
kifled one another, that they might glorify each other. The glo-
ry of God was the fir ft and laft end of the meeting: What is the
ciiiefend of man, but to glorify God, and enjoy him for ever?
And O, what is the chief end of God I It is even to glorify
himfelf in all his perfe6lions, and to enjoy himfelf for ever.
And, how does God glorify himfelf mofi: brightiy ? It is even
in Chrift the meeting-place of thefe perfedlions, with a view
rto our redemption. To the praife of the glory of his grace, zvherein he
hath made us accepted in the Belo'ved,Eph. i. 6. And how does he en-
joy himfelf moft fweecly? It is even in Chrift, Behold mine eleB,
in ivhom my foul delighteth. I was daily his delight, fays Chrift, whih
my delight was with thefons of men, Prov. 8.30. lliey met toge-
ther to put a crown of glory and honour upon each other. Adanis
fm and rebellion,and your fin,my friends, and my fin (O that God-
diihonouring evil, fin !) which had pulled oif that crown of glory-
as it were, from the head of che great King eternal and immortal,
and caft it into the mire, and flained it with filch and dirt; But, be-
hold,diefe atcribuies of God meet together to take up the crown,
to rub off che Juft and dung that fin had cafl upon it, and to add
fome more fparkling jewels to it than ever,& fet it upon the head
of their fovereign,to the higheftpraifes of his mercy jjuflice, truth
righteoufnefs and grace, and love, and holinefs, and wifdom, and
all his other excellencies ; that men & angels might fing and fay,
Glory 20 God in the higheft, &c. that all the faints might fing a con-
fort injpraife of the meeting betwixt 7w<?;tj and trut by jujtice and
'peace J faying, Pfal. 89. 14.

Jujtice and judgment of thy throne

Shall he the dwelling place :
Mercy accompany d, with truth
Shall go before thy face.
And thatevery faint might fing thej'/ch Pfalm, and 9th and icth
verfes ,*

Til praife thee 'mong the people, LORD,
'Mong nations Jing will I ;

For great to hea'un thy mercy is.
Thy truth doth reach the sky.
They-met together,to put a crown cf glory upon the head of Chrifi;,
Heb. 2.c).in whom they met. This afiembly did convene/or the coro-
nation ofthefon of God: For, he ha'oing humbled himfelf, and become obe-
dient unto death, even the death of the crofs,Godhath highly exalted him,
and given Imn a name above every «rtw^,Phil.2. i o. That at the name of

K k 3 JESUS,

^20 The Harmony of the

TESUS every knee fhould bom, of things in heaven, and things in earthy
and things under the earth; &that every tongue Jhould confefs thatjefus
Chrijl is\ord,to the glory of God the Father. Chrifl: hath glorified the
Fathcr,& therefore theFather^/on>r//^iw^yo/;.i3. 3 r,32.^«^«0'W
is the fon of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. And, // God be
glorified in him, God /hall alfo glorify him in himfelf Him that honour-
ethme, I -will honour, fays God. And in whom does this take place
to perfedtion? It is inChrift: God is honoured moil highly by
him ; and therefore he is honoured mod highly of God. Amtriy
fo let it be, and fo it jhallbe. And thereforeit is concerted in that
meeting, that all the faints ihall glorify him: Hence that royal
edift comes forth, Heis thy Lord, imrfldip thou him, Pfal. 45. 11.
And (o we find them doing, Rev. 5. 9. Thou art worthy to take the
book, and open thefeals ; for thou wafijlain, and haji redeemed us to God
by thy blood. It is concerted in chat meetings that all the angers
Ihali glorify him : Hence that edi6l comes forth. Let all the angels
of Godworpjiphim, Heb. i. 6. And i'o we find them doing, Rev. 5.
11,12. 1 heard the voice of many angels, and the numbsrof them was
ten thoufand times ten thoufand, and thoufands of thoufands, faying
njoith a loud voice. Worthy is the lamb that was /lain, to receive poiver^
and riches, andwifdom, andftrength, and honour, and glory, andblef-
fings. It is concerted in this meeting, that all the creatures in
heaven and earth, fea and land, fliall glorify him ; as we fee ^.13..
But, lell; :he finful creatures upon earth, like you and me, fhould
not glorify him, or fee his glory, it is concerted in that glorious
meeting, that the Holy Ghoft, the eternal Spirit, one God equal
in power and glory with the Father and the Son, fliall be fent
down to the earth to glorify him, Jo/;«. 16. 14. He fJjall glorify me;
for he p.iall receive of mine, and p^eixi it unto you. O, hath the fpirit
ot God been Ihewingany thing of Chrifl: among you this day ?
Any thing of his grace, fulnefs, righteoufnefs,fo as to glorify him,
and make him glorious above all things to you? Why then, we
may reckon that you have found foniething of the faving fruits of
this glorious meeting,- for the grand defign of it was to glorify
God in Chrifl:, by the fpirit. They met to concert all things relat-
ing to the glory of the Father, in the Son, by the Holy Ghofl:.
'i'hcy met to confult their own glory in Chrifl, that mercy and:
triuh might be glorified in him.

2. They met together to concert their proper work, in carry-^
ing on this great end, of the glory of God, and his perfections.
They do not meet together to fit idle, and do nothing; no, they
rncet together to concert each of them their proper bufinefs : As
Cliwfl laid to his friends, fVherefore ivas it that ye fought me 7 IVifi

ye

Divine Attributes difpJayd. 521

ye not that Imuft be about my father s hujhiefs ? So may I fay here,
the attributes of God met together, that they might go about
God's bufinefs. What bufmefs ? What work belongs to e;ich of
them feverally ? Why, mercy and truth meet together, that they
may be fent upon an embally together, Fjal. 57. 3. God flmll fend
forth his mercy and his truth ; his mercy to give in the promife of the
gofpel, and his truth to make out the fame : Thus mercy and truth
meet together, that they may be. fent forth upon fome gracious
expedition, particularly both to be leaders and followers to the
remnant, whom God appointed unto life. On the one hand, to
be leaders,- hence the P/a/zw//? cries, Pfal.^.'^. ^-Ofendforth thy
light ami thy truth ; let thein lead me, and bring me to thy holy hill, and
to thy tabernacle. Thenivill 1 go to the altar of God, to Godmy exceed-
ing joy. Behold the wonderful bufmefs ohnercy and truth, and the
work they are fent out upon, even mercifully to lead blind fouls to
a God in Chrifl. On the other hand, it is to be, not only leaders,
but followers, Pfal. 23. 6. Surely goodnefs and mercy fhall follow me
allthedaysof my life. If the child of God, under any temptation,
refufe to be led l3y mercy and truth, and give up with them as his
leaders, ye^ , for all that, he fliall not hinder them to be his follow-
er:^ : he may run out of God's way, but mercy will follow and bring
him back,- and, v^h^nmercy follows, it is ever in company with
truth : And O, what think you of this wonder ! mercy and truth
meet together, that they might go forth together, hke two pages,
to follow you, believer, thro' all the fteps of your wildernefs-jour-
ney ; goodncjs and ?nercyf]jallfollozv me all the days of my life. Here
is a piece of work, that mercy and truth have met together for,e ven
to be fent forth, as leaders and followers of poor ele6l llnners, till
they be out of all hazard, in Emmanuel's land ijih ere glory divells :
See Pfal. 61.7. But then, as mercy and truth have met together, to
purfue their proper work; fo righteoufnefs and p^^cr have killed
each other, forpurfuing of theirs. Well, fay you, what is the
work oi righteoufnefs andpeace ? You have a word in the laft verfe
of this Pfalm where our text lies ,* righteoufnefs fJjallgo before him,
andfet us in the way ofhisfieps. Divine righteoufnefs, d ifplaying it-
felf inChrift Jefus the fun of righteoufnefs, goes before him to
prepare his way, and to bring us to God, and to our duty. And to
be fure, whenever righteoufnefs goes before, peace will follow af-
ter; for the fruit of righteoufmfs is peace, whether it be imputed or
implanted. I lere then the work o^ righteoufnefs and pt'^c^ killing
each other, is to bring in thefe bleflcd cife6ts in their order : Wc
confider them as divine perfettions in the tt:^\. : and, in thefe ef-

ft:(5l5.

■^22 The Harmony of the

fcfls, right eotijhcfs leads the van, zxidpcace comes up with the rear,
c;. Thefe attributes confpire harmonioufly, they meet toge-
ther, and kifs eath other, for this reafon, that, by their meeting
together.th'ey may concert the diffolving of fome unhappy meet-
'ings;^ !" Thefe oppJofite-like attributes of God meet together,thac
feme intimates may be feparate, and fad and fmful agreements
may be broken up. ' Ifai. 28. i5- there is a fad_ meeting and agree-
men t we read of ; JVe have made a covenant 'xith death, and with hell
are rs^c at agreement. - Why ? Is not this the cafe of all men by na-
ture f Yea ; 6iit, h6\v is this fad and miferable m'^etittg dilTolved?
See f. 1 6. Be'h'old, Iky in Zionfor a foundation, afione, a tried ftone,
a p-ecious corner-Jlone, a fare foundation : judgment alfo -will I lay
to the line, and right eotifnefs to the plummet. Well, when judgment
-and righrebiifrrefs mercifully meet in Chrift, the fure foundation,
Svhatwillbethe effeft ? It follows, f. 17^ 18. The hail foall fij^eep
'a'jjhy the yefug'e of lies, and your covenanthmth death /hall be dlfaniiui-
led, and your agreement 'with hell jhall not ftand. Whatever fad
afpecUhis fcnpture may have to the defpifers of Ch rift, yecic
hath ^ merciful afpeft to all the chofen of God, and ail that defire
to ddave to the Lord Jefus ; yea, there is here a foundation
of faith laid for all that hear the joyful found, that whatever
finful and miferable meetings and agreements there arc be-
twixt hell and them, betwixt death and them, yet it cannot
Hand before this glorious meeting, v/hich was defigned to break
up and diffulve the. oppofice meetings that {land in a contrariery
thereto. There are m.any black unions which this bleffed union
does dillblve, and there is no diffolving of them but by this blefTed
meeting. I'here is the black union betwixt thefmner and the
law, which is the foundation of the black union betwixt the finner
and his fin : For, when the union betwixt him and the law is dilTol-
ved,then the union becwixt him and his fin is dillblved ; according
to Rom. 6. 14. Sin fJpallnot have dominion over you ; for ye are not un-
der the la--jij, but under grace. Now, what is the covenant of grace ?
Why, mercy and truth meeting together, righteoufnefs 3.nd peace kil-
fing each other in Chrift Jefus, is thefubftance, the marrow, the j
kernel of the covenant of grace ; and it is this blefTed meeting that |
dilTolves the union betwixt the finner and the law, and To be- I
twixtthe finner and his fin. O view the glorious defign of this !
meeting ! 'I'hey met together, that you might be feparated from |
your fad alTociates. By nature you and ihe devil had met together, I
and you was a Have to him ; audit is the virtue of chis meeting in'
Chrifi:, that diflblves that; the feed of the ixo^nanfloallbruife the head
ofthefcrpent. The world and you had met together, and you took

pleafure

Di vi^NE Attributes dijplayd, 52?^

pleafure in your wicked companions, or elfe was wholly drowned
in yvorldly affairs ; Oitis che faith of this meeting that diiToIves
that ! This is the viclory that o-cercoines the '■jjorld, even onr faith. The
CLirfe of God and you had met together, and you lie under that
curfe, till, in the faith of this meeting,you fliall fee,j/;af Chriji hath
become a curfe for us. This meeting is deligned for the breaking
up of all thefe, and the like unhappy meetmgs. They met to-
gether in a glorious band, to loofe all the knots the devil had tied.

4. I'hefe glorious attributes of God do confpire harmonioully
they meet together and kifs each other, that they might concert
and carry on fome happy meetings, and make up fome blefled'
matches. Thefe oppofite-like attributes harmonioufly meet, that
oppofites and irreconcileabl'e things might meet together harmo-
nioufly, andkifs each other, whether real or feeming oppofites.

(i.) There arereal oppofites that meet together harmoniouf-
ly, by virtue of this glorious meeting; particularly thefe fix,

1. Thefe oppofice-like attributes meet together harip.onioufly
that oppofite natures might meet together, even that God and
man might meet together, and embrace each other; And there
are thefe two meetings betwixt God and man, that were concert-
ed at this meeting : The one is the meeting betwixt God&man,in
the hypollatical union of the two natures of Chrift, our Emmanuel
God-man, inoneperfon; this is thQ great myfiery ofgod!iiief\ God
matiifeJledintJ^e.fefJj; and this is the foundation of all other fa-
vinganJ merciful meetings betwixt God and man:' Tlie other
is the meeting betwixt God and man, in the fpiricual union
betwixt Chrift and his members, in one myffical perfon, by the
bond of the fpirit ; For he that is joined to the Lord is one fpirit ;
And this union is the foundation of all fpiritual communion
with God. We were not only at an infinite natural diftance from
God, as we are creatures,- but at an infinite moral diilance from
him, as we are criminals and fmners : But the attributes of
'God met together and kifs'd each other in Chrift, that God
and man might meet together in a clofe fpiritual union, and
kifs each other in a fweet fpiritual communion : Whatever fpiri-
tual communion you have with God, believer, this day, itllows
from this glorious meeting of the divine attributes in Chrift;
and this union and communion is indeed a meeting of oppofite na-
tures : God became man, and took on our nature, and he makes
us partakers of his nature, Sc.

2. Thefe oppofite-like attributes met together, and kifs'd each
other, that oppofite wills might meet and embrace each other.
God's will & ours are oppofite ;, this is indeed a branch of the for-
mer.

524- ^'/•'^ Harmony of the

mer, but our wills are the great forts of corrupt nature, that" fland
out ag.iinil: God and his will; JVeare enmity agahift God, and not
Jubjest to the laiv of God, neither indeed can be. Now, how comes the
will to be reconciled to God's will? Itisonly by Chrill:,in whom
the perfedtions of God meet together : Thy people [ball be willing in
the day of thy po'-joer.

3. 'I'hcfe oppofite like attributes meet and kifs each other,thac
oppofite perfons, Jewsnnd Gentiles, man and man, that were e-
ncmics and haters of one another, might meet together; thatjews
and Gentiles might meet together, and men at variance with men
might meet together : Hence it is faid of him, in whom the attri-
buLcs of God do meet. He is our peace, Eph. 2. 14. zvho hath made
both one, and hath broken dozvn the middle wall of partition : Having a-
boliJJjed in hisflefjj the enmity, &c. If any thing flay the enmity to
God or man, this is it.

4. Thefe oppofite-like attributes of God meet and kifs each 0-
ther, thar oppofite climates might meet together ; I mean, that
heaven and earth might meet together, the church militant and
the church triumphant. Heaven and earth were at variance by
ourfjn; but now, in Chrill, faints in heaven and faints onenrth
meet together ; Hence we are faid to be come to the general affembly
and church of the firp born that are written in heaven, totbe fpirits of
jujl men madepcrfed. All believers are faid to be thus come to mount
Zioi), the heavenly Jerufalem, Heb. 12. 22. Yea, inChrift, angels
in heaven, und men on earth, do meet together : Hence alfo be-
lievers are faid to be come to the innumerable company of angels ; and
the angel of the Lord encamps about them, &c. Yea, all things in hea-
ven and earth do meet together, and kifs each other in Chrift, the
ir.eeting-place, Col. i. 20. Having made peace by the blood of bis crofs,
by him to reconcile all things to bin f elf, whether things in heaven, or
things in ea}-th, Epb, i. 10. See how, upon the back of this meeting
in the text, heaven and earth are faid to meet together in the fol-
iowing vcrle ; Truth fball fpring out of the earth, and righteoufnefs
JJjall look down from heaven; which 1 infill not upon here.

5. 'i'hefe oppofiLe-like attributes of God meet and kifs each
other, that oppofite covenants might meet and embrace each
other, even the covenant of works, and the covenant of grace, in
Chrift the meeting-place of the divine perfeilions : Thefe two
covenants do, as it were, join hands and agree. Did the covenant
of works command perfeft obedience? and, being broken, did it
demand complete fa; isfiiftion ? Behold, Chrift's obedience to the
death anfwers both ; God's covenant of grace, difpenfed to lis, is
jufl; Chnft fulfilling for us the covenant of works : And fo in him

they
i

Divine Attributes difpJay'd. 525

they meet, and kifs each other ,• For he is the end of the law for righ-
icoufnefs to cjery one that believeth. Again,

6. Thefe oppofite-like attributes of God meet and kifs each
other,that oppofice tho'ts might meet together,and embrace each
other, even God's tho'ts and our tho'ts. How oppofite thefe are,
you may fee, Ifa.sS- 8,9. For my tho'ts are not your tho'ts, nor your
"Mays my ways ; for^ as the heavens are higher than the earth, fo are my
ways higher than your ways, and my tho'ts than your tho'ts. Some have
prefumptuous tho'ts, while they look only to God's mercy, and fo
they think certainly God will have mercy upon them, tho' yet
they are ftrangers to Chrifl ; thefe are oppofite to God's tho'ts, he
hath no tho'ts of fliewing mercy that way. Others have defpair-
ing tho'ts, whiletheylookmerely ormoflly toGod's juflice, and
fo their tho't is, O, will God have mercy on fuch as I am ; and, he
cannot in juflice fave fuch a one as I ! Thefe tho'ts are alfo oppo-
fite to God's tho'ts : My tho'ts are not your tho'ts. O then, how fliall
thefe oppofite tho'ts meet together? Why, let a man view the
mercy and juflice of God met together, and harmonioufly killing
each other in Chrifl, fo as to fee God in Chrifl reconciling the
world to himfelf. If your thoughts be fpiritualized, to difcern
mercy venting itfelf thro' the facrifice that fatisfies divine juflice,
then God's thoughts and your thoughts meet together, and kifs
each other. Thus the divine attributes meet together harmoni-
oufly, that real oppofites may meet together harmonioufly : This
glorious meeting lays a foundation for thefe happy meetings.

( 2. ) There are feeming oppofites, that meet together harmo-
nioufly, by virtue of this glorious meeting ; as,

I. Thefe oppofite-like perfeftions of God meet together, and
kifs each other harmonioufly, that oppofite-like providences might
vieet together ^ kifs each other. There are frowning providences and
fmilling/)rowW^?2£-^j-,crofres and comforts in the believer's lot; here
IS 2L providence that favours the promife, and there is a providence
that feems tocontradidl the promife,- here is an up, and there
isadown: Well, how (hall thefe walk together? Why? They
meet and embrace each other in Chrifl:, the meeting-place ; for all
things work together for good to them t hat love him, and are the called ac-
cording tohispurpofe. Hence we will find, not only light and dark-
nefs in the believer's lot, butfometimes light and darknefs meet-
ing together. Zech. 14. 7. there you read of a rti?y,that is neither day
nor night ; yet a day known to the Lord, neither clear nor dark, but at
evening-time it fjjallbe light : There evening-darknefs ufliering in
the morning-light. Hence they have occafion both to Jing ofmer-
nyandofpidginent^bQQUuk of their meeting together, and kifling

each

52(5 Tb^ Harmony of the-

each other, and working together foi: good: Behold the crofs

and the crown mcetuig together.

- Thcfeopporitc-likeperfcaionsof Godmeettogether, and
kiftcach other, tiiatoppofite-Jikederire^.may meet-,.andembrace
each other. While mercy defires our life, and pijhce feems to de-
mand our death ; thefe are reconciled only m Cliril>,ni whom mer-
cy and truth, righteoufnefs-md peace meet and embrace each other.
But look to our own dclire of God's glory, andour fa! vacion, me-n
and ange!5 could never have contrived how thefe two defires
could be reconciled, if mercy aJid truth had not-met together, and
kifs'd each other ; for the glory of God's truth and righteoufnef?,
inthethreatningof hislaw, feems to reft fatisfied with nothing
Ms than our deftruction ; and therefore to defire God's glory,
would have been to defireour own damnation ; and confequently,
in defiring our own falvation, we may have defired God's diflio-
nour : But now this bleffed contrivance of infinite- wifdom lets, us
fee how thefe two are, not only reconciled, but made infeparable ;
J-Iavingfet forth Chrijt to be the propitiation, through faith iihhis bloody
to declare his right coufncf- in the remiffion of fins. ;

3. Thefe feemingly oppofite attributes meet and kifseach 0*
ther, that feemingly oppofite graces might meet & embrace each
other ; for example, reverence and confidence. How ihsllfear and
reverence meet together withf aitb and confidence ? Why., truth and
right coufncfs are at the meeting, and therefore fear and reverence
becomes us ; but ina-cy SLnd peace are alfo on. the bench, therefore?
faith and holy confidence may boldly ftep in j; JVehcweboldnefs to
enter into the hoUeJl by the blood of JefUs. , ;.

4. Thefe oppofite-like attributes meet & embraGeeach^other,
thatoppofite-likc duties may meet together. Prayer and pr'aifis
fcem oppofite duties in fonie cafes ,• prayer fuppofe$ pur wants^to
be great, otherwife, why fiiould.wepray? Praife fuppofes our
enjoyments to be great, otherwife, why Ihould we praife f Wellj
truth and j7>/j^£-o////2c/3-, thefe awful attributes, prefentat the meett
ing, fay, we-ha#enothingin,o.urfeIves, therefore we oughD t^
pray; but mercy and peacei:iy, we have all, we have enough in i
I'hrift, and therefore we ought to Praife. Huiniiiatiou, cind glo- <
riathm feem oppofite duties; but the feemingly oppofite attrir ;
butes of God meeting together, bring alfo thefe duties, to meet
and embrace each otiier. h truth and rhghteoufiefs in t'le com- 1
pany with wf/T}' an d /^f^Ji,^ ? Then humiliation is our duty,- but,
is mercy and peace in company with truth and righteoufnefs ? Then t
filoriarion is our duty;, let hini tha^ glories^ glory in the Lord.., il

5- 'Hiefc feemingly oppofite attvibiues of Gqa meet and em-
brace

i

Divine Attriijtjtes difphyd. 527

brace each other, that feeminglyoppofite experiences may meet
and embrace other, and be reconciled, tho' fcemingly irreconci-
leable. There arc/^r/ experiences, and/iuf^f experiences: O
here is the fad experience of a guilty confcience, a powerful cor-
ruption, and a conquering temptation ! Can ever that bereconci-
•Jed with the experience of holy peace, pardon and vi6lory ? Yea,
here is a foundation laid for the reconciliation of thefe oppofites.
Ifjuftice and ?«^rcy have met together, then a guilty confcience
and a mercy-feat may meet together ; a prevalent corruption and
pardoning purifying blood may meet together ; as they did in the
Pfalmift 's cafe, Pfal. 65. 3. Jniqiiities prevail againji vie : But as far
cur tranfgrejponsy thou ivi It purge them a'way. The fad experience
of fatherly anger, or of the feeling of divine wrath, may meet
with the fweet experience of felt love and favour ; for mercy and
jujlice are met together, Jfa. 54. 7, 8. The fad experience of per-
plexing thoughts may meet with the fweet experience of fpiritual
confolation, and be fwallowed up therein ; rmcQtruth and jujlice
have met with viercy and peace : Hence it was that thefe two met
together in David, Pfal. 94. 19. In tbemulutude of my thoughts ivith-
in me, thy comforts delight my foul. O! Is fuch a fad experience
confident with an interefl in Chrifl:? Why? Both terrible and
amiable attribuces of God meet together iitChrifi:, and therefore
it is not ftrange that the fadeft and fv«^eetefl experiences meet to-
'.gether, foasnottobeinconnftentwiththeflateofabeiieverthac
as in Chrifl. To fee awful jz////V^ and \ovt\-^ mercy meeting toge-
ther in a fweet- fmelling facrihce, is a greater wonder, than to lee
your fadeft and fweetelt experiences meeting inChrid,. to make
up a Hallelujah, praife ye the Lord; and the former meeting is the
reafon of this.

6. Thefe irreconcileable-like att^-ibutesof Godmeet andem-
bjaceeach other, that irreconcileable-like fcriptures might meet
together and embrace each other. How fliall £.Tor/. 34. 7. He
v:illbyfio means clear the guilty, or juftify the fmner, be reconciled
-with Rom. 4. 5. where he is laid tojujiify the ungodly ? O how can
'#iefe two oppofites meet together ? Why, mercy and truth have
met together in Chriil, to make up a match betwixt them :^ A ran-
fom Is found, ?i propitiation is fet forth; why then, thefe oppofite-likc
fcriptures may meet together, and kifs each other.^ He ivillby no-
fneans char the guilty , without a ranfom, a propitiation : Well, is
the ranfom found, and the propitiation fet forth ? 'i'hen he will
jullify the ungodly on that ground; Deliver his foul from going doivn
to the pit, I have found a ranfom. Now, he can juA ify the fmner,
andbejufl info doing, while he draws him in to Chriil by faith,,

Rom.

52S The Harmony of the

Rom. 3.25,26.Thus you fee the reafons of the meeting. In a word,
they meet together upon adefignto bring the greateftgood out
of the greateft evil, and the highefl: glory out of the deepefl: mife-
ry, to the praife of all God's glorious perfections.
' The fifth thing propofed was the application in a few inferences.
Is it fo, that, in thefalvationoffmnersby JefusChrifl, the glori-
ous attributes and perfections of God do thusharmonioufly con-
fpire and embrace each other ? Then hence we may fee,

1. What a dreadful evil ^« is, which fetsall the attributes of
God, as it were, at odds, and puts all the world into confufion,and
every thing out of order ; it fets heaven and earth, and all things
in them, at variance one againfl; another. To think light of fin,
is to think light of this glorious meeting of divine attributes, that
met together to break this rebellion, and take order with this hor-
rid infurreClion againfl heaven. O what a great matter is the fal-
vation of afinner! Ere that can take place, this grand meeting
mud be called ,• all the injured attributes of God mud have an ho-
nourable reparation. Juftice mud be fatisfied, truth vindicated,
right eoufnefs cleared; And, in order to all this,a furety muft be pro-
vided,even a God in our nature ; the guilt mufl be imputed to him,
and the iniquity of us all mujl be laidupon him ; and then a bloody tra-
gedy muft be a6ted upon his foul and body, till he f ink to death un-
der the weight of infinite wrath. But,

2 . Hence fee what a wonderful perfon our Lord Jefus Chrifl is,
in whom fo many wonders meet together. It is in him that mercy
and truth, right eoufnefs doad peace do meet together ^and kifs each other.
Here all the bright perfections ofthe divine nature do glorioufly
confpire,- here is the bright conflellation of all thedivine attri-
butes fliining forth in him, and every ftar performs its revolution
in this orb. Behold in him the bright glory & excellency of God's
grace & love, a whole Trinity in concert, each perfon to perform
his own part,and each attribute its own work ; and Chrift the image
of the iwoifible God fet forth to be a glorious theatre, on which men
and angels might fee the fplendor of the tranfaCtion ; He is the
brightnefs oftheFathefs glory, ^^he exprefs image of his perfon. Here
is the great 7ny fiery ofgodlinefs, Godmanifejiedin thefleflj, and all his
attributes meeting together, and kifTing each other, in our Emma-
nuel, God- Man. There are two things meet in Chrift, which
fliould make him wonderful to us : The one is, all our fms meet
together on him, that they may be condemned, according to that
word, Ifa. 53.6. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all, or
made them to meet on him : The other is, all the attributes of God
meet m him, that they may be glorified ; And indeed there is no

faving

Divine Attributes difplayd. 529

faving or fatisfying knowledge of any property of God, but what
is to be had in Chriit. To fee God to be a merciful, jull^true, righ-
teous, good & holy God, is neither a faving, nor a fatisfying fight,
iinlefs we fee thefe attributes meeting in Chrift for our falvation ;
^ixidio^QQihisy'isto^QQthegloryofGodinthcface of Chrift. Here
fee the glory of divine mercy / What is pardoning mercy ? It is
God's free gracious acceptance of a finner,upon fatisfadtion made
to his juftice, in the blood of Jefus ; Nor is any difcovery of mer-
cy, but as relating to the fatisfaftion of juftice, confiftent with the
glory of God ; mercy cannot be feen favingly, but as meeting with
juftke in Chrift. Here alfo we fee the glory of divine truth in the
exa6l accompliiliment of all his threatnings and promifes. That
original threatning and commination, whence all other threat-
nings flow. Gen. 2. 17. In the day thoueateft^ thou [halt furely die,
backed with a curfe, Forciirfed is every one that continues not in all
things, &c. is in him accompliflied fully, and the truth of God
therein cleared to our falvation, while he tafted death for us, and
was made a curfe for us; fothat, in every threatning his truth is
made glorious. And, as to the promifes, they are all Yt^and A-
men in Chrift Jefus, to the glory of God by us. 2 Cor. i, 20. And ib
of all the other attributes of God, they are made glorious and ex-
alted in Chrift to our falvation. Ilence when Chrift defired his
father to glorify his name, John 12. 28. to make his name, that is,
his nature, and properties, and perfections, all glorious in the
workof redemption, that he had in hand ,• he was inftantly anf-
wercd from heaven, / have both glorified it, and imll glorify it a-
gain ; I will give my attributes their utmoft glory in thee.

3. Hence fee the difference betwixt the la'uj and the gofpeL
One great difference betwixt them Hes in this, that, in the law, the
finner that hath violated the fame,may fee truth ftanding engaged
again ft him, but no mercy in company with truth ; and right eoufnejs
in arms againfthim, but no peace m company with righteoufnefs,
Jufticeiinthout mercy, ^nd-z^jarivit bout peace, to the finner, is the
viotto of the law : For therein truth and righteoufnefs meet together,
but mercy :ind peace are not at the meeting ; and lb the language of
the law, to you that are outof Chrift, and under the law, is, no
mercy, no peace, but the wrath of God, the vengeance of God,
the curfe of God upon you, and thatfofure asGod is a God oi truth
and righteoufnefs : There is the Lviv. But, in xh^ gofpcl, mercy &.pcacc
come into the meeting, & make up a match betwix' all the oppofite-
like parties, to the higheft glory of God, and the great eft bappinefs of the
finner; andtheyfealtbe match with a kifs of infinite complacency So that
the fum of the gofpel is \.h\s,mercy ^truth are met together /igbteouf
fiefs and peace have kiljed each other. L I 4.

^30 The Harmony of the

4. Hence we may fee what is the fountain-head and foundati-
on of all true communion and fellow/hip with God and man. This
glorious meeting is the foundation of all other happy meetings ,•
fellowlhip with God, and an happy meeting with him, is a ftreani
that flows from this fountain. We could never have met with
God, or got a kindly kifs or embrace in the arms of his favour and
love, if this divine meeting andembracement had not made way
for it. Fello wriiip with man, or the communion of faints, is a ri-
vulet that flows from this fpring. When faints meet together for
prayer or praifes,under the influence of the fpirit,and under a gale
of heaven ; when their hearts are fired with love to God, and to
one another in him ; what is this ? It is juft a ]ive-coal cafl: in among
them from the altar, Chrift Jefus, where all the attributes of God
meet together, and kifs each other ; and hence true fellowfliip
with God, and with the faints, are both declared to be in and thro'
Chrift Jefus, ijohni.'^. That which we have heard and feen, declare
we unto youy that ye may havefellow/hip with us : And truly ourfellow-
pfip is with the Father, and with his Son Chrift. The harmony of the
attributes of God in Chrift, is the fountain of all the harmony
among the faints : The little harmony that takes place among
them in our day, and the rarity of holy fellowfliip-meetings, flows
from the little faith of this heavenly divine meeting ; for all the
faints, that are under the lively views thereof, cannot but defire to
meet together, and embrace each other harmonioufly, in the
arms of mutual love.

5. Hence fee the malignity of the fin of zwZ'^/z>/, the great em-
ployment whereof is, toypoi/t/^e/jfajrwow}/ of the divine perfeftions,
and to do its utmo{[. to dijfohe that glorious meeting, and feparate
what God hath joined, faying, inefieft, they have not met toge-
ther, nor kiffed each other. This we way difcern in the unbelief,
whether of fecure or awakened finners: See it in the unbelief of
the fecure finner, who fets truth and righteoufnefs out of the meet-
ing, faying, God is a merciful, God, and I ^mU have peace, tho' I walk
in t he imagination of my own heart, adding drunkennefs to thirft : Thus
they hope in God's mercy, and fpeak peace to tiiemfelves, while they
never view the truth and righteoufnefs of God,and how the credit
thereof fliall be faved, or the honour thereof repaired : And
hence, as faith is faid to fet to thefeal, that God is true, or that he is a
.God of truth, fo unbelief is faid to make God a liar. To fancy that
God will have mercy on their fouls, without regarding the truth of
jus threatnings, is to make God a liar, and fav, mercy and truth
have not met together,- to think that God will be at peace with
them, while his righteoufnefs and juftice are not fadsfied, is to

make

(Divine Attributes difplayd, 531

make God a liar, and fay, righteoufnefs and peace have not met
together. Thus the unbelief of the fecure finner puts truth and
righteoufnefs out of the meeting. Again, on the other hand, the
unbelief of the awakened fmner puts tnercy and peace out of the
meeting, faying, Ohe is a God of truth, and how {hall he have
mercy on the like of me ? He is a God of awful juftice and righ-
teoufnefs, and how will he be at peace with me ? What is the lan-
guage of this, but that 7nercy ^ndpcace have not met with truth and
righteoufnefs"? Here is a making God a liar alfo, and feparating
what God hath in the gofpel declared to be joined. Behold then
the malignity of unbelief ; it breaks the glorious meeting, and will
not let them kifs one another. The prcfuming finner will not let
God have the glory of his truth and righteoufnefs, the defpairing
finner will not let God have the glory of his mercy and grace;
both are in a concert with the devil to break the harmony of the
meeting. But O, may virtue come from that glorious meeting in
Chrifi:, to the poor finful meeting in this houfe, for dafliing your
unbelief to pieces, that we may fee mercy and truth fueet together,
righteoufnefs and peace kifjtng each other !

6, Hence fee fureand noble ground for the boldnefs ^nd confi-
dence of faith in Chriffc ; In ixihom "joe have boldnefs andaccefs with con^
fidence by the faith of him, Eph. 3.12. Here's an anfwer to all the ob-
je6lions of unbelief and diffidence, the chief whereof lies here;
O, fays unbelief, may I, finful guilty I, lay hold on the promife of
mercy and peace in the gofpel, when I fee the great ordnance of
the divine threatning hard charged with the truth and righteouf-
nefs of God, andready tobedifcharged againfl: me with thunder
and lightning, faying, no mercy, no peace,* He that made thee will
not have mercy upon tbee ; and. There is no peace, fays my God, to the
wicked ? Mercy and peace in the promife then, fays unbelief,can-
not take place with refpe6l to me ; for truth and righteonfnefs in
the threatning fl:and in the way, like a flaming fiwrd, to keep the way
of the tree of life. Nay, but, fays faith, here the promife and the
threatning have met together, and killed each other in Chrift;
mercy in the promife, and jufiice in the threatning, have met and
agreed in him, in whom all the promifes are Tea and Amen, and in
whom all the thrcatningsare fully executed, by drawing out his
heart- blood. Thus then, we have boldnefs to enter into the hoUeftby
the blood of Jcfis, lleb. 10. 19. By a new and living way, which he
hath confecrated for us through the vail of his flefJj : Therefore let us
draw near ivith a true heart, infullajjiirance of faith. O what ground
for the boldnefs and aiTured confidenceof faith, with particular
application, notwithflandin^ the threatning ! The threatning

L 1 2 hath

a

^32 The Harmony of the

Iiath nothing to fav to me, faith faith, for Chrift hath fpoken with
it already, and fpoken it out of breath ; he hath left it fpeechlefs
and breathlefs ; not a breathing of wrath in it towards me. The
believer may have a million of doubts,whiIe his unbelief keeps the
chair ; but let gallant faith come in, and take the room, it will dil-
pel them all. Let once unbelief break the harmony of this meet-
ing of divine attributes in Chrift, and then nothing but doubts of
God's favour and mercy muftenfue; but let faith view the har-
mony, and fee them meeting and kifling each other, and then, ac-
cording to the meafure of faith, fuch will be tbe meafure of holy
boldneVs, confidence and perfwafion of the favour, mercy and
good- will of God in Chrift, with particular application to the per-
jbn himfelf Takeaway unbelief from faith, and then not a fingle
doubt will remain behind ; Unbelief creates all the doubts that are
in the believer,his faith hath no part in them. The general doubt-
ful faith of the Fapifts is not faith, but unbelief; and therefore na
wonder that our forefathers abjured it in our national covenant.
Behold the fure ground andfrrm bottom that faith (lands upon,
even the mutual meeting and embracement among the divine
perfecHons in Chrift. If you break and feparate the meeting by
unbelief, then your confidence is broken, and your peace with
God marr'd ; but,if you keep them together in your view by faith
in Chriit, then you have boldnefs, confidence and affiance on this
ground ; yea, then God in Chrifl, and you meet together, and
ivifs each other.

7. Hence we fee what is the befl mark of a believer in Chrift,
for your trial and examination : I'ryit jufl by this, What view
iiave you got of this glory of God in the face ofjefiis Chr'iji^diVid of the
fittributes of God meeting and embracing each other in him ?
Have vou feen i\\q glory, 2iX\d felt the %}irtue of this happy meeting?

I. Haveyoufeen the/^/r^j^of it? When once in a day you had
feen the attributes of God in arms againft you.becaufe of your fm-
nil rebellion againft God, and when you had feen the truth of God
pronouncing the fentence of the law, and his righteoafnefsand
juflice ready to inflii^l the fentence, and execute thefime with
curfes and vengeance, making you defpair of mercy, and give up
with all hope and expe61:ation of peace with God by the law of
works ,* have you thereupon got a view of the harmonious meet-
i-^gof thefe attributes of God, inChrill; Jefus, asthefnrety, the
facrificc, th.c ranfom, the propitiation, in whom the truth and ve-
racity of God is accompli{hed,and the righteoufnefs and juflice of
Cicid fatitfi-d ? i\nd lb mercy and peace vented i^loriniifly, with-
out detriment to any oiher excellency or p crfeftion of Crod..

Hath
\

BivXKfX Attributes difplayd. 535

Hath nothing fatisfied your confcience, but the view of this meet-
ing betwixt 7nerey and jujlice, in the death of Chrift, and killing
each other in his mediation ? Hath God and you met together
this way, and made your heart joyful to kifs and;embrace this
wonderful device, as worthy of God, and fuitable to you ? Have
you feen his glory at this rate ? Then, in God's name, I pronounce
you a believer m Chrift ; For God, who commanded light tofJjine out of
darknefs, hath /Joined into your heart, to give you the light of the knozv^
ledge of his glory y in the face of Chrijl ; and Chrift and you met toge-
ther, and kifled each other ! whether it was in the day of firft be-
lieving, when you fled to him for refuge, or in the day of after-
manifeflation, when, upon the back of difmal hiding on God's
part, or fgrievous backfliding on yours, the Lord drew afide the
vail, andgaye you a glance of his glory ,- whether it was by fome
word of grace, fweetly and powerfully coming in, and opening*
your underflanding, to fee this harmonious meeting, or by fome
fweet droppings of the blood of fprinkling upon your confcience,
by which blood the meeting is cemented together. Haveycu
feen this glory, whether in a fecret corner, or publick ordinance ;
whether at the market-crofs of the gofpel, where this glorious
meeting is proclaimed, or at a communion-table, where it is feal-
cd ? It is all one, it was heaven begun.

2 . Have you felt the virtue, as well as feen the glory of this har-
monious meeting of the divine attributes in Chrill ? 2 Cor. 3. 18.
Beholdingytts in a glafs, the glory of the Lord, we are changed into the
fame image, from glory to glory, as by the fpirit of the Lord. Surely,.
if you have feen this glory, you have felt fomethingof this vir-
tue, by changing you froin glory to glory. It is true, many that have
got a difcoveryof this glory of the Lord, can never think thac
they have felt the fanftifying virtue thereof, and this keeps them
down in the pitof difcouragement; it is true, they that are not
fanftified, and made holy, they difcover, that they never beheld
this glory of the Lord: For this meeting of attributes makes a
meeting of graces in the perfon that fees it favingly. But you
muft remember, that this virtue will never be perfe6lly felt, 'dil
this glory be pcrfeftly beheld in heaven, where we/Jjall be like him^
hecaufewc fljallfce him as he is : And therefore, lince you cannot
judge and try yourfelf by a perfedl: fanftification, trv ic by the be-
ginnings of it ; this transforming virtue, this fantiifying virtue is
prefcnt with you, though you cannot difcern it. Bur, that you
may thro' grace difcern fomethingof it, let me ask you. What
makes you wreftle in fecret fometimes againll fin,if it be not fome
fanSlifying virtue ? What makes the prevalency of fin cp humble

L 1 3 JQ^

J34 ' "^f^s Harmony of the

you totheduH;? What makes you lament your own unholinefs
and impLiiity ? What makes you Jong and groan for compleat vic-
tory over, and freedom from, fin ? What makes you glad of any
viftory over your corruption, when this glory fliines ? What
makes your heart to rife againfl fin ? and, when fin prevails, what
makes you find yourfelves uneafy, and continually out of your e-
lement, 'till the Lord return, and until you get a new dip in the
Jordan of the blood of the Lamh ? You have no mercy on your \u.{\.Sy
and are at no peace with them, butfi:ill crying vengeance upon
them ! Why, it is jufl: the fan6lifying virtue that flows from this
view of the glory of God in Chrift, in whom mercy 'dxidpeace meet
with truth and right eoufnefs. If you fall and flumble at any time,
believer, is it not like the fi:umbling of ahorfe, that makes you
run the falter ? So as you get more good of one fall,than a natural
man will get of a hundred duties, while it makes you flill the more
humbleand watchful, and circumfpedl and dependent. Why,
by all this, it appears (whatever be the defe6l of your fanftificati-
on) that, having beheld the glory of God, you are changed into the fame
image from glory to glory ; you have feen the glory, and felt the vir-
tue of this harmonious meeting of divine attributes in Chrifi:.
But then again, . .

8- Hence we may fee ground of terror to all chrifi:lefs,unbeliev-
ing fouls, that never have feen the glory,nor felt the virtue of this
harmonious meeting, and live carelefs about either of thefe.
What Ihall 1 fay ? If our G of pel be hid^ it is hid to them that are loft,
2 Cor. 4.3,4. In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of
them that believe not, left the light of the glorious gofpel of Chrift fjould
(bine into them. May be, you are prefuming upon the mer-cy of
God, while yet your eyes are blinded, that you do not fee the trtuh
ofhisthreatnings Handing againfi: you: And therefore, Oblaf-
phcmer,do not think that he will be a God of mercy, and not a God
of truth ? Nay, his mercy will never be vented, unlefs the glory of
his trutlr be faved. May be you are fpeaking peace to y ourfelf,
faying, I /hall have peace ; while yet your eyes are blinded, that
you do not fee howGod's being at peace with a finner is confident
wirh his righteoufnefs in taking vengeance upon fin. O then,
blafphemer and prefumer, do you think that God will be a God of
peace, and not a God of righteoufnefs ? Know it then, in the Lord's
name, Ofinfiil unbelieving wretch, that, as there is no mercy for
yoUjtothedifcreditofGod's truth ; fonopeace, tothediflionour
ot his righteoulhefs. Youexpeft mercy ^nd peace feparate fron>
with and right ceiifncfs ; and therefore, mercy and peace fliall be fe--
parate from you, and truth and righteoufnefs will meet with you in!>

fury

i

Divine Attributes difpkyd. 535

fury, and with a vengeance. Your falfe hope of mercy ■^nS peace
makes you merciful to your lufts,and at peace with your idols ; but
the truth and righteoufnefs of God, which you exclude from the
meeting, will hide mercy and peace for ever from your eyes. Jm/-
tice inflead of mercy, war inftead of peace, will enfue ; for truth and
righteoufnefs will execute judgment upon you,for the abufe of mer^
cy and peace. While, through unbelief, ^oudonot fee or approve
their meeting together, and killing each other in Chrift: While
you are in this cafe, you cannot meet with God ; tho', you may
meet with his people at ordinances, or at a communion-table, yet
God and you nex'er met together : Nay,you have other company
the devil and you meet together, and your lulls and you embrace
each other ; the world and you meet together, and its vanities and
you dokifseachother; the law & you have met together, and its
curfe and you do embrace each other. Bin, becaufe you do not
fee the terrible curfes&threatnings thar you are under,remember
that, inafliortwhile, death and you will meet together, and its
cold arms and youmuft embrace each other; and, ifthisgofpel
be hid to you,then, after that,hcll and you will meet together,and
the flames of divine wrath and you will embrace each other to e-
ternity ,• and the vtotto written upon the door of your hell will be,
The vengeance of truth &? righteoufnefs, for the ahuje of mercy ^ peace.
Let this word of terror f]nkinto your confcience, O gracelefs,
chriitlefs, unbelieving foul, that never faw the glory, nor felt the
virtue of this blefled meeting, and, Gallio fikQ^carefor none ofthefc
things. But on the other hand, 0; r'•^'

9. Hence, from this dodlrine, fee ground of comfort to all
believers in Chrift, who have feen the glory, and felt the
virtue of this harmonious meeting of divine attributes in
Chrift. This doclrine is as comf trtab'e to you, as it is terri-
ble to others. Can you fiv before God, That thefe laft two
marks are your experience ? Then lean faY,that all the comforts,
thatilfue from that glorious meerin<^in Chrift, belong to you ;
and Qod d.]\(\\vs\ oil frong confolatinn^ who have fled for refuge to
the hope fet before you : Vox that city of refuge, to wh 'ch you have fled,
is the centre of the meeuiea;, and tiie place appointed, where they
kifs one another harmoniouf! v. Why , ^ay yon, IVhat concern have
I in their meeting and embr acini: each other? Obc'i^vcv, they n:et
together foryourfiike, and kiffed one another out of kindnefs to
you: For there was no real jarring amon2;rhem, but all the appa-
rent jarring was about you, jmd how rheyfiiould be glorified in
your falvation ,• and wh.en infinite wifl' .v^ found the ranf )m,and
fo the way how they ihould all be glorified in your eternal happi-
ly 1 4 nefs.

53(5 The Harmony of the

ncf?, then rhey hugged each other in their arms, as it were, m %
rapture of joy, for your fake, Prov. 8. 31. His delights 'mere mtb
tbefons of men. It was not one attribute only,chac had its delight,
liitisf i6lion and glory, 'tis delights m the plural number ; for all the
attributes of God had their delights : And about what was it ? Why
the counfel of peace was concerning you ,* for his delights were with
thefmsofmen. And youhavingfeentheglory of this device, and
felt fomething of the virtue thereof, God and you have met toge-
ther, and Chrift and you have kiffed each other ; he hath embrac-
ed you, and you have embraced him ; and that embracement is a
pledge and earnefl:,that he and you will meet together in heaven,
and embrace each other to eternity. This meeting and embrace-
ment is founded upon the harmonious meeting and embrace-
ment of the divine attributes in Chrifl ; and therefore it fliall be
fure, abiding and everlafting ; and all thefe attributes are engag-
ed for your comfort and fupport, and this glory of the Lord you/hall
for ever behold : For Chrift, in whom all thefe glorious perfeftions
meet together, hath prayed for it, John 17. 24. Father, Iwill, that
thefe whom thou haft given 7ne,6LC. Here then, believer, is ground
of comfort to you, in every cafe: comfort againfl defertion. Is
it long fince Chrill and you met together, and killed each other?
Behold, here is the reafon, why, he will never altogether leave you^
vorforfake you ; but ftill meet with you now and then, when he fees
it fit, and give you the other kifs of his infinitely blefled lips, and
embrace of his arms, till you come to the intimate, immediate em-
bracementsof hislovein glory,* why, hecdiui'e mercy and truth are
met together, righteoufnefs and peace have kijfed each other. So fure as
mercy and truth are met together, asfurely will theLord meet
with you. Here is comfort againfl the /^'Kj,when it comes in as a
covenant upon your confcience, faying. Pay what thou oweft, oro-
therwife thou art curfed, and muft go to hell ; and the law, fpeaking in
the name oi truth and righteoufnefs, feems terrible : But you may
foonanfwcr by faith, and fay, O law, the demand is jufl indeed, and
agreeable to truth and righteoufnefs ; but you mijlake the perfon : Bor
lYWihand righteoufnefs have already met with mercy a«^ peace, m
the per fun of Chrijl my husband, who endured all my hell, and became a
curfefor me ; and therefore I have no ground to fear the hell thou threat-
nejt, nor the curfe thou denouncejt, nor any liahlenefs thereto. Here is
comfort againil Satan and his temptations. For this blefTed meet-
ing in Chrift did concert his ruin, and the bruifing of his head.
Hltc is comfort againft church-divifiuns and commotions : When
neither miniflers nor private chriflians do meet together, or em-
brace

Divine Attributes difplayd. 537

brace one another with love and amity ; is this fad and affli6ling t>
you ? Plere is a meeting, that may give you comfort in that cafe :
For no member of that meeting will e\'er fall out among thcm-
lelves, or fall out with you. Here is comfort againft your jarring
with friends : What do I know but there is fome here that cannot
get lived in peace with fuch a friend or relation, nor their chridiaa
liberty enjoyed, becaufe of their frowns ? And may be they are as
aliens to you, not in fpeaking terms with you; youcannocmeet
together with them cordially^ nor embrace one another ^w/VaZ?/}-' :
But let this be your comfort in that cafe, ?nercy and truth are met toge-
ther^ right eoufnefs and peace have kijjedeach other ; and you have got
akiisby theby, and that is better than all the kindnefsof all the
friends in the world. Here is comfort againft publick calamities
thatfeem to be approaching, or perfonal trials that may becom-
ing upon you. Here is a cordial, though affliftion and you meet
together; though, in a little, death and you meet together; yet
this meeting of divine attributes in Chrifl:, your glorious head,
fpeaks comfort and fafety to you in every cafe. Though you
iliould die diflrafted, this meeting cannot be dilTol ved ; and you,
having feen the glory, and felt the virtue thereof, fliall be fure to
enjoy the benefit of it to eternity : Tea, furely goodnefs and mercy
fjall follow you all the days of your life, and you /hall dwell in the hoiif&
of the Lord for ever,

10. The lafl inference is, Hence fee the duty of all that hear^nd
knozv this joyful found. Never was there a Tweeter found in hea-
ven,or in earth : And v/hat is the duty of all you that hear it? Sure-
ly, the news of fuch a glorious and harmonious meeting of the di-
vine perfeftions, about the falvation of finnersin andby Chrift
Jerus,{liould be joyfully received. Here are the good tidings of great
joy to allpeople,Luke 2. 10. When EUfabeth the mother o^johnyzud
Mary the mother of Jefus our Lord, met together and faluted each
other, the babe leapt in EUfabeth' s womb for joy. Behold,here is yet a
more wonderful meeting and falutation among the jarring like
attributes and perfeftions of God ,• and furely, if the babe of grace
be in your womb, it will leap for joy, when you perceive fuch a blef-
fed meeting and falutation. Omay it not bring our heart to our
mouth, and make it flutter within us, when we hear of fuch a flilu-
tation as this, mercy and truth are met together! &c. And again,
What is your duty, believer, who not only hears, but knows this
joyful found ? Your duty is, not only to rejoice in this matchlefs
harmonious conjunflion of divine attributes in Chrill:, but to ex-
emplify the fame, by an harmonious conjunftion cf graces and
holy virtues in you. Let mercy and truth meeiing together^ as di-
vine

^38 The Harmony of the

vine attributes, in Chrifl:, be exemplified by mercy and truth meet-
ing together, as divine virtues in you : Let righteoufnefs and peace
killing each other in him, be exemplified by righteoufnefs and peace
Jviiling each other in you : Let the meeting of mercy and truth en-
gage you to be merciful and true ,* merciful, becaufe your heavenly
father is merciful ; and true, becaufe he defires truth in the inward
parts. Let the embraces of righteoufnefs and peace engage you to
be righteous and peaceable, that is, tobefludentsof purity and
peace : For the iviflom that is from ahove, isfirjlpure, and thenpeacea-
ble. Jam. 3. 17. It is declared in the verfe following our text, that
it is the defign of thefe perfe6lions of God, looking down harmoni-
oujly from heaven, to make fuitable graces fpring up from the
earth : Jhith fJjall fpring out of the earth, and righteoufnefs flail look
down from heaven. When the Son of righteoufnefs, in whom all the
excellencies of God do fliine,looks down ,• then as the natural fun,
lliedding its influences, makes fruit to fpring up from the earth ;
fo the Sun of righteoufnefs looking down, and fliedding abroad his
influences, makes truth, and all the refl: of the fruits ofthefpirit, to
fpring out of the earth, out of the heart, the foil where they are
fown, in regeneration. O does 7nercy look down from heaven to
you, in friend fliip with truth ; fliall not this mercy make you mer-^
ciful to the bodies and fouls of others, by doing them all the tern-'
poral and fpiritual good that you can ? And fliall God manifeft his
truth, in conjunction with mercy towards you ; and will you not be
a friend to truth, even to all the precious truths of his gofpel ?
Shall not truth, in oppofltion tohypocrify, be your ftudy; and
truth, in oppofltion to error, be your concern,* 2LXid this truth, in
conjundlion with mercy ? For, when truth is in any hazard, fliould
not mercy to your own foul, and the fouls of others, make you zea-
lous for it ? And mercy to your children and the generation that is
to come after you, on whom we fliow nomercy, if truth be not
tranfinitted purely to them, as it was by our forefathers to us, at
the expence of their blood, however now the waters of the fan6lu-
ary are troubled. Again, does righteoufnefs and peace look down
from heaven, kindly embracing each other in your behalf, belie-
ver ; And fliall not you be a fludent of righteoufnefs, in oppofltion
to all unrighteous and unholy ways,- and of peace, in oppofltion to
contention & difcord ? /h much aspoffible, folloiv peace ivith ail men
and bulincfs^ivitbout which no vian (hall fee the Lord. Does God glorify
his righ:e>)ifnefs '.owards you ; and will you fludy no right eoufnef sin
your con verfa 'ion towards God&manV Does God/peak peace to yot/,
and will you be ar war w'nh him, and love to live in war with any cf
l::s? Shall that be the difpofltion of any, with whom God is at

peace? ,
i\

Divine Attributes difplayd. 539

peace ? 0 tellh not in Gath ! Surely there arc none here,that have
tafted of this hvQti peace of God, but they would defire to Hve at
■peace loith all men, and particularly all the Hunts. Tliey would de-
lire to fee all the honeft miniders oi Scotland meeting together
more kindly than they do, and embracing each other. Some in-
deed are at this time reproached as enemies to peace in the
church; but the matter is, peace muftnot be (ludied feparately
from right eoufnefs, nor mercy feparately from truth, but all as meet-
ing and embracing one another: For mercy and peace, without
truth and right eoufnefs, is a cruel confpiracy againft God and man.
Now, certain things have paft concerning the truths of God, and
the righteoufnefs of Chrift,in our day,which fome think will ftand
infamous till doom's-day ; and, this truth and righteoufnefs being
the great minifterial trull, fome chufed rather to be reproach'd by
the world as enemies to peace, than be challenged by God and
their own confcience as betrayers of the truft. However, O be-
liever, fludy you through grace to get a match made up betwixt
viercy and truth, righteoufnefs and peace in you, feeing there can be
no merciful peace to the prejudice of righteous truth : And ftudy
to get all thefe attributes of God exemplified in your heart and
life, andthe fealandimprefs thereof upon your foul, you being
united to Chrift, in whom all thefe glorious excellencies of God do
meet together with harmonious embracements. Out of Chrifl's
fulncfs do you receive, and grace for grace. As the child receives
member for member from the father, and the paper letter for let-
ter from the prefs ; fo, beholding his glory, be you changed into the
fame image, by receiving mercy for mercy, truth for truth, rightconf-
for righteoufnefs, tind peace for peace : Out of bis fulnefs do you receive
grace for grace, holinefs for holinefs,' and an holy virtue fuitable to
every holy perfeftion that is in him, and all thefe harmoniouOy
meeting together and kifling each other in you : Let no heaven-
ly grace or holy duty be excluded out of the meeting : Let fiiith
and repentance meet together, let love and new obedience kifs
each other ; let knowledge & praftice meet together, and prayer
and praifes embrace each other. Yea, let oppofite-like graces
meet harmonioufiy in you: let humility&boldncfs meet together,
let godly forrow & holy joy embrace each other. Here is the gof-
pcl-holinefs wecallyouto, in a fuitablenefs to thefe harmonious
attributes of God inChrifl : If the world call you/Jntinomiaus,kno\v
itiis the i:oillofGod, that by ivell- doing you put tofilcnce the ignorance of
fooUjh ?;;f«,iPet.2.i5.Let the mouth that reproaches the gofpcl be
ftopt by the power of it in your walk. The ixorldwiW furcly reckon
you the greatefl: flars, that give the greatell light : Therefore let

your

540 The Harmony of the

^ our light fo/ljine before men, that others feeing your good works may
glorify God : even the works of mercy and truth righteoufnefs and
feace, hand in hand together : And thus, for the fake of the glory
of God, the honour of Chrift, and the credit of the gofpel, lee the
world know, that you have feen the glory, and felt the virtue of
thefe perfections of God, harmonioufly meeting and embracing
each other in Chrift. Here is your duty and work, believer,in the
wildernefs ; and now in all your fliortcomings therein, ftill look a-
gain to God's holy temple, to Chrifl: the meeting-place of thefe di-
vine perfedlions ; This is the mercy-feat,of which God fays, Exod.
25. 2 2. There "joilll meefvoith thee, and commune with thee frombe-
tzvecn the Cherubims. And every new meeting with God there,
will bring in new flrength for all your work and warfare in time,
till God and you meet together, and embrace one another, in
glory through eternity ?

And now, believer, I know you would defire that others fhould
fliare of the fame happinefs with you ; and therefore pray that a
fliort concluding word may be blefled with power to thoufands
that hear me. O ye that are by-ftanders and hearers only, in what-
ever corner of this houfe round about me, whether you be in my
view or not, you are in God's view ,* and I have a word from him
to you all ; And, as I have told you what a terrible thing it is to live
and die in unbelief withrefpe6l to this glorious device, fonow^,
would tell you your duty in this matter, and how you may fhare of
the bleflings and benefits, in time and for ever, that flow from this
glorious meeting and embracement ; and it is by kiffing the Son
of God, in whom all thefe attributes of God do kifs and embrace
each other, Pfal. 2.12. Kifs the Son, left he be angry, and ye peri/b
from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little: Bleffed are all
they that truft in him. Bleffed are all they that kifs and em-
brace him. Would you then fliare of the grace and glory that
iffue from this wonderful meeting, and ineffable embracement
among the divine perfe6lions, in Chrifl: the Son of God ? O
then, come and kifs the Son : O down, down with carnal tho'ts,
carnal kilfing, carroufing, andcajollingj here, here is anobje6l
worthy of the mofl: endeared embraces of the immortal foul. O
come, and kifs the Son, by believing in him, and applying the be-
nefits of this glorious tranfaftion to yourfelf: And, be who you
will, if you kifs and embrace theSon, youfliall find thefe glorious |
attributes of God kifling and embracing you, and hugging you in ;
their arm?, as a darling of heaven, and a fpecial favourite in the
houfc of God. Are the attributes of God embracing one another
in Chrift ? O flee into their embraces, by fleeing into Chrifl:.

Divine Attributes difplay'd. 541

Savrot, Chr'ifl is in heaven, hoiv /ball I embrace hiinl For the ivord
is nigh thee, even in your mouth, and in your heart, Rom. 10. 8.
q. d. So near is he in this word, that you may kils him wiiii your
mouth, asit were, and embrace him in your heart,- andtotakeiii
his word of grace, and Chrilt in it, is to embrace him. What do
you fay againfh Chrift ? Are you afraid that truth and rightco.ijncf^
confpireagainiryou, and hinder ?/2(?r6'}' and peace {xova ever meet-
ing with you, and embracing you ? O no, fear not ; only believe,
that mercy and truth are met together, and that righteoufnefs and peace
have kijjed each other in Chrifl. Truth will not ftand in the way of
fnercy; for they have met together; RighteoufneJswWlncA ftand
in the way of peace ; for they have kifled each other.. I le is indeed
an infinitely jufi: God, to take vengeance upon fin ,• but jujlice will
not h'lndQT mercy from coming to you: Only believe that j^yZ/c'^
and mercy are reconciled in Chrid, fo as w^^r^ry can vent itfelf to-
wards you, to the credit of jujlice. ButO! may fuch a black-
mouthed fmner as I, as black as hell and the devil, expe6]: a kifs of
fuch an infinitely fair Jefus ? Is that tobeexpe6ted, that fuch op-
polites (liould meet in one another's arms ? Yet, allow me, tho' a
blick finner like yourfelf, to be the happy mefrenger,.to tell you In
God's name, that, be you as black as you will, fuch a meeting and
embracing betwixt Chrift and you is more to be expected, than
ever men or angels could have expedled that infinite juftice and
mercy fliould have met together, and killed each otherin a God-
man ; and this unexpe6led meeting is the very ground upon
which your expectation of a meeting with, andembraccmentof
God in Chrifl:, is to be founded : O then, come, and kifs the Son.
Why, but I cannot, fay you ; I think I v/ould fain doit; but I can-
not get at him, to kifs and embrace him. Indeed this kindricfs-
mufi: begin on his fide ,• and therefore,Opray that he would come,
and meet you with a kifs of infinite love. Say with the church,.
Sor.g r . 2 . Let him kifs me 'ujith the kiffes of his mouth : For his love is
belter than 'uoine. If that be the language of your foul, O I cannot,
embrace him ; but my heart fay s,0 let him come and embraceme,
and draw me out of the cmbracements of all my former lovers
and lufisjthat 1 may never kifs any idol in the world a.q;:iin, but may
live and die in the arms and embraces of the Son of God ,-. is that

. the language of your foul before the living GOD ? why then the
embracement betwixt Chrilt and you is begun, that fiiall never
have an end; for it is a pledge, that he and you fiiall mec: toge-

lichcr in heaven, and embrace each other to eternity.

' Now, though I Iiope that this glorious meeting of divine per-
fections in Chrifl iuuh put forth fome vir:ue to draw in f.>me imor

Ibul

foul to the match ; yet I fear that the moll part are yet but idle hear-
ers and fpcdators, as if they were not concerned : But O unconcern-
ed foul, be who you will, O yet, will you come and fee this great
fight ! O come and fee the great eft fight that ever was, or will be, in
heaven or earth, a buflo burning, and not confitmed ; all the burning
and mining attributes of God meeting together witli infinite harmo-
ny in the bu(h of our nature, and yet the bulh able to hear the glory,
Zech. 6.13.0 come and wonder ! Here is the wonder of men and
angels ! For this is a wonderful meeting to them : And the name
of the meeting-place is juftly called, wonderful ! O com.e and par-
take ; for the meeting is concerning your falvation in Chrift : His
delights were with the fans of men. O come and fing to the praife and
glory of this wonderful harmonious embracement of divine perfec-
tions in Chrift, efpecially you that partake,fo as to fee the glory,and
feel the virtue thereof. O will you fmg v/ith your hearts, and lips,
and lives, faying, Glory to God, that his attributes have met toge-
ther, and kified each other, in Chrift •, and that ever the like of me
got a kifs by the by : Glory to God, that there is no breaking off this
meeting, nor parting of thefe embraces, by fin,6'^/^;z, earth or hell ;
but that they meet and embrace each other to eternity. And tho*
you cannot remember to fing all that hath been faid, yet I hope the
weakeft memory may remember to fmg the beft note of all the fer-
moH every day, faying, Glory, glory, glory, to God, that mercy and
truth are met together, right eoufnefs and peade have kijfed each other.

The beft Bond, or fureft Engagement.

A SERMON preached immediately before the Adminiftration of the Sa-
crament of the Lord's Supper, at Dumferml'ms July 19. 1724.

By the Rev. Mr. Ralph Erskine.

J E R E M. XXX. 21.

For who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me ? faith

the Lord.

MY friends, after the firft Adam\ heart departed from the
Lord, fo as to violate the covenant of works, never a heart
of all hispofterity could or would have approached unto
God again, but had remained in their natural enmity againft him,
had not the fecond yldam fo engaged his heart unto God in our fa-
vour,as to draw the hearts of many after him ; And if we couki this

day

d

Of furejl Engagement. ^/■/^

day look into Chrift's heart, and difcover his heart-kindnefs in this
matter, fo as to knit our hearts to him, and to God in him, and get
the knot feakd in the facrament with God's feal -, it woiiM make
this a day to be much remembred to all eternity. O then, let your
hearts be looking up to the Lord, that you may fee into the heart
and bofom of this fcripture, and into the myftery of t!tlis great que-
ftion, IVho is this that engaged his heart ? &c.

The Lord by the prophet Jeremiah had been comforting his
church, by feveral excellent promifes relating to their return out of
the hahylonijh captivity, typical of the glorious things referved for
the church in the days of the Mejfias : Particularly in the preceed-
ing part of this verfe, it is promifed, that they fhall be bieft with an
excellent government j TheirnoMesJhail be of them/elves, they (hall
not have ftrangers and enemies to be their judges, butthefe of their
own nation. Their governor Jhall proceed from thimidfi of them. This
hath a reference to Chrift our Governor,Z)<3t;/(iour king,as you may
fee by comparing this with ver.9. They fhall ferve the Lord theirGod,
andt)3.v\d. their king, whom I will raife up unto them. This gover-
nor is of our felves, being in all things made like unto his brethren \ I
will caufe him to draw near, and he fhall approach unto me. It is a fin -
gle perfon that is fpoken of, and the perfon is the Governor, and
the Governor is Christ. God the Father did caufe him, as me-
diator, to draw .near and approach to him ; he commanded and au-
thorized him to do it ; he fan^ifed and fealed him {or this end -, he
appointed and anointed him for this purpofc, and he accepted of
him,& declared himfelf well-pleafed in him ; and therefore hefpeaks
of it with wonderful pleafure, IVho is this that engaged his heart to
approach unto me? When God draws a perfon near to him, he is e-
ven delighted with that approach to him, whereof he himfelf is tl;e
caufe ; much more if it be fu.ch a perfon as here the governor of 7/-
rael, for who is this Sec ? Here is the event of the excellent promi-
fes that v/ere made to Ifrael, by way of anticipation of feme objec-
tion that might be made. How fhall all this be done .? Why Chrift
the governor hath engaged for all that either God calls for from
you, or that he promifes to you. He is one that Jhall not fail nor be
dfcouraged, till he hath fet judgment in the earth, Ifa. 42. 4. Thus all
the promifes come to us in Chrift -, they come from God thro' him,
and fhould lead us up to him, in whom they are all Tea and Amen.
They are rivulets that fweetly flow and run forth from the cc.an ro
the city of God, to the houfe of the mourner, to the field of the vvi-
thered, to the habitation of the hungry and thiril:y,yca,tothe grave
of the dry bonts,to make the dry landfprings of water. and to make the.

wildcrnefs

544 '^^^^ beft BoJ^n,

wihIoKefs to bJnJom as the rofe. What thefe excellent promifes
.are, that tlius run forth, you may fee in the preceeding part of the
<:hapter; for example, ver. 17. tho' -the wound Teem incurable,
•God will make a cure for it ; and tho' you be call ofF at ail hands,
and cafl out at every door, and none feek after thee, yet I'll feek
thee out; and tho' deferted and defpifed of thefe that are about
thee, yet I'll put honour upon thee, yea, I'll glorify thee, andthou
jhalt not be fmall, as it is ver. ig. And the fum of all the promifes is
"jer. 22. Tc jballbc my people, and I ■will be your God ; I'll work in you
all that you want, that is, Im flmllbe my people ; and I'll be to you
all that you need, thatis, I will b^ your God. O that we could take
jioldof this promife! It is as much as to fay, Fll make you Z^o/y, and
what I would have you to be^foryePjallbe my people ; and I'd make
you.happy, for I will be your God. O, but upon what confideration,
or on what account will he do all this ? My text opens the ground,
fur who is this that, &c. Why will he dofo much kindnefs toany
poor worm of Adam's houfe ? Why, becaufe Chrift, as mediator,
hath engaged his heart to approach unto God in their Jiead, to do all that
was requifite for making a vent to this kindnefs and favour of God
towards man. I know that fome take the words to be fpoken of
the people of God their drawing near by faith, and in point of duty
engaging themfelves to approach to him through his grace. This
isacoijfequent that follows upon the other, and therefore I fliall
not exclude it from its own place in the application of this fubjeil",
if the Lord will. But, with the beft interpreters that I have {"Qen,
I apprehend it is fpoken of Chrift, holding out his undertaking for
an elc£l world in the covenant of redemption or grace, and be-
coming our furety, engaging himfelf to the Father for us, in the
view of our having ruined ourfelves, and broke our credit with
God. The firfl v^^^?h, our natural and federal head in the cove-
nant of works, broke the covenant, and violated the engagement
that he made of approaching to God, with his perfedt perfonai
obedience ,• and fo he, and we in him, loft all our power with God,
i3ut, behold, the fecond Jdam having his heart filled and fraught-
ed with love to a company of finful miferable worms, fuch as are
here prcfent, h-e undertakes the engagement ih^t yJdam brake ;■
And he being a perfon of entire credit, the bargain was agreed to,
and God ifllies out all biefTngs on his account : For vobo is this that
engaged his heart ?

In the words you may obferve, ( i . ) The proper work and office
of our Lord Jefus as mediator, u/s. to approach unto Go^,and that for
■lis, and in our room and ftead, as the high pried of our profeffion.
ihc pnejls are /aid to dravi near to God, Lev, 10. 3. and 21. 17, 18.

h

or fureji Engagement. 545

It faid faid, Exod. 20. 21. ih^it Mofes drew near unto the thick dark-
nefs, 'where God was. SodidChrift, our great Mofes, draw near
and approach unto God. ( 2. ) Obferve, in the words, his cordial
compliance with this work; He engaged his heart to it, he received a
commandment of the Father, who caufed him to approach, he being
the original caufe and rpring,as the conne6ling particle {for ) does
fhew; For who is this that does approach"^ Could any do it without
me ?. No, the Father was firfl; at work ; but Chrifl was as willing to
the work as his Father was to employ him : He engaged his hearc
to it, that is, he bound and obliged himfelf to it ,• he undertook for
his heart, as feme read it ; he undertook for his foul, that in the f id-
nefs if time it jloouJd be made an offering for Jin : His own voluntary
compliance with his Father's will, and his compaflion to fallen
man, engaged him ; and he was hearty and refolute, free and
cheerful in it,and made nothing of the difficulties that ftood in the
way. ( 3. ) You have here the Jingnlarky ofthisfaSt, and the won'
derfulnefs o[ it, exprelTed in thequeflion, fVhois this that engaged
his heart to approach unto me ? It points out the greatnefs of the per-
fon,the admirable nature of the work he effays. Chrifl is in all this
matter truly wonderful; and when it is a God thatexprelTesitin
this manner, wemav well ask it with admiration, IVho is this that
engaged his heart tofuch an undertaking ? And then, ( 4. ) You have
the divi?ie tejlimony d.nnexQd to the whole, in thofe words y^/f/; f/;^
Lord. Here is a noble ground (or faith, even the teftimony of the
God of truth : Let the mouth of unbelief be flopt, for the mouth
of the Lord hath fpoken it. God's teftimony is our fectirity, and
we need no better than the word of a God teftifying concerning
his eternal fon. PFho is this that engaged his heart to approach unta
me? faith the Lord.

OBSERVE, That our Lord Jefiis Chrifl, the eternal Son of God, cor-
dially and willingly engaged himfelf to approach unto God in the work
§nd hufinefs of our redemption.

I ihall endeavour to clear this do6trine, and upon it fpeak to the
feveral parts of the text, in the following method : After that we
havecieared thetruth of thedo6lrine, we (liall, i. Shewwhata
wonderful perfon this is that engaged his heart to approach unto
God; as feems to be pointed out in this queftion, ^/;o/V f/^/j-? 2.
The nature of the work that he engages himfelf in, while it is an en-
gagement to approach unto God. 3. The fingularity of the fadt,
included in the manner of the exprellion, fVljo is this that engaged
bis heart to approach imto God 7 4. Thereafonsof thedoclrine,* or,
why Chrift came under this engagement : Together with the rea-
sons of our faith concernin.s; it ; or, why it is, that JEHOA^AH's
|i ^^ ^ teftimony

546' The befi Bond,

teflimony is added in thefe words, faith the Lord. 5. Draw feme
inferences by way of «j5/?/iVflfiowof thedoftrine, astheLordfliali
pleafe to aOifl:.

Now, before I proceed to the method here laid down, I would
f .ffer yoLi fome fcriptural proofs of the doftrine. That Chrifl will-
ingly engaged himrelfherein,is evident, ( i. ) From his accepting
ijf the work and' office, Pfal 40. 7j 8. JVhen facrifice and offering
imddnot, then f aid he, Lo, home, &c. compared with Heb. 10. $, 6,
7. (2.) From his reckoning it his glory and honour, that he hath
taken this office upon him at his Father's call ; as is plain from that
exprefllon,//^/'. 5.4,5. A^o man takes this honour to himfelf, but he that
is called of God, as ims Aaron : So Chrifl glorified not himfelf, to be made
m highpriefl ; but he thatfaid to him. Thou art my fan, to day have I be-
gotten thee ,• Thou art apriejifor ever. ( 3.. ) From his promifing to
depend on his Father for his help andafTiftancein the work, Ifa.
49. 5. Tho' Ifrael be not gathered, fays Chrifl, yet floall I be glorious in
the eyes of the Lord, andmy God poall be myflrength. Ifa. 50. 7. The
Lord God mil help me, therefore fJjall I not be confounded; therefore
icilll fetmy face like a flint, and 1 know that I [hall not be apjamed.
Hence it was, that he endured the crofs, and defpifed the fhame.
Jivillput my trufi in him,{kys Chrifl, Heb. 2. 13.(4.) From his pro-
miling fubjeftion to his Father's will, in bearing reproaches, and
laying down his life for thefe that were given to him, Ifa. 50. 5, 6.
I was not rebellious, neither turned away my back. 1 gave my back to
t he f miters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off' the hair : I hid not my
face from fbame and fpitting. And ^ohn lo.iy.Ilay down my life,
and this commandment have I received of my Father. And ( 5. ) Ac-
cording as he promifed, fo did he accomplifli the promife; his
heart was fet upon the work in the hardefl part thereof, I have O'
haptifm to be baptifedwith, and how am I ftraitnedtiUit be accompli Pj-
ed ? And he never was at reft till he could fay, It is finifhed ; I have
glorified thee on earth, I have finifhed the work which thougavefimeto
do, John. 17. 4. 'I hus he fulfilled the engagement he came under.
And then ( 6. ) He expe61:s the glory promifed to him, and the ac-
complillimcnt of the glorious promife that was made to him upon
his fulfilling liiscngagements, John. 17.4, 5. 1 have glorified thee on
the earth : Jnd now, O fat her, glorify thou me ivith thine ownfelf, with
the glory which I had with thee before the zvorldwas. Yea, he chal-
lenges it as his due every way, ver. 24. Father, I will that thefe whom
thouhiijl given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my
glory which thou hafl given me : For thou haft loved me before the foun-
dation (f the world. And thus in all thefe things you fee the
truth uf the dodrine cleared.

or furejl Engagement. 547

1 ft Head. The firfl; thing I propofed, was, to iliew what a won-
derful per/on this is, that engages his heart to approach unto God ; as is
pointed out by the qiiellion, PFho is this ? There are thefe
following things wonderful in this perfon's engaging.

Firfly fVho is this ? 1 anfwer, who but the eternal Son of the eter-
nal Father, one God with him and the eternal fpirit, even the king eternal
and immortal^ who isfaid to be over all God blejjed for ever, Amen^
Rom. 9.5. Amen fays the apoftle, and Amen let our hearts fay to it,
by putting the crown of abfolute divine fovereignty and fupreme
deity upon the head of our LORD JESUS this day, in oppolitioa
to the damnable error of Arianifn, that is like to take deep root in
Britain and Ireland^d^nd fpread like a gangreene,and eat like a can-
cer. Whoishe astohisperfon? ^^/i'f/;^6'oKo/Go^: And who
is he as to his nature and effence .** He is the fame in fub/iance, equal
in power and glory with the Father and the Holy Ghofi. He is God over
ullblejjedfor ever ; and curfed is the communicant that fhall not fay
Amen. Under the great feal of the facrament of the Lord's fup-
per, we make the apoftle'sconfeffion of faith, i John$. 20. that if
any ask who is this? We anfwer. This is the true God, and
E fERNAL LIFE. This glorious engager,the Lord Jefus,whofe deatti
we commemorate, is, with refpe6l to his divine nature, the true
God ; and he hath upon his veflnre and upon his thigh written this name,
King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. This is the eternal word that was
made flefli ,• he took on him our nature, and became man, that he
might appeafe God. The infinitely great quality of the perfon
does higtily commend his loving undertaking and engagement.
But, Secondly^ Who is this ? It is one, who, tho' he was in the form
of God, and thought it no robbery to be equal with God, yet took upon him
the formofa fervant^andwas made in the Hkencfs of men; and being
found infajkion as a man, he humbled himfelf, and became obedient unto
death, &c. Phil 2. 6, 7. 8- It is he who, tho* his generatim cannot
b2 declared, his goings forth having been from of old, from everlajting ; .
y .it engaged to be made f a woman, made under the law, to redeem
them that vjcre under the law, and lu^j cut off out of the land of the liv-
ing;. It is he who, tho' he was the prince of the kings of the earth.f^ the
king of kings, yet enga_a;ed to become a fervanc to fervancs, and rC"
covdingjy girds bin felf to ferve them, and to wa/h their fc^ct, John 13..
4,5. It is he who, tho' he be admirable in his fjvereignty, his
kingdom being over all, yet is matchlcfs in his Cimdefccntion. Tho'
he is one that could never have been known, unlefs he had mjde
himfclf known ; yet he hath fhozvn himfelf ?'? be une that is mighty in
'iaird and deed, faying,/: is Lthatjpeakin ri^hteoufnefs: mighty tofave,
Ifa. 63. I. Itishe who, tho' he be the only Son and dearly beluv-

iN'I m 2 cd

i

548- The hefl Bond,

ed of God, yet engages to quit his Father's company, and bear his
wratli and indignation. If it had been a fimple privation of his
Father's countenance for a little,it had been more than all the fons
of men were worth ; for he was daily from eternity his father's
delight, rejoicing alijoays before him,?rov. 8- 30- But it mud be more ;
he engages to take our fin and guilt upon him, tobearourgriefs,
and over and above to undergo his father's wrath; infomuchthat
tho' the father's delight in him was never changed or altered, yet
he engaged to become fuch a ftrange objedl of his delight, as that
he fliould delight to bruife him, and take pleafure in making him a
facrifice, 7/^. 53. 10. It pleafed the Lordto bruife him; he took plea-
fure in bruifing him in the mortar of his infinite vengeance, till he
bruifed his blood out of his heart and veins, and his foul out of his
body ; for hefweat great drops of blood in the garden, yea, bled to death
on the crofs and then gave up theghofl. Who is this ? Who but he
who was the pleafant obje6t of God's infinite love, becoming the
pleafant obj e6l of his infinite wrath ? Ghrifl was loved of the Fa-
ther in his dying, and for his dying in our ftead,- he loves him in
himfelf, and loves him as a facrifice ,• for it was dijacrificeofafweet-
fmelling favour unto God, Eph. 5. 2. But O dear bought to ChriJl
was this love! '^.fVhoisthis? Who but that glorious one, whom
we have infinitely difobliged by our fin, and had difengaged to do
us any favour, by our revolt from him, by breaking our engage-
ments in the covenant of works, and by continual rebellion againjl
him, and vexing his holy fpirit, If a. 63. 10. /f7jo is this? Even he
whom, the party that he engages for on the one fide, does mod
loath anddefpife,' for He is defpifed and rejected of men ; ivehidasit
'Djere our faces from him ; he was defpifed^and ive efteemedhbn riot ; and
yet he engages for thefe that were in aftual oppoficion and enmi-
ty to him ; For, while we were yet enemies, he engages for us ;
He died for the ungodly, Rom. 5. 6. And God commends bis love toivardr
fis, in that, ivhile we zvere yet jinners, Chrifl died for us, verfe 8. And
when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his fouy
t^r;/^ 10. He loved them that loathed him. Again, ^..Whois ibis?
JFleisonethat flood in rto need of us, being infinitely happy in
himfelf, and had lofl: nothing tho' all mankind had periflied for
ever j and yet, before we were nat happy, he would expofe him-
felf tothegreatefi:mirery, refolving that he would not be happy
^vilhout us. He would rather come and endure the contradiction of
Jinners againjl himfelf, reproach, blafphemy, and all manner of in-
dignities; tho' be -was rich, yet for our fake he became poor ; and tho"
he was exalted to the highcfi, yet he would be humbled to the
lowcfi. Let all the excellencies of heaven and earth be put toge-
ther ;

or fiirejt Engagement. 549

iher; let all the perfe6lions that ever the world heard of, and in-
finitely more ; let them be all gathered together, and infinity
added to them, and alHhining inoneperfon, and thatisChrill:,
O how rich ! How glorious ! And yet this perfon engages to die
for vile worms, whom he might have trampled under his feetfor
ever. 5. JVho is this ? Why, he is one that could lay his hand upon
both parties that were at variance, God and man ,• and fo lay hold
on both,and bring them together in himfelf, tho' at an infinite dif-
tance from one another, Col. i. 20, 21. He hath made peace by the
hloocl of his crofs, and reconciled heaven and earth. He is one, that was
able not only to remove the partition betwixt ^ews and Gentiles^
man and man, but to take down the partition- wall betwixt God
and man, to bring the finner to God, and God to the finner, i Pet.
3. 18. Chriji hath once fiiffcred for fin, the juft for the iinjufl^ that he
viight bring its to God. God is in Chrijt reconciling the ixiorld to himfelf;
and lb he is one that brings both together, by his almighty arm;
This man fJjallbe the peace; this God-man is our peace, being a
friend to both parties : Being God, he is fuch a friend to God, that
he will let him want nothing of his due, he will give juftice every
farthing, and retrieve the whole glory that fin had defaced ; and
being man, he is fuch a friend to man, that he will pay all our debt,
recover all our lofs, yea, and gain much more to us than ever we
lofi:. 6. JVho is this ? He is one, whofe name is called -wonderful^
Ifa. 9. 6. But who can tell the wonders of his perfon, the wonders
of hisperfeftions, the wonders of his offices, relations, appear-
ances, birth, life, death, rerurre6lion,afcenfionandintercefiion;
the wonders of his righteoufnefs,the wonders of his purchafe,the
wonders of his love in its heighth and depth, length and breadth,
in its eternity, efficacy and confl:ancy ? He is one whofe name is
wonderful, whofe followers that bear his name are for figns and
wonders, Ifa. §. 1 8. Behold^ land the children which thou hafi given me
are for figns ami wonders. Zcch .3-8. Thou and thy fellows that fit be-
fore thee are men wondered at ; and indeed, the more of Chrift they
have about them, the more they do become a world's wonder, as
Chrifi: himfelf was. Whatflialllfay ? Tnne would fail to fpealc
of thefe things, and to mention his wonderful a6ls, his wonderful
counfels, his wonderful way upon the earth, and in the hearts of
his people ; his wonderful works towards the children of men,
both in judgment and mercy ,• and his wonderful condu6l towards,
his own children. Let it fiiffice that this is he, whofe name is
and fiiall be called WONDERFUL.

2d Head. The fecond thing propofed was :o fpeak of the«^-
iure of the ^vork he engages himfelf in, while it is faid, he engaged

M m 3 his

55<3 T])e bejl Bond,

his heart to approach unto God. The priefts under the law, their
approarhing unto God, did but adumbrate and fliadow forth our
great I Lgh I'ncft's approach unto God, in our room and ftead.
in order to clear this point then, in the general, I premife thefe
two things. i]1, All mankind were barr'd out from theprefence
of God, lb as they could not approach to him in their own per-
fons ; and that by a threefold bar. i . The bar of a broken and
violacedlaw or covenant of works. The covenant of works, ye
know, was, DO and LIVE, otherwise yefliall die: In which cove-
rant the precept was DO, and the promifewas life, and the pe-
nalty was DEATH. Man by his lln hath broken the precept of do-
ing, forfeited the promife of life, and incurred the penalty of
death : ]>iow, if ever we approach to God in mercy, this broken
precept mud be repaired, this forfeited life mud be redeemed,
this incurr'd penalty mufl: be executed, and endured. Here is a
bar that neither men nor angels can draw & take out of the way,
inorder to our approach unto God. 2. The bar of God's injured
perfeftions, particularly God's infinite holinefs, which ftands up
for the defence of the precept of the law, infomuch that none can
approach to a holy God, unlefs his hohnefs be vindicated by a
pcrfecl obedience. Again, God's infinite jujtice, which flands up
for the penalty or threatningof the law, infomuch that none can
approach to a juft God,unlefs his juftice be fatisfied by a compleat
facriiice. Now, as our natural want of conformity to the law,
makes the holinefsof God ftand in the way of our approach to
him ; fo our natural want of ability to give fatisfaftion, makes the
juflice of God to be a bar againft our approach. O who will draw
this bar of God's injured perfe6lions ! 3. The bar of natural en-
mity and fin on our part, Ifa.59. 2. Tour iniquities have feparated
betwixt you and your God,^o as we cannot approach to him. We are
enemies to God by wicked works : This is a bar that cannot be broken
but by an Almighty arm. Thus, I fay, all mankind was barr'd out
from the prefence of God, there was no approaching to him.
2dly, I premife, That the work of him who fliall approach to God,
in our (lead, and as our reprefentative, mufl include the breaking
of thefe bars. He that will engage to approach unto God as our
head, to bring us back to God, mufl engage to break thofe bars ;
and fo, I. To break the bar of a violated covenant of works.
And accordingly, Chrift comes, and, by his obedience to the
death, he magnifies the law, and makes it honourable : The precept
of ihe law,tljat we had broken, he mufl fulfil, by obeying perfeft-
\y. The promife of eternal life, which we had forfeited, he muO:
recover by redeeming the forfeiture, bringing in sverlajling righte-

oufnefs :

or furcft Engagement. ^^i

Biifn^fe: Thethreatning and penalty of eternal death he mufl
endure, or the eqiiivalent, by coining under the curfe of the law.

2. To break the bar of God's injured perfe6lions, by vindicating
the holinefs of God, and fatisfying the juftice of God, that fo thefe
and the like injured attributes of the divineMajelly may not fland
in the way ; for, while they do, there is no approaching untoGod.

3. To break the bar of man's natural enmity againfl God, other-
wife he that engages himfelf to approach unto God, cannot
bring us to God with him.

I'hefe things being premifed, we may the more eafily fee what
is the work that the Lord Jefus engaged bis heart iinto^ in approach-
ing unto God : He comes to God in our ftead, who could not
approach in our own perfons : It is below the majefty of a great
king to treat and tranfa6l immediately with a guilty rebel and trai-
tor; andfo it is below themajefty of the great God, to tranfaiSt
immediately with wretched fmners : And who then will ap-
proach ? Therefore he tranfa<Sls immediately with Chrill, a per-
Ibn of equal dignity with himfelf as to his divine nature, and a
perfon able to break all thefe bars, and fo make an open door for
himfelf as Redeemer, and then for all the redeemed at his back,
to approach unto God as their eternal reft and happinefs : And all
this he does, by fulfilling the broken law ; for he came to fulfil all
rigbteoufnefs ; by fatisfying God's injured perfeftions, infomucli
that God is well pleafed for his right eoifnefs fake ; and by deflroy ing
man's natural enmity, infomuch that they are reconciled to God by
the death cf his Son.

But, more particularly, I would fliow here, (t.), l^hat engage-
ments Chrift came under. (2.) PFlmt approach did he make to God
under thefe engagements. (3 .) Under -ivhat confiderations are we to
view the God to whom be engages to approach, (4.) • In whujtati-
on did he engage to approach unto God. FiVy?, What engage-
ments did Chriit come under, when he engaged himfelf to approash
unto this God ? fie came under engagements about the whole work
of our redemption. And, ift, He engaged to put himfelf in the
form of a fervafit, by taking on him our nature, and taking our place
in law, that fo the law might reach him in the {lead of the guilty
linner,- otherwjfe the law-curfe due to us could never have reach-
ed him. Now, to this engagement belong feveral things, which
Khali ihortly deliver in fomany fcriptural exprelfions. He en-
gaged to be made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that
were under the law. He engaged, even //^ who knew nofm.to be
male fin for us, that we might be made the right eoujnefs of God in him.
And thus, '2,dlyt He engaged to fatisfy, not only the law, in all its

M m 4 commands

^^2 ^^^" 11)6 bejl Bond,

commands and demands, but alfo all the injured attribtices of tht
Divine Mnjcfty, by bringing in everlafling righteoufnefs : He enga-
ged to gi'-oc ' him] elf a facrifice, and to give his foul an offering for Jin,
and to give bis life a ranfom for many : He engaged to inake peace by
■f/ie blood of his crofs, and fo to repair the breach betwixt God and
man, making way by his blood to the holy of holies, thdi we might have
boldncfs to enter into the holiejl by the blood of Jefus, by a ne-w and liv-
ing way, confecrate to tis through the vail, that is to fay hisfle/h, that
we might come again to God with full ajjwance of faith. And in
order to this, ^dly, He engaged to redeem by power as well as by-
price, and to jnake a willing people in the day of his power ; and that
having bruifed the head of the fer pent, and dejiroyed the works of the de^
vilyhe JJjould bring forth his prif oners aut of the pit wherein there was
no water ; he engaged to lead captivity captive, to take the prey from
the mighty, that the lawful captive might be delivered, Ifa. 49. 24, 25,,
and foto reflrore thelofl image of God upon man, and to make
them partakers of the divine nature. And thus, 4.thly, He enga-
ged not only to deflroy fm and condemn it in the iiefli, becaufe it
tended to deftroy God's law, to darken his glory, and to ftrike at
his being, as well as to ruin the finner ; but alio to defiroy death', and
bring life and immortality to light : He engaged to come, that we
might have life, and that we migirt have it more abundantly : And
in all thefe Chrift becomes engaged to the Father for our debt,
for our duty, and for our fafety. And as he became engaged
to God for us, fo he became engaged to us for God ; that having
engaged to God for our debt, we fhould be juftified ; having
engaged for our duty, we fliould be fanftified, and that having
engaged for our fafety, we (liould be glorified, and fafely
brought to heaven, to be for ever with the Lord. i. He en-
gaged for our debt, that it fliould be paid every farthir/g to the lit-
termojl that the infinite holinefs of God could command in the
precept of the law, and to the uttermofl that the infinite Juftice
of God could demand in the threatningof thelaw; aad ^ohe is
able to fave to the uttermoft, becaufe he ever lives to make interceffion
upon the ground of that compleat payment th^the made by his 0-
bedience unto death. And here {lands thegroundof our juftificati-
on beforeGod ; this ground he engaged toGod for us to lay down,
and upon this ground he engages to us that we fliall be juftified,
fay i n g, /ly/// be merciful to their imrightcoufnefs, their fins and iniqui-
ties will I remember no more. 2. He engaged not only for our debt,
but for our duty; having engaged to God to make a purchafe of
■all grace and holinefs for us,he engages in his promife to us, to give
us the new heart and thenew fpirit, to make us knoivthe Lord, and to

pit

i

or fureft Engagement. 553

put his Jpirit ivith'in us, and caufe us to zvalk in his fiatutes ; to put his
fear in our hearts^ that i^e flmll not depart from him ; andconfequenc-
Jy that we ihall not fin the fin unto death, nor live and die under the
power of fin; ?indiha.t fin /ball not have a final dominion oi;erus ;
but that the law of thefpirit of life in Chrijl Jefus jhallfree us from the
law of fin and death. And in confequence of thefe two en.2;age-
mencs for debt and for duty. 3. He a'fo engages for our /(/^ry,
faying to the Faiher, I give them eternal life, and they fJjall never pe-
rijh ; neither fijall any pluck them out of my /;aKc/John 10. 28. I le en-
gages to the Father, that of all that be hath given hiniy hefJjall lofe no-
thing, hut jhall raife it up again at the lafl day ; and that they fijall all
he with him where he is, to behold his glory. And hence ifllie all the
promifes wherein alfo he engages to us forGod,fuch ^s,that he will
fave us from falling, and prefent us fault lefs before the pre fence of his
glory with exceeding joy ; and that though we may be fometimes
carried captive of our enemies by conftrairht, yet that we lliall o-
vercome by the blood of the Lamb, and fit with him on bis throne,
even as he overcame, andisfet down with his Father on his throne : And
that no crofs ihall come, but what lliall be for our advantage in
the end, whatever for the prefent it feem to be to our fenfe ; but
ihatfl// thijigs pjall work together for our good who love him, and are
the called according to his purpofe.

I'his leads to a queflion, IVhy, fay you, who may expect afJ:are of
this engagement of Chrifi ? Does he engage in behalf of us all ? I ani-
wer,in fuchamanneras concerns all that hearme, that he en ga-
ged in behalf of ^// that were given him of the Father ; and chat none
ofall that hear this gofpel may look upon themfelves as {hut out,
he expreflcs it thus, J'oh.6.27. All that the Father hath given mefljall
come to me,^ him that cometh to me I will in no ivife cafe out. And con-
fequently he engages in behalf of all that ihall not exclude them-
felves from the benefit of this glorious engagement by their final
unbelief, in rejetling this Chrifi, and refufing to be faved on thefe
terms which Chrifl: engaged to fulfiK And fo the door is open to
you all, to put in for a full fliare ofall that Chrift hath engaged to
do ; efpecially if you think that your own perfonal bonds and en-
gagements, vows, promifes and covenants, are not fo good and
fufhcient asChrill's perfonal engagement in your ftead : Think
you fo, my friends ? O then, here is a good bargain for you ; you
that have no m.cnevto pay your debt, no grace to perform your
duty, no flrengch to fecure your fafety,0 here is a Chrift engaging
•to God for your debt, your duty and your fafety ; O let your heart
fay with application, ylmcn, it is a good bargain for mc ,• and if fo,5*«i|i«
God hath beforehan;4 faid /Ivien, fo let it be. In a word,ihe fum of

Chrift's

^^^ TJje beft Bond,

Chrift's engagement, that he came under in his approach to God,
was, to fulfil God's law, to vindicate his holinefs, to fatisfy his juf-
tice' to bear his wrath in oar ftead, and to be made fm for iis, and fo
tohQmadeacitrfeforiis,iCor.5.lafi. GaL^.i^. He engaged to be
made a facrifice, a ranfom, a propitiation for us, and to be all that
the glory of God's perfe6lions in the matter of our falvation re-
quired. 'I'hHs he engaged himfelf to approach unto God.

Secondly, What approach did he make to God under thefe engage-
ments "? In Ihorr, (i.) It was a w^^r approach, by God's own allow-
ance and appointment. See the context, Iimlicaufe him to draw
near, and he fjall approach to me. We behoved to have ftood at an
infinite diftance from God to all eternity, had not Chrid: been al-
lowed to come near in our (lead. But behold, he made a near ap-
proach under the Ihadow of lawful authority; his Father autho-
rized him therein, and caufed him to approach : God the Father is
the primary caufe of our falvation. This commandment, faysChrifr,
have I received of my Father, Joh. i o. 1 5. It is his Father s imll that he
came to do,PfaL 4.0. S^ And how near Chrift approaches to God in
our ftead, under this authority, allowance and command, who can
tell among men or angels ? For he came fo near, as to lay his hand
upon God ; yea,to take God and all his glorious perfe6lions, all his
feemingly jarring attributes in his arms, as it were, and reconcile
them one to another, and bind them together with the band of in-
finite amity and harmony, to the highefl: glory of each of them, in
the matter of our falvation : And hence, upon this near approach,
it wasfdid, mercy and truth are met together, righteoufnefs andpeace
have kijfed each other. Therefore, ( 2. ) It was a hold approach by
God's own ailiftance, as well as near by his allowance. This is e-
vident alfo in the text, / will caufe him to draw near ; and who is this
that engaged his heart to approach unto me V faith the Lord. It was a
bold and couragious approach indeed; but it was by his Father's
help and affiftance, Ifa. 50. 7. The Lord Godivillhelp me, therefore
[ball I not be confounded ; yea, therefore have Ifet my face like a flint.
It wasfuch a bold adventure, as none could have made but him-
felf. And yet, ( 3. ) ^"^ was an humble approach : For, tho' he was
in the form of God, and thought it no robbery to be equal zmth God, yet he
humbled himfelf , andtookuponhimthe formofa fervant, Philip. 2. 8.'
lie became his Father's humble fervant in the work of our re-
demption ,• Behold my fervant whom I uphold. He ferved him in a
flatc of humiliation, from the time of his incarnation to the time of
Ins exaltation. He was meek and lozvly, while he offered his hum-
ble Icivice to God for our fake, and his humble fervice to us for :
<'jod's fake, Hooding dow nio wa/h our feet, to. wzjh our hearts, to

wa/J?
i

or fur eft Engagement, ^^^

"joaftour confciences, to wa/J:) our fouls in his own blood, Hiying, If I
wajh thee not, thou haft no part in me. I lis approach to God was an
humble and reverential approach, with holy filial fear and rej^ard
C)f his Father ; therefore it is faid, Heb. 5. 7. that in the days of his
ftejh, he offered up prayers and fupplications, iviibftrong cr\infr and
tears, to him that zvas able tofave him from death, and was heard in that
he feared. How humbly did he cry to his Father in the garden,
when he f^id, Fat her, if it be thy will, let this cup pafs from me ; never-
thelefs, not my will, but thine be done: Now is my foul troubled, and
'what Jhall I fay ? Father, fave me from this hour ; but for this caufe
came I to this hour : Father, glorify thy name. Ic was in the faddell
earned:, and deepeft humility, that he approached to his Father in
this work. ( 4- ) ^^ ^^^ ^ folemn approach. H^ho is this that en-
gaged his heart to approach to me ? It is I, fays Chrifb ,* and he fays it
with a folemnity, Lo Icome, Pfal. 40. 7. Lo /come, in the volume
of thy book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God.
Lo I come ; as if he had faid, let heaven and earth be witneffes to
this approach of mine ; let God and all the creatures of God atteft
it ; for 1 am not afliamed of this work which the Father hath gi-
ven me to do. Lolcome. Otherchara6lersof this approach may
fall in upon the next general head : Therefore I go to the nexc
particular here premifed, which will alfo further illuftrate the
nature of this approach

Thirdly, Under what confideration are we to view the God to
whom he approached ? Who is this that engaged his heart to approach
untoME^^ What ME? It is to me, fays Jehovah. And here we
would confider the God to whom he approached in ourftead, in
thefe following refpefts. (i.) He engaged to approach unto
God as an ahfolute God. Chrift the fecond pcrfon of the adorable
Trinity pc/yowrt/Zj'conridered, engaged in our name to approach to
God, Father, Son and Holy Ghofl; eftentially confidercd, to ap-
proach to the throne of infinite Majeity. We have to do with a
God in Chrifl, in all our approaches; and may not approach to a
God out of Chrill, otherwife we would be confounded : But
Chrifl had to do with a God by himfelf. Chrift is mediator be-
twixt God and man, but there was no mediator betwixt God and
Chrill ; Chrift nuift approacl^^ as well as he could, to God himfelf
immediately, that we thro' his mediation might have acrefs to
(k)d. It was a fiiy ing of Luther's, Nolo Deum abfulutum. Lord de-
liver me from an abfoluteGod,aGod out of Chrift ;> for as he is
terrible to finners,fo, in himfelf conlldered, he dwells in light to
'xhich no man can approach, i Tim. 6. 16. But this inacccffible be-
ingistheGod to whom Chrifl did approach. (2.) He engaged

to

^^6 The befi Bond, "*

to approach unto God as ^commanding God, commanding perfetl
obedience according to the tenor of the covenant of works, com-
manding perfe6l obedience in man's own perfon as the condition
of life: And now, feeing, in the covenant of grace, a change of
perfons is allowed, but no change of the term-s or conditions, but
that our holy God will ftill be a commanding God, Chrifl: accepts
of the terms, and engages to fulfil the condition of life, be the
command what it will. Lo, I come to do thy mil. Father, what is
thy command ? I come to thee as a commanding God,a law-giver,
to obey thy law ; yea, thy law is within ?ny heart ; or, as it is in the
Hebrew, it is in the midjl of my bowels. None that had any blemilh
was to approach or come near unto God, Lev. 21. 21. If there had
been any blemifli in the perfon or righteoufnefs of Chrifl:,he could
not have approached to an infinitely holy and commanding God ;
and his coming to God under this coniideration, is juft his coming
under the law, or under the command in our (lead. ( 3. ) He en-
gaged to approach unto God as a threatniug God, threatning death
and wrath to the tranfgrelTors of his command, and faying, as Lev.
10. 3. 1 will be fan&ified by all that approach or come nigh unto me;!
will either be fanftifiedby them, orfanftified upon them: And
thus he had God to deal with, not only as a commander and law-
giver requiring obedience, but as a judge requiring fatisfaftion
when the law is broken. He approaches to God, not only as God
of infinite holinefs, whofe command mud be obeyed ; but as God
of infinite jufiicOjwhofe threatning mud be executed : And there-
fore, he coming to God in the ftead of thefe that had broken the
command, and incurred the threatning, it mull follow ,that, ( 4. )
He engaged to approach to God as an angry God, an offended deity,
and an avenger of blood : The Lord laid on him the iniquity of us alb;
and under this load of fin and guilt he approaches to the God, that
was to take vengeance upon fin in his perfon, and all the venge-
ance that fin deferved : He engaged to approach to God as a dif-
pleafed and incenfed God, that he might pleafe him by his obedi-
ence,and pacify him by his fatisfa6lion. He engaged to approach
to that God, who is a confuming fire to finners ,• and, taking their
fins along with him, he goes into the very midft of that devouring
fire, which would have devoured and destroyed the finner himfelf
eternally, that he might quench the iiame of that fire with his
blood, tho' he was burnt to death in the caufe, that we might not
burn for ever in hell. What is hell but the fire of God's wrath ?
It IS jud God himfelf as a confuming fire, that is the hell of hell. It
jvasthe lamentable moan of a man upon his death-bed once, tVg
bavefomc in this life that will goto a quire for us, fome that will fay

viafs

*or fur eft ENGAGEMENt. SSI

mafs for us, feme that mil plow for us, and fume that mil pray for us ;
hut O where is there one that will go to hell for us ! But behold, here is
one that engaged his heart to approach to God as a confuming
fire, and fo to go to hell, and quench the fire of it for us ; yea, and
drink off the cup of God's red-hot boiling vengeance to the bot-
tom. P^orhe engaged to approach to God as a God of terrible
majefty, being content that infinite juflicefliouldaft upon him a
tragedy of blood and wounds, that our falvation might be obtain-
ed without any detriment to divine juftice, and to the higheft glo-
ry of all the other divine perfe6lions. When Chrifl approached
to God as an ahfolute God, he came near, as it were, to the feat of
his majefty, to prefent himfelf in our ftead ; when he approached
to God as a commanding God,he came near, as it were, to the throne
of his holinefs, and there he was an obedient fubjeft in our flead ;
when he approached to God as a threatning God, then he came
near,as it were, to his bench of judgment, and there he was a con-
demned pannel at the bar in our flead ; and when he approached
to God as an avgry and offended God, then he came near, as it were,
to the tribunal of juflice, the fiery tribunal of his indignation,
and there the fentence v/as executed upon him, while he gave
himfelf to incenfed juftice in our ftead. Now, Chrift having thus
approached to God according to his engagement, the God to whom
he approached is fo well pleafed with this approach of his, that
now, by an adlpafl: at the fame tribunal of juftice where he was
folemnly condemned to death in our room and ftead, he is as fo-
lemnly juftified andabfolvedin our ftead; therefore he is faid to
be jujlifiedin the fpirit, i Tim. 3. 16. andChrift himfelf fays, He is
near that jnftifies me. Ifa.50. 8. And therefore the Lord is well pleafed
for his righteoufncfs-fake : And when the fpirit of Chrift convinces
of righteoufnef'^, he will demonftrate this from that argument,
that Chrift hath gone to his Father, ^ohn 16. 10. And now the ap-
proach that he makes to God, is to a God zvhom he hath pleafed D.v,d paci-
fied in our behalf, whofe majefty he hath allayed, whofe command
he hath fulfilled, whofe threatning hehath fuflaincd, Rud whofe wrath
he hath endured, and for whofe loijing-kindnef hehath made a vent y
and accordingly it is vented by an audible voice from heaven, fay-
ing, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleafed. Whatever
approach now it is that Chrift makes unto God, as an advocate at
the P'ather's right-hand, it is in the virtue and value of that engag-
ed approach that I have mentioned ; and fo it is now to a God
whotn he hath pleafed and pacified ; And whatever approach we make
toGodinhim, Itistoa God reconciled in him, Rom. 5. 10. Th 12s you
fee under what confiderations we are to view the God to whom
Chrift did engage to approach. And who is shis, (Sec. Fourthly,

558 The beft Bond,

Fourthly, In what Jlatlon did he engage to approach unto God ?

1. He engaged to approach unto God in the itationof a/amj-;
therefore he is called the J'urety of the better tcflament : A furecy fc r
God to us, that all that he hath promijed in his word (liall be made
good, [or in him are all the promifes Tea and Amen, ^nd he is engaged
to fee them accompliflied ; Alio as^furety for us to God, having
given iiis hand to his Father^ that all our debt fliould be paid.
Chrift fays to his Father, in a manner, as PauHYid to Philemon con-
concerning 0;7fy?/;iz/J-, Phi). 1 8, 19. If he hath wronged thee, orowetb
thee ought, put that on mine account ; IF^ul have written it with mine
own hand, I -will repay it. So lay s Chrifl, fince thefe poorfinners have
wronged thee, 0 Father, by their fin, and owe thee an infinite fiim, a debt
of obedience and fatisf action, put it on mine account ; I Jefus have writ-
ten it with mine own hand, I will repay it: I give my bond for it, fi'h-
fcribcd with my own hand ; Lo I come to do it, in the volume of thy bock
it is written of me. And indeed he is Sifurety that gets all the ^H?
to pay, and d.\\ the duty to perform for the debtor and bankrupt.

2. He engaged to approach to God in the flation of a mediator,
therefore called the mediator oj the new covenant : He is fent of God
to negotiate a peace betwixt God and man ,• and accordingly he is
our peace, and travels betwixt the parties in order to their recon-
ciliation. Fie is a repairer of breaches, and a refiorer of that which
he took not away, Pfal. 6c). 4. For, as mediator, herefiores chat glory
to God which he took not away ; that obedience to the law
which he took not away; that holinefs to man which he took not
away ; that beauty and order to the world which he took not
away; that agreement and concord betwixt heaven and earth,
betwixt man and man, which he took not away. 3. He engaged
himfelf to approach unto God in the ftation of an z//HZ'q//2/(.V, to
fcrve him in that ftation ,• and hence he is fo often called the fent
of God. Chrifl magnifies his office as being the font of God, John
4. 34. My meat is to do the will of him that fent me, and to finifij his
work. John 5. 30. 1 feck not mine ozvn will, but the will of the Father
which hath fent me. Chrift magnifies the faith that believes on him
as the fent of God: This is the work of God, that ye believe on him
whom he hath fent. Yea, 1 have obferved, that Chrift is fpoken of,
as the fent of God, betwixt forty and fifty times in that one gofpel
accordmg to John: He is fent as the i'^ather's ambaffador, wuh
the i'^athcr's feal appended to his commilliion ; Him hath GudtheFa' ,
ther fcaled. 4. He engaged to approach to God in the ftation of a |
mean fervant ,• for he made himfef of no reputation, and took upon
him the form of a fervant ; yet a faithful i'(^rvdm, faithful in alibis
houfe ; a fervant accordng to God's heart, & as righteous as God

would

cr furefl Engagement. ^^g

would have him to be. By his hiovolcdgc fJjall my righteous fenant
jujlify many. A fervanc whom God glories in ; behold myfervant^
6cc. I might here iliow you how he engaged to approach unto
God in the ftation of a prophet, priejl, and king ; a 'xitriefs, leader,
and commander, Ifa. S5- 4. But what 1 have faid, is fufficienc to give
us fonie view of the nature of the work he engaged himfelf to, in ap-
proaching to God. Therefore I come to

Ihe third general headpropofed, v/hichwas, to fpeakof the
fingidarity of the fadt, intimated in the expreflion, JVho is this that
engaged his heart to approach unto me 7 Now, that this was a fingular
engagement, will appear both from the matter and the manner.
Firjt, Confider the matter of this engagement, and we will fee the
Angularity of it, if we obferve the myfteries that lie in the bofom
of this engagement ; particularly thefe fix. iji Myflery in this en-
gagement is, that herein we may fee the glory of the eternal God
vailed with flefli, and dwellingina tabernacle of clay ,• PFithout
c ontr over fy great is the myftery of godlinefs, Godmanifejledin thefe/Jj.
To fee the fun in the firmament converted to a clod of dull;, or
the higheft feraph in heaven to a crawling worm, had been but a
fmall matter if compared with this, heaven and earth, time and
eternity, finite and infinite together in one perfon : Here is the an-
cient of days becoming a young child, To us a child is born : Here is the
everlafling fountain of joy becoming a man of forrozvs and ac-
quainted with grief: Here is the greateft beauty of heaven and
earth with his vifage viarfdmore than any man, and his form than the
fons of men : Here is the creator of the world, to whom the earth
and its fuliicfs belong, yet deflitute of houfe and hold : The foxes
have holes, and the birds of the airnejis,&,c. 2d Myflery wrapt up
in this engagement, is, that here we may fee the glorious law-
giver, whofe will is a law to men and angels, fubjefting himfelf to
his own law, and that in the ftead of rebels, that had violated his
Jaw, and contemned his authority; ioxhe was ?nadc of a woman,
viade under the law, toredeemtbemthat zvcrc under the law. ^d My-
ftery here to befeen is, that which might make us fall afwoon
with wonder and amazement, that the blefled God fliouJd in a
manner becon:e a curfed finner, that curfcd finners might be blef-
fed in him : Behold the ever blefled God becoming a curfc, Gal. 3.
13. And to be made a curfe, is aftrongcr word yet than curfed.
Behold the ever holy God becoming fin, 2 Cor. 5. lajt ; and
to be made fin, is a fironger word yet, than to he a finner. He
became a finner by imputation, even hs who knew no Jin, that we
might be the rightcoufncfs of God in him. He put his name in our
bloody and wrote down himfelf the finner, thai our names might

be

560 Tlje befi Bond,

be put in his bond, and we might be righteous through his righ-
teoufnefs. But for the blefled God to become a cutfe, and the holy-
God to become /i«, is more than if all the angels in heaven fliould
become devils. Is there not fomewhat fmguiar here ? 4r/;My-
Itery wrapt up in this engagement, is, that here we fee the credi-
tor becoming furety for the debtor, and paying the debt that was
owing to himfclf. The eternal Son of God was as much injured
by our fin as the Father v/as,and yet he engaged to come and fatis-
fy his own juflice. 5?^ Myflery here involved, is, in this engage-
ment we may fee the judge of all the earth brought under condem-
nation ; condemned by his own Father, whom he never offended ;
condemned by the law, which he never broke; condemned by
llnners, whom he came to fave from condemnation ,• condemned
to death, tho' he be the Lord of life, and hath the keys of hell and death
in his hand, and at his girdle. 6th My fiery to be feen in this engage-
ment, is, that herewemay obferve jultice raging againft the in-
nocent, and abfolving the guilty, and yet without any iniquity or
injuftice ; a God of love and a companionate Father forgetting,
as it were, his bowels towards his only fon, and taking pleafure in
his death ; for it pleafed the Lord to briiife him ; and yet receiving
thefe into his arms and bofom, who had violated his law, and con-
temned his authority ,and grieved his fpirit. And, by this means,
here we fee the righteoufnefs of the law fulfilled in thefe that had
broken the law, and never obeyed one of its precepts. Here we
may fee the poor guilty (inner, that flands condemned by the law,
condemned by juflice, condemned by confcience, yet put in cafe
to challenge the zvhole world to lay any thing to his charge, Rom. 8. 33.
By this mean alfo we fee the debt paid and yet pardoned, the guilt
of the linner punifiied and yet forgiven. In a word, there was
this fingular in it, that he engaged to bring the greatefl good out
of the greateft evil. Sin is the greatefl; of all evils, and that where-
.by, of any thing in all the world, God is moft difhonoured ,* and
yet there is nothing by which God brings greater glory tohim-
felf, than by the fall of man : Upon thefe ruins mercy /hall be built
up for ever, fiys God,- and mercy magnified to the highefl:,in a way
wherein juftice is fatisfied to the utmofl ; fin being condemned by
a facrifice, life bought by a death, and the gates of heaven opened
by a crofs. The my fteries contained in this engagement fliew it
tobe fingular; Andthusr^^w^r^frof the engagement difcovers
the fingularity of the fa61:.

2. Con Oder the 7nannero( it, and here the fingularity thereof
will further appear : How did he engage ? ( i. ) He engaged alone ,
there was none that would or could engage to do this, but he. Ifa.

63^3-

«r fureft Engagement. 5-61

63. 3. 1 have trode the wine prefs J LONE, and of the people thereijoas
none with me ; among all the creatures of God, there was none to
take part with him in treading the wine-prefs of the Father's
wrath. He Jaw that there was no juan^ andwondred that there was no
intercejjor ; therefore his own arm brought fahation, and his righteouf-
nefs it fuftained himjfa. 59. 1 6. ( 2. ) He engaged fully, to do all,
to fuffer all, to purchafe all, to apply all, and to be all in all ; he en-
gaged not only to do, but to fuffer, i Pet. 3.18. Chrifl hath once
fuffer ed for fm, the jiift for the imjufi, that he might bring us to God ;
not only to fuffer, but to die, and to die for enemies, rebels, and
traitors, fuch as were given him of the Father; and not only to
die, but to continue for a time under the power of death, tho' he
was life itfelf, and could in an inffantof time haverifen up from
the grave that he was laid into. ( 3. ) He engaged /r^?^/}' ; his
Father's caufing him to approach, did not hinder the freedom of
his engagement ,• for, as God, he and his Father are one, and have
but one divine will ,* and, as man, his will is fweetly fubjedl to the
divine will. He engaged fo freely, that there was nothing in us
that could move him but mifery ; there was none of us that could
defire him to do it ; he engaged before we had a being : There
was none in heaven or earth that could compel him to it; and
there was nothing that he had to expe6t from us for his pains, we
could never reward him for his work : And all that we fliall do to
eternity, is only, thro' his grace, toblefs him for what he hath
done. (4. ) He engaged /n;2/y, and that both in point of conftan-
cy and courage. In point of courage^ he engaged in the work cou-
ragioufly,tho' he had jullice, and wrath,and hell, and heaven, and
all againft him, yea, and poor man alfo, for whom he engaged;
yet how couragioufly did he go thro' with his work, fo firmly, as
not to be moved with difcouragements ? He went and fet his face
ttp to Jerufalem^ where he was to be crucified , and you lee where-
with he encouraged himfelf, Ffal 16. 8. compared with Acts 2.
25. Becaufe the Lordis at my right hand^ I Pmllnotbemoved; God's
hand was upon the man of his right hand, upon the Son of man whom he
made flrong for himfelf ; and therefore the right hand of the
Lord did valiantly, the right hand of the Lord was exalted, the
right hand of the Lord did valiantly. He engaged firmly as in
point of courage, fo in point of conflancy ; he never took his
word again, but flood to the bargain: Neither fear of the
wrath of his Father, nor fenfe of the unworthinefs of the finner,
nor yet the frequent falls and relapfes of his people, could make
him alter ; he forefaw all their relapfes into fin, and into the fame
fins, yet could it not move him to break the bargain j therefore,

N n Return

561 Tht befi Bond,

Return ye backfliding children^ Iwillheal your backflidings, Jer. 3.22,
ye3iy I mil heal your backflidings and love you freely ^ Hof 14.4. Your,
jnconftancy, might he fay, (hall notmakemeinconflanttoo; he
hates putting away, and continues in his love. ( 5. ) He engaged
timeonjly and fpeedily; he did not linger, for the matter could
not admitof adelay : When our neck was on the block, and the
ax of divine judgment coming down, as it were, to give the fatal
Uroke, he cries fpeedily, Hold, hold thy hand. What, might
God fay, will you come and be a facrifice in their (lead ? No foon-
er is the motion made to him,than prefently he was on fire of love
tobethusimploy'dand fubftituted in our ftead as a facrifice, Lol
come; hefpeaks like one ready to run. When the plague was
begun, Mofes commands Jaron to go quickly into the congregati-
on to make an atonement, Nmn. 1 6. 46. The fentence of divine
wrath, which is a terrible plague, was gone out ; and therefore
Chrift does fpeedily engage to make the atonement. And fo, (6.)
He engaged heartily, he engaged his heart to approach unto God. This
being the main particular, with refpeft to the manner of the fa6^^
or that branch of the fingularity of it, exprelly mentioned in the
text ; therefore let us efpecially take notice of this, He engaged,
his heart to approach. He engaged his heart, thatis, not only did
he engage for his foul, as fome underftand it, that his foul fhould be
an offering for fm, but alfo, he engaged his heart, that is, he engaged
willingly ; and fo it was with the greatefl: franknefs : Lo IcomCy
rather; thy will is my will. He engaged his heart, thatis, he
engaged cordially, cheerfully and affeftionately ,* / delight to do
thy will, OmyGodl We never read that Chrift had a fad heart to
quit for a while that joy and pleafure that he had in heaven; Why,
what was the matter? You fee it, Prov. 8. 31. he had fomuch
pleafure and fatisfaftion in the work he had engaged in, that it is
faid. His delights -vo ere imth the fons of men, rejoicingin the habitable
parts of his earth, even the places where his fick patients lay. Ic
was not for any pleafure that he took in habitable places ; nay, it
was not places, but perfons in fuch and fuch a place : Some of my
fick patients lie in this corner of the world, and fome of them in
that corner; fome of them lie among the ifles, and uttermoft
parts of the earth ; fome of them lie in yonder iile 0^ Britain, fome
of them in Scotland; and may I not fay, fome of them lie in Fife,
and fome of them in Dumfermline ? He rejoiced in the habitable
places of the earth, where he had fick patients to vifitand heal;
his delights were with the fons of men : For his heart was engaged in
his work ; he heartily confented to it from all eternity. And
though eternity cannot be divided into parts, yet, to fpeak after

the

or furejl ENGAGEMENT. ^6%

the manner of our conception, he fpent the reft of that eternity
in rejoicing in the thoughts of it.

But more particularly, that his heart ims engaged, will appear, if
youconfider, i. That not only did he give his hearty confent from
all eternity, but fo foon as ever he had created the world by his Al-
mighty arm, then prefently he falls about this work and bufinefs :
For he was flain from the foundation of the world. It is true, he came
not perfonally for the fpace of about four thoufand years from the
beginning of the world ; but though he came not in Perfon, yet he
came by Proxy : The infinite wifdom of God thought fit to order
matters fo, that many a facrifice was fent to be a fhadow of this
good thing that was to come, and many a fer vant did he fend to alTure
them that he was a coming. 2 . When thefulnefs of time was come,
that he appeared on the flage of this earth,he Ihewed in the whole
courfe of his life, hoiv much his heart was engaged in his mediatorial
work. When he was yet a child, and his parents loft hi7n, and found
himin the temple, 2^ndbegan to chide with him: What, fays Chrifl,
Luke 2. 49. How was it that ye fought me ? wift ye not that Imuft be
about my Father' s bufinefs 1 Never did a hungry man delight more
in meat, than Chrifl delighted in the work of our redemption : Ic
was his fneat and drink to do the will of him that fent him. 3. That
his heart was engaged inthe v/ork, appears from his zeal againfl
every thing that had a tendency to hinder his going on to the
hardefl: and higheft part of his work. What can be more expref-
five of a heart engaged in the work than that pafTage you have ?
Matth. 16. 23. There P^r^r began to rebuke Chrifl, when he fpake
of his fuflering ; Be it far from thee, Lord. One would think, that
Chrifl would have taken this in good part, and that it was love in
Peter : But we never read that Chrifh took any thing fo ill. He
turn'd about like a man in thegreatcflpafTion, and fays. Get thee
behind me, Satan : Never was fuch a word heard from the mouth
of Chrift, and that fpoken to a faint. It is Peter s voice, but the de-
vil hath tuned It? What would become of an eleft world, iff
fliould flop here? Get thee behind me, Satan. His heart was en-
gaged to the work. 4. It appears from his longing to pay the
debt which he had engaged to pay : Ihave a baptifm to be baptized
with, and' how am I ftraitned untilitbe accompli f/fd? He longed to
be plunged over head and ears, asit were, in the ocean of divine
wrath ,• and when it came near to the time of his death, it is
noted, Luke 19. I8^ He went before afccndifig up to Jerufalem, as a
child that is going with his friends to a place where he defires to
be, runs out before, as being fond to be forward,- fo Chrifl went
before, and all the way he was talking of it to them, as we ufe to

N nw% . talk

$64 The heft BoNn,

talk of what we pant after : Yea, when it came near to his fufFer-
ing, he cannot forbear telling his difciples, that ijoith defire he defir-
ed to eat that pajfover, wherein he faw as in a glafs how he was to
fuiFer. And when j^udas went forth to betray him, he faid, fVhaP
thou doft^ do quickly, John 3.37. and when he was gone, he rejoi-
ced, and faid. Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in
him : He reckoned the work done, becaufe the inllrument that
fet all a- work was gone out. And, at the end of the 14th chap.of
John, he brake off, as it were, in the midft of his fermon, and fays,
Jrife^let us go hence. Of all works, preaching was moft pleafant
to him j but behold he breaks off,& goes out, that he might be ta-
ken and crucified, that the occafion might not be flipt. And then
he does not flay till ^m^^j found him out :. No, hergoes forth ta
the place where Judas and his band' were^r-^nd offered himfelfa
willing facrifice. When they faid. We reek^Jefus of Nazareth,
heanfwers, lam he, John 18. 4, 5; and whenP^^^r would have
refcued him, he bade him put up his fword, faying. The cup which
my Father hath given me to drink^ /hall I not drinkitt Yea, when he
was beaten and buffeted, how did he give his hack to the fmiters, and
his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair ? He was led as a lamb to the
jlaughter ; and as a jheep before his /hearers is dumb, fo he opened not
his mouth. Yea, when hanging on a crofs, he had enough to pro-
voke fo great a fpiric to have refcued himfelf, when they cried.
Come down., and we will believe thee ; if thou canft fave thyfef, we
will believe that thou canft fave others : Nay, fay they, hefaved others y
but himftlf he cannot fave. He might, like a Sampfon, have broken
down the pillars of heaven and earth about their ears,- but he
bears allpadently. And then, how his heart was engaged, ap-
pears in the very laflaft: He bowed his head, and cried out witia
a joyful heart, it is fini/loed ; the work which my Father gave
me to do, is finiihed ,* the work v/hich I engaged my heart
iinto^isfiniilied: And/o^^^^'u^z/pr/;ff^7;o/?, committing his fpirit
jnto his Father's hands,as a pledge and token that the engagement
was fiillnlled. And now, this work being accompliflied, fliall we
jiot think that his heart is as much engaged to the v/ork of redemp-
tion by power, as it was to the work of redemption by price ? Yea,
He hath cntred into heaven, ' now to appear in the prefnce of God for us,
Heb. 9. 24. Jf when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the
death of his Son ; how much more, being reconciled, /hall we befaved by
his rfe '? H that was dead is alive and lives for evermore ; and he ever
lives to make interccffion forus. He lives to apply Z?}/ the poiver of
hisfpirit, what he purcha fed by theprice of his blood. Thus you fee
the iingularity of the faft, both as to the matter and manner of it ;

and

or fiireft Engagement. $6^

and hov) his heart was engaged to approach unto God : And fo far is he
from repenting of the bargain,th2Li never a repenting tho't has been
in his heart to this day, with refpedl to the whole of this work.

4th Head. The fourth thing propofed, was, to give the reafons
of the doctrine, why Chrift did fo heartily come under this engage-
ment, together with the reafons of our faith about it ; or, why it is,
thatj'ehovah's teftimony is added in thefe words, /j!ff/5? the Lord.
JVho is this,&c. faith the Lord. Now, as to the firfl: of thefcj-y/^.the
reafon why Chrift did fo cordially engage in this work ; there are
thefe/o//rreafonsefpecially that I would offer, ift. He engaged
his heart, from obedience to his Father's command ; / delight to do
thy will, 0 my God. God the father chofe him to this fer vice ; Be-
hold myfervant^hovi I have chofen, mine elect, &c. and he authoriz-
td him in it, and-caufed him-to approach. This commandment have
I received of my Father. " 2dly, He engaged his heart, from zeal to
his Father's glory. Tho' the whole creation of men and angels
had been offered up as a whole burnt-offering, it would not have
repaired the honour of God for one fm whereby his honour is im-
paired: But Chrilt's engagement is what brings more glory to
God, than if all mankind had flood, or yet fallen a facrificeto di-
vine juftice; therefore Chrift, fromazealto his Father's glory,
did come under this engagement ; the zeal of God's houfe did eat him
zip. By his engagement all the attributes of God are glorified:
God had a mindtofet out his love and mercy to theutmoft, and
herein it is done more^than any other way, ^oh. 3.16. Godfo loved
the wcrld, &c. We may behold here the heighth and depth, and
length and breadth of the love of God, in taking his Son out of his
bofom, where he lay from eternity, and giving him for us. He
looked over all the copies of his love,grace and mercy that he had
wrir^en in all his former works, and found them fliort of the thing:
therefore it is his will to write his love in letters of blood, upon him
who is an infinite fpirit with himfelf: And that this may be done
he gives him a body ,• y^lbddy hajl thou given me, that this body,this
human nature, might be a facrificc for lin. God had a mind to fee
forth the glory of his juftice to the ucmoft, & by this engagement
it is done. What tho' the whole world were drowned in a deluge
of water, or, as Sodom, burnt to aflies ? What tho' all the po-
ftcrity of ^di^(!/;z were doom'd to everlafting burning? What
tho' every fpire cf grafs or atome of duft were a rational crea-
ture, and for fin thrown into hell ? This wouki be indeed
an excellent a6l of juftice : But what is all this to the juftice
executed upon Chrift, whenheftood in our ftead? What are
all other judgments to his bloody fweat in the garden, and his

N n 3 expirini»

5^ The hefi Bond,

expiring groTies upon a crofs? Here is the highefladt of juflice
imaginable, to make the foul of his dearly beloved Son an offering
for fin, when imputed to him. See Rom. 3. 25. Here the a-
wakened Avord of juflice is drunk to full and complete fatis-
fa6lion with the moft noble blood that ever was or could be.
God had a mind to fet forth his holinefs to the utmofl : Now
the perfe6l obedience of men and angels might fet forth his
holinefs ; but what is all this to the obedience of the Son
of God, whofe obedience does indeed magnify the law ? God's
law was never honoured, and his holinefs never fhined with
fuch a fparkling luftre. God had a mind to fet forth his pow-
er to the utmoll ; and now the arm of omnipotency was not
£0 much manifefled in laying the foundation of the earth, and
Jtretcbing out the heavens as a curtain, & turning the wheels of pro-
vidence,as in bringing about the fal vation of finners byChrifl: ; the
power of God fupporting Chrift under that load of wrath, which
would have cruili'd ten thoufand worlds. Pfal.62. 11. Oncehave
Iheard,yea twice, that power belongeth to the Lord. Once have I heard
it in the work of creation and providence, but far more glorioufly
in the work of redemption, wherein he fpoiled principalities and
powers, bruifed the head of the ferpent, deftroyed the works of
the devil, difarmed death, and knocked off the fetters of our fpi-
ritual captivity. In a word, God had a mind to fet forth his wifdom
to the utmofl. Wifdom fliines every moment in the work of crea-
tion, it glitters every day in the work of providence : but all the
treafures of wifdom are hid in Chrifl. Here is the wifdom of God in
a myjlery, the manifold wifdom of God, particularly in uniting the
mofl diftant extremes ; the divine and human nature are united
in one perfon,thejun:ice and mercy of God united in joint harmo-
ny for the falvation of finners,without robbing each other of their
right, and fo God and man united in an eternal fellowfliip : Stub-
ble is made to dwell with devouring fire, without being de-
ftroyed ; and weaknefs to behold glory, without being overwhel-
med ; yea, draw is made to dwell with everlafting burnings, Ifa.
31.14. Who among us can dwell with devouring fire, &c. Why, even
the believer can dwell with a God of terrible majefty and infinite
juflice, and dwell there with fatisfaftion, and without hazard of
being confumed, becaufe of this engagement of Chrifl, whereby
juflice is infinitely fatisfied. Thus, I fay, God had a mind to fet
forth the glory of his perfe6lions: Now, zeal for this glory of
God engaged the mediator's heart to this work, o^dly. He engag-
ed his heart, from a vew of his Father's reward, Heb. 12. 2. For
the joy that was fet before him, he endured the crofs, &c. and now is fet

down

or J'urejl Engagement, 567

doixin at the right-hand of God, Heb. 2. 9. His Father promifed him,
that, having drunk of the brook in- the ivay, he then pjould lift up his
head; and accordingly, he having humbled hinifef, &c. therefore,
God hath highly exalted him, Phil. 2. 8, 9. In a word, it was the Fa-,
ther's promife to him, that, upon his making his foul an offering for
Jin, he jhouldjee his feed, and fee the travel of his foul and be fatisfied:
And therefore his heart was engaged to the work, ^thly He en-
gaged his heart to this work,- Why? It was even out of love and
pity to| loft finners : He faw us helplefs and hopelefs, and lying in
our blood', and then our time zvasatime of love. Chrift was drawn
to this work; but what was it that drew him? Even a cord of
love : Love brought him out of heaven, and love nailed him to a
crofs, and love laid him in a grave, and love made him rife again,
and mount up to heaven to agent our caufe. On what defign
came he to the world ? It was a defign of love. What ficknefs
died he of ? He was even fick of love, and died in love. O fliall
not this love beget love, and engage our hearts to him, whofe;^
heart was engaged ro this work out of love to us ? In a word, it
was to engage the heart of Tinners to him, and fo to make way for
their approaching unto God in him-

Secondly, As to the reafon of our faith, in the laft words of the
text, it is built upon a Thus faith the Lord ; Who is this, ^c. faith
the Lord. There is JEHOVAH's teftimony ; and why is this ad-
ded? Why? (i.) Becaufe nothing is more quieting to the con-
fcienceof afinnerthan the teftimony of aGod concerning a Sa-
viour : God by his HoJy Spirit in the word teftifying of Chrift to
checonfcience, faying,. 77; /j- is my beloved Son in whom I am well
pleafed ; true peace of confcience is grounded upon this teftimo-
ny. (2.) Nothing is more fecuring to the foul; for God's tefti-
mony is our fecurity, P/«/. 19.7. The teflimony of the Lordis fure.
Ins very fur e, Pfal. 93. 5. Here is ground for the afllirance of
faith, the fure word andteftimony of aGod that cannot lie. (3.)
Notfungismore rejoicing to the heart, P/^/. 19. 8. and Pfal. 60.
6. God hath fpoken in his holinefs, I will rejoice; Why? Nothing
fpeaks out more love than this, when JEHOVAH fays the word,
as well as does the work. The foul cannot but rejoice when, the
Lord fpeaks in to it; atleaft, here is ground of joy unfpeakablQj
John 15. 1 1 . Thefe things have Ifpoken to you, that my joy might re- '1
fnain in you, and that your joy might be fulL (^.) Nothing is more
filencingto unbelief than this: Why? Here is the very utmoft
length that unbelief can go: For, fays the unbelieving heart, If
God would fay it, then I would believe it. Well, Thus faith the
Lord comes in here, to ruin and filenceyour unbeiief. Here is

N n 4 the

5<5g The beft Bo'tiiy,

the reafon of our faith : For you're to obferve two things in the*
text; the one is,the glorious (?Z'j>^'?offaith,aChrifl: engaging him-
felfin our (lead: The other is the convincing reafon of faith ; i:
comes with a Thus faith the Lord. Now, in order to get our faith
fixed, & bro't'to a full aflurance and certainty, we_are not fo much
to look to the objeSi; of faith, or the thing to be believed, as to the
reafon of faith, and the ground of it, namely, God's teftimony, he
fays it : His truth and veracity is at the flake to give a fecurity ;
It is the great word of the great God. It is not the greatnefs of a
promife that draws our faith, but the fidelity of the promifer ;•
nay, the greater the promife is,the more will we doubt of it,unlefs
there be a ground for believing it. If a man of undoubted inte-
grity come and tell you everfo great things that he is to do for
you, and give to you, the greatnefs of che things promifed is not
the reafon of your believing him; nay, the greater they are, the
further will you be from believing : But the reafon of your belie-
ving is, becaufe the man is honeft and able, and a perfon of intire
credit, whom you can truft. Even fo it is here ; there is a great
thing propofed to our faith, that Chrifl, the fent of God, is engag-
ed for our complete falvation ; and upon this ground he promifes
in the text, I'll be your God, and ye JJmU be my people. But the grea-
ter it is, the further are we from believing it; and therefore we
muft have a reafon for our faith : Well, it is here, the God of truths
fays it, and we are to take it upon the teftimony of the God that
cannot lie. When Abraham was ftrong in the faith., and againfl hope
believed in hope, was it the greatnefs of the promife that fupported
his faithjor the reafonablenefsof it? No,no; his body and .Sa-
rab's both were dead ; But he confidered the veracity and ability
of the God that promifed, Rom. 4. 21. He was fully perfwaded thai
he that hadproimfed zms able to perform. When Mofes was fent to
Jfrael in Egypt, to zqW them that thefet time was come that they
were to be delivered from their Egyptian thrsddom and bondage,
and to be brought to aland flowing with milk and hony; here is a
great promife: But O, fays Mofes, how will they believe this ?
Why, fays God, go tell them that I AM hath fent you, even the God
of beings, that can give a being to what I fay. I was known to
their fore- fathers by the name. Lord God Almighty ; becaufe I did
mightily for them, to wit, Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob : And now I
am come to accomplifh my promife that I made to them concern-
ing theirfeed; therefore I will be known now to them by the
name, /am that lam. 1 have all beings in my felf from eternity,
and can give a being to my promife. Here is a good ground for
their iaith. If we look not to this ground, the greatnefs of the

promife

6r fureft Engagement. 5(5k>.

promife will overfec our faith, while the man fays, O, it is too
good news to be true ! It is too great for me ! And fo we reafon
ourfelvesoutofourfiiith: But, O! fee who fays it, and thatic
is the word of Jehovah, and here is firm footing for your faith.
Sth head. 5th thing propofed, is the application of this doc-
rine, in fome inferences. Is it fo, that Chriil, the eternal Son of
God, did thus cordially engage himfelf to approach unto God in
the work and bufinefs of our redemption? Thenhence we may
infer the following particulars. We may fee, i.Thegreatnefs
of our ruin by nature, and tlie fad cafe that mankind is in, that
not one of all the pofterity of Adam can or dare approach unto
God, or come under engagements for this end. If we do, we en-
gage ourfelves to what is impollible to perform, and we approach
to a fiery tribunal, where we are doom'd to eternal death, unlefs
we come under the wings of this glorious engager and approacher
to God. This God will fliew no regard to any perfonal bond or
engagement of ours : For our perfonal credit is forfeited and bro-
ken, not only originally in Adani^ by the violation of the cove-
nant of works ,-buta6tualIy in our own perfons:We never kept
a word that we promifed to God, we never kept our engage-
ments to God a day to an end ; and therefore God will not
trufl us. I'm far from difallowing of perfonal covenancing and
engaging, when it is put in its due place, that is, after a man hath
once clofed with Chrifl as the principal engager, and then vows,
thro* his grace, and under the covert of his engagement from gra-
titude, to ferve the Lord, and walk in his ways: But for all other
kinds of engagements, let us known, that God will take none of
our bonds without a furety. And we are blind, if we do not fee
that our credit is forfeited. Look to our national engagements,
covenant, and SOLEMN LEAGUE ! and I believe our national
credit is forfeited and broken : Never a nation was more folemn-
]y engaged to God, and yet never any national engagement was
more folemnly broken and buried ; the credit of our minidcrs and
people, of our nation and church, funk into the depth of defec-
tion, divifion, error, fecurity, and carnal compliances. And
whereas our forefathers tranfmitted to us their pofterity, pre-
cious truths, and pure confeflions of faith, worthy of the name of
reformers ,* how are we like to tranfmit to our poflerity a world of
trafli and lumber, inftead of precious treafure ? while, among o-
ther things, old reformation-principles and dodrines are like ta
be carried down to fucceeding generations after us, under the no-
tion ofivildncJl\ ncvo-Jchcmes^ and Ant inoinian- cant. And as we
ought to be humbled this day for the breach of our national cove-

mm

570 The beji Bond,

nant Riid folemn league ; fo we may fee what is neceflary, in order
to the reviving of a covenanted work of reformation, and of our
folemn engagements; even that the generation be brought to ac-
quaintance with Chrill:^ as the very firft engager in their ftead;
and then, that, under the acceptable covert of his engagement,
they come under obligations, thro* his grace, to approach unto
God, by returning to him and to their duty. 0 that the fpirit of
mfdom and revelation^ in the knowledge of Cbriji, were poured out
for this end ! However, as our national engagements are fadly
broken, fo look to your baptifmal engagements, your communi-
on-engagements, and all your other particular engagements to
duty, and fee, that as our national, foour perfonal credit is for-
feited; for an evil heart of unbelief caufes our departure from
the living God, every moment. And this is fuch an univerfal dif-
eafe, that there is not one of Adams race that God can now truft
without a furety, nor allow to approach to him wnihoulzmediator,

2dly, Hence fee the glorious excellency of Chrifl, and thefuf-
ficiency of this wonderful engager for his people, in that he was
able to approach to an offended God, and able to ftand there in>
thefinners ftead, and to plead for their good; able to flandthe
trial of infinite holinefs and impartial juflice, and where nothing
was to be forgiven ,* was able to fatisfy all that the law and juflice
could demand, and to finiih every thing that was necefTary to be
done in reference to man's falvation and the work of redemption.
O fee his glory, fee his glory 1 O glorious engager, glorious ap-
proacher! Behold his glory, and the glory of God in him ! If
you fee any thing of this glory to captivate you, then the God who
commanded light to flnneout of darknefs, hath Jhinedin your hearts, to
give the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Jefus Chriji.

2>dlyy Hence fee, what is the gofpel-way of a fmner's engaging
to duty, and approaching to God : Why, it is juft to take on with
this engager, andfoto engage under him,- and to take on with
this bleiTed approacher, and to approach to God in him. In the
old covenant of works,man got a ftock of created grace in his own
hand ; and if he mifpent his ftock, and became bankrupt, he was
toanfwerforhimfelf; he had no furety or cautioner to ftand up
for him, or to pay his debt, nor ro approach to God for him; but
the covenant of grace is better ordered than fo, and therefore
called a better teftament^whereotCbriQ: is mediator, in whofe hand
the principal ftock's; and whatever fmall meafure of grace be-
lievers have bellowed upon them, yet their flock can never be
fpenr, and they can never break, or become liable to a law-pur-
fuit, for the furety keeps them and their flock both ; and he being

the

or fiirefi Engagement. ^'jt

•the engager i they may engage to do any thing, yea, all things,upon
his flrength, lean do all things thro' Chrift firengthning me. And he
being the leading approacher to God., they may approach to God with
boldnefs, when he goes before them ; IVe have boldnefs to enter Into
thehoUeJtj by the blood of Jefiis. Here then is a tcH of right en-
gagements; you cannot be trufled if you engage alone, you mufl
match with one that can make good your engagcmenis. I.- -our
common aifairs in the world, you know that no man will take a
perfon's bond or engagement for a fum of mony ; for example, if
he know the perfonto be a bankrupt, that can never make pay-
ment, but rather is flill running more and more in debt; bur, if
that perfon, be he ever fo poor himfelf, will provide you a fuffici-
ent cautioner that will give his bond of furetylliip for him, then
you will accept of the perfon's bond under this cautionry : becaufe
tho' the bankrupt whom you have good ground to fufpeft, fliould
break the next hour and become utterly infolvent, yet you are fe-
cure((fcecaufe you can purfue the cautioner when you will, upon
his engagement and bond of furety (hip. Well, juftfoitishere,-
poor bankrupt that thou art,there is no trufting of thy bond or en-
liigagement ; Godwillnot truftany of theraceofy4'<^^7«, fincethe
time that he gave way, when he violated hisfirfl covenant-en-
gagement. Nay, the Lord knows, you are fo far from being able
to pay your debt, that you're but every moment borrowing
more and more,- but, be you ever fo poor and infolvent, if you
once accept of Chrift for your cautioner, then God will accept
of any bond from you, that hath his name as the engager in it ;
for, if you fail, your cautioner is liable, and he is a rich andop-
pulent cautioner abundantly lufficient ; and God feeks no better
than his bond, tho' you be ever fo unable to pay ; yea, God rec-
kons himfelf fecure, and that all fliall be well enough paid, when
Chrift is the cautioner and engager accepted by you. He is fecur-
ed of his honour, obedience to his law isfecured, Huisfac'tion to
his jufticeis fecured, glory to all his attributes is fecured ; and
herein lies the triumph of faith over all charges and challenges
from the law or juftice of God, Rom. 8. 33, 34. What is the
charge? Why, fays the law, you owe me a debt of obedience ':
yea, fays juftice, and you owe me a debt of fatisfaftion, becaufe
of yourdifobedience: Nay but fays bold faith, you may produce
what charges you will, but there is a difcharge to counterbalance
it. If you had my fingle perfonal bond for payment, then I con-
fefs I would be liable ; but as I can an Aver to any law-fuit ae;ainft
me, with the defence of my cautioner's full payment in my ftead,
fo, if you have any thing further to fay again ft me, go to my cau-
tioner

572 T'he heft Bond,

tioner who is engaged for all ; he is able to anfvver all that you can
fliy, and therefore let all challengers and him make up matters be-
twixt them. In a word, right engagement is to engage upon
Chrift's engagement. What is that ? It is jufb, as it were, to lay
a wager upon Chrift's head. I'll wager upon his head, that I'll
get to heaven, in fpite of all the devils in hell ; I'll wager upon his
head, that the headof the ferpent floall hehruifed ; I'll wager upon
his head, thatfinfhall not have dominion over me ; I'll wager upon his
head, that 1 Ihall perform duty, and do all things thro' himftrength-
ning me ; I'll wager upon his head, that my fins Ihall be forgiven
me, as the y^wi-, you know, confefled their fins upon the head of
thefacrificelliadowingChrifi:. And what was thegofpelofit?
Why, when it was done in the faith ofChrift the great facrifice,
it was ill effedlto fay. Til wager upon the head of this facrifice,
that as it is fufficient for the expiation of my fins,fo all my fins fhall
be pardoned upon this ground. Whatfay you, man? Will you
\'entureall that concerns yourholinefs and happinefs, grace and
glory, duty and dignity ; will you venture all upon Chriil? Will
you wager and engage upon his head ? Then in God's name you
ihall gain the day. But here is alfo a tefl of right approaching to
God in all duties and ordinances,and at a communion-table ,* why,
it is jufi; as it were a coming to the chamber of divine prefence, fo
as to come in at Chrift's back, fettinghim before youasthefirft
approacher to uflier you in ; lam the way, and no man cometh to the
Father hut hy me. It is to come to God in the faith of Chrift's hav-
ing approached to him before you, and to come boldlyjUever fear-
ing that his infinite holinefs (liall dafli fuch a filthy finner, nor
that his infinite jufi:ice fliall confound fuch a guilty finner. Why,
your ufiier, that hath gone before you to the prefence of this holy
and jull God, hath both gratified his holinefs, and fatisfied his juf-
tice. Here, I fay, you fee the right engaging and right ap-
proaching.

^thly, and Laftly^ Pafling all other inferences that might be
drawn from the do6lrine ; hence fee the duty of all that hear this
gofpe!,and what the Lord is calling you to this day ,• it is even this,
that your heart be engaged to approach unto him, whofe heart
was engaged to approach unto God in your flead; that fo, ap-
proaciiing heartily to Chrift, you may approach confidently to
God in him; for there is no approaching to God but by taking
Clirifi: by the way. O then, let your hearts be engaged to ap-
proach uncoChrift; this is the very defign of all that we have
been faying, even to engage your hearts to the fon of God. And,
OSirs, what in all the world will engage your hearts, if the en-
gaged

er fiireft Engagement. 575

gaged heart of Chrift do it not ? He is come here this day to court
your hearts; the very heart of afaviour is come down to court
the heart of a finner, and to court you with this argument, that his
heart is fo much upon you, that he engaged his heart to approach
unto God in your ftead. Away with the devil's logick, May be it
was not for me that Chrijl engaged, nor for me that he approached to God;
for there is but afeled; number, that were elected from eternity, for whom
he engaged and approached. In order to fliut this objetlion out of the
way, let me tell you, firs, that fecret things belong to God, but to us th^
things that are revealed. Let an infinitely wife God anfwer for his
own decrees, as well he can; but you dare not beanfwerable to
God for meddling with them,* and you meddle too far,if the tho'ts
thereof difcourage you from coming to Chrift this day. Will it
be a good anfwer for you, before the bar of God ? Lord, I tho't,
perhaps I was not elefted, and therefore my heart could never be
engaged to Chrifl. What anfwer can you expe6l from God, but
fuch a one as this. Wretch that thou art, had you not my revealed
will to be a rule of your duty ? And did not I reveal, that upon
the peril of damnation you was to clofe with my Chrift? And
what had you to do with my fecret decree ? Howdurft you at-
tempt to be wife above what is written ? Who but the devil could
fuggeft that to your heart, that you was not an eleft ? And he was
a liar for faying fo, for he told you what he did not know himfelf.
How does the devil aft herein like himfelf, while he would carry
you up to the pinnacle of the temple of eternal predeftination at
the firft inftant, that you may thence throw your felf down from
the battlement of heaven to the bottom of hell, which was the
way himfelf went, and he would have you along with him? O,.
will ycu regard the ruining fuggeftions of a black devil, more than
the kindly motions of a Saviour ? O, will you rather out-ftioot the
devil in his own bow, and draw an argument for faich from what
was done from all eternity. Tit. i. 2. Was eternal life promifed in
Chrift before the world began ? was all engaged for from eterni-
ty? Then there is thelefsadoforme,when this promife of eter-
nal life comes direfted and offered to me ; for to you is the word of
this fahat ion fent, that Chri^ hath engaged for all that concerns
ourfalvation; and we have nothing ado but thro' grace to con-
fent that this engager be ours, to do all for us. From all eternity
the mediator's heart was engaged to the work of our reJcmption f
and from this infinitely high and eternal tower there are ropes of
divine promifes hanging down, for us to lay hold on with our
hearts ; Vor---tbe promifs is to us and to our children, and to all that
Mre afar off. And when our hearts cleave to any of thefc promiles.

^ that

574- T^bs ^<^ft Bond,

that are Faflned to Chrift's engaged heart, then our hearts are car-
ried up in God's order to the knowledge of the divine counfels,
and go up the fcripture-ftair ; while Satan would have us begin at
the top, that we may fall down headlong. Now, among thefe
promifes that are let down from Chrift's engaged heart for us to
embrace with our heart, there is one, Jer. 31.3. 1 have loved thes
"With an cverlafting love, therefore with loving-kindnefs will I draw thee.
Ofirs, here is a cord of love let down, and the upper end of it is
faftned to Chrift's heart,and the lower end of it hanging down the
length of your hearts , And, O, Ihall not Chrift's heart and yours
be knit together this day 1 Here is a cord to bind his heart to your
heart, and your heart to his heart. O ftrong cord of God's mak-
ing! Ofliallnot thefaviour's heart and the finner's heart meet
together this day ? Will the heart of a Jefus gain no heart in this
houfe to day ? Yea, we hope there fliall be a meeting of hearts be-
twixt him and a remnant here. Othen, finner, come in to his
heart, for his heart is open , and I have a commiflion to tell you,
that his heart is open to you, and opened fo wide, that you may all
go in to his opened heart. It is not a hard heart like yours ,• No,
no : If he had been as hardned againfl you, as your hearts were
hardned againft him, he would never have engaged fo heartily to
approach to God for you, nor everfent us to tell you his heart's
love towards you. O believe it upon his word, ^er. 31. 20. He
is not hard-hearted; no, his heart is a melting heart, faying, i^o
earnejtly remember you JliU,my bowels are troubled for you,I will fur ely
have mercy on you: From the very time that 1 engaged for you,
which was from all eternity,, I do earneftly remember you ftill ;
and now the time of love is come, the time of letting out my heart
toward you,* my bowels are founding for you, and my heart is
melting over you, and warm drops of love are falling down from
my melted heart to your hard hearts, that they may be melted and
diilblved, fo as both mine and yours may be melted into one, and
being run together with the fire of my cverlafting love, they may
be engaged to each other for ever. O Sinner! Sinner! Sinner!:
O enemies! Enemies to God, enemies to Jefus! O hard-hearted
linner! Words and rods, and calls and threatnings, fermonsand-
facraments have not melted your heart; and if you go to hell,
the flames of hell will never melt your heart: But here are the
flames of infinite love from the heart of a God-man ; what will
this do? A God of love is come down, andmuftnot themoun-^
tains melt before him? Yea, mountains of enmity and unbeiiefji)
and the hard flinty heart will melt like wax before him. Aliv^
coal from the flaming altar of Chrift's engaged he^Ujls come down T

to

er furejl Engagement. s1^

to"put fire to your frozen heart. O, is the blefled fire kindled yet ?
Is your heart engaged to him or not. If not, will you confider,

Firfl, What a fad thing it is, \^ your heart [hall not be engaged to
approach unto him : It fays,the heart is engaged to fome others than
to Chrift, that your heart is engaged to idols and lufts, & you can-
not find in your heart to fign a bill of divorce from thele. But O,
will you tell me^ if your heart be engagedto the devil, engaged to the
^mrld, and engaged to theflefj ^ the lujis thereof, & engaged to 'u^ick-
ed company, diud^ngaged to corrupt courfes, and that you cannot be
difengaged from them, nor break thefe engagements, nor your
covenant with hell? O will any of thefe lovers to whom your
hearts are engaged, will any of them engage to approach to God
in your ftead, as Chrift hath done ? Will any of them engage to
bring you to heaven, or to keep you out of hell ? Nay, are they
not engaged rather to ruin your fouls for ever, if they can ? And
why fliould your hearts be engaged to your greatefl enemies, tha(
would lead you to deftrud;ion ; and not engaged to Chrift, who engag-
ed his heart to approach unto God for your falvation and redemp-
tion ? If your hearts be not engaged to Chrift, it fays you're, at
ht?i, married and engagedto the law, you re going about to eJlabUflo a
right eoufnefs of your own, hoping to pleafeGod, and procure falva-
tion to yourfelvesby your prayers and good duties : Your lan-
guage is like that of the wicked fervant, that faid. Have patience
with me, and r II pay thee all. You're not yetpleafedto have one
to undertake for all in your ftead ,* & therefore O lad is your ftate,
for you ftand under a perfonal obligation to pay all indeed; You're
a debtor to do the whole law ; and yet, becaufe of your failure, you're
under obligation to bear the whole curfe of the law. O terrible .' If
youftay there, you muft approach to the tribunal of God in your
own perfon. O how will you approach to God withoiit him !
You'll find God out of Chrift « conjuming fire.

2dly, Confiderhowfweet itis to have your hearts engaged to him,
whofe heart was engaged to approach to God for you: Why?
He is before-hand with you ; his heart was engaged to you before
ever yours were engaged to him, yea, from all eternity ,• and you
may rejoice with joy iinfpeakable and full of glory. Tho' your debt be
never fo great, he is engaged to pay it ,• tho' your fins be never
fo heinous, he is engaged to pardon them ; tho' your corrupti-
ons be never fo ftrong, he is engaged to fubdue them ,• tlio' your
enemies be never fo mighty, he is engaged to conquer them ; and
tho' the promifes be never fo precious in themfelvcs, & unlikely
tobeaccompliili'dtoyou,yetheis engaged to fulfil them,- only,
while you're here, on this fide Jordan, he will accomplifii them in

Ills

57<5 The heji "Bo tii>j

his own time, and in his own mearure,and according as your need,
your work, and his glory do call for ic. Yea, he h engaged to per-
form all your zvork in you and for yoii,&toprfe£tftrength in your iveak-
nefs: , He is engaged to guide you by hiscounfel, and bring you to his
glory, mid to lead you fafe thro' the valley of thefJjadow of death into
Immanuers land : He is engaged for your debt, your duty, your
fafety and all. O what a load-ftone is this, to draw the heart, and
engage the affeftion of any rational /oul to engage with one that
engages for all that you need in time and eternity. Why,fay you,
but mufl I engage to do nothing ? O that old covenant, do and live
flicks fall with you ; There, man was engaged to do all ; but O
/;£T^Chrifl:is engaged to do all. Why, man, if you can do any
thing without Chrift, you may try your hand ; but why will you
^ive Chrift the lie, who fays. Without me ye can do nothing ? And if
that b^ truth, O how fweet is it to ha^e a heart engaged to /;/,'/2,thac
has engaged to do all ! You may know from your experience, how
fad a thing it is to take any part of the engagement upon your felf
alone, and on your own head : For it never abides a touch ; and
when you break your engagement, then you're quite difpirited,as
if the covenant of grace were broken ; and thus you t jrn your
covenant of duties to God's covenant of grace, and fo the cove-
nant of grace to a covenant of works ; and in that cafe, no won-
der that you find the law a hard and heavy task-mafter. But the
covenant of grace is Chrift's engaging to do all : It is not a bargain
that God is making with you, for he will not make a bargain with
fuchas you, God knows you're a bargain-breaker; but it is a bar-
gain made with Chrift, 'wherein Chrift hath engaged to God to do all
for you, becaufe you can do nothing : And now he courts your heart
to fall in with this device of glorious and free grace.

^dly, Confider who it is that is courting your heart. It is he to
whom the heart of God is engaged ; Behold viy fervant whofn lup-
hold, mine ele£l in 'whom my foul delighteth. God's heart was en-
gaged to Chrift from eternity, not only becaufe he was his eternal
Son, but alfo becaufe he engaged his heart to approach to him on
your account. God's heart isfo much engaged to him for that
very reafon, that he declares three times, with an audible voice
from heaven. This is my beloved in whom lam wellpleafed; and all
that he fceks is that you be well pleafed too. And O you're ill to
pleafe, if that which pleafes God, will not pleafe you ; and your
heart is ill placed, if it be not engaged to him to whom God's heart
is engaged. God the Father put him upon this work, out of good-
will to you: he caufed him to approach on your account; and he
is pleafed with his engagement and approach ; and nothing in the ,

world ;

or fiireft Enc^Agement. 577

world will pleafe God fo much, nor make him take Co much plea-
fure in you, as your being well pleafed with Chriil and his under-
taking, Yo as toiind your heart engaged to him for ic: for then
you'irpicafe him more than ever your (ins defpleafed him ; and
you'll honour him more than ever your fins diflionoured him :
Yea, t/jcn be imll get full fatisfa^ion for all your fi^s ; becaufe that
glorious engager, whom youclofe with, hath^ly contented his
heart; and fo you'll fatisfy his juftice mordfnan your eternal
damnation in hell could do. Othe hearfo^Godis engaged to
him, and the hearts of angels are engaged i6 him, and the hearts
of all the redeemed are engaged to him. O (hall all hearts be en-
gaged to him but yom's ? O tfjcre ivouldbejoy in heaven, and it zuoiijd
be a day ofthegladnefs of Chrift's heart, ^ind it would give a glad heart
to God, angels and faints, if your hearts were engaged to Ghrifl.
4-thly. Confider ivhofe heart he is courting: You perhaps tfnnk,
furely it will be fome very good heart that will pleafe him. In-
deed I know none that have a good heart by nature ; and you that
think you have a good heart to God, do but deceive yourfeives :
But O he is even courting the love of that heart that is full of en-
mity againft him; his love is feeking to break your enmity this
day. What for a heart have you, my friends %> Be what fort of a
heart it will, he is feeking it ; My Son, giv^^e thy heart. Is it a
"■jjicked hearty and a ixiandring heart, 2in wtMircving heart, a deceit--
ful heart ? Is it the heart of a Manaffeh in compaft with Satan ?
Is it the heart of a Mary Magdalene, out rf 'uoboni ixiere cafl
fcvendc'Dils'^ Is it the worfl: heart in all the world, and the worft
heart that ever was in the world, a hard heart, a llout heart, a y^owy
heart^jfhcnn full of hell, and a heart like the devil ? It iseven the
heart'ttiat he is feeking and courting this day ; He engages to give
you a ne-jj heart and a neio fpirit ; and if you fign his ei^gcigemenc
Av'ith your heart, faying. Content, Lord ,• he will make your heart
to his mind by degrees, and your heart fliall be according to his
heart, \yhat, fay you, is that pollible, that he is courting fuch a
heart as mine? Would it not be prefumption for fuch an one as
me, vile, fikhy, black and ugly me, to expeft fo much good at the
handoffuchanoneasChrid? What,man? when God calls, is it
prefumption in you to anfwer his call ? No, it is the greateft pre-
fumption in the world to fit his call, and refufe his kind embraces,
when he cflers to take you into his very heart. When Chrifi: of-
fered to wafh Peters fcer, O did it not ill become him to fav, Lord,
tlyouflmlt never wa/Jj my feet Joh.n 13.8. Be your feet never fo foul,
and your heart never fo black, you have the miorc need to let

1 1 Ckrifl wafli you.

i) O 0 V • 5thh,

i %

178 The heft Bond,

$thly, Confider, that the prefent opportunity is a fpecial feafon
of letting out your heart upon bim, when he is coming fo near to you
•in this work. It is a dangerous thing to mifs the tide when it is
flowing. Some of your friends and neighbours are in eternity,
fince the laft communion here ; and you may never hear another
action-fermon all your life; And tho' you may hear other fer-
mons, yet it is but now and then that the wind blows, and that thefpirit
breathes ; and it is dangerous to refill the motions that would blow
you in to the happy harbour of Chrifl's engaged heart ; If there be
a gale of heaven juft now blowing, yet it may be over before an
hour be paft. O /ball not your heart be engaged unto Chrifi ! What if
death approach to you, and cut the thread of your hfe in two ? O
you would be more miferable than the devil to all eternity ; for
he never had fuch an ofFer as this. Death is approaching, Judg-
ment is approaching, eternity is approaching, and yet your heart
not approaching toChrift,- woisme, what will come of you.

6thly, Confider, that Chrifi: hath fulfilled his engagement to the
Father for you, by bringing in everlafling right eoiifnefs ; and God
hath accepted it, and is well-pleafed with it as the condition of the
covenant, and all the promJjfes thereof: And, upon this account,
the promife is made to you, as follows immediately upon the texr^^
Jwill be your God, and ye JJjall be my people. 1 Will, and ye Shall,
is the tenor of the promife ; becaufe Chrifi; hath fulfilled the con-
dition of it,fo as you have nothing to do,but to fay with the heart.
Thy will be done. And if your heart be engaged to him, and made
willing, the God who commends Chrifi: fo highly to you in the
words of the text, will turn it over to your commendation, fiiy-
ing, Who is this that engaged, &c. Now, fay not, that you want
fuch and fijch qualifications and conditions requifiteinthefe that
give their heart and hand to the Son of God ; if your heart fi:and
off from him on this account, it argues a heart in league with the
Jaw as a covi^nant of works, which is but a black bargain now, for
any of the fallen race of yldajn ; but the better tejtament is a better
largqin, where Chrifh hath engaged for all fully, and you are only
to take all freely ; and never a good qualification will you have ac-
ceptable to God, till your heart be engaged to him whofe heart was
engaged to give all. If your heart be not thus engaged to Chrifi, to
be obliged and indebted to himforall, then, tho'youhadathou-
fand times more qualifications, than you would be at, yet you fliall
go tolicll with them, and perifii eternally : And if your heart be
once engaged to Chrifi:, then, tho* you had ten thoufand good qua-
lifications,you'll count them all but dung for the excellency of the know-
ledge of Cbriftj as Pa:// did. It is faid'^of the creditor, concerning

his

or Jiirejl Engagement. 579

I>is two debtors, Luke 7. 42. When they hadnothing topay, he frankly
forga'ie them all. So long as you think you have fomething to pay
your own debt, or hope that you fliall have fomething to make
payment with, you're not in God's way of /or^f^^«f/> ; but when
you have «o?/;/;2^ to pay, not a penny in yourpurfe, either to pay
your debt of obedience and fatisfaftion to the law as a covenant,
or your debt of duty to the law as a rule, and are content to take a
cautioner, then he frankly forgives all. And fo the beft qualificati-
on is for you to fee that you ha.ve nothing, no money nor money-
worth, that you may be obliged to Ch^llfor all.

What fay you, Man? Is your heart engaged to him? I think fo,
may fome fay ; but it may be only a flalh, becaufe I have a deceit-
ful heart. Why, Man, be your heart never fo deceitful, yetif
there be fuch a heart-warming in your bread, as makes you fub-
fcribe to his engagement to do all for you, and to make you holy as
well as happy, and to free you from fin as well as from hell ; if it be
fuch as makes you come out of your felf, faying, I dare engage for
nothing, biit my heart goes into Chriji,as engaging to God for all', Then
in God's great name, I'll fay, ic is a good flalli indeed, even a flalh
of heavenly fire, kindled at Chrifl's warm heait towards you,
which will never cool to eternity, the' your live-coal fliould come
under the allies again.

What fliall I fay V O, is there any here, whofe hearts are not
yiii engage dzoChviH? Omany, many; but wo is me that there
ihouldbc any. O drunkard, fwearer, fabbath-breaker, whore-
monger, mocker, hereisag'oo^ bargain im you, even you whom
we cannot allow to come to a communion-table,- yet we allow
you, yea God allows you and commands you, and we in his awful
name and authority command you to come toChrift, and take a
full pardon of all your fins, and fubfcribe to Chritl's iJishole engage-
vient; and you fliall have a title not.only to the communion-table
below, but to the communion-table above that fliall never be
drawn. Away, man, away with all objeftions againfl: Chrifl::
Letyourobjeftionsbeten thoufand times more and greater than
they are, there is no room for one of them here ; for Chrifl:'s en-
gagement to do ail things for you, anfwers all difficulties to you :
And therefore, be ye never fuch an incarnate devil,there is no ob-
jeftion you can make, but ic is anfwered here, if your heart be not
engaged to fome other lovers. O, fay you, I have not power, I
cannot get my mckcd heart engaged to him. O doleful and mifer-
abltcalc ! Whatistiiis;, ihdn:. infinite love ^nd everlajting kindnefs^
flaming out of Chrifl's heart upon you,cannot engage your heart un-
to liim ! O, i§ there no power in this love ? Is nQt lovefirong as

O 0 2 " deaths

58o A Discourse after the Sole.mN'Work.

death) and the coals thereof coals of fire, which have a moft vehe-
ment flame ? O here is a fhrong flame^that is able to melc the hard-
eft heart to the fweeteft compliance ; and therefore, O will you
bring thefe ftrong cords of death by which your heart is heldj,
bring them to this fire, and it will burn andburft themafunder.
Do not refift the powerful love and precious grace of God, but be
content to let it in to your heart, and it will ^r<^iyand engage it:.
And therefore, feeing no argument will do but an argument ofpoiv^
^r, and'feeing almighty power ufes to ride in the chariot of this
gofpelof grace ; O then, will you join with me, and fay, O powerful
arm of JEHOVAH, come and draw, come and draiv> ; 0 exalted JE-
SUS, come and draw, by the power of thyfpirit. Awake, O arm of the
Lord, and put on Jirength, and Jet the right-hand of the Lord do valiant-
iy. Let all heart-leagues with lafts and other lovers than Chrifl be
broken this day, and Chrifl alone have the whole heart engaged iq
him; and let all the people fay Amen, fo be it, Lord. And if your
heart fay Amen, I hope your heart is engaged, and made willing in
a day of power ; and being made willing to come to his Chrifl, you
jhall be made welcome to come to his table,- hdiV'mg figned his en-
gagement to approach to God in your ftead to do all for you, you may
approach with boldnefs to God in him, andexpe6lthe fame welcome
with your cautioner that goes before you. M^ho is this that en^-
gaged his heart to appproach unto me, faith the Lord? ^

A DISCOURSE after the foynn TVork

NOW, my friends, after the great work is over, I would ask
you, ( whether you have been communicants or not ) have
your hearts been engaged to Chrid this day, as the glorious
engager and approacher to God for you ? 1 would tell yo'u, if your
liearcs have been engaged to him, then your hearts have been dif-
engaged from all things befides him: Yon have been brought to
fori'ake your father's houfe, and the people that are yours, and to
fay. What have I to do any more with idols ? There hatli been a mu-
tual donation betwixt Chrifl and you, as man and wife give up
themfelves to one another. Ye have rendred up your love to
him, in Head of all other lovers to whom your hearts were engaged
before ; and ye look upon youx^eXvesasboundin /ot-f-^wrf gratitude^
never to give a back-look to any other lover fo long as your pre-
ient luisband lives ; and behold he lives for ever and ever ; Whereas

your

A Discourse after the Solemn Work. 581

your former husband, particularly the law, is dead,ind ye are dead
to it, Rom. 7. 4.andare to expe6l nothingfrom ic, becaufe you
have all, and more than all, in him to whom you are now engaged,
and whofe heart is engaged to you. Yea, as ye have rendred up
your love to him as your husband,fo ye have rendred up your arms
to him as to your Lord : Ye have furrendred all the weapons that
have been weapons of unrighteoufnefs, to be weapons of righte-
oufnefs unto holinefs, never to fight againft him any more, but ra-
ther to fight under his banner againft all his enemies, eipecially
under /;/j banner of love ; for the love of Chrift mil conjha'in youhoih
to work and war. Now,

Firjl^ A word to you whofe hearts have never yet been engaged to
Chrijt. O do ye know what for a cafe ye are in ? and whence iu
is that your hearts are not engaged to Chrift? Why, ye are even
ignorant of glorious Chrift: For they that know his name will love
him, and pit their tniji in him ; hut you are alienated from the life of
God through ignorance thai is in you, and enemies in your minds by wick-
ed ivorks : Tour carnal mind is enmity againft God^and is not fudjed, to
the law of God; and your darkned mind is enmity againft; Chrijt, and
is not fuhject to the righteoufnefs of Chrijl. Thus ycs^ve enemies to
the Lord of life, and care not for him. to be your Lord : Ye are ene-
mies to the word of life, and care not for that word to be your
rule: Ye are encm ies to the fpirit of life, to the grace of life, the light
of life, and the way of life : fe are dead, and under ihepower of death
and of lin, under the power of fecurity and heart-obduration,
having no favour of Chrift about you ,• under the power of a for-
did choice, whereby ye fet up the bafeft of obje6ts above our
Lord and Mafter, whom yet the tongues of Seraphim.s are not
worthy to adore: Behold, ye are choofing fome bafc lu(ts and
idols ill his room., or clfe infolently capitulating with him upon the
moft ignoble and ignominious terms, to engage ycur heart to him
and to ycur lufts, both to him and to the world, to him and to other
lovers to t e hugged in your bofoms with him, as if he were a mi-
nilter of fin, and a Have to ferve your lufts ,- or at befl, yet put him

_Q.'...:^u ...:jj: .)„i c. ^ i .. i i . .. 7 • n 1 .^^r..

or to ,et Dim come to you. VveiJ, is tnattne matter witn you .'' wnac
isthis that thou 'cIVl doing, poorfoul! Shall there be no gathering
of the people to Shiloh for your part ? Shall never cur Lord's train
and retinue beany whit the more foryou? What, ihallhehave
no train? Glory to him, that he will h.ave a retinue touttendhim,
and no thanks to yon ; r'r'cre Ihall be a number lo follow the lamb tg
IJ^avcHj tiio' ye Urculd follow the Devil to hell. JButO, may I
'^ . ' ' C) 0 3 ^et

582 A Discourse ajm the Solemn Work.

yet befpeak .you in the name of Jefus ? And, O Jefus, may I beg
thy leave to be thy rpokeman,to tell them thy words ? And now^
fince he hathfet me here, and given me leave to fpeakforhim,
.1 mufi: tell you Ibme of his words to you.

And, Firft, I'll tell you what is his complaining word upon you;
T'jwll not come to me, that ye might have life : All day long have I
Jlretched forth my hands to a difobedient and gainfaying people.

Again, I'll tell you what is his lamenting -word over you ,• O ^e-
nifilem, Jerufaleni ; O Dumfermline, Dumfermline, how often
iKQiild I have gathered you as ahendoth her chickens under her wings ,
but you would not, you would not I

Again, I would tell you what is his ajioni/hing word, Be aJioni/Joed,
O heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid ; for my people have commit-
ted two great evils, they haveforfaken me the fountain uf living waters,
and hewen out to the?nfelves broken cifierns that can hold no water:.
They rejeft fulnefs itfelf, and turn to an empty world, as if ic
were their heaven and their happinefs.

Further, I muft tell you what is his weeping word, and O ihall he
weep alone, and none drop a tear with him,while he is grieved at
the hardnefs of your heart, and with the tear in his eye weeping
over the city, and faying, O if thou hadjt known, in this thy day, the
things that belong to thy peace ! but the time approaches when they
fhall be bidfro7n thine eyes ; the time oidefolat ion is coming, becaufe
thou knovoejt not the time of thy vifitation. Po ye expe6l that thefe
days will always lafl with you,and that you'll never be deprived of
fermons, and minifters, and facraments ? Nay, they fliall be hid
from your eyes. Your fathers, where are they ? And the pro-
phets, do they live for ever ! Nay, fince the laft communion here
one of our dear helpers in this presby tery,from whofe lips you uf-
cd to hear the joyful found, is gone away to the communion-table
above ; and glory to God,that he got a full gale of heavenly wind,
to drive him in with holy joy and triumph to the harbour of glory.
But now, O finners, have ye no regard to Chrijl weeping over you,
and faying, 0 if ye knew the day of your viJitation,he^ovQtheihcL-
dows of the everlafhing evening be drawn upon you! and O
that ye kne-w the things that belong to your peace, before they be bid
from your eyes !

But again, Imuft tell you whatis bis wrathful & threatning word.
If you believe not that lam he, ye fhall die in your fins ; and howJhaU ye
efcape, if ye negle&fo great afalvation ! If they ejcaped not who refufed
him thatfpake on earth, much more fJjallnot -we efcape, if we turn away
from him that fpeakethfrom heaven.

And, O, what if ic come to his farewel word I I go my way, and ye

jhall

J DiscotRSE after the Solemn Work. 583

fl.mUfee me no more, till he come in the clouds of heaven,^ every eye pmll
fee him ; and then you'll come to that word with it, who live and
die with a heart never engaged to him ,• you'll come, I fay, to that
word with it, O mountains and hills, fall upon us, and hide us from the
face of the lamb.

And how dreadful will his lafl -word be to you, depart from me, ye
curfed, into ever lajlijig fire, prepared for the devil and his angels I Ye
did eat and drinkinmyhoufe, and at my table, but I know you not,
depart from me : Ye adventured to approach to my table, but your
hearts were not engaged to approach to?ne; nay, your hearts departed
from me ; therefore depart with a vengeance, Depart from me, ye
curfed.

But, becaufe it is not come to that with you as yet ; nay, it is
•jet a day offalvation : I would tell you next, his expofiulating words
or his intreating word', he would fain take his word of wrath again;
that ye whofe hearts are fdying,Jway with him, may yet take your
word again : He is faying. Why will ye die, O houfe of Ifrael ? As I
live, I have nopleafure in your death; O turn ye, turn ye : Come, come,
the door is yet open, the door of falvation iscaftup wide to the
walls, that ye may all run in ,• the draw-bridge of mercy is not yec
taken up, the .day of mercy is prefent, the day of judgment is but
coming, and now I'm looking to you, and ye are looking tome;
and ifye be not looking on me, ye that are behind the pillars and
galleries there, I hope ye are hearing me : And therefore, in the
view of that awful day, when we fliall fee and hear at another rate,
before the flaming tribunal, I take witnelTes here, inprefence of
the great God, and all this numerous company, that I'm giving
you a new offer of Chrid, as an engager to do all for you ; and that
if you'll but confent to take him, and give him employment, yea,
that if you do not reje6l him, you fliall have him. None here fliall
have it to fay, they got nothing at this communion: For lo, you
have got an olier of Chrift ; and if you go away without him, and
live and die without him, we fliall be witnefles againfl: one another
at the great day of his appearance. Onowis the acceptable time,&c.
O, are ye pleafed ? Are your hearts pleafed with one to be a cauti-
oner for you, to fave you both from fln and hell, and that will en-
gage for debt, and duty, and fafety, & pave your way for approach-
ing to God's glorious prefence for ever? will ye have him for your
head and captain ? I allude to the words of Jepthab, Jud. i r. 9.
If I fight for you, and prevail, fJjall I be your head ? O yes, yes, fay
they; well, fofays Chrifl:toyou, if Icngage to fatisfy ju'licefor
you, andanfweralllciw-dcmand.s for you, and takeaway all your
iins, m6 fight all your battles, and do all your work in you and for you ;

O 0 4 Ihail

581- //Discourse after the Solemn Work.

Ihall I be your head ? O is your heart engaged to fay, yes ? O my
friends, old and young, that are here, do your hearts fay, Amen.A-
inm ; content to have him as a prophet, to take away the darknefs
oFmymind,- content to have him as a pried, to take away the
guiltofallmy fms; and content to have him as a King to take a-
waythe power of all my lufts and idols, and to make msholy and
happy in himfelf, that his name may be glorified in me, & his grace
magnified for ever ? O then, I hope, the day of falvation is begun,
that ihall be celebrated with joy to eternity. Therefore, let me
clofe with a word, in the next place,

2dly. To you zvhofe hearts are engaged to the Lordjefm^ whether
you have been communicants or not ,* and becaufe fome fuch may
be in doubts -whether ever they have believed in Chrifl truly and fav-
ingly. Why, if yo^xr hearts be truly engaged to Chrift, never make
a queftion about your believing : for a heart engaged to him is the befk
believing in the world, Rom. lo. lo. IVith the heart man helieveth
unto righteoiijnefs ; and if your doubt remain, the befb way of get-
ting it reiblved, is, to let your heart go out upon him anew, as the
glorious engager and approacher to God in your room. Are ye
afraid you come ihort of heaven ? So ye may indeed, unlefs Chrift
hadengagedio bring you there; butif yelay (treCs upon his engage ^
w/^wf, there is no fear. Are ye afraid you come fiiort of duty ? So
you may, if you be the only engager ; but will ye truft Chrift for no-
thing ? Where is your faith in his engagement^ to do all for you and
in you ? What, may fome fay, would you have us all to turn Jnti-
nomianSj to do nothing, and engage to do nothing, but truft all to
Chrid? The Lord pity a poor deluded world, that is wedded to a
covenant of works. Will you tell me, Man,/j- f^^f Antinomi-
anifm, to come out of yourfelfto Chrijl for righteoufnefs, to anfwerall
the demands of the law as a covenant of works j and to come out of your
fef to Chrift for fir ength, to anfwer all the commands of the law as a
rule of life andhoHnefs^ andfo to engage for nothing in your own pcrfon
alone, becaufe God cannot truft your perfonal bond, but to take Chrift for
your cautioner, and to lay flrefs on his engagement ? And feeing you
Ciunot approach to a holy and juft God in yourfelf, to loo.k to
Chriilas the firft approacher for you, and then to approach to God
in iiim. If you thus engage upon Chrift's head, according tohrs
pvomife, then engage to what you will; and if you approach to
Gid in. his own name, then youmay approach with boldnefs.

If you think of engaging in your own name and per f on , and of ap-
pvn-achingin vour own name and perfon, that is the old covenant-
loay (f engaging and approaching ; and therefore no wondei*
then, if that be your way, that you be overwhelmed with fears
and doubts, and difcoui-af'-emenis. Bat

A Discourse after the Solemn Work. ^'^^

- But let gallant faith come in and fay, Chrifthath engaged, and
therefore I have nothing to do but to truft to him for all, and in the
life ofmeans depend upon him; Chrift hath approached before
me, and therefore upon the red carpet of his juftice-fatisfying
blood, I'll go into the holy of holies, even into the prefence of a
jufl^indholy God. O have you thus approached to God at this
occafion ? I know not, fay ye ? I would be glad to know. .Why,
if ye would judge of your approach to God in Chrift,judge of your
approach, not by themeafureof it; for believers are permitted
only fometimes, as it were, to wafl^ his feet with their tears, YikeMa-
ry, though at other times they may be allowed to lie in his bofm,
like the beloved difciple. Judge not of your approach, by the
matter of that which he gives you; for fometimes you may be
feeking one thing, and he may give another : It may be ye were
feeking a feafl of joy; but if he hath given youafeaflof godly
forrow, that is as good for you. Judge not of your approach
by your former experiences : It may be, formerly you have been
like a lambinhisbofom, faying, under afenfeof his love. This is
my beloved; and now, perhaps, youmuft lie like a doi^ at his feet,
faying, under a fenfe of fin. Truth, Lord, lam a dog : Well, that is
a token of more a coming. Judge not of your approach by your
own fenfe and apprehenfion; for David was not in a defperafe
cafe when he was crying, as Pfal. 1 3. i. How long wilt th^u forget
hcy O Lord, for everl How long zvilt thou hide thy face from me'?
When your longings are incrcafed, though your ilrengt h be fmall,
yet it is a notable feafl : for he-willfatisfy the longing foul, and fill the
hungry with good things. Be thankful if you get as much as keeps
your foul in life, tho' you don'tgetmuch. Know, that though
he will be faithful to the accomplifliment of all his promifes, and
to do all that he hath engaged (or, yet the times and feafons are in
his hand, and he hath his own meafure of communication ; if fome
of you received what you would be at, you would grow really gid-
dy, andbeready tocry withPff^r, It is good for us to be here, and
forget the other work that God hath for you in the work'. I Ic is
engagedby promife ; but know moreover, that he accomplUhes his
promifc according to your need, and it is for your good and ad-
vantage, and according as he hath work and bufinefs to putm
your hand. Now, fome here, Ihope, have got their hearts engaged
to approach to a Cod in Chrift, upon the ground of Chrift' s engagement
to approach to God in their room ; and I hope they can do it with holy
confidence, tliat their hearts have been drawn, and they have been
cavfcd to 'approach to God: And if lb, then, I hope, ycu can fay of
the water of the well of falvation, O fwect, fwcet ! 0 hoiv fv:eet

are-

586 yl Discourse after the Solemn Work.

^ke thy Viords to my taftel fweeter than botiy to my mouth! And
^hac all other things in a world, are buc empty trafli, lofs,
and dung, in companfon of him. O the gallant fops of the world
would think fliame of themfelves, if they knewhowmuch con-
tempt the pooreft faints on earth do pour upon them, & all earth-
ly glory and gallantry, when they get near to God ! Surely, if you
have attained this approach to a God in Chrift,it hath brought you
to a great wondering at the grace of God. O what ami? and what
is my father s houfe ? Why did he pafs by my neighbour, my huf-
band, my wife, my brother, my filler, and fix his love upon me the
vilefl of them all? It hath brought you to great humility and
abafement; Now mine eyes fee thee^ therefore I abhor myfelf &c.
And alfo to a great longing after more fellowfliip and communion
with him,* O when wilt thou come unto me! Owhen/Jjalllcomeand
appear before thee!0 to depart in peace, for mine eyes havefeen thyfalva-
tion ! 0 to be among the four and twenty elders that are before the
throne! 0 to be drinking at the fountain-head! Why, what means
this language, poor foul? Itfeemsyou'rejuftlyinginhislap: He
hath loved you with an everlajiing love, and therefore with loving- kind-
nefs hath he drawn you : His heart is engaged to you, and your hearc
is engaged to him; thefpirit hath been fent to knicChrifl's heard
and your heart together, and the knot fliall never be loofed ; Him
that Cometh, I will in no wife cafi out. And now that he is engaged
to do all for you, O does not equity ^nd gratitude require, thatyoa
be wholly engaged to him, and that for ever ? Let your hearts be
more engaged to him than ever; ]et your affeftions be engaged
to love him ; let your wills be engaged to obey him in his precep-
tive and providential will ,* let your thoughts be engaged to think
upon him and hisloving-kindnefs: let your tongues be engaged
to fpeak to his praife. In his temple fJjall every one fpeak of his glory ;
let your whole life be engag'd to his fervice, and all fo engaged as
to depend on him for all. He hath engaged for all, that you may
depend on him for all; and all the fervice you perform will be
vain and to no purpofe, unlefs it be done in the faith of his engage-
ment to do all in you and for you. The believer hath two hands,
the one a holding hand, and the other a working hand; like a
woman fpinning at the wheel, (to ufe a homely fimile) the one
hand holds the thread and draws it down, and the other hand goes
round and fets about the wheel ; now, if {lie do not hold the
thread conftanily with the one hand, it is to no purpofe tho' the
other hand go round with the wheel: Even fo it is here ; theone
hand of the believer is the hand of faith, whereby he takes fad
hold of Cluifl:, and draws grace and virtue from him ; the other is

the

A Discourse after the Solemn Work. 587

the ha"nd of obedience and fervice, which is accepted only in
Chrift, and upon the fcore of his engaging for al!, and to do all our
work in us and for us. Now, if the hand of faith let go the hold
of Chrifl:, fo as not to draw virtue from him, nor depend upon his
engagement, it is in vain that the other hand of obedience and
fervice does go its round': but, when faith keeps fall hold of
Chrifl's engagement, then there is profitable fervice and accep-
table obedience ; iovwe are accepted in the beloved. Let faith take
a view daily of your privileges in Chriffc; O how ftrengthning
for your work and warfare would it be to you, if you had the live-
ly faith of his engagement! It would make youapproachtoGod
in every duty with boldnefs, did you believe that his honour is
engaged for your tOTough-bearing, till you get to glory ; that
his faithfulnefs is engaged, his power is eng..ged, his name is
engaged, his truth is engaged, his credit is at the ftake ;
for he Iiath faid, III never leave thee nor forfake thee ; I '•joill
put jjiy/pirit mth'in thee, and caiije thee to walk in my jlatiites : Is he
thus engaged ? Then let faith keep a faft hold of hi.s engagement,
and when faith is hke to lofe the hold,remember,that he who hath
engaged for every thing that concerns you, hath engaged for
faith too, having promifed to keep your faith that it fail not, and to
keep you by his poller thro' faith tofalvation. I'herefore, in the want
of faith, look to his engagement for it; and in the weaknefsof
faith, look to his engagement to Jirengthen it ; and in the trial of
faith, look to his engagement to fupport it. Let not your faith de-
pend upon your faith, but your faith and dependance be wholly
on Chrifl-, for all that you need with refpeft to work and war-
fare, duty or difficulty, foul or body, grace or glory, time or
eternity ; then will God put your name and Chrifl's toge-
ther, faying, IVho is this that engaged his heart to approach unto
vie ?

The

The gradual Conqueft : Or, Heaven vv n by-
little and little.

Two SERMONS preached at Carnock, July 3d, 1727.
By the Rev. Mr. Ralph Erskine.

D E u T. vii. 22.

And the Lord thy GOD will put out thefe nations before thee by

little and little.

^OU that have been right communicants at this occarion,you
have been upon the field of battle, fighting in the name and
flrength of the Lord againft your fpiritual enemies j what vic-
tory you have got, I cannot tell : But fome may perhaps be faying,
O I find my enemies to be yet ftrong and mighty, iniquities pre-
vail againfi me .,M\di\^Q^Y I fhal] never attain to the full prolTelTion of
the heavenly Canaan, there are fo many and ftrong nations of ene-
mies in the way which I cannot get conquerd. T o fuch as may be
thus exercifed, the words. of my text may be welcome news, The
Lord thy God will put out thefe nations before thee by little and little.
M-'e have here God's promile to Ifrael of old, concerning their be-
ingbroughttothe poffelTion of the earthly C<2;z-3^;/, which you know
was a type of the heavenly Canaan \ and, left they ftiould be dif-
couraged by the difficulty of the conqueft, fo many enemies being
in the way, he animates them againft the greateft difcouragement.
I . If they objeded the number of their enemies, and their ftrength ;
he anfwcrs tliat objeftion, ver. 17, 18. He had deft royed greater
enemies than thefe for them ; and he that had done the greater,
would eafily do the lefs j he that began the work would finifh it. 2.
It tiiey objc^lcd the weakncfs of their own ftrength and forces, lie
anfwcrs that objedion, ver. 20, 2 1 . Their greateft encouragement
was, that they had God among them, a mighty God, and terrible ;
and if God be with «j, ;/ God be for us, we need not fear the power
of any creature againft us. 3, If they objeded the flow progrefs
of their arms, and feared that the Canaanites would never be fub-
ducd, if they were not expelled at the firft ; to this it is anfwered,
in the words of our text, The Lord thy God will put out thefe nati-
ons by little andlittk. Where you may obferve two things, (i.)
IfraeVs enemies defcribed ; they are called nations, becaufe of their
mukitude and Dower. (2.) IfraeVs conqueft , The Lord thy God

will

Heaven won hy little and little. 5 89-

will pit them out before thee hy little and little. Where you may ob-
ferve both the glorious conqueror, and the manner of the conquefb.

ly?. The conqueror is God, defcribed by his fovereignty over
tliem, the Lord y and by his propriety in them, thy God. He it
is that fights their battles.

idly., The manner of the conqueft : He will do it, i . EffeElually ;
Hew/// put them out. 2. Remarkably \ He will put rhem out he-
fore thee. 3. Gradually^ which is the fpecial thing here noticed in
the manner of the conqueft, namely, h'j little and little. The fame
you read, Exod. 23. 29, 30. The wifdom of God is to be remark-
ed in the gradual conqueft of his people's enemies ; and it is in real
kindnefs to the church, that her enemies are fubdued by little
and little,

'^o^Jfrael being typical of the church ; and the land of Canaan
typical of heaven -, and Ifraefs conqueft over the nations, their e-
nemies, typical of the fpirituai conqueft of the Lord's people over
their fpirituai enemies ; and the manner of God's dealing with them
for the moft part,typical of the way of God's dealing with his peo-
ple in all ages : Therefore I would deliver to you the gofpel of
this text, and open it in this one doctrinal obfervation :

That as the true Ifrael of God have nations of enemies in their way
to the poffeffion of the heavenly Canaan ; fo the Lord their God will
conquer thefe nations by little and little.

I ftiall endeavour to open and confirm this doftrine in the follow-
ing method. I. Inquire who are the true T/r^d-/ of God. 2. Speak
a little of the heavenly Canaan, which they v/ill be brought to the
poffeflion of. 3, Inquire what nations of enemies tliey have in
their way. And, 4. Speak a little of the conqueror, theLord their
God. 5. The manner of the conqueft, his putting them out before
them hy little and little. 6. The reafon of this gradual conqueft'. 7..
Make application. And in all thefe I ftiail endeavour as much bre-
vity as pofiible. Mean time, look to the Lord, that he would
give fome word with power, and with a bleifing.
FIRST HEAD.

The/r/? thing. Who are the true I/rael of God, to whom this-
promife is made in the myftical and fpirituai fcnfe of it ? Lhey
are not all IfracI that are of Ifrael

I. The tiiic Ifrael o{ Go;l, whom he will bring to the lieavcniy
Canaan., are a people whom he hath fct apart for hinrifelf, r.nd fc pa-
rated from the reft of the world, as Ijrcel v/as. The true Jfraet
are let apart, not only by election from eternity, but by cffecLual
calling in time. As, in the firft creation, God f(n>arated i\\t light-

from

590 Tl}e gradual CoNQ.uest, Or,

from ihcdarknefs, and made the one day, and the other night ; Co
in efFcilLial calhiig,he fcparates the cleft from others,as light from
darknefs : He leaves the red of the world buried in their own ob-
fcurity, and makes the others children of light. By effe6luai
calling they get convincing grace, others are left ftupid and fear-
ed,- they get enlightning grace, and others are left inthedark ;
they gee renewing grace,and others are left in their enmity ; they
get perJ wading and enablinggrace to believe, others are left in
their unbelief," and remain children of difobedienceand unper-
fwadablenefj.- This people have I formed for myfclf&c. Plence,

2. The true Ifraeloi' God are a people wiiom he hath brought
out of Egypt inafpiritual fenfe, as Ifraelwasin a temporal,* and
that wiuli a high hand, and outflretched arm. He hath brought them
out of the £^3'/}? of a natural itate, and out of tne houfe of bon-
dage ; from their natural bondage to fin and Satan, their bondage
to the law as a covenantof works, putting them to the hard task
and intolerable labour of doing for life i a task nuich worfe than
i\\e Egyptian bondage, of making bricks wiihoutftraw: He has
brought them, I fay, out of the houfe of bondage with a high hand ;
no power in the world being able to loofe their bonds, if the pow-
er of a God had not been put forth for that end. They are a peo-
ple redeemed, not only by the price of the mediator's blood, but
alfo by the power of his fpirit: By his poxver he hath begun to
plague their enemies, and to drown them in the red-fea of hLs
blood ; for they overcome by the blood of the lamb.

3. The true IJrael of God are a people acquainted with travel-
ling in the wildernefs, h-om Sinai to Zion, aslfraelwiw, I mean,
from the law to the gofpel, from the covenant of works to the co-
venant of grace. As Ifraela.t Sinai was amazed at the fight of God
appealing in his terrible majefly,and afterwards were brought in-
to covenant with him ; fo the true Ifraelof God are a people that
have been humbled with the views of God's holinefs and infinice
juftice in the command and threatning of the law, and been made
to fee for refuge to the hopefet before them In the gofpel- covenant ; they
have come from Sinai to Zion, to Jefus the mediator of the new
covenant, and to the blood of fprinkling.

4. '1 'he true Jfracl of God are a people acquainted with the
condu6bof the pillar of cloud and of fire, as Ifrael was ; I mean,
they have gotten the fpirit of Chrift to be their guide in the way
to Canaan : If any man have not the fpirit cf Chrijl, he is fione of his ;
and it" any man have the fpirit of Chrifl, he is guided thereby, and
led into all truth, and out of all the paths of damnable error.
'1 here is a leading of thefi^irit byafecret invifible hand, and by

the

Heaven 'vcon by little and little, 591

the means of the word, that all the Ifrael of God are partakers
cf ; even a voice behind them, faying, this is the -ivay, and chat is
not the way ; and all his fJjeep knoiv bis -aoice.

5. The true Ifrael of God are a people fed with Rlannn from
heaven in a fpintual fenfc, as Ifrael was in another i'enfe : They
area people that eat the hidden Manna ; that have bread to ear,
the world knows not of, even tbe bread of life that came down from
heaven : They live by faith in thefon of God; Clirifl; is the yllpha and
Omega of their life, the food and medicine of their life^ the rellor-
er and preferver of their life ; they cannot liVe without him. The
worldling lives upon his riches, the carnal man lives upon his
Jufls, hypocrites live upon their profefi^Gnjlegalifts live upon their
duties ; but the true Ifrael oi God live, in the way of duty, upon
Chrifthimfelf, as their mfdom, righteorfnefs^ fanfftification and re-
demption. If I have any wifdom, Chrifl is my wifdcm; If any
righteoufnefs, Chriftis my righteoufnefs ; if any holinefs, ChrA
is my fanftification: Chrifl is my ALL, my life, my flrength,
my treafure, &'c.

6. Tbdti'ue Ifrael of God are people acquainted with wreftling
with God for the bleffing, as ^acob was, who therenpon obtained
the name of Ifrael', and all believers are thereupon called the feed
cf Jacob, that -(hall not feek his face in vain. I'hey area people,
whofelifeof faith isa6tedmuch upon their knees, or in a way of
praying in the name of Chrift, and in the fpirit of Chrifl ,* Praying
in the Holy Ghoft ; This is the generation of them that feci thee, that

feek thy face, O Jacob's God. They are always wancers, and that
makes them always feekers and bcs;gars.
SECOND HEAD.
Second thing was to fpeak a little of the heavenly Canaan that
they will be brought to the poflefTion of. I would hold it forth in
thefe four particulars, namely in its types, epithets, parts, andpro-
perties.

( T . ) In its Types. The types of the heavenly Canaan were ma-
nifold. I Ihall name a few of them. i. The earthly C^;?^^?/; was
1 atype of the heavenly and celeflial Canaan. Hew magnificently
' does the Lord fpeak of Canaan ! It is calkd a goodly land, a holy land,
\ a land f.oi:cing zvilh milk and bony ; yet this land was hut a type and
^1 fliadow of tiie heavenly. 2. JF'^r^J^y^Vv^as a type of this heavenly
' ' Canaan. Tlu/ all the pleafant orchards and comely things in the
world were united in one, they could not come th.at length as to
I ccmpete with the earthly paradife for plcaftu'e and conielinefs,
' when God placed our firil: parents there in their innocent flate.
Vet what was it but a faint refemblance of the heavenly paradife ?.

nothing

^92 ^^^ gradual Conquest : Or,

nothing but a (liadow of it. 3. The Sabbath was a type of this
heavenly, happy, and eternal fabbath of reft. Indeed it is but a
rcfllefs red the Lord's people have here; when they reft in the
Lord atany time, their reft is foon difiiarbed : Even the' they can
lay at times Jle turn to thy reft, 0 myfoul,for the Lord hath dealt boun-
ti fully 'xith thee; Ilowfoon does the devil, and the ill heart, and
tiie world difquiet them again ? But there remains a reft, a fabba-
tifm, for the people of God.when they fnall reft from their labour,
reft from fm and forrow. 4. The Tabernacle was a type of the
heavenly Canaan; the Lord's prefence filled the tabernacle; O
liow does his glorious prefence fill heaven, and fill all the hearts of
the heavenly inhabitants ! Glorious things are fpoken of the
earthly Z/on, how much more glorious things may be fpoken of
the new Jeri{falcm above ! But then,

(2.) Wemayconfiderthis he^.YQu\^ Canaan \n its Epithets, as,
J. It is called ^Houfe, John 14.2. A manfion-houfe, a prepared
place. In my father's houfe are many manfions ; I go to prepare a place
foryou. O what a noble houfe is it, where glory dwells! Whata
brave houfe will it be^ when the father of the family will in the
nidft of the houfe, and all his children about him, allhisele61: ga-
thered together from all corners of the earth; where the God
and Father of our Lord JefusChrift, Chrifthimfelfthe elder bro-
ther, and all the younger brethren will dwell together .' 2. It is
called the ^oy of the Lord. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Joy
here enters into the believer, but there the believer enters
into joy ; he enters as it were into an ocean of joy, and it is
the joy of his Lord Jefus. How great is the joy that our Lord
entred into, as the reward of his obedience unto death ? Of v/hich
it is faid, Heb. 12. 2. that, For the joy that ivas fet before him,h€ endur-
ed the crofs, &c. That fame joy the faints are to enter into ; In
thy prefence there is falnefs of joy, &c. 3. It is called life, eternal
life, Rom. 6. laft. The Gift of God is eternal life through JefusChriji
Gur Lord. Life is fweet ; and the more excellent tlie life is, the
more fweet. A living file is more happy, by reafon of life, than
the glorious fun in the firmament. The rational life is yet more
i wcet ,• the life of grace is yet fvveeter than any of thefe : But the
life of glory isfvveeteftofall, and this life is eternal, it is life for e-
vermore. 4. It is called a kingdom, a heavenly kingdom, 2Tim. 4. 1 8.
The Lord fhallpreferve me to his heavenly kingdom. Yea, fuch a king-
dom, that here all the fubje6ls are kings. One faid o^Rome once, ■
that it was Refpiiblica Regum, a common-wealth of kings, it is true >
of heaven, it is a common-wealth of kings, they are all kings and-
j^riefts unto their God ;_And there all the kings \uvq their crowns,

a

HeaveN' mn by little and littk. 593

a crown of glory, righteoLirnefs and joy : They will have their
thrones ; To him that overcomes.willlgive to fit imth me on my throne,
&c. They will have their royal robes, their robes of glory, and
palms of vitlory. But again.

(3.) We may confider this heavenly Canaan in i^sparts. There
are efpeciallythefe four parts of heaven and glory mentioned in
fcripture, namely, v'lfion, likenefs, love, fatisf action. The firft part
of it is the vifion of God, i Cor. 13.12. Now we fee through a glafs
darkly, but then face to face. Father, Izvill, that thefe whom thou haft
given me may be with me where lam, to behold my glory. New ca-
binets of rich treafure will be opened up to them every moment
to eternity. 2d part of it is likenefs, v/hich follows upon the for-
mer, I John. 3. 2. Wejhallhe like him,forweJhaUfee him as he is.
This is the native fruit of beholding Chrift, to be thereby brought
to conformity to him, 2 Cor. 3. lafl:. 3d part of it is love. This
follows upon the former. Likenefs breeds love, even upon
earth: Then will the faints be made perfect in love, ijfohnj..
18. O what flames of love will burn in heaven! Every faint will
be a flame. 4th part of it is fatisf action , which proceeds from the
reft, Pfal. 1 7. lafl:. 1 will behold thy face in rightcoufnefs ; zvhen I a-
wake, Ifijallbefatisfiedwith thy likenefs. All this is begun on earth
in the heirs of glory. The brighter view a believer gets of Chrifl-,
the more likenefs ; the more likenefs, the more love ; and the
more love, the more fatisfaftion. But O when there fliall be per-
fe6l feeing, there will be perfe6l likenefs ,• when perfetl likenefs,
perfedl love; and whenperfe6l love, perfe6l fatisfaftion and
joy : Then the ranfomedof the Lord fhall return, and come unto Zioil
with fongs and everhfling joy upon their heads, &c. Ifa. 35. 10.

(4.) We might Coniiderthis heavenly Canaan in its properties.
Itis anotlier fort ofinheritance than theearthly Canaan, i. Itis
a^/orioMy inheritance: Itisgloryitfelf; yea, 2Ln exceeding great
and eternal weight of 'glory, 2 Cor. 4. 1 7. God, who is every where
prefent, is there gloriiuiily. To make a weak alluflon, the fun in
the firmament is in this or that place, by his rays and beam.s ; but
in the firmament in a glorious manner : So God is here on earth in
his grace^and the rays of his countenance ,• but in heaven in a glo-
rious way. O there the faints are indeed all glorious within and
without both,- their bodies glorious, like untoChrifl:'s glorious,
body, when once they are raifed; their fouls glorious becaufe
perfe^Un holincfs. 2. Ic is a /;^«i;6'?2/}' inheritance, therefore cal-
ed a heavenly kingdom{ns I faid) in oppofltion to earthly kingdoms.
There the great King is heavenly, the fubje^ls are heavenly, the
^.'orkisheavenly, the reward heavenly, the company heavenly,

P p the

t^g^ The gradual C o N au E s T : Or,

the converfe heavenly, all heavenly. 3. It is ^purchafed sind pro-
j/;;/^i inheritance,- ca\\Qd2LptircbafedpoJ}eJJton,Eph. 1.14.. The
crown is purchafed, the throne purcnafed, the robes purchafed,
and all purchafed by the blood of the lamb ; which makes them
fmg that melodious fong, isoorthy is the kmb that was Jlain. And
as it is purchafed, foitispromifed inChrift before the world be-
gan, 2 Tim. 1 . 9. and Tit. 1.2. The earthly Canaan was a promif-
, ed land ; they had it by promife made to Abraham firfl, and in him
to them : So is heaven promifed to Chrifl,and in him to all the fpi-
ritual Jfrael 4. It is an eternal inheritance, i Pet. 1 . 4. An inhe-
%itance incorruptible, undefiled, and thatfadeth not aimy. The earth ly
Canaan was but temporary, fubjeft to be laid defolatefor the fins
of the inhabitants thereof; and accordingly it was laid wafte, and
remains fo to this day : But the heavenly Canaan is an inheritance
that is not liable to corruption nor defilement, and therefore it fades
not away. It cannot, like the former, be infefted with enemies or
ill neighbours, nor with any plague or malady. The inhabitants of
the land fhall not fay, I am Jick. his a phce of ipeY{e&:he3ikh,without
any ficknefs,- and a happy immortality, without any death, or
fear of death : A bleft eternity ,* for when thoufands, thoufands,
thoufands of years are gone, their happinefs is but beginning.
Earthly kingdoms fade, and this world's monarchsdie ; but^^in
that everlafting kingdom, death is fwallowed up in vi6tory. If
it were to have an end after millions of years, it were enough to
make them live in perplexity and trouble ; but it is eternal and e-
verlafting. There is a fliort defcription, from the word, of that
heavenly Canaan,

THIRD HEAD.
The third thing is to Ihow what nations of enemies and oppofi-
tions are in the way to this heavenly Z/<?«. See how many and
mighty nations flood in the way of i/rae/'s poffeffing the earthly
Canaan, f. i. of this chapter where our text lies. Seven nations
greater and mightier than they : And, after they came to that land of
promife, fome of thefe nations were fufFered to dwell among them,
particularly the Jebufites, that were like prickles in their eyes, and
thorns in their fides. And, in procefs of time, God flirred up 0-
ther nations againfl; them,for juft and holy caufes as thePhiliJlineSy
the Moabites, the Ammonites y that coafted near their dwelling ; be-
fides the AJfyrians and Babylonians from remoter countries, that led
them captive. And befides outward enemies and foreign invafi-
ons, they were not a little vexed and difquieted with civil and in-
teftinediflentions: There was ^^wi's houfe again ft ZJ^-y/Ws, and
Da^i^i^s againfl 5a«/'s ; ///w/againfl>^«/;A>^«^ again ft Ifiaeh

Manajfes

Heaven won by littk and little. 595

Manajps againfl; Ephraim, and Ephraim again ft ManaJJes ; nations
thus both without and within, & enemies on every fide. Now, in
likemanner, there are great and mighty nations ihatoppofe the
true Ifrael of God in their way to the heavenly Canaan above, and
that hinder their peaceable pofTeflion of any part of heaven that
thro' grace they poflefs on earth. In allufion therefore to the fe-
ven nations here,thatGod caft out before//^-^ff/of old ; I fliall {how
feyen of thefe nations of fpiritual enemies & oppofitions that are
in che way to the heavenly Canaan^^ind thatdifturb the Ifrael of
God in any begun pofTeflion that they may have here thro'"jgrace.
I only premife,that as,in an outward fenfe, all nations of the earth
proceed from one root and original, namely^thefirftmany/^ia^M ;
foina fpiritual fenfe, molt part of all the nations that oppofe our
happinefs dofpringfrom one root, and the grand root is original
iin and natural corruption : Here is the great commander, that
leads forth multitudes of nations of aftual oppofitions againflGod,
and the Ifrael o( God that are bound for the heavenly Canaan. A
body of fm and death is the fertile womb that brings forth fwarms
in one day ; yea,there (as it were) whole nations are born at once.
But more particularly, there are thefe feven nations that oppofe
and vex the Ifrael of God in their way to Canaan ;

1 . A nation of vain thoughts. We are by nature vain in our im»
aginations, Rom. 1.21. and thefe vain thoughts lodge within'fthe
walls of Jenifalem, Jer.^. 14. OJerufalem, wajh thine heart from
wickedjiefs ; how long floall vain thoughts lodge within thee ? Thefe
nations lodge within, and take bed and board of you, and eat up
the fap of your fouls; therefore, when D^t;/^ fays, P/i/. 119. 113.
I hate vain thoughts^ he exprefles them with a word that fignifies
the fprig and branch that grows in a tree, which draws the fap out
of it, and makes it fruitless. Do you not find a nation of this fort
fwarming about your heart every day, and every hour of the day ?
Yea, I'm miftaken if thefe Philiflines have not been upon you,and
if thefe nations have not been befetting you, and befieging your
fouls in time of hearing,praying,communicating 3 1 this occafion ;
and I believe, they that are exercifed and bound for heaven, will
find a need of almighty power to put out this nation before them,
tho' there were no more: And indeed thefe vain tho'tsare like
the flying pofts to the reft of the nations that may be named.
But then,

2. I'here is a nation of worldly cares, which Chrift compares to
briars and thorns, that choke the feed of the word, Mark 4. 19.
QXidLuke 8. 14. This nation goes under thenameof/r«^^//V3/ ;
but, if you look narrowly to its armour, you will find the motto

P P 2 thereof

59(5 The gradual CoNauEST : Or,

thereof to he careful about many things, but negled:ing the one thing
vecejpiry : And yet this is fuch a powerful nation, that many peo-
ple arefubdiied by it, fo as they can do nothing but mind earthly
things, and fo mifs heaven,and come lliort of falvation ^^ Yea, fuch
is the power of this nation even over the Ifrael of God, that he is
obhged in a manner to fmite them,and beat the world out of their
heart with a rpd of correftion, Jfa. 57.17. For the iniquity of his co-
vet oufnefs ivas I tvroth, andfniote him : Yea, the rod of God will not
do it, till the grace of God efficacioufly be exerted ; / hid me^and
was ivroth ; and yet he 'went on frowardly in the way of his heart : But
fovereign powerful grace fleps in ; I have feen his ways, and will
heal him. •

3 . There is a nation of doubts and fears, and fmful difcourage-
ments, and unbelieving objections, Pfal 43. 6, 7. The foul is o-
verfet and overwhelmed oftimes with thefe. They may well be
compared unto a nation ,* they are fo many, that no fooner does a
minifter begin to anfwer obje6tions,but the unbelieving heart will
raifea thoufand more ; andfo mighty, that there is no fubduing
of them, till Chrijl himfelf rebuke them, as he did the raging waves of
thefea, with a word of power, and/o creat'e a calm in the foul. This
is a nation that rages, like the heathen fpoken of, Ffal. 2. and ?';««-
^m^jmany vain things againflthe Lord, and his Anointed; but the
Lord dills the rage with the rod of his ftrength. that he fends out of
Zion , when he makes a people willing in- the day of his power. He an-

' fwers the doubts and objedlions of unbelief, and flills the fears and
difcouragements of his people, either by a word of power let info
the heart, fuch as that. Fear not, it is I; be not afraid : 0 thou of little
faith, wherefore didft thou doubtl Or by a breathing of hislpiritj
accompanying a word that is fpoken to the ear.

4. I'here is a nation of ungodly men from \^ithouf, that alfo vex
and oppofe the Ifrael of God in their wayto the heavenly Canaan^
Pfal. 43. 1 . ^udge jne, OGod, and plead my caufe againfl an ungodly
nation: This is a nation that many times fupprefs and bear down
tlie work of God in the foul. The company and iniluence of the
ungodly, that mock at religion, and laugh at facred tbings,is a greaC
lett and impediment to the falvation of a foul. And as it v/as with
JJrael of old, fo it is with the church, in all ages, (lie is never with-
out enemies that annoy her : T'here are four forts of ungodly men
that the church c:f God generally complain of; the Tyrant, the/i
theijl, i\:c Hcretick, zndihe Hypocrite: Some of thefe would fub-
vcvt, and others pervert her. The Tyrant, by heart-hatred and o-
pen perfecution ;^ the Jtheijl, by profanity of life ; the Heretick,
by corruptnefs of do61rjne j and the Hypocrite, by pretences of.

holinefs.

II £ A YEN "j.'on by little and little. S97

hoiinefs. Thcfe nations of ungodly men do oppofe the IJrael of
God, partly by force, and partly by fraud : And indeed the fecrec
enemies are ufually the mofl dangerous of the two ; they that ufe
fraud, more dangerous than thefe that ufe force : For thefe being
feen and known, are more eafily avoided ; but the other not fo
eafiJy fnunned, becaufe not fufpefted.

^ 5. There is a nation of mighty kings, and powerful giant?,as the
.'Ons of Jnak are called, Num. 13.33. How many great kings did
the Lord give into the hand of Jfrael ? fuch as Og king of Bajban,
Sibonkmgo^thQ/Jmorites. Pfal. 136. 18, 19,20. Pfal. 135. 10,11.
But there are greater kings and potentates tiian thefe, that ftand
in the way of the pofleiTion of the heavenly Canaan. There are
more efpecially four kings, mighty kings, to be fubdued: For^
(i .) As fin is a mighty king, that reigns in us, and over us natural-
ly ," therefore fays the apoftle, Rom. 6. 1 2 . Let not fin reign in your
mortal body : So, (2.) Satan is a mighty king in his own territories ;
therefore called the Prince of this xvorld, the Prince of tbepoiver of
I'heair, that rules in the hearts of the children ofdifobedience, Eph. 2. 2.
(3.) .S^^yisa-mightyking: it competes with kingjefus, and keeps
his throne, fo long as thelofticefs of man is not bro't down, and
haughtinels of man made low, i^f. 2. 11. that the Lord alone may
be exalted in the heart: And, even after Chrift is exalted to the
throne of the heart, felf is ftill fighting & working for the throne.
It is a king that all the world adore. (4.) Death is a mighty king,
therefore called the king of terrors, ]ohi^. 14. lie is a king, that;
is the terror of kings, as well as inferior fubjeds. This is called the
lajl enemy of God's Jfrael; The lajl enemy to be dcflroyedis death :
And happy they that get zhejting of death remov'd, which is fin.
See I Cor. is- 54, 55. 56, 57. Death [ball be fivalloi'cedup in viL^ory,
Chrifh is the victorious conqueror of this and all other enemies ;
however thefe are mighty kmgs in the way, & fome of them have
mighty giants in their armies ; particularly thefe three, king 6"//:,
Satan, and Sef have powerful armies to fight their helhili bat-
tles. And there are,

6. A nation of deceitfiillufts in the heart ; fo called, Eph. 4.22.
Thefe are like fo many deputies and officers, captains and lieute-
nants, figluingunder the banner of king^/n, king 6'^y-'' and king
Satan, aginft king J ES U S, the God of glory. O what fwarms
of lulls make up diis army of hell ! If you'll travel through
the camp of your heart, you'll fee an armed regiment ofgigan-'
tick lulls : There you 'may fee grimfaccd ignorance, armed
with the devil's black livery: There you may iti^curfed Atheifn
and Unbelief, armed v/ith lies, and blafnhemies, andbitcerinvec-

P p 3 tives

59^ TJ)e gradual CoNQ.ir£ST: Or,

lives againfl: heaven : There you'll fee cruel enmity , armed with a
bloody fword of forcible oppofition unto God and Chrift : There
you'll Cqc fubtile hypocrify, armed with fraud and flattery : There
you'll kebrafen-facedhardnefs ofheart^Rvmed with a brow of brafs:
there you may fee duhijljfecurky, armed with a fearlefs fpirit, and
a ftupi'd confcience ; bold prefumption, armed with a daring coun-
tenance; toivering pride, armed with a robe of gaudy attire, and'
an eye of fcorn, contempt and difdain ,* as 2LKofe If -righteous con-
fidence, armed with grofs ignorance both of the fpirituality of the
law, and myflery of the gofpel. There is a powerful nation of
heart-plagues and deceitful lufts, that reign over the ungodly
world, and many times rage in the hearts of believers, to the
leading of them captive.

7. I'here is a nation of a^ual out-breakings In the life, 2ind fins in
the converfation : Thefe are, like the common foldiers of the ar-
my of hell, makingdaily excurfions into the camp of i/r^^/; yea,.

- every hour of the day they are breaking out on this hand, and on
that hand, and round about us on all hands, in innumerable omif-
llons, and commiflions. Here breaks out intemperance and i?ifo»
Iriety, in eating, drinking, and ufing of the comforts of life ; there
breaks out idle words, vain talking, unprofitable converfation : Here
appears negligence in duty, or carelefnefs and indifferency in hearing,
reading, praying, communicating ; and there appears miffpending
of time, fabbath and week-days both, walling our precious op-
portunities, and mifimproving our talents, without endeavouring
to do good, or get good, to glorify God, or edify thefe that are
converfant with us. The former nation I mentioned was the lujls'
cfthefleflo, and this nation is the works ofthefleflj : The lufts of the

- iiefli are deceitfully hidden within the walls ,• the works of theflefJy
are open andmanifeft, making continual outward excurfions. You.
have a lift of them, Gal.s- 19,20,21. Another liftof the names
of the foldiers of this army you may read, 2. Tim. 3. 1,2, 3, 4, 5.
&c. Men fJjall be lovers of th emf elves: There goes the king and
commander in chief, fclflove ; and then follows a lifl: of the com-
mon foldier?, covetous, boajicrs, proud, &c. Now thefe are feven
nations continually in arms, and at work for hell, and againfl:
heaven : The nation ot vain thoughts continually flying poft
through the refl; of the nations for intelligence ; the nati-
on of ^vorldly cares continually making provfion for the flefby
to fulfil the lufls thereof ; the nation o( doubts, and unbeliev-
ing fears mid jealoifes, is flill keeping watch, and flandingcenti-
nel at the door of the heart, to keep out all heavenly meiTages,
and exclude all propofals of peace with heaven ; the nation of

ungodly

Heaven 'u^on by little and little. 599

ungodly men continually guarding the out-works of hell, and play-
ing their battering-rams, to beat down what God, and Chrift, and
the gofpel would build up ,• the nation of mighty kingSy that 1 men-
tioned, are flill iflliing forth new commands and orders for war
againfl: heaven; the nation of deceitfullujls, like officers of the
army, are flill multeringthehofl, leading them forth to the field
of battle, and fetting them in battle-aray ; and the nation of actu-
al fins and out-breakings are flill brandilhing their fwords and
fpears, making daily and hourly excurfions out of the camp of
hell, and incurfions upon their oppofites and antagonids, running
upon the camp of Jfiael, to deftroy them, and hinder their march
to the heavenly Canaan, Now, to thefe feven nations all the
world of mankind are, by nature kept in fubje6lion ,• and, which
is worfe, they are willing flaves and captives to them : And even
iheJfi-aelof God, that have left their camp, and fled under the co-
lours and ftandard of the Lord Jefus Chrifl the captain of fal vati-
on, are many times led captive by them; they are flill giving bat-
tle to Ifrael. Now, O thou that art bound for the celeflial Canaan^
what thinkefl thou of thefe nations ? Are they not feven nations^
greater and mightier than thou? Surely, if thou haft found, to thy
fad experience, the power, and policy, and pernicious iniiuencc
of thefe mighty nations upon thee, it will be welcome news to
hcdiYtbat the Lord thy God ivill putout thefe nations before thee by lit-
tle and little

FOURTH HEAD.

The i*bz/rr/j thing that I propofed, was, tofpeakalittleof the
conqueror of thefe nations, that is. The king of glory, The Lord
ftrong and mighty^ the Lord mighty in battle. Indeed, they that have
llich mighty nations to fight and debate with, have need of a
mighty conqueror to fabdue them : And he is here faid to be the
LordthyGod; whereheisdefcribed, i. By his name JEHOVAH.
2. By his relation to them in Chrifl, Thy GOD.

( I . ) IfraeFs captain, that fights their battles, is defcribed by his
great name Jehovah, I'HE LORD, in capital letters ; which is or-
dinarily ufed in all our EngliJJj tranilations, to intimate that in the
original it is JEHOVAH: Andicis a name that points out the
perfe6lion of his nature. It is remarked, that all along thefirfl
chapter of Gencfis, while God was yet upon his creating work, he
is called ELOCHIM, a God of poiver ; but in the fccond chapter of
Gencfis, ver. 4. God having complcared his work, he is then called
JEHOVAH-ELOCf IIM, a God of power and perfcaion. And as
here he tak^s that name, when he pctfcfts what he had begun ; fo
we find him making himfclf known by chisn^irae, when he ap-

P p 4 pears

Coo The gradual Conq^uest : Or,

pears to perform what he had promifed tolfrael, Exod. 6. 3. lap-
-pcared to Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, by the name of GOD AL-
MIGHTY, but by my name JEHOVAH, 'was I not madeknov:nto
Them. God would now be known by his name JEHOVAH, as be-
ing, I. A God performing what he had promifed, and fo giving
a being to his promifes. 2 . A God perfedling what he had begun,
find fmifliing his own work. And now, the fubduing of the Ca-
7iaanhes before Ifrael, was a work that God had promifed, and a
work that now he had begun ; therefore he makes himfelf known
in this work by his name Jehovah, a performing and perfe6ling
God. This is the powerful conqueror, that all the true Ifraelof
God have to look to,and depend upon, for deftroying the nations
of fpirjtual enemies for them. 'I'his name belongs to our Lord
jcfjs Chsift. equally '■joith the Father and the eternal Spirit. It is he
I hat led i/r<:z^/ out of Egypt by the himd of Mofes, wrought won-
ders for them, and brought them to Canaan, and delivered their
cnemiies into their hand ', by all which was typified the greater
falvation and deliverance that he was to work, in accomplifliing
the bufmefs of our redemption in our nature. And, by taking to
himfelf the name JESUS, he hath not loft the name JEHOVAH ;.
iiay he could not be a Jcfus, if he were not Jehovah ; he could not
deil:roy tliefe nations I have named, the fum of which is fin : For
10 deftroyiin, is more than to make a world: Sincannot be de-
ilroyed, without fatisfying that infinite juftice that finoffendedy
and glorifying that infinite holinefs that fin affronted, and fulfil-
ling that law that fin had violated^ and appeafingtliat wrath and
vengeance that fin had kindled. Further,_^K couldnot he deftroyedf
•wit horn defiroying the devil that begat it, andthe wicked heart thatbro't
it forth; all v/hich requires a new creation, more great and glo-
rious than the firfl:, and belongs to none but JEHOV^AH. This
.uame points out the divine glory of our redeemer, and conquer-r
or, which I offer in thefetwo further remarks upon it. i. This
great name JEHOVAH (as thefe that inveftigate theBebrezu
root, obferve)fignifies, being, eflence, fimple-exiflencejorfelf-
fublifience j and imports his moft fimple, abfolute, eternal and
independent being and cxiftence; having his being in, of, and
from himfelf; and from v/hofe infinite being all creatures have
their finite being. 2 . This great name JEHOVAH comprehends
in itfclf the three Hchre-j tenfes : The preterit^ fignifying the time
paft; theprcfent, fignifying whatis now; and the /z/rz/ri?, fignify-
ing the time to come; and imports that defignation given to
Chrilt, Rev. 1. 4, []. IVhichis^ and i-:Jj:ch 'ujsis, and -ivhichis to come,
'JT;i!<r lie is the 1 AM I'f-IAT I A'^l, as he is called, Exod. 3. 14.

^ I'he

Heaven lun by little and little. Coi

The Jlpha and Omega, thefirji and the lajl, the firft without be-
ginning, and the lall without end. Obut they that have fuch a
5i!orious general to follow, need not fear to take the iieldagainfl
iiie nations ! He is JEHOVAH.

( 2. ) IfraeTs captain-general is here defcribed by his relation to
them ; Thy GOD, The Lord thy God. This relation is ftated upon
the ground of a new-covenant difpenfation, even a covenant of
promife in ChrilTJefus. Of this covenant there was an old-tefta-
ment difpenfation, under which this people of Ifrael were ; and i\
new-teltament difpenfation, under which we are: The former
was a darker, and this is a clearer and brighter difpenfation of the
fame new covenant. The old covenant of works being broken
and violated by the fin of man, God could not in honour come
under this relation again to finners but upon the ground of a new
covenant eftabliihed in Chrift; This covenant of promife was
firfl difcovcred to Adam in Paradife, afterwards to Abraham and
others. The promife of that new covenant Avas fealedby the
blood of Chriil tipically, under the old taflament, by the facrifices
then oifered; ^nd actually at Jerufakm^ when he gave his life a
ranfom for many. Upon the footing of this covenant, I fay, ic
is, that he afTerts this relation. The Lord thy God. But more par-
ticularh', for explaining this relative defignation. Thy God, we
may take a fourfold view thereof.

I. As it is expreflive of the ancient federal relation betwixt
God and Ifrael o^ old, the church of the Jeivs under that difpen-
fation. He became their God, and they were chofen of him to
be his peculiar people, beyond all other people in the world,- as
you fee, Dent. 7. 6. For thou art a holy people to the Lord thy God : The
Lord thy God hath chofen thee to be a fpecial people unto himfelf, above
all people upon the face of the earth. 1 Je made known his mind with
refpedt to the way of falvation to them, and they to others, PfaL
147. 19, 20. He PQe'Wedhis'u:ord unto Jacob, and his feat utcs and his
judgments to Ifi-ael ; he hath not dealt fo -ivith any nation. And,
having taken them vifibly into a covenant-relation, he eftabliflics
his covenant with them and their feed, Deut. 10. 15. The Lord had
delight in thy fathers to lo'jethem, and hcchife their feed after them.
And thus he faid to Abraham, Gen. 17.7. / iu/7/ ejlablilh, my cove-
nant bct'-joeennie and thee and thy feed after thee, to be a God to thee and
to thy feed. Hence fays God to them , T'oii only have I knozvn of all
the families (f the earth. All this is faid of them, even with refpe6t
to their church-ftate, abif ra^t from the fngular Hiving privileges
of true believers among them, who thro' grace were enabled to,
improve thde great advantages tliey en joved above other people...

6o2 The gradual Conquest: Or,

By virtue of this relation that he ftood in to them, he engaged, as
the Lord their God, to put out the nations of the C^/ja^;?/?^^ be-
fore them by little and little.

2. You may view it as expreffive of the prefent federal relati-
on that God ftandsin to the vifible church under the new-tefta-
ment,even to usGentiles,^s fucceeding to thej^cu^ in their church-
privileges, together with fuperadded advantages, info far as the
new-teftaraencdifpenfation does excel that of tile old. As it was
faid to the y^iyZ/Zi church, Thcproimfeistoyou andtoyour children,
A6ls 2. 39. and that to them belong the adoption^ and the glory, the co-
"oenanty andthepromife, Rom. 9.4. So in like manner do they be-
long to the chriflian church, we being grafted in among them, to
partake of the root andfatnefsof their olive-tree, Rom. 1^17..'
Hence flows a common intereft that all the members of the vifible
church have in God as their God,and Chrift as their head ; not on-
lyasanheadof eminency, butas an head ofinfluence& govern-
ment. All the common influences flied among the mentb^rs of
the vifible church come from his fource, and from thence refulc
alfo many excellent privileges, all which dxefeakd in baptifm,which
fucceeds to the fealof circumcifion among ihQjezos. Baptifm
feals to us, and to all the vifible church, a common general right
to God's covenant, fo as we may warrantably plead the promifes,
and that promife in particular, I will be your God, and ye/Jjall be my
people ; which is the fundamental promife. Great are the privi-
leges that belong to the vifible church, that do not belong to thefe
that are without : God commits to them his miniftry, his oracles
and ordinances ,• by the means of which, he brings forth children,
and gathers his ele6f , fo as out of the church vifible there is no or-
dinary poflibility of falvation, A8i;s2. lad. As all the baptized
members of the vifible church haveafealed interefl:inthc cove-
nant of promife,fuch as lays them under a fpecial obligation to be-
lieve in Chrifi: ,• fo they have a claim,beyond the refi: of the world,
to God as their God in Chrifi:, and as their Saviour : Yea, all the
church vifible are faid to be in Chrifi:, John 15. 2. even thefe bran-
ches that bear not fruit, and that fliall be taken away,and cafi: into
the fire. Baptifm feals our ingraftment into Chrifi:, that is, an in-
graftment common to all that are members of the vifible church,
befides the faving fpiritual ingraftment of true believers. Now,
that common relation that you all have to God, as church-mem-
bers, tho' it be common to believers and unbelievers, yet it is in it-
felf a fpecial privilege, whereby you are exalted above the refl: of
the world ihat are without the church, and gives every one of you
a right to plead this prQmife to b« accomplillied to you in a fpiri-
tual

Heaven won hy little and little. 603

tual fen fe, The Lord thy God will put out thefe nations before you by little
and little, even fuch nations of fpiritiial enemies as were typified
by the Canamites tha.t Ifracl had to deal with. But then,

3. You may view this relative defignation. Thy GOD, as ex-
preflive of the fpecial relation he flands in to the church invifible
militant here upon earth ; I mean, to true believers, the living mem-
bers of Chrift, and true Jfrael of God, whom he makes fo, by-
becoming their God in a way of fovereign free grace in and
through Jefus Chrift, in whom they have a peculiar intereft in
God as their God, and a fpecial title to all the promifes of the
new covenant as their charter ; allthe promifes thereof beingYea and
Amen in Chrijt Jefus. Now, it is in this fenfe efpecially that I con-
fider this delignation, The Lord thy God', becaufeitis the fpiritual
intent of the tex^ tnat I treat, namely, as it does typify andrcpefent
the fpiritual deliverance of the true 7/?'«e/ of God from their fpiri-
tual enemies, in order to their pofleflion of the heavenly Canaan y
yet n*otrexcluding the great appearances the Lordmakes for his church
vifible on earth, colleftively confidered. And here it is proper you
obferve, that tho' this title, The Lord thy God, be oftentimes in
fcripture fpoken of with refpedl to a vifible church, a mixt people
of good and bad ; as when he fays to Jfrael, I am the Lord thy God
that brought thee out of the land of Egypt, and houfe of bondage ; and
whereas in many inftances it is fpoken colle6livelyof the whole
body of the church: Yet this rule is to be obferved, that where
the Lord is mentioned in relation thus to a mixt peop]e,all the pri-
vileges that flow from fuch a relation of God to that people, are
but common privileges,! mean, common to all that vifible church.
Thus the privilege of bringing out of the land of Egpyt, was a
common privilege, common to all that people, good and bad a-
mong them.; and fo was this privilege of cutting off the nations of
the Canaanitcs before thetn'in a literal fenfe, and pollening them of
the earthly Canaan :■ And therefore,tho' God be called the God of
a church or people colledlively, which infers many excellent pri-
vileges, tho' common to them all, as was fliev/ed above ; yet be is
not their God'm the fame refpeft as he is the Godof the belici-'er, or of
the true Jfrael. As they are not all Ifrael that are of Jfrael ( for the
whole vifible clrdrch, God's profeffing people, aj^e of JJrael ; but
only true believers are Jfraelites indeed, nnd Jews inwardly, the true
fpiritual circumcifion ) fo thefe true Jfraelites, * have a courfc by
common, having a fpecial and peculiar propriety in God as their
God, which infers fpecial and peculiar privileges. And hence,

4. You may view this defignation, Thy God, as cxprefiive of all
the blefl ngs that are imported in this fpecial relation that he

Hands
* i. c. They have privilcgcst above others, as Bdjmi/i had above liis brcihren.

i

^04. The gradual Conquest : Or,

ftands in to his true Ifrael And indeed the privileges imported
thus in the word. Thy God, are innumerable and unfpeakable : His
being their G£'r^,imports that they have an interefi in all that, he island
all that he hath, and all that he can do, and is ivont to do for thcfe
ivhofe God he is. Here is a field that would take a long eternity to
travel thro'. Happy is the people ivhoje God is the Lord. AHhappinefs
in time, and for ever, is imported in it : His being their God, im-
ports all the relations that he can be into them, for making them
holy and happy for ever in himfelf ; that he is andwillbe their fun to en-
lighten them, their portion to inrich them, their father to pity them, their
husband to cherifJj them, their righteoifnefs to clothe them, their guide
to conduct them, their glory to croim them, and their /ILL in all. But
the text confines me to thefe relations imported in this title. Thy
God, which have a refpeft to his deftroying their enemies before them
by little and lit tie. I only mention two of thefe ; i. His being their
<jod, imports that he is their friend, tho' their enemies be many.
2. His being their God, imports that he is their Jhield, tho' their
enemies be mighty.

jfl, Amidfl: the multitude of enemies, their God is their/n>72^.
And indeed, no matter who be our enemies, if God be our friend.
Jf God be for us, fays the apoftle, 'who can be againft us ? Rom. 8.31.
i\nd he is a friend to all thefe to whom he is a God in a peculiar
manner. And his being their friend, imports the removal of feud
and enmity, his anger being turned away, and reconciliation made up
through Chrifi, whatever was the former difference. It imports
the acceptation of their perfons into favour, and the obligation
he lies under as a friend, by virtue of the new covenant of grace,
and promife, to help them in every time of need, ^ to do all their works
in t':c:n and for them, and to fight all their battles. Therefore,

2^/3', Tho' their enemies be mighty, his being their God, im-
ports that he is their fhield. The Lord Godis a fun anaflveld to them,
Pfal. 84. II. The Jbields of the em'th are his; and his being their
fliield, is to be underftood both in a defcnfivc and offcnjive way. i.
He is the f.ord their God and Ihield to defend them. Pfal. 7. 10. My
defence is of God, which faves the upright in heart. Hence called a
Jirong tower, and rock of defence, a hiding p!ace,aco'-jert, a fhadow, to
ilieltcr themfrrm the aOuults and attacks of the nations of ene-
mies that are within them, and round about them, Ifa. 32. 2. A
man /hall be a hiding place from the wind, a covert from the tempeji, as
rivers of waters in a dry place, and as the fhadow of a great rock in a
weary land. 2. He is the Lord their God and fl.neld, for offending all
then- enemies : Hence he is faid to have a fword of poWer girded
on his thij^h, tor executing jr.d?''->ien': on their ?nc!Tiies- Deut. 32.

Heaven 'vjon by little and Uttk. 6"oj

31, 32. If Lcohet my glittering Jivord, andmine hand take hold of judg-
ment, I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and a reward to them
that hate me ; Lvoillmake mine arrows drunk wilh blood^Scc. Read alio
ver. 43. and compare it with Ifa. 63. i, 2, 3, 4. The day of vengeance
is in mine heart, for the year of my redemption is come. O it is a day of
happy vengeance to the Ifraelof God, when he, as their mighty-
conqueror, fiibdues the nations under them, and takes vengeance on all
their powerful liijls andfpiritual enemies. A day o^ vengeance to the
enen:y, is a day of redemption to his friends. But this leads me to

Thi: fifth thing propofed, namely, to fpeak of the manner of the
conquell. We have heard of the conqueror, heredefigned. The
Lord thy God ; and now the manner of the conquell is, He ivill put
out thefe nations before thee by little and little. And here three tilings
niay be noticed with reference to the manner of the conqueft ; r.
It is obtained powerfully and effe6lually, He will put out thefe nati-
ons. 2. Vifibly and remarkably, he will put them out before thee. 3.
Gradually and piece-mail, by little and little. To each of thefe
I would fpeak a word.

lirji, The ?;2«w?2^r of the conqueft is, that it is obtained ^ow^r-
fully and ejf equally : The Lord thy God will put out thefe nations ; or,
as it is rendered in the margin, he will pluck off thefe nations. And
fo it is further explained, f. 23. of this chapter^he will deliver the in
unto thee, and fJjall dejlroy them with a mighty deflrufftion, till they be
dcftroyed utterly. Jnd he will deliver their kings into thine bands,f. 24.
andExod. 23.30. By little and little will I drive them out. Now,thns,
in the fpiritual conqueft, the nations muft be put out : And the
Lord's putting them out, does'^im'port,

I. That thefe nations of lufts and fpiritual enemies haveflrength
and power upon their fide ; fo that it is no eafy work to get them
Jdriven out, yea, utterly impoffible, iinlefs the Lord our God undertake
It. If you ask where the ftrength of thefe nations lies, and parti-
cularly the ftrength of fm ? I anfwer, in thefe four things ; (i .)
The ftrength of the nation of fm and of lufts lies in their xooi^thc
body of fin and death : As the ftrength of a tree, lies in the ro-or, f 3
that the ax muft be laid to the root, if you would deftroyit; and
as the ftrength of the water is in the fountain, fo that,if you would
deftroy it, the fountain muft be ftopt up ,* fo the ftrength of fm is
in the root and fountain of fin thatis within. And hence, (2.)
The ftrength ofthefe nations of lufts liesin the relation they have
to ourfelves : And hence, for a man to dcftroy his lufts, is to deny
himfelf. Thefe nations of lufts and fins are fuch a part of hinifelf,
that they fcem to be the beft part,and the moft ufeful part of him-
felf,- his right -handi his right-eye, bis members^ Col. 3. 5. Mortify

therefors

Co6 The gradual Conquest ; Or,

therefore your members that are upon earth. (3.) The flrength of
thefe nations lies in the commander and captain general that leads
them forth,that is,the devil ; the great qiiarter-mafter that fills the
heart, as it is faid of Ananias, A6ls 5. 3 . JVhy hath Satan filled thine
heart, to lie to the Holy Ghoji, and keep back part of the price ? It is the
devil that fills the heart of people to lie,& fills their heart to fwear,
and fills their heart to drink and debauch, and fills their heart to
keep back what fervice is due to God. This commander is a
flrong man, and cannot be conquered but by aftronger. Yea, (4.)
The ftrength of thefe nations of fin lies in the law of works, i Cor.
15. 56. The flrength of fin is the law. Sin hath dominion overallthat
are under the law, and not under grace, Rom. 6. 14. and that on ma-
ny accounts, which I cannot now infifl: upon ,• but particularly, a-
mong the reft, becaufe, by reafon of the original breach thereof,
they are under the curfe of it, of which curfe theftrength of fin is a
great part ; fo that no lefs power than that which can pull up the
root, a body of fin and death, and pull down felf and all the members
of it, and that can deftroy the devil the captain of hell, and at the
fame time give full fatisfadlion to the law of the God of heaven ;
no lefs power can defi:roy thefe nations,fox here their fi:rength lies.
The Lord's putting them out, fuppofes and imports this ftrength
and power that they have upon their fide.

2. It imports that thefe nations of iufi:s and fpiritual enemies
have the pofiTeflion, which indeed is alfo a great part of their
ftrength. There would be no need of driving them 0Mf,if they were
not in : Nay, they are in pofiTeffign, they are in adtual pofleflTion
of the under/landing of all men by nifture, who are therefore alienat-
ed from the life of God, thro' the ignorance that is in them. They have
aftual pofiefiTion of the will ; hence men are not only unwilling to
let thefe nations go out,&as unwilling ^sPharaoh was to letlfraelgo,
tho' plagued from heaven for his wilfulnefs,- but alfo the will \s filled
with enmity againfi God^^nd rifes up in arms and oppofition againfl
hini,and in favour of thefe lufl:s.Yea,they havepofleflion of all the
powers and faculties of the foul; they are deeply rooted in the
heart and nature, as the Jebifites were in the land of Canaan ; and
there they fortify and intrench tbemf elves, fo that it is no eafy work to
drive them out : Yea, as they have no v/ill to go out, fo out they
will never go, 'till they be driven by a fuperior power, as Chrifl' j
drove the buyers and fellers out of the temple, wh& turned the temple'
of God to a den of thieves. Therefore,

3- It imporrs an exerting of the divine power in oppofition to.
thefe nauons, in order to their being put out and defiroyed; and that'
IS even the almighty power of God in Chrift, by the Holy Ghoft,

Rom.
J

Heaven 'won by little and little, Coy

Rom. 8. 13. If you thro' the Jpr it mortify the deeds of the body, you
fhalllive. It is not by the power of nature, or free- will ; Not by
mighty nor by power, but by my fpirityfays the Lordofhojls, Zech.4. 6.
When the conqiieft is a6lualJy commenced inafoul, the fpiric of
God comes & gives battle to the nations oi'iheCa?iaanites,t'.-\e lufts
and old inhabitants of the heart, and takes pofleffion. How he
does fo, may afterwards more appear : Only, I fay here, the Lord's
putting out the nations, imports, that his almighty power is ac-
tually put forth for this end.

4. It imports, that this power is and iliall be effe6lual ; for it is
faid. He mil put them out ; he 'will drive them out of their old quar-
ters, and deftroy them ; he will drive thefn out of the heart, out of the
houfe, out of the will, out of the afFeftions, out of all the forts
•where they flrengthned themfelves, and atlafloutof the world,
when he compleats his work of fan6tification ; for. He that hath
begun the good workt will perfed; it, Phil. i. 6. And fure theVe is no
true hearted i/r^f //re here, but wiil fay. Amen, Lord haften the
time when thefe nations of lufts fliall be driven out of my heart,
and driven out of the world ; Lord let them be driven to hell with
the devil their captain, and let me be quit of them for ever. Well,
the day of their compleat extirpation is coming; The Lord thy
Cod will drive out thefe nations. But then.

Secondly, The manner of the conqueft, hereexpreft, is vifible .
and remarkable ; he will drive them out before thee. I think this word
may import the vifible and remarkable mannerof the conqueft;
and more particularly,

1. Thatthe7/9^e/of God get a fight of their enemies. Thefe
nations are in their view, while the Lord their God is driving
them out, and while they through grace are led to the field
of battle againfl them : He will drive them out before thee. They
that never got a view of their fins and lulls, nor of the ftrength
of their arms; that never faw their own corrupt nature, nor ex-
perienced the power of corruption in their hearts ; they are yet
living at their carnal eafe, in the mid (l of thefe nations, and un-
der the power thereof: They are alive without the law, Rom. 7. 9.
The commandment hath not come, noj- fin revived, to difcover its
flrength to them: They are yet foldiers under the deviVs banner:
They have not taken on with Chrift : I'he battle wirh the nations
is yet not begun ; for they never yet faw them, nor viewed their
llrength.

2. His driving out the nations before them, imports, that, through
grace the Ifrael of God are made a61:ive herein. It is before thee
^heyjhall be driven out. Being a6led by his grace, they a6t,- being

armed

<5oS ~ The gradual Conciuest: Or,

armed bv his rpirit,they fight, and through thefpirit mortify the deeds
of the body. It is true, fometimes the Ifrael of God have nothing
to do at all, but juft tofiandfiill, as it were, and fee the filvation of
God ; to ftand ftill, an d fee hozv the waters mil divide to let them thro\
and how tiiey will return to drown and overwhelm their enemies l
But, for ordinary, their work is to go forward^ m the name and
•ftrcngchof theLord their God, and give battle, to their enemie.^
that they may be deflroyed before them, and, under the banner of
Chrijl Jefiis the glorious captain ofjalvation, to fight the good fight of
faith. Yea,

3. His driving out the nations before them, imports, that even
when they are called to a6]: and fight, they (liall have no ground of
boafting, but rather of blufhing, when they confider what part it
is that they aft in this matter : For the Lord himfelf mufl: be the
agent; The Lord thy God ivill put out the nations before thee. Ifrael s
captain goes before them, and leads the van,- the Lion of the tribe
of Judah mufh go before them, and tear their enemiies to' pieces :
It is he thatfubdues the nations under them.He hath gone beforethem
already, and had a blood y battle with all the nations of hell upon
mount Calvary ; there he fought and overcame principalities and pow-
ers ; there he condemn d fin in the fle/Jj, and deftroyedthe ftrength of
itj by flailing the law to hiscrofSjCol.2.14.. And however the nations
iTiay rally their forces again, and feem formidable and dreadful,
yettheir ftrength being broken in this bloody engagement, the
believer hath no more to do in effedl;, but to hold up the red flag of
the blood of Chriftby faith, and then he overcomes by the blood of the
Iamb,Rev. 12. i. The great battle is already fought, and the great
art of thebeliev,er, in all the lefi'er battles, lies in fetting hiscap-
tai^i.beforc hini, faying, FUgo in the ft-rerigth of the Lord ; for in the
Lord only have Irighteoufnefs and ftrength ', viewing him as before
them in the field, according to his promife. The Lord thy God will
put out thcfe nations before thee.

4. It may import, that, as the Lord their God will make their ene
mies to flee before their face, fo they (hall be witneiles to the won
ders of his power in overthrowing the nations in their way. The;
true Ifrael of God dare hardly call themfelves warriours againft
their enemies, but rather witnefTes to the battle of the Lord, when
he fights for them, and jnakes them overcome, and then gives them
the name 0^ conquerors, yea, more than conquerors thro" him that loved
them. Me overcomes for th.em, and then crowns them as theo-
vertomers, faying. To himthat overcomes, will 1 give to fm^ith me
(in my throne, &c. They are witnefTes to his exploits againfl their
enemies ; for his ordinary time of fighting remarkably, for thejn,

i

Heaven won by little and little. §00

is, when their ftrength is gone ; and when he fees their power is gone^
^nd.there is nonefJjut up or kft^ hy reafon of thepoiver of their enemies.
Dent. 32.36. then he fleps in, and takes vengeance on their enemies.
And indeed the day of power is a day of remarkable for vidlories
* overfin, Satan, the world, and the lufts thereof. Doyouremem-
^ ber the day, believer, when you thought there Was a legion of de-
vils, a nation of lufts, an army of corruptions, a regiment of hell
" within you ; but, behold, you got a view of the captain of falva-
tion ready to put out thefe nations before you, and you got grace to
take hold of him, to believe in him, and fo to turn to flight the ar-
mies of the aliens ? Are there not fome remarkable times, when
you got ^ our feet fet upon the neck of your lulls? By thee I have
rim through a troop, fays David, Pfal. 1 8. 29. and by my God I overleap
a wall. It is true, the conquefl is not always remarkable; for
fometimes the nations compafs them about like bees, and fling
them, and torment them, and prevail againft them ; iniquities
prevail againjt me, fays David: Yet they never prevail fo far, bun
that grace Hill renews the fight, and at lafl obtains the vi6lory,
though yet, through many ups and downs, and fallings and
rif]ng>, to's and fro's, and changes. Therefore,

Thirdly, The manner of the conquefl here exprefl is gradual, by
little and little. 7'his is the main point here intended, with refer-
ence to the manner of the Lord's deflroying the nations : There-
fore I would here, I. Show what may be imported in this ^/Vj5«r-
ting out the nations by little and little. 2. By what feveral fleps,
ftrokes, or degrees, he puts out the nations inafpiritualfenfe.

ift, As to the import of thisphrafe, by little and little, i. It
fays, that the Jfraelof God are not to expe6l that their fpiritual
enemies will be all vanquifli'd at the firll onfet. Tho' the vi6tory
be.begun whenever the foul gets in toChrift, and under his col-
curs who is the captain of falvation, yet the commencement of
the fpiritual war is not the compleatment thereof,- nay, there may-
be many a battle before the war be at a clofe, and the viftory com-
pleat : For tho' the enemy hath got a dead flroke, and tho' the na-
tions of lulls, like thebeaftm.entioned, Dan. 7. 12. have their do-
minion taken away, yet their lives are prolonged for a feafn, which oc-
cafions the war to be prolonged. 2. By little and little, it imports
that the vifible advantages over the naticns cf fpiritual enemies
may be very fmall : Ifraelmay he at a time hut holpen with a little help,
Dan. 1 1 . 34. and get a little reviving in their bondage, Fz.g. 8. a li: tie
vidory atatime, a fmall advantage againfl: theenemv: Bur, tho'
it be fmall, yet the day of fmall things \s not tobedefpifed, Zech.4.
10. for, as we fay, many fmalls make a great. Therefore, 3.

0.4 Tbe

(5i o The gradual C o N Q.U E s t : Or,

The Lord's putting them out by little and little, imports, thattho' the
feveral foils be fmall, yet they are fuccefsfiil ; for by little and little
the nations are thus put out and difcomfited: Every new battle tends
to the ruining of the enemy more andmore.^ Let not the belie-
ver fay that nothing is done, becaufe fo httle is done, and the ene-
my is yet alive. O be thankful, if by little and little the Lord be put-
ting them out, and gradually diminifliing their forces. 4. By little
and little y it imports the continuation andprogrefs of the war, un-
til there be a total extirpation of the nations. There may be an
intermiflion of {\.vokQSf now a Itroke and then a ftroke given to
the enemy; but no intermiflion of the war during the mili-
tant flate, no proclamation of peace with the enemy, no
league with any luft among the truQifrael of God. Luds may
indeed rife and rage, and rally their forces again, even after
they are routed, and a multitude of thefe nations may gather
together; and the believer may be in great fears of theiflue, left
he be fwallowed up and deftroyed before them: till by faith he
get a new recruit of auxiliaries and ftrength from heaven, and
then he will fay, with thepfalmifl; Pfal. 118- 10, 11. The nations
compaft me about, but in the name of the Lord will I dejlroy them ; for
then the right- hand of the Lord does valiantly. Yet Hill it is by little
and little; here a little, and there a little; here a little ftroke given
to Satan's kingdom, and there a little ftroke ; here a little dafti gi-
ven to the old-man and his lufts, and there a little dafh : a little ac
this duty, and a little at another ; a little at this fermon, and a lit-
tle at another fermon ; at this facrament, and the other lacrament,
till the finiQiing ftroke be given. But this leads to the other
queftion here,

2dly, By what fteps and degrees is the conqueft over the nations
advanced to a total extirpation of them ? Here I might enquire,
I. By what degrees the conqueft is advanced by IfraeFs captain
in his own perfon ? 2. By what degrees it is advanced by him
in their perfons ?

(i .) By what degrees the conqueft is advanced and compleated
by the captain of Ifrael, thehord JefusChrift, in his own perfon ?
I'Jl tell you four remarkable periods of his conqueft, wherein you
may fee four remarkable degrees thereof, iji Period was the
commencement of the war in paradife, immediately after the fall
o^Adam : There he proclaimed war between thefeedofthe 'woman
and the feed of the ferpent ; and after the proclamation, during that
Old Teftament period he kept all his foldiers in expcftation of his
appearing, according to that promifeand proclamation, as their
Head and general ; fo that,in the faith of this comingMr//?ij-,they

over.

Heaven ijion by little and little. 6ii

overcame. 2d Period was in the remarkable combat that was be-
twixt the two heads of the two contending parties on mount Cat-
•vary^Chvid on the one hand, and the ferpent on the other ; when,
t ho' the ferpent bmifed his heel unto blood, yet he brake the ferpent's head
'•joith his bloody heel,wh\kby death he dejtroyed him that had the power of
death,that is the devil,& vanquiflied the nations of hell by deflroy-
ing their commander's power, ^d Period was in the after-game
that followed upon this memorable combat ; when in his refur-
reftion and afcenfion into heaven, he difmantled all the garrifons
of Satan, divided t he fpoi I with thcjlrong, led captivity captive : which
laid the foundation for a fuccefsful war to all his Ijrael, carried on
between Michael and his angels, and the dragon and his angels ; where
the dragon,having got a de^idlyjlroke, cannot prevail,i^rj. 1 2.7,8.
tho' he continue thus to rail}/ his forces againft heaven,and all that
bend heavenward to the end of the world. And then comes the
^tb Period, in that confummate flroke which the captain of falva-
tion will give to the devil and his armies, at the great day, when be
will come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory : Then
death, and he that had the power of it, fiall be utterly dejtroyed ; for,
the lajl enemy to be dejlroyed, is death, 1 Cor. 15. $6. From the firfl
to the lafl enemy, not one Ihall beleftnor fpared from deflru6li-
on : Then fin, and death that was bro't in by fin, fliall be under an
eternal banifliment, never more to appear among the Jfrael of
God. Thus you fee by what fleps and degrees the conqueft is
effe6luated by the Lord Jefus in his own perfon.

(2. j By what degrees, fay you, is it aftually obtained by him in
his members and foldiers,when he drives out the nations before them ?
Why, I. By little and little J he brings them to the field of battle a-
gainfi; the nations, in a day of power, when the fpiritual war is be-
gun. 2. By little and little, he carries on the conquefi;, 'till the
day of death, when the warfare is concluded.

ijl, Ihy, by little and little, hehnngs them forth to the field a-

gainflthe nations of lufis that ftand in their way to the heavenly

Canaan, and that in a day of power, in a day of converfion,

when the fpiritual war is commenced in the man's perfon.

Qucfi.How does the Lord theirGod bring 'em forth againft the enemy?

Ido not limit tiieLord to this or that way ; he is fovereign :
But I fpcak of the ordinary fteps and degrees, by which he brings
any poor linner that was under tlie power of fin and Satan, mixed
with, and under the power of the nations of hell,- by which, I
fay, he brings them to the field. There are feveral fields that the
captain of ialvation leads them through, before they be on the
field of battle, where the nations are put out before them.

(^ q 2 I, He

612 The gradual CoNCLtTEST : Or,

I. He lesLdsthem to the fie]do^ confideration, and makes them
there bethink themfelves what a fad (late and condition they are
in, while waging war again ft heaven, under the devil's banner.
What am I doing? and, where am I going? and, what will be the
endof therethings,andoflivinginthefervice of thefe nations of
lulls ? And, O where will be my landing-place to eternity, if this
be my courfe ? Many never go fo far towards the heavenly Ca-
naan, zs to {[ep in to this field ofconfidcration. The ox knoweth l^s
owner, and the ajs his mafters crib ; but Ifraeldoes not know, my people
donotconfider, Ifa. i. 3. But, ah ! many never fo much as turn their
faces towards the field of battle againft their lulls, fo long as they
do not enter on this field of confideration : Therefore, when the
Lord begins a good work on his people, he brings themfirll to
confider their ways ; / thought upon my ways, and turned my feet to
thy tejiimonies. May be he brings them to it by fome rouzing pro-
vidence, whereby he flops their carreer in wickednefs, ^nd hedg-
es up their way with thorns, as he flopt ManaJJes, and held him in the
thorns of Babylon, till he began to confider and know that the Lord ivas
God, and that he was fighting againft God.

1. Another little advance, while by little and littlehe leads them
•forth to battle, is his bringing them next to .the field of concern.
This natively follows upon due confideration. The man is bro'c
to fee the hazard and danger he is compafTed with, and to be afraid
of the ifiue. Some may makea flep into the field of confideration
a little, but they prefently flep back again, without going forward
to the field of concern:B[.it when the Lord hath a mind to bring one
forward to the camp for war, he brings them into the the field of
great concern, where they are filled with a greater concern about
ialvation than ever they had about any thing in the world, faying
with the jaylor,0 PFhatfJmll I do tobefaved? and with Peter's hear-
ers. Men and brethren, what /ball we do ? Is there any falvati on for
nie, that have been fighting againft God all my days.

3. Anotherlittle advanceis, his bringing them from the field
of concern to the field of refUefnefs, even to a reftlefs endeavour to
come out of Satan's camp, and out of that fad condition they fee
themfelves in : For this concern about falvation, and fear of ever-
lading damnation, makes them to fill about the means of relief ;
and fo they read, and pray,and hear,and meditate,and mourn, and
weep, and reform; and you would think they were by this time
beginning to fight againfl the nations of their lufls ; But,however
thefe means be good in th.emfelves, and a refllefnefs in the u^e of
inem may be wrought under theawakninginliuence of the fpiric
oi <o od j yet there is fome other field the man mud be taken throV '

befoi'^

Heaven iuok hy little and little, 613

before he be capable to lift arms againft his lufts in an evangelic?.!
and acceptable manner : For, as yet, his legal heart leads him to
nothing but a legal warfare, under whicli his fpiritual lulls remain
Iti'l in their flrength and dominion. The man is yet iimlcr the lazv,
and J'o under the dominion of fin, Rom. 6. 1 4. And hence, while he
is yet in this field, he is ready to be filled with vain imaginations,
and legal dreams, like the young man in the gofpel, that it is by do-
iiig fome good thing or other he is to have eternal life. In this cafe, he
may be doing a great deal of duties, and doing what he can witli
the greatefl; natural ferioufnefs, and yet to no purpofe ; becaufe
he is doing upon the principle of the old covenant of works, do
and live. Therefore, 4. Another little advance is the Lord's bring-
ing them from that field of refllefnefs to the field of defpair ; fo as
to defpair of help in themfelves and in their endeavours, to defpair
of ever getting vi61:ory by their legal diligence, to defpair cf life
by the law, and their own obedience thereto. When the foul
is upon this field, it meets with the law, and fees the extent and
fpirituality of it, as exa6ting no lefs than perfection, internal per-
fe6lion in heart and nature, external perfe6lionin lip and life, e-
ternal perfection in point of continuance and duration ; for, cur-
fed is every one that continuethnot,(5cc. and foall this perfection ic
requires upon pain of eternal death and damnation. Now, the
commandment comes, Rom. 7.9. and iho' the ?nan %vas alive -ivithouo
the law once, Rnd reckoned hQ was right enough, and bade fair for
the heavenly Canaan,zs well as his neighbours j yet the command-
ment thus coming,y^7i revives,andhedies, his hope and expectation
by the law, or by his legal endeavours, give up the ghoft. Now,
till a man be brought to this field of defpair, he is not brought half-
way to the field of battle againft the nations of enemies in his way
to Canaan ; but when the Lord brings a man to this defpair in him-
felf, and to defpair of relief from creatures and means, then there
begins to be fome hope in Ifrael concerning him. Therefore,
5. Another little advance, while the Lord is bringing the man by-
little and little to the golpel-camp, is this: He brings him from
the field of defpair to the field of hope, 1 mean, to a diftant fight of
the Cape of good hope, m the hearing of the glad news of the gofpel
concerning the capiain of filvation, in whom alone poor inllaved
linnersmay be made more*than conquerors over fin, Satan, and the
world, over death and hell, and all fpiritual enemies. 'I'he foul
hears of this mighty captain, that he is able to fave totheutter-
moft,- and fo conceives hope, that perhaps he will Ihcw mercy,
and deliver a poor captive. : Lfpeak not hereof the new andlive-
Jy hope, that is the fruit and effeCl of f^ith ,* for, on this field of

Q.q 3 hope

614 The gradual CoNauEST : Or,

hope that I fpeak of,the man is yet between hope and derpair,as It
were : This hope camiot be a helmet to him, while he yet wants thepoield
of faith ; yet it is fuch a hope, wrought by the objeftive revelati-
on of the gofpel, as keeps him from finking into utter difcourage-
ment, and encourages him to go forward, becaufe he i^QQ^ a door
of hope open in the call of the gofpel, wherein he hears Chrift
calling him to come to him freely y and receive his grace, O there is
the door of anew covenant open, fays the man within himfelf ,
I fee it is open for the like of me, and I am particularly called to
comein at this open door : And now^when the man is brought to
this,heistrulynot far from the kingdom of heaven, not far from the
field of battle ; he needs but to be holpen with a little help further,
and then his courfe is compleat. Therefore, 6. Another little
advance is, after the foul is brought over all thefe fields, by the
good hand of God upon him, he is brought into the field o^faving
faith, getting fuch a difcovery of Jefus Chrifl, the captain of falva-
tion, by the fpirit of wifdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, as
powerfully determines him to take on with him, as a volunteer, be-
ing made willing in the day of power, and being charmed with the
glory of his perfon, the freedom of his grace, the holinefs of the
ftandard and ruddy enfign died with his own blood. Here the
man fees him girding his Jwordupon his thigh, even his glory andmaje-
fly : By this fword of glorious grace, the finner is made a willing
fubje6l,a willing foldier to follow the glorious captain,and imploy
him to fight all his battles, and drive out all the nations of his lulls
before him. And now the man is a BELIEVER, and is come in-
deed to the field of battle, being joined to the l!ord Jefus, and dif-
joined from his old general : Now he is, by virtue of union to
Chrifl, entitled to a compleat viftory over all the nations of ene-
mies in his way, and entitled to all thefe new recruits from hea-
ven, that are neceflary for the gradual fubduing of the nations be-
fore him,till he get to the poffelTion of the hesLvenly Canaan. Thus
you fee how by little and little the Lord brings them forth to the f eld of
battle; and by what various degrees they are bio'tfromflaves to
the devil and their lufls, to be foldiers of "^Chrifl. But now, as by
little and little he brings them to the field of battle againfi: the
nations in a day of power ; So,

2dly, By little and little he carries on the conquejt, till the day of
death, when the warfare is accomplifli'd. The text leads me to
fpeak of the captain's part ; The Lord thy God will put out thefe \
nations before thee by little and little. And indeed his part is the
leading part in the All of this conquefl ; for, without him we can do
nothing. To engage with the enemy alone, and encounter the

nations^!

Heaven by link and littk, 61$

nations in our own flrength, were madnefs ,- every lufl will iaugh
at theflmking of our /pear. It is Chrifl; alone, and his fpirit that can
deftroy the nations before us. But now, the gradual conqueft,
till the'day of death, by little and little, fpeaks out thefe two things:
I . That the7/;-^/of God hath many fad experiences all their days,
that their enemies r/;^wflrioM^ are not truly dejlroyed, but are living
and lively, ftrong and prevalent many times. 2. That they have
alfo many fvveet experiences, all their days, of little aid and auxi-
haries from heaven, whereby the enemy is driven out and dejlroyed
hy little and littky^rom time to time.

(i.) I fay, this gradual conqueft taking place till death and the
warfare, fpeaks out many fad experiences, that the nations of
their lulls, and corruptions and fpiritual enemies are not utterly de-
jlroyed; and that, notwithflanding their being got fairly under the
colours of their glorious captain, yet they will find all their days
that their enemies are living, lively, flrong and prevalent : For,
their deftrudtion being but by little and little,the conqueft may be
many times undifcernible, while yet the power of the enemy ap-
pears great and formidable, notwithftanding any little advantage
gained at a time, and while they find many dreadful fallies and ex-
curfions that the enemy makes upon them. Now, may I not ask
the Ifraelof God here, if they have not too many fad experiences
of the yet remaining life and ftrength of the- enemy ? Does not
your fad experience fay, that there is a law in your members, warring
againjl the law of your mind, and bringing you into captivity to the law
of fin that is in your members, Rom. 7.23. and that you wrejlle not a-
gainjtjie/h and blood only, but againji principalities and powers ? Eph.
6. 12. Does not fad experience witnefs, how violent your corrup-
tions are, and how imperucuily they break thro' every hedge,
notwithftanding your being furetobefcratch'dwith thorns; and
how eagerly they follow the bait, even when the hook is moft dif^
cernible ? Does not fad experience witnefs, that it is within you
that ails you moft ? and that yourgreateji adverfaries are men of your
own houfe ; and that, in the worft of times, there is always more
caufe to complain o^an evil heart, than of an evil world; and that it
isthis carnal heart efpechWy, that clogs and hampers you in your
flight and motion towards God, & makes many times your choic-
eft duties to be like a grievous task ? Does not fad experience wit- .
nefs,even fince you was brought to the field of battle againft your
fpiritual enemies, that there is more wickednefs in your heart,fid-
ing with the enemy, than you could have believed,tho' it had been
told you ? When you formerly got yoiirfect upon the necks of your e*
nemies, you could never have thought they would ever fo fearful-

Q. q 4 ly

6i 6 TJje gradual C o n q.u e s t ; Or,

^/ prevail again ; or, if you had thought it, would it not have beeri
^terror to you ? Does not fad experience witncfs fuch a power of cor-
ruption, that no fooner did you ever begin to parly with a tempta-
tion at a difiance, and adventure to/port thercwith,but it quickly hath
turned to earnefl, and carried all before it ? So much gun-powder
for the enemy do you carry about with you, that you take fire upon
thefmallcft touch,3ind are ready to be blown up v/ith the flame?
Does not fad experience Wkncfs, howfoon the Jlrongefi refolution^
even under the fweetejl gales, will evanifli ; that you are not ofc
in the evening what you was in the morning, nor for many hours
do you keep the ground you had attained ; and how quickly you
defiroy that which grace hath built, infomuch that if grace were
not ftronger to fave and prefer'ue, than you are to mar and de-
Jiroy, you v/ould be undone for ever ? Is it not pad reckon-
ing, how ofc your heart hath thus deceived you ? And is it not
plain that the word of God knows your heart better than yoii
do, declaring it to be deceitful above all things ? &c. Does not
fad experience (how you, that the devil, who heads and leads the
nations of lujls and corruptions, hath the advantage of the ground,
and knows iiow to correfpond with your corruption, andftiits his
temptation to your natural temper, to your calling and compa-
ny, and predominant inclination, and even to your retirement ciVid
fjlitude ; and that he can even then moft dangerouHy tempr/
when the temptation is leaft feen and difcovered ; and that
by his temptation he aims not only at the bringing fin to the
ihouglus, but to the aft, for putting fome blot upon ydur ixialk
and coiiverfation 7 Does not fad experience fliew you, that it is
hard to dance about the fire, and not be burnt; and that the
'temptation, which at a dii^duce feemedfnall, upon a nearer approach
Tou have found had more bands on your heart than you could
Tiuve dreamed it would have had ; and how impofTible it is many
times 10 JIop the current, to which through unwatchfulnefs you have
given a vent V Does not fad experience witnefsjho^v the power and
prevalency of corruption hath confumed the vitals of yourfpiritiial
life, and tumbled you down headlong into confufion; efpecialiy
when you have given confcience a wramp, by domg violence to light,
in Tiding with the enemies, and adventuring on the occafions of ;i
temptation ? When you have gone "joith Peter to the high prieft's hall,
without a warrant or a call, har.h itnotcofi you dear, infomucli
that you have found bold finning hath made faint believing, and
turned all your comfort to the door, leaving nothing behind bu£
h'ntcrncfs' and death ? Do you not find your fins have a weaknin;^^
captivating, vexing and tormeniing power ? But m'AXiy fad experi-
ences

Heaven won by little and little. dj

ences oF this forr, and thoufands of them in their lifetime, may
even the Ifrasl of God have, whereby they find, to their coll,
xhQnatiGns of corruptions are alive and pov/crful,- as this gradual
conquefl /;}' little and little declares.

( 2. ) It (hows alfcthat they have many fvceet experiences on the
other hand of little fuccoursznd auxiliaries, fupplies from heaven,
whereby the enemy is driven out and deftroyed from time to
time, and this all the days of their life alf§^ till the warfare be ac-
compliflied at death. I am fpeaking of thefe that have been bro'c
to the field of battle, as I fliowed before ,• and ho'x the Lordby little
and little makes the nations of lufts fometimes to flee before them : But
by how many littles in the believer's lifetime this warfare is carried
on, who can tell? And howmdnj little recoveries, little revivings,
little fupplies, little fupports, little fir en gthning meals, little fin-killing
antidotes, little foiil-reftoring cordials ; how many of thefe little
fweet things, or fweet little things, the Lord their God allows them
from time to time, that by little and little they may 'win the day, it is
not poffible to tell, they are fo many. The poor fighting belie-
ver may get a thoufand of them in a year, and ten thoufands of
them in his lifetime, and perhaps more than half afcoreof them
at one communion. Sometimes he gets a httle new difcoveryof the
glorious captain, after he hath been long out of fight, and hiding
himfelf : And a new fight of the glory of the Lord fills the Ifraelites
hearts with ncu) life and courage, and hope of prevailing ; for tb.en
he fees Chrift to bed. full magazine of all military provifion, and an
open magazine to give out armour for the war ; and fo he becomes
Jtrong in the Lord, and\in the power of his might. Lidecd, fo ma.'iy
little glances ot the glory of Chrift that the believer gQis,^o many lit-
tle victories docs he get over the enemy. Ac^ain, fometimes he
gets a little out-pouring of the fpirit of prayer, and of thefpirit of a dap.
tion, crying, Abba Father ', O Father, may he fay, pity a poor child,
. harraffedwith the devil, and captivated by the power of indz^elling lufcs
afid corruptions. O but this gives the believer a little Q:xfc and re-
lief, when he can get his heart poured out into the bcfmo^Wis heft
and moi\ glorious friend, complaining of r/;^ tyranny oi the temprer,
and the prevailing of the nations. Here is a. little victory, when
he gets a little grace to puttheenemiesof his foul into theiiands
of his captain, fay ing. Vengeance, Lord ; vengeance be executed upon
thefe enemies, that dijhonour thy name, anddijtiirb the peace of my Jonl.
Again, fometimes he gets a little difcovcry of the enemy's power
and policy, and ftrongeft holds; foas, knowing the depths of Sa-
tan, and not being ignorant of his devices, the believer is thereby put
in cafe to be upon his guard : And efpecially he is made to fee and

obferve

6i8 The gradual Conquest; Or,

obfcrve the old man of fin, that deadly cut-throat, that lies within
his bofom ; and while he is bemoaning himfelf with Ephraim, and
crying out with Paul^ O wretched fnan that lam, who [hall deliver me
from this body of death ? The enemy is lofing ground. Again, fome-
t\mQs\\Q gets ?i little communication of life, after a deadnefs of fpi-
rit that feized him ; and a little recovery^ after a fit of the falling-
ficknefs and hackfliding: And the new communication oi W^e, and
health to the foul, makes him flart up to his feet again, and purfue
the enemy with more vigour and r^/«f/o« than ever ; like a man
that grows flronger after his ficknefs than he was before. In-
deed, that fpiritual ficknefs of the believer is not unto death, but unto
the glory of God; which his being recovered from, makes him fight
more couragioujly, and watch more carefully againfl: the enemy,
than ever he did. Again, fometimes he gets a little hold of
a promife, fuch as that, I will fubdue thine iniquity ; Jin /JmU
not have dominion over thee ; fear not, for I am with thee ; The
God of peace /hall bruife Satan under your feet fhortly; And, ha-
ving thefe promifes, he is encouraged to the holy war, namely,to
cleanfe himfelf /rom all filthinefs oftheflefh and of the fpirit, &c.
Why, the promife lays hold on his heart, and his heart lays hold on
the pro7nife, and therein he fees that thefirength of Ifrael is engaged
to carry him thro' the hoft of his enemies. And thus, every little hold
of a promife by faith, is a little vi^ory ; there needs no more to give
a chafe to the enemy, than a little upjiirring of faith on a promifing
God in Chrift, and dependence on him under the condu6l of his
fpirit. Again, fometimes he gets a little grace to wait upon the Lord
while the promife IS not yetaccompliflied, until he bring forth judg-
ment unto vi^ory ; and the Lord is a God of judgment, blejjed are all
they that ivait for him ; he that believes, fJoallnot make hajte ; know-
ing the race is not to thefwift, nor the battle to thejlrong : And hence
the believer will find that his fi:rength is to fit fi:ill, and quietly to
wait for the falvation of the Lord, Again, fometimes he gets a lit-
tle godlyforrow, that works repentance unto life : Gofpel-repentance,
iffuingfrom a fightof a crucified Chrift, brings along with it a
train of artillery for fubduing the enemy, 2 Cor. 7. 11. JVhatcare-
fulnefs does it work, fays the apoftle ; yea, what clearing ofourfelves;
yea, what indignation; yea, what fear :, yea, what vehement dejire ;
yea, what zeal ; yea, what revenge ? When the heart is melting be-
fore the Lord in g(^dly forrow, O what revenge is it meditating a-
gainftthe nations of lifls and corruptions ! O how glad would the
believer be then towafiihis hands in the blood of all his fpiritual
enemies 1 For at the fome time he gets 3 little refentment of Ijis own
inguticude, laying, 0 do I thus requite ths Lord, Ofoolijb and un-

wife ?

Heaven 'won hy Jit tie and little, 619

fy//^? A little holy fliameand blufhing before the Lord, at the
tho'ts of his own briuifhnefs, faying, behold, lam vile ; and a little
foul-debafemenr, cafling indigiiity upon himfelf, and giving glory
to thcLord, faying, 7n/f/;,Lo7-<i, lam a dog J am a beaft, I am a devil,
but yet I come to thee,to cafi out the devU^ik get glory to thy name.
Further, fometimes he gets a little intimation of peace & pardon,
21 little Jpringling of the blood of Chrijl upon theconfcience, to purge it
from dead works ; and a little application of that blood by the hand
of the fpirit, ihewing him that the blood of Chrijl cleanfeth from all
fin : And this bloody banner of the Iamb, being difplayed, makes
the nations to flee before him; They overcome by the blood of the
lamb. Sometimes they get a little opening of the heart, like Lydia,
at the hearing of the word ; infomuch that their hearts, that were
dead within them like a llone, before they are aware take life and
need fire, with a word of grace, a word of power ,• and the more
the heart opens to let in the king of glory, the more is the enemy (hut
out. Sometimes they get a YhiIq freedom and boldnefs at the throne
of grace, when they come thither to obtain mercy and find grace to
help in time of need. And when there they get a little ftrength to
wreflle with the Lord for ablefling, faying. Lord, I will not let thee
go, 'tillthoublefsme; they get even power with God himfelf, as 'tis
faid ofJ'acob,HQi'.i2.4.. He had power over the angel,&prevaikd. And
when a man is an overcomer'm this fenfe, to have power with God ;
much more will he h^ive power over the nations of enemies, Rev. 2.26
To him that overcometh, will I give power over the nations. Sometimes
they get 3. little anointing of the oil of gladnefs wherewith Chrijl is a-
nointed above his fellows, and then the joy of the Lord is their Jirength;
and a little fliower of the fan6lifying and comforting influences of
the fpirit of Ch rift, for watering their graces, and drowning their cor-
ruptions. Sometimes they get a little look and blink of the kind
andcompaflionateeyeofChrift, even/3/>er« denial, as he gave to
Peter ; and when they find him thus gracioufly looking to them, and
kindly rebuking them, they go out and weep bitterly, and while
they are fliedding the tears of faith, they are fliedding the blood of
their enemies. Sometimes they get a little back-look upon 2in old
f.x-pm^;?^^ of the Lord's putting the enemy to flight before them,
faying. Til remember thee from the land of Jordan and of the Hermo-
nites, B'c. Or a little back-look upon an old profnife that the Lord
gave them with power: And when they are helped to plead it,
faying. Lord, remember the word on which thou hajt caufed me to hope ;
the enemy gets a new defeat. Sometimes they get a little open-
ing of the door of hope in the valley of Achor, the lively hope of the
heavenly Canaan thro' the refurre^tion of Chrift ; And this hope

620 TIjc gradual C o N Q.U E s t : Or,

is I he flnews of the holy war ,• for, as Hope viaketh not afiamed, fu
he that hath this hope, purijics himfelf; and, according to the mea-
fure of this hope, is the meafure of victory. Sometime^s they gee
a little pull cf the cord of love, fo as to get the love of God /bed a-
broad upon their heart, and then the love of Chrijt cenjtrains them ; the
love cf the captain draws them to the field, where love is the fig-
ral for war, CiiriiVs love, I mean : His banner over me ims love^hys
the church. His love both leads the van, and /e?2c^x the rear ; and
when the flame of his love to them kindles a i'Jame of love in their
hearts to him, then q. flaming fiwrdis drawn in ihefacc of the ene-
my, the banner of love beats dozvn the nations. Again, they fome-
timcs get a little fpiritual fenfe to carry on the fpiritual war : For
inilance, fometimes a little hearing of the voice fChriJl, fo as 40 bwuij
thefiveet and poiverf id found of it among a thoufand voices; and
then their heart leaps within them, faying, It is the voice of my be-
loved ; behold, be comctb leaping on the mountains, &c. Sometimes
they get a little fight of God m Chriil, and then they can endure
jiardfhip, as good foldiers of Chrift ; thus they endure, as feeing him
that isinvifibk, counting the reproach of Chrifi greater riches than all
the treafitres of Egypt. Sometimes they get a little touch of the hem
if ChriJVs garment by faith, -A. little touch of his name, his offices,
his blood, hisrighteoufnefs, or whatever hem it be,* virtue comes
from him to flop the bloody ijfue,and ftop the enemies motion, Some-
im:es they get a little taile that theLord is gracious, and it is like the
tafte of Jonathans hony-comb ,• the more they tafi:e of the hony
of free-grace, the greater is the flaughter they make among the
Philiftines. Sometimes they get a little fmell of the rofe of Sharon,
mid the lilie of the valley, & k reftores their fainting foul : Jll ChrijVs
garments are faid to fmell of Aloes, Myrrhe ^ Cajfia ; & the believer
may be faid to^^; afmellofthe rainient,afmellofthe rofe,\vhQnChrifi
is precious to him above all things : 'And when all thek fpiritual fenjes
are exercifed,then they may be faid to be exercifing their arms, and
making havock among their enemies, and gaining ground upon
them. In a word, he gives them fometimes a little breathing
in the air of fpiritual meditation; My meditation of him JJjall be
fweet: And when Chrifi: is fweet, fin is bitter, and the battle
againfi; it a bitter battle. He gives them here a little, and there
a little; and by liitle and little puts out the nations before them.

I have mentioned many particulars ; but yet there is no fpeak-
ing of all the littles that believers v^^jll experience during the.timc
Gf their warfare: Onlv,thus you iee hnxi by little and little their
captau-i brings diem to tlic field of battle, and how Z^y little and Ut-
ile he carries on the conqueit in their hand ; it is the Lord their God

alone

Heaven ccwz by little and Uttk. 621

alone that does it; it is he that conquered their enemies; ic is he
that helps them to chafe the conquered, for it is he cha': boughr.
their armour ; he bought their fijie Id, and fiwrd, aud breajt plate, and
'-helmet ; and it is he that, as he bought them -with his blood, Jo he puts
on their weapons, and girds them with ftrength for war. 'Tis he that
rubs oiF the rufl from their arms, when at any time they are out of
life, by blowing up their graces,and giving them ftrength to exer-
cife grace : And it is he that carries on the vi6lory to perfeftion,
by giving power to the faint ; and to him that hath no might, he increaf-
eth ftrength, from time to time, till in death he end the warfare, by
driving out all the nations, fo as never to be feen again. The Lord
thy God will put out thefe nations before thee by little and little.
SIXTH HEAD.

The Sixth Thing propofed,was, to give the Reafons of the doc-
trine. It might here be asked, i. Wl)y the Lord their God, and he
alone, does put out the nations before them ? Why, he alone can do it,
for he is the Lord ; they would never be put out, if he did it not;
and he alone will do it,becaufe he is their God, and thus ftands en-
gaged by promife and covenant fo to do. The Lord thy Godwillput
out thefe nations before thee. But, 2. Why will he do it fo gradual-
ly, by little and little ? Why does he let enemies without and wich-
in live to annoy his people? Seeing itiseafy for him to deflroy
them allinllanLly, why will he deflroy them gradually, bylittfe
and little ? There is much of infinite wifdom to be obferved in this
dilpofure ; and therefore I would offer fome -particulars for re-
prefenting the beauty of this method.

ift,Itis by little and little he puts them out, without deftroying
them at once, that by them he may prove his people, Judg. 2. 29..
Some Canaanites were flill left remaining, to prove whether they
will keep the way of the Lord: Thefe Canaanites were enemies
to their peace, enemies to their profeffion, that fought their bo-
.dies overthrow, and their fouls ruin; and they are left to prove
whether they will cleave ftill to God's command, or whether they
Will follow the abominations of the wicked. Obferve it then , firs,
we murt expect to find enemies; outward enemies to the peace
of the church, and to the truth of the gofpel ; m'lu.Tri enemies to
the graces and comforts of the foul : And this combat, thus
continued in IfracI, fervesto prove wherher our graces be coun-
terfeit or not; for they only are true 7/i-j(?//r<?j, thnt are flilhak-
ing up arms againft the devil, the world, and the Jlejh, and all the
nations of the Canaanites. -By this then it is evidenced who are
true Ifraclites, and who not.

2d!y, It is by little and Uttk that be will put out the nations before If-

<52 2 The gradual Conquest : Or,

rael, that thus they may be flill learning to exercife their arms : I
mean, that their graces may be exercifed, and particularly their
miliranc graces. There are fome graces would be for little or no
ufe^iFnoC^n^^mV^^and corruptions were left; The fpecial ufe
of faith, hope & patience, is for helping the believer to furmount
the difficulties that are now in his way. Many other graces there
are, that there would be no ufe for, if all our enemies and corrup-
tions were deflroyed at once. Triumphant graces, fuch as love
and joy in their perfeftion, would make aperfe6l heaven ; buc
there are militan t; graces, that muft be exercifed alfo, while we are
on earth, and which there will be no ufe for in heaven : For ex-
ample, ifall wants were fupplied fully, there would be no need 0/
poverty offpirh ; ifall fins were wholly deftroyed, there would be
no more need of godly forrow ; if death were already/wallowed up of
vi^ory, there would be no need oUhedefire of death, nor of longing
for heaven ; ifvifion were already come^there would be no need offaithy
as'tisa militant grace, fightingits way many times thro' doubts
and fears, and want of fight and fenfe ; if fruition were come,
there would be no need of hope ; ifall trouble were at an end, there
would be no need of patience: But this fJoleld of faith, and helmet
of hope, and other parts of the chriftian armour, mufl be exer-
cifed,- therefore the nations are not wholly deltroyed, but by lit-
tle and little. Again,

^dly, Id is by little and little they are put out, for the advantage
of the militant faints in many refpe6ls ; As it is fit they fiiould
fightjbefore they triumph ,* and that they war as foldiers on earth,
before they reign askings in heaven; imcQ no man is crowned ex-
cept hejlri'ue lawfully, 2 Tim. 2.5. So it tends to enhanfe heaven,
and make them prize and value it the more, whenic is attained,
through many difficulties, troubles and oppofitions: And by this
means they come to have fome fweet conformicy to their blefled
captain offahation^ who v/as made perfed; through fifferings ; and it
is Lheir honour to tread his flcps, v/ho endured the contradiction cf
finners agawjh hinfef^ and fought hi.s way. I'l j is con tributes alfo
10 the believer's comfort at the ifilie of every conflift, asa fafe
haven is very comforeable to a mariner that hath been tofi: at fea.
This mctliod ferves not only for the believer's comforCjbut for his
inUratlion andcorrcftion: For his inflrudlion, becaufethus he
learns more and more to be humble and dependant,- allboafting
is excluded by this means, while he finds his enemies flill living,
anc' liveh- and firong ,• for he looks with a humble eye upon him-
ftir, knowing his own utter infufficiency for grappling with thefe
enemies, and difficuldes, and oppofiiionsin his way; and with a

dependanc

FIeaven won by little and little. 623

dependant eye upon Chriil, that his grace may be fufficient for him,
and his Jirength perfected in weaknefs: I'hus he glories in his infirmities,
that the power of Chrifl may reft upon him. And as it is advantageous
for their necel-Fary inftruction, fo for their neceflary corretlion,
when they are fparing and remifs in ufing the means, and improv-
ing the advantages for driving out the C(7;2fl^«zY^-r, indulging the
flefli and the corruptions thereof; as it is faid of 7/;*<:ze/, Numb. 33.
S^. If they would not drive out the inhabitants of the land, then it jhoiild
come to pafs, that thefe which they let remain fbould be pricks in their
eyes, aud thorns in their fides, to vex them. This is one of the feve-
refl: ways of chaftiling them, when, to reprove them for one fin
andlufl, he lets them fall into the hands of another; And yet, in
mercy to the true Ifrael of God, curing their difeafe in the ifllie :
AshtlQi Peter fall into a threefold pit among his enemies hands,
for curing his felf-confidence. One would think, the cure was
worfe than the difeafe ,• but our Lord hath fometimes very fearful
ways of correfting and curing the fouls of his own people.

4thlyj It is by little and little that the Lord puts out the nations before
them, to commend the excellency of the deliverance that we have
hyChrift. Tho' there be no condemnation to them that are in Chrifl ; yet,
for their humiliation, God fuffers their enemies to live among
them, and fin to live in them, and oftimes to afflit't them, that they
may know the benefit they have by grace, while they make con-
tinual recourfe to him for help. It is but little, that we can com-
prehend at once, by reafon of our want of capacity ; therefore he
gives one deliverance at this time, and another deliverance at
that time, and a third deliverance at another time, and fo on from
time to time, that we may know how much we are obliged to him.

Sthly, He delivers by little and little, to fhew the greatnefs of his
glory, as the captain of falvation. He fliews the glory of his power,
in keeping us, notwithftandingthe great danger we are continu-
ally in, while the enemy is alive within us, without us, and round
about us. How greatly does his power appear, in preferving the
to£ed ar/t amidft all thc'waves and billows of adverfity thatdafli
againfi; it,and in keeping the bur ningbufh from being confumed'7 He
fliews the glory of his triumphant arms, like fome famous con-
querors in battle, who, tho' they may, yet v/illnot put all their
enemies to the edge of the fword, but will take fome captives, and
others they will keep alive againfi: their day of triumph, and then
to fuff'er death, to the greater fliame of the conquered, and the
greater glory of the conquerer. When ^o/Jjua had difcomfited thefe
^ve kings that fought againfi Gibeon, Jofliua 10. be would not fay
'hem inflantly, but flout them up in a cave clojly, intending, when the
I battle

(Si4 'rhc gradual Conquest: Or,

battle was fully ended, to put them to death openly : So our great
general and captain, the Lord Jefus Chrift, Jtrikes through kings in
the day of his wrath ; He leads captivity captive ; He fliuts up fbme
of the kings and commanders of the hellilh nations into the cave
of the heart, where they may rage, yet they cannot rule any
more ; and at laft crowns the folemnity of his triumph, by making
a Jho'j) of them openly, and deftroying them utterly.

6thly, He dejlroys them by little and little, that he may counterplot
the enemies in their own pIot,andfightthemwith their own wea-
pons. It is the plot of hell, by little and little to deftroy finners,
vea, and to wear out the faints of the Moft High, Dan. 7. 25. by one
temptation on the back of another ; therefore by little and little the
Lord will defeat the defignof the devil, andr^^'^ thezvije in their
own craftinefs. The wifdom of heaven can eafily counterplot the
policy of hell. Yea, thus he fights the enemy,and beats him with
his own weapons. The tempter comes fometimes, and bruifes
ihebeliever'sheeljflj- /j^J/V/C^rZ/^'s; upon which the believeris
ftirred up to look i2,gzmx.o\\imih2ilwasbruifedforhis,iniquityy and
then the devil is fure to get as good as he gave ,• for the bruifedheel,
he gets a broken head. May be, fome temptation gives the belie-
ver a trip, and down he falls ; but the wife captain makes ufe of
that very fall for giving the devil and his hods z greater foil than e-
ver; for, after that fall, the believer goes alone, with Peter and
"ii'eeps it out, and watches, and prays, and fights better than he
did before.

ythly, It is by little and little that the Lord conquers the nations of
enemies in the way to the heavenly Canaan, becaufe by little and lit-
tle his People muil be made ready for it, Exod. 23. 30. By little and
little I will drive them out from before thee, till thou be increafed, and in-
herit the land. As the Canaanites had kept pofiTellion till Ifrael
was grown into a people; fo there were to be fome remains of
them tillT/r^t'/IhoLild grow fo numerous,as to replenifli the whole.
The land of Canaan had room enough to receive Ifrael, but Ifrael
was not yet numerous enough to ^oKekCanaan : Even fo here,the
trueZ/i-^c/ofGod mufl be made ready for the heavenly Canaan, be-
fore they come there. They are not always in a^ualreadinefs,
therefore there is fome /^/"u/ct? they have to do for their captain,
fome battle they have to fight with the enemyiTht^ rauft have fome
more experience, and learn fome more leffons ; tijerefore their ^0/-
jcffion of Canaan is delaved till they be ready for it.

%thly, h'lzby little and little thsazhsLord drives out the nations
before them, \L{k the beafls of the field increafe upon them,- to al-
lude to that word which immediately follows the cext, which we

have

Heaven 'voon by little and little, 625

have alfo, Exod. 23. 9. 1 will not drive them out before thee in one year,
Icjt the land become defolate, andthebeafts of the field multiply againjt
thee. Av\dihus\t\s\viiht\\Q childrenof God; if they hadnotfw^-
mies without and within, and oppofitions in their way,there are fome
dangerous beafts that would be ready to increale upon them :
Forinftance, there is a bead, they call Pride, that might grow up-
on you, if you had no enemies to fight with ; and while yet you are
not ready for heaven, and fandtification is incompleat. Hence a
Thorn in thefleflj was given to Faul^ that he might not be exalted above
vieafitre. Is not the thorn inthefieflo well ordered, that prevents
confidence in the fieflo ? There is a bead, they call Security, might
grow upon you; but now enemies are on all hands of you, to pre-
vent your falling afleep, and to keep you watching and waking.
There is a beail, they call Prefumption, that might grow upon*
you, and make you think you were able to go forward to heaven
upon your own legs, and in your own ftrength , if you found no fuch.
enemy in the way. There is another beaft they call IVorldly-
mindednefs, that might grow upon you ; if you got no adverfaries
and adverfities to vex you, and wean you from the world, you.
would be in danger of laying./if is good to be here : But nov/ the wars
and battles, in your way to heaven, make you fay with your heart,
0 it is better to be there. There is the beail, a filthy brute beaft, that
they call Senfuality, that might grow upon you, believer, that
might make you hikeimrm 2Lnd formalin all your duties, zswqW as
carnal, and light, and vain in the intervals of duties : But the fight
of your fpiritual enemies on the field, will make you to fee a need
to be fpiritual, zealous, earneft, znd fervent in fpirit , ferving the
Lord, I'here is alfo a filthy dumb bearf, which they CdJlForgetful-
nefs, that would certainly grow upon your hand, andbe^;^;7 dan-
gerous to your foul and fpiritual welfare, if your enemies were all
defi:roy ed ; therefore God fays, Pfal. 59. 1 1 . Slay them not, lefi my
people forget. If the execution were quick and hafty, the imprejfions
of it would not be deep and durable. Swift deJlruAions ftartle men
for the prefenr, but they are foon forgotten ,• therefore, when we
think that God's judgments upon the nations of our fpiritual enemies
come on but very llowly, we mufl: conclude, that God hath wife
and holy ends in that gvd.d\.\?i\ procedure ; Slay them not, Icfl my people
forget. They would for get to pray, if they had not enemies to pray
againft ; they would forget to praife, if they had not (till jtew deli-
verances to praife him for ; they would forget to pity thefe that are
afflicted and tcfjed with tewpefts like themfelves ; they would forget
their captain, and their duty o[ living by faith and dependence on him ;
they would forget to take with their propername, faying, Truth,

R r lord,

^36 The gradual C o n q.u e s t : Or,

Lord lamadog, &c. they would forget to mourn for fin, and re-
pent''; they would forget thoiv owwMeakneJs, and their deliverers
power, and, like Jejhurun in profperity, would wax fat, and forget
Cod that made thm.and lightly eficem therock of their f ah at ion : They
would forget to fing the fong of Mofes and the lamb at the fide of
thered-fea of the lamb's blood, where their enemies are always
drowned ; even to fing, faying, The Lord hath triumphed glorioujly,
t he horfe and his rider hath he thrown into the fea ; the Lord is a man of
'xar, the Lord is his name, Exod. 15. i, 2,&c. They would forget
to fpeak of the wonders of his mercy from time to time, and to give-
him the glory due unto his name', they would forget to employ him
upon every new attack of the enemy, faying, Lori, that haft deli-
vered, anddofi deliver, and in thee we trull that thou wilt deliver.BQtter
the enemy live and rage,and be not utterly dejtroyed^thsin thatChrift
wantimployment at your hand, and get not the glory of execut-
ing his faving office in your time of need. You would hardly
think that fo much advantage fliould accrue to the T/;-^^/ of God,
by the nations of their enemies not being defiroyedat once, huihy
httle andlittle.You fee fome of the filthy beafts that would increafe
upon you, if the Lord did not fpare fome of your fpiritual enemies,
devils and lufls ; which, tho' they may be called all beads together,
yet herein Ihines infinite wifdominfparingone bead to deftroy
another, one corruption to devour another : He may let carnality
live in a believer fometimes, to kill his pride ; much ignorance re-
main, to kill his fe If wifdom ; much wandring in, and indifpofuion for
duty, to kill his felfrighteoufnefs. Now, as it is with believers in
particular, fo with the church in general: Why does God fuffer
tyrants and atheijls,^nd hypocrites and hereticks to live among'them,
and vex them, but for reaching many, if not all, of thefe ends that
I have been naming. When the church was in adverfity under
the primitive ten perfecutions, then religion iiouriflied; the life of
the tyrants tended to the Ife of religion in the perfecuced church-:
But when the ^0772^72 emperors became chriflian, and friendly ta
the church, then pride and fecurity crept in with their profperous
ftace; the beafts of the field increafedfo much, that by degrees
a blafphemous beaftalTumed the very name and office of being
the head of the church, even a beajt with f even heads and ten horns y
mentioned Rev. 13. I mean, ihe Roman Aniichn^. And then,,
why hath a nation o^ Hereticks, with their erroneous principles and
do6trines, been fpareJ and continued in the church from time to
time, but that the friends of truth might have occafion to clear and
vindicate it, and to contend for the faith once delivered to the faints ?
ibcrc miijl be ijcrcfics, lliys the apodle, that they that are approved

may

Heaven 'xon by I'utle and little. 527

r^y be made manifeft ; there mufl: be errors,that truth may be more
clearly difcovered and maintained. Some precious truths ha.d ne-
ver been fetinto fuch a clear light, if oppojite errors had not been
vented for darkning the fame. Thus our covenant-obhgacions
in Scotland are denied by fome, that their obligation may be the
more aflerted by others : Thus alfo there is an ungodly nation lefc
alive, that the godly may be diftinguiflied from them, and exerci-
fed the more unto godlinejs ; and a hypocritical nation, that true If-
raelites, that are fo indeed, may try them/elves, and become the
more fine ere and upright.

The application now remains to be fpoken to. Is it fo, that as the
ui\Qljraelo'i God have nations in their way to the poiTeffion of the
lieavenly Canaan, fo the Lord their God will conquer thefe nations by
little andlittlel i. It may be applied in a wordof dehortation and
caution, in thefe four particulars;

I. Beware of thinking that you may fafely negle6t the means,
becaufethis work of putting out the nations belongs -10/60% ?of/;e
Lord. I'his were a lazy Antimmian conclufion, drawn from fuch
premifesas rather bear the greateft encouragement in the world
to make a diligent ufe of the means. If it be a goodreafon of
'working out ourfalvation 'with fear and trembling, that the Lord iwrks
mus both to •will and to do f which is the apoftle's argument, Phil. 2.
12, 13. then it is asgooda reafonfor warring, and ufing all the
means necejjary for accomplifliing this fpiritual warfare, that 'tis the
Lord our God that conquers the enemy for us by little and little. Yea,
this is fuch a neceffary confideration, that, take away this argu-
went, and there remains no encouragement to ufe the means at all :
And hence it is only believers that are capable of this fpiritual -war-
fare, and only believers in Chrift that are capable of the right and
diligent ufe of the means that relate thereunto," for they cannot
be ufcd duly, but in the faith of this encouragement. The Lordthy
Cod ■will go before thee, to conquer the nations of enemies in your
way. Unbelievers indeed ought to ufe the means, becaufethe
Lord commands the ufe thereof; & therefore,for the Lord's fake,
mghctno commanded duty and ordinance wherein theLordufes to
he found. But yet, I fay again, never will any foul ufe the means
aright, and acceptably, till fomcthing of the real true faith of this
encouragement excite him ; Therefore, O believer, negledlnot
to read, and hear, and pray, and meditate, ^xnd ufe. d.\\ commanded
duties and ordinances ; for there you mufl expeft to meet with your
captain, that hath engaged to put out the nations before thee.

2. Beware of thinking that the flrefs of the warfare lies upon
youj becaufe you are obliged to ufe the means 7 and that ic is your

R r 2 ufing

528 The grad'ja] C o N Q.tT E s t : Or,

iifing the means that will do the bufinefs. As the former is a lazy,
fo this is a legal thought, and as pernicious and deftruftive as the
other : For, if you lean upon the means,and think that your read-
in"-, praying, hearing, and che like, mil drive out the nations, bring
do*\vn the body of death, orfubdue one corruption, that were a
beating your enemies with a fvvord of ftraw : Such zflefhly wea-
pon will never draw blood of yomfpiritual enemies ; and, inftead of
getting vi6lory over your lins by fuch legal weapons, you are
bro't under greater bondage : For as many as are of the works of the
law, are under the curfe ; and to be under the law, is to be under the
domirfion of fin, for thejlrength offm is the law. This legal method
then were to be opening a fore-door to let out the enemy, and at
the fame time opening a back-door to let them in, and that with
more advantage againflyou than ever. As it is a dangerous ex-
treme to negle^ means, upon pretext thatChrifl: mufldoall, fince
his doing all is the greateft encouragement thereunto; foitis^x
dangerous on the other hand to ufe means, upon a notion that you
mufl do all, or that the weight of the warfare depends upon you, and
your duties: For your entertaining that notion, is the greateft
difcouragement in the world to the ufe of the means, and gives
your enemies the greateft advantage againlt you, even in that
wherein you think to defeat them..

3. Beware of thinking that you may lawfully enter into a league
with any of your enemies,becaufe they are not to be deflroyed but
by little and little. See what God fays to Ifrael, with refpeft to the
Cariaanites, f, 2d of this chapter where the text lies,& elfewhere ;
Thoufjalt make no covenant with themjnor/Jjew mercy to them. While
we are fliowing thatfan^ijication and mortification is not perfe6ted
in the faints while they are here, and that the nations of lufts even
in their heart are not all to be deflroyed in this world ,- fome car-
nal heart may be ready to think, my bleffing on the minifter, who
by this do6lrine makes me think I may get to heaven, tho' my lufls
be not all deflroyed, and tho' I indulge myfelf in fome of the plea-
fiircs oftheflejh ; and, I hope, I may have peace, tho" I walk in the
imagination of my heart, adding drunkmnefs to thirft, and one fin to a-
nother. Say you fo, my friends ? I mull tell you, that yourfpeecb
bewrays you, that you are not a Ifraelitc bound for the heavenly Ca-
naan ; foT,curfcdis that peace that is confijlent with a flanding league
and covenant with any lujl whatfoever. Such are in covenant with death
mdat agreement with hell ; and, there is nopeacejays my God, to the
wicked. I'he children of God dare not maintain a league with any
(i//f, nor will they/hew mercy on their mofl darling lufts : Nay, as it
isiaia ot ^Qtx\Q,thaitheir tender mercies are cruelty y folmay fayof

ihs

Heaven tvon by little and link. 629

the believer in this cafe, that his innjt tender mercy toivardbis mq/i

beloved lujl is cruelty: When hea(Ss likehimfelf, he is focrueK
hearted, he would cut the throat of it, if he could, and even of all
his lujls.

4. Beware of thinking that believers h^vQ no advantage :ig^m(\:
the nations of their enemies, fins and lufts, more than others, be-
caufe they are not utterly deftroyed : Nor let believers therafelves
think, that becaufe their deliverance is not effected prefently^ih^rQ-
fore it will never be effefted ,• for the Lord their God is upon the de-
Jiroyiiig -u^ork, only he will take his own time and his own way to
his own work, and his time and way both are the bed. The Lord
thy God 'uoill do it by little and little. Hence a believer may b'e get-
ting advantage, and gaining ground upon corruptions and lufts^e-
ven when he feels them flirringand ragingmofl violently: It
may be they have got a deadjlroke for all that ; as a beaft that hath
got a death's blow, may break from his hold,& turn more mad than
ever, and yet will die at length of the fame blow. The devil may
rage 7noft,\vhcn he knozvs that his time isfljort, and that he zvillbefoon
cajl out, and bruifed under feet. Corruption is not always ftrongefl
when its motions are mojt felt ; it^may he Jlrongejt, when the
ftrength of it is not feen.

Second ufe may be for information. Many things might here
be inferred ,• as, i. Hence we may fee the priviledge even of a vifi-
ble church, whom the Lord hath not utterly forfaken, t ho' filled with Jin,
as it is faid, Jer. 51.5. As they have the Lord for their God, in the
fenfethati explained before, and as //f-^d'/ here was privileged;
fo,by virtue of that relation to God as their God, th^y may have
manifold mercies in common among them, as a mix'd vifible church
beyond the reft of the world ; The Lord may appear for them a-
gainft the heathen nations that are about them, and that are a-
mong them ; and he may do great things for them, by virtue of that
relation that he ftands in to them as their God,^nd they his prof effing
people. As this text relates to Jfrael ofoldlitterallv, it reprefents
a privilege common to all that people, namely, the Lord's driving
out the nations of the Canaanites before them ,• and may we not
fay, the Lord hath in like manner dealt with us, particularly in
the church of Scotland, feveral times"? As the Lord planted a
church here very early, not many years after Chrifi's afcenfion ; fo by
little and lit tie he drove out the heathen nations before us : When
our own forefathers were a race of Z'//;/^/>^^awi- here, the Lord de-
Jfroyedthat idolatry, and gradually inlargedhis church, till in procefs
of time. Popery entring in, we were over-run with Antichriftian na-
tions. But io, when the time to favour Zion was come, I mean the

R r 3 time

c^o The gradual Conq.uest: Or,

lime of the reformation from popery, the Lord was pleafed to drive
out theje other nations before us by little and little, 2ind gradually C3iV-
ried on the reformation- work, and that by the method of folemn
covenanting with him ,•* and this covenanting- work was carri-
ed on by little and little, again and again, till the whole nation
came under folemn (^ligations this way. As Ifrael avouched<the
Lord to be their God, by folemn covenants, that were binding and
obligatory upon them and their pojlerity after them ; fo in this duty of
vowing to the Lord, which isa?/2or^/^;/f}', and confequently in-
cumbent on the church of God under the new, as well as old dif-
penfacion, and not like the types and (liadows that were to be done
away : In this moral duty, Ifay,\ve in our forefathers followed the
example of the church of God in fcripcure, by entring into folemn
covenant with him ; which work theLord'in many lignal ways
countenanced with his prefence, in ihe remarkable effufion andout-'-
pouring of the fpirit, to the converlion of multitudes. It is the glo-
ry of a church, when God avouches them for his people, by the
external difpenfation of the covenant of grace ; and it is alfo ihQ glory
o/'^c/;z/rc/;, when they avouch God to be their God, in 2i folemn co-
venant of duty andfervice. This was a part of Scotland's glory, at-
tended with internal difplays of the power & glory of God in the
fanftuary. To prove the obligation of thefe covenants upon pof-
terity to 3.11 generations, were, I fuppofe, needlefs in this auditory ;
neither would time allow me to infifl; here : But I think to difpa-
rage thefe covenants, and to deny the obligation thereof, is to cafl
dung upon, our .glory, and to tread our honour in the duji ; yea, I think
it worfe than the breaking, and burning, and burying of them :
For a broken covenant m^y be mended again, a burnt covenant may
come forth out of the furnace again, yea, a buried covenant may rife
again, when God raifes up a reformation fpirit : But to befpatter
the reputation of them, and impugn the obligation of them, is, I
think, to render them odious to all generations,infl:ead of binding
upon them.. But now as our reformation was carried on by little and
little; fo, when it is under a decay in many refpe6i;s, let us look to
the Lord our God, that by little and little it may be revived a-
gain, in the Lord's own time and way.

2 . As we fee hence the priviledges of a vifible church ; fo the fpe-
cial and pecuhar privilege of the true 7/m^/of God,the church fpi-
riiual and invifible, tho' militant on earth : The Lord their God
will cail out the nations before them in a fpiritual fenfe, and that
by little aiidlittle. May it not befaidofthem,as 'tis Da/f.33. lafl.
H<ippy «)tr/;oz/,0 Ifrael; whoislikeuntotbee, 0 people faved by the
Lord, who is thefloield of thy hclp,^ thefword of thine excellency ?And

f. 27.

Heaven won hy little and little. (^^^

y. 27. The eternal God is thy refuge, underneath are his everlafiin^
arms : He/ball thrujt out the enemy from before thee, amipjallfay, De-
flroy them. Whac tho' all the nations of the world were againft
them, outward and inward ; the nations of earth and of hell both?
Yet he, who is the king of nations, is for them ,• and, if God be for
them, who can be againjt them ? He can deftroy nations for their
fake. I gave Egypt for thy ranfom^Ethio-pm andSQbdforthee. The
nations may fight, but cannot prevail ; nay, the gates of he 11 can ne-
ver prevail againji them. Why "? They have the Lord for their God,
and their God IS their guard: And as the common relation that
God ftands in to a mixed vifible church, intitles them to many pri-
vileges while that relation ftands ; fo the fpecial relation that the
true Jfraelof^God ftand in to him as their God in Chrift, by a fpiri-
tual indiUblvable union, intitles them to a.\\ fpiritual bleffings and
fpiritual deliverances . However difficult and dangerous their way
to the heav^enly Canaanis,h'^ reafon of the numerous oppofmg na-
tions, which they can never deftroy of themfelves ; yet their God
and captain leads the van, and drives ou^ the nations before them.

3. See here the miferable cafe of the nations that know not Cod,
and are enemies to the people of God. Why, like the curfed Ca-
imanites, they are devoted to deftruftion j they vex themfelves
in vain, when they fight againft the Lord and his anointed. The Lord
God oi' Ifracl is to drive them out ; yea, he will drive them to helJ,
that continue in their enmity againft God and his people. The
wicked fmll be turned into hell^and all the nations that forget God. Yea,
thegreateft miferyof all the wicked, that remain in aChrifllefs
jlate, lies in this, tho' they do not fee it to be their mifery, namely,
that they are ef«^^rr/;^/)oiiw of all the nations of hell, zi;2^^r f/;^poiu^r
of the devil and of their lufts, and in league with the nations that
oppofe the true Ifrael of God in their way to the heavenly Canaan.

4. Hence we may fee the reafon of the multiplied experiences of
the believer, both fad and fwect,- becaufe the nations arecaft out
before him by little and iittle,d.nd not utterly deflroyed while he is here.
Hence many fad tales he hath to tell of the nations compaffing
him about, iniquity prevailing againft him ; and lufts again and again,
and a thoufand times ftirring, and working, and warring, and
overthrowing him, and treading upon him: And, on the other
hand, notwithftanding all this, he hath many /w^^'f tales totellof
t he Lord's humbling and healings convincing and converting him : Ma-
ny convictions ywr^iuy' converjions does he get from time to time ; and
the next conviction more deep than the former, and the next conver-

Jion more fwcet than the former ; and one converfinn on the back of
another, becaufe of ouQdefe^ion on the back of another, through

R r 4 the

^^2 The gradual Conquest : Or,

the power cfche nations of hell within and wichouthim. Asa
dying fainc, chat was asked, When he was converted ? faid, he had
been converted a hundred times : So, in this fenfe, it is pollible fome
believers of Jong ftanding may be converted a hundred times,and
a hundred too. That faints may need converfion, is plain from
what Chrift faid to Peter that was a faint, JVhenthou art converted,
Jlrengthen thy brethren. Yea, every new converfion of the belie-
ver may be more remarkable than another while the Lord is thus
/'}' little and little dejtroying the enemy ; becaufe every touch of the
nations power and policy in drawing him afide from the Lord, and
the recurring power of corruption is fo horrible and monfhrous to him,
that he thinks'with himfelf, O zvill ever the Lord return again to the
like of nie"? And, when theLord returnSjhe wonders more than ever.
5. Hence we may fee, why there is no juflification by the deeds of
the law, nor mortification by the means of the law : No juflification by
legal works, norfan^ification and mortification by legal means. How
does this follow, fay you ? Indeed it is plain, there can be no jufiifi-
caticn by the deeds of the law; for thebefl believer on earth mufl:
own, that at beft he hath two nations in his womb,and the company
of two armies ; an army of lufts, and an army of graces ; theflefJj lufl-
ing againfl thefpirit, as well as the fpirit againjl the flefo : And when
he finds a nation of Jufls and corruptions in his womb, in his heart,
can he expecl to be juflifiedby the deeds of the law, by a legal righ-
teoufnefsof hisown,- No; he is made content to be obliged to
gvace,free grace, thro' the righteoufnefs of Chrifl,for juflification.
And as there is no juflification by legal works, fo there is no morti-
fication Z/}'/^^fl/w/C(372j-; they never fawthe power of corruption,
that are not convinced of this, that nothing in the world but the
power of God can deflroy it. The Lord thy God will put out thefe nati-
ons before thee by little and little. O pity ignorant Papifis, that think
their whipping, and fcourging, and beating themfelves will do it :
Pity ignorant profeffors, that think their falling, and praying, and
legal endeavours, will do it. It is true, our Lord fpeaks of fome
devils that go not out but byfafting andprayer : Not that thefe means
of themfelves do it; nay, let our Lord explain his own word. The
LordthyGed will put out thefe nations, he wiWfubdue your iniquities;
fujli things go not forth but byfafting and prayer, ihdX is ..hy Chnii
Jefus, fought and found in thefe means. Negle6l not the means
then ,• but for the Lord's fake, remember, that if you go forth a-
gain ft lufts in the flrength of means, or only with a verbal menti-
onoi ihe ftrength of Chrift, without ever having engaged with
his glorious captain, or .being joined to him, in order to draw
ItrengLh from him, your LeviathanAu^s will but laugh at the
fluking of your fpear. Therefore, 6.

Heaven ivon by little and littk. 633

6. Hence we may fee wUqy^ the belie-jer's Jlrcngtb He^. You
heard before where thejirengtb ofth^^nemy lies ; biic now, where
lies thejirengtb of the Ifrael of God ? Even in the God o^Ifraely
the king of JJrael : Tbe Lord tby God 'ujillput out tbefe nations before
thee. Pfal. 73. 2(5. My flejh and my heart failetb ; but God is the
Jirengtb of my heart., and ?ny portion for ever. My ouLward advan-
tages, inward vigour, and all fail me ; but my God will not fail me.
More particularly, IfraoVs ftrength lies in God, as manifelling
himfelf in Chrift. There are two things inChrift that ftrength
lies in, for the believer's fafety and deliverance from the power of
fin, and vidlory over the nations of lufts and devils: One is the
blood of Chrift; wo. overcome by tbe blood of the Lamb'., the death
of Chriftwas the death ot fin, for he nailed fin tothecrofs, and
deftroy ed the Devil's power : Another is the fpirit of Chrifl, who
being in the believer, greater is be that is in them, than he that is in
the world; and the fpirit mortifies fin: Here lies the believer's
great fi:rength for aftual mortification of fin," and vi6lory over it,
Rom. 8. 12,' If ye through the fpirit mortify the deeds of the body., ye
fjalllive. And the fpirit carries on this work, i/?. By the appli-
cation of the death of Chrift to the foul ,• for it is the virtue flow-
ing forth from the death of Chrift, that deftroys fin : and the fpi-
rit applies that virtue,and implants the foul into Chrift, that being
ingrafted in him, and united to him, the fin-killing, foul-quick-
ning virtue of Chrifl; may flow into the believer. 2dly, By the
implantation of grace, and of grace contrary to corruption: In
oppofition to L7«Z'^//>/, he implants ivi/f/;; in oppofition to Eninl-
ty, he implants Love, in oppofition to SlavifhFear, he implants
Fortitude ^nd fpirit ual Courage, ^dly. By the excitation of the grace
that he hath implanted ; which, tho' it be active in itfelf, yet, by
reafon of our indifpofition, needs to be whetted and a6luated :
When the fpirit lets grace alone, fin revives,and gathers fiirength.
4f /;/}', By drawing forth faith efpecially to a lively exercife,- and
then this is the victory -Lvhereby ive overcome tbe world, even our faith ;
while the fpirit of faith draws forth the grace of Faith : For faith
carries up the foul to him in whom ftrength lies, and then fiys, /
can do all things through Chrifl Jlrengtbning me ; and faith employs
the ftrength of Chrift againft the ftrength of the enemy, and fo
triumphs in its noble general, h<^\ngflrong int/j£ Lord, and in tbe
power of his might. Faith begets in the foul an antipathy againft
all fins and lufts, purifying the heart, and fetting it dircftly againft
fin . Tell a carnal heart, fin lies at the door ,• why, let it come in,
it is a friend of mine : But, tell a believer, exercifing faith, that
there is fin iij fuch a thing ; O it is an abomination. Faith difco-

vers

»

534 The gradual CoNciuest: Or,

vers the danger the foul is in by the nations of lufts that encom-
pafs it, and t'xcites all the faculties of the foul to rife up againil it,
iaying, Rife, S:\mCoY), for f/;^Philif{:ines are upon thee; canftthou
ileep in the midft of troops and armies of lufls ? And fo it rouzes
the foul to figh, and groan, and panr, and pray, and cry, and wref-
tle ,• & fo to overcome, under the ftandard of the glorious captain.

Th ird ufe is for examination. Hence we may fee matter for try- '
ing of our ftate by ; What is the mark of a candidate for heaven,
a traveller to Caiman ? Why, the Lord his God is driving out the
nations before him by little and little. Is the battle with the nations
begun ? And is the Lord gradually carrying it on ?

Qiieft. How fl?all I knozv that ?

You may take a mark or two out of the bofom of the text.

1. Have you 2,01 2ivieiv of the nations that are in your way? I
mean, a view anddifcoveryofyour corruption, your original and a8u'
alfin, & your natural bondage nndjlavery by reafon thereof? Have
you feen77^r/{?7ZJo/////?^ within you? And have youfeen them to
be iuchpowe^ftd nations, that nothing but thepoiy^r of omnipotence
can drive out ? And confequently, have you icQU your own utter
f/»/)of^KC3/ to drive them out of your felf? Have you feenthemto
be fuch politick nations, and fo fraudulent, that nothing but the infi-
nite wifdom of Godcould counteraft this policy of hell ; knowing
your heart to be deceitful above all things as well as defperately wicked ?
Ibveyoufeen chem tobe fuch fpiritual nations, fpiritualwicked-
nefjesin high places, that no carnal weapon could avail in this war-
fare, but only 'iuzh fpiritual weapons as are mighty thro' God to the pu!"
Hug down offirong holds ? Have you feen them to be fuch numerous
nations, thatyour name is Zegio/z, a legion of lufts, a legion ofde-
^'ils,that nothing but awordfroni Jefus can put out 'i Now, this
r.iar'k exciudes all that never faw themfelves, and their own natu-
ral bondage and thraldom ; they are yetferving the nations, which
they ought to be driving out. They that knoiv the plagues of their own
heart, and have experienced the power of thele nations in their
way, look more like the travellers to Canaan. But take this
mark in conjunftion with what follows.

2. Have you got3.difcovery of a God in Chriji,the glorious captain
of falvation,in whom alone your help&falvation lies,& who alone
can put out thefe nations before you ? Hath thefpirit of wifdom and re-
velation in the knowledge of Chrifi been given to you, fo a.s to reveal
Chrijt in you,and fo as you have fome time or other got Chrifl:in you
the hope of glory, Chrift in you the hopeofvithry'? Haveyoti feen
Chrill, as a vitlorious conqueror, tr'mn\ph\i:]gc>ver:i\\ the n'ddonsc^
fpiritual encmiesj travelling in the s;reatuefs of hisffrengthj treading

ths

Hbaven 'uoon by little and little. 6^^

the mne-prefs alone, luhen of all the people there '■^cas none \intb him,
jlaining alibis raiment ivith the blood of the enemy ^ and trampling them
in his fury ? as this is elegantly reprefented, i/j. 63. begin. Have
you^Qcn help laidupon one that is mighty, one whofe nameis Jksus
and Jehovah both? Jehovah is his name, in the firilword ofoiit
text ; and his name is calledjefus^hecaiije hefaves his people from their
fins. As many difcoveries as you have got of iho. glory nf Chrift as
the ca*ptainoffalvation,/o//2<a!/2}'m^;-^j-c/'''j/^o;7begim have you.
But this mark excludes all that never got their eyes opened to fee
any form or comelinefs in Chrift, or any beauty -ivheref ere tbeyfjciildde-
firehim; and hQnQ(^ tht beauty and glory oi di prefent world bulks
more in their eyes.

3. Hath the difcovery of the g/ory 0/ f /;^ co;z^?/^;'or loofcd your
heart from all other lords andlGvers,and knit your heart unto him
as the Lord your God, the Lord your captain, the Lord your rigbteouf
nefs, the Lord your ftrength, the Lord your falvation? The Lord thy
Godivill put out the nations before thee. Now the heart-drawing dif-
covery of Chrift, knitting the foul to him, is a great matter ,• for
thus the believer is united to Chrift by faith, and the relation confti-
tuted, fo as he is the Lord thy God thy head. Indeed a faving difco-
^f/-}' of God in Chrift, natively brings this along with it: If thou
fee not God in Chrift, thou cannot fee him to be thy God, but ra-
ther thy enemy ; but to fee him in Chrift, is to fee him thy God,
and friend : For they that fee him in Chrift, they fee him in 'whom
he is ijoellpleafed; and to fee God well pleafed in him, is to fee God
as thy God. This appropriation then is imported in the X^ery 7212-
ture of faith, acc( r.'-ing to the meafure of it ; and the ground of this
believing appropriation is the word of promife, I will be thy God,
which is the great fundamental promife ; and the proper eccho of
faith is, Jmen, I'll take it on thy word, that thou wilt be my God,
Zecb. I3.1aft. I will fay, it is my people ; and they fuall fay, the Lord
is my God. There the fpirit of God declares what Ihall be the
language of faith, when it a6ls like faith indeed. The Lord is my
God. But fay you, can every believer fay, Jlje Lord is my God ?
My friends, I never tho't that every believer could fay fo, nor
that any believer in the world could always fay fo ; but as every
believer is not always believing, fo I fpeak of what/^7/7/; fays when
it is acting, & what the believer fays when he is beUeving, not when
he IS doubting Tind misbelie'uing: Neither do I think. that every adi;
of faith is faying exprefly. He is my God; but every appropriating
aft of faith fays tiiis upon the matter, and every heart-engaging
view of a God in Chrift hath a My God, wrapt up in the boium of
^t, whether he dare fay itexpreily or not ; for in Chrift they fee

him

IF- • * •

(536 The gradual Coi^auEST: Or,

him to be a ivell-pkafed God, and a friend. You know Javing faith
is thy receiving and reding on Chrifl: for Hilvation, as he is oftered
to thee, to thee in the gofpel-promife : and this receiving isno o-
ther tiling than ^^//>jfno-, Johni.i2. and fo it is a taking him on
his word for fal vation to thee, as a captain to thee. Take away this
particular application, and it is nofaith at all, and conftitutesno union
to him, no relation to him as theLord thy Cod. I ask then,if the dif-
covcry of the glory of Chrifl hath knit your heart to him as the glo-
rious captain of falvation,ro as you have taken on with hini? Then
thou art intitled to the complete viftory : The Lord thy God-willput
out thefe nations before thee. This mark excludes all thofe that ne-
ver clofed withChriilby a particular believing, but fatisfy them-
felves with 2i general faith, and may be called but general believers ;
they have no particular words on which they have been caufed to
hope, and no particular faith applying Chnft to themfelves Such
feem not yet to have entred the field of battle, nor clofed with

the captain. . o tt .u

4. Hath the Lord begun to put out the nations before you^ hlath
he begun to exert his power, by fubduing your lufts ? Did you ne-
ver know the day wherein Satan fell like lightning, as it were, from
heaven ; when the pong man and his goods, that were at eafe, luere
cajl out of his habitation ? How was it with you in the day of be-
lieving, in the day when the Lord your God manifefted himfelf,
and appeared as cimighty conqueror to you? Got you not all your
lulls and corruptions,as it were,drowned in the blood of the lamb,
fo as you thought you fliould never fee them again ? You know,
believer, that was a falfe thought, but yet it was a glad thought to
you, to think you would never be under the feet of your corrup-
tions again, and vou would never diflionour the Lord as you had
done, however fome time or other you have found the Lord pull-
ing down thejhong holds oUmbelief, atheifm and enmity, and giving
vou the necks of your enemies. This looks like a good 'work be-
gun, a battle begun, and a breach made upon the rule and domini-
on of fin. This mark excludes all thofe, in whom fin ftill reigns,
and in whom the glorious captain hath never io much as begun to
give a blow to the enemy.

5. If you be a foldier on your march to the heavenly Canaan,then
I ask you.if y ou be of any confiderable Handing in the Lord's way,
have you not had many a bloody battle with the nations, and many a
fearful onfet by the enemy, attacking you with main force, and
perhaps taking you captive, yea, and bringing you into captivity to
the la'vooffin that is in your members'^ i^owz.7.23. Have you not
found your enemies returning with fuch power and prevalency,

^ that

Heaven won by little and little. 637

that you was ready :o think that you had loft all ground that ever
you had got,and loll all the viclorics that ever you gained, the Ca-
fiaanites prevailing againft you ? Iniquities prevail aga/njl nie, fays
David. You'll think this is an odd mark ,• for, fiys the believer,
it is the prevalency of fm that makes me fear I a.m noz 3.11 IJraeUte
bound for Canaan. But, (lay a little till I further clear it: This
mark excludes all thofe, in whom fm and lu'ls have not the power
o^ prevalency only, but the power of dominion. Quefl. What is the
difference between the po-jjer of prevalency^ and the power of dumi-
nion ? Anf. ThQpower of dominion is a regal power,there^?2 is king ;
but the poiver of prevalency IS 3. tyrannical power, there it is only a
tyrant, whofe authority is rejefted : The power of dominion is a
monarchiaipower, where fm rules alone ; but the power of prevalency
only is where another power is alfo, there are two armies on he
field: The p(;iu^;' of dominion is uncontroulable,the man fins without
controul; but the power of prevalency is a refilled power, where
it meets with refiftance unto blood : The ipowet^jf'ddminion is an ab-
folate poiver; bucthe power o( prevalency is a limited one, withref-
pe6l to fome particulars only : The power of dominion is an habi'
tual power; butthepowerof prevalency is occ«^o?2^/ only : And,
in a word, the power of dominion is an entire power ; but the pow-
er of prevalency is a broken power, the head of it is broken, and the
back of it is broken, tho' it prevail. Now, to find the prevalency
of the enemy, is not inconfiftent with the believer's militant ftate,
which fuppofes manifold inroads and incitrfions of the Canaanites
upon him. And indeed they are not capable to fee! the joy of the
viBory, who never feel the Jirength of the battle ; fin reigns in ttie
wicked, and hath too peaceable dominion with them, iniquity can-
not be faid to prevail againji them, but rather it prevails with them ;
it goes well enough with them, both before and after their fin-
ning. But O, fays David and the believer. Iniquity prevails againji
me ; it is againft my heart, againft my will, againft my defire, againft
my defign, againft my refolution, againft///}' hope, againft my faith ^
againft my tears, againft my prayers.

6. If you be foldicrs on your march to the heavenly Canaan,then
I would ask, whether or not you find the power of the glorious cap-
tain as necefiary for your deliverance, upon every neiu ajfault of the
enemy, as you ever found it before ? For true ffraelites, fighting
their wav to heaven, find more and more evidences of their own tit-
ter infufficiency,3X\d more and.more need o{ grace's allfufficiency. O
the nations areas ftrongas ever, and the need of powerful fuccours
and auxiliaries from heaven as great as ever. 'I'hisis plain alfo
from the text, it is f/;<?££/r^%Go^ that begins the battle, an dr/;e

638 The gradual Conquest : Or,

Lord thy God that carries on the extirpation of the Canaanites. Do
you find then as much ncedof his power to excite grace, as to work it
atfirft,- as much needed his fencing the reer, as of his leading the
'Dan ? This mark excludes all thofe that think they have a poiver'm
their own hand, and never came out of themfelves, both for righ-'
teoufnefs andftrength, in to the Lord Jefus Chrifl: : But it is encou-
ragmg to thofe who are faying, in the exercife of faith, Fit go in
theftrength of the Lord, making mention of his righteoiifnefs,^ his only,
O to be clothed with his right eoufnefs, and girded with his Jtrength, is
the great defire of all true Ifraelites.

7. If you be foldiers on march to the heavenly Canaan, you may
trv it by this, you'll not only be perfeftly at a point in this matter,
that the battle is the Lord's, and that without him you cannot give
one fair ftroke to the enemy ; but alfo you v/ill find to your experi-
ence, that by little and little the concjueft is carried on, and the Canaa-
nites driven out ,• and that help and airifl:ance comes from heaven
by degrees, as the fovercigngeneralis pleafed to order : Tho' you
get not all the great things you would be at, yet by little things you
are carried through. Can you not fay, believer, that fuch a place
was a little Bochini, where you got leave to weep out your hearc
before the Lord, becaufe ohhe prevalency of fin ; and fuch a place
was a little Bethel, a houfe of God, where you had fuch a meafure
of divine prefence, as ftrengthned you againfl the enemy ; fuch
another place was a little P<?m>/, where you faw God face to face ,
as it were, and a fight of the captain of falvation gave the nations
of hell a daili ? And tho', in the interval, your enemies and lufis rife
up again in fury and rage againft you, like to devour your foul, to
devour your graces, to devour your co/zz/orri-, and todevour your
peace; yet there comes another little recruit from heaven, that
gives you a new occafion to fet up an Ebenezer, faying, Hitherto the
Lord hath helped; andtofing, with the church, P^/. ii^^Manya
time have they afflifted me from my youth, may Ifrael now fay ; ?nany a
time have they afflicted me from my youth, yet have they not prevailed
againfl me : Many a time liave thefe Canaanites vexed me,and foil-
ed me, yet they have not prevailed to my utter overthrow; for
Hill, wiien I was brought to an extremity, the Lord was a little fanc-
tiiary tome, and communicated his grace Z'y little and little to tuq,
in a fuitablenefs to my need ; allowing me here a little crumb (f
comfort, when I was like to faint in the battle,- and there a litiki[
crumb of courage, when I was like to yield; and at another timeai^
little crumb of wonderful deliverance out of the hands of mine enCiM
mies, after 1 was led captive by them. Why, what is the mean-«
ing of all this ? It is the Lord thy God driving out thefe nations hefor^
thee by little and litth. " The I

Heaven 'won by little and little. 6o,c)

The Fourth and lad ufc lliall be in a fliorc addrefs to two forts of
perfonshere. i. Tothcfcthat are ^f /j^-^c^? with the nations than
fhand betwixt them and thepofTeflion of the heavenly C<7«^an,and
fo are at war with heaven. 2. To thefe-that are making war with
" the nations, and before whom the Lord hath begun to drive out
the nations by little' and little.

Ft'rft, To you that are at peace with the nations of hell, at peace
with the devil, at peace with yourlufls; I would fpeak a word
to you, I. By way oC convi^ion. 2. By way 0^ counfcL

jft. For your conviction. Is it not evident that the moft part
are at peace with hell, being ignorant of the fin-mortifying princi-
ples of the gofpel, being JJighters of the means of conveifion, living
in fecurity under all the calls of heaven by the word and the rod,
and living in enmity againfl: thepower of godlinefs, indulging them-
felves in many known fins, and knowing no reltraint from finning
taken from its nature, but from its confeqiients only. Are there not
many here, that have nations of lufts fwarming in their heart, yet
were never convinced of, or made to know the plagues of their own
heart ? Some will fay they have a good heart to God, even tho'
their mouth be filled either with curjing, lying, fwearing, 2.ndflan-
dering j or elfe with nothing but vain, frothy, carnal, worldly dif-
CGurfe. What,fhall we think you have a clean heart,when you have
fuch ufoulmouth ? Does not Chrifi: fay. Out of the abundance (f the
heart the mouth fpeaketh ? When a man fees abundance of fmoke
coming out at the top of a chimny, he may fay, for certain that is a
fign of much fire in the hearth; So, when there isnoLhing but
vain, worldly words in the mouth; we may fay, there is much
' vanity and corruption in the heart. Carnal lips, that are not fiiap'd
for any fpiritual difcourfe, except in hypocrify and deceit, difcover
a carnal heart. O how many here are willing ilaves to the nati-
ons, the Canaanites, the lufls of the lie 111 ! Of all Ilaves, they are in
the worft cafe that are fold ; of thefe that are fold, they are in the
word cafe that are put in prifon ; of thefe that are in prifoli, they
are in the worfl: cafe that are bound and chained in prifon ? Yet
{uc\^flaves to fin and lufts are all here by nature,{liut up in clofe pri-
fon, bound and chained there, fliut up under unbelief; and imbcUcf
is fuch a cruel jaylor, that, while you're fliut up under it, it will not
;-''fo much as fuffer you to lift up your head, or to look up to heaven
for deliverance. O how miserable is this thraldom that you're un-
der ! for thefe nations that rule in you and over you now, and un-
der which you 2irQ bearing arms 'o.g'^m^ the God of heaven, will at
Jafi: dejlrcy you for ever,if they be noldejlroyed in time; if they be not
put out rf pur heaytyiliQy will keep you out of heaven; yea, if they be

not

(5-1-0 The gradual C o N Q.U e s t : Or,

not driven out of your heart, they will drive you to /'^//.If that legion of
laRs that now you're in league with_,be notcaft out of your heart by
the power of that glorious captain of fal vation, that cafi out a legion
of devils out o[ one m:Ln ; then you mufl lay your account with It,
that, like the fwinepoileil of the devil, you'll be driven down in-
to the fea of God's everlajling wrath, and drowned in perdition.
But then,

2dly, I would offer you a word of counfeL O will 'you break
league withthefe curfed Canaanites, and come and take on with
our glorious Captain of falvation, that can drive them out before
you ! O finner, whomfoever thou art, you that have been zjlave
to the devil d\\ your days, a flave to a numerous nation oflujls^thgt^^s
fure asGod lives, will keep you out of heaven,& drive you to hell,
if they be not driv^en out ; will you come and take on with our glo-
rious Lord Jefus, whoCe office Rud work, as sl Redeemer, is to drive
out the nations before you ? Our Captain- general hath fent us, as
officers under him, to cry inthepublick meetings and allemblies
of this fort, faying, Whofoever will, let him come, and take on to be a
foldier under the KING of Kings and LORD of Lords, againft the
king of hell and the nationsoflufls, that would keep you out of
heaven. And, as we are warranted to declare them curfed witti
bitter curfes,that will not join in this war, according to whnt is
faid.of MeroZy Judges 5. 23. Cvrfe y^Meroz, curfc ye bitterly the in-
hahitants thereof, hecaife they came not to the help of the Lord, to the
help^ of the Lord, againft the mighty : So we are warranted to declare
to fmnersjthat there are here the gr e at efl encouragements, that ever
were offered to foldiers, to excite you to take on with him. Why,
he offers you money to bear all your charges ,• Icounfelyou to buy of
me gold, tried gold: He offers to take off your filthy garments, and cloath
yon with change of raiment, the King's livery ; Yea, he offers you
a coat of mail, that will defend you againft the fjjot of death, and tlic
lliot of devils; the robe of his oimi right eoufnejs, a garment of fal-
vation. He offers you further, that if you be wounded in the war,
he will give vou n [ ' o heal your wound, the balm of his own
blood : Yea, if yoii ._ ^_ : with him, he offers to do all your works
in you.andfor you; yeh,"to fight all yourbattles, to drive out all
the nations before you, and then to crown you as a conqueror, yeij
and more than a concjueror, even tho' you have done nothing
yourfelf. He offers to give you all the armour you need- for !
war : Do you need thefword, the breajl-plate, the helmet, the fJjic
mentioned, Eph. 6. lie himielf is the great magazine of all the l.
Htary provilion ; and therefore, if you take on with him, you fliri!?
want for nothing that is neceffary for carrying on the war tea,

complete

Heaven won hy little and little. 643

tence paft again fl fin and facan is executed in part ? Tour old man is
crucified, the headoftheferpent isbruifed; For this caufe was the Son
ofGodmanifcJledy todejtroy the zvorks of the devil; and, by death he
hath dejiroyed him that had the power of death. 3 . Is it not ground
of comfort, that tiie day of full and final execution is at hand,
wherein he will take vengeance on the nations ? For the day of ven-
geance is in mine heart, Ifa. 63. 4. the year offny redeemed is come ; thi
{lay of the Lord is at hand, wherein he will bring forth-judgment into
vitlory, and death floall befivalloived up in viBory : Chrijt will reign till
all his enemies become his footf tool; tohim every hiee fhall bow. 4. Is
it not ground of comfort, that the remaining power of the nations
in the interim fliall never be able to break the relation that is be-
twixt your Captain-General and you, nor to cafi:you outof hisco-
z-enant, out of his heart, nor out of his love ? My covenant will I not
break, fays he, viy loving- kindnefs will I not take away, Pfal. 89. 33,
34. Me is fi:ill the Lord thy God, and therefore be will put out the nati-
ons before thee by little and little. I offer you,

2dlyf A word of Counfel. O believer, are you indeed engaged
in battle againfi: the nations? And has the Lord begun to drive them
out before you ? Then purfue thy vi&ory, ^nd fight out the good fight
of faith, for the Lord thy God is he that does fight for thee ; as the apo-
i*^ 'e fay s in a like cafc^ Phil. 2.12,13. Work out the work of yourfal-
"jrtlon zvithfear and trembling ; for it is God that worketh in you both to
widand to do of bis goodpleafure : Even fo fight out th e battle againfi:
the nations,/or the Lord thy God will put them out before thee by little
mdlittle. And, fince thebattleis the Lord's, andyour Captain
goes before you to divide the fpoil with theftrong, go on couragiouf-
ly: And, that you may dofbthemorefuccefsfully, I fliall branch
forth this word of counfel in thefe few particulars.

1 . Flit on the whole armour of God; and go not forth againft the
?: rations in your own flrength, otherwife you'll find them too hard
for you ; but go on in the flrength of the Lord, making mention of his
right eoufnefs, and his only ,• h^rngjirong in the Lord, and in the pczver
of his might ; and ftrorg In the grace thaf js in Chrifl Jefus ; having
9iotonfidence in theficflo, but ahva\s your^OTificicnce in, and depen-
dence upon the Lord Jefus Chrifl, the C^pta^n of your falvaiion.

2. Search cut thefe rations that,3ritjboft invifible and hidden,-
for your greatefl danger is from yodr 'niofi: fecret enemies. You
wrejile not againfi fie p.f and blood , but againfi principalities andpn'wcrs,
andfpiritual wickedncfjes. And there are fpiritual lufis noteafily
difccrned : If thefe be ncglcfted, and more open enemies only
noticed, it is as if one fiiould g?ze upon tliC finoke, and negledl the
fire that is within ,• or as if one^lioaid gazc upon the ulcer, but ne-

. vei confidcr the corrupt humour within. S f 2 3.

644 '^^^^ gradual Conquest : Or,

3. Having found out the enemy, and difcerned where the
Jlrength of the nations lies, then fet upon them, and endeavour thro*
grace to bring them into a confumption, and that both by Jlarving
andy?on«/«^ofthem. i. ByJiarvingthQw, O ftarve them, and
keep them from their food ; Make no provifionfor thefleJJo, to fulfil
the luffs thereof. Beware of every thing that may contribute to
flrengchen the nations. Say not, a confederacy with them : Do noc
fpare them, nor let their (Irong holds ftand : Draw not up a league
with them, nor border too near to them. It is faid of Ifrael, The
people P J all dwell alone, and fljallnot be reckoned among the nations.
Keep not company with the wicked : Be not too much converfant
with the world,-many bury themfelves,by digging too deep there.
2. As byy?(^;*L7";2^,fo/;3/y?o;7/2/«^ the nations. You are to confume
them ; and you ought to ftorm them, by bringing them under the
battering engines of the gofpel, under the flroke of God's word,
which is the fviordof thefpirit ; under the ftroke of the blood of
Chrift, for we overcofne by the blood of the Lamb', and under the
ftroke of the Spirit of Chrift, for, if you thro' the Spirit mortify the
deeds of the body, you /Jjall live.

4. Take 3.\\thQ advantages you can ^ig^inHthe nations. Take
advantage of the times and feafons : Even when you're like to be
overpowered with inward corruption,and under/<?^r of falling one
day by the handoffomeflronglufly then get to the mighty power of
Chrift, and reinforce yourfelf, and refift ,• and in refiftingjbelieve
you ftiall overcome : Remembring, for youi; encouragement,that
the Almighty Captain ftands within fight, when you're fighting
in the valley ; and he waits but a call from you when diftrefTed in
the battle, and he will come for your refcue. Jehojloaphat cried in
the midft of the battle, and was helped; how much more may you ex^
pe6l his aid in your fpiritual combat ?

5. Watch againft the nations, and refift the firftonfet of the e-
nemy. Corruptions are the natives, and they are not wholly deflroy-
ed: If therefore you do not watch, nature will turn to her old bi-
afs. Native and natural inclinations are very forcible: As, bend
the bough of a tree downward,if you let it go it will ftart up by and
by ,• fo, if you give up your watch, the nations will return, and re-
fume their power. Particularly, watch againft, and refift thefirfi
motions of fin : If you ftop not the current of a wicked motion, it will
fooriland in a wicked a^ion ; for. When lufi hath conceived, it brings
for?}} fin, James 1. 15. Great evils arife fromfmall beginnings:
One fpoonful of water will quench that fire, which afterwards
whole buckets cannot abate ; therefore it is a good n\]e,^principii!
Bhfia, refift the beginnings of fin.

6. Put

Heaven wok hy little ami little. 645

<5. Put the nations in the hand of the Captain, that he may de-
Jlroy them ; and endeavour fo to do, in the daily exercifc of faith
and prayer. O feek to the Lord Jefus, that he would avenge you
of thefe Philijlines, as in the parable of the unjufl: judge, Luke 1 8.
I. The parable was put forth/or this eml, that men ought always to
pray, and not to faint. The judge there mentioned was one that
fear' d not God, nor regarded man : A widow comes to him, faying,
avenge me of mine adverfary ; and through her importunity (lie pre-
vailed with him : Andfballnot God avenge his ele^, that cry day and
night to him? though he bear long, yet he will avenge them fpeedily :
Therefore go to a God in Chrifb, and cry. Lord, avenge me of /«y
lujls, avenge me of my pride, avenge me of ?«}/ unbelief avenge
me of my carnality, avenge me of mine enemies.

7. After all,reft not fatisfied with any fmall vidtory obtained 0-
ver the nations : Sit not down, as \iyou had no more ado ; for the
nations ^re not all dead and dejlroyed at once ; you'll have them to
fight with, as long as you're on this fide of heaven : Enemies will
up again, and therefore you mufl: up again, ^nd prefs for ward to a.
complcat vidtory. As the body of fin and death remains while you're
here, fo, whatever particular luftyou have been troubled with,
you cannot expeft a full and final viftory over it while here, even
tho' it hath been a mortified lufl, a fubdued lull. No doubt Peter
got his feet upon the neck of his fin of denying his mafter, when he
went out and wept bitterly, after Chrifl; looked to him ,• yet even that
fame corruption afterwards did fi:ir in him,by a partial denying of
his mafter, tho' not in the fame degree ; as when Paul withflooi
him to the face. Gal. 2.12. A particular corruption may through
grace be fubdued, and it may ceafe to ftir fo violently for a time ;
yet you cannot fay that it is wholly killed, yea, it may afterwards rife
up as violently as ever : A lufl:, that lay long dead, may revive a-
gain; and therefore you little need tobefecure, but much need
to be fober and watchful, and fiill going on in the warfare, flill de*
pendingon the Lord for new fupplies offlrength againfl:new af-
iaults. After one. victory obtained, make ready for battle immedi-
ately; when fomething is done, look to the Lord to do more-:
After one fi:roke, feek another to be given ; for it is by little and lit-
tle the vinery is obtained. Think not fi:range, therefore, tho' the
nations rally their forces again and again, and be not difcouragcd
thereupon ; but learn a daily, momentany, clofe and conft^t de-
pendence upon the captain of falvation, the Lord Jcfus Ghrifi,
that through him you may do valiantly. It is he that girdeth you with
jirength, andfuhdues the nations under you.

8. In order to purfue the nations to death,purfue the claim ycu

S f 3 have

^4^ The Rainbow of the Covenant

have to rfie vicftory over them, in the ufe of all appointed mesnsy
•with an entire dependence upon the Lord ; not depending
upon means, nay, nor yet depending upon fenfible manifeftati-
ons, nor relying even upon the graces of the fpirit, but upon the
God of all grace -, pleading your right and claim, by virtue of
the divine promile, faying, Lord,hajl thou not interpofed thy faith-
fulnefs^ thy wordy thy oath ? and is not thy promife Jealed, fealedby the
blood of Chriji, fealed in thefacrament of thefupper ? Haft thou not
i?i\d^Solomonfhall reign? tho' now^hehold^Adonijah ufurps the throne z
Haft thou notfaid, grace fhall rt\^r\,^SinfhaU not have the dominion?
Behold how it ufurps. Well, put him to his word, and purfue your
claim. Surely the Lord will not deny himfelf •, nay, JEHOVAH-
JIREH, In the mount of the Lord it fhall befeen : Tho' you have no
ftrength, no might again)} this great multitude ; yet, let your eyes be to-
wards him, who is mightier than the noife of many waters, and who
hath wrapt in your intereft with his own glory, his own faithfulnels
and truth. Let your difficulties be never fo great, your enemies ne-
ver fo many,and their power never fo invincible ; it is not you they
have to do with, but Chrift : And can any thing be too hard for
him ? Wait on thy God continually, who hath here promifed to
accomplifli the warfare gradually ; 'The Lord thy God will put out
thefe nations before thee by little and little^

The Rainbow of the Covenant furrounding
the Throne of Grace.

Eeing the fubftancc of fome SERMONS preached at the Sacrament of
Mu chart, June 23, 1728.

By the Rev. Mr. Ebenezer Erskine.

Rev. iv. 3.

'And there was a rainbow round abont the throne, in fight-
like unto an emerald.

O T toftand in the entrance of this dilcourfe, we m.ay obfervc
here three things, which J<?y^;r law in the vifion. i/^A Throne
fet in heaven^ in the dole of the lecond verfe. 2dly, The glo-
rious wajefy that fat on the throne, who was like a Jafper and Sar-
dine-ftone for brightnefs. o^dly., The ccmopy of the throne, a rain^
low round ahaut it in colour like anemerald, I underftand the whole

of

furroiinding the Throne of Grace. 647

of this to have a refpe^t immediately to the church militant here
upon earth, and the glorious difpenfation of the grace of God under
the new-teftament oeconomy : and that which inclines me tounder-
ftand it in this view is becaufe this vifion is prophetical, and hasa re-
fpecfl to things that were to be done afterward, as you fee in tlie firft
verfe. Come up hither^ and Iwilljhew thet things that mujl be here-
lifter, that is, things which are to be tranfadted in the church in the
iucceeding ages and generations of the world j and therefore by
the throne here that was fet in heaven, I underfland the throne of
grace, to which we are invited to come with boldnefs ior grace and
mercy to help in time of need, Heb. 4. 1 6. The throne which hath
juftice fatistied, and judgment executed upon the fon of God for its
bafis and foundation, P/39. 14. Thtthrone of God and of the Lamb^
from which proceeds a pure river of water of life, clear as chryfial^
Rev. 22.1. And this tJjrone is faid to be fet in heaven, not as if God's
TJjrone of grace were only in heaven ^ro^tx\y fo called •, for we find
the church militant on earth frequently expreffed by heaven infcrip-
mre. Heb. 12.10. She is called the heavenly Jerufalem, to wit, the
church. I Pet. 2.8. the heavenly nation •, and tl-ierefore by heaven
here we may underfland the church of God in general ; and it is fo
called to fhew that the hearts of believers, even while here upon
earth, are in heaven, they are defiring a better country, that is an hea-
venly, and when they addrefs a throne of grace, they have their eyes
upon an exalted ChrifV, who is fet down at the right hand of the Ma-
jtfiy on high, and his miniftry in the heavenly fandluary. By him
that fits on the throne l\ underfland Chrifl or God in our nature, not
excluding the Father and the Holy Ghofl •, for it is the throne of God
and of the Lamb. Ezek. i. 26. we have the fame defcription of ^
throne in a vifion, and we are x.cM.'C^-M above upon the throne was the
appearance of aman,\s\\\Q\\c^nh€:2L^^\m(l to none other than the tnan
Chrifl Jefus ; and there is no doubt but it is the fame throne and the
fame perfon fitting on it, that was (tQO. both by Ezekiel and the a-
poflle John. As for his poflure, he is reprefented ^^ fitting upon the
throne. This points at the perpetuity of his government, that he is
in the ([uiet poffeffon of it, it being for ever out of the power of his
enemies to deflurb his adminiilration. We are told here further,
that his appearance upon the throne was like ajafper 6f a Sardineflone.
Thefe flones being unknown to us,we fliall not take up time in tel-
ling you what is faid about tiiem by naturaliils and fome curious in-
terpreters, only we are told, in fhort, thejafper is a bright tranfpa-
rent flone, reprefenting to the eye a variety of the moft vivid or
lively colours ; the Sardine is faid to be red. The fcope is plainly

S f 4 this.

'64S The Rainbow of the Covenant

this, to \io\nt out the admiraMe and inconceivable glory and excellency
of an exalted Chrift. Such is the brightnefs cf the bather's glory
lliining in him now when he is upon the throne, that all the preci-
ous things on earth put together are but faint fhadows and repre-
fentations of his divine glory and excellency : The brightnefs of
the Jafperand therednefsofthe Sardine flone are put together, to
lliew that he is white and red, white in his divine, red in his human
nature, white in his holinefs, red in his fuffering,- the bright and
glorious perfeftions of God fliining thro' the rent vail of his hu-
man nature, do as it were receive a tin6lure of red from the vail,
thro' which they are tranfmitted. Ifa. 63. i. he is faid to be glori-
ous and yet red in his apparel, and his appearance in the midji rf the
throne is as it were of a Lamb fain, having the fprinkling of his
blood about him, which was flied upon mount Calvary, and
which cries for better things than the blood of Abel.

But now I come to that part of Johns vifion,which I have prin-
cipally in view, and that is the canopy of flat e which covers the
throne, and him that fat on it, in the clofe of the third verfe. And
there was a rainbow round about the throne, in fight like unto an emerald.
Where again obferve, ift, The covering of f/&^ throne, it was ve-
ry ftately,/i;^^ a m/«Z>ow. 2dly, The circuit of this covering, it
was round about the throne, ^dly. The colour of it, it was like
an Emerald.

Here I conceive there is a manifeft allufion to God's covenant with
Noah, Gen. 8. When God called back the waters of the deluge
from off the face of the earth, he made a promife, and bound him.-
felfby covenant. That he would never deftroy the earth any more by
water, and in token of his faithfulnefs in this matter he fet his bow
in the clouds. With allufion to this, God's throne of grace, or his
mercy feat, from which all the promifes of the covenant do pro-
ceed, is faid to he firroundedwith a rainbow, to fignify that as God
deals with his people in the way of a covenant; fo his faithfulnefs in
that covenant is eflahUpoed in the very heavens, and this bow fur-
rounding the throne is faid to be mcolomWke an emerald, that is,
of a green colour, to fignify that his covenant, by virtue of the
faithfulnefs of him that fits upon the throne, is ever the fame,
without any fJjadow of turning ; tbefafiion of this world withers and
pajjes away, but the word of the Lord, his word of grace and promife,
it endures for ever.

The doftrine I take notice of from the words is this, That God's
covenant of grace, and his faithfulnefs ingaged ther-ein, is like a beauti-
ful rainbow furrou7iding the throne of grace, for the encouragement of
cur faith and trufl in him that fits on it.

In

funound'mg the Throne //Grace. 6^g

InVlircourfing on this do6lrine,I fliall, through divine aflifhancc,
do thefe things following, ( i. ) Offer a few thoughts concerning
the covenant of grace or promife. ( 2. ) Concerning the fait hfnlnefs
of God ingaged in this covenant. ( 3. ) Take a vieiv of this cove-
inmt under thQ fimilitudeof ^ rainboiv in colour like an emerald far-
rounding the throne of grace. (4.) Speak a little of that faith or
trufl which the fight of this bow of the covenant (liould beget
in us. (5.) Apply the whole.

The Firji thing propofed is to offer a few tho'ts concerning
the covenant of grace and promife. And,

I. I remark, that the occafion of the covenant of grace, like
that of God's covenant wilbNoah^iJoas a deluge of -wrath, which broke
out upon Adam and all bis family, for the breach and violation of the
covenant of works. T, his is what is pointed at EzeL 1 6. 4, 5, 6,
7, 8. Where you fee that that which gave occafion to God's en-
' tringintoa covenant of grace, is that miferableeftate man had
brought himfelf into by fin. PFloen Ipajfedby thee, andfaw thee pol-
luted in thine own blood, thy time was a time of love, 1 fpread my skirt
over thee, and covered thy nakednefs : Tea Ifivare unto thee, and enter-
ed into covenant with thee, faith the Lord, and thou becamefl mine.
Here it may readily be asked, what is that Hate we are reduced
unto by the breach of the firft covenant ? 1 anfwer, in fliort, it is a
Hate of fin ; original fin like a contagion has over-run all men, and
the whole man from the crown of the head to the foul of the foot : It is a
flate of alienation and eftrangement from God; we are alienated
from the very life of God, through the ignorance that is in us ; like the
prodigal wch'dve gone into a far country, 2.ndca.Ye not for returning
to our father's houfe : Yea, more, it is a fi:ate of enmity and hofti-
lity againfl: God ; the carnal mind is emnity againfl God, we are ene-
mies in our minds by wicked works : It is a godlefs and a hopelefs ftate,
therefore faidtobe without God, and without hope in the world: It is
a ftate of worfe than Egyptian darknefs : we are not fimply in the
dark, but 11'^ (7r^ darknefs itfelf; once ye were darknefs: It is a fi:ate
of impotency and weaknefs,/oriu/;^Kiy^ were without ftrength, in
due time Chrifi died for us : It is a fi:ate of bondage and captivity to
fin, Satan and the world ; we are led captive by thefe potent ene-
mies : It is a curfed and condemned fi:ate, we are condemned already^
and the wrath of Godabideth on us : It is a fiate of death, we are dead
fpiritually, under r/;^ powder of fin, and lying upon the very borders
of eternal death. Now this is the condition we are reduced unto
by the fall, upon which account we may well take up that melan-
choly fong, The crown is fallen from our head, wo to us that we have
finned ; however infinite mercy and love takes occafion from this

miferable

<55o T]^5 Rainbow 0/ fi^ Covenant

miferable and ruined eftate of man to enter into a new covenant,
even a covenant of grace, in order to his deliverance.

2. Remoi-k, that the rife and fpring of this covenant 0^ grace was
not forefeen faith or good works,or any thing elfe in the creature,
but only the free and furprifing love of God, John 3. 16. Godfo
hved the ':x)orId, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whofoever beliC'
veth m him, might not periflj^ but have everlafling life, Jer. 31.3./
have loved thee ijoith an everlafling love, therefore i^ith loving- kindncfs
" have I dravon thee. This love of God to loft Tinners was altoge-
ther, and abfolutely free, free in oppofition to merit, free ia
oppolltion to conitraint ; it hath no other caufe, hut only the
freedom of his own ^will, Eph. 2. 4. And as it is free, fo it is
fuperlatively great, love that pajfes knowledge, love which bath
a heighth and depth, a breadth and length which can never be
fathomed, or found out ; it is diftinguilliing love that take hold of
man when it paffed by angels that fell ; it fixed upon fome of
^darn's family, when it palled by others.
• 3. This covenant of grace, in theoriginal make and conftitu-
tion of it, was fra«/'^tW lurV; C/;;-f/?as a newcovenant-head,a pub-
Uck perfon reprefenting all the fpiritual feed, which the Lord
hath given him; for, firs, you muft know, thatfince the fall of
man, (xod never entered into any covenant with him dire6lly and
immediately ; but only by the intervention of a furety and medi-
tor. Hence in our larger catechifm, in anfwer to that queftion,
with whom was the covenant of grace made ? The anfwer is.
That it -was made zmthChrift, and with the eleB in him as his feed.
Hence it is that we read of Grace given us in Chrifl before the world
began. In this covenant there are fome things that relate parti-
cularly to Chrifl himfelf as furety andredeemer, and fome things in
it that relate to the members and feed of Chrifl ; the Father having
promifed fufficient furniture and through-bearing to his Son, both
for thepurchafe and application of our redemption, the Son not
only undertakes to fatisfy jiiflice, to fulfil the lazv, to bruifc the head
of theoldfcfpent, hut ^Ko by his fpirit, which he would fend into their
heart s,tofpr inkle thcm]with clean water, to take away thejlony heart, to
enlighten them,to juftify them,to adopt and fanftify them,and at
lafl: toprcfent them without fpot or wrinkle or anyfuch thing ; and when
all this comes to be revealed and fet forth in a gofpel difpenfation,
what is incumbent upon us, but to fubfcribe to this glorious tran-
faftion and plan of redemption, that was laid by infinite wifdom ?
Thus I fiv die covenant of grace was originally tranfa6led with
Chrin:, and with us in him and through him ; and they who either
in print or pulpit ridicule or exclaim againlt this as a aew fch^me

of

furrounding f /;ff T ii R o n e of Grace. 65 i

cf do6lrine, they do not ridicule us, but thedocl:rincafrerted by
the church of Scotland in her flandards, v.-hich, as ic is founded
upon the word, fowe are bound by folemn covenant to cleave
unto it.

4. Remark, That the revelation of this covenant of grace tran-
•fafted with Chrifl before the world, was made very early to ourfirjl
parents in paradice immediately after the fall, Gen, 3. 15. The feed of
the woman fhallbruifetheheadoftheferpent. Here it was that the
grand fecrct, which lay in the bread of God, did firfl break forth,
when our firft parents were waiting with a trembling heart every
moment for the execution of the lentence of the broken cove-
nant of works : Behold glad-tidings of great joy are iffued out from a
throne of grace, TizmQly , thatinthefulnefsoftime, thefonofGod was
to take on the feed of the iJiomanyandbruife theferpent's hcad,io dejtroy
the devil and his works, and redeem man from that gulf of mifery
into which he was plunged ; this was the covenant of grace ; and
'tis remarkable that in its firll edition it came forth m aprowife of
Chrifi, this was enlarged and explained to Jbraham, Mofes^ David,
and yet more fully opened after the Babyloniflj captivity by Jere-
miah, Ezekiel and other prophets, till Chrifl himfclf aftually came,
in whom all the old teftament tyyes, prophefies tindpromifes receiv-
ed their full accomplilhment, and having by his death confirmed
the covenant "Jiith many, the covenant of grace after his refurredti-
on and exaltation came forth in its lad and bed edition ; namely,
in the form of ate (lament, having the two great facraments of
baptifm and the fupper appended to ic, as full and unconteftcd e-
vidences of its being confirmed by his death. This glorious char-
ter is now pad thefeal, and therefore faith may makeufe of it
with boldnefs.

5. Remark, That this covenant of grace or tedament of our Lord
Jefus Chrid may be viewed and conMQXQdmiisdifpenfation or ex-
hibition. God in his infinite wifdom, for reaching the great end
anddefign of a covenant of grace, has appointed ordinances, the
word, facrament and prayer, and other proper means, by -johich the
benefits of his death, and blefiings of his covenant, may come to be
actually applied to us, he has authorized miniderstodifpcncc word
and facraments, that by thefe, as through conduit-pipes, his grace
andfiilnefs may be communicated to us. And here it fliould be re-
mQmhxtd,lh-^x.ihQ covenant of grace miht difpenfationand exhi-
bition of it comes to f'Uifr}' man's door. Icisprefentcd as the ground
and foundation of faith in common to all the hearers of the gofpcl,
eleft and reprobate ,• we call all and every one to take hold on God's
covenant, and telJ ihem. To you is the laord of this falvaiiov fent ; the

proviifs

652 The Rainbow of the Covenant

promife, or covenant, is to you, to your feed, and to all that are far
offy and to as many as the Lord our Godpoall call.

6. This cou^^/z^ttf ofgracemay beconfideredin the application
and execution of it; and this is either initial, progreffive or con-
fummate. i . I fay there is the initial application, or the foul's firfl
entry into the bond of the covenant^oi rather the fpirit of the great
new covenant head taking hold of the poor foul, and the foul at the
fame moment taking hold of the covenant by faith receives it as a
good and fufficient fecurity for that life and happinefs, which was
lofl by the fin of the firfl Jdam. This is in fcripture called the day
cfefpoufals, wherein the foul does as it were fign and fubfcribe the
marriage-contraft, faying, / am the Lord's. 2. There is the fur-
ther improvement of this covenant of grace,for the foul's daily fup-
ply in a way of believing, whereby it is made to groiv in grace and
in the knowledge of our Lordjefus Chrift. This is called a drawing
"jiater with joy out of the wells of falvation. The believer finding
himfelf under this and the other want improves the promifes of
the covenant, as they are fuited and adapted to his cafe. And thus
the work of fandtification is daily advanced, they fJoall go from
firength toftrength. 3. There is the full execution of the defigns
of this covenant, when the foul is brought to glory, and prefented
fault Icfs before the prefence of God, without Jpot or wrinkle, or any fuch
thing. fVhen Chrift who is our life foall appear, then f hall we appear
with him in glory. At that day the covenant, and all the concerns
of it, is fully executed and performed, even the day ofjefus Chrift,
Phil. 1 . 6. Being confident of this very thing, that he ivho hath begun a
good ivork in you, will perform it to the day of Jefus Christ. So m uch
for the firfi: thing propofed, which was to give you fome views
of the covenant of grace.

The fecond thing was to fpeak a little of the faithfulnefs of God
ingaged in the covenant, which is here refembled to the rainboiv
about the throne in colour like an emerald. For the illufi;ration of this
head,Ifliall i. P^nquire what the faithfulnefs of God implies. 2.
How far this faithfulnefs is ingaged in. the co\<tnant.

For the/;y?,Ifl-iall clear it in the following particulars, i. God's
covenant of grace or promife is no hafty or indeliberate deed, but
the refult of his eternal purpofe and council. Men many times
fpeak before they think,and when they have paft their word,T:hey
would be content to eat it in again, becaufe they fpeak frequently
before they confider matters truly. But no fuch thing is incident
to God ; his promife is nothing elfe but a revelation of his coun-
cil and purpofe of grace before the world began ; and therefore
every word he fpcaksis fure and (table, like mountains of brafs

which

furrounding the Throne of Grace. 653

which cannot be Ihaken. 2. God thinks as he fpeaks in his cove-
nant and promife. I remember it is given as the character of a
true citizen of Z/o«, that \\q fpeaks the truth in his heart, Pfal. 15.
thays, his words and his thoughts agree together, the one is the
exact tranfcript or copv of tlie other : And if this be the charac-
ter of the citizens of Z/o«, much more is it fo of Zion\ God and
K[ng,'whodcfires truth in the inivardpart : He does not fay one thing
and think another, he hates alldilingenuity in others, and there-
fore cannot be guilty of it himfelf: His words are fo much the
picture of his heart, that we may lawfully and warrantably look
into his heart in and by the words of his mouth.

3. God cannoti'orget his covenant 2ind promife. Men will ma-
ny times make promifes,and forget them affoon as they are made;
but it cannot be fo with God, he is ever mindful nf his covenant, his
mercy and truth is ever before his face ,• and therefore it is an un-
juft reflexion on a God of truth, tofay, or think that hehas /<?;•-
gotten to be gracious. A woman may fooner forget her fucking
child, than God can forget his children^ox his promife made to them;
he remembers every ^ooiiuorJ or r/j<?z/^/;^ of ours, andhasa bookof
remembrance for them ; furely then he will not, he cannot forget
his own word of promife. 'Tis true If a. 43. 26. we are command-
ed toputhim in remembrance ; and accordingly David, Pfal. 119.
49^ fays to God, Remember the word, upon which thou haft caufedme
to hope. But this is not to be underftood, as if God needed to have
his memory helped by us ; but only to put us to our duty, to quick-
en us to faith and fervency in prayer, according to the dirctlion,
Ezek. 36. 37. For thefe things will I be enquired of by the houfe oflfra-
el, that I may do it for them.

4. God cannot change his mind : our unbelieving hearts are rea-
dy fometimes to fuggeft, that when God made the promife, he
might have thoughts of grace and love in his heart,but perhaps now
he has altered his way of thinking ; his thoughts have taken ano-
ther turn : but this cannot be, for he is of one mind, and who can turn
him ? There is nq variablenefs, or fo much as afljadow of turning
with him, he is the fame to-day, yefterday and for ever. Pfal. 103. 25,
26,27. Of old thou haft laid the fundation of the earth : and the heavens
are the work of thy hands : theyftjallperijh^ but thou /halt endure ; all
oftlwnftjall wax old as a garment ; as a vefiure ftjalt thou change them,
and theyftoall be changed. But thou art the fame ^ and of thy years there
is no end. Whatever changes there may be in his carriage towards
us, yet there can be no change in his heart, confequently no change
or alteration in his covenant.

5. As God never changes his mind, fohe never broke his word;

he

654- The Rainbow of the Covenant

he always performs what he promifes. Many a time the belie-
ver has found him better than his word, but never worfe than his
word, 'i'his is what Jofljua obferved in his laffc fpeech to Ifrael,
J'ojb. 22.14. Andye know in allyour hearts,andm all your fouls ^that not
one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord our Godfpake
concerning you, but all are come topafs to you,andnot one thing hathfail-
^dthereof. As if hehad faid, lappeal toyourconfciences, ifhe
has not been a faithful God in performing his promife to you. Thus
you fee wherein the fait hfubcfs o^ God confifts.

For the fecond, to wit. How far thefaithfulnefs of God is engaged
hi the covenant of grace ? I anfwer, it is fo far engaged, that he has
given all the fecurity thatitis poffibleforGod togive. For, i.
his covenant is fubrcribed,even with his own blood. God, as it were,
dips his pen in the heart blood of his own Son, & therewith fubfcribes
the covenant. Hence the blood of Chrift is called the blood of
the teflament. This is theNeiv Tcft anient in my blood. 2. The
covenant of grace is not only fubfcribed but attelled by a glorious
'Frinity in the capacity of three witnefles, i Johns- 7- There are
three that hear record in hea'oen, the Father ^t he Word,(^ the Holy Ghojf:
andthefe three are one. 3. It is a fealed bargain, fealed with the oath
of Godjwherein he hath pledged his very life for the performance
of it; he gave his oath to the covenant-head, P/^/. 89- 35. Once
have Ifworn by my holinefs, I will not lie unto David, lie gives his
oath to the ked of Chrill, Heb. 6. 17. God willing more abundantly,
to flew to the heirs of promife the inuniit ability of his council, confirmed
it by an oath h is fealed with the death of the tejlator, Heb. 9. 1 6,17,
18. It is fealed with the facraraents o^baptifm andthefupper, whicii
are like the delivering of earth and ftone upon an infeftment : and
that moment that afinner takes hold of it, he feals it upon the
heart by his holyfpirit, Eph. 1. 13. In whom after ye helieved, ye
iverefaledby the Huly Spirit of promife, which is the earneft of our inhe-
ritance. 4. This covenant or teflament has thefaithfulnefs of
God fo far engaged in ir, that for further fecuricy it is regiilred in
heaven among the antiquities of r^^ landafaroff, Pfal. 119.89.
For ever, O Lord J hy zvord is fettled in heaven, regiftred upon earth,
in the volume of his'hook, which is a more fire word of prophecy than an
immediate voice from heaven ,• and therefore, we do well to take heed
to it, as to a light flining in a darkplace. This much for the fecond
thing propofed.

The tbirvj thing in the method was to take a view of this cove-
nant ofgraee, and the faithfuinefs of God engaged therein, under
thefimilitude andreprefentation of a rainbow furrounding the throne '
in colour like an emerald. And here I fliall endeavour to do thefe

three

furmmding the Throne of Grace. 6s s

three things, i . View the covenant under the fimilitude of a rahi-
boiv. 2. Enquire why this bow is faid to be round about the throne.
3. Why it is faid to be in colour like an emerald.

If I fay, I fliall view the covenant of grace under this metaphor
of the rainbow in the text. i. Then the rainbow was of God's fee-
ting, I have Jet my bow in the clouds : So the covenant of grace is of
God's making. I have made a covenant with my chrfen. Hear and
your foul fijall live, and I will make with you an everlajting covenant, e-
"cen the fire mercies of David. 1 will make with them an everlajting
covenant y that I will never turn away from them to do them good. Be-
ware of thinking that the covenant is of your making. It is indeed
our duty to take hold of God's covenant, 3.nd to come under engage-
ments, through the grace thereof to obferve all the duties com-
manded in the law ; but do not think, that your engaging or pro-
mifing and covenanting do make or conftitute the covenant of
grace. No,it is God that both makes the covenant,and leads our
heart and hand in taking hold of it, and in engaging to thefe dudes
of obedience, which are confequential unto our being in covenant
with the Lord, Heb. 8- 10. This is the Covenant that Iwilhnake with
the houfe oflfrael, Iwillput my law into their mind^and write it in their
heart : and I will be to them a God, and theyfloall be to me a people. Th e
covenant of grace is as much of God's making, as the forming of
thebowin thecloudsjwhich cannot be done by the hands of men.

2. The bow i^as fet in the clouds upon God's fmelling a fwcet fa-
vour in KoaVs facrifice, as you will fee in the clofe of the 8. and 9.
chapters of the book of Genefis : So here, upon Chriil: our blefTed
Noah his engaging to make himfelf a facrifice to juflice in our
room and flead, and God fmelling a fweet favour in his death and
fatisfa£lion thereupon, God fet s his bow of the covenant in his church.
O firs, if it had not been for the fatisfadion which our furety of-
fered, this bow of the covenant had never appeared in our
heavens.

3. God*s bow in the cloud is a fecurity againft the waters of the
deluge, that they fhallnever return any more to dejiroy the earth ; and
indeed the bow in the heavens is a greater fecurity againft it, than
ihtfands and rocks wherewith it is furrounded : fo the covenant of
grace, founded upon, and fealed with the blood of the lamb, is a glo-
rioLS fecurity againft the devouringdelugecf divine wrath, that
it fliall never return to deftroy any foul that by faith llccs to
Chrift, and takes (lieker under the covert of his blood and riglue-
oufnefs. Whenever a man fees the ?-(^?/iZ;(/:u, it yields him peace
and fafety againft the fears of another deluge, tho' never fucli
hurricanes or tempefts were blowing out of the heavens ,• tho the

fa

Cs6 Ty^^ Rainbow 0/ fA? Covenant

fca ivere roaring and its waves fwelling^ as tho' it would fwallow up
thedi7 land, yet the fight of God's bow in the clouds, puts us out
■ of fear of an univerfal deluge : fo here, whenever a poor foul by-
faith tikes a view of the bow of the covenant furrounding God's
throne of grace, it yields him peace ; he is made to fee, that what-
ever be God's difpenfations, whatever be the appearance of his
providences, yet the deluge of his vinditlive wrath having fpent
icfelfupon thefuretyj jufticeitfelf becomes the (Inner's fecurity,
by virtue of the covenant of grace, Ifa. 54. 9. For this is as the wa-
ters of Noah unto me; for as I have /worn that the waters of Noab
fhould no more go over the earth : fohave I /worn that I would not be
wroth with thee nor rebuke thee.

4. The rainbow ( as naturalifls think ) is jufl a refleftion of the
beams of the fun ; and it is the fun that gives being to the rainbow ;
for take away the fun out of the firmament, there would be no
rainbow in the clouds : fo here, it is Chrift the fun of right eoufnefs,
that gives being co the covenant of grace ; he is the very life and
fubflance of it ; Iivill give thee for a covenant of the people. All the
promifes of the covenant, what are they but jufl the rays of grace
and love, flowing out from Chrift, the brightnefs of the Father's glo-
ry. All the promijes are in him, and in him they are yea and amen'.
Take away Chrifl, and the promife is not, the covenant is not.

5. Altho' the arch of the bow is high above us, reaching to the
heavens, yet the extremes of it ftoop down to the earth, and
comes near to every man, yea, one would think, wherever he is,
or whatever place of the world he is in, ftill the end of the rait^ow
is pointing towards him : jufl fo it is with the covenant of grace ;
altho' the great covenant-head be in heaven, yet the covenant it-
felffloops down to men upon earth. Rom. 10.6,7,8. Say not in
thine heart, zvho /ImU afcendinto heaven ? ( that is to bring Chriji down

from above ) or who [ball defend into the deeps ? ( that is to bring up
Chrift again from the dead. ) But what faith it ? The word is nigh thee,
even in thy mouth, andinthy heart : that is, the word of faith which
we preach. By the righteoufnefs of faith fpoken of in the 6ch verfe,
fome of our beft interpreters do underftand the covenant of grace,
which is fo called, becaufe therein God brings near his righteouf-
nefs to us; yea the covenant of grace, in the difpenfationofit,
like the bowinthe clouds, points to every manfliying, Toyou is
the wordif this filvat ion fcnt. The covenant is indefinire,no man's
name is mentioned, no man's name excluded; but as it were a
blank left for every man to put in his own name by an applica-
tory faith.

6. God's Z'ciy /« r^gc/w/^j- is very extenfive, reaching from the

one

furrounding the T nvio'i^z of Grace. 6$"^

one end of heaven to the other : fo God's covenant of grace is a
Jarge and wide covenant. Tho' all Adams poflerity were gather-
ed together, there would be room for them within the arches of
the rainbow. God's covenant of grace is a large and wide cove-
nant; there is room in it for you, room for me, and room for all
mankind ,• God's voice is to every one to take hold of it,for every
one to come wiihin the circuit of it: Ho every one that thirjleth^
come to the waters ; he that hath no money Jet him come. You that have
J pent your money for that 'which is ?tot bread, and your labour for that
'■johicb projiteth not, you are called to take hold of it, Ifa. $$. i, 2.

7. As the rainbow is a fecurity againfl: an univerfal deluge, fo it
is a prognoftick of a refrefliing lliower of rain to the thirfty earth :
fo this bow of the covenant that is furrounding the throne of
grace, as it fecures againfl vindictive wrath, fo it prognafticates,
yea gives the greatefl aflurance of the rain of the fpirit's influen-
ces. It is an article of the covenant, I will be as the dew to Ifrael,
and he JJjall grow as the lillie, and cafl forth his roots like Lebanon : I
will come to them as the rain^as the latter and former rain unto the earth*
As it feldom or never fails, that if a man looks upon the rainbow,
but a fliower follows it in a little ; fo it never fails, that if a man
looks by faith to the bow of the covenant, and the faithfulnefs of'
God in it, but fome refrefliing rain of the dew of heaven falls on
his foul, Eph. 1.13. After that ye believed, ye were fealed with the
Holy Spirit of promife. John 1 1 . 40. Said I not unto thee, that if thou
wouldejl believe^ thou [houldjl fee the glory of God 1

8. The vifible and fenfible appearance of the rainbow is but of a
Hiort continuance, commonly it appears for a little, and then eva-
niflies; fo the fenfible and lively views that the believer gets of
the covenant of grace, in its beauty, order, freedom, fulnefs and
flability , are commonly but of a fliorc continuance ; it is a rare hour
and a fhortjlay^ faid one of the Ancients.

9. Altho' the rainbow difappear, and that for a long while toge-
ther, yet we do not conclude upon that account, that God's cove-
nant with us is broken, or that the waters will return again to deftroy
the earth. No, the remembrance of the rainbow fet in the clouds,
tho' a man has not feen it but once in his life ; 1 fay, the very re-
memhrance of the bow makes us eafy, and perfuades us that the de-
luge jhallnot return again : So here, whenever God difcovers this
bow of the co\'enaDt furrounding the throne of grace, when he
has determined thy foul to take hold of it, altho' thou d-^ifl; not fee
it in fuch a fenfible manner now as thou haft feen it formerly, yet
the very reniemhrance of this covenant may make thy foul eafy
againfl the fears of wrath^becaufe the veracity and faithfuhiefs of

T t God

(55^ The Rainbow of the Covenant

God in the covenant, is the fame zmthoiit anyvariablenefs, however
matters may be with thee, as to thy prefent fenfe and feeJing.-
Thus you fee, in what refpeft God's covenant is refembled to the
bow which he has fet in the clouds.

For the fecondx^ueftion, fVhy this bovi is /aid to be round about the
throne? lanfwer, i. This fignifies the glorious Majefly of a God
of Grace in Chrifl ; for, as I told you, it is reprefented as a canopy
of flate covering the throne, which is a badge of majefty. O firs,
honour and maje/iy arc before the face of a God in Chrifi, his throne of
grace is incircled with the glory of grace, grace lies fcattered
about the throne on every hand ; and this fhews his glorious
greatnefs. 2. The rainho^J^iis being fet round about the throne
of grace, perhaps may fignify this, that there is accefs to the
throne of grace on every hand, or from every quarter. Whate-
ver part of the covenant you look to, whatever article, whatever
promife youcaft your eye upon, you will flill find it leading you:
diredlly to a throne of grace, for grace to help you, Ezek. 36. 37.
for thefe things {to wit for the bleflTmgs promifed) will I be enqui-
red of (at 3. throne of grace ) by the hoiife of Ifrael, that Ijnay doit
for them. 3. The throne of grace is faid to be furrounded with
the rainhoiv, to fliew the liability of every promife, or of every
aft of grace, that is ilTaed out from a throne of grace : every
part of the covenant isfure; every promife of it is more firm than
the -pillars of heaven^ the faithfulnefs of God is in every promife ;
and therefore on^ jot or tittle of it cannot fall to the ground. 4. It is
faid to go about the throne, to fliew the connexion that there is
among all the parts of the covenant. As every part of a circle
leads to another part of it, fo the covenant of grace conne6ts one
blefiTmg with another, one bleffing draws another after it ; effec-
tual calling brings jufi:ification,jufl:ification brings adoption, fanc-
tification, perfeverance, and increafe of grace, and grace brings
glory v/ith it hereafter : As when you take hold of the leafi: link
of a chain you bring the whole chain with you; fohere, if you
have one bleffing you have all ; if you receive Chrifi:,, you have
all in him, he brings all along with him.

5. The rainbow about the throne may fignify, that there is no
accefs to a throne of grace, no ground for faith to ftand upon in
its approaches to the throne, but only by virtue of the covenant,
andthefaithfuhiefs of God engaged therein. It is folly for peo-
ple to think of coming to a throne of grace, /or grace andmcrcy^
w'hile they overlook and negle6l God's covenant, and his vera-
city pledged therein.

A third queftion was, JVhy this bozv of the covsnant is faid to be in

colour

furrounding the Throne o/" G r a c e, 659

colour like an emerald ? I fliall not flay on this ; only in one word, I
think that it points at the perpetuity of thQcovenant^ it is always
the fame like an ever-green, it never ivithers or decays. O firs !
this world is withering, it is waxing old as a garment, the fafloion of
it is pajjtng aivay ; you yourfelves are withering, your beauty ,
Jirength, ftature, and other excellencies, are fading like a moth ;
your frame, perhaps, will wither in a little, hov/ever agreeable it
may be,- tho' you were upon mount Tabor, beholding Chrift in
his glory, yet that will not lafl ; in a little your profperous flate,and
your mountain that feems tojland firm, may be fliaken through the
hidings of the Lord's countenance. But l;ere is what may be relief
under all; God's covenant is in colour like an emerald, continually
gre^i, without any decay. I think it very remarkable, that when
God is fending Mo/^i- to the children o( Ifrael, in order to bring
them out of the land 0^ Egypt, he puts him in mind of theco-
vcnant that God made with Abraham, in which he faid, thac
he would bring them out of Egypt. Well, what way^does
God take to confirm the faith of Mofes, and the children of Ifrad
concerning his faithfulnefs ? He bids tell the children of Ifrael, I
AMhathfent me ; as if he had faid, do not think that I have forgot-
ten my covenant and promife to Abraham. No, I AM WHAT I
AM: lam the fame this day that I was four hundred' years ago,
when I fpoke to Abraham upon this head, and my promife is as
freili with me ; as it was that day I made it, Heb. 10. 23. There,
fays the apoftle, faithful is he who hath promifed. So it reads in our
tranfiation ; but in the original Greek, the words may be read,
faithful is he who is promifing. We are not to look upon God's co-
venant and promife as a thing that is pall; and out of date ; no, he is
a promifing God to us, as much as when the promife firft pafi: ouc
of his blefied lips : It is an ever-green, it is in colour like an emerald',
he is re er mindful of hiscovenant ; and -as jujlice and judgment are the
habitation of his throne, fo his mercy, wrapt up in a word of truth, is
flill going before his face. This much for the third thing in the
method.

The fourth thing in the method was to enquire a little into the
faith and tnift, which the confideration of all ihis/lmild beget in us;
and for cleanng of ir, I fiiall go no further than the reprefentation
made in the text. What do you think when the rainbow appears in the
heavens ? the fame you are to do with relation to the bow in the co-
venant, and the faithfulnefs of God engaged in^it.

I. When the Z^o:u appears in the heavens, you behold it, you
look upon it with your eyes, for it is a beautiful appearance ; you
confider and enquire for what end there is fuch an appearance in

T t 2 the

66o The Rainbow of the Covenant

the heavens. Now the fame you are to do with God's covenant of
grace, the bow chat he hath fet in the heaven of his church, about
his throne of grace vvhich he has reared up. It is abfulutely im-
poflible that ever you can reap any benefit by God's covtnant un-
]efs you behold it, confider it, and ftudy to know and underfland
if theremuflbeanuptakingof thefecretsofthe^rouewa/zf. And
this is the firft thing that ever God does, when he is to bring the foul
within the bond of his covenant, he enlightens the mind with the
knowledge of Chrifl:, the great covenant head : He makes the man
to think upon and confider the fulnels,freedom, the comely order
and {lability of the covenant, as a covenant of grace and peace, hav-
ing all our falvation wrapt up in it.

2. When a man fees the rainbow in the heaven, and knows that
it is a token of God's covenant with mankind, that the waters /ball not
return to defiroy the earth, he afi'ents to the truth of the covenant, or
promife of God, he believes that it is true, that God made fuch a
promife, and that God whoproraifed fuch a thing will not break
his word, but that he ivill make it good : So here when you fee the
bow of the covenant of grace, and the veracity of God, pledg-
ed therein ; when you fee it fealed with the oath of God,and the
blood of his eternal Son, your duty is to afl^ent to the truth of God
pledged in the coven an t,becaufe he hsisfaithfulnefsfor the girdle of
his loins, and truth for the girdle of his reins : O will the foul fay : I fee
every promife of God to be true, it is impoffiblefor him to lie j and there-
fore I fet to my feal that he is true,

3. When a man fees the bow in the cloud, he concludes that he
himfelfin particular is fafe from the waters ofthefea, that they
fliall not overflow him ; he refi;s upon the veracity of the promi-
fer; and fo makes himfelfeafy againftthe fears of a fecond de-
luge : So here when we fee God's covenant like a bow furround-
ing his throne, we fliouldrefl; with aflured confidence upon it as a
good fecurity for our everlafiing happinefs, for peace, pardon,
grace and glory. 'I'he covenant is GocVschanev for eternal life,
and the foul accordingly takes it, and fays, This is all my falvation,
that he has made with me in Chrifl an everlajfing covenant, and in this
will I be confident : IndeedifGod can break his covenant, lam imdone,
I will fink in the mighty waters of his wrath ; but Cod\ covenant cannot
he broken : Itfiandsfajtfor ever ; the mountains (hall depart, and the
hills be removed, but the covenant of his peace floall never be removed;
and therefore I am fure, God will not betray me, bis covenant will not
deceive me : And all this is juft what is called a taking hold of God's
covenant, Ifa. s^' 4*

The ffth thing propofed is the ufe of this do6lrine. All the ufe

I

furromding the Throne of Grace. 661

I make of it at this time is in theft; few inferences. Is icfo that
God's covenant of grace and his fa'ithfulnefs engaged therein is like a
rainboiv furrounding the throne, for our encouragement to trujl him 1
Then,

1 . See hence the amazing glory and beauty of the throne of grace y
to which we are invited and called to come. Every thing in and
about this throne has glory, beauty and majefty in it ; he that lies'
pn itislike.the Sardine ?iud Jafper Stone ; they that behold him, or
who are about the throne, are fo dazledvvith his glory, that they
a y day and night, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, ixihich "joas
and is, and is to come. Rev. 4. 8 . they zvor^jip him, and cafl their crowns
down before his throne, faying, Thou art worthy to receive glory, honour,
andpower ; for theu haft created all things, and for thypleafiire they are
andwe're created. O how majeftickis the appearance of a God ia
Chrifi: ! how majeflick is his throne, high and lifted up ! how ma-
jeflick is his retinue filling the wide temple of heaven and earth.

2. See hence the ^rw^wJ that the alTurance of faith goes upon
Jn drawing near to a throne of grace. Why, it goes upon the'
ground of the divine veracity pledged irl a covenant ofgrace; ic
fees this bow about the throne, & this gives the man courage and
confidence ; ' Jbraha?n' s faith buildedits affurance here. Rom.
4.20. Heftaggered not at the promife through unbelief'^ being fully
perfwaded that .what he had promifed he was able to perform. If you
were putting up that petition, firs, to God that he would hem in
the waters of the ocean, and bind up thefountains of the great deep,
that the waters might not return to overflow the earth, I am perfwaded
that you would ask it with full afllirance of faith, nothing doubting
his veracity ingrantingyou that petition, becaufe God has pro-
niifed that the waters pjall no more return to deflroy the earth ; and he
hasfet his bow in the cloud as a token of his veracity in that matter ?
Well, I am fiire you have as firm a ground to build your faith upon
when you draw near to a throne of grace, to ask of him things a-
greeable to his will, things promifed in the covenant of grace,
peace, pardon, andfalvation through a redeemer, you have the ve-
racity of I he fluneGod pledged, not only his veracity but his pow-
er, his holinefs and other pcrfcflions ; yea, firs, God's covenant
of grace that is made with us in Chrifi; is more firm than God's co-
ven^jnt wich Noah ; for, as you have heard, this covenant of grace,
is attefied by thu three that bear record in heavenj ii is fealed with the
oath and blood of God, and regifiered in the volume of his book ;
and therefore at any time when you ,2:o"tc a throne rf grace for a-
ny mercy, keep your e-^ e upon the bo-m of the covenant, ck iUtfaith-

fulncfs of God pledged therein, that fo you may hope and trull: and
"believe without ftaggering. " Tt3 • ■ . 3.

(56s The Rainbow of the Covenant

3 . See hence the way how to be fupported and relieved under all
p-ejfures of trouble of whatever kind,whether from without or from
within. My friends, you have been at 2i communion t able ^ and I
hope you have been upon the mount with God feeding upon fas
things full of marrow ; now we are about to part, we are going out
again to the wide world, & God knows what deep feas, what tem-
f)efl:uous waves and florms from earth and hell may be abiding us ;
Well, whatever maybefal you, I give you this advice, to keep
your eyes always upon the r«f«^oio o^thQ covenant about the throne
of which you have been getting a fenfiblefeal in the facrament of
theLord's flipper, efpQchWy in the cafes fo]lowing,and you fhall find
wonderful relief and fupport, as David did to his experience, Pfal.
27. 1 3 . I had fainted, unlefs I had believed to fee the goodnefs of the
Lord in the land of the living,

1 . Then perhaps, poor believer,a J^orm ofvindidtive wrath in ap-
pearance may blow from heaven, which will ftartlethy confci-
ence to that degree, that thou ihalt be made to cry thro' a fenfe of
guilt, and the impreffions of God's anger on thy foul. The arrows
of the Jlmighty are within me, thepoifon thereof drinketh up myfpiritSy
the terrors ofGodfet themfelves in aray againfi me. Well, if that hap-
pen to be thy cafe, as I know not but it may, look to the rainboiv of
the covenant about the throne, and there you fliallfeethe faith-
fulnefs of God engaged, that vindi^ive wrath Ihall never touch
thee. Readforthisi/'^. 54. 7, 8,9, 10. There you fee the oath
of God is pafl, that the deluge of vindiftive anger fliall no more
return to deflroy thee; and what more would thou have? will
unbelief dare to charge God with perjury ?

2. Perhaps, heViever^zJlorm of trouble from the world may blow
upon thee, times of publick calamity may come, days ofperfecution
for righteoufncfsfake, or if that fail, a ftorm of perfonal trial may be
abiding th ee ,• trouble in thy name, in thy eftate, in thy family or
relations ; the dorm may blow fo hard as to fweep away all that is
dear to thee in a world. Well, fay you,what lliall I do in that cafe?
Why my advice to you is tocaflthe eye of faith upon the ^oiu of
the covenant ; and there thou ihalt find what will chear and keep up
thy heart ; there thou (halt find thy covenantedGod inChrifl pro-
mifeth his fympathy in all thy troubles, //^r. 63.9. In all their
affli^ions heis affiled. Pfal. 103.13. Asa father pitieth his chil-
dren : So the Lordpitieth them that fear him. There you Ihall find
him engaged to go through the fire and water with thee, Ifa. 43,
2. Whenthoupajfejlthro' the waters Iwillbewiththee. Thereyoil
will find him engaging himfelf by covenant to carry thy head a-
bo ve, Jfa. 41.10. Fear not for I am with thee J will help the, Iwillup*

bolcH

furrounding the Throne of Grace. 663

hold thee with the right hand of my right eoufnefs. There thou fhalc
find him engaged to bring theefafely through all thy troubles:
Many are the afflidtions of the righteous, hut the Lord fjall deliver him
out of them all Thou Ihak find that thy light afflictions, which are
buffer a moment, poall work for thee afar more exceeding and eternal
'Weight of glory.

3. Perhaps a florm from hell may be abiding thee, principalities
andpoivers, and the rulers of the darknefs of this world ; the armed le-
gions of the bottomlefs pit, like the hulls of Bafljany may ere long
be pufliing at thee. Well, in this cafe look to the throne of grace,
and to the bow of the covenant that furroundsit, and thou (hale
find what may, and will relieve thee ; you will find that Chrifl has,
according to the firfl article of the covenzxil,bruifedthe head of that

Jerpentyfpoiledprincipalities and powers, triumphed over them, and made
a /how of them openly on his crofs: he has dejiroyed death, and him
that had the power of death. I'here thou wilt find him engaged to
Hand by thee as thy leader & commander,to make thee tread Satan
under thy feet fJjortly : And by faith a6ted upon this covenant, thou
artaffuredof the vi^ory; yea, that thou art a conqueror, ^«<^»wtf
than a conqueror through him that loved thee.

4. Perhaps, believer, thou may in a little find the ftrong man of
indwelling fin, like Sampfon, after his locks were cut, recover
ftrength,and begin to rage in thy foul, infomuch that thou flialt be
made to cry with the apoflle. Wretched man that lam, who /hall de-
liver me ? Well, in that cafe look to the throne of grace, and the
bow of the covenant, and thou flialt find God engaging himfelf to
give grace and mercy, to help thee in this time of need. Rom. 6. 14.
He has f aid, fin /Jjallnot have dominion over you. Micah 7. 19. 1 will
fubdue their iniquities. Ezek. 36. 25. From all their idols, and from all
their jilthinefs will I cleanfe them . Ifa . 59 . i g.fFhen the enemy fiall come
in like a flood, thefpirit of the Lord /hall lift up ajlandard againft him.

5. Perhaps in a little Satan and corruption together may give
thee a trip, and lay thee on thy back, and as it were tread thee in a
viire, fo that thy own cloaths (hall abhor thee ; and what fhall be done
in that cafe? Well even in that cafe look up to the throne, and
behold the exalted prince that gives repentance and refnij/ion of fin, that
he may lift thee up again, and by the blood of his covenant bring thee
vut of the pit wherein there is no water. 1 ake a view of the bow of
the covenant and thou wilt find written upon the arch of this
bow. That tho' thou haft lien among thepots,he will make thee like the
wings of a dove coveredwithfilvcr, and her feathers with yellow gold.
Lifl:en to his voice that fits upon the throne, and thou wilt hear
him faying, tAo' thou haft played the harlot with many lovers, yet
return again to me j faith the Lord. T t ^yf^ 6,

664 7yb^ Rainbow o/ f^5 Covenant

6. Perhaps a black and melancholjy night of defertion may
overtake rhee in chy way ; God may iiide, and rhou beHro'.i.j^^ht to
crv wirh thechiKcii, The Lord hath forfaken^ and iny God hath format -
ten. Well, thu thou walk in darknefs and fee no light, yet t'niji in the
name of rhe Lord, ftay thy felf.iiponrhimby vir'tiie. of the cavenant-
as thy Gild ; for here he is engaged, That h^ -will he thy Gndforcver-i
tha': he will never leave thee nor forfakethee as ro his real prefence ,'
and that tho'iveeping may endure for a nighty yst jby comet h-m the
morning : For a little moment have Iforfaken thesy but imth great mer-
cies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a
mom en':, but with ever laj ting kindnefs will I have mercy on thee, faith
the Lord thy redeemer.

7. Perhaps you may fall under the melancholly fears andap-
prehenfions, that thou flialt be fo left of God, as to prove an apof-
tate in the end. Well, look up to the bow of the covenant about
the throne,and thou wilt find fecurity againft that alfo. Phil. r. 6,
He that hath begun the good work in thee will perform it until the day of
Chrift. The righteous fhall hold on his way, and he that hath clean
hands fjjallwaxjtronger andftronger. Grace and glory are connec-
ted by the covenant fo infeparably, that they can never be divor-
ced. Pfal. S4.' 11' The Lordwill give grace and glory.

8. Perhaps you may in a little fall under a melancholly deadnefs
and indifpofition of heart ;• the fpices of the garden, that feem now
to be fending out their fmetl, may wither, and thou may be crying,
lam a dry tree : Well, in that cafe look up to the throne of grace,
and thv glorious head fitting on the throne ,• and thou wilt fee thy
life in him : Our life is hid with Chriflin God ; becaife Hive, ye fhall
live alfo ; after two days he will revive us, and in the third day we fhall
live in his fight. I will be as the dew to Jfrael, and they fhallrevive a^
thecorn. Hof 6. and 14. Chapters.

9. Perhaps the terrors of death may fli or tly take hold on thee,
poor believer ; the dark curtains of the grave, and the fliadows
of the land of forgetfulnefs,may begin to ftretch themfelves upon
thee: O! what Ihall be done in that cafe? I anfwer, even in that
cafe look up and take hold of the bow of the covenant furrounding
the throne; d^sDaviddid when his latter end was approaching,
Tho' my houfe be notfo ivith God; yet he bath made with me an everlajt-
ing covenant, ordered in all things, and fare: Andthis is allmy falva-
tion and all my defire. The fame holy man, Pfal 23. viewing the
covenant, and God engaged to be with him in death, cries out, ver.
4. Tea, though I walk through the valley of thefJjadow of death, yet will
I fear no evrl : For thou art ivith me, thy rod andftaff fhall comfort me :
See a fweet promife of the covenant to this purpofe, Hof. 13. 14. /

Jk will

fnrrounding the Throne of Grace. ^6$

'mllranfom tbemfrojn thepo'xer of the grave : I zvill redeem them from
death : 0 death, I "will be thy plague ; O grave, I will be thy deJlnitVion.
But after all you may perhaps fay, thefe things may yield excel-
\QX\t fupport and relief to the believer that has taken hold of God's
covenant, and got within the arches of the bow ; bun I fear I am
none of thefe. An anfwer to this leads me to the laft ufe of the
doftrine; which I do not defign to enlarge upon at prefent: Only
let me exhort and call ill hearing me, whether believers or unbe-
lievers, to put this matter out of doubt, prefently wiehout delay,
by taking hold'of God's covenant, here reprefented by the rain-
bow furrounding the throne in colour like an emerald. Sirs, you
cannot lay hold on the natural rainbow v/ith the hands of your bo-
dv ,• but when you fee it you may lay hold on God's covenant with
Noah by an a6t of truft or believmg,chat God, according to rhac co-
venant, will deliver you from a deluge of \raier : Well, do the
fame in the prefent cafe ; take Iiold of Goo's covenant of grace,
and his faithfulnefs therein engaged through ChriR fur your deli-
verance and freedom from the deluge of eternal wrath, which
threatens to fwallo w you up for ever and ever. But I go no fur-
ther at prefent.

SERMON 11.

At Jbernethie, Saturday and Sabbath July 5th and 6th 17.^8.

Rev. iv. 3.

"^And there was a rainbow round ahout the throne, in fight
like unto an emerald.

Proceed to the lad nfe which I dcfigned to make of the do5irine,
viz. In away of exhortation. Is it fo that the covenant of grace
and the faithfulnefs of God engaged therein is like a rainbow
round about the throne, in colour like an emerald ? Then my exhor-
tation to all hearing me is to anfwer the defign, and improve this
manifeftation and difpLiy of the grace of God : Why has he iet
the rainbow of his covenant round about his throne ? Is it not to
encourage fmncrs, who are far ofi^", to come & enter in within God's
covenant, and take hold of his faithfulnefs pledged therein, that
they may obtain grace and find mercy at a throne of grace to help them
in time of need? Sirs, when you fee the bow in the clouds, you
remember God's covenant with IStoa^y^ and believe that you are

fafe

C66 The Rainbow of the Covenant

fafeagainfl: the fecond deluge of water, not for any good deed
done by you to deferve fuch a thing, but becaufe of the veracity
Cf God pledged in his covenant with Noah : So when you fee the
bow of the covenant about a throne of grace, improve it as a fe-
curityagainfl; the deluge of wrath, which was iloptand recalled
upon the fatisfaftion and death of Chrift : Improve it, I fay, for
this and all the other blellings, that lie wrapt up in the large
bofoni thereof.

But that I may fet this exhortation in a clearer light, I fliall en-
deavour, through divine affiflance, i . To Ihe w what the rainbow
of the covenant of grace is a fign of. 2. Shew what it is to improve
this rainbow of the covenant. 3. What are thefe bleflings or privi-
leges that lie within the circle of this rainbow, and of which the
foul comes to be pofTefTedjeither in part or in whole, that moment
that it takes hold of God's covenant. 4. Who they are that may
warrantably come within the compafs of this rainbow. 5. Roll
away fome impediments or {tumbling ftones, that lie in the way
of the (inner, and which have a fatal influence to difcourage them
from taking the benefit of the rainbow 0^ the covenant which is
about the throne. 6. Offer a few advices, in order to your im-
proving the rainbow of the promife or covenant, for your fafety
againfl the deluge of wrath that threatens you upon the account of Jin.

The firji thing propofed is to enquire what this rainbow of the co-
venant is a fign of '? You know the rainbow in the vifible heavens
is a fign of fomething ; and fo is this fpiritual rainbow of the co-
venant. As,

1 . It is a fign that the firfl covenant is broken, and that the wick-
ednefs of man was great upon the earth,- for which caufe the
fountains of the great deep of God's wrath were opened like a
mighty fea, fweeping all Adam's family to the bottomlefs pit.
Wlien wefee thebowin the heavens, we remember the flood of
Noah, which was fentto take vengeance upon the oldv/orldfor
their fin ; fo when we view the rainbow of the covenant, we
fliould remember the flood of divine wrath and vengeance, that
is broken out againfl the whole family and race of mankind. O
firs, the broad flying roll of the curfe of God is gone forth over
the face of the whole earth, becaufe of the fin of man, Gal. 3. 10.
Curfed is every one that continueth not in all things, written in the book
of the law to do them. Remember this when you fee the bow of
the covenant of grace round about the throne of grace.

2. This rainbow of the covenantis a fign that a ranfom is found
out, and cliat the facrifice of our great Noah is accepted ; that God
hasfmelledafweetfavour inthe death of our Lord Jefus Chrift.

You

furrounding the Throne of Grace. 667

You know the rainbow was fetupin thehearens, after God had
accepted of Noah's facrifice ,• and when we fee God's bow in the
clouds, we remember this: fo, when we look upon a covenant of
grace, we ought to remember the death and fatisfaftion of Jefus,
as the very ground and foundation of God's dealing with finners
in a way of grace. When we behold the covenant, we fliould be-
hold the blood of the covenant, behold the red ftreams of this
rainbow, Zech. c). 11. By the blood of thy covenant , I have fent forth
thyprifoners out of the pit wherein there was no water. I have read
that in Holland, where moll of their country is taken off the fea by
llrong dykes, if the fea at any time happen to make a breach,
whereby the country is in danger of being laid under water, any
man that obferves the breach,is by the law of the country ordered
to flop the breach, if poflible, tho'it were with his mofl valuable
packs of goods, and he has reparation from the community, O
firs! fin has made a breach for the inundation of God's wrath, to
break in upon the whole race of Adam, & the breach was fo wide,
and the current of wrath fo rapid and flrong, that it would have
fwallowed up and fwept away the whole creation of angels and
men, if they had been cad in to fl:op it. The glorious Son of God,
perceiving that nothing elfe would do it, call his own body into
the breach ; he redeemed us from the curfe of the law^heing made a curfe
for us. Let us remember this when we remember the bow abouQ
the throne.

3. The bow of the covenant as it is fet up in the heavens of the
vifible church, is a fign that the deluge of God's wrath is recalled, and
that God is a God of peace towards finners, through the atoning
blood of the Lamb- Sirs, I bring you glad tidings of great joy, the
waters of the deluge of God's wrath are fofar abated and fallen,
th^ii the olive-branch IS brought forth to your view by God's minif-
ters. We preach the gofpel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good
things to you ,* we tell you, in the name of God, that he is fo well
pleafed with the ranfom that he has found, that he declares/;/;7 is
not in him, that tho' he was angry, his anger is now turned away ; and
if you will not believe his word, take his oath for it, in which he
has pledged his very life, Ezek. 33. 1 1. ^^ i live, fays the Lord, £
have no plcafure in the death of the wicked, but rather that he turn from
bis evil ways and live.

4. The rainbow in the clouds is a fign of God's faithful promife,
that no man Ihall be ruined by an univerfal deluge. Indeed, if a
man will Hand within the fea-mark till the waters of the fea over-
How him, there is no help for that ; God's faithfulnefs in his cove-
nant with Noah Hands firm, tho' the man perilh : fo here the rain-
bow

668 The Rainbow of the Covenant

how about the throne ofgrace^ is afign of God's faithful nefs in a word
of promife, that no man fliall perifli who will take the advantage
of the dry land that (lands before him in the gofpel. Indeed, if a
man will by unbelief fland (till within the fea-mark of God's
wrath til] he perilh, there is no help for that ,• but the faithfulnefs
of God in the covenant of grace ftands firm, and fliall not be made
of noneeffeft through his folly: But I fay, whofoever believetbor
taketh hold of the faithfulnefs of God, pledged in his covenant,
f Jail not perifh but have everhjling life ; the deluge of wrath fliall
never touch him. This much for the firfl: thing, namely, What
this rainbow about the throne, m colou?- like an emerald, is a fign of?
The fecond thing was to enquire, ffljat it is to improve this rain-
bow of the covenant ? I anfwer, as it is well exprefled in our Confef-
fion of Faith, chap. 14. fe^t. 2. at the clofe. It is to believe in Chrijt, or
to accept, receive, and reft upon him alone forjuflification,fand:ification,.
andeternallife, by virtue of the covenant of grace. This is a very ma-
terial exprelfion, & I fear lictle obferved by the generality of pec -
pie; a reding upon Ch rift by virtue of the covenant of grace.
As we reft upon a man by virtue of his word or promife, fo
we reft upon Chriftby virtue of the covenant and the promifes
thereof. It is obfervable here in the text, that the rainbow is ro.und,
about the throne, smd him that fits on it,- fo that there could be no'
coming to the throne, or Chrift fitting on it, without coming within
the rainbow ; fo there is no coming to Chrift, no true believing
in him, but by virtue of his word of grace, and promife in a cove-
nan t of grace. And this is one main difference between true fav-
ing faith, & the prefumptuous faith of hypocrites. Hypocrite?,
by a prefumptuous faith, will indeed lay hold on Chrift and fal-
yation; but in the mean time, they do not receive Chrift and his
benefits as they lie within th^rainbow, they do not receive and im-
prove hmi by vertue of clie covenant oi^ grace. The covenant
of grace; or liie promife of God in Chrift, is his teftament bono or
difpofirioM, vv'iierein he aftignf; and makes over himfelf, his rijrhte-
oufnefs, his fpirit, hisftluefs, and all the bleflings of his pat-chafe :
Nc vv true faiJi receives and 1 efts upon Chrift by virtue of this co-
venant of grace. I defy you either to fajHen your faith or truft
Upon God or man, without a word of promife to ground your Faith
upon. If I flioiild bid you truft or believe \ our neighbour, or any
fubftantial man for a fum of money that vou ftand in need of, you
would ask me, why, what ground have! to truft him? ITMshe
promifed to f^ive it, or lend it to me? If he has not promised to'
do it,there is no ground of truft ; and you would ciii-.k that I were
but mocking you,when 1 bid you iruft Iiim for itjunlefs he had p;ift

his'

furrounding the Tun one of Grace 669

his word. So here, when we bid you believe in Chrift, receive
him, or reft upon him for falvadon, your eye muft immediately be
turned to the word of grace, or promife, and his faithfulnefs en-
gaged in it ; for it is by virtue of that, that we receive him, or im-
prove and apply him to our own fouls : Hence believing in Chrid
is expi-efled by a taking hold of God's covenant, Ifa. 56. 4. Which ex-
preilion plainly implies a faftening on the veracity or faithfulnefs
of God pledged in the covenant. And how far the faithfulnefs
of God is engaged in the covenant of grace, I (hewed in the doc-
rinal part of this difcourfe. He has fubfcribed it as a party, he has
fealed it with his oath, and the blood of his Son ; he has atteiled it in
the capacity of a witnefs,he has confented to the regiftrationj yea,
has actually regiftred his bond, that we might * have the morefpeedy
diligence upon it at a throne of grace. Now, I fay, faith is a taking
hold of God's faithfulnefs thus pledged in the covenant, it is a ret-
ting upon his veracity,it is a trufting to him,that he will be as good
as his word, becaufe it is impojjiblefor him to lie ; it is ^ fitting to the
fealthat hf: is true, and a faying with David, God hath fpoken in his ho-
iinefs, I mil rejoice. O firs ! faith in Chrifl by virtue of his word
of grace and promife, is one of the plaineft and clearefi things in
the world, if the devil and an unbelieving jealous heart, working
together, did not darken and obfcure the account we have of it in
the word. What is plainer than to truflthe word of an honeft
man, or to reft on him by vertue of his word ? So here believing
is a refling on Chrift, or a trufting in him by virtue of his cove-
nantjor word of grace : But the legal proud heart of man has fuch
a firong bent after falvation, by doing or working for life , that no-
thing elfe than the mighty power of God can bring the finner to
quit and renounce allhis works and righteoiifnefs as filthy m^i-,and to
take falvation and eternal life by trufting or believing the bare
word of a promifing God in Chrifl. But 1 fliall not enlarge fur-
ther upon this at prefenr.

The third thing propofed,v/as to enquire what are thcfe hleffing^
or privileges which lie within the circuit of this rainbow of the^o^;^-
vmam.mid of which the foul comes to be poffefled either in part or
in whole, that moment that it takes hold of the covenant. The ve-
ry naming of thefebleffingsmay ferve as fo many motives or ar-
guments, to perliiadeyou to take hold of the covenant, to come to
a throne of grace by virtue of the rainbow that furrounds it. And
lierc^a field of matter prefents itfelf to view, fo large and copious,
that 'tis impojftblefor the heart of man to conceive it, hv lefscan the
tongue ofman tell it or exprefs it in words, forallthcbleffings of
heaven and eternity lie within the wide circuit of this r^wZ'oiy of
* This is a law term itfedin Scotland. the

6jo The Rainbow of the Covenant

the covenant^ which furroiinds God's throne of grace. AH grace what-
foever lay originally in the heart of God ; but, as it lies there, it is
inacceffible byfinners, foriy/;o hathknovon the mind of the Lord''^
Well, becaufethat grace that is in God's heart is inaccefiible by
us, therefore he brings it yet nearer to us, by taking a piece of our
nature,uftiting it to the perfon of his eternal Son, & calls it Chrijl,
Mejjiah Jmmamiel^God- Man^OY Godwith us : And makes alltheful-
71 efs of the God- heady^U the gVRCQthsitis in his heart to dwell there
that To we might not be afraid to come to one in our own nature
for grace and mercy to help us. But that our faith might yet have
a greater advantage, he does not reft there : But he brings all the
grace that is in Chrift into a promife or a covenant of grace, pled-
ges his faithfulnefsin the flrongeft way imaginable, in the pro-
mife or covenant, that fo unbelief might have nothing to objeft.
Unbelief might be ready to fay. It is true there is enough of grace
in Chrift, but alas he is in heaven, and he has carried all his grace
to heaven with him ; and the throne on which he nov\'- firs is fo
high that I know not how to get at him. Bur, fays the Lord, O
f]nner,fay not fo, think not fo; forallthefulnefsof Chrift is nigh
thee in the rainbow of my covenant. I give thee a word of faitii,
a faithful word of promife, lean to that,rell: on thar,and Chrift,and
all that is in him, and all the grace that is in my heart (liall come a-
]ong with it into thy foul. What is it, O finncr, thou wants, but
thou may have it, either in title or pofTeffion, by refting on the ve-
racity of him who has fet his bow in the clouds ?

I fnall inftance in a fevvr of the many bleflings that are to be had
by taking hold of God's covenant, or by believing in Chrift by
virtue of the covenant.

I . Would you have Jehovah Father, Son and Holy Ghoft to be
thy God, even thy own God, to be theftretigth of thy heart, and thy
portion forever ? Well, come within the rainbow by taking hold of
God's covenant,or trufting the word of a promifmg God in Chrift,
and it fnall be fo : Tor this is the leading article of the covenant, /
am the Lord thy God, I mil be their God, lam thy jlneld ^ t hy exceed-
ing great rezvard. O firs, you loft your claim to God by che firft
covenant, and while in a ftare of nature, under a covenant of
works, you are without God in the world : But here is a God
in Chrift coming back again in a new covenant, a covenant
of grace and peace. O take him at his word, and take him in his
word, for falthf nils he that hathpromlfed. Let thy foul fay to the
Lord upon the covenant ground and grant. This God Is my God for
ever and ever : And he fJjallbe thy God even unto death, becaufe he
has fiiid it in his covenant. But, fay you, muft Inotfirft clofe with

Chrift

furrounding the Throne of Grace. Cyi

Chrifl before I can claim the Lord as my God ? I anfwer to clofe
with Chrift, is nothing elfe but to take a God in Chrifb as thy own
God, by virtue of the covenant of grace andpromifc wherein his
faithfulnefs is more deeply ingaged than ever it was in God's co-
venant with Neah, whereof the rainbow is a perpetual and {land-
ing fign. But, O, fay you, I am afraid it would be prefuraption
forme to claim a God in Chrifl: for my God, upon the covenant-
grant, / imllbe their God. I anfwer it is fo far from being prefump-
lion, that it is rebellion againfl; the authority of the great Godin-
terpofed in the very firfl: command of the moral law, not to know
and acknowledge him, & trufl: in him as God and as thy own God;
and till thou take him as thy God in Chrifl;, thou art living in open
rebellion againfl: the authority of heaven ; and will thou adven-
ture to be a rebel againfl: God to avoid the danger of prefumption
and fo rufli upon the thick bofl'es of heaven's buckler. O that I
could perfwade you to obey the firfl: command of the ??2om//(3iu, as
it ftands in a fubferviency to the covenant of grace, contained in
the preface of the ten commandments, which teaches us to believe
that he is the Lord our God andredeemer, upon the ground of his own
faithfulnefs pledged in thefe words, lam the Lord thy God. O firs,if
you can but find in your hearts thro' grace to obey the firft command
in the law, you will find it eafyto obey the reft; andifyoucanbuc
find in your heart thro' grace to believe this firfl: and leading pro-
mife of the covenant of grace, lam the Lord thy God, you will find
it eafy to lay claim by faith to all the fubfequent promifes of the co-
•uenant ; for it fnould be remembered that the firft promife of the co-
•Dcnant, and the firft command of the moral lav/, are infeparably
linked together.

2. Take hold of the covenant, and come v*^ithin the arch of this
blefifed bow that goes roundabout the throne, and there thou fiialt find
a fealed pardon of fin, an indemnity, an a6l of oblivion for all thy
lins, tho'they be innumerable as the ftars, and great and heinous
like the lofty mountains, Heb. 8. 12. Iwiil be merciful to their im-
righteoufnefs their fins and iniquities will 1 remember no more. So Jer.
31. 34. View him that fits upon the throne within the rainbow,
and thou wilt hear him faying, / even I am he that blottcth out thine
iniquities for mine own names fake, and will remember thy fins no more.
O condemned finner, trufl a God in Chrillfor this, by virtue of his
covenant, or by virtue of his promife, For the Strength (/Ifiael will
not lie nor repent.

3. Thou art by nature an alien, aftranger, a foreigner, a child
of hell, would thou fain come back again to God's family, and
have a God in Chrifl; as thy father ? Well, view the rainboiv, come

within

6/2 The Rainbow of the Covenant

within the circuit of it, and there thou flialt find this,- Iwillbetd
them a father, and they fljall bemyfons and daughters, faith the Lord
Almighty. To as many as received him, by virtue of this cu venant-
gr^nt, to them gave he power to become the Sons of God, even to them
that believe in his name, John 1. 12.

4. Wants thou zprincipk of fpirituallife, who art by nature dead
in fins and trefpafles ? Well, believe in the Son of God, by virtue
of the covenant, and thou flialt have it; For, faysChrifl;, John
II. 25. he that beJievetb in me, thd" he were dead, yet /ball he live.
Would thou have thy fpiritual life more abundant ? New quick-
nings under the languiihings of grace ? Well, this is within the
rainbow of the covenant. Thy life is hid with Chriftin God; and
he has faid, that thou /halt revive as the corn, and grow as the vine.

Again wants thou to have thy heart fprinkled from an evil con*
Jcience ? Here it is to be had, £2^^.36.25. Iwill fprinkk them with
clean water, from all their idols and filthinefs will I cleanfe them.

Would you have thepower of fin broken in thy foul ? Take hold
of God's covenant, or believe in Chrifl: by virtue of the covenant,
and thou (halt have this alfo. Micah 7. 19. Iwillfubdue their iniqui-
ties. Rom. 6. 14. Sin Jhall not have dominion over you, for ye arc
not under the law but under grace.

Would thou have thy fiony heart foftned and turned into a heart
of flefli ? This alfo lies within the rainbow of the coven ant, £21?^.
36. 26. Anew heart alfo will I give them, a new fpirit will I put within
them ; I will take aivay the ftony heart o"t of your fle/b, and give you
a heart offlefh.

Would you have the fpirit of God within you as a fpirit of wlf-
dom and revelation, as a quickning, guiding and fan6lifying fpi-
rit? Well, this is within the covenant alfo, Ezek. 36. ?'7. Jcj///
put my fpirit within them, and caiife thehi to walk in my ftatutes.

Would you have prote6tionagainft all enemies and dangers'! This
alfo is to be had within the circuit of this rainbow. The man,Qhn^
who fits upon the throne, is a hiding-place from the wind, and a co-
vert from the tempefl.

Would thou hsive firength to incounter thy enemies, flrength to
grapple with difficulties,and to manage thy work & warfare; This
is within the rainbow of the covenant, Zech. 10. 12. And I will
flrengthen them, in the Lord, and they flmll walk up and down in my
name., faith the Lord. JHi. 41. 10. 1 will flrengthen them, 1 zvill help and
iiphohl them with the right hand of my righteoufnefs.

Lafily, Would thou have grace to keep in the Lord' sway to the
end, till iV\Q good work be perfeked ? Well,this is in the covenant. The
righteous JJjallhold on their way, and he that hath clean bands Jhall ivax

flronger

furrounding the TitRONE of Grace. (5-7-3

■flronger andjlronger. He that hath beg', 'i the good work in you^ wj//
perform it to the day of Jefus Chrift. All thefe and innumerable
other bleflings lie within the circuit of this rainhovj, which goes
round about the throne of grace.

The fourth thing propofed was to enquire, who are they that may
warrantably come within the compafs of this rainbow? Who are they
that may take hold of God's covenantl Ananfwerto thisqueftionis
the more neceiTary, that it is one of ihemain ^wgmi?^ whereby the
devil keeps finners under the power of unbelief , to tell them that
God's covenant and promife belong to others and not to them.
Will the poor finner be ready to fay. Indeed if I were a believer, I
might confidently come within this rainbow, & intermeddle with
Chrifl and the bleflings of his covenant : But till then I mud noc
prefume to meddle ; and thus I fay finners are many times difcour-
aged from coming to Chrifl to take bold of his covenant. But, rirs,allow
me to tell you,that none are excludedfrom coming within this rainbow^
or horn coming to Chrift who fits on the throne of grace by virtue of
this covenant of grace, but only they who exclude themfelvesby
their unbelief Every one hath free liberty to look to the natural rain-
bow,a.nd improve thefaithfulnefs of God in his promife as a fecurity a-
gainfl an univerfal deluge; fo every foul that hears the gofpel is al-
lowed to look to the rainbow of the covenant of grace, and improve ic
as a fecurity thro' the fatisfadion of Chrift againfl the deluge of
divine wrath due to him for fin.

Quefl. What is it that may warrant and encourage a loft finner
by faith to lay hold on the faithfulnefs of God engaged in his rain-
bow of the covenant that is about his throne ?

Jnf. I. God commands you to lay hold on his covenant, I Joh.
3. 23. This is his commandment that you believe in the name of his foil
Jefus Chrift. Now when God bids you believe in Chrifi,he bids you
believe in him by virtue of the covenant of grace, or by virtue of the
free promife of life thro' Chrift to perifloing finners. O effay it in the
ftrength of him, that commands you ; the very firft command,as I
was faying, warrants you, yea obligeth you to have a God in Chrifl,
and none other, as your God. Now this command is to all & every
one,&: if it were not fo, it would needs follow that there are fome,
in whom unbelief were ho fin; for ivhere there is no law, there can be
no tranfgreffion : But depend upon it,firs, that unbelief is your fin,and
the great lin upon which thefentence of condemnation will run
pgainft you at the^;-^«fr/^}/;&if unbelief be your fin, then it is your
indifpenfable duty by the command of God to believe in Chrift, or
to trufi in himforfalvation, by virtue of his faithfulnefs engaged in
the bowof thecQvmantthatis about th§ throne of grace.

V V 2. Let

^♦f.i The Rainbow of the Covenant

2. Let the extent of the rahboiv encourage&warrant you to come
within it. The natural rainbow reaches from one end of the heaven to
the other: But O riYs,the grace of God in a covenant of grace is much wi-
der and larger,for it reaches forth its arms to clafp every creature in
its bofomj Mar. 16.16. The voice of a God of grace, is to men and the
fons of men to take bold of his covenant, to improve his faithfulnefs in
the rainbow againft this the deluge of his wrath. Ifa.55.1. Ho^every
one that thirfteth come to the waters y and he that hath no money : Let
him come. O why do youfpend your money for that which is not bread ?
and your labour for that which profiteth not ?

3 . The rainbow of the covenant is pointed towards you in parti-
cular, and if you will but look to it, you will fee the end of it com-
ing clofe to your very hand. y^^s. 2. 39. The promife is to you and
your feed, and to all that are afar of; to you is the word of this fal-
vation fent. Art thou a finner,far away, like the prodigal ? Well,
fee the rainbow about the throne pointing to you. Ifa.sy. 19. /
create the fruit of the lips ; peace, peace to him that is afar off. So A^s
2.38. Art thou a polluted finner, black like the Ethiopian, fpotted
like the Leopard ? Well, fee the rainbozv of the covenant pointing out
its grace to you, Pfeil. (58. 13. Tho' thou haji lien among the pots, yet
thoujJoalt be as the wings of a dove. Art thou finking under the load
of fin, as a burden heavier than thou can bear ? Well, fee the bow
of the covenant reaching grace and mercy to help thee. Caft thy
hurden on the Lord, and he willfuftain thee. In a word, wh atever be
thy condition, if on this fide ofhell, thou wilt find ^iWthebew of
God's covenant Itretching out its hand to thee, and accommodating
irfelf to thy condition and circumfi:ance. Altho' the arch of
the bow be high, yet it floops down to every man ; tho' the throne
be high and liftedup, and he that fits on it be exalted, yet the bow
that is about his throne bows itfelf down to thy very hand, that
thou may climb up to Chrifl: by it in a way of believing: And ^
therefore fay not in thine heart, who fJjall afend to heaven to bring
Chrijl down from above, or who fl: all defend to the deep to bring him up
fvom the dead, for the word is nigh tkee, ivenin thy mouth and in thy
heart, that is the word of faith which we preach, Rom. 10. 6, 7, 8.

• 4. It is mofl: pleafing to him that fits on the throne of grace to fee
ci lojt finncr comt \vii\\mi\\Q circuit of his rainbow ^or fafety. You
cannot do a thing that is fo pleafing to God as to believe in Chriic
by virtue of the covenant. John 6.28. This is theiv>ork of God,
that you believe in him whom he has fent. He fpeaks as if this were
the only work ; and indeed it is ^o much the only work of a fin-
ner, that without it, it is impofllble to pleafe him; and with it '
every thingyedo is pleafing, your perfons and your facrificeszre

accepted

furroiinding the Throne of Grace. C'j^

accepted upon hisalcar. O firs, will you not do a thing that is
fo pleafing to him that made you, him that preferves you^ him
that provides for yoii^ him thatfjjed the blood of his heart to redeem you;
never was the fond breaft of a tender-hearted mother more glad
to be fucked, than the Lord is to fee a linner come within^the
bow of his covenant/or ^mc^ and mercy to help in time of need.

5. The nature of the throne, and the nature of the rainbow invites
and encourages your faith and trufl. The throne is of the nature
with the rainbow, the throne is a throne of grace, and the covenant a
covenant of grace. What fort of a throne is a throne of grace ? Ic
is a throne for beggars, divors and bankrupts to come to,that they
may get whatfoever they want freely ; it is a throne that (lands by
outgiving, by giving liberally to all without upbraiding. Wtmt fort
of a covenant is a covenant of grace ? The very name of it tells you
what is its nature ; a covenant of grace can be nothing elfe but an ah-
folute free grant of all the riches of grace that lie about the throne of
grace. If any thing were required of us as a condition of our taking
or receiving the hleffings of the covenant ,k\vou\d that moment ceafe
to be a covenant of grace But, fay y ou^ is not faith the condition of the
covenant'^ Anfwer, I will be loath to condemn that way of fpeaking,
becaufe worthy men have ufed it,& do ufe it in z found fenfe : ,But,
firs, I would have you to remember that when it is called a co«Jmo«,
all that fuch worthy 'learned men mean by it, is only this, that you
can have no faving benefit or advantage by Chrift unlefs he be recei-
ved ; you can have no benefit by God's covenant or promife, unlefs
you believe the promife to be true, and believe it with application to \
your own fouls- Faith is iufl fuch a condition as fliews the infeparable
connexion between one thing and another : As if you fhould fay to
a beggar there is your alms on the condition that you take it; there
is ?neat on the condition you eat it ; there is a good bond f^or a fum of
money, on condition that you trujl him that granted it. Or, as if I
Ihould fay to one, thou flialt have the benefit of the light of the fun,
on condition thou open thine eyes to fee it. Or the ground will bear
you, on condition you lay your weight upon it : '^ow^uoh 3. condi-
tion of the covenant ofgrofe is faith ; it is juft a taking what is freely
given without money and price : and let it be remembered that it-
felf is one of the hleffings promifed in this covenant. Now, I fay,
let the nature of the throne, and the nature of the r<3/«Z?oiu of the
covenant encourage and warrant you to come and trufl: in a God of
grace. I make but a fuppofition that a great and rich king fiiould
erc£t a throne in the open field, and emit ^^.proclamation for all beggars,
bankrupts and people m wants and ftraits to come to his throne, and
they (liall get whatever they needed : O what a gathering would

V V 2 there

676 The RxitiBOw of the CovEtiAtiT

there be! With what confidence would needy people flock thither,
and ask what they wanted^ efpecially if the king had fworn by
his life that they ihoiild be ferved ? Well, this is the very cafe :
The throne of grace is a throne only for the needy, for rich folk are *
fent empty aivay,:ind thehow about the throne is juft thefaithful-
nefs of God engaged in a free promife, that come to him who will,
hs 'xill in no wife caft them out. O then take the advantage, and trull
his promife, and you have the thing promifed, for his promife is as
good as payment.

6. Will you but take a view of the name of him that fits upon the
throne within the rainbow^ and let that encourage your faith, hope
and expeclation. O firs, they that know his name zvillput their truft in
him', his name ih^i fits on the throne is a flrongtower,to which the
fmner may flee ^and to which the faints do flee andarefafe : See what
his name is, Exod. 34. 6. his name is the Lord^ The Lord God JEHO-
VAH EL, the ftrong God, able to do for thee exceeding abundantly
above what thou can ask or think : He flretched out the heavens, and
laid the foundations of the earth, and does whatever pleafes him in
the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth,
and therefore is able to do for thee whatever thouaskeftof him,
ye'a, more than thou can ask. Jbrahamhy faith flayed himfelf
upon the power of a promifing God without ftaggering, Rofn. 4. 20.
Again his name is merciful, and therefore may thou fay, will he noc

//anfwer his name, and extend mercy, confidering that miferyis
" ^--^he only proper obje£l of mercy, and I am wretched, miferable,
blind and poor, and naked. David's faith found footing in this
name of a God in Chrift, when he could not fland before the bar of
the law, Pfal. 130. 4. But there is mercy with thee that thou may eft be
feared. Again, his name who fits upon the throne within the rainboiu
is gracious, and it is the very nature of grace, as I faid, to give and
to give freely : Grace is that attribute of the divine nature which
Hiiail be celebrated thro' eternity ; this world is but a theatre on
•which he defigns the manifeflations of his grace. May not this
encourage thee to go within the circuit of the rainbow,^nd ask grace
and mercy to help thee in time of need. Unbelief indeed will tell
thee. That the Lord has forgotten to be GRACIOUS; but it is not fo,
for he cannotforget his own name. Unbelief will tell thee that
thou art unworthy of his grace, and this will hinderthee from fuc-
ceeding ,• but that cannot be neither, for grace is mod grace when
it is extended to the mod unworthy. Thus,Ifay,draw^72(;oz/r/?^f-
mentfrom the name of him that fits itpon the throne within the rainbozv.

7. It is for the honour and glory of God, that you improve the rain-
bow of the covenant for your fecurity againfl the deluge of wrath,

and

furrounding the Tukq-^tl of Gkacv:, 677

andfor obtaining the bleflings that lie within the bofom thereof;
hereby ye glorify his power, being perfwaded, thathcis able to
make goodivhat he has- promifed; hereby you glorify his holinefs,
vvhich is pledged to the great covenant head, and give thanks at the
remembrance of his holinefs; pledged in the covenant to him and
his feed : Hereby you glorify his juftice by acquiefcing in that righ-
teoufnefs or juftice, which is the foundation of his throne ; here-
by you glorify his mercy, and join with him in faying, Mercy jhall
he built up for ever; hereby you glorify his truth and faithfulnefs,
hy fitting to the feal that God is true : In a word, you give him the
glory of your falvation, faying, Salvation to him that fitteth upon the
throne, and to the lamb for ever and ever; the language of faith is,
A^or to us, not tons: hut to thy name be the glory.

Thus you fee that there is noble encouragement, and the beft -ivar-
rants in the world for believing^ or coming within this bow of the co-
venant : O then, firs, for the Lord's fake, and for your own foul's
fake, flee in wiihin the rainbow, that is about the throne ; believe
in Chrift by virtue of the covenant of grace and promifc ; and if
after all you will not comply, I declare in the name of God,that the
bozv of God's covenant iliall ftand you in no Head. The faithfulnefs
of God that is engaged to fave thefinner that believes, or takes
holdof his covenant, is engaged to damn the foul that continues
in unbelief; for ashe that believeth Poallbe faved,fo he that believeth
not fJoall be damned. The fountains of the great depth of God's
wrath will inevitably fweep you away : And he who is the God of
falvation has faid, That he will wound the headof his enemies, and the
hairy fcalp of them that go on in their trefpafjes.

l'he//r/; thing propofed was to rollaimy^omQ impediments^ or
flumblingflones^ that lie in the way of fmners, and ivhich have a fatal
injhience in difcouraging them to take the benefit of the rainbow of ths
covenant,whichfiirrounds the throne of grace. There are fome things
on God's part, that appear as great and (trong bars againfb the fin-
ner, and tend mightily todifcourage him from looking either to
the throne or the bow that furrounds it, viz. the law of God, the juf-
tice of God, ihQ holinefs of God, and the decree of God.

1. The law of God. O, fays thefinner, I am condemned already
by God's law, and how then Ihall I look towards God's covenant,
or take hold of it for m.y fafety againfl; the deluge of wrath ? Jnf.
If thou had not broken the divine law, thou would not ftand in
need of ihe grace of God's covenant ; the law is fo far from being
againft the promife in the bufinefs of falvation, that that moment
thou takes hold of Chrift by virtue of the covenant or promife,the
righteoufnefs of the law is fulfilled in thee ; For Chrijl is the end of

V V Q thff

\

.^^^8 "^^^ Rainbow of tbs Covenant

' the laiv for right eoufnefs to every one that helk'-oeth. Chrift zvas made
under the lavj, to redeem them that were under the lazv.

2. But Ojfays the rmner^thcjii/tice of God is again ft me,the tho'ts
of incenfed juflice make my hearc to tremble within me. ^nf.
The throne of grace that is furrounded with the boiv of the covenant
is founded upon juflice fatisfiedandjudgment executed upon the
furety ; and that moment thoy comes within the bond of thecove-
imnt, juftice becomes thy friend, afToiJing thee on the ground of
Chrift's fatisfadlion : For God has fet forth Chriji to he ciprspitiati-
on thro' faith in his bloody to fljew forth his right eoufnefs for there-
'miffion of fins, that he might be juji and the juflifier of him that
believeth in Jefus.

3 . The holinefs of God fometimes/c^r^j- the finner to look toward
the throne of grace or covenant of grace. But, firs, I tell you, thac
that moment you come within the bow of the covenant, 'you are made
■partakers of his holinefs, zwd the holinefs of God being laid in pledge
for the fulfilling of thepromife, flandsup for its own interefl in
the finner's behalf- And befide, by the blood of Jefus, the filth
of fin is covered from the eyes of unfpotted holinefs, as well
as the guilt of it hid from the eye of incenfed juflice.

4. The finner is ready to hcfcaredhom taking hold of God's
covenant, and his faithfulnefs engaged therein on the accoimt of
the decrees of God. O, will the finner fay, it is true, if I were among
the number of the ele6l, I might me'ddle with God's eovenant : But
alas I think I am none of thefe,and therefore I need not think of ta-
king hold of Chrifl by virtue of his covenant. But, firs, let me tell
you, that fecret things belong to the Lord, but things that are re-
vealed to us and to our children : let God's ^^cr^^i* alone, you have
no more bufinefswith them in the matter of believing, than you
have to trouble yourfelf with what they are doing in M?.t/Vo or
Feru. Meddle you with the things that are revealed, for thefe are
the things that belong to us and to our children. Now what are
the things that are revealed? Chrift is revealed, the covenant ^nd
the promifes 2LYe revealed as the ground of faith, thecom.mandof
God enjoining you to believe is rQved.\ed, God's good-will to man
upon earth is revealed ; thefe are the things that belong to you, and
therefore meddle you with thefe, and let not the Devil and your
own ill heart together brangle and confound you, by telling you
that you do not know if you be ele6led,for that moment you come
within the bond of God's covenant, you may knozv your election, & that
God hath loved you with an everlafling love : And no other way can
you poflibly know it. Butbefides all this, let me tell you, that
God's promife regillered in his word, is but an extraft of the eter-
nal

fiirrotinding the T ii rone of Grace. 679

nal chought and purpofe of his heart ; fo that by believing his pro-
mif« immediately you may know that you are the called according
to his purpofe.

But may the finner fay, tho' there be no bar on God's party yet
there are many bars and impediments on my part. I fliall endeavour
to roll away thefe alio, by anfwering the following objections of
unbelief.

Obje6lion i . I am a poor un-wortby creature, I dare not think of med-
dling with God's Covenant. yJnfwer., It is a bailard devilifli humility,
that keeps you from believing, for the more unworthy you are of
the grace and favour of God, the more fit you are fox receiving the'
grace of God at a throne of grace by Virtue of the covenant of
graces grace is only calculated for the unworthy finner, and
not for thefe that think themfelves worthy of it.

Obje6l. 2 . My fins are like the great mountains., and I fear the grace
of Godwin never level them. Jnfiv. Take hold of God's covetiant
and you (liall find thefe mountains removed, & cafl; into the midfl
of the fea. Jfa. i. 18. Come and let us reafon together, faith the
Lord, timigh your fins be as fcarlet and crimfom, I ivill make them
i\)bite as fno'X and as wool.

Obje6l. 3. 1 want a law-work f lam not weary and heavy laden, and
therefore am not fit to take hold of God's covenant. Anjw. If thou think
to make a law- work & humiliation a price in your hand to recom-
mend you to Chrid^ and fit you for him ,• I tell you, that inflead of
fitting your felf for Chrift, you are building up a wall between
Chrift and you, that you fliall never get over. If you fee an abfo-
lute need of Chrift, and that you are undone without him, do not
flandtofeek more law- work: for that moment you clofe with
Chrifl by virtue of the covenant of grace, the law hath gotten its
en d, Chrift being the end of the law to every one that helieveth. It is the
weary and heavy laden are called,- but that is not to exclude o-
thers, who cannot find thatdifpofition in themfelves; and they
are mentioned in particular in the call, becaufe they are moft rea-
dy to exclude themfelves from having any concern in Chrifl or
his covenant.

Object. 4. lam afraid to take hold of God's covenant, in cafe I turn a-
^ay from his commandmejits, and fo render nnfelf unworthy of a cove-
nant relation to him. /Inf. If you really take hold of his covenant,
the grace of his covenant will keep you in the way of his com-
mandments, Jer. 32.40. / wHl make aneverlafiing covenant with
them, that I will never turn away from them to do them good, but I
will put my fear in their hearts, and they /ball not depart from me.

Obj.s. I am afraid to take hold of God's covenant, in cafe that Ine-

V V 4 vcr

\

"<)8o The Rainbow of the Covenant

'^cer he able to bear the crofs : I imll faint in the day of adverfity,for my
Jlrengtbis finall Jnf. Do not fear that, for he that fits on the
throne has faid in his covenant, that when thou pajfeft through
the water f he ivill be ivith thee, and thro' the rivers they fjall not o-
verflow thee ; ivhen thou pajfeft thro' the fire, thoupoalt not be burnt ^nei-
ther fhall the flame kindle upon thee. His prefence fliall go with thee
to the hotteil furnace, and unto the deep waters of Mara; and
if fo, there is no fear but thy head fliall be carried above.

Obj.6. 1 have formerly endeavoured to take hold of God's covenant;
but I have played the harlot mtb many lovers fence that. Anf Renew
thy. hold of the co venant,for the grace ofGod's covenant,the rain-
bow about the throne,is flill pointing thee out as it were by name,
Jer. 3. 1. Tho' thou haft played the harlot with many lovers, yet return
again to me, faith the Lord.

Obj. 7. Bat I have a&edas a rebel againft heaven, I have been wag-
ing war again ft God, and will ever he allow me to meddle with his cove-
nant, or come within the verge of this rainbow ? For Jnf. fee Pfal. 68.
18. where we are told concerning him that fits upon the throne
of grace within the rainbow ; He received gifts for men, yea even for
the rebellious. That the Lord God might dwell among us. See al fo, Ifa.
55.7. Let the wicked forfake his way, and the unrighteous man his
thoughts, and turn to the Lord, for he will have mercy, and to our God for
he will abundantly pardon.

Obj. 8. 1 want power to take hold of the covenant, I want power to be-
lieve in Chrift by virtue of the covenant. Jnf. He that fits upon the
throne with the rainbow about it, is faying, I will give power to the
faint, and increafe ftrength to them that have no inight ; yea, he has
j"iid that he will inake thee willing by the day of his power ; and if he
has given thee the will to believe, there is no fear of the want of
power,-for he that works the willhy his covenant,he has ingag'd to
work the do alfo; he works in us both to will^to do ofhisgoodpleafure.

Obj. 9. Ton are always fpeaking of the bow of the covenant, but I •
■would fain fee it ; Lhavefeen the natural bow, but the rainbow of the co-
venant is invifihle. Jnf It is ftrange not to fee it when you have it
in your hand, the old and new teltament is the rainbow that I am
fpeaking of; the rainbow is at this moment fliining upon you in a
preached gofpel. O remember that awful word, 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4. If
cur g ofpel be hid, it is hid to them that are loft ; in whom the God ofthis
world hath blinded the minds rfthem that believe not, left the light of the
glorious gofpel of Chrift, zvbo is the image of God,fIjouldf]jine unto them.
01: j. 1 o. / am afraid of being one of theft, from whom this rainbovj
is hid, andfo am loft for ever. Jnf. If thou doefl not fee it, I ask art
thou longing to lee it ? If fol can tell you for good news,thou (bile

fee

furrounding the Throke cf Grace. 68 i

feeiteYelong^fGrhefatisfieth the longing foul, and fillet h the hungry
foul with goodnefs ; and then he that fits on the throne has faid, that
he will open the blind eyes ^ and turn thee from darkncfs, that thou llialt
behold the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God.

Thus I have endeavoured to roll away all the ini pediments I can
think upon, that you may be encouraged to come wit bin the how
that is about the throne of grace. What are you refol ved to do ?Wil 1
you come within the bow of God's covenant or not ? I would fain
expoftulate the matter with you; what will you do in the day of
death, if you come not within this rainbow ? What will you do in the
day of reckoning, when (landing before the bar of God ? IVbither
willy ou flee when rocks^ mountains refufe to fall on you to hide you from
the face of the lamb ? O firs, there is no lliunning the deluge of di-
vine wrath, but by taking hold of the covenant and ohhefaitbfulncfs
ofGodingaged therein; the whole creation cannot help you, if
you do it not, but you muft lie under the fiery mountains of God's
wrath for ever ,• for he that believeth not is condemned already, and the
wrath of God abideth on him.

But I cannot think ofparting with you upon mount Ebal or Si'
NAi; zndtherehi'e let me befeech you by the mercy of God, by allthe
hleffings of his covenant, by the blood and bowels ofaGod of love inChrifty
by all the glory of heaven and eternity y that youcomewithin thecom-
pafs of the rainbow that is about the throne. O, fay you, with
my whole foul I would take hold of God's covenant and his faitli-
fulnefs engaged therein, but will you give us your advice as to
this matter. An anfwer to this l^ads to the

Lafl: thing propofed, which was to o^e.\' d. few advices in order
to your improving the rainbow of the promife or covenant for your
fafety againfi: the deluge of wrath.

1 . Study to be firmly perfwaded of your mi [cry and loft ft ate, with-
out Chrift, & while without the confines of the bow that furround;>
his throne. Till you fee your lofi:fi:ate by the breach of the cove-
nant of works, you will never take hold of a covenant of grace :
and therefore be firmly perfwaded,that by nature }W^ are wretched,
miferable, blind, poor and naked : But now if you have come to this
perfwafion, you muft not refi: content here, for many ha\c pc-
riilied in this place of breaking forth of children; and therefi:^re,

2. Be firmly perfwaded, that there is relief for you in Chrift', and
in tne new covenant whereof he is the glorious head; howc\'cr
bad thy condition is there is relief for thee in Chrifi- ,• fur he is all
in all. Is thy Rate a fl:ate of fin ? Well, Chrifi; is the faviour of
none but finners. Is thy ftate a fiiate of difiance .from God ?
Well, he came to bring us near by his own blood. Is ih v (late a ftat e,

of

682 The Rainbow of the Covenant

of enmity and war againft heaven? Well, his work is to recon-
cile God and man, to fatisfy juftice, and to flay the enmity of the
heart ; he breaks down the wall of partition, diud brings both parties
unto one. Is tliy ftateahopelefsftate? Well, he is the hope of all
the ends of the earth. Is it a ftate of darknefs ? He is the light of
the world. Art thou in an impotent ftate? Heisthe ftrength of the
poor, and of the needy. Art thou in a flate of bondage ? He proclaims
liberty to the captive, and the opening oftheprifon doors to them that are
bound. Art thou CLirfed? He came to redeem from the curfe. Art
thou dead in fin, dead by thelaw ? Well,/;*? died that we might live ;
and though thou be dead, yet thou /halt live, if you believe in him. So
that I fay there is that in Chrifl which meets with the condition of
the finner, let his cafe be ever fo bad, if he be on this fide of hell.
Now, I fay, beperfwadedofall this, be alTured of it, that there
is help laid upon this mighty redeemer, and that he is indeed
able to fave to the very uttermofl:.

3. Beperfwadedthatther^iK^oiy, that is firroiinding the throne
€f grace is pointing to you,- I mean that the covenant of grace,
or promife of help, relief and reft thro' Chrift is left to yon, and di-
reftedorindorfed to you in particular, and that it belongs to you
as a thing you may claim without any 'vicious intromiffion. This
isabfolutely necefi^ary, fori can never trull toafecurity, which
meantime I think or imagine is granted to another man, and not
to myfelF. Can Ipurfue upon a bond granted in another's man's
Daxne, and not in my own ? O, fay you, // 1 tho't I had a right to
the covenant or promife of God in Chrift, I would believe it, and rejoice*
Well, to eftablifli you in the faith of this, know O finner for thy
encouragement, i. The covenant and promife is indorfed or
direfted to thee, as if thou were named by name and firname, like
a letter, when it is backed to a man ,* when he reads the back of
the letter, and finds it dire6led to him, he breaks the feal of it, and
claims all that is in it,tho' it were a fecurity for millions of gold and
filver. 2. Thou hail already gotten thefealof the covenant in bap-
tifm ; and^vould God allow the feal of his covenant, and yet will
thou fay thou haft no claim to intermeddle with the covenant it-
felf? 3. God has put his covenant,his confirmed teftament in thy
hand, as acharter for eternallife, and commanded thee to readit,
fearch it, truft to it for a happy eternity : and yet wilt thou fay
thou haft no claim to the covenant,no right to take hold of it ? And
therefore, I fiiy, be pt.Tfvvaded that you h^ve a good claim to the
covenant of grace and promife ; the promife is to you and your feed. You
may readily fay to me, that by this means God's promife is made
to the reprobate, as well as totheele6t in the vifible church. I

anfwer

fiirroimd'mg the Throne 0/ Grace 683

anfvver with the learned and pious Rutherford, T/ja? the reprobate
bath as good a revealed warrant for beluving as the eled; have. If God's
covenant: and promife were not tcrall in common wiihin the vifi-
ble church, and if his faitbfulnefs were not engaged in the promife
tendred to them, how is it poflible that unbelievers could be faid
to make God a liar by not believing bis promife^ or tbe record, in ijohich he
has given to us eternal life in his Sonjefus Cbrifl. You may agai n ob-
ject and fav, if God's promifeswere made to the reprobate, then
it would follow that his faithfulnefs would fail if he did not fulfil
his promife to them. I anfwer, we are to diflinguifli between the
promife in the exhibition of it in the word, and in the effedlual appli-
cation of it by the fpirit ; in the firft of thefe refpefts it is made to
allwithoiit exception of eledt or reprobate ; and that the promife is not
madeeffedlual to the reprobate, will no more infer the want of
faithfulnefs in God, than a man's not marrying of a woman after
he has pad his promife to her, when yet flie refufeth to confent to
the bargain.

4. Be perfwaded that this covenant of grace and promife is a good
and noble fecurity, and that it is able to bear thy weight. You
heard in the doftrinai part, how much the faithfulnefs of God is enga-
ged in the covenant. Pray do not forget it ; he has fubfcribed it,
attefted it, fealed it, regiftered it : In a word he has given all im-
aginable advantage for believing, and takes off all imaginable
pleas for unbelief.,

5. Be much in viewing thefe great and glorious blejjlngs that lie
within the covenant, within the verge of the bow that is about the
throne : Of which I gave you an account upon the third head pro-
pofed, in profecuting of this exhortation. What thinkeft thou of
having Jehovah, Father, Son and Holy Ghoft for thy God, and
portion forever? What thinkefb thou of a fealed pardon and in-
demnity for all thy fins ? What thinkefi; thou of being an heir of
God, and a joint heir voith Cbrifl 1 What thinkefi: thou of the inheri-
tance, that is incorruptible andimdefiled, which fadeth not away ? Yet
all thefe lie within the circle of the bow of the covenant. No"w,I fay,
keep your eye upon thefe, that you may be encouraged, orfi:ir-
red up to prefs towards the a6lual poffeffion of thefe glorious
hlefjlngs by coming within this blefled bow.

6. Take a view of all thefe great and glorious blejjlngs, as lying
in the hand of him that fits upon the throne, ready to be given
out to every one that believes in him by virtue of the covenant.
O hear him that fits on the throne crying to all finners, to a whole
perilhing world ; Wbofoever believeth in me, flMllmt perifJj, but have
evcrlafiing life. Wbofoever ivill, la him come, and take of tbe water

684 '^^^^ Rainbow of the Covenant

of life freely, lliis, I fay, be perfwaded,that all the bleflfings of che
covenanc are ready in his hand to bediftributed and communi-
cated to every one that comes to him.

7. Being firmly perfwaded of all thefe things, (tudy to refl,
and lay the weight of thy finking foul upon the veracity and faith-
fulnefsoi a promifingGod inChrift; You know what it is to lay
weight upon an honefl man's word, who you are perfwaded x/ill
not fail you ; fo lay weight and fi:refs upon the promife of God, up-
on his fait hfulnefs ingD^ged in the covenant, being fully perfwaded
that what he has pro7/i?yi?^, heis bothable and willing to perform.
O firs, trufi: in liim, let his truth be your fliield and buckler, for he
is truth itfef: Faithfulnefs is the girdle of his loins; hang by this
girdle, and fay with David, In his word ivilll hope. Remember the
"jjordf on which thou hajt caufedthy fervant to hope. And if thou do
fo, thou flialt not be difappointed ,• The faPfion of this world paf
fith away, but the zvord of the Lord endureth for ever.

8. If you have thus entred within the boiv of the covenant, go for-
ward to the throne and him that fits on it^whofe appearance is like
a Jajperund Sardine ft one iox brightnefsand glory; purfuehim at
his own throne : plead the adlual outmaking and accomplifliing of
his promife, for this is God's fliated and ordinary Vv^ay appointed
in his v/ordj Ezek. 36. 37. compared with f. 25, 26, 27. There
God makes a great many promifes, and after all he adds, for thefe
things will I be cnquiredof by the boufe of Israel, that I may doit for
than : Only when you come to the throne and plead the promife,
take care that you do not expe6l the accompli fhment of the promife
for your own pleading : But upon the account of his own faithfui-
nefs, engaged in his own covenant of grace. Bun, may you fa}', I
liave neither skill nor confidence to plead the promife. lanfwer,
it is very true, you have no skill to manage at his throne. And
therefore I give you

A 9?/; advice, put the promife of the covenant, which you feek the
accomplifliment of in the hand of your advocate, that he may
plead it for you : fVe have an advocate with the father, Jefiis Cbrift
the righteous ydindthei'eiorein your approaches to the throne be-
ware of neglefting him ,* for he hath made us accepted in the be-
loved; depend much upon his skill and hisintereftin the court.
He has his father's ear, and his father's commiflion to make inter-
celTion for the tranfgrefilbrs. The father fiiys to him, Jsk of ?ne,
and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, andtheuttermofi
erJ of the earth for thypofjefjlon. So that however great your fuits
at the throne of grace are, you have no reafon to fear, ifyouim-
pioy this glorious advocate & days-man; and in doing fo, do not

doubt

fiivfounding the Throne of Grace. C'gj

doubt of fLiccefs : But ask in faith, nothing Wiiver big: Drav^near
ivitha true heart, in full ajfurance of faith.

lo. When you have done all this, yon. mod: wait for the accom-
plilliment and outmaking of the promife in a fenfible way, For he
that believeth does not make hafte. I will look to the Lord, I will wait
fortheGodof my falvation; my God will hear me. Do not limit
thcLord to your time, but wait his time,i^o/- the Lord is aGod of judg-
ment.^ he 'voaits to be gracious ^^ therefore bleffed are all they that zvait
on him. Sirs,if you have but the promife of a man, or bond of a man
for a fum of money, you will wait many years before you get pay-
ment, and yet you will not doubt of payment, at the end when the
time comes ; and will you trufh and wait on men, and will you not
wait on your God continually? O the Lord is good to them that
wait on him, and to the foul that feeks him. The vifion is for an ap-
pointed time, tho' it tarry., wait for it : For at the end it willfpeak, and it
willnot tarry. See to this purpofe, Heb. lo. 36, 37. Te have need of
patience, after you have done the will of God^ that you fbould receive the
promife. For he that fhall come, will come, and will not tarry.

Having thus taken hold of God's covenant, and entred within
the rainbow that is about the throne,come to morrow and get the feal
of the covenant for the confirmation of your faith, that fo you may
with the greatefl; freedom intermeddle with the goods contained
inyouT tldQYhv other' St ejiament. Altho'aman have a good right
to an eftate, yet perhaps he may be loth to intermeddle till he get
infeftment. Well, firs, having taken hold of the good charter, the
covenant ofgrace,! invite you to come and get infeftment upon the
charter to morrow atGod's table,where he invites all his friends to
eat and drink abundantly of the bread and wine that he has mingled.

I lliall conclude the whole of this difcourfe by offering a feCo
marks, whereby ye may try whether or no you have really got;
within the bow of the covenant which furreunds the throne ; it is true in-
deed all the members of the vifible church, they bear a relation to
the covena.m, to them belong the adoption, and the covenants, and the
promifes ; you are externally in covenant by virtue of baptifm,you
are profeiledly covenanted people. But the queftion is. Are you
really within the covenant ? Have you by faith entered within the rain-
bow that furroundeth the throne ? The marks that I offer fliall be
principally founded upon the context in this chapter.

I. l^hzx\x.he fpirit oi the gxe2it covenant -head ih^tilis upon the
throne has entred into you, if you have entred within the bow of
this covenant, orfeen the glory of him that fits on the throne. We
find here John was {irilinthefpiyit, and then hefaw the throne,
and the rainbow, and him that fat on it. O firs, I am perfwaded

thac

686 -The Rainbow of the Covenant

that there was never one bro't within the bow of God's covenant ,
but will be ready to own that it was he that bro't them. / will
caufe^ them topafs under the vody and iJring them under the bond of my co-
venant. The ap.oftle Paul tells us, Phil. 3. 12. That hewas appre-
hended of Chrift Jefus ^before ever he apprehended him: So will it be
with you, if you be bro't within the rainbow of God's covenant.

2. You will be much in admiring the throne, and the glory of
him that fits on it, who is here compared to a Jafper SindSardine-

flone. I told you in the explication of the words, that this is Chrifl:.
O have you feen the glory of an exalted Chrifl ? All we with open
face, beholding as in a glafs the glory of the Lord, are changed into the
fame image. If you have feen bis glory as the glory of the only be-
gotten of the Father^ you will be ready to fay, He is indeed white and
ruddy, fairer than the children of men.

3. If fo, then you will take great pleafure in beholding the
rainboiv that is about the throne, and rejoice in it as your fecurity a-
gainfl the deluge of wrath, faying with David, This is allmy fal-
"vation, that he has made with me an everlafting covenant ordered in all
things and fire', you will be delighted to think on the freedom of
the covenant, the order of the covenant, thefurenefs of the co-
venant, and its emerald colour^ its perpetual grecnnefs, without
any variation.

4. When you look to the rainbow of the covenant, it will fill you
with expe6lation of good, when you go to the throne in prayer.
The natural rainbow,as I laid, is the forerunner of a lliower to the
thirfly earth ,• people expe6l it when they fee the bow in the
clouds : So when you fee the bow of the covenant, it will give you
good hopes of a fliower of the ypfnf'j influences, and that he will
come to you ^x the rain, as the latter and former rain upon the earth :
And truly, firs, one great reafon why there arefo many hopelefs
prayers among us, is, becaufe we do not fet the eye of faith on
the rainbow of the covenant.

J. If ever you was brought within therainbow of the covenant,
you ha^'e been ilriptof yourown filthy rags,^r\d clothed with the
T^' ' /'rt^ raiment of tberighteoufnefs of the fon of God ; for they that
t the throne here are faid to be clothed with white raiment ,
i\ 4; CO then, I ask h« ve you be^n made to fee all your own righte-
cvfn^f^to bf as filthy rn^iis, r-is a menflruous cloth, as dung and lofs,
■night be found }n Chrifl not having your own right eoufnefs, but
( -■...., . viich is by faith in Chrijl V Is rhe i mguage of thy heart, Surely
in 'the Lord have rrighteoi^Jnefs, in him wiill be jujlified, and in him
ahne^ill I glory.

' 6. If

furroundmg the Throne of Grace. C%-7

6. If you have been whhin the rainbow, brought "johhin thehond of
the covenant J you have had your heart and eyes enlightened, an:i
warmed with the feven lamps of fire before the throne, v/hich are
explained to be the fpirit with his various iniluences, v'erfe^.
Tiiefe are compared to lamps, becaufe of their ^njightnin'i ef-
ficacy, and lamps o/yzr^, becaufe of their fanftifying, purifying,
warming efficacy on the foul. Now try yourfelves by this; if
you be bro't within the bow of the covenantthat is about the throne,i\\Q
Ipirichas been in you a fpirit ofwifdom and revelation difcover-
ing the things of God to you in a divine luflre ; and like fire they
have purified you in fome meSfure from the drofs of fin, and made
your heart to burn within you, like the difciples going to Emaus, and
like a lamp theyferveto dire6t you in the way of truth and holi-
nefs ; the voice of the fpirit is, This is the %my, walk ye in it.

7. li'^ouhehxou^t within the rainbow of the covenant, you will
be frequently bathingyour polluted foulsinthefeaofglafs, that
is before the throne, fpoken of in the 6th verfe. Interpreters think
that there is an allufion here to the large vefi^els in the temple and
tabernacle, in which the priefl:sufed to wafii themfelves before
they offered facrifices, called zfea ofglafs, becaufe of the tranfpa-
rent purity of him whofe blood it was: I'hey that are come by faith
to Jefus the mediator of the new covenant, they are alfo come to the
blood of fprinkling, in order to the cleanfing of their fouls from fin

rand from uncleannefs ; you will fee a continual need of this blood to
purify your perfons and a6lions from every thing that defiles.
8. If brought within the rainbow of the covenant, you will be much
taken up in celebrating the praifes of God's holinefs, and adoring
him upon this account. 1'hey that are about the throne, f. 8.
They cry, Holyy Holyy Holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and
is to come. Now try yourfelves by this. Can you love God, adore
and celebrate his praifes,becaufe of his unfpotted holinefs and pu-
rity, which cannot behold iniquity without abhorrence ? This I take to
'^e one ofthefweetefl&furefl marks ofa true believer andfaint,
which does diflinguifli him from all hypocrites in the world. A
hypocrite may come the length to love and adore the divine ma-

»-' jelly, becaufe o^hisgreatnefs, becaufe of his^cioi/2^/r,becaufe of his
mercy ; but I do not think that they can love and praife him, be-

♦caufe of his holinefs and hatred of fin. No this argues a feraphick
and angelick fpirit ; for the Angels cover their fiices cvying,FIoly,
Holy, Holy Lord God of Hojls, Ifa. 6. Now is this the difpofition
of thy foul ? Can thou fay with DAViD,Pfal. 30. 4. Sing to the Lord,

' 0 ye Saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holinefs ?

. And Ifa. 1 2. at the clofe. Shout, O daughter of Zion, for great is thy
holy one of Israel, in the midjt of thee ? 9. You

€SB The Rainbow cf the CovENANt^^fc.

9. You wiil equally adore, worfJjjp 2in&admire all the three per-
fonsof checver blejjld trinity sls one God. So dothcy that area-
bout the throne ,• tliey cry Holy Father, Holy Son, & Holy Spirit, and
thefe are but one Lord God Almighty ,'vohicb -was, and is, and is to come.
Faith takes up God according to the revelation that he has made
oFhimfeir, conlldered perfonally or elTentially, and it cannot en-
dure any thing that derogates from the glory of any of the bleiled
three m one and one in three. You that are not flruck with horror
attheblafphemy, that is uttered againfltheSon of God this day
in our church, asif he were only a fubordinate deity, inferior to
the Father, you were .never yet ivithinthe compafs of the rainbom
that goes about the throne on which he fits ; for they that have been
there they have feen him to be the fame in fubftance, equal in
power and glory with his eternal father, to be the Lord God Al-
mighty as well as the Father, the brightness of his glory, and exprefs
image of his perfon. And the concerns of his glory will go nearer
your heart than any private concerns of your own, tho'your ho-
nour were laid in the dud.

10. If ever you have been within the rainbow of the covenant
that furroundeth the throne, then I am fure you will be very
concerned to have the crown pulled off the head of felf, and
fet it upon the head of him that fits upon the throne of grace,
■f. 10. They that are about the throne, they caji their crowns before
the throne, faying. Thou art worthy, OLord, to receive glory, honour and
power. Ofirs, if ever you werebro't within the rainbow of tlj
covenant of grace, you will not facrifice to •} our own net, or burn ir.
cenfe to your own drag, you will not attribute any or. the le'aft part ot
your falvation to your felves, to your own holinefs, goodnefs, di-
ligence, frame, or any thing elfe ; no, no, you will tread every
thing under your feet, that dares to ufurp the room of Chrift, and
be ready to fay, not unto us, not unto us but to thy name be the glory.
Ohe IS the Lord my right eoufnefs, he is the glory of my flrength,in
his right eoufnefs will I be exalted, and I refolveto (land an eternal
debtor to grace, grace reigning thro' imputed righteoufnefs to e-
ternal life by Jefus Chrifl: my Lord. Worthy,worthy is he to weai:
the crown, to fit on the throne, and to fway the fcepter for ever :
O \ttKing Jefus 2in^Q, and let his enemies, be fcactered and flee
before him.

FINIS.

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